8 Months! (Week 32)

Yep! 

8 months I have been a missionary. Kinda cool. Still isn't that long but it's something. I still feel like a greenie to be honest but then again I have had so many experiences in just a short amount of time. So many things that have solidified my testimony and helped me to rely solely upon God. Missions are crazy but absolutely amazing I highly recommend it! 

Well I didn't write last week and I already feel like I have forgotten how to write emails, so I pre apologize for this email being sucky, haha.

Anyway, I'll start with a miracle and then I will finish with a funny story.

A huge miracle from the past two weeks was that we stopped by the bro's house. His name is Brent. Brent has been taught in the past. About a year ago was the last time he was taught and then he dropped off the face of the earth when covid hit. We got there and he told us to come back in just over an hour, he didn't seem too excited but hey, he invited us back over. So we went to some other people's homes and did some other missionary work and were just on the grind. We got our ward mission leader to come with us as we went back to Brent's house. We stopped by and we were talking about the classics; work, covid, food, and of course, God. We did a bunch of small talk and when we asked if he was interested in having us come over again, he gave the most beautiful yes I've ever heard in my life haha. Best thing is, he has a family! I have been praying to teach a family and now God has given us 3 other families as well! I am super excited and couldn't be more grateful. God is a God of miracles!

The funny story was that in a span of less than 16 hours we had two of the funniest things that happened in my life. I wish I had more time to write them out but the first was that we went to a park to play basketball and challenge some kids about learning the gospel, but we went a little too late at night, haha. We ended up playing against these two insanely high dudes. They were smoking weed before and during our games and man, you just would have had to of been there . The other one was that we helped this guy move and then we got a time to talk to him at his house. He thought we were just "hanging out" and asked if we wanted to listen to some of his heavy metal music. We said that we probably shouldn't but he turned it on anyway.  The spirit instantly took a vacation and it was very uncomfortable. Eventually, after we got the music turned off, we tried every attempt to teach and invite him to church and give him a Book of Mormon, but he was not having it, haha. So our last resort was to say a prayer. I asked him if we could at least say a prayer and after some reluctance, he said yes. Thank goodness. An idea came to me (pretty sure it's from the other side of Heaven), and I started teaching in my prayer. I taught the whole Restoration in prayer, so it counted as a teaching and we established truth in the home of the prideful and stubborn. The Spirit is awesome, haha.

Anyway, I love you all! We often have many trials but remember that if we choose God at those times of trials, then He can refine us into the people He needs us and knows that we can become. 

Elder Shockley :)