February 16, 2016

Hey Family,

Sounds like things are going well with you guys! That's crazy that the Reading ward is changing so much! There has probably been so much that has changed since I've been gone and it's nuts! It's crazy how fast time goes too! 

Our week was pretty sweet! First of all, Stephanie got baptized!! Before the baptism she was talking about how the week before the baptism had been super rough for her, she actually said it was the worst week of her life, and she was super nervous leading up to the baptism, but she said that right as she came out of the water she completely forgot all of the things that had happened the week before and she said she felt like a new person! She said that she couldn't find words to describe how she felt! It was super cool! D&C 84:20 rang true! She also said that she wants to serve a mission when she can, so that was super awesome! 

We found 4 new investigators this week! The first one's name is Cody, and he is kind of like a conspiracy theorist haha! He talked about all of these things that he thinks is going to happen with the government and we were trying to teach him the Restoration but every time we asked him a question he would go off on something that is completely unrelated to the question... So it was kinda hard to teach him but he accepted the invitation to be baptized so that was good! Not sure how far we are going to get with him but we will do our best! The next new investigator that we got is named Anthony Carter! He is married with two kids who are really young, and he smokes, and has a ton of tats. We knocked on his door and he came out and talked with us. He was a little reserved at first but then we talked about what the Gospel does for people and why we share our message, and he really opened up! He talked about how he has done a ton of things that he regrets in his life and how he has been going down the wrong path for too long and wants to turn around. He talked about how he wants his kids to grow up, and not make the same mistakes that he did and stuff, and he wants to raise them in a church. So we talked a little bit more about what we share and testified to him about how we know that the Gospel can help him, and he said that he wants to learn more and he will definitely read the Book of Mormon and pray about it! So we are going to go back again this week and teach him! Another one of our new investigators is named Reyna. She was referred to us by some members, and she is dating a less active guy in the YSA branch! We went over to the members house for an appointment with her and we taught her the Restoration! She had already read the first two chapters of the Book of Mormon when we got there and she had some questions about it! So we answered those and taught her and invited her to be baptized and she said she would when she knew that it was true! So we are excited to keep teaching her as well! 

We also went to Holly's Baptist church last Wednesday and it was sweet! We were on exchanges so I was with one of our zone leaders named Elder Carruth. We got into the parking lot and we were waiting for her to get there and Elder Carruth was getting kinda nervous haha! I was a little nervous too, but she got there and we went in and I have never gotten so many stares on my mission! Haha but the people there were really nice and welcomed us, and we really did have a good time! We started out by going to kind of a “Sacrament Meeting” where the main pastor did some announcements and we sang, and he did a prayer over some people on a prayer roll and then they passed around the donation tray for anyone who wanted to donate! Every once in a while when the pastor would say something, someone would just yell out "Praise the Lord!!" or "Amen!" or something like that haha! After that meeting they did what they call discipleship classes, where we went into a class with Holly and an instructor and they just went through some scriptures in the Bible and talked about their doctrine! Their doctrine is super close to ours! They believe in the Plan of Salvation and they call it that, they believe in the Godhead not the trinity! It’s super cool, but there are just some minor differences! They believe that being born again is just accepting Christ and then you’re saved, which is almost right but they just leave out the “after all you can do” part that Nephi throws in there! But overall it was a super good time! 

Anyways, that was pretty much my week! I hope everything is going well for you guys! Keep choosing the right, and know that I love and miss all of you! Talk to you next week! 

Love Elder Summerhays 

P.S. The shoes are sweet but they are just one size too big. Do you guys have the receipt? I could send them back this week, just let me know right now so I know! Thanks a ton Mom Love you!:)