(One of Elder Paul's best friends, Elder Jace Davis died while serving his mission in Romania on January 11, 2010. They had been friends since we moved to Logandale and were blessed to be able to spend a few weeks together in the MTC before Elder Paul left for Mexico. We called President Cox and told him about it and asked him to relay the message to Elder Paul because we didn't want him to read about it in an email.)
So President Cox called me Saturday night, and i froze. Usualy we dont talk to Pres much besidesin interviews, So when I anwered and He said Elder Paul.... I knew something was wrong. Well he explained to me very kindly about Jace. i was shocked. We had just Barely finished a baptism and I was just struck almost dumb. I could not speak, but was able to tell him i was ok. Well I went back with the recent convert and just tried to carry on. I couldn´t let myself think about it. So we went home, and very bad thoughts kept creeping into my mind. So i decided i would not relax enough to let them hit me. I worked my butt off. I cleaned, I packed, I scrubbed, i fixed everything in our house. i was about 3 in the morning when my body finaly gave out. I woke up the next morning, and just started going as hard as i could. We had 4 baptisms yesterday and there was a ton to prepare for. So i just went at things full throtle, passing with investigators and recent converts. When we were at church, I was talking to the bishop when i realized, I just couldnt do it, I know this is rude, but i walked away mid sentence, and went behind the church, and just cried. I cried and I cried. Well then I went back in and was doing a baptismal record for one of the people who was getting ready to be baptised, when it hit me AGAIN! I got realy teared up. I actually told him what was bothering me. He looked me in the eyes, and he testified to me. He told me he knew were my friend was, that i would see him again. He told me that this church, the only true church is the only way to KNOW that. It realy helped me alot. I was realy hurt, but that simple testimony, from this investigator of 3 weeks taught me more than he will ever know.
Well it has still been hard, and since i'm not too big on the whole crying thing, i was pretty warn out by the end of the day. But i am healing, and i am going to take something President Cox told me to heart. He said that I am now going to work twice as hard to get the work done for both of us here on earth that needs to be done.
Well so last night I got a call and found out it was my turn to get changed. That was realy crazy seeing as i have 7 months in Salamanca, and have hundreds of great friends there! Well I got changed to Irapuato. It is a city about 20 minutes from Salamanca, and I am still in the same zone. I am with a Elder named Narez, and he has just a few weeks in his mission. We are in a area, that has not usualy had alot of success. My comp was with someone, and had learned to break alot of rules. We talked alot today about what kind of Missionaries we wnat to be, and we decided it is time for us to Raise the Bar. We have set our goal for this month at 15 baptisms. The most ever in this area is 5 so, we are going to have to work, hard! I am going to try to work as two missionaries, and pray and hope the lord will do what i cant.
Well that is mostly everything. Please Keep the Davis family in your prayers, and know that you are all in mine! I love you all very much.
Elder Paul
P.S. Do you think we will be able to send that package this month?
No comments:
Post a Comment