Crazy Week

Hey my awesome family!

This week was similar to last because many of our solid investigators that Elder McKay and I were working with didn't answer, call us back, or come to the door. They are in a way dropping themselves in the Lord's way. I also think this might be the Lord telling us that there are others, more ready and more elect, than these people. It's hard because I love them, but I know that I can't spend time trying to convince people to become interested. We got a new bishop! It is Bishop McCormick, Bishop Ross's first counselor. He has been a Ward Mission Leader and is very missionary minded, so he will be great to work with. President Bailey, first counselor in the stake presidency here in Cheyenne, gave a 3rd hour lesson about the ward doing missionary work through home teaching and fellowshipping. He talked a ton about prospective elders, and there are over 800 in the stake. We got a list for our ward, and we are going to work on inviting them to church, and inviting their families (if they have them) to learn about the gospel. I know you guys have had a lot of success from this approach in the Desert Valley ward.

This week, Elder Anderson and I were blessed to be part of a miracle and tender mercy from the Lord. We were tracting, and on the way, we were visiting potential investigators. I felt like we should visit one, and we knocked but whoever was there (and they were there) didn't answer. As we were walking out of the apartment complex, I got the distinct impression that we needed to knock on a specific door--the middle right door. I hesitated for a second, but then went ahead and knocked. A lady answered the door and said, "Hi Elder." That stunned me because nobody calls us elders. I asked her how she was and she said she just just moved there from Indiana. I asked her if she was LDS, and she said she had been meeting with missionaries in Indiana before she moved, and that she thought we had a "beatiful religion". We set up an appt to meet with her, and she said, I don't speak much English, and I said that's ok, I understand Spanish and we have a ward missionary that is fluent. So on Saturday we went back, and talked to her. She believes wholeheartedly that the church is true and she was working toward baptism where she moved from. She has a boyfriend now who was raised Catholic, but is not interested in religion at all when she brings it up, and he changes the subject. We asked her to come to church, but she is dependent on this guy and doesn't want to ruin the relationship with him--they're plannning on getting married in 6 months. She is waiting until this week when he gets home from his traveling job to ask him, but she is so prepared and the only thing holding her back is her boyfriend. She told us that everywhere she's gone or moved to, the elders have found her. She knows this is God telling her that this path is right for her. It was so awesome being able to hear her story and her faith. The Laws (ward missionaries) had her over for dinner that night and are fellowshipping her. I think she willl progress and be baptized. The Lord has placed her here for a reason.

Elder Anderson and I taught Rita again this week. She read most of the introduction of the Book of Mormon, but is planning on reading much more. She wants to read the whole thing and know what it says. We talked to her about what follows if the Book of Mormon is true. She told us she knew if it was true, then this was God's church. We talked about the Holy Ghost, and how it would answer her. And we asked her when she came to receive an answer from God that the Book is true, would she be baptized? And she said that she would!!!! It was awesome! She is prepared as well, and I think the Lord is continually teaching us we have to go find the elect--those who harden not their hearts when they hear God's word. It was amazing!

Well this week was great, and even though not all the success happened that we wanted, we were blessed immensely. I love being a missionary, and I am trying all I can to become better and work on becoming more Christlike. Charity is the answer, I've come to realize this lately. Charity NEVER fails, and if we have it, we have absolutely no other option but to succeed. If we have charity, we will become like Christ, and when He comes in his eternal majesty and wonder, we will "see him as he is". There is almost no thought that scares me more in this world than thinking that I might not know Christ when he comes. Charity is the only and simple solution to every singular problem or issue we have. To become like Christ is to know, apply, live, have, and understand his perfect, pure, untouched love. Unconditionally he gives us His love, which penetrates us and changes us if only we can give our will to know His and open our hearts to the understanding of God. There is no greater gift that He gives us than His love, and there is no possibility of peace, discernment, or true happiness in this life, without making it ours. We need Him every hour, and He is waiting for us. I love Him immensely. I know the gospel is true, and this work is God's.

Love,
Elder Logan Bryan