Love, Bad Apples, and Shocks

That sounds like a cool project you guys took on.  (Elder Neifert's Dad and younger brother took out an old water heater and replaced it.) I hope you will be able to get the new on put in quick. (or are you guys calling a plumber for that?).  I have had my fair share of puting on the plumber pants myself, I fixed 3 bathrooms and a few showers.  And I never walked away from a shower without being shocked at least once.  It's gotten to the point where I can't touch any 'touch screen' things without being zapped, so at the photo store I can't touch the machine... I just borrow Elder Greer's finger and poke it.

We are working hard with a few great people.  One investigator and his family are really into some bad apples and so we are working hard with them.  The investigator has now been to church for the 4th time and is looking to be baptized on the 20th of July.  We are working hard to help him make it without falling again. (by bad apples I mean drugs).

The recent convert mercedes kind of fell off the deep end because she got offended by a church member.  And she started to hide from us.  But yesterday we caught her, and in the lesson she just kind of told us that she wasnt going to be able to forgive this person and that she was tired of being obligated (forced) to do things.  So we felt impressed to remind her about why she started listening to us in the first place and what she had felt as a result of being baptized, and then the final question.  "Why do you think we want to talk to you so often? Why do you think we want to bug you every week so we can talk?"  and she went down a list of: "to bring me to church, to teach me, to make me read scriptures,....etc."

and we said no to all of her list until she finally asked us "why then?" and then it got quiet and the spirit just kind of filled the room and I was able to stutter out, "It's because we love you.  That's why."  and then she changed her opinion about a few of the things she was doing.  Hopefully she will come to a family home evening tommorow.  

It is amazing how powerful those words can be, when you say it with real intent and purpose.  I think that is really the foundation of the gospel.  It is what makes changes in the lives of people who want to be better.  Our love for God and our love for others is the source of true happiness and real growth.

I hope all is well at home,  and I hope mom had a good birthday! 

Love,

 

Elder Neifert