Week 67 - Quail Creek, Oklahoma - Oct. 14, 2013

Mi querida familia, To start off, I think I'd like to say a few words about the ward i'm living in. I am in awe at these members I'm serving with. They are so full of the light of Christ, and have a great affinity for missionary work. I was a in a correlation meeting last night, and I was just so impressed at how organized everything is, and also how each of these people are so invested in missionary work. It feels great! Missionary work is so much more enjoyable when members and missionaries are working together to do the Lord's work. I love serving here. With that being said, we have to maintain member trust. And from what I've learned obedience, faith and optimism gain trust. I am learning so much from their examples. We had another miracle lesson with D'Quan this week. He is solid. He skateboards 20 blocks to the church just to have a lesson with us. This week we asked him about baptism. HE mentioned how at first when we were meeting wit him, he was a little apprehensive towards baptism. Now, he feels more mentally prepared. He also bore testimony about how reading the Book of Mormon and coming to church had made him a calmer person. The spirit was so strong in the meeting, and we're hoping to set a date with him soon. This week we also found an inactive member. She was baptised at age 8, but went inactive during her highschool years because her family stopped going to church. We had a great lesson with her. She has no animosity towards the church. She doesn't go simply because she doesn't understand the church. Her father also returned to activity lately and has asked her to listen to the missionaries and come back as well. So she's super- interested, and also her husband isn't a member, so hopefully we can start helping this family come to church and meet the amazing members of this ward. Those are the main miracles for this week. Quick spiritual thought from last night. We had dinner with our ward mission leader, and a small incident really stuck out to me. During dinner, their 3 year old daughter didn't listen to something her mom said. As punishment, she went to her room. She was crying and screaming, but her dad said, just give her a few minutes and she'll calm down. And she did. She came out o the room and walked up to her mom and said in the sweetest voice "I'm sorry I didn't listen." Her mom then took her in her arms and gave her a big hug, and a piece of dessert. And I couldn't help but notice how it's the same thing with our heavenly father. If we will just come to him sincerely and repent, he will forgive us. Not because it's like a requirement on a piece of paper, but because there is something that happens when someone sincerely asks for forgiveness. I can't quite explain it. We feel compassion. And in Moroni it says that as many times as we sicncerly repent, the Lord will forgive us. I love this gospel, and I love my family. I love this church because it helps us BECOME more like our heavenly parents and our savior Jesus Christ. Have a great week! Con Amor, Elder Powley