Hey,
So this week has been a tough one. We really had all of our appointments cancel on us this week, people not answering, dodging, etc. Not that exciting. My companion and I both realized how we have people to teach and meet goals and such but none of the investigators are progressing really or solid. They are just nice people that let us talk to them. None have a desire to actually change their lifestyles. So we are going to have to work extra hard to keep teaching and finding new investigators that the Lord has prepared. I had my first encounter with a "Do Not Contact" on the ward roster. There was a family we didn't know about and knocked on their door. Kids answered saying the parents weren't there but to try back later. Elder Palmer said he had a "good feeling" about the family. The ward didn't know anything about them so we went a different time to go see them. We knocked and immediately I got a really bad feeling. We go upstairs to this really small attic place where the husband was smoking and playing some computer dragon thing. Tried small chat (obviously he was less active with the smoking) but he didn't buy it. He started ranting about anti stuff, how God doesn't exist, psychology justification and all this other junk. I understood what he was saying with my experience in psychology classes, but he had very extreme points of view that have no evidence or anything. We tried to invite the spirit in the home, but it wasn't happening. I just sat and listened, asked a couple questions to make sure that he didn't have any other concerns just that he had crazy philosophy. So that was a really sweet experience I thought bc I got to deal rather well with someone heavily opposed to the church. I didn't freak out, I wasn't disappointed, I bore my testimony, invited him to read the Book of Mormon and he declined. Missionary work is filled with times where people don't want to change or do the things you invite them to do to come closer to Christ, but I can walk away knowing that I did my part as a missionary to preach the gospel and allow people to use their agency. So that was an interesting experience that went better than it could have and we won't be visiting him anymore. So this week has been slow and no real progress made on investigators. We just need to keep working hard to help out the ward, find people who are prepared, and teach with the spirit. I felt that we have helped a couple struggling recent converts this past week. A few have ran into problems and don't have that fellowship or friends in the church to want to come to church or have worries about coming to church. Many are really attached to the missionaries, but when 1 leaves, they get really sad and don't want to come bc they have no other friends in the church. It is so key to welcome investigators and recent converts into the church so they feel that they have a friend. Get them hometeachers and visiting teachers. They need someone that they can lean on and ask questions about the gospel when the missionaries have moved on or just cant see them as often. We have been working a lot with that this past week. It is getting better for a couple of them.
It is no longer warm here. Just cold, and windy all the time. Tomorrow is a low of 15 so I am excited for that. We have bike week this week too so that should really cool to walk in the freezing cold. Thanks for the winter clothes bc I will need it. I just realized that I am almost 5 months out on my mission. This has been pretty dang quick. But I have really enjoyed my time so far and look forward to more time in this area hopefully. Transfers is this Thursday so I am really curious to see what is going to happen. I am pretty sure that I am staying here and Elder Palmer is leaving. He has been in this area for 9 months. All I know is that one of us is definitely leaving. Don't find out until tomorrow so everyone in this area is biting their nails bc it is so unpredictable.
I love you all. Thanks for the love and support!
Love,
Elder Roe
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