Hey everyone how are you all doing?! It's been a great week here in Issaquah! I think I am getting mossy, it hasn’t stopped raining for days! The rain here is funny usually it feels like someone turned on one of the outdoor misters for a summer day but they don’t seem to get how to turn it off!
The week has been really busy! The first three days of the week my companion was gone at training for the day, so we had to go on exchanges to different areas. But I didn’t want to be gone for two days from our area and lose all of that tracting time so I went on exchanges with a returned missionary in the ward, Mac Bean. It was great! He got back from his mission about a month ago and we just had the best exchange. He has taught me so much in the short time I have been here! His family is amazing too! We are going there for Christmas, and they really are just terrific! This whole ward is awesome.
On Thursday we had a lesson with Gerald and Lucy. Haha I just love them to death. We walk in and Lucy had made us all dinner. It's amazing to see the change in her since taking the lessons. She used to be so shy and everytime we go over now she is cracking jokes and always makes us dinner! She always makes sure to give us a hug before we leave. But we taught them about the Plan of Slavation and the importance that the role of the Atonement plays in our lives! The Spirit in the room was so strong it was truly amazing! We put them on date for baptism on the 31st of this month! They are both getting so excited and I can't wait to see them receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!
So the best part of the week happened the next week. We went back over to Gerald and Lucy’s to finish teaching about the Plan of Salvation. So long story short, Gerald used to be a jockey and trained horses and now he drives horses around the country for a living. So last week he got a call from his work asking him if he could pick up a guy at a truck stop and drop him off in California. So he picks up this guy named Jack. I guess the guy used to be a famous jockey, “Cowboy Jack”, he won a bunch of races I guess. But anyways Jack was supposed to get dropped off in California but couldn’t so Gerald just said come stay at my house till you can get a ride back! Haha totally something Gerald would do. So on Thursday when Gerald and Lucy committed to be baptized he just sat quietly and didn’t say much besides hi and bye. But then we come back the next day for another lesson and we ask him if he had any questions, and he said ya I have a question “Is it bad that I only think of God when I have hard times.” Lucy raises her hand and goes I'll answer that! "That can be an invitation for you to become closer to God". The Spirit in that room had us all on the verge of tears! Gerald and Lucy were grinning from ear to ear helping us teach him the first lesson! Haha Gerald kept turning to me and doing a thumbs up after every point and kicking me. We then started to teach Jack how he can come to know these things are true, and what the Spirit feels like. Then Jack got chills over his body and Gerald goes “Jack that’s the Spirit!”. So we asked Jack if he would read the Book of Mormon and he said he would love to have a copy! He said I am going to go at this with an open mind, but when I leave in the morning for California and after I read, and if everything goes well and I come to know this to be true I would like to fly back out here and get baptized! It was amazing to see the chain of events! Gerald and Lucy have had missionaries knock on their door for 20 years they say, and this time they were in search of a church to attend. And then Gerald brings some random cowboy home and ends up in the same room as the missionaries.
I know that God wants us all to know of his message, sometimes it takes amazing miracles! My companion and I both left in tears, when you get to see miracles you can't doubt the existence of Christ and his love for each of us.
I didn’t get transferred! So I am here another 6 weeks atleast! But now we have been assigned another ward so it will be a really crazy time! But it will be great. I love you all! Farewell until next week! Elder Aiken.
(Letter from a ward member)
Aiken family;
Just a little note to let you know how much we are enjoying having your son i our ward. His arrival has really sparked the work here. He's such a hard worker, full of energy, excitement and love. He has tracked into many of our non-member friends and they have let him in and let him teach them when others haven't gotten past the front porch. I know he is really missing all of you but he is working hard and serving well! We love him and are trying to take good care of him while he is here! Thanks for raising such a wonderful young man. Carole Noel.
Wow! I am so impressed and touched.
ReplyDeleteIs it really transfer week already? And when did you get this letter/email?