We have had some great success in our branch! Julie Fulk is set to be baptized this Sunday. She and her husband Brian who is a returning member have been keeping all of their commitments and coming to church every week. We even got her to attend relief society now (she usually helps her husband in Primary) and she loved it. She wants to give a Korean Book of Mormon to her mother! We have printed out invitations and are encouraging the branch to invite many people so they can experience the power of the ordinance and want to be bapitzed themselves. We taught Julie the word of wisdom the other day and she is completely willing to live it which is great. That is a really big sacrifice especially since she is a manager at Starbucks in Terre Haute, IN. We are really impressed at her progression and are really looking forward to her baptism Sunday.
Our other investigator, Brent, has started to progress too. He came to church for the first time in a while (he used to come all the time and was very close to baptism and he was touched by the song "If you Could Hie to Kolob" that someone sang. We thought that was kind of funny for some reason.
We also decided this week to go tract out a small town called Dennison. We gave 1/3 of the town a copy of the book of mormon! We passed out 3 of them! For reals though, we actually ran into this man named Mark. Although he likes his alchohol, he is really nice. He built a huge deck attached to a trailor for his frail mother. He isn't much into religion he says because no one could answer his questions like "how did God become God?" We told him we had the answer but he didn't seem to listen. But, his mother we met with and she is very tender-hearted. We didnt' get to really teach her much since she talks in circles (she is old). However, she was thrilled when we invited her to church. Mark says he wouldn't make any promises to drive her, but he said that he trusted us if we were to arrange a ride for her. Well, we weren't able to get her a ride despite our best efforts. i felt really bad that we didn't get her one. Hopefully they'll give us another chance and that we can figure out a way to get her there. Mark has some potential though, he said we could come help him do some projects around his property. They offered us coke to drink while he drank his beer. I gladly accepted it. Never do I turn down a coke. I am still 172 pounds is all. My metabollism is still young.
Our other investigator, Brent, has started to progress too. He came to church for the first time in a while (he used to come all the time and was very close to baptism and he was touched by the song "If you Could Hie to Kolob" that someone sang. We thought that was kind of funny for some reason.
We also decided this week to go tract out a small town called Dennison. We gave 1/3 of the town a copy of the book of mormon! We passed out 3 of them! For reals though, we actually ran into this man named Mark. Although he likes his alchohol, he is really nice. He built a huge deck attached to a trailor for his frail mother. He isn't much into religion he says because no one could answer his questions like "how did God become God?" We told him we had the answer but he didn't seem to listen. But, his mother we met with and she is very tender-hearted. We didnt' get to really teach her much since she talks in circles (she is old). However, she was thrilled when we invited her to church. Mark says he wouldn't make any promises to drive her, but he said that he trusted us if we were to arrange a ride for her. Well, we weren't able to get her a ride despite our best efforts. i felt really bad that we didn't get her one. Hopefully they'll give us another chance and that we can figure out a way to get her there. Mark has some potential though, he said we could come help him do some projects around his property. They offered us coke to drink while he drank his beer. I gladly accepted it. Never do I turn down a coke. I am still 172 pounds is all. My metabollism is still young.
In other news, we also have been having great success in Casey! The Large and Griggs families have been carpooling a good amount of people to church the last several weeks. There are a couple familes that have been coming that we are hoping to start teaching soon. One of which is the Scheiners, a part member "family" (aren't civilly married). They live about 5 miles south of Casey, but are technically in the Effingham boundaries. They don't have any desire to go to the Effingham branch and have good friends in our branch. They have 3 children that are baptism age. We asked the zone leaders if we should teach them or if Effingham should teach them. They told us to turn them over to Effingham, which I get, however the odds of them going to the Effingham branch are very slim. Even Elder Merrill and Williams are skeptical of them actually coming to their branch because the fellowship there is pretty terrible (at least that's what they tell me). The zone leaders said that Effingham should teach them and see how it goes, and if it doesn't go well they can turn them over to us.
Another family in Casey came to church and are good friends with the Large family. Billy Jean has 4 kids that are all baptism age as well. We just haven't been able to have a very formally appointment with them yet besides Billy Jean. The members in Casey are exceptional. They have been helping get Mashell and Christina (both recent converts) started on their family history/temple work. Mashell's husband Randy is a work in progress as well. Family history has proven to be fairly effective as we have helped multiple active and less active members experience the spirit of elijah and we even got 2 non member referrals the last two days from Sister Fuller who has caught the family history bug as well! I also helped a lady do her family history Also, we got the relief society on board to do family history night at the church once a month!! I have a testimony that if you want things to actually happen and get done, as the relief society, they can help you.
As far as the district is concerned, they are doing pretty well. The Sisters in Mattoon set 2 baptism dates this week! One with Katie for the 18th of February, and Josh for the 4th of March. Josh is a referral/fellowshipper from the Stake President, President Stowell. The sisters were really excited when President Stowell gave away his coat to someone in need while he was with the sisters. He is setting a wondeful example to the stake to step it up in sharing the gospel along with the missionaries. We are all committed to his vision to fill the stake chapel choir seats by the end of the year with 57 active new converts!
As with the Effingham branch, I am a little concerned. Elder Williams said it best the other week that you know things aren't going super well when your key indicators begin to look like binary code!
Another family in Casey came to church and are good friends with the Large family. Billy Jean has 4 kids that are all baptism age as well. We just haven't been able to have a very formally appointment with them yet besides Billy Jean. The members in Casey are exceptional. They have been helping get Mashell and Christina (both recent converts) started on their family history/temple work. Mashell's husband Randy is a work in progress as well. Family history has proven to be fairly effective as we have helped multiple active and less active members experience the spirit of elijah and we even got 2 non member referrals the last two days from Sister Fuller who has caught the family history bug as well! I also helped a lady do her family history Also, we got the relief society on board to do family history night at the church once a month!! I have a testimony that if you want things to actually happen and get done, as the relief society, they can help you.
As far as the district is concerned, they are doing pretty well. The Sisters in Mattoon set 2 baptism dates this week! One with Katie for the 18th of February, and Josh for the 4th of March. Josh is a referral/fellowshipper from the Stake President, President Stowell. The sisters were really excited when President Stowell gave away his coat to someone in need while he was with the sisters. He is setting a wondeful example to the stake to step it up in sharing the gospel along with the missionaries. We are all committed to his vision to fill the stake chapel choir seats by the end of the year with 57 active new converts!
As with the Effingham branch, I am a little concerned. Elder Williams said it best the other week that you know things aren't going super well when your key indicators begin to look like binary code!
Well, we shall see if this will be my last week in Paris. I wouldn't mind going to MIssouri at all.
Well I guess I will just close with bearing testimony since that is just what you should do when you close an email as a missionary. I know that God answers our prayers through the prayer of faith. Our prayers are often answered according to the amount of work and effort we put in. Things can fall into place if we put in our best effort and if it is the Lord's will. I have been able to see the Paris branch grow a little bit because of the faith I have done my best to exude. I know that I won't fully perceive the blessings that will result from my labors here, but I know that by very small means great things will gradually come to pass. I know Jesus Christ atoned for my sins, for all of my screwups, and rebellions. He is so good to us all. His way is the only way to everlasting peace and happiness.
Love,
Elder Soutas
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