Greetings,
I just got my package in the mail today and I
loved it! Emailing is a great thing because we are able to send so much
information to so many people, but it is not nearly as personal as
writing is. When I receive emails I just quickly scan the page whereas a
letter I have time to soak it all in and when I am writting I really
think about what I am writing.
This has been a week of miracles, I am going to list the indicators we had this last week:
0 baptized/confirmed 5 on date
10 investigators at sacrament meeting
7 investigator lessons taught
4 progressing investigators
6 new investigators
8 less active lessons
[It
has been a crazy successful week, let me start with the miracle of
Angela's family: Angela is a wonderful single mother with 6 children all
in their teens. She committed to baptism after watching the mission
broadcast last Sunday and we went over to teach her on Monday. Towards
the end of the lesson most of her children came into the room and began
asking us questions, many of which were common misconceptions about the
church. The spirit was strong and they really enjoyed talking with us.
When we got home that night we got a text from Angela saying "how many
baptisms can happen in one day?" We called her and found out that 4 of
her daughters wanted to be baptized. We were estatic. We have gone back
and taught them the first discussion. Angela, and I think four of her
daughters, are committed to be baptized on the 20th. We were also able to
get her enitre family to church on Sunday and a couple of her friends
so we had 10 investigators at church which was one and a half pews. It
was really stressful to get them all to their proper classes but it was
so rewarding.
We also had an awesome lesson with Keilah this week, to the point
where she was crying and the spirit was very strong. However we have not
succeeded with putting her on date to be baptized. She knows that she is
going to be baptized eventually but she knows she is going to be kicked
out of the house, and when that happens there is nothing left for her
in Ohio so she wants to move out. She is trying to find the path she
wants to take if she leaves Ohio, and a place to stay when her baptist
parents kick her out so it is hard to put her on a specific date. It is
amazing what people will sacrifice for this gospel!!!
On the flip side, we met a boy named Cameron a couple of weeks ago
who was smoking and wanted help quitting. We were finally able to meet
with the family and left the mother with a commitment to read the Book
of Mormon, well of course the first thing she did was google it and
found lots of anti-material, so she is no longer interested. The
internet is a great tool, but also a terrible enemy when it comes to the
work. It is the same way with the members. I have been to church with
investigators when the doctrine is way too deep for them to understand,
and for some reason everyone seems to have been offended by someone. We
are working with a less active member who is just an amazing man who
knows the church is true, but there were rumors spread through the women
in the church about his wife that were not true so he became inactive.
Many people have been offended which really hurts the church.
So something that is crazy about Ohio, Walmart does not carry green
enchilada sauce! I have been to two different Walmarts and none of them
carry it! Also, potatoes are way expensive and corn is way cheap!
The last few days there have been thunderstorms, but sadly no tornadoes.M aybe I will get lucky and see one one of these days, but the weather
has been so far very mild. This week has not been as humid and it has
only been around 80 during the day. The worst day so far was the day I
got off the plane, where the humidity was terrible, it was in the 90's,
and there were tornado warnings across the state including the area I am
now serving in, but I didn't stay in Xenia that night anyway.
Anyways, I am loving it here in Ohio. There is no place I would
rather be. The most important thing to learn while on your mission is to
be yourself. If you are not yourself when it comes to missionary work
there will be conflict within you because you are trying to be someone
that you are not. It is important to forget about how well you are doing
and focus on how the investigator is doing.]
I love you guys and would love to hear from all of you
soon. I really do miss the awesome mountains and weather in Utah, and Slab, but shall I not go forth in so great a cause. I love the work. I
honestly don't think the mission is as hard work wise as college was my
second semester. It is a lot more of an emotionally involved work
though. The Lord has prepared me for this mission for years and years.
One of the ways the Lord has prepared me is by blessing me with such a
great family. Stay strong, preach the gospel at all times, and know that
you are capable of amazing missionary work.
Love, Elder Beutler
We took the time one day to visit a lot of inactive members that live
out in the middle of nowhere, hence the wheat/corn fields.
Not a tornado, just clouds:
Elder Baird and I walking down a paved bike trail:
My two companions Elder Prettyman (trainer) on my left and Elder Baird on the right.
