8 Eternity 8

Mean people stink. Literally. Quite a few experiences of varied acts of anger thrown on us from unknown circumstances. Come on, holmes. Be nice.

The rain soaked us in downpours Monday during our basketball tournament with the neighborhoodlums. It dumped and dumped  for a solid day, then, when it all ceased, the thick cloud cover decided to stick around for five days. Those days I felt like I was back in good ol' Washington State. nostalgia hits hard sometimes.

Elder Carr, a traveling missionary (no pun intended), teamed up with us Tuesday through Thursday, making for a whole new spin on missionary work in 3's. I'd never proselyted with two other companions with me before. We all had to squish in together on doorsteps and crowded tables, cycling through awkward lessons but laughing constantly. For the past few weeks Elder Wilson and I have been running into thick mud puddles of inconsistent appointments, yielding dry results of investigators. We teach and teach, yet it seems no one wants to have us over again. Until this week :)

A text message popped up on Thursday from a guy we'd never met before named Jamin Eisenhower. He had been taught almost all of the lessons at school in Alabama, but is now chilling for the summer here in Frederick. "As long as I get baptized before August, I'm all good". Here stumbles into town a guy ready to change his life, taking the steps to come to terms with God and start a fresh beginning when we have been going hard trying to make something spur up on our own efforts. It's funny how that works. We're teaching Jamin three times a week and he'll be baptized hopefully by the end of the month!

Saturday we volunteered at a local fun run in the community, holding signs and cheering people on throughout the town. Off we went afterwards to our car to go on home at 8:55 when I felt to knock on a door down the street. A man opened the door sweaty and tired looking, obviously sick. Very nice fellow. His name was Julio and, coincidently, had also been taught by missionaries in the past. He told us that right now he had strep throat, but he'd love to meet another time. That would have been ample enough, however I felt the urge to ask him if he wanted a priesthood blessing. Sure enough, a smile sparked on his face and he insisted that we give him a blessing of healing. Inside we went, not knowing who this guy was or what we were going to say. I can't even remember what that blessing was like. There's a certain feeling you get when God's power is using you as an individual conduit to help another. The only way I can describe it is a warm soup and hot chocolate lighting heat from the inside after a wicked winter day. mmmm.

Despite Jewish ladies thrashing us across the street, 7th Day Adventists trying to Bible bash, and accidently setting off  a house's  $500 security system, God manages to lead our paths to those that need His help. Challenges await turn after turn no matter what life we live. Listen for the consistent plea for charity heard every step along the way and I promise God will lift you.

xoxo

Elder Burgess