Week 29

Hello friends, family, people I know and love how are you? I am doing pretty good! This week was a test of a week for sure! The Lord wanted us to learn something and I sure hope we learned it because the whole week was a struggle. But even in the hardest weeks there are miracles and blessings everywhere. Last P-Day we had a zone wide turkey bowl! It was a mix of football and soccer and basketball. It was pretty fun and a killer workout. I think every muscle was sore after that. Good thing this is a bike area and we got to ride around and work out more!! Wednesday was a pretty interesting day. I was struggling to find some motivation so I decided to say a prayer and plead to my Father in Heaven for strength through the Atonement. As soon as we walked outside I felt encouraged, uplifted and motivated to share the gospel. It was a sweet tender mercy from the Lord and a blessing to me. It didn't come, however, until after I left the apartment. So often we pray for things and wait for the result, instead we must ask and the result will come. It was a really sweet tender mercy from the Lord. Later that day we talked to someone who was pretty drunk. She kept calling herself and angel. Finally at the end she grabbed my hand and stared into my soul and said "When I first saw you.... it was like a magnet.... I could just tell... you are an angel too!!!" It was great. Thanksgiving was this week! What a good day. We were not allowed to knock on doors all day so we spent time visiting members and eating food. We had 2 dinners that day. Some missionaries had like 6 so it was ok. We a really cool miracle that day that I will talk about later. It is interesting to me being a missionary because all the days feel the same. I knew it was thanksgiving and I often thought about my family that day. But while we were working it felt like a normal day so it was easier to be away for the holiday. The mission is full of mini blessings and miracles, you just need to look hard enough. District Meeting on Friday went really well! I got to talk about testimonies and how important it is in our work. My zone leader said I did a good job so that made me feel accomplished. We had a lesson later that day with an older guy named David. Halfway through the lesson he fell asleep. The member we were with decided we should say a prayer and quietly leave. In that prayer the member released David's spirit to the spirit world. It was interesting. Not sure if we will ever see David again in this life.  Sunday was a great fast Sunday. It was the first one in this new ward so I knew I had to bear my testimony. Before the meeting started one of the Deacons in the ward came up to me in the hall and talked to me for 30 minutes. We talked about life and where we came from and all kinds of things. Eventually I asked him if he was going to bear his testimony and he told me he didnt know. So I decided to give him so encouragement. When I went up to bear mine I personally invited him to bear his in front of the congregation. It was funny and two people later he got up and followed through with my invitation. He sat next to me in Priesthood so I have a new friend now. I might pick on a new youth every month and get them all to bear their testimonies. After we got home from church I really did not want to go knock doors. It was close to dinner and we would have to ride all the way to the edge of our area. We went anyway. We only talked to 7 people but the last one we talked to was really interested in learning and invited us back the following Sunday to talk to her about it. It was a miracle from the Lord brought about through diligence and obedience. That was pretty much my whole week! Hope you all are doing awesome and fantastic! Love you all!!

Quotes of the Week:

"Families are the treasure of heaven."

"Sometimes we must endure the darkness to truly appreciate the light."

Spiritual Experience of the Week:
In the midst of my struggles last week I finally humbled myself enough to get a blessing. Probably 5 weeks overdue. During that blessing I felt the approval of the Savior and the comfort I needed to press on. I received revelation that helped me continue the work and brought me a new sense of peace. It was a sweet experience and one I am grateful for. 

Miracle of the Week:

Going back to Thanksgiving. We were walking to go see a member of the ward who just recently moved in. The ward council asked us to go check on her. She lives in an adult community that is locked from the outside. The only person we know to let us in was not available so we had no choice but to walk back home. On our way we met a woman who just so happens to be the sister of the person we were trying to see. Two phone calls later we were inside of her apartment and with tears in her eyes she told us how much she needed to see us. Since then blessings have poured out from heaven for her through the Bishop and the Relief Society. It all started with the willingness to talk to a stranger on the street. There is no such thing as a coincidence. It is a miracle, a tender mercy from heaven to one of God's children. I am so grateful to have been a part of it. 

Spiritual Thought of the Week:

While studying 2 Nephi 7, verse 2 stuck out to me. Our Savior will never abandon us. He is always there for us and through His Atonement we can be brought back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. It is when we struggle the most that we reach out for the outstretched hand of our loving Savior. 

Pic: Thanksgiving at Bishop's house!!

Love you all!!!

Elder Carruth