Happy New Years! This week unfortunately marks the end of the "holiday season", and winter turns from magical and wonderful to just cold. Although it hasn't snowed here yet, it has been raining off and on for pretty much the past week and a half, and when it rains, it pours. Apparently we're not allowed to proselyte on New Years Eve, probably because of all the drunk people out there. Remember that true happiness comes from living Christ-like, not wasting your time, money, and brain cells on worldly things (but I hope maybe you got some good videos!). So New Years Eve we spent the night at the same home we spent Christmas in. Brother Terry, who served a mission in Korea, made some really delicious but also really spicy food. On the topic of food however, the weirdest thing I've eaten so far has been updated from a really strange Honduran soup to...(drum roll please)... Fried chicken livers! Yeah they were pretty gross.
I'm very grateful for the members here. They try so hard to get us fed every week and we're trying to get them excited about helping us missionaries, by referring us to their friends and such who need to hear the gospel. On the topic of missionary work, our long search sorting through former investigators has brought forth fruit! We've come across 3 different households that for one reason or another have been "dropped" by missionaries in the past, and I'm excited to say that the seed of faith planted back then has been sparked back to life.
Cathy and Ronicka Little: A mother and daughter living by themselves in some really nice apartments on the edge of town. Ronicka opened the door and was so excited to see us, saying that it's been a couple of years since missionaries have visited. They read the Book of Mormon together whenever they're home together, and we set up a return appointment with them tonight. Ronicka is even inviting a couple of her non-member friends to listen in.
Douglas Dorsette: Douglas is a single father with two sons, Doug and Zion. My companion Elder Leishman found him while I was on exchange with the zone leaders, so Elder Stone was there to meet Douglas. Douglas was also excited to see them, and said he only had one concern since missionaries have spoken to him in the past. He was confused about what happens when we die, and the difference between Heaven and Hell. Elder Stone reassured him of the most important doctrine we teach, that our Heavenly Father loves us. Because of the great love He has for us, why would he create a place for us to burn for all eternity? The real "suffering" comes from not living up to the standards placed before us. That answer was very sufficient for Douglas and we've begun to teach him again. He came to church yesterday and has quite a few friends already, mostly because he's come to church a lot in the past. He feels the spirit strongly, and he knows where he needs to be, he just needs to get there.
The Marchaina family: A family we found last night. The mother was so excited to see us as well. She said she wants nothing more than to follow the example of her son, Michael, who since the missionaries have come has been baptized, comes to church every week, and is planning on serving a mission very soon. He should come to our ward, but doesn't because some boys picked on him in the past. It's a good thing he only switched wards instead of leaving the church, but we'll need to fix that issue. Anyway, the mother reads the Book of Mormon as often as she can, and she knows with a surety that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the BofM is true, but won't get baptized without her husband's support. Her husband is catholic, but has also been reading the BofM, and likes it, but has just a few concerns that I'm sure meeting with him a couple of times won't clear up.
So all in all it's been a really good week, however I'm starting to dislike my companion a lot. Keep us in your prayers. 'Til next week,
Elder Matthew Gardner
1John 1:4
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