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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Quite the week here in this lovely vineyard of Texarkana.

Sweet sweet family, I have had quite the week here in this lovely vineyard of Texarkana. Exchanges with the STLs, getting caught in southern rainstorms, finding the elect, crazy tracting, and mighty opposition, baptism miracles, and specilized training. 

On Sunday Sister Bithell and I had quite a bit of tracting to do, we sought inspiration as we planned where to knock, we felt like we needed to go to a particular street so we did. We met a lady who couldn't talk with us right then, but assured us that we were welcome back to visit. We kept tracting down the street, when we were walking back up on the other side of the street she was out with her neighbor waiting for us. She offered us water and cookies and proceeded to invite us to a concert her church was having that night. Sister Bithell and I talked about it and felt like we should go. We went to the church and walked in a little late. Turns out we were set up for an anti-mormon devtional/concerrt. The lady that invited us saw us and came over to sit with us. We had only been sitting for 5 minutes before we realized what was happening. Up on the stage was a group of guys in there twenties. The speaker was from Salt Lake City, he was showing pictures of serving a mission and proceeds to tell his story of apostizing from the church while serving his mission and proceeds to say the most abursed things. My heart has never pounded so heavy in my entire life. I turned to the lady and said, "That is not true, this is not right, we are leaving." We got up and made quite a scene as we proceeded to leave the auditorim, the gal kept trying to get us to stay and listen and all the people around us got up to help her. We shook are heads and left, but not before I made eye contact with the man on stage and gave him a look I pray he remembers for the rest of his life. Once we got out of the auditorim and into the foyer, in an attempt to leave, the lady kept demanding for us to explain ourselves all while her friends are backing her up. I looked at her and with full confidence opened my mouth and the spirit filled it. She kept cutting me off and trying to block my path. She followed us all the way to the car. We got in the car and got out of there. I was pretty fired up. We called are district leader for a priesthood blessing and then we called President McDonough. President McDonough told us that we had just lived through a Book of Mormon story, we were the angel that came to Alma the Younger. We literally lived Mosiah 27, and Alma 26:28-30. President reminded us that in the last days even the very elect will be deceived (Matt 24:24). I know that there needs to be opposition in all things, I never realized that I would be thrown head first into it. I know that this is the price we pay to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, it is a price I am willing to pay. (Acts 5:39-42). In these days we have to be yoked with Christ (Matt 11:28-30). We are protected and able to withstand the adversary as we keep close to the scriptures (1Nephi15:24). In 1 Nephi 8 it talks of the 4 groups of people in Lehi's dream. One group only "clinged" to the rod, they did not make it, only those who "held fast" made it to the tree. We must keep with the teachings of the scriptures and latter-day prophets. 

The MJM is moving forward with the Lord's work, the adversary is also moving his work forward, especially in Texarkana. Are district has had quite the week. We recognize that this will happen, we know who will win in the end, our confidence is sure. 

The Schmidts, a less active couple in the ward, they take good care of us. 
We may get a lot of opposition, but the elect are out there. These two have had contact with missionaries on and off there entire lives, the timing was finally right when these two hard working missionaries knocked on their door. 

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