It's so good to hear about the family all getting together. Who all came down? Oh man our Thanksgiving was so incredible.
So to start off about Turkey Day last week!
Steamboat had never had nor heard of a Turkey Bowl. I was dead set on organizing a football game so we did and Steamboat had it's very first ever Turkey Bowl! Only one member family from the ward came and 3 youth hahaha. But a ton of non members came so it was a success. Even a family visiting came! So that was good, building ward unity bit by bit! Then we played games with non members and members in the Ward Mission leader's home and had some awesome food. I even splurged and had dessert! Then back to work. It was a very succesful day with awesome lessons at the end with Joe and Nichole.
The light has begun to really shine in my life again beginning on Thanksgiving morning. I just prayed and said things I was thankful for and didn't ask for anything like my mommy used to challenge us to do. That really helped me to have confidence. My prayers have been desperate and in fear. That helped me to have confidence in His power and ability to help this area through whatever comes our way. Instead of, "please bless us this day to have success and have the Spirit because I'm really scared I'll mess it up and won't." "Thank you for your infinite power and willingness to help me this day if I truly focus on thee." Kinda like already knowing He's going to help us. That's real faith isn't it? So ya, that's filled me with such fantastic joy because now I know everything will fall into place even more than I did before. I trust 100 X's more than I ever had. Then for personal study I read over my journal to see all the revelation I've received in my life. I've been so ungrateful in forgetting what amazing things God has done for me in my past. Giving me so much peace, and inspiriation and guidance with school, friends, peace, and especially you. That helped me to see that I can still have that guidance out here. I forgot I was capable of that. It was a reminder that we all are. It also taught me to be myself out here. To act completely natural with everyone. To not be fake so that was really good. Man I just love the guidance we receive from the Spirit when we try to get it. After so much faking it till I make it, I feel I've made it. There is still so much more to come though.
Highlights for this week:
We're getting so much more work here and are doing so much better with OYMing everyone around us. You never know who's interested so it's so important to talk to everyone. And more important than just talking to them, caring about them. Not being afraid and hoping to get told no so that you can leave as soon as possible. But really talking with them. We've gotten so much more potentials and investigators. In OaPhYa. (Oak Creek, Phippsburg, Yampa) The 3 small towns that we cover we had dinner with a member. (I've sent a picture with their family) we talked about the Word of Wisdom with the Bro. He's never been real active but is seeing more and more importance in the Gospel and the truth and wanting to be a part of it. He's really awesome and holds true to the Gospel at work when people are hard on Mormons. He's a real stud. He apparently hasn't gone without chewing for a few months or years. He has gotten down to somedays only having one. So we challenged him to go a whole week without a single one. We felt to tell him to fill his mind with other things, scripture verses, hymns, pictures, his family, the temple, anything! And to write it down. And most importantly, come to church. While he didn't come to church because he couldn't make it in time for sacrament and had to be at work, he did go the whole week which was a miracle.
When something cool happens that tickles Elder Dean's peach he jumps up and down going "OOOOOOHHHHH!!!!!" really excitedly. When he eats on the couch he bounces up and down so I tried taking video of it. It cracks me up the way he does, I can't describe they way he does it. I wish I could take video of him all the time it's so funny the things he does. He'll brush his teach with both hands holding the toothbrush. One time after getting hot dogs at a gas station he goes "good thing I jacked some ketchup packets before I left! I mean I didn't actually jack ketchup. It was out for anyone to take. I didn't steal it." Or will say "I swear. I mean I actually don't swear. That's bad" While OYMing someone and in the middle of talking to him Elder Dean just stares at him in the eye extremely intently and gets closer and cuts us off asking if he has green eyes. Another time a guy walked past us and I left him to Elder Dean to OYM so he turns around and goes, "are you eating pizza!?" "no" *starts walking after him "Do you like pizza?!" *silence "have a good night." I ask, so what could we have done better? Elder Dean pouting: "I don't think he even heard me say have a good night" Or I'll ask someone, "hey have you every talked to Mormon Missionaries?" "no man that's not my thing I'm not interested in religion." He'll ask "why not?" and they'll get offended and get mad at us hahahaha. Poor guy. The ward is really supportive of him though. It's great to see.
The other night we had a lesson with Joe. He admitted that he'd been avoiding church and was too lazy to come to the baptism we had on Saturday. (2 baptisms in Steamboat back to back! One for the Elders and One for the Sisters!) He also admitted that his biggest hold back was marijuana. He feels the prophets today are of God, and while he loves his gay friends, he understands homosexuality isn't the most happy plan that God wants for us. He admits his biggest hold back is getting rid of marijuana. He knows he uses it as a crutch, escape and addiction which is amazing. He does want the Spirit and understands he has to find out for himself why it's not good and not be spoon fed by the prophets on what to do and what not to do. He'll very easily make it back in strength because he's admitted all these things and wants it. Luckily he's too broke to have weed haha.
Kirk's baptism was so peaceful. The most spiritual things to me aren't overwhelming. They're just very peaceful and comforting. They do give me so much energy to keep going through the awkward stuff. There is such a change in Kirk now when we see him. It's so unique how you can just tell there is something different. He told us the biggest thing he's learned is God's love for him. He says how happy he is now. He's invited his family to talk to missionaries and learn more even without us! It's amazing. He's so laid back. For a little he felt confused why he didn't feel some amazing rush from the Spirit even at baptism like some people talk about. But he now is content with what he has and talks about how happy he is and peaceful he feels in his life. He's even talked about his conversion with people at work so that's really neat. He's so awesome. I've learned such a love for him. He had Fred baptize him and Elder Dean and myself give talks and the sisters give a musical number.
Then Fransisco's baptism this week as well! 2 back to back! Kirk even came to it so it was neat for him. Fransisco is the Sister's investigator. He's 24 from Mexico. They sisters met him while teaching his ex-wife. He invited himself to the lesson and asked what he had to do to be baptized and invited himself to church as well all within first meeting them. He for a little thought he needed a greater answer. The sisters were really bummed about that. On Thanksgiving I asked when he was going to be baptized when it was just him and my companion and myself and he said his date so we talked about how it's so important and he knows enough. That caught the sisters off guard when they found that out haha. He has shared the Gospel with a lot of his co-workers and family members already before he was baptized and now wants to serve a mission which is amazing to see his desire to share with others. Fortunately he cannot because he's been married. Sisters haven't had the heart to tell him yet. He had me give a talk on baptism which I felt very honored to do. He also had Fred baptize him. And Elder Dean gave his testimony. It's the dearest thing when he gives his testimony. "It's just so wonderful now that you're baptized. You can be happy and stuff and it's so just wonderful. I just feel so happy for you. It's just so great." Letting the words out little by little and beaming the whole time talking.
There you have it. An extremely long letter to make up for last week and since my companion wanted to email for extra long today. I've been in this library for way too long haha.
I love you all and think of you all. The work is amazing. Maybe next time I won't be burnt out from writting some wisdom at the end haha.
-Elder Edgel
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