This week's events - June 6, 2011

Hey everyone!


So, this past Saturday, we had the baptism of a young girl named Raven. Her family had been less-active for awhile, but a few months ago we knocked on their door and started helping them come back to church. They joined the church out in California a little over 3 years ago, and then moved here...but by the mercy of Heavenly Father we were able to help them come closer together as a family and take one more step to the temple.

We have also been teaching this one man named Frank...and he's an interesting guy. The Sister missionaries actually met him first by knocking on his door, and they invited us over because he's in our boundaries. Frank deals with a lot! Since we've been teaching him, we have tried to help him get off alcohol and cigarettes. The cigarettes has been significantly easier than the booze...and oh has it been hard for us to get him off the sauce!!! Elder Argyle and I have seen him sober probably only a handful of times, and when he's not plastered he's hung over. We care for him so much. Frank doesn't really have anyone else to look out for him, so we try to see him every day. We've been trying to get him out to the Addiction Recovery Program meetings, but it's hard because he doesn't have a car. The latest "episode" with Frank was about 5 days ago. He showed up to the institute bldg...DRUNK, and we had a really intense lesson again about the Word of Wisdom. At the end of the lesson, we walked back to his apartment(which is only a block away) and he gave us his coffee, tea, and some "explicit" material. We've also had a Law of Chastity chat with him several times! We had the great privilege of destroying that stuff!!!!!!! The next day he called and he was ticked off...and might I add he was still drunk(I don't know why he continues to buy that stuff when we take it). We met again at the institute bldg and we watched the conversion story of Glenn Beck. That went well because all of the things Frank is dealing with Glenn Beck has dealt with! Since then, we have only heard that a "friend" brought by some marajuana for him. It is has been really difficult for him and us to help him be baptized. He said he wants to, but he seems to be getting sucked back into his old ways.

We also had a new bishopric called...and that's really exciting for most other people, but for nerdy missionaries THAT'S A BIG DEAL!

We're excited to get to work to help Bishop with his vision of missionary work.

Well, at the moment, I have been studying the Book of Mormon by highlighting the Names of Christ-i am currently in 2 Nephi 10, I'm reading the D&C backwards, I'm reading the New Testament again...and the Savior lays down on the Scribes and Pharisees and even the disciples! I am also reading a 90 page disortation by Hugh Nibley on the 3 facsimiles in the Book of Abraham. It's also pretty interesting to read the Inspired Version of the Bible because there are a lot of significant changes that clarify the teachings of Christ and of His apostles. A member in our ward who is trying to get more involved in church gave Elder Argyle and I an Inspired Version of the Holy Scriptures and a Book of Commandments. This man is a huge book-junky and he has tons of church literature. Also learning more about the facsimiles has been very interesting...Hugh Nibley has some insights that are pretty intense. It is sometimes difficult to wrap my head around all of the things he says because he uses references I have either never heard of or have only heard once or twice briefly.

Thats all I got for this week. I love all of you very much and I hope your week is one of "much fruit"

Elder Brad Fellows