A knight in shining armor is a man who has never had his mettle truly tested.

Howdy y'all!

I'll just start off by saying this was a very trying week.  Probably the most trying of my mission.  I'm doing better, but it was a tough one.

Monday we stayed in Glenwood and went everywhere in 2 hours and I napped the rest of the day.  We had a good dinner at sister Hawthorns and had family home evening with her and the Bershers.

Baby doggo.

Tuesday we had district meeting and lunch at the Rogers.  On our way back, we dropped by a referral from Sister Lenz, her son Kirk.  He was cool!  Has strange beliefs about the illuminati and all that type of stuff, but nevertheless, he's a firm believer in Christ and God and he invited us over the next Sunday.  We came home and studied and went to see Jerry and Sonja.  We had a great lesson on the restoration and it went beautifully. Well, on our end.  He had some questions and we answered to the best of our abilities and we ended.  We had dinner at the Luttrell's to end off the night.

Wednesday was easily one of the hardest days of the mission.  Fran dropped us to be taught by the sisters in Hot Springs and was pretty rude about it and it left Elder Miller and I dumbfounded and I will not lie, I was pretty distraught.  We were bewildered by it and I was so taken back and all we could do was sit down and wrap our heads around it.  We put our heart and soul into teaching this woman and to be so rudely dropped, it kinda made me mad.  It's just hard when you give your all and get nothing in return. We went and saw a few members with medical issues with Sister Crow to try to get our minds back in place.  Well as we were driving, Sonja texted he telling us Jerry didn't believe what we said about Joseph Smith and so that sucked.  But good thing is, she still has a testimony.  We were still super upset cause we felt like it was a great lesson.  Sister Crow took us to see Sister O'Neal after that and I'm glad she did cause Sister O'Neal and her stories and spirit always cheer me up.  So after that visit I was a little more happy.  We got pizza and went home.

Hey look, more doggos!

Thursday we saw Michael with Sister Hawthorn.  He told us he is going to be in Little Rock for the next month and he didn't agree with Joseph Smith.  So we testified and showed him the First Vision video.  He still wasn't buying it so we testified again of the Book of Mormon and how that will help us know Joseph Smith was a prophet.  He was a little better, but still not sure.  So we left and lost him as an investigator for a while.  Sister Hawthorn took us to the Caddo Cafe and ate lunch.  Afterwards, we got rear ended while backing out.  So that was great.  After it was all settled, we drove to Little Rock to get our cracked windshield replaced.  We walked to Target to pass time and I had to get new shoes cause mine are tore up.  As we walked back, we talked to a guy and gave him a Book of Mormon and he was super happy to get one.  He was homeless and had a BOM before, but he lost it in prison.  We drove home and ate to end the day.

Friday we exchanged and I went with Elder Barney.  He's dope from Gilbert, Arizona.  We were In the sticks trying to locate and contact a bunch of less and inactives.  We were able to get the information for a couple and even walked on the highway for a mile or so in search for a house.  We found it, but it was covered in no trespassing signs and had a locked gate.  So we left and will send a letter later.  We had dinner at the Pabst's home in Hot Springs Village, about 40 minutes north of Hot Springs.  They drove us back and we went to a gas station with wifi to do a tablet audit and there was a guy jamming to guitar and singing.  We enjoyed it and talked with him and got his info and invited him to church.  He accepted and was super happy to talk to us.  He told us our presence just made him happier and he felt a difference.  He sang to us and it was great.  We left and went home.  I wish I remembered songs to play, or else i would have played and we could have had a jam sesh.

Razorback sewer...seems right

Saturday we exchanged back and did service for a member in Hot Springs.  They're Tongan and super awesome.  They invited us over to dinner on the 26th so we're going to have a district P-Day and eat there next week.  We helped them build their house.  Elder Barney and I marked electrical wires to the rooms.  They took us to eat at a buffet and we came back and Elder Miller and I drove back to Glenwood.  We stayed in service clothes for a sec longer and Sonja asked if we could help take down a yard sale they had.  So we helped with that and set up another time to answer any concerns Jerry may have.  We're going over on Tuesday to do that.  They fed us burgers and we left and studied.

Sunday was good.  Church was great and the Robbins fed us.  They're the highlight of my week by far.  They're so loving and care for us as their children.  Sandy made us some sort of shredded chicken slider (I got to shred the chicken, so I'm basically the one who made the meal happen), but it was sooo good.  I don't know what was in it, but it was succulent.  They then made us milkshakes by mixing chocolate and mints chocolate chip.  It was so amazing.  Then they did this like experiment thing to figure out our love language with people?  It like falls between service, quality time, gifts, physical touch and words of affirmation.  I got quality time and physical touch.  That scared Elder Miller cause I always try to hug him and now he understands why.  We came home and studied and had a lesson with Kirk.  Just so y'all know, Bush did 9/11, illuminati rules the world, we are dead to the government and we have a secret bank account with our social security number.   Oh, and Hollywood drinks baby blood and eats kids.  Crazy stuff.  But I love the guy to pieces.  He asked for a Book of Mormon and we explained it and Jospeh Smith.  We were at his moms house for this and Sister Lenz was so awesome at explaining why we need the Book of Mormon and how it will change his life.  She bore powerful testimony and were going to be going over on Tuesday as well to teach him and hopefully a lady that lives by him.  We walked home and ended the night with dinner and a card game.

We had our ups and very low downs, but we're alive and pushing through. We lost some gems, but hopefully we can turn some new people into diamonds.  As hard as it was for me this week, I know there's better things laid up in store for us, whether it's a baptism or not, we will work for our King and give it our all.  If I can say one thing from this week, it's that it isn't over when you lose, it's over when you quit.  And someday, this pain and suffering will make sense.

D&C 121:7-8
7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

Kings Do King Things
Goin' Buck Wild

Dad Edit: A knight in shining armor is a man who has never had his mettle truly tested. 

Serving a mission is hard, sometimes harder than you can imagine.  There is so much pressure to baptize and when that hasn't happened for 19 months it can be debilitating.  It doesn't help that you are constantly told how much your leader baptized and how he expects baptisms and praises everyone who has one.  It puts a lot of pressure on someone who is serving faithfully and working hard.  However, such is life.  All you can do is get up, go to work, and give it your full effort.  As a dad, I feel the pain.  He puts on a happy face for his letters, but inside he is struggling.  Please pray for him to find peace and solace.  Help him to understand the good he is doing and that it isn't all about baptisms.  It is really about planting the seeds and tending the garden. If after your time in the field is over, someone else reaps the harvest you have sown, then your job is done.  I love you Kai Bear, keep your head up and move forward in faith.