"The Church people are back!"

     Good morning everyone! I can't believe that January is almost over, how crazy! I don’t know where the time has gone! This week has been really busy. My new companion Elder Workman is great. We both miss Logan a lot. This past week has been great weather we had a couple of sunny days! What a blessing! We are working with a lot of great people right now! And the Lord is blessing this area.  It's sad at times to watch Satan as he swoops in on those who begin to learn about the gospel. He so badly doesn’t want people to understand or come to know that these things are true!  I have watched many people as we teach them and am just amazed at the things the adversary tries to do to stop them from learning! We definitely need to keep our guards up. 

     This past week we have been teaching a man in the Tiger Mountain ward named Herald.  Herald is a great man.  Every time we meet with him he gets emotional talking about losing his two sons and the spirit enters the room so strongly of the love that his sons have for him. I have gained such a strong testimony of how the Gospel blesses our lives and our families. It brings us all so close and brings a spirit into the home. And that’s all this man needs is the Gospel to fill the void that he is so desperately searching for. 
     On Saturday during one of our lessons the lady that we were teaching began to cry as she talked of an experience where she felt that God had abandoned her.  Again the spirit was so strong in the room testifying that God loves each and everyone of us.  A lot of people that we teach don’t understand the purpose of this life and that we all go through things that will help us reach our full potential.  One thing that this young lady didn’t know was that prayer is a two-way communication.  I got to thinking how sad that would be not to know that!  That anything that we will ever go through, we can pray for comfort and guidance and if we have enough faith our Father in Heaven can help us through the things that we are struggling with. Often it's not all at once and can be a time of long suffering.  But the lord loves us and if we turn to Him, we will walk along with us! 

     Last week we were at an apartment complex and as we were leaving a lesson these two little kids came up to us and asked if we could walk them home because they were scared. We told them that we would love to and so we walked them down the street and to their apartment.  So on Saturday we went back to teach that same lady and we passed this multi-purpose room probably for birthday parties at the bottom of the complex and a good twenty kids come running out screaming “THE CHURCH PEOPLE ARE BACK!!!!!”  Haha the two little boys had told all of their friends about us and they wanted us to have a race.  So we all stood up in a line and we raced down the parking lot, they were so excited!  It was the funniest thing.  And they wouldn’t let us leave, they just kept clinging onto our coats. Every time we go back the kids go "hey church people"!  Haha too great. 
     Yesterday I had a great experience with prayer and just was hit so strongly of the knowledge that our Father in Heaven knows each and everyone of us.  In the morning while I was strudying I was confused by the story of Adam and Eve and prayed earnestly that I could come to understand why that had to happen. The lesson in Gospel Principles was on the story of Adam and Eve. A simple experience but an important one.  God loves us very much and wants to help us. Prayer is that path to understanding and through him we can all feel greater peace and joy in this life.  
     Last night we held a fireside for the youth in the Tiger Mountain ward and it was amazing!  My first fireside of less than one hundred people, we held it at a leader’s house!  We talked about how we can all be missionaries.  As I prayed and studied about what I should talk about I was amazed at how important it is for all of us to be good examples.  My best friend sent gave me a quote before I left that I love, I might butcher it but its goes something like “Act in such a way that those who don’t know God, will come to know God because they know you.” I have been so blessed in this life to come to know that these teachings are true!  I am amazed at the impact we can all make by being a good example and showing charity.  I really know that if we will stand in Holy places and be good examples, our eyes will be opened to the impact that we make. I love you all and hope all is well.  The Church is true!