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Sunday, August 17, 2014

Elder Inman Letter August 11, 2014

Much better week

Shane's blog is hilarious haha. He looks so different and I feel old! That kid was in high school when I left! Does Jensen have a blog yet? I would love to read his too. It's so crazy to read about everything going on outside of my little bubble here in Powell.

Speaking of my little bubble, I'll tell ya a little about my week! Monday we had a zone Preparation day and we all went bowling. Our team name was changed to "Humbled" when our bowling scores weren't great haha. It was still fun. Dinner that night was with the Greenwald's. We did a lesson on Temples and Family History and I think it went pretty well! Sister Greenwald came to church this week on her own despite Brother Greenwald being on a trip.

Tuesday we did some service at Habitat for Humanity and then drove up to Byron to pick up Elder Payne (Assistant to the President). He was here for our Zone Training Wednesday to do a leadership discussion and did the Question and Answer period at the end of zone training. I gave a discussion on having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and learned quite a bit from it! One thing I loved came out of 2 Nephi 32 (great chapter by the way). Verse three states that Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost. So many people as for signs or an angel to appear to them. When really, an angel would tell these people the exact same things we are telling them when moved upon by the Holy Ghost! They would say to repent and be baptized! And if we DON'T have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, we are useless to the Lord in bringing about his children's salvation.

Wednesday was my official marker at 18 months. I still remember 18 months ago getting off at the Salt Lake Airport to see Jack, Olivia and Meagan Roll at the bottom of the escalator to take me to brick oven where I got my 2 free cookies and we met Dylan there. How time flies!

After Zone Training we weeded a less-actives yard for about 2.5 hours. These weeds were taller than Elder Braden (6'5") and had legitimate stalks. So Elder Braden took a machete to them while I followed him with the weed-eater haha. It was intense.

We had a fun time contacting referrals this week! I got my first ever media referral from Salt Lake. We were looking for a man named Jerry Bellmyer whose address lined up perfectly with this huge, deep, and narrow ditch with a stream at the bottom. We tried finding his house for nearly 40 minutes on foot. We actually were down in the ditch jumping the stream, climbing trees, jumping barbed wire fences and no luck! We were convinced he lived in the ditch. We tried one more house and a woman answered really confused as to how we knew her husbands name. This family had moved from Illinois less than a week ago. She said it wasn't a good time and made it seem like Jerry was not home. So we headed back and Jerry walks out the back door to follow us out. He explained he ordered a Book of Mormon online and wants to meet with us but can't at his home because the landlord (who lived next door) would probably shoot us haha. So we gave him a run-down on the Book of Mormon and he said he would give us a call. Fun!

We did a free lemonade stand on Saturday! Utterly failed. We had probably 4.5 gallons of strawberry lemonade left over haha. But we did it on a weekend and apparently weekdays are better for main street. So we will try again! Also received Lacey's wedding announcement Saturday and I actually cried haha. Wow we're all growing up. But I am super excited for her and she looks both very happy and very beautiful! Eric, you look good too ;)

Yesterday was pretty awesome. Elder Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was with Elder Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy in Billings for a Stake Youth Fireside. Well Elder Cardon came down to Lovell, WY for a missionary meeting with JUST our zone and part of Wyoming South Zone. It started at 7:00AM so we were all there about 30 minutes early. About 5 minutes before the meeting started, President Mecham walks in, points at me, and beckons me over. He hands me a program and my name is penciled in the "Conducting" spot. WHAT?! I was terrified! Haha I had to conduct for a General Authority! Elder Cardon sat next to me during the meeting, would grab my forearm and wisper what he wanted said each time I stood up. It was awesomely terrifying. The meeting went pretty good but I messed up quite a few times haha.

Also on Sunday, we taught a new Investigator we found last week named Juan. We found him working on his Truck and he said he was willing to hear our message while he worked. So we did and he was listening the whole time. We came back yesterday and we went into his backyard and he told us about how he was raised devout Catholic but early on did not feel comfortable praying to Mary and several other people just to talk with Heavenly Father. He said it just didn't feel right and that he felt we should be able to talk directly to God without having to go through Mary. He mentioned that he always prays in Christ's name because Christ is the only way we have access to the Father. Way cool! He went on to tell us Catholic ideas that he did not agree with and he said he knew when something was true depending on the warmth he received in his prayers...but it gets better! He totally gets the Apostasy (without us even talking about it) and is willing to continue hearing our message. Heck yeah! Talk about prepared!

Hope you all have a fantastic week! The Gospel is true, God loves you, and I do too! Transfers are next week, we will see what the verdict is :P

Elder Braden is the one holding the Title of Righteousness. I am holding a very big squash...to squash Satan.