Hey. So this week I get to email from the mission office! WE stayed at the apartment of the APs and the Training Assistants because we were doing the Top Gun training and the office is just right across the street. So i'm sitting in the office right now emailing you! how cool is that? Also, we have zone pday today because yesterday was zone conference, so all the spanish elders from across the mission came up to richmond and we get to watch Brother Bear in spanish today! Pretty sweet huh? So this week went by super fast! Top Gun wasn't as bad as I thought, but it reallyh hurt my spanish! Talking english for two days straight, it's tough to talk in spanish now, but I'll get over it! THe first day it was me and elder nelson witgh elder doxey. He's only been out 8 months, but he's apparently one of the best teachers in the mission. So we went to appointments with him all day and taught. We taught this really really really old couple. The husband got baptized 13 months ago and is going through the temple in like 2 weeks but the wife is still "I have a bunch of doubts". SHe started trying to argue about when JOseph Smith said that God was once like we are and how that makes god seem so insignificant, but I totally changed her mind and committed her to read the BoM. It was awesome! And her husband bore a really powerful testimony and said "if this is right and you don't take advantage of it, you don't have much time left, so you'd be in a world of trouble wouldn't you! If this is right and you ignore it, you're going to be gone forever!" I thought that was pretty funny. And then we went to this house for FHE and taught a really good lesson about the atonement, but the lady's brother who lives there started spouting all this false doctrine and hippie medicine crap, but we committed him to go to church next week, so Elder Doxey will have to worry about fixing his false doctrine later! haha So yeah, no wacky stories like last week to talk of. EVerything this week went pretty normal.
Yesterday I was with Elder Doxey again and we taught this guy James. When we walked in the door he said "I'm not interested in changing anything. I've already been saved and I'm happy." So we kept talking and he asked "Why are there so many churches? They all lead to one Jesus Christ, but whatever. I respect that. They all save you, so it's alright I guess." So I pulled out 3 Ne 27: 7-8 and he completely changed his attitude. He siad "I want to read that book you have. I need to know if this is true for me." How amazing is that??? Super amazing! It was so much fun! But I'm happy to be able to go back and start talking with the hispanos again! I miss them. So I don't know if I told you last week, but Lulu, a recent convert in Charlottesville, gave birth on the 5th. Finally. Or as the hispanos say it "dio la luz". How wacky is that? Gave light means had a baby in spanish. Its weird. But whatever. Her name is Rosalin Aguilar Something(none of us really know what Lulu's last name is...) She was 8 lbs. 2 oz and has a freaking TON of hair! it's ridiculous! But she's adorable. It's sad though, because Bryan, the 2 year old boy, well his world just got rocked. He was the center of attention and got whatever he wanted. But when we walk into the house now, he's usually just sitting on a chair in the living room with this blank look on his face like "What is going on? I don't understand?" and looking around. It's hilarious but sad at the same time. And America, Juan and Lulu's daughter, is turning 8 on the 15th. So she's up for baptism pretty fast. Juan is freaking out about the baptism interview cause he pretty much thinks America is retarded and that she's going to fail the interview, so now she's all worried and panicking and it's just a huge mess but it's hilarious! We're trying to set this investigator Melicia for baptism for the 26th. She's been investigating for awhile, but her Brother won't let us come over to the house so it's really difficult to go and teach her. But she came to church and was really excited and we're stoked to go and teach her. I think she'll accept the invitation. Oh mom, Elder Beckman entered the MTC the same day I did, left 6 weeks before me and is currently serving in Newport News. Also, I was talking with some guy at church on sunday and he told me he served in Nicaragua. I asked him what years and he told me 01-03 so I said "Oh, maybe you served with my cousin. Elder Steven Drury." He gets this worried look on his face and says "Elder Drury, from Southern California? Tall, blondish? That Elder Drury!?" So I said yup and turns out he did! So you should tell Steven that Elder Knight says hello from Virginia. Haha. So Elder Wheatley is doing good. He got to baptize someone 2 days after getting to Newport News! He messed up on the baptismal prayer like 3 times he said! haha but he's doing really good, except for when he accidentally siad to an investigator that Joseph Smith was a liar of some sorts. Spanish words are so confusing! haha But he's excited and working hard. Elder Washburn is still crazy as ever! WHen I asked why he had a 3 story apartment, he goes "Because I'm a zone leader. That's what happens." His companions were just staring like "What the heck did he just say?" because he's not a zone leader, but apparently he thinks he is! haha
SO that's awesome about youth conference! I'm glad you enjoyed yourself mom. Sometimes the lord works in ways we don't understand, but he has his reasons! That's good you're recognizing that! It's all about aligning our will with the will of the lord and doing it.
Oh also, Elder Hatch says Hi! You dont' know who he is, b ut he's one of the APs. He reminds me of Steven Drury with glasses, but about 200 pounds of pure muscle. So that should be a good picture. That's all for this week. Tell everyone Hi, I miss them and I hope they're doing well. I Love you all. Oh, can you also believe that when I call on Christmas, I'll have been out for exactly 6 months!? Thats pretty cool huh?!? alright. I'll talk to you next week! Love you all tons!