*Note: I have changed some of the names in here for privacy reasons*
This week has been really good. (as usual). I have been loving Hagerman and all the people I have had the opportunity to meet so far. This week has been a little disappointing as far as teaching goes. A lot of people cancelled on us this week which doesn't happen a lot so its hard when a bunch of them cancel on you. But we were still able to visit a good amount of people that we wanted to see.
One of the best experiences I had this week happened yesterday. Actually two events but they involve the same person. Todd. He just turned 12 a few weeks ago and has had a pretty tough life until a few years ago. But he is the most incredible kid I have ever met. He has been an inspiration to me these past few weeks but even more so yesterday. This Is a kid who just recently couldn't sit in sacrament meeting because his anxiety got so bad because of all the people he couldn't handle it. They either wouldn't go or would sit in the mothers lounge. But, he has been making incredible progress. Yesterday during sacrament meeting he bore his testimony, in front of the entire congregation, and he did amazing. I ran up to him after sacrament and gave him the biggest hug I think I ever have in my entire life! I was so impressed. He has inspired me to try and be more courageous in my life from now on. I don't want to let anything hold me back because of fear. He has been an inspiration to me and I will always look up to him. I hope I can have half the courage that he has. Yesterday I had the honor to give this incredible young man the priesthood. It was the most humbling experience in my life up to this point. He is going to be an incredible man and do many great things.
Another experience I had this week has been with one of our new investigators David He 60ish and has dementia. He was a news broadcaster here in northern Idaho. But recently has had a pretty hard go at things. A lady in our ward takes in a few people who cant live on there own and takes care of them. She recently took two new guys in, David and Bryan. A few days ago she read a news paper article about a guy who had been beat with a rod everyday for years by this one women and the other guy watched this happen and couldn't do anything about it because of certain disabilities. Well turns out this was David and Bryan. David had been abused for several years. I don't think I have ever felt so bad for two people in my entire life. I was filled with a new sense of compassion that I have never felt before, I hope that we can help them over come these challenges. The bishop will be going over sometime this week to meet with David to see if his is still accountable and needs to be baptize so we are waiting on that. But he has expressed everytime we go over there that he wants to be a Mormon because it makes him feel so good and church is inspiring.
I hope that these experiences will touch you as much as they have touched me. These are very special to me and it is very humbling to be working with these people.
Im trying everyday to become a more consecrated, obedient missionary, and submit my self to go to let him change me. I love this gospel and I love the lord. I love the opportunity I have to serve him and his children each day and I hope that I can increase my capacity to represent him a little more each day.
I hope everyone has a great week filled with tons of missionary opportunities.
Love,
Elder Davis
Here are some pictures and a brief message from his birthday last week:
just beating all these old people at bingo and winnin prizes and what not. my record is 3-1. (we now volunteer at a assisted living home and play bingo with them every Wednesday night) I win all the time, no big deal tho.
