Monday, June 12, 2017

It's that time again!  Transfers week!!  Where does the time go?  I reckon it was just transfers like a week ago.  This was a really good past transfer.  We are still trying to build our teaching pool, but we have had some great opportunities to teach the gospel.  I feel that we are really making an impact on people's lives, but it will be a long process for them to accept the gospel.  John and Linda, our investigators from Columbia, are our investigators with the most potential.  Lina wants to be baptized, but John isn't quite ready to make the change.  Lina has been to church many times, but we have only got John to come once.  They are such an awesome family.  They don't speak very good English so we take a Brazilian couple who was baptized a year ago named Sara and Alex to translate for us.  We taught them the word of wisdom this week, and Lina has no problem with it, but John loves his coffee.  Hopefully he will come around though.  He has been able to cut back on the amount of coffee he drinks which is good.  We had stake conference this week and Linda came by herself!  The conference was really awesome!  Guess what haha.  I didn't have to speak on spot this time, but I did get asked to give the closing prayer.  I have never said a prayer in front of that many people.  I remember when Katie had to give the prayer at a devotional at the MTC though.  So it really wasn't too big of a deal.  After the conference I had a really sweet experience.  We were out in the parking lot after the meeting and I was talking with one of the senior couples, Elder Bowcutt.  Elder Bowcutt is in charge of the housing.  We were talking about how well the mission is doing.  He said that for the month of June we have 58 baptisms scheduled.  I immediately thought of how we don't have anyone set for baptism at the moment.  It of course didn't make me feel too good that while everyone in the mission seems to be having lots of success we are struggling to get our investigators to make that step.  However, the Lord knew how I was feeling and he sent someone to come and tell me that Heavenly Father loves me. This lady (probably in her 40's) I met one time randomly knocking on doors pulled her car up next to us.  She is in our ward, but only comes occasionally.  When we knocked on her door she seemed like such a great lady, who has had a really hard life.  She was just leaving the parking lot, but she stopped when she saw me and called me over to the car.  She said, “Elder, I don't know why I needed to stop, but I just feel like I really need to tell you that you have a really great spirit about you.”  She paused for a second and then said, "Thank you for serving a mission!" I immediately felt the spirit and it was just as if Heavenly Father himself said, "Elder Brunson thank you for serving a mission!" It was such a sweet experience that I will never forget.  We need more people in the word who can reach out and extend the pure love of Christ to others.  So the challenge of the week for you all is to look for an opportunity to stop and thank someone for the efforts they are making to serve.  I know that as you do so you will be able to help someone else feel of the love that our Heavenly Father has for them through you.  I love you all and hope you have a great week.

  

Love,

Elder Brunson