We had an interesting week!

Monsoon season in Arizona is one thing, but to have torrential rainfall for three days straight is another! It was awesome! Luckily our van is a beast and could get us anywhere.

We have been working with Kenny for a while now. He’s the one that called us up and said that its time to get baptized. He has been coming to church, reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it. He has been feeling the spirit very strong. We set up his interview with President Ames councilor for after church. We came to church and the ward membership clerk pulled us aside and said, “So Kenny says he’s already been baptized…” My first thought thought was, “Brotha, thats what they ALL say…” then he said, “No, like his dad told him that he was baptized into our church as a child, ‘Really, ask them, they keep records of EVERYTHING’…and we found his records!” We were so surprised! So basically we lost that “Golden” Investigator. We canceled the interview. No wonder why he felt the need to be baptized as he’s been coming to church – he has been receiving the Holy Ghost as he has been taking the Sacrament!

We got a referral this week named Christina! We taught her for the first time and gave her a soft baptismal invite. She looked at us and said, “Well…Ive kinda already made the decision this is the way I want to go…” Turns out her boyfriend is a member from Utah and his dad is a bishop! She sat down with him and asked him a load of questions, did a lot of research, and read up until Mosiah, and THEN started to meet with us! She already has a testimony of it all, she just said she needs to know how to join the church! We laid it all out for her explaining the lessons we will teach, the committments we will leave and asked her if November 28th would be a good day to be baptized. She was like, “Woah! Thats a funny coincidence, my boyfriend’s family will be in town from Utah that weekend!” So it is, folks, MEMBER WORK! It all started with the member boyfriend asking, “So, what do you believe in your church?” and just guiding her gently without pushing, she came to know it was true for herself.

We came out of our apartment one night after praying where we should go. As we backed up, a lady in our apartment complex yelled to us and asked us to pray for her (Karen). We went over to her and talked for a good while about her hard times – we developed a friendship with her and helped her feel Gods love. She doesnt want to meet with us yet, but the seed is planted! Another time we were walking out, she came over and gave us some gumbo and rolls! She’ll get there!

In ward council our Bishop told everyone that we just got our 12th baptism for this ward this year. The ward set the goal for 12 baptisms this year. The Bishop asked, “Did we hit our goal this year?” “Yes!!” Everyone said confidently. “No, we did not,” he said. “Our goal was these 12 names. We did not baptize most of these people. We need to be more focused on these people.” I got so happy! This is the vision I feel every ward council should have, but many dont. They understand how it is all supposed to work.

Waco is amazing! Has the most interesting people I have ever met! It is a whole different world over here.

I love my companion Elder Judy! We have a blast together.

Keep an eye out for the small acts of service you can do for strangers. They notice the light you give off.

I love you all!

Elder Householder