Mission Journal

March 8, 2012 – Thursday

When I checked my e-mail this morning I found several people who have wished me a happy birthday.  Thanks to all of you.

Larry, my brother called todayJ.

We were finally able to teach this week.  We taught the SC family the commandment lesson.  His children are great and his wife gives the best talks in this area.  SC finally talked with us after the lesson.  He said we would never “convert” him.  I told him that no human being would convert him, that if he ever was converted it would be the spirit of the Lord that would do so.  I believe we were able to answer some of his concerns though.  If he ever does join the church, he’ll be the first Bishop in this area.    

It was another beautiful rainy day in Hartford, Ky.

March 7, 2012 – Wednesday

Ruth called Sister Oakley todayJ.

We drove to Leitchfield for district meeting.  It’s amazing, Elder Robinson assigned Sister Oakley to give a spiritual thought, Tuesday evening Sister Oakley and I were reading from Alma chapter 7 and Sister Oakley said that she was going to use that chapter as the basis of her thought, on commitments.  Elder Hamblin ended his teaching in Alma chapter 7, then Elder Robinson based his teaching on Alma chapter 7, and they did not collaborate with one another.  We believe it’s the spirit guiding each of them separately toward a single goal.  It seems to happen every week.

We were eating lunch and Robert finally got throughJ.  Thank you for calling, it’s always good to hear your voice.

After getting back home we drove to BL’s house.  When we got there she was taking her father to the hospital, his blood sugar was over 900 she said.  Keep her and her father in your prayers if you can.

March 6, 2012 – Tuesday

I’ll bet we drove sixty miles today and didn’t visit with anyone.  We did clear some questionable addresses in the branch directory.  We stopped at a mobile home and found the dog at home.  I rolled down the window and the dog smelled my hand and even licked it.  But when I started to get out of the car he got between me and the front door, the hair on his back stuck up and he growled a deep growl.  I got back in the car and we left.

March 5, 2012 – Monday

We went to Owensboro today, while we were at Wal-Mart Robert tried to call several times. We couldn’t get a usable connection and finely he texted me “Happy Birthday.”  At least I knew that he was OK, and that’s the best birthday present a parent can get, to know his children are OK.  While there in Owensboro the person we were supposed to teach called and said her husband was sick after being up all night taking care of an emergency.  We rescheduled for Thursday.

March 4, 2012 – Sunday

This is Fast day and very few people were at church today.  I know that a few men were helping people put their houses back together, but I don’t know about everyone.  Those who were there gave wonderful testimonies.

Sister L went with us to ES’s house.  ES told Sister Oakley that she would be at church today but didn’t show up.  When we got to her house her car was there, but no one answered the door.  I called her phone and got the answer machine.  We’ll have to find out what’s up with that.  Sister L took us to another person’s house that she used to visit teach.

March 3, 2012 – Saturday

The woman’s conference was held north of Nashville today.  All of the sisters and senior couples were invited so we drove down.  It was held in the Madison, TN stake center and Sister Allred was the featured speaker.  She first spoke with the missionaries in the primary room and then all of the sisters, including all of the sisters in the area met in the chapel.  The few of us men stayed in the primary room and met with the mission president and his counselors.  It was a good day. The message in essence is to remember who you are – A CHILD OF HEAVENLY FATHER.   Through righteous undoubting prayer, you can call down the powers of Heaven on your behalf.  You are also more powerful than Satan.

March 2, 2012 – Friday

This was another day of tornadoes.  A little fence behind our apartment was blown down, and someone’s trampoline was found waded up across the street.  As we drove afterword we could see trees blown down, roofs blown off and other damage, but thank God, we were safe.  Several friends and family have called to see if we were ok and we thank all of you for your prayers on our behalf.

March 1, 2012 – Thursday

Sister Oakley and I were at JH’s door this morning and found a note saying that she was sick and wanted to reschedule.  She left us her phone number, so we will follow-up.

We went by JY’s house – he is going back to the nursing home for therapy.  Then we stopped by BB’s house and encouraged her to come to church on Sunday.

February 29, 2012 – Wednesday

We got up at 3:00 am this morning because we had to go to Leitchfield and pick up the Elders there and go to Nashville.  We met at the Nashville Temple and all of the Missionaries is our Zone went through the Temple together. It had been raining all day, very heavy at times.  When we got out of the car at the Temple, Sister Oakley said,      “look at the sky, it sure looks like a Texas tornado sky.”  Then we went into the Temple.   

As always we had a very spiritual time.

One of the missionaries who were riding with us had a gift certificate to Ryan’s Restaurant, so he wanted to buy us lunch.  When we came out of the restaurant it was raining so hard that we could hardly see the road in front of us.  When we got home President Wiles, the Branch President, called to see if we were OK.  It seems that three tornadoes went over Hartford, but thank goodness they didn’t touch down, and of course he said all this weather came from Texas.  This was a tragic day for several people where they did touch down.

February 28, 2012 – Tuesday

This morning I went back to the home with the bathroom floor.  We got the plywood in and the member will take it from here.  The homeowner asks me how much money I wanted for helping with the floor.  I told her I wanted an hour of her time to teach her about the Lord’s church.  We set up a time Thursday morning at 9:30 am.  I will call her JH.

We went to CH’s house and had a long talk with him and read from the Book of Mormon.  When we got there he had tobacco behind his lip L.  When Sister Oakley said something about it to him he went to the bathroom and rinsed his mouth out.  He is such a delightful young man, and I told him that I had confidence that he would be able to beat his tobacco problem – I had confidence that he would be baptized – I had confidence that he would hold the priesthood in the near future.  We showed him a video where a young man of eighteen who had only just received the Melchizedek priesthood saved the life of a fourteen year old boy who had been struck by lightning.  I know he felt the spirit and so did his grandmother.

February 27, 2012 – Monday

P-day, I went over to help a member replace a bathroom floor for his neighbor.  We got all of the framing replaced.

February 26, 2012 – Sunday

This is a sad day for us, CH was supposed to be baptized today but allowed tobacco to get in the way.  He said his Mom was in the hospital and didn’t come to church.  Sister Oakley didn’t give her talk either, President Wiles asked her to hold off for another Sunday because people from the stake are coming and one of them will be speaking.

February 25, 2012 – Saturday

We drove to JD’s house, but when we got there she wasn’t at home.  Her husband R was there, he is a partially active member.  He told us that J was with her mom and sister.  She was the first person who allowed us to teach when we arrived in Kentucky.  Her cousin is a Baptist preacher and I think that is a problem for her.  I tried to meet with him, but I think he is afraid of us for some reason.  We had a good meeting with R and then went to a Mexican Restaurant with him.