Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Happy Birthday Josh!!!

Dear Family and friends,  
 
Happy Valentines day to everyone, but especially HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOSH!  (I hope it is amazing!)
          
Well, where to begin, it takes me a minute to even think about what happened this week, because it seems so long ago haha. Not a ton happened this week just the usual. But Remember a couple emails ago I talked about Alexa Nowland, who is not a member, her husband is less active? Well we finally met with them again, and they are absolutely the best people ever. He was at work when we taught the restoration. It was just Alexa and her adorable girls. The lesson went great! Her girls were having so much fun with us there. The oldest who is turning 8 this week, Lilly, was drawing me tons of pictures. The pictures were of us and God! it was so cute. Alexa asked after if we would like to help a friend move on Saturday. We accepted and the next day we helped her move her friends from Hudson to Lander. After helping move we all went to meet the rest of her family at a cute little restaurant in town and we all had lunch! They are so stinking adorable. Lilly was my best friend during lunch and we were having fun playing tic tac toe. Half way through she whispers to me, " you're my favorite" how stinking adorable. After lunch we went to visit the Taylors who were reactivated, but have not come for the last two weeks, so they are like less active again...Well we have had a hard time getting Brother Taylor to read the Book of Mormon.  His wife is doing great though,. So we read with them in 1 Nephi chapter 13 and we explained how it was talking about Christopher Columbus and the revolutionary war, and oh my that got their attention. It was so cool, Sister Taylor was super excited and Brother Taylor was also. He then told us, without us having to ask, that they he would really read this week! Wahoooo! I really hope he follows through with it.
         
Then we went to visit Rod and Amanda. Well our good day ended there. We walked in and sat down and Amanda looked at us and said "I don't know how to say this, but I have prayed and read from the Book of Mormon and I don't think it is true." I was totally dumb founded, I did not see this coming, I guess I probably should have because they have not been progressing for the past month. I asked Amanda if she really feels like she has put all her effort in to finding out for herself if this is true. She looked at me with a straight face and said "yes." I did not know what to say because I know that they both have not, they have told us for the past month that they have not read. I know that they have not tried. I did not want to argue though, so I testified instead. I told them that I know the Book of Mormon is true, I know that they only way they will know, is if they read the whole book, if they take it seriously and do it rather than "try." They said they don't feel the same feeling at our church that they do at a Christian church. This was frustrating because they have yet to go to church in our ward. When they lived up in Thermopolis they went to church only 3 times and 2 of them were Fast Sundays, which shows they did not go in a row or really put effort in to church to get anything out. We have to do our part if we expect God to give us anything. She also doesn't like that we know the Book of Mormon better than the bible. I explained that the Book of Mormon is what sets us apart from other religions. They already know the bible is true so we don't need to try to teach them that it is true, cause they already know, we are trying to help them know that the Book of Mormon is true. I also asked them to try one last time and that night to read 3 Nephi 11 and also to come to church the next day. They said they would.
           
Sunday came around and we waited for them and waited and then Brother Pedan who was giving them a ride came in with his wife. He told us that their lights were off and they were not home. Gah...  I remember missionaries always saying, agency is the worst with investigators and that is how I felt on Sunday. I had been praying and fasting for Rod and Amanda, but they had that agency and choose not to come to church, and not even that, but they just ditched their ride. I was upset, and it's because I asked them to try one more time, they said they would and they did not. This is their salvation and they are choosing to leave it behind at the moment at least. When we had our lesson the day before with them I was praying and so was Sister Austin the whole time. After the lesson we started to talk and we found out both of us felt that they are not ready yet, they have come along way from where they used to be but they still are not ready to make that covenant with God. So I really hope that one day they will accept the gospel, and I know that they will, just not right now. Besides that, this week has been great though! I have really enjoyed it. 
         
Funny story, so Sister Austin has flooded our bathroom 4 times, more like it just happens to her. It's not really her fault but oh my goodness it has been a fun week with that.  Brother Baker who we live with has changed out pipes and snaked our pipes and everything and it still flooded, but luckily we finally got it fixed so it doesn't flood anymore. She has got so stressed about it though that she got sick, she is doing pretty good, but we have had to take it slow. She is getting better. I don't have too much to write about this week. Sorry this email is short! I love you all so much though and have a wonderful and week! and have a Happy Birthday Josh!
                 
 -Love Andrea

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