Ramona: Hastening

Mom,

I did get the package from Nathan.  haha Nathan would forget it on the car! In fact, he probably was on his way to the Post office when he got distracted doing something else!

So, this week was pretty normal... went out... did Missionary Work...good stuff! haha just kidding! there is always something to talk about with missionary work.  We had another week with many lessons. However, while we have people to teach and to talk to, we are trying to find some new investigators.  I get the feeling we might need to drop a few of them soon just because they don't really want to DO much.  Don't get me wrong, I love being here and being with these people but our job as missionaries is to invite people to come unto Christ.  We have
invited them and they don't seem to want to come. A little discouraging but hey, there are still thousands of other people we can talk to and invite.  

This week we went to see one of our investigators named Matthew.  We have been teaching him for about a month now and he admits that he knows that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet but his hold up is that He doesn't like large groups of people so church is an issue.  We were over at his house
teaching him and he was telling us some of his concerns (mostly found through anti sites) and it was getting close to the time we needed to head home for the night when I felt prompted to bear testimony of the
Savior and of our calling as missionaries and His servants.  We had been struggling to help him feel the Spirit the whole lesson. It was a serious battle.  But, honestly, I bore the most powerful testimony I had ever given.  He was a little taken back for a moment. Then smiling he said, "Hallelujah."  We ended with a prayer and being thoroughly late for curfew I left feeling so good about how we worked so hard and eventually the revelation came and we were able to help resolve his concerns. The Spirit guides us to be instruments in the Lord's hands.

We also had a great meeting with our Bishop where we organized a time to go on splits with him and the Ward Mission Leader.  He asked us how many lessons we had been teaching a week and when we told him that we
were doing 20-26 lessons he was really impressed.  It helped him see that we were working hard and that the ward needed to step up their game to help us out and give us referrals.  Anyway, I'll stop before I get started on my member work rant.  haha

I am really loving this work.  We are truly seeing a hastening in the work and it is amazing to be a part of it.  I love you all and can't wait to hear from you again next week.

Love,
Elder Ethan John Rowbury