Week 69

Cool quote of the week.. " Pray as if it all depends on Him, and work like it all depends on you"

Haha i'm sure you've heard that before.. But it hit me this week that this is how I have to live for the rest of my life.

 

Haha.. SO i gotta start of with a funny story..

 

        We are teaching a family. They have 8 year old twins.. A 13, 14, and 16 year old.. And the mom and dad. We taught them about the Restoration, and then very boldely invited them to be baptized.. And when we did so, the 13 year old girl said... "I don't think we can, everybody at our baptist church would be really mad!" Then one of the twins named Dalton blurted out "Sure we can!! I'm already quittin the baptist church, all I do is get in trouble there..." Hahaha.. We all laughed forever... Haha. It was way funny.. We are working with them.. A big family is a busy family.. So its tough.. But I know that they will join the church someday.

 

     This last Thursday President Jergensen came out and taught with us! It was SO sweet.. We set up 3 appointments at the Church and people came to us all night. We didn't have to leave the Church. Haha.. It was a dream come true.. People coming to us, instead of us pestering them! Hahaha!!

 

     My testimony this week has been taken to a whole new level.. We have been teaching people about the Plan of Salvation, and it is literally the most perfect plan that has ever been given to mankind.. We were teaching our friend named Judy that I had mentioned last week, and she is wonderful.. One of the funnest people i've ever been blessed to teach. We taught her about this perfect plan, and she knew it was true.. She could not deny it. We talked about how a Prophet of God restored these simple truths to us. We taught her about how the Priesthood has been restored to the earth.

        I told her, I said.. "If you REALLY want to know if Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and if you REALLY want to know that God and Jesus Christ came to Joseph Smith in the grove of tree's in New York.. Just ask Him!! He was there! And He will tell you. Because he loves you and cares for you!"

        Change is such a difficult thing. Being told by two 20 year old kids that you need to change your church, and be baptized again, and you need to stop drinking Coffee and Tea and you need to keep the Sabbath Day Holy is a difficult thing for people to embrace.. But you can always pick out the people who know and trust in God, and those who don't. Because the spirit speaks to them in a way that they understand. Its wonderful!

 

        One last story.. We went to check up on a lady who we taught like 5 or 6 weeks ago.. And we had trouble getting back in with her to teach her more.. So we went back and we ran into her and her friend who was 19. We taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.. And it was so cool. The 19 year old friend named Kelsey said "earlier today I doubted if God really did exist. But now since you guys have been here I don't doubt anymore. I know he's there." We asked her what made her decide that.. And she said.. "because I felt him here." It was so cool.. Then randomly she said, "I think I lived with God before I came to this earth.." Haha we were a little taken back.. But it was SO awesome. We taught her a little about the Plan of Salvation. She LOVED it and we're going to teach her more tomorrow.

 

I love you family.. Thanks for everything! Its been a sweet week.. WE are preparing a few people to be baptized in August.. And i'll tell you more about them later. Haha.. I'm teaching more people than I've ever taught right now and its the greatest time of my life. I love it! Thanks for all you do for me! HOpe the family reunion if fun! Tell everyone that I say hello!

 

LOVE YOU ALL!

Elder Russell

I'll send pictures next week!