We had a really good week this week. We are seriously being blessed a lot with our investigators. Just 6 weeks ago we didn't really have any promising investigators but now we've got like half a dozen who are all pretty great. We had a lesson with an investigator named Joe we've been trying to have a full lesson with for awhile now, and were finally able to teach the Restoration. There were multiple places in the lesson where we were clearly led by the Spirit in what to say, and he understood really well for the first time. We're pretty excited about him now.
We also had a lesson with an investigator named Austin, who we've been meeting with for months. But this time was different. It was similar to Joe's lesson in that there were multiple places where we were clearly led by the Spirit in what we said, and for the first time ever, he began to understand what the Spirit feels like and recognized that he's been feeling it as he's met with us. Austin's a little bit autistic so he's mentally about 10-12, and he's been very concerned about going to hell for listening to us, so this is great progress. He's just become one of our top investigators. We're pretty excited about him too.
And then on Sunday Austin came to church! And not only him, but Don came too!! (Don's the guy that John introduced us to last week) Both of them had a wonderful time and really liked it, and both of them want to come back. We were super excited about that. We'll be working with both of them this week, and we're hoping to get Austin on date for baptism.
Crazy story. So on Saturday we went biking with Pete, a crazy member from Thailand who feeds us a lot and is awesome. We went on this really pretty greenway with lots of trees and autumn leaves and it was gorgeous and wonderful. But then we were going through a tunnel and Elder Bateman decided to run his hand against the wall, and he lost his balance and crashed pretty epically. Luckily he was wearing a helmet and he didn't break anything, he just got pretty scraped up and twisted his ankle. And there was a Walgreens nearby, so Pete biked to it and bought some bandages and alcohol and we cleaned him up and biked on.
But THEN, like an hour later, we were almost home when we hit a little patch of gravel, and Pete lost his balance and ate it too! And he fell into the road, and almost got hit by a car, and when he stood up his pinky finger was pointing perpendicularly away from his ring finger (shudder). So we ended up taking him to an emergency clinic and waiting for like 3 hours for the people there to do paperwork so the doctor could spend 5 minutes relocating his finger. Haha but it's all good. We definitely felt God's protection that day. Elder Bateman could have easily broken his ankle, and Pete could have been killed by a car or at least broken his finger. Instead it was all okay. :)
Quick message this week, stolen from President Griffin. At the end of our zone conference this week he stood up and shared 8 points that had come to his mind during the conference. I invite you all to consider them too:
1. Cynicism creates numbness toward life.
2. Instant gratification is counterfeit happiness.
3. Commandments/Laws/Rules help you learn.
4. You are not the exception to the rule.
5. It’s the daily little decisions in life that determine our destiny.
6. Surprise! Every missionary or member is not yet perfect.
7. You get as much out of something as you put in it.
8. Working in the Lord’s vineyard is AWESOME!!!
When considering these points, I invite you to also consider the counsel given by King Benjamin in Mosiah 4:10:
And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
If there are things you need to change in your life - based on these points, based on what the Holy Ghost has been telling you, based on something you've learned, whatever - do it! Use the Atonement of Christ to change yourself. Repent of your sins and forsake them. Humble yourself before God and ask sincerely for His forgiveness. And if you believe all these things - do them! It's all useless if you
don't choose to use what the Lord gives you, to do what He tells you. Remember His counsel in D&C 58:27-30:
Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments?
I hope you all choose to make the changes in your life the Holy Ghost directs you to make. Seek the Lord's counsel and correction. And choose happy. :) I love you all!
I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
Love,
Elder Swindler
Fotos:
1) Elder Milne with a ginormous pancake at the bishop's storehouse
2) Bishop's storehouse roof selfie
3) Tennessee sunrise
4) Spiderwebs outside our apartment
5-8) We played tennis in the rain today and got drenched :)
And finally some photos from Sister Griffen's blog, taken on P-day and at a training:
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