Monday, we went over to this members house who had 10 pallets
of sod that they needed to be laid. While there we were going about
doing our work for like an hour, and then it started to rain like
crazy!! We were drenched from head to toe, walking through mud and
trying to lay the sod as fast as we could but we only got 5 pallets
done before we had to leave. We didn't even have time to dry off, so our
car got soaked and now it smells pretty gross. The rain here has been
absolutely crazy and it is just like the movies; it will be dry and
then BAM, everything is drenched, it's so cool! Everyday this week has
been raining cats and dogs, it's pretty scary to drive through but its
also pretty fun!
This next story is the one that scarred me for life... we were over
at this lady's house checking up on her dogs when we heard this lady
next door screaming and yelling, and pounding on all the doors and
windows trying to get inside. Turns out her uncle (who
recently had a stroke) fell and couldn't get up (every senior citizen
should have life alert). So we went over to see if we could help some
how but we basically just watched them break into the house and then
we had to help get him up and into his wheel chair.... he weighs like
350 pounds.... there wasn't much room in there so I just sat there and
watched Elder Sabin and this other guy, Dylan, try and lift him up but
all they did was make his pants fall down....then I knew that my worst
nightmare was about to come to pass... all of a sudden I hear the man
say,
"I need someone to grab my middle."
And there I am, just staring at
this full moon. I looked at Sabin and Dylan, and they looked at me with
the most scared and hoping eyes.... and then I knew that I was the one
that is going to have to lift his middle. So I said, "You want me to grab your
butt?"
He says "Yeah!"
So I say "Alright man, I'm gonna pull up
your pants first."
And I proceeded to pull up his pants, but it didn't work
too well, so I just bit the bullet and went for it. I squatted down and
picked up this 350 pound man by his butt.... BUT IT WORKED!! After we
got this man up, Dylan came and gave me the biggest and hardest hug I
have ever received before! Even though this was a crazy weird experience
and I will never be able to unsee what I saw, I am really thankful that
we were there, there is no way that they would have been able to get
that guy up! The Lord really does have a perfect plan, we were in the
right place at the right time.
Now that that is out of the way, its time for the spiritual side of things.
First off, y'all might remember a man that we were teaching who was
so close to baptism, Stan Porter, well we got a call from Brother Aukema two days ago telling us that he passed away in his sleep. It
really shocked us. He was such an amazing man, and taught us so much! We are so sad but know he is in a better place! We will be going to
his funeral tomorrow.
I finished The Book of Mormon this week, and really love the last
chapter! First off, we listened to a talk where this guy said that
sometimes as you read the scriptures you will start to cry for no
reason, and that is the Spirit telling you it's true. When I read
the promise in Moroni chapter 10 verse 3-5 about reading and praying
about The Book of Mormon, that's exactly what happened, tears just
started to come for no reason. The Book of Mormon is so true! The
promise that if you read and pray with a real intent having faith in Christ is real! God answers prayers, I know that to be true, he has done
so for me so many times and I'm not special, he doesn't just do that for
me, I know he does that for everyone!!
I continued on in Moroni chapter 10 and it talked about not
"denying the gifts of God, for there are many" and they are given from God "unto men to profit them." There truly are so many gifts that the Lord gives us each and every day, we all just need to stop being
prideful or scared and just accept the gifts that he gives to us, like
the power of pray, church, family, the scriptures, ect. The gospel is
really there to bless our life, nothing more, nothing less. God wants us
to be happy and these gifts are to help us in this life. The more I
live the gospel, the happier I am and the better my life seems to be. For example, I have been trying really hard to do as it says in Moroni
chapter 10 and "deny [myself] of all ungodliness" and "lay hold upon
every good gift, and touch not the evil gift nor the unclean thing" and
the Lord has blessed us so much!! The work here really is progressing so
much! We have a ton of potential investigators and random non members
coming to church, and I pay it all to the fact that we are trying our
hardest to get out and work and be as obedient as we can be! The more
obedient we are, the more blessings we receive! I am so thankful for
everything that the Lord does for us each and every day, he truly is a
part of every aspect of our lives! I love this gospel so much and am so
thankful to be out here in Chipley sharing it with others!!
I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!!
Love Elder Skippyjon Jones
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