This has been a crazy week! I'll try to sum it all up.
First off, I haven't hardly been with my companion this week. Tuesday-Wednesday we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders. Thursday-Friday we had exchanges with the Wolf Point Elders, and Friday-Saturday we had exchanges with the Glasgow Elders. Not a whole lot of time with Elder Payne, but that's okay. Stuff like that happens.
The first exciting thing that happened! While I was with Elder Byron (missionary in Glendive), we accidentally met a less-active member of the church. He let us in and we talked for a while, then he told us he knows he needs to come to church, but he's just been too lazy to get there. Guess what?! He came yesterday! It was so exciting! It was great to see him and his wife there. Soon after that we went to visit A, but when we knocked on the door we had a pleasant surprise! His sister, S, who is a member of the church that we thought had moved to Glendive, answered the door! She let us right in and we talked with her and shared a spiritual message with her. She was doing so much better this time than she was last time! And then, soon after that, we went to see Sister Anderson, the lady we helped dispose of her tea and coffee! Her sister was visiting her from Kentucky. Her sister is a Temple worker there, and we had a great time talking with each other. It was great to be around them and see the light that was around Sister Anderson as she was with her sister. There was a deep love between the 2 and that was nice to see.
I have officially become the Family History guru here in town. I've been helping the Elders learn how to work with the website and shown them a couple tricks as well as running the Family History Center Wednesday nights. I really love doing it honestly. I would encourage you all to do you Family History work! It's a very exciting thing to have the Spirit of Elijah influence you as you work to find your ancestors.
Thursday was fun spending the day with Elder Smith! We visited some cute old ladies and got to hear their life stories. It was enjoyable. But the best part of all was the witness I gained of the truth of the Book of Mormon! Again! As a quick side note, I think it is so funny that God confirms the truth of something to us and we react with "Now I know it is true!" Then something else happens and we say "Okay, NOW I know it is true!" Then, He sends another witness to us, and we say "Holy cow, now I really, truly know it is true! It can't possibly not be true!" And that happens all throughout our lives. Now! The thing that strengthened my testimony was an Assinaboine story told to us by Sister Runs Through. The Assinaboine story begins (in my limited knowledge of only having heard it once.) that they once lived across the great waters. One day one of the chiefs were told by the Great Spirit to travel across the great waters. This Chief asked how they could get across. He was answered that there were great shells that they would ride in. This chief told the Great Spirit that they would not be able to breath in the shells, for they were too tight. He was told to carve a hole in the top and a hole in the bottom of the shell then put a stopper in it. When they needed air, they would be brought to the surface and could unstop the holes for air. The chief then said they would have no light in the shells. He was told that the Great Spirit would provide some stones that would glow in the darkness and give them light on their journey. They traveled for a very long time before they arrived in the Americas.
Sound familiar? Elder Smith and I about leaped out of our seats when she told the story!! We had a spaz attack, cause it was just so close to the account of the Jaredites! And this is only one of many Native American stories that coincide with the stories in the Book of Mormon. I love it so much! I can't express how blessed I am to be living among the descendants of Lehi, and seeing the promises fulfilled. I keep having those "Oh yeah. The Book of Mormon really is true." moments. Now that I have lived among the people in this book, it has taken on a new meaning to me. It was not written for me, although I get the tremendous blessing of learning from it and reading it. It was written for the descendants of Lehi. As I read, I am seeing the fulfillment of these prophecies, and looking forward to the day that many more are fulfilled!
Alright! On to the next point. This New Years we did not party till late. In fact, I wasn't even in my area. I was still on exchanges with Elder Smith in Wolf Point, but we didn't have any invites and we didn't think it wise to be out and about New Years Eve with all the drunk people roaming around. It was definitely an interesting day for teaching people!
Friday we had District Meeting... Our first District meeting with only Elders. The Sisters have officially been removed from our District. It was a very sad day for us when it happened. Women just have so much more.... Spirituality than men do! They see the big picture, while we are too busy looking at what is right in front of us. But, we'll make it through haha! The President knows what he is doing, and sometimes that requires some sorrow... Alright, I'm over it now.
After District meeting we had a little District New Years Party with our sparkling cider and a meal that was mostly prepared by Elder Payne (what a guy!). Then, I went on an exchange with Elder Autrey from Glasgow. It was weird being with someone from the South again. It feels like forever since I've been around a Southerner, and it was nice! He is from Texas, and has flaming red hair (see picture below)! I don't think I have seen hair so red in my life. It could be that it is super short too.
Well, that is about all for the week! I loved it and I hope you all loved your week as much as I did! thank you all for the love and support!
Elder Carter V
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