This week was full of miracles! Since the beginning of this
change we have been doing anything and everything we could think of to help our
branch grow. President promised us as a mission that if we were willing to give
up anything and everything for the Lord he would consecrate our efforts and we
would accomplish things that have never been done in this mission.
At the end of last week it would appear that our efforts had
been in vain. The best family we had went south, we ended up having to drop
the majority of our investigators, 1 less active family we were working with
stopped accepting us in their home, and the overall branch attendance dropped
to where we were at about 2 months ago. We put in a big self analysis and
searched for anything we could change. In our prayers we told God we were
willing to make any sacrifice and change anything about ourselves and how we
work to please him.
Saturday morning we were cleaning the chapel and decided to
put up 15 more chairs in the sacrament room than what we normally put. It didn't
seem to make sense since the week before we hadn't even filled the normal amount
of chairs, but we went for it.
This week after 3 weeks of not giving up through trials, the
Lord decided to let the blessings flow until there was not room to receive
them. We actually saw that promise come to pass almost literally when there nearly
wasn't enough space in the back of the pickup (we pay this less active guy to
fill his pickup with people from this nearby town we are working in) to hold the
investigators and 1 inactive family we brought to church.
One lady shouted at us to come to her door on Saturday when
we were walking by. She told us she was baptized in the church 10 years ago and
hasn't gone in a very long time, but that she decided to get over her pride and
go the next day. She didn't even give us room to talk, just promising to get
active again. haha
On Sunday the branch attendance was 70 people! Can't tell you
how grateful we are. God has been so good to us and we are more animated than
ever to keep working.
Another truly amazing experience happened in Elders Quorum.
During sacrament a recent convert was called as branch secretary, and 3rd hour
he was to receive the melchizedek priesthood. As we walked in to the class he
told me the mission president's counselor that had interviewed him said he could
choose who he wanted to give him the priesthood and he asked me to do it. The
room was full of such an amazing spirit. I can't describe just how happy you
feel when one of your converts makes such great leaps in the gospel. They
become like your kids. You are always worried about them, always praying for them,
help them learn how to tie a tie, buy them their first white shirt and then all
of a sudden they are self sufficient and you don't have to be hovering over them
and you just trust them to make the right choices. I just love being
here.
Everything is great. I'm happy and working hard. Hope you are
all doing well.
Oh and it was cool talking to you guys yesterday. You all
look good!
Love,
Elder Davis
Pics: Elder Tineo and I
I have a few pairs of socks I should probably throw away. hahaha
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