What a fun week it's been! With Elder Vaoga with us it's been a little
busy trying to coordinate who's going where in what area. The past two
nights he's stayed with the Black Canyon Elders. To make room for him
in the Cathcarts, we've assembled the bunk bed in our room. Vaoga will
get a new companion tomorrow and everythin will o back to the way it
was...ish. Transfers are tomorrow and our district is losing Sister
Jeanfreau, which makes me sad. I've known her since she started way
back in Surprise, and having her here was a huge benefit to the
district. The Solano Elders will stay, which makes me happy. Elder
Johnston and Elder Zeledon are just too awesome together.
Pics this week. Elder Nield was cooking burgers on the stove. They
were spittin' up a lot of grease, and he put on Sister Cathcart's
apron to cover his shirt. Yup, that's my little princess flippin'
burgers. The second picture is the whole Glendale zone. We had a stake
fireside the other night on the plan of salvation, explaining what
happens after we die. All of the missionaries wore white and played
the angels that guided them on the tour. It was a lot of fun and I bet
it was pretty cool for others to see all of the full-time missionaries
dressed in white.
We were knocking doors on Wednesday and found a 16 year-old named
Marcus. He told us that his parents were going through a divorce, and
that he could use a prayer. We said a quick prayer with him right
there, and went back on Friday to share more. On Friday, he was mowing
his yard when we rolled up. He stopped in the middle of mowing and
talked with us for a good twenty minutes in his half-cut yard. He told
us that he actually knew two young women his age who were LDS, and
that he'd been invited to activities in the past. He even went to one
of them about a year ago. When we told them that those two girls were
in our ward, he was more interested. He's known them for years, and
they've all been great friends. We gave Marcus a Book of Mormon and
invited him to pray right there in his yard. He seemed pretty nervous,
and I don't blame him. But the fact that he offered a prayer out loud
in his front yard with two missionaries said a lot about his intent. I
think this could be a really good thing. We talked to these two girls
and they both committed themselves to helping him come to church.
There's so much potential with our youth and their friends right now.
We also had the chance to pray with a woman named Carli. She's about
25, black, has a few kids, and seemed really relieved when she talked
to us. She said that she's having trouble forgiving someone for what
they had done to her family. After saying a prayer with her, we spoke
with her on her porch for the next hour! She said we could come back
and we plan on going tonight! She was very sincere with her questions
and was looking for something. Yesterday was great day for finding,
and speaking with Carli was the boost we needed.
On Sunday I had the chance to bless the sacrament in La Pradera Park
ward. Lately I'd been studying covenants (promises with God), and
there was a fantastic article in the newest Ensign on the covenants
that we make. Up until my mission I had thought that the sacrament
only renewed our baptismal covenants. Well now I've come to learn that
the sacrament renews all covenants, including baptism, priesthood and
even temple covenants. Better late than never, I guess? Like I said, I
knew that the sacrament was a renewal of certain covenants, but I
hadn't realized the magnitude of it until a few weeks ago. Elder
Dallin H. Oaks says that the appropriate blessing and partaking of the
sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred meeting in the
church. I blessed the water, and made sure to take my time in really
pondering those covenants I was renewing. Yesterday while we were
knocking doors, we stopped at the Alba's, a family in the ward. Sister
Alba turned to me and said, "Elder, I want to thank you for what you
did on Sunday in helping with the sacrament. When you were blessing
the water, I thought to myself, 'Wow, there's one Elder who genuinely
knows the importance of what he is doing.' Elder Turner, thank you for
that, you made my week." I was flattered! What a great thing to hear.
It was one of those little testimony confirmations of applying the
things I've learned.
Thanks for everyone's support. I'm now in week 1 of my last 6 weeks as
a full-time servant of the Master. I love the work and I love the
Lord. Elder Nield and I have been coming closer together in the work
and it's been amazing to see him step up. We have a fun week planned
and I'm already looking forward to writing about the little miracles
in store for Glendale. Until next week, take care and be good.
Much love,
Elder Eric James Turner
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| Elder Princess Nield |
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| The Glendale Zone missionaries |
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