It is definitely not the Pacific Northwest here. After living in Montana for 10 years I have realized that they were right when they told me in elementary school that Utah was a desert! I guess that is just an example of why we have to experience opposition to really understand. If I hadn't lived in Montana or traveled to other places, I would never have realized that Utah is dry and dusty and deserty. One thing I don't like about the valley is the inversions where all the smog and everything clouds the air. It is pretty gross.
This week we found a bunch of new investigators, We received a referral from a guy from Haiti and he set up the meeting and everything. We went and the whole family was there. There is the husband and three daughters who are not members, and the mom has been inactive for many years. We mostly just taught them about prayer. The daughters had never been to any church or read the Bible or anything, so it took a while for them to understand prayer. They do believe in God, and are a really sincere and loving family, they just haven't learned all of the amazing principles of the Gospel. I am excited to teach them and see their eyes open to these amazing truths. We tried to get everyone to try a practice prayer, but only the 15 year-old daughter would do it. She said a great prayer and there was a great spirit there. The mom and the 17 year-old daughter were crying. At the end of the lesson the dad asked when we were going to come back, which is a good sign that he wants to learn more! (Usually we have to ask when can we come back.) Then we met another family, where the dad is really sincere and wants to follow God, but he told us the first time that he met us that his wife doesn't really like to come listen, but she came and listened along with all of their kids and we also taught them about families and prayer, and we had a kneeling prayer that the dad said. He even told us that our church is probably true because his wife actually came and listened to us! I really hope that these two families will progress along with other individuals that we have found here.
We gave talks in the Parkway 6th Ward yesterday. It was good. I basically taught the Restoration and bore testimony of it - one of my favorite things to do. And then I explained a little about Preach My Gospel and encouraged everyone to study it. Elder Lampinen, a Finnish Elder in our district told me that Elder Perry in a Stake Conference in Spanish Fork promised the members that if they would study the first 3 lessons in chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel, that they would always have some words to answer any question or doubt that someone would bring up. Preach My Gospel is really an amazing book, inspired of God, and I know that if we study it we will become better disciples of Christ and better missionaries in our wards, communities and families. So please, study it and apply what you learn!
I love you all and hope that you look for ways to serve other people this week!
Love,
Elder Getts
