A Crazy Week

Im going to try to condense this whole crazy, jumbled up week into a couple paragraphs, here goes!

Tuesday we were able to put our investigator Adrianna on date but it took a whole day of walking in a bad wind and rainstorm to do it. We walked for about 5 hours straight in nothing more than rain jackets (pretty dumb on our part) in about 10 degree weather and froze like popsickles!

Wednesday was our Zone Conference and what a spiritual high that was! I am so greatful for this gospel and the absolute peace that it brings into my life and the lives of those I love.

It was interesting, we were talking to a man about the Gospel later that week and, after a while of getting nowhere, we finally just said to this man, look, even if this gospel and this church isnt true, we have experienced more joy and more blessings than we can even express...but...we KNOW that this Gospel and this Church are true and that they were restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith. What a powerful idea!

Thursday was another great day and we saw lots of miracles! To share one, we started off walking towards a less active members house when Elder Hale felt that we should just take a different path. So we started walking down this street that we had never been on before and we met this man, Alfonzo, taking out his trash. As we started talking to him, he didnt seem very interested, but after a few minutes of just trying to get to know him, he opened up to us, out of nowhere, and shared that his mom had just passed away and that he had a lot of questions about the life after this one. ¡GUAU, DIOS ES MISERICORDIOSO A SUS SIERVOS! It was such a testimony builder for me to see that God really is preparing his children to recieve the gospel.

Friday we had to exchange the car at the mission office for a brand new, 2017 Subaru Legacy (it is such a nice car) and I finally saw Elder Fong again! it was so good to see him and it was good for me to remember just how far Ive come since I was with him.

Saturday was good but as Sunday rolled around, things got interesting. For Sacrament meeting, I guess somebody forgot to bring bread, so the priests just broke Ritz crackers and we had that. It was strange, but the Spirit was just the same.

After Church, we were supposed to have dinner at an investigators house, and we were really looking foreward to it, because we had been fasting all day. She cancelled last minute on us and so we just went to our Plan B and started tracting. Never the ideal activity, but it was still good.

As we were tracting, we knocked on this apartment door and this is the conversation that proceeded.

*knock knock

quien es (who is it)?

Los misionaros

Prisioneros (prisoners)?

No, los misionaros!

Prisioneros??

No, misionaros, de la Iglesia de JesuCristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias.

Ah, misionaros... Pasanse! (come in)

this family then proceeded to feed us dinner of tomales and pasole!!! What a blessing from the Lord! He truly does look out for his servants, especially when theyre hungry!

I hope you all know of the deeply profound love I have for all of you. Its hard being away from everyone you love, especially when you realize that you all are going through your own trials, but I know how the Lord has blessed me and I know how he will bless all of you. His love is endless and I am so priveledged and humbled to be able to share it to my brothers and sisters.

Love Ya!!!

Elder Arkoudas