09-07-10

Hello Loved ones and mere Aquaintances,
This is Elder Jones with the weekly Weather report. I mean Mission report. That's what i mean. Yeah. Ok There was a hurricane off the coast, but it was lame. Didn't even do Nothing! I was mad. No service for us now. Dang it! So close. Now we get to keep on tracting and teaching. lol. Just kidding that is good news. Right? Maybe. Depends on who you are I guess. Well This week was good.

We had a lesson with our investigator Kevin. Now that lesson was interesting. We were teaching about repentance and the Atonement, and the Book of Mormon. When we got to that point, I had thought that I felt prompted to invite him to be baptized when he knew that these things were true, but it did not turn out well. He got angry. He asked if his baptism was valid and we said no because there was no authority. Luckily he started to think, and the spirit was able to comfort him, and he started to realize some things about authority, and how maybe there was more to religion than he had thought. He compared it to people thinking that the world was flat, but then they found out it was round. So i really hope that he continues to progress and seek out the things that are true, but then I fear that I acted too soon, and pushed him away. Only time will tell. We have an apointment tomorrow. We will see if he keeps it.

On Tuesday we had a lesson with a woman that we had tracted into a few weeks ago. Her name was Sheila.Sheila lost her husband 8 months ago. We had also tracted into her neighbor Collette Albright. Both of them were interested and we had been trying to set up appointments with them, but we just couldn't seem to get one. Finally Sheila allowed us to come over. I went over with Elder Casper (We were on exchanges) and Brother Waters. When we got in we introduced ourselves and spoke with Sheila for a bit. We had a plan to teach the Plan of Salvation. Thats when there was a knock at the door and in walks Collette. I was excited. She sat in on the lesson and it went really well. The spirit was there and when we invited Sheila to be baptized when she knew that the Book of Mormon was true she accepted. Collette had a question about baptism and how we did it, but we told her that was a lesson in and of its self. So we made a follow up visit.
Yester day we went back.(Elder Butler and I) Sheila was not home, but we did get to talk to Collette!! We were stoaked! That lesson was awesome. Her daughter Jessica listened, and is now officially an investigator! Booyah. It was good. The spirit was so strong. Especially when talking about the first vision. She was almost in tears. When i had finished the first vision (JSH 16-17 i think) there was a pause and then she said. "Wow [Pause] I feel all tingly." We taught her that that was the spirit. Then we invited her to be baptized when she knew that these things were true. She said yes!! Then we Invited her to prepare for a date. Also Yes!! our first investigator with a date.

Hahaha. Funny thing about the date we set. We had not discussed a date with her and Elder Butler was prompted to set one that lesson. His first thought was the 16 of October, but he thought no that is a Tuesday. So he said the 13. Well it turns out that the 13th is a wednesday. hahaha thats what he gets for ignoring the promptings of the spirit. I dunno what we will about that, but i have no doubt that she will be ready by the 13.

Well thats the highlights for this week not much sorry. Elder Butler and I have both been getting sick on and off so it was been slow oh well. Keep on praying for us I love you all And my comp says hi. Oh yeah Elder Butler and I are together another transfer.

Oh Elder Bowers If you are reading this message. That is so cool that you are training. Sorry He seems like a pain, But hey don't worry i had a hard time opening my mouth when i frist got out. Just keep on pushing him he will be great. He has a super legit pa.

I have another poem this week. Its not our family, but it is someone's, but the meaning is still relavent to our family and it came from my heart. This is my wish and I know it is dad's.

No Empty Chairs
By Clinton Jones

A few years back
We had a family gathering.
My dad called everyone,
And every call he said.

"Please Please I beg of you
Come gather at home.
I promise it will be worth
Your while. Please no empty chairs."

And everyone came,
And everyone ate.
We laughed and joked,
And felt the love of a family

Then Dad got sick,
And he was laying in a bed.
He grabbed the phone,
And Dad called everyone

"Please Please I beg of you
Come gather at home.
I promise it will be worth
Your while. Please no empty chairs."

And everyone came,
And everyone cried.
We hugged and kissed,
And felt the love of a family.

Then one day Dad was gone.
Now he lives in Heaven,
And on his headstone
is written his final plea.

"Please Please I beg of you
Come gather at home.
I promise it will be worth
Your while. Please no empty chairs."

And everyone will go,
And everyone will smile.
We will all have a chair,
And feel the love of an eternal family