I recovered pretty quickly from being sick last P-day so we were able to get to work this week and we even got my bike fixed and ready to go!
Tuesday we did some finding and met with a member about the Book of Mormon Initiative we have going on right now. We also went by someone else that we have been trying to have more contact with. It was really cool because we said a prayer and then called through the portcode but no one answered but Elder Balls started talking with these people that were walking behind us and while we were talking this other couple walks into the building we were trying to get in so we got in and were able to invite our friend to try the Book of Mormon challenge so that was really cool.
Wednesday we had a few lessons. One of them was the first time with this one lady that we were just teaching for the first time and she kept asking us how we know that God is there and "Don't you have doubts sometimes?". She wants to know that God exists but just isn't always sure. I am so grateful for the Spirit and how it has testified to me in my life that the Gospel is true and that God not only exists but is thoroughly involved in our lives if we look for it and if we seek His help. We also were able to use an analogy that really helped. Much like with a car, we can't expect to move forward with our faith if we have our foot on the brakes the whole time. Questions are okay, but sometimes we need to set our doubts to the side, let of the brake, and then use faith and ease on the gas until we are comfortable that we can continue forward.
Thursday we had a great district meeting and focused on the Christ-like attributes of faith, charity, and obedience. They are 3 things that really unlock the blessings of heaven and allow God's hand to enter into our lives. We also had dinner with some members and it was really funny because they actually know someone who grew up in my homeward during his mission in England so that was really cool! It's a small world!
Friday was a pretty normal day, nothing super eventful and Saturday was interesting.
On Saturday we had hoped to be able to teach some people but virtually all of our plans didn't work out which left us with a very empty schedule. We have been going through this one area for quite awhile and we were starting to think that maybe we need to look somewhere else but we couldn't think of anywhere at the time. It was more or less a "stupor of thought". We had already been out for 3 or hours total during various parts of the day trying to find but we went out again and continued and in that last hour and a half and were able to give out 2 Book of Mormons that night. That was more than we had given out the rest of the week! God truly does test our faith before he shows us the blessings but they do come.
Yesterday we had a great day in church. We had an awesome Sacrament meeting and then we helped out in primary because Elder Balls can play the piano and they are practicing for their primary program in a few months. It was even better because one of the members brought her friend and friend's husband to church with her and so we invited them to come see what primary was like and they loved it. They were singing and even doing some of the actions along with the kids. It was awesome!
It's been another awesome week and it's always wonderful to see the Lord's hand in our lives and know that he does care about each and every one of his children! Have a great week!
1 picture: a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Sweden
2-3: So the first is actually an old one. My mission bucket list item of getting ice cream from the ice cream truck was finally achieved, I don't know how many I have heard their jingle but now I finally got it. Number 2 is from when we then got more last Tuesday because it showed up in our neighborhood while we were eating dinner... we may or may not be hooked, it's a problem.
--Elder Ashford
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