Sept. 12, 2011

So this week was good. I had a woman hold on to my hand for an hour. no lie ni tampoco an exaggeration, for ONE HOUR telling me that what I was doing was wrong and I should go back to my baptist roots. She must of been full of the spirit to know that I had baptist roots. In fact she must of known something that apparently I did not know, because I am  pretty sure that my roots are not baptist. It was pretty awkard, and my hand was pretty sweaty, and I just wanted to sit down, which she invited me to do by the way because she told me she was not going to let go of my hand for a while. I think she was possessed. I am now a little hesitant to shake peoples hands as I leave their houses. We also had the opportunity to go through a catholic church on a church tour. A guy told us that his daughter could not enter into our church unless we entered into his church first. In which we replide, ok well if you give us a church tour of your church you will need to come on a church tour with us. He hesitantly agreed. And when the day arrived we were there waiting for his tour in which he did not show. And of course did not answer his phone. And so we drove by his house and knocked 3 times and rang the door bell twice and as we were writing a note to him he finally came out and said that he was ready to go. He had a book in his hand which is a special catholic book about how to answer questions from other religions, and I noticed the chapter on Mormons was marked, haha its crazy. But he took us through his church and explained what they did. It turns out that he is the assistant father or minister for the church, but it was actually pretty cool. Granted he did not take his daughter with him to do our church tour, but we took him on a tour either way. And it was way good. Had he not been a minister he would have said yes to coming to church on Sunday. We also invited him to be baptized and he said he would think about it. But it was pretty good. But man it is crazy how someone can a witness of the Spirit and still deny it! Agency it is such a beautiful thing. But i received revelation earlier this week, as we were pondering just why people don't read the Book of Mormon. LIke what stops them? And so we just started talking about it. And so this is what we realized... They actually literally have fear of reading the book of Mormon, and so they choose not too...they have too much pride, they think they know enough and refuse to read it, or they are just too lazy, the intentions are their, but the works and action are not. So we have FEAR, PRIDE, LAZINESS. And so then we were like well what are the opposites of those things.. Fear-FAITH, Pride-HUMILITY, Laziness-WORKS. What things does a person need to enter into the kingdom of God? FAITH in Jesus Christ demonstrated by their WORKS, and the HUMILITY to admit that we can't do it on our own. The Book of Mormon is the perfect test to see if we have the desire to enter into the Kingdom of God. Oh i love it. And its perfectly as just for those that were born into the covenant; because it is our humility and faith and works that accept the atonement of Jesus Christ. I LOVE IT. But this week had been good and next week is going to be even better. I thank yall for your prayers. And I love yall, and have an awesome week!

Sept. 6, 2011

Man I just love how God works. I remember I was sitting in sacrament meeting on Sunday and I remember hearing the women who gave the opening prayer and how she asked God to bless the missionaries to find those people that are prepared. And it just hit me. That there are millions of people around the world that are praying for me to find their friends, to find their families, to find those children of God who are ready to accept His gospel. For two years I am being blessed with millions of prayers, to find, to teach and to baptize; and there will never be another time in my life where  I will have so many blessings and prayers for me and for those who I come in contact with. Two of those really prepared people that we found last week came to church and one of them is preparing to be baptized at the end of this month. I think I told yall about Johnny last week, but he came to church and although has not accepted a baptismal date he says that is is something that he is honestly considering, and he is just doing so good. He came to church, has been reading from the Book of Mormon and is now 5 days without smoking and is just doing awesome. And then Jose is just a stud. he is 18 and is progressing for baptism and also came to church this week. And we actually ran into his sister this week that works in the school district here who also just seems way prepared. We should be having a church tour with her tonight. But the work here is doing so good, and I know God is blessing us so much. My companion and I have really just been trying to help the other missionaries and our zone at well, and I think that as we do that, that God just helps our own personal area so much! But I love yall so much and I thank yall so much for your prayers. I definitely feel there power. Have an awesome week

August 29, 2011

Man this week was so good! We also got transfer calls and I'll be staying in Othello pero going to a different part to be a ZL. But I am way excited becasue Elder Jergensen my comp from Spokane is going to be the District Leader and correct my weaknesses as a trainer with Elder Salomon. Elder Crandall who I served with before Elder Salomon is coming to Warden to be with Elder Hash. And so pretty much ya...every elder in my district I have served with. Crazy huh? But this week we had another p

**** I am not sure why this letter cut short and did not send when I sent it last week, but I did write and I can't remember what I was going to say last week. But this week in my new area... 1077 hwy 17, Othello WA 99344. it's been really good. We have seen a lot of miracles. One happened just as we were tracting. We knocked into an old hispanic lady who opens the door tells us she is sick, catholic and not interested and then slammed the door. Normal door contact and moving on to the next. But as we are walking to the next house I saw a man building a shed in her back yard. And so I was like Elder Kurtz lets go contact that guy, and he said that guy, and i said ya that guy. So we go and contact him and he was like no thank you, I have talked to missionaries before in the past and basically told us he wasn't interested. But then we start talking to him and he tells how there is just so much stuff going on his life right now, and how he is in a separation and how he has lost his job, and how he can't even contact his wife or kids. And then my comp bares his testimony on the BOM and then I bare my testimony how God sent us here to talk to him, and the spirit was just way strong and he was like ok I will give you a couple minutes tomorrow; come at two. So we went over the lesson plan for him in the morning and then we just had a way awesome lesson with him, and at the end he just started crying and thanking God for sending us too him. It was way awesome. But ya. Then we had a way awesome lesson, with a guy named Jose that should be getting baptized in a couple weeks. But ya its going awesome and the members our really awesome. But I love yall and have a good week