Elder Halstead and I are doing really well! We are having a ton of fun and getting so much done. We are working hard! We were able to pick up 2 new investigators this last week. Unfortunately, none of our investigators are progressing! We have been doing everything we can to get them to church, but they aren't coming! It's frustrating. But we definitely saw some awesome miracles this last week.
I was on exchanges with Elder Noble this last week. He's a greenie from Centerville, Utah. Awesome kid! We had dinner at Al Stroes' house. He invited this kid, Shaw, who took the lessons over a year and a half ago. He really clicked with us, especially with Elder Noble. We were talking about the Holy Ghost and Al told Shaw that he could feel the Holy Ghost all the time if he got baptized. He talked about how he had a big spiritual experience recently and if that's what he needed to do to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion then he wants to get baptized! He committed to come to church and we're trying to set up a lesson!
However, he did not come to church like he said he would....
The second miracle was while doing service at Ken Birch's on Friday. He is a member from the TOV ward and we stopped by to say 'hi' last week. He said he had a lot of work to do to prepare for his daughter's wedding reception and we asked if we could help. He had so much for us to do! While we were digging holes for some bushes, his next door neighbor, Josh, was cleaning up after his dogs. He looked YSA aged and we talked with him for like 20 minutes. We asked if he would want to meet up and he was down! We ended up meeting with him on Saturday and answering a lot of questions. He doesn't seem like he's really looking to convert, but is looking to make friends and meet up! We'll see what happens.
I was reading in first Nephi this last week. I love studying Laman and Lemuel. Honestly, there is so much we can learn from those guys! I was reading the part where they were complaining about being in the wilderness (which is most of 1 Nephi) and they were saying how their lives would have been so much better if they had just stayed in Jerusalem. What I learned is the importance of leaving the world, not turning back, and figuring out where we're working towards. If we are caught in sin and are just getting out, we can't hangout just outside of "the city" and expect to be safe. GET OUT OF JERUSALEM! But stopping sin is not enough. If we spend our lives running from sin it will ALWAYS catch us. However, if we are running towards something we are better off. Like Nephi, we need to run to the Promised Land. We need to run to Christ. One of the things that caused Laman and Lemuel to turn against their family and God is they never fully left Jerusalem. Part of their desires were always in the past they left. "Man, it was so nice back when we...." "What I would do to just be back in Jerusalem again..." Their hearts weren't changed. They wouldn't let go of the world.
I'm so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. No matter what we did in Jerusalem, he can change us on our journey to the Promised Land as long as long as we are willing to give our past to him. Jesus came here to save us. He wants to forgive, but we have to be willing to RUN from our mistakes and weaknesses. We can't hangout just a couple steps from where we were looking back. We need to look to Him. I just want all of you to know that I know Christ lives. He is our Savior. He is my friend. He offers us new life. Please don't settle for the mediocrity of the life you currently have and be willing to let go and trust that he will make it worth it. I love Him.
Elder Erik Kapp
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