Texas is HOT!!!

8.10.15

This week Texas decided to get really hot! I think we have had a least 4 days around 105:) The good news is that the Texas people are super nice, and always offer us lost of water. During one of the hottest days I think I drank close to 2 gallons of water! Luckily a member told us it is going to cool down this next week, so that is always welcomed news.

  This week has been full of good things. I was able to go on exchange with a missionary in my district named elder Iglinski. He goes home this transfer. He is an amazing missionary. One of the most important things I learned from him while on exchange is how to really get to know people and how to love them. He is really good at going up and talking to people on the streets and making conversation with them. It then makes bringing up the gospel more natural. When you really take the time to listen to people, it shows them that you really care about them. They then can feel that what you are sharing with them really is important to you. While we were out contacting on the streets, elder Iglinski saw this guy trying to get a boat in a garage way down the street. He started running towards the guy and then we helped him get the boat into the garage. We the talked to the guy for a good 30 minutes. He was the coolest guy! He is a professional raccoon trapper down in Arkansas. He told us that he has a 10-month-old baby, and that he really has been thinking about the importance of having him raised the way God would have him be raised. He has been searching for the right church. He told us that he doesn't understand why there are so many churches if there is one bible:) We were able to teach him part of the Restoration and leave him with a Book of Mormon. Unfortunately he was going back to Arkansas in a couple of days, but I have no doubt in my mind that if missionaries find him he will join the church. He is so ready to accept the truth. It really is amazing to see how God is preparing people to receive his gospel. This week we also had a really good exchange with our ward mission leader brother Kipper. As we were out, we saw a lady in her garage and started going up to talk to her. I guess brother Kipper's son was best friends with this lady's son. Brother Kippers son had also just invited his friend and his family to his baptism. We had a good talk with her, and we asked her if she would be willing to listen to our message and she said yes! We are going to set up an appointment and go over with the Kippers to teach them. Working with members brings miracles. On that same exchange we went over to a less-actives house and ended up talking to the non-member husband. He was super nice, and told us that his wife had talked to him and asked him if it was ok if we could come over and he said yes. We set up an appointment on the spot for this Friday. I was talking to brother Kipper, and he said that is the best contact someone has had with that family in a long time. It was an awesome exchange, and it is exciting to see God's hand in this work. These are His children, and he has a plan for each one of them. We are his tools to make his will happen here on earth. What a blessing it is to be an instrument in His hand. We have also been able to have 2 really good youth lessons this week. One of them, her name is Marisa, even invited one of her friends to come to the lessons. Unfortunately he didn't come, but she is still working on him and having lots of gospel conversations with him. It was really neat to hear her tell her experience as she has been answering her friends questions about the gospel and teaching him more about our precious beliefs. She also told us that she is going to invite him to a stake youth activity. She is awesome! Strong youth are so inspiring.

   This week I have really learned the principle that God is real, and that his hand is in our lives much more then we even realize. He is guiding us and leading us through different experience to help us become what He sees in us. It is hard, uncomfortable and frustrating sometimes, but the reward is always greater then the trial. I hope everyone's back to school preparation is going well, crazy a new school year is just around the corner! 

Love,

Elder Griffin