Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Week 34


St. Peter Service Project

Las viejas son los mejores



¡Bienvenido de vuelta mis amigos!

So our bathroom ended up flooding last Saturday.. not good! Our sink was filling up with backed up water/gunk from the people upstairs, and it leaked onto our floor while we were up in the cities all day. The apartment manager called some plumping people, but it didn't end up getting completely fixed until Tuesday. Good thing we had some extra towels in our closet or it could've cause a lot more damage! Haha.. That was probably the low-light of the week. But with that out of the way, the rest of the week was filled with many awesome miracles!

This week, we were blitzed from our zone leaders for a day. I got to work with Elder Kemberling from Anchorage, Alaska! He's an incredible missionary. The week before, we contacted some nice old ladies who lived in an assisted-living home. So, we went back and knocked on one of their doors, and she invited her friend to tag along! We chatted in the lobby for a bit and a few others walked by and they were like "Hey, come and join us!" We ended up just having this awesome group chat with these sweet ladies and taught them about the Plan of Salvation and Christ our Savior. Three of them set a return appointment for this week and we're going to start teaching them at the park across the street! The crazy part: One of the ladies that walked up and joined us was named Betty and she moved here from Winona, MN about a year ago and has had the missionaries knock on her door in the past. That's about when Elder Kemberling started his mission so he asked her if she remembers where she lived. Turns out, she lived on the first street he ever went knocking on his first few days of his mission! Loco!

A little backstory, about a month ago we stopped by to try to visit a less active member we haven't met before, but he ended up moving and so this super sweet frail old woman answers (This week was just filled with old-lady miracles I guess!). She told us her name is Diane.  We introduced ourselves and talked to her at the doorstep for a while and invited her to take the lessons. She wasn't interested and turned down our offer, but she was still polite to us. We didn't think much of the contact, but on Mother's Day we received the prompting to go see her again. We had the idea of bringing her one of the extra gifts they passed out to all the women in the congregation. She graciously accepted the gift and said it was the nicest thing someone has done for her. And the kicker, she said she had been praying to God for comfort! The Lord sent us there for a reason, to answer her prayer. We asked her if she would be open to visits with us and she opened up this time! This week on Tuesday, we got to go back and give her a Book of Mormon and teach her about its origins and she committed to start reading it. We also invited her to be baptized when she learns for herself that the things we teach are true, and she said yes! It really seems like she has been prepared to receive the gospel, and we are so excited for her!

We also had some more opportunities for servicio this week - On Thursday we helped move a new couple in the ward into their new house and we also went to mow this less-active guy's lawn because his mower broke. Looks like College Fund Lawn Care is back in business baby! Haha jk. Después de la misión. Oh, and other news: We got to see Anwar, the Indian familia we found last week and he has been reading the scriptures! Our next goal for him is to find a Book of Mormon in Arabic so he can read in his native tongue!

This past week I have started doing a challenge extended by President Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles. He mentioned this in his conference talk, but he also personally invited us when he visited our mission to go through every scripture listed in the topical guide under Jesus Christ. So, every scripture in the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants that talks about Christ. He said after he did this he was a changed man, so if an apostle of the Lord can change so much from it so can we! I've already felt a deeper appreciation for my Savior and everything he has done for us. One of my favorite scriptures I studied this week is found in 3 Nephi, the crowning event of the Book of Mormon. "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning." I Know he lives and loves us. He has carried our griefs and pains and knows exactly what we are going through and how to succor us. I know that this is His true and living church! I'm so grateful to wear his name on my chest every day.

Have a great week mis queridos amigos, y ¡Dios bendiga!


-Elder Bolinder

Back in Business! No pay, but great benefits!
Say hello to my little friend!
St. Peter With The Zone Leaders
Time For Some Great BBQ!


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