Devon - Week 64 "Tribulations brings Blessings"

These past two weeks have been very memorable.  I am training Elder Ray who is from south California near the town of Rancho Cucamonga.  

These past weeks have been difficult but so rewarding.  I knew that we were going to have a difficult first weeks because we were both new to the area and I would also be training him.  I didn’t expect the physical roadblocks we were about to encounter. When Elder Ray was in the MTC he caught a cold.  Then he gave me the Cold. There has not been a day since we have been companions that both of us have been physically healthy.  Even today I still recovering.  We both had colds, he had food poisoning, teeth problems, bike problems, almost dislocated his hand.  My opinion is that he has had a pretty tough 2 weeks in the field so far.  I got a cold, my district Leader stepped on my leg by accident as I was running and brought me to stop, and I have had foot sore problems.  All of these could have caused us to take a sick day but we have kept working.  I have shotgun before and there were investigators when I went into the area.  This area on the other hand has only a few eternal investigators that are not really interested.  As a trainer I want to show how great it is to be a missionary and to help him be a better teacher.  Unfortunately we have not done to much teaching because we have been trying to find people. I am not telling you this to complain, to show how diligent we are, or to have you feel bad but to show that all scriptures are fulfilled D&C 58 and that God is Amazing 

 1 Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to my word, and learn of me what I will concerning you, and also concerning this land unto which I have sent you.

 2 For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

 3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

 4 For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.

 5 Remember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which is to follow.

 6 Behold, verily I say unto you, for this cause I have sent you—that you might be obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the things which are to come;    

For after much tribulation come the blessings.  We have to remember that no matter how big or small the tribulation blessings come. We have been praying and trying so hard to find people to teach. I know that this scripture and the scriptures are true, that God does answer prays and that there are really no coincidences. I have know this for a long time but this story strengthens it.   

On our first Sunday at the Meadowlark ward we met a man named Eric Keren.  Their seemed something about him that was special but we just thought that he was a member.  He then introduced himself in Gospel Principles as a Jew and an atheist.  His parents raised him as a Jew in tradition but not in belief.  He went into the Marines and after that he became a LAPD in LA.  He has seen a lot of death and destruction that has desensitized him to spiritual things. We asked him if he would be interested in learning more but he told us that he was not ready for us.  The next week at church he came up to us excitedly and said "guys I got revelation, I think I am ready to talk to you guys."  Elder Ray and I were blown away and excited too. We taught him last Monday - it was a long lesson but one of the best lessons.  We brought Cheri Graffus with us and she bore the perfect testimony to him.  He kept saying, "I felt the same way," and “me and you will get a long.”  They really connected on a spiritual level.  He had many questions and  a lot of them were really good questions that I have not thought about.  Yet, the spirit taught us what we should say. At the end of the lesson we asked him if he would read and pray with real intent if he would be baptized October 17 and when could we meet next.  He said yes to both and he asked us to come back this Thursday which is tomorrow.  God has prepared him so much.  We got a new investigator and a baptism date!!! 

Cheri Graffus is a recent convert that got baptized the same day that Veronica did, August 15.  We are teaching her the new member lessons.  She is on fire with Family History and the Gospel.  She is doing very well as a new convert.  

James Family are a really cool family that just got sealed recently.  They used to be bikers (motorcycle).