Called To Serve: Week Thirty Eight

Holy cow it was a crazy fun week. I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll start off with some surprising news. I was expecting only 1 baby goat, but now I have TWINS! So that's awesome. Of course I named one M Russell Baaallard, and the other I named Gordon Baah Hinckley. They'll be great additions to the family.

I'd like everyone here to know that miracles are still alive and well. I have not only felt the hand of God when holding my two kids, but this week I've been trying literally everything people will give to me. So you already know I had fear in my eyes when the Elders in my district pulled out a big container of nuts. If any of you know me, you know that I HATE nuts. I go to the point of telling people I'm allergic to peanut butter just so I don't have to eat any. But I decided to be brave. And I just gotta say one thing. WHY DIDN'T Y'ALL TELL ME PISTACHIOS WERE SO GOOD? Like I was genuinely surprised when I ate one. Those things don't taste anything like what they look like. And yes I ate some peanuts.

So besides holding more chickens, kitties, puppies, and other random animals, we have been teaching people. This week we were out teaching with our Branch President, and we got to our final stop. This final stop is his sister, she is not a member. We will usually read with her, but this week we planned on having one of her friends over. Very tragic backstory with him. He's been married for over 50 years, and his wife got Parkinsons and dementia. Now she's in assisted living, and doesn't even recognize him. He still visits her each day. Anyways we decided we'd teach the Restoration, because he said he's always known Mormons, and they were always good news, and he wanted to know what's up. It was the most powerful restoration lesson I've taught on my mission. He was asking sincere questions, and trying to figure out how it applies to him. When we began teaching the Book of Mormon, our branch president gave one of the most powerful witnesses that it was true. Everything was going great, until he asked "So do I get one of these books!?" That's when we realized we forgot it in the car......., back at the branch presidents house. So we finished up the lesson, and he prayed for us, and we went and got a copy of the Book of Mormon. When we returned to the house, we knocked on the door and he answered. We exchanged a few words, and I told him how important the book was, and what it mean to me, and gave it to him. He took it, and with a gleam in his eyes from the tears he said "I think this might be what I've been looking for my entire life." We shook his hand and went back to the car to see the branch president crying tears of joy. I think we may have found the key to his sister. I don't know if you've ever walked through humidity. We had the same kinda deal. The Spirit was so strong you could literally feel it in the air. It was crazy powerful, and I will never forget that moment.

We went on exchanges this week with the Randolph Elders, and blitzed the area (both sets of Elders in the same area). Usually you'll have one set that has a little more teaching, and one that does a little more finding. I was put with the finding companionship. Elder Staley and I found a lot of people. One of my favorites was an old lady who was almost all blind. She was walking her cat. The cats name was Joey. He was pretty awesome. But she was amazing. I gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked if she would be able to read it even though she was basically blind. To my surprise she said yes.

Anyways I hope you all were able to have a good week. Byeeeeeeee.

The twins, M Russell Baaaallard and Gordon Baah Hinckley,

at only 3 hours old, with their proud Papa.