Hey hey!!
This week was great! I think one of my favorite things that ever
happens to us is when we plan to go to a house and share a message but
when we show up the family is in the middle of preparing dinner for
the family. Instead of suing us away and telling us that is not a good
time they welcome listen with open arms and a full plate of food. This
past week that exact thing happened to us at 8 o'clock one night. We
knocked on the front door and nobody answered but we could hear people
talking in the backyard so we looked over the fence and there they
were having a big old barbecue. So we hollered at them and they
invited us in for a burger and to share a message with everyone! It's
not every day that you get to have two free meals back to back but
when that day does come it is glorious. Haha I have come to realize
that a lot of missionary work is just simply becoming people's
friends. People just want to feel loved and if you can help them to
feel that and to be comfortable most of the time they will feel
comfortable letting you teach their friends. I have really learned the
power and asking heartfelt questions and then sincerely listening to
the people answers. It helps to build that trust and show them that I
care more about them than I do about the numbers. I think it's a good
thing for life as well so I hope to continue it when I get home.
Through our iPads we have the ability to receive referrals from
LDS.org. We were sent an email with a address and the name Divine and
told he requested a prayer from missionaries. At first when we walked
up I thought that he only wanted to mess with us but after talking to
him a little more we came to find out that he had simply meant some
missionaries on the side of the road and offer them some water and
they offered to send missionaries to pray with him. We asked him about
his family and found out that his wife is going through cancer for the
third time. You could tell that he loved his family and he poured out
his heart and would to us. We are just two kids but this man trusted
us and showed me that you don't have to be the same religion to get
along. He has a deep belief in God and in the hope that miracles can happen
as he believes in Christ and shows it through his actions. He was a Muslim
but converted to Christianity when he found the bible to be the word
of God. He has a strong testimony that could easily be felt as he
talked about his wife. We offered to say the prayer and he grabbed our
hands and we formed a circle in the middle of his driveway. Elder Bunn
offered a very heartfelt prayer and Divine couldn't stop from giving
thanks to God and to us. It was a really neat experience that I know
will change all of our lives.
We have a part member family where the wife is a member but isn't
regularly attending and the husband Nick is a member. Now you might be
thinking that I have mentioned these people before but it's not the
motorcycle painter from a few weeks ago. Coincidentally this new guys
name just happens to be Nick as well hahaha. Anyway we have been
teaching them on and off for a few weeks but is week they came to
sacrament meeting and also had us over for dinner. We ate breakfast
food which is always a treat and had a great lesson on the plan of
salvation. Nick accepts everything we tech but is hesitant about
joining the church right now. We will keep doing what we can and I
know eventually he will come around. Alexis and Rob are still going
great and wanting to meet with us which is never a bad thing.
Oh my word the other day a new member family moved in to an apartment
and the bishop asked us if we would come and help. Well we were on
splits with a member that night so I went with the member to the move
and Elder Bunn went with the other member to a lesson. I was in my
missionary clothes and we moved in the entire fully furnished
apartment in 1 hour in 115 heat! It was insane. I don't think I have
ever sweated so much in my life hahahaha. It was fantastic.
Well I love you all and appreciate all you do for me. Thanks for the
letters and packages that you still all send. They are great. Talk to
you next week.
Elder Cole Safford
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