Elder Scott T. Andrews: Year 2 - Letter 14

Jacob 3:2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.

Hey Everyone!

Sorry that my email is a day late! Labor day means that all the libraries around here are closed. So, here I am. I am so happy for the opportunities I am having to share the gospel! I think that I am the happiest I have ever been! I have literally every hour of the day to focus on the gospel, and sharing with others the truths that I know! How cool is that! One thing I am realizing is that this never has to end! We just have to figure out how to integrate missionary work into our daily lives.

This has been such a great week! A lot is happening here in the South of Baton Rouge!

Thursday we went and saw David. He is so ready for baptism. We started teaching him back when I was with Elder Thomas, and he is awesome. He is really quick to understand what we are teaching, and he has a lot of enthusiasm. We haven't been able to visit him much in the past, which is quite a shame. However, me and Elder Drollinger sat down and pretty much decided that satan was throwing stuff in our way to keep him out of our plans, so we set the time aside to go visit him and so far, we have had several good lessons. We taught him the Restoration, and he loves it and is praying to know if it is true. His studies in the Book of Mormon are going really well as well. I know that if he will continue on the path he is on, he will reap the blessings that we all have as members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

We also went out to Gonzales to visit the Gonzales family and invite them to the Family History Center. Me and Elder Drollinger have been assigned to help the branch with Family History, which is AWESOME! I can't wait to help with that when I get back! Anyways, the Gonzales are doing really well. They are awesome, and sad that missionaries haven't visited them in a long time. The missionary situation is very hard there. Elder Jones, my first trainee is there with an English companion. Elder Jones is new to the area, and the English Elder isn't, so they do a lot of English work. We are trying to help him out.

Bany is coming to a fork in the road. He has a roommate that is a bad influence, and at the same time, he says he really likes what we are saying. We are praying that he will make the right choice. I know that if he will, both him and his family will be blessed eternally. We read over The Family, a Proclamation with him, and he loved it. We talked about how he is a father, and that he is here to provide for his family, and we think that he is doing a good job.

Friday we went and saw the Murillo's. They have been robbed twice in there time in the apartment that they are in, and so are going to move into the other Spanish Elder's area sometime this month. That is kind of sad, but it will be better for them.

Saturday we saw Jason and Abi, who moved a while ago and they are doing great. Finally in their own apartment. Hispanics here usually live pretty cramped. Bany for instance has 7 roommates in a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house. We read with them in 1 Nephi 1 to help them get started in reading the Book of Mormon. They come to church every week pretty much, we just need to help them take the steps toward baptism.

Last of all, there is Blas. We have visited him almost every day. He had his surgery, and we went by the next day. His face was crazy swollen, and he said that his hip hurt. The doctors look like they did a good job hiding the scar in his wrinkles, so it won't look bad. I was able to give him a blessing there in the hospital room. That was a neat experience. In the blessing, I told him that Christ knew what he was going through, and that one day, he would be healed.

We went by Blas' home the next day, and he was home already. We talked with him, which is hard considering his jaw is wired shut. He said it doesn't really hurt to talk. He said that before we had gone by in the Hospital, they had said they were probably not going to let him go the next day. After the blessing, he started to improve and they ended up letting him go. I was so grateful to be able to be there for Blas. So grateful for the power of the Priesthood.

Well, today we had the coolest district meeting ever. We started talking about the doctrine of Christ, but we ended up talking a lot about love, and why we are here. The spirit was SO strong in there, and I was called to say the closing prayer, and I think that was one of the most heartfelt prayers I have ever had in my life. It was such a cool experience.

I know that this church is true! That knowledge grows with every single moment I have out here! I love you all! Keep true to the faith!

Love,

Elder Scott Turner Andrews