Week 16: It's just been one of those weeks

Hey there family!

How is everything going? Heard mom made a spur of the moment trip to Italy. Not surprised. Haha just kidding....

So this has been a really weird week. It started off really good, then it got really hard, then it got really spiritual, then it ended super miraculously. Let's start from the beginning.

So on the Monday, we ate dinner with a girl who was baptized around two years ago. Her parents aren't part of the church and we had a really really good dinner. We talked all about the church, and the spirit was there, and I could tell the girl was really happy.

On Tuesday, we went over the a house where the family we've been really working with  have three unbaptized kids. We talked to them for like 2 hours which is really amazing! Apparently, they are pretty reluctant to let missionaries in so it ended up being such an amazing experience. We commited them to pray as the family, and we did it right then. I could definitely feel the spirit. I know that Heavely Father is so very happy when families come closer together in the gospel. They invited us to dinner on Thursday!

Wednesday was kinda hard. We knocked on all these door, and no one answered, and we didn't know what to do. So then we knocked on this door, and we were like "We are missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have you ever talked to us before?" and then they invited us in, which never usually happens, so we were excited! Anyway, they turned out to be Born-again Christians and so we got into an hour-long bible bash. Basically, it was my first bible bash and it SUCKEDDD. 

Thursday was THE SAME THING. We ran into two people who didn't think the BOM was true. COME ON. They had stupid reasons, but still, it was really discouraging. So we decided to go to our favorite family in the ward, the Browns. He calmed me down, and he gave me a lot of reassuring advice. He doesn't know how much he helped me, but it's amazing how much one person's testimony can strengthen yours. He also gave me A LOT of advice on how to be better missionary.

Friday we went on exchanges, so it was nice to just go into someone else's area and not have to worry about my people for a day. I could just focus on helping his area.

Then on Saturday, we went to go see ELDER HOLLAND! Holy cow. Imagine an amazing talk that Elder Holland could give and that's how it was. He was passionate, he was yelling, he was crying and he was hitting the podium with his fist, except the crazy thing was that it was spiritual the minute he start talking!!! I know that he is an appostle of the Lord. I could feel it with every portion of my being. It was a feeling unlike any other I could describe. I couldn't break my focus from his speech. Oh my goodness. I love him. PLUS I SHOOK HIS HAND!!! I SHOOK ELDER HOLLAND'S HAND!!! HE'S AN APPOSTLE!!!! I was so spiritually enlighted.

On Sunday, it was a really amazing day! We set up like 6 appoinments for next week! That has to be a new record! And when we were at dinner, there was a family whose grandchild needs to be baptized. He's 9. I was asked, "Will you baptize him?" I was like ummmm....uhhhh....welll...i guess so....JUST KIDDING I WAS LIKE UMMMM YES! So we are teaching them this week! I'm so so so so excited! I can't wait!

So this week was some highs and some lows, but I know that through our dilligence we were blessed by the Lord. I know I may not be perfect, but I'm honestly doing my best and Heavenly Father blessed me. Plus my son (my companion) is doing really amazing so I am so proud of him! He's teaching me! He's a good missionary!

Anyway, all is good! Love you family!

Sincerly

Elder Gleave