I'm Dividing this lesson into two parts:

First the miracles part.

So we have found 2 new investigators this week (note to Nate....That is my record.....) The first was a lady we were literally guided to. We had the impression to knock a house that was next to a less actives. We tried to visit him but we wasn't home (it was a wild shot...he's usually only home when it rains) so we went to the house that we felt we should check and tried the front door (no answer...shocker...) then went around the side (side note: the houses in my area aren't really houses. It's like Newburgh. You have a house then you have about 5 families living in the different floors and rooms. So there are doors all around the house each with a different face.) and knocked the doors on the side. The last was a lady that she saw us and said she was busy. We told her our message could bless her family, and she said we could return on Sunday (she has Sunday off :)...) When we returned she was waiting for us and listened to our message of the restoration and she listened intently. We then pulled out a "Libro de Mormon" and started explaining it and it turns out her son was investigating for a while. She was very interested to read it and said we could come back.

 

The Second new person is a Chilean that lives in a house that is decorated just like Dads office. He has Chilean stuff everywhere and books. The only difference is a little Buddist Shrine he has (Dad's got a Zen Garden though so I'm calling it even :) ). He said that he had studied with a ton of different religions and that at one point he was Buddist but yet he still believes in God (he calls himself a Buddist escondido). He said he lived in Santiago and that his family is from farther South past Rancagua.

 

We also had one of our other investigators fly back to Colombia suddenly....so.....ya....

 

So ya, those are the miricles..

now here's the stuff.

 

First a comment on Nathans Story of the Devil Worshiper: I haven't met any Devil Worshipers yet but I have had people get mad at me for not mentioning Satan when talking about Christ (go figure). I have however met Moses on the Side of the Street and God walking into a Hospital...so maybe they (you're crazy machete dude and God that goes to the Hospital in Harlem) could meet and talk out there differences. You're going to have some crazy stories bro.

 

Also a comment on Mummys story (I can see your faces now going "oh no"). That happened to me to. Except it was different occasions. the first part (being yelled at for being false) happened when we tracted into a Kid who was really interested but his Mum kept yelling at us in Chinese. The Daughter had to finally come and tell us to leave (the son didn't because he wanted to learn more). The Second (Drunk Person) wasn't a drunk person but a guy who was High. This was the conversation: "you guys are good man, teaching about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. There's always threes man...like-" Friend (also high): "like the three musketeers!" First guy: Whoa whoa man, don't go to deep. That's too deep for them" and Finally,,,number 3 (getting kissed) One day we were leaving a family's house and were shaking all their hands but apparently one of the ladies didn't get it and gave me a kiss on the cheek (like how mum described). My comp when he saw this just stood up straighter so they couldn't reach....ah....the mission. It's a fun time.

 

I love you all. My spiritual thought (which I apologize because I haven't done it in a while....keep running out of time.) is from some thoughts I've had throughout the week. Change seems to be a big motif for any mission and as I look back I see that I have changed a lot. Even from my first Days in the mission I have changed a lot. There was a quote said by someone (I can't remember because I don't have the paper with me) but he said that we must do more than Change our behavior but our very nature. That led me to Mosiahs famous "The Natural man is an Enemy to God and...will be forever unill.....he becometh a saint through the atoning blood of Christ" a little paraphraseing but the important part is the "Through the atoneing blood of Christ" It was said that the Gospel makes Bad men Good and Good men Better. and Elder Bednar talks about the enabling power of the Atonement. Our mission is pushing toward being more concecrated and I've found that the only way that will ever happen is when we all humble ourselves like a little child and use the Atonement. Even us missionaries need it. (I say that is such a way that I have always known that but need to reiterate it. Things often gain more meaning when you understand why they're said.)

 

Love you all. Hope all back home is going good.

Love,

Elder Jeremy Sherman