Two Young Mormon Gentlemen

Hey Everyone! 

   Sorry last week's email was short, it was a really busy day. I'll cover some of the cool stuff that happened last week that I didn't have a chance to talk about and some stuff that happened this week. 

   Last Sunday we got a call from the Zone Leaders saying that we had a lesson with someone in 15 minutes, they're Spanish missionaries so they cover our area as well. We immediately called a member and got them to come out and somehow we showed up in time! The family had someone come for a visit out of the blue so they were unable to meet at the time but it was very difficult to understand why they couldn't meet at first because they are from Nepal and speak very little English. We ended up moving the appointment to the next day (Monday.) It was a very interesting lesson because we have never really taught anyone that doesn't understand English. I taught that guy in Rockford for a bit but we at least had a translator with us. We sort of went over the Book of Mormon with them as best as we could but turns out the Book of Mormon hasn't been translated into their language yet....awkward. We are definitely a little stressed out with them but the Lord is helping us out. We keep thinking of different ideas for how to teach them in simple ways and of how to help them gain a testimony. This months mission focus is Joseph Smith and how important it is to gain a testimony that he is a prophet. That has led us to believe that if we can help this family at least gain a testimony of him then the rest will follow. Keep them in your prayers!

   We had new missionary training on Tuesday and that was great. They are some of the best meetings and you have to be with a new missionary or a trainer to go. Everyone gets a little jealous when they can't go. We learned a lot about the importance of talking to everyone and of using music more with teaching and inviting the spirit. President Griffin has us turn to our companion and sing I Am a Child of God while staring into their eyes. It was really awkward but it invited the spirit into everyone's hearts and helped me to feel a greater love for my companion. It was pretty cool. 

   It was cool that he spoke about talking to everyone because Elder Atkinson and I are trying to work on that and we have had lots of different opportunities but there is one that turned out to be bigger than we thought. We were walking home at the end of the day and right in front of our apartment we saw a car driving slowly next to a lady and so we waved at the guy and he drove off and then we had a normal contact with the lady. It seemed normal at the time but it blew up into something way bigger. She posted something about it on a Facebook page for Saint Charles that has over 11,000 members and tons of the members in the area are seeing it. The post is one of the pictures that are attached. Right after the meeting a member texted us that she had to show us something and Facebook messaged me this picture. It was super cool! The Lord works wonders!

   We also had a great dinner with a part-member less-active family and the non-member was asking tons of questions and the less-active member said they are looking for a church and so we now have plans to start working with them more. Hopefully we'll get in with them in the next few weeks. 

   There's probably way more that happened but I can't remember much else plus I'm running out of time. I just want to say that as I've been studying the restoration and have been striving to strengthen my testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith I have gained a newfound respect and love for the great man that ushered in the long promised dispensation of the fullness of times. The restoration all started because a young boy had a question and had enough faith in God to know that he would give him the answer. Brothers and Sisters, the Lord answers prayers. Proof is in Joseph's experience. I invite you all to read the first vision and in prayer ask God if he truly was a prophet. If you truly want an answer I can promise you that God will give it to you. And if you already received an answer...ask again! We can never strengthen our testimony too much! Have a great week everyone! Make the most of it and constantly strive to better yourselves each and every day!

-Elder Eddenfield