Bum bum bumble be- bumble bee tuna, I like bumble bee- bumble bee tuna.
I last heard Jon Schmidt sing that probably 10 years ago and it still gets stuck in my head on a weekly basis.
GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD MORNING VEGAS AND ANYWHERE ELSE!!!!!
This week we've had a lot of things fall apart and a lot of things fall into place. Everything happens for a reason.
Annie is still super awesome. She's on date for baptism for August 30th!!! She's an interesting case. Her whole family is LDS and baptized and she was raised it but never baptized. She struggled with her testimony as well. So we searched for her records and they never came so she's evidently not a member.
We also had a great lesson with the Bedoys, less actives. Her kids came to church but she never did. Come to find out her husband came home late drunk and after hitting her tried lighting his truck on fire only to be saved last minute by an officer. It was a powerful lesson as we shared a message on her being able to conquer, that everything happens for a reason and she can now come to church every week. We also gave her a great blessing.
We put Rachel on date!!!! I have been worrying about her and worrying about if she's going to make it. You can usually tell if your investigator is going to make it by how well they open up to you and how well they keep commitments. I was weary on both of those. But we met her at the church with a member and gave her a tour. In the sacrament room we asked her how she felt and she said she felt a warm, peaceful, protective and safe feeling she can't describe ever since she came inside. The Spirit was strong as we told her that was the Spirit and invited her to be baptized by September 27th!!! She accepted right away! She gave a sweet kneeling prayer praying to have the truth confirmed more and soften her husbands heart towards these things.
There is so much power in people simply coming inside a church building!! One of the greatest missionary tools.
Before the tour I was nervous that she might not come since she's been flakey a lot. I got on my knees in the bathroom and prayed and asked for forgiveness for doubting and the faith to be OK with whatever happens and to have a hope that all things will go according to His plan. I learned so much on the importance of hope that day. We must be realistic on circumstances but always filled with hope. Being pessimistic is just too exhausting anyway and always having hope brings much better results. Sister Edgel told me about how in The Other Side of Heaven, when the missionary was going to the island it was a bad storm and he had to swim in. He said that he simply couldn't afford negative thoughts otherwise his energy would be drained and he wouldn't make it.
We're seeing miracles all the time. Elder Donovan and I keep telling each other that we've never been happier all of our lives and never felt more effective in all of our missions. These last few days I've been thinking about being content with those things that the Lord has allotted unto us, or magnifying our callings. The Lord knows where we need to be in order for our personal growth and others growth. I've learned to be content with my weaknesses and faults and just try little by little to improve them. The Lord knows I need that learning and knows I can influence those I need to in the weak condition I'm already in. But I feel renewed in giving all of myself!!
I love you all!! Keep up being missionaries in being an example of the believers! As Elder Johnson said: Bear testimony often. If necessary, use words.
-Elder Edgel
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