Week #67

Hi Mom!

Happy Halloween! Holidays as a missionary are funny. They just feel like normal days haha. We don't really have any fun plans other than going to Kirtland to meet up with some of the missionaries there to carve some pumpkins. We went to our ward halloween party on Friday night which was a ton of fun! We got to judge all the soups which was my favorite part of that haha! I have a large belly... No shame about it!

We had a great week with our investigators this week! We'll start off with Frank.

So Frank called us on Saturday night and told us that he wants to move his baptism up! He is scheduled to get baptized on the 19th of November but he really doesn't want to wait that long! He was wanting to get baptized this week! We still need to finish teaching him everything, which we'll do this week, and then he'll be all good to go! We might be able to push it up a week to the 12th of November! He is really working hard at understanding everything that we teach him! He's using this little note book we got him to write down what every single verse he reads means! I have never seen anyone put that kind of effort into understanding the gospel before! 

Anthony is really doing great too! We are probably going to push his baptismal date back a little bit so that he can have more time to live the commandments. He's still been crazy busy at work. Luckily, in 4 weeks, his work will slow down and he'll be able to focus more fully on the gospel. He is being worn pretty thin by his job but that hasn't stopped his love for the gospel. He still knows it's true.

Lauren is progressing like crazy! She's been super busy too especially with the world series going on! She is such a die hard baseball fan so she's been going crazy over the Indians! We don't have a solid baptismal date for her right now but she's really feeling like it's true. She has been seeing the difference the gospel makes in the lives of the members she has met and she's really wanting to have that change happen! I've already seen a change in her. I can't explain what that change looks like! The only way I know how to describe it is that she's got this light... I know everyone always says that but it's such a fitting way to describe her!

Yvette is the same way! She is loving the Book of Mormon! We reviewed Joseph Smith's story and she totally connected with it! She's really opened up to us! This week when we were teaching her, she said to us, as she raised her fist in the air,  "Guys, I'm not letting go". That was her way of letting us know that she means business and is really liking what we're teaching her! 

I love all of these people! I truly enjoy teaching all of them because they understand and hold on to everything we teach them with all of their might! I just imagine them holding onto that rod of iron in Lehi's dream, their knuckles turning white. This is the greatest work that I have EVER been involved in. I still can't believe the Lord trusts 18 year old boys to lead out this great work. That' proof of the truthfulness of this gospel. If an 18 year old kid can't screw it up then it must be true!

I think one of the best experiences this week was when we were on exchanges. Elder Wall and I were out knocking some doors. We got to this one that had a sign on it, telling us to go to the back door. We walked around and as we got to the back door, we saw a car with probably 5 or 6 bullet holes right through the passenger side of the windshield! So of course we took a picture of it! Haha I'll send it to you. But we're now teaching the lady that lives there! She's cool! 

So it was a pretty great week! I love you all so much! Hope you have a happy Halloween!

Love,

Jack

This is Parker, that Jackson taught in Ashland.

The windshield riddled with bullet holes.