Prodigious

Hola Everyone!


Im not really sure why I used that word as my title, but it sounded fun. This has been another great week as a missionary!

- Ill start off by telling about an event that happened a couple days ago while on an exchange. I was out knocking doors with Elder Cochran trying to get him excited about the work in his area. He has been having a hard time lately, and after our last exchange he was feeling way better so I was hoping for a repeat success with him. We were having a pretty good time and then we got to this road that was particularly difficult with some extremely rude people. We had some angry people close, slam, doors in our faces a couple times but I have gotten much better at controlling my temper out here so I was pretty proud of how well we kept going, without showing our resent at all. Then we knocked on this door when a very angry man came to the door yelling at us that he is catholic and doesn't want our evil practices near his property, but using very colorful language. Then I slipped... For those who know me I sometimes have a hard time just walking away, and this is one of those times. As he walked away I said that its alright because we still love him, and then turned and walked off his door step. It was not a good move because then he stormed back out of his door towards us yelling some extremely profane words and telling us to get off his property, which didn't make sense since we were already walking up the sidewalk. He yelled that he has told us not to knock on his door and that if we do again he will call the cops, and then asked very angrily if we 'understand him'. Again I slipped and instead of just walking away I replied that I don't understand him and would like if he could explain his irrational anger towards two servants of the Lord. This time he got even angrier and grabbed his hose saying that he is calling the cops AND spraying us, and informed us that our 'religion' will never succeed in his town and will die off soon anyway. I smiled and quoted scripture saying that it will cover the entire earth and told him to have a great day and maybe we will see him again some time later. I was half way hoping that he really would call the cops though, because as of yet we had no lessons and I figured that would be an easy way to teach someone, but no one ever showed up so I guess he cooled down or something. I am getting better at controlling my comments to others, I promise, I am just not great at it yet.

- Now with better news. This week was interviews with President Anderson, our last ones since he goes home this transfer. There were so many great things he told me in it, and it further excited me for the rest of my mission. At the end I asked him if it were possible for me to stay for at least one more transfer in Ventana Ranch before I am moved and he surprised me with his answer. I had not actually expected a real answer from him since he doesn't usually let transfer news out yet, and much of the time doesn't know until just a couple days before. He told me that on his transfer board he moved me out of Ventana Ranch and doubled some sisters in instead, which made my heart sink. Then he smiled and said that when he did that the spirit told him that I had to stay so he moved me back and put the sisters elsewhere and said that so far it is looking like I am still needed here. He told me that there is a lot of exciting things happening in my area right now and that I am a major part of that so I need to spend at least one more transfer here, unless the spirit tells him otherwise between now and Saturday. Im so excited to be here :-) My ward is doing so great and I cant help but be proud of them for their hard work. On Sunday the Stake Presidency came up to my companion and I and said that this ward has become the shining light of the stake and that they only have good things to say about it. They even called our ward mission leader and asked him how our ward is succeeding so well with missionary work because they want our fire to catch on to the rest of the stake. Wow!

- We have two baptisms coming up this Thursday! Its Rick Healy and his son Jace, and the whole ward is excited for it. It has been such a blessing to grow so close to this family and see their progress despite major opposition at every step. Even now they are facing financial trouble, and even worse Ricks mom is trying to talk him out of it every day, but they continue to grow stronger and more prepared. He is already saying how excited he is to baptise his younger daughter in a couple months, and then in a year go to the temple and get sealed for eternity with his family. This is especially exciting because just a couple months ago the temple was a concept that scared him and made him second guess our message, but now he has such a strong testimony that I don't think anything could make him second guess. They are a family that I want to be close to for many years to come!

Well this is a long one, and I have to start wrapping things up, and still have to send my weekly letter to President Anderson. Keep the prayers coming, because I know they are helping :-)


Love,

Elder Inman