Prayer, Holy Ghost

So my ear has been improving little by little. I expected it to do one big pop like it would when you change altitudes but no it keeps baby popping but it doesn't bother me anymore and I can hear well. Ha ha speak of the devil It just baby popped=p

This week has been a week and I have a million things I would like to say about this week.

First of all I had Macaroni and cheese for 6 days in a row and I didn't cook any of it, that all came from members and Elder and sister Ekins. And the one time I thought I was free and had just a little time to cook up something I ransacked the fridge to only find frozen macaroni  in spaghetti sauce..... I made sure to buy loads of real food today because I am never eating macaroni with hotdogs again!

Mom I totally agree with you on what you said about kids in sacrament meeting. One lesson I learned down in Holt on that same subject is the fact that Jesus taught us that children (of such) is the kingdom of heaven. And people if people want to be in a place away from kids in church they don't ideologically understand the gospel or humans. I mean if you were a 3 foot thing who's feet don't touch the ground in a uncomfortable chair, and every one you love won't pay attention to you and some old dude is saying loads of things you don't understand I would flip a biscuit too and be distracting.

During personal study i kept hearing a noise. IT BOTHERED ME, and it brought out the environmental scientist in me. I searched until I found the kitchen sink leaking and I couldn't fix it so I got a gallon jug and put it under to catch the water for my water bottle. I came back at the end of the day to find the jug half full and full of fruit flies.... i then made a contraption so water would flow through small holes so flies couldn't get in. Now the only struggle is getting my companion to stop moving the nozzle and letting all of that water go to waste and killing some widows sacrifice to build the kingdom of God.

I found a emergency escape ladder in our apartment while i looked through all of the junk! I could have SOOOOO used that during High school! #XFSWWF!

My very first day here as a District leader I had to give 3 baptismal interviews. I had no time to prepare at all. When  we arrived at the church house a few minutes prior to the investigators I frantically searched the small branch building for a Preach my Gospel. I then didn't have enough time to read it so I went out side and finished it after they arrived. 

 

Elder Ekins told me I have a half a hour to get all of them interviewed so Elder and Sister Ekins could make it down to Detroit for a temple session. I am super glad I read PMG before I went in there!  I don't doubt that if I didn't they would have eventually gone inactive. 

 

The first teenage girl came in with me; and I heard from the zone leaders the night before on the phone their "conversion story" and how they have such a strong testimony of the gospel. I then started trying to get an understanding of her testimony and get her to tell me about her conversion story. I am super glad I read that in PMG!!! She eventually opened up after many kind follow up questions and told me that she has been praying to know if these things are true but have never received a answer. 

 

I then continued to ask question and help her understand how prayers are answered. She eventually opened up even more and told me the story about when she went to girls camp a few weeks ago and she felt the spirit really strong and it made her cry and testified of the truth being taught. I also got her to tell me a story she had never told anyone about being touched by the Holy Ghost (after she understood who it was and what it does) it brought her to tears right then and there and I made sure that I pointed out that to her. 

 

I told her that the Holy Ghost has answered her prayers and that she needs to always remember that and cherish that moment when it told her truth and to stay true to that and live accordingly throughout her life no matter what garbage might come. When I was done with the first girl It was over 40 minutes and I brushed off Elder Ekins getting on my case for going to make him late and finished the other 2 interviews. I had to do the same thing with all of them, and help them all recognize they did receive an answer to their prayers and they all had different stories to go along with it.

My first night here we got locked out of the apartment at 10:27 pm Because I didn't know my companion never unlocked the bottom door knob. I had nothing on me except a tie clip and I was going against a schlauge..... We knocked on the Ekins door and E. Ekins came out to help. An hour and a half later of him trying and not letting me have a go I got his screw driver and hammer from him the thickest screw driver out of the 6 he was using hit the screw driver with the hammer until it bent the metal plate on the frame. and I was able to crank the thing bending the wood slightly popping the metal latch in the door. I dropped the screwdriver on the floor, hugged E. Ekins and went to bed.

We baptized all three of them this week. It's super interesting because more than 6 months ago I was here and I have knocked on their door more than once and was turned away. I also tried some other former investigator like 3 times to have them never answer their door, we tried them this week and we got in and I related to them super well. The investigator was like " I loved this pamphlet! it was so cool I read it, but I had to read this page like 5 times" he then tried moving on. 

 

I stopped him immediately and asked follow up questions to find out he really felt the Holy Ghost on that page and read it over and over again because he loved how it felt. I taught him who the Holy Ghost is and how it does things and he felt it again and got super pumped. I then going completely on faith because it was bringing things to his "remembrance" and asked so what is it telling you to do, and he was like (without me suggesting or bringing it up or anything) "I think it wants me to be baptized, can I do that?" "UMM.... YEs PLEASE!". The Prayer, Holy Ghost lesson hasn't been and isn't a cure all principal from preach My Gospel to teach but here it has been. I have another story about it too but I don't have time, Sad thing is I have never seen a missionary teach it the way PMG wants us too.

I have never seen a 70 year old man as crazy as Elder Ekins! I love it! I have never seen a man of his age leaning back in chairs like a teenager and making the jokes he does! I love it it's like a Old man Will! Hes such a comedian, but it's not like regular people humor it's like Will humor ha ha! The Senior missionaries are the best forealzies if they weren't here the area and the teaching pool would be rubbish!

Elder J my new companion has avoided door knocking alot with me, and I strive for the 3 hours a day rule. We got let in a house this week and picked up a new investigator and I found out that that was the first time in his 3 months of being on a mission he was ever let in, or had success while door knocking. 3 months.... I guess thats what happens when you avoid it.

I gotta go!

Love you

Don't get shot!

- Elder Truman Rex Crockett