Week 16

My Crazy Week

This week was different. Last Wednesday was pretty normal, we didn't have too many surprises. Thursday was basically the same. We had splits and we were able to teach a less-active family we have been teaching for a while. They are the Pantojas and they have been really active in the past. Brother Pantoja really wants his daughters to go back to church, but there has been something holding him back. We have been teaching him for about a month and trying to get him to come to church.

On Friday we had a lesson with a new investigator. His name is Eddie and he seems like a really nice guy. He sings in a Christian Rock band and he has a close relationship with Jesus Christ. He said he was open to us telling him more about our church. We taught him the restoration and the lesson was going really well, but right at the very end, where we would usually invite him to pray to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, his entire family came running in the house and things got chaotic. We had to leave quickly and the spirit was lost. We are going back tonight and I hope we have a better chance to get him to feel the spirit. 

Then Friday I had the chance to go to a local community college to set up a booth about Institute. We worked with another companionship, the YSA Elders and in that companionship happens to be my old companion from the MTC, Elder Millet. So me and Elder Millet got to actually go contacting. We went around and tried contacting Chinese speakers, but no one would talk to us because it was pouring rain that night. 

Later that day, I had a unique opportunity. We have a family in our ward, the Russells, who invited someone to meet with us.  So Friday, during dinner, we went over and met them. It just so happens though, that the lady they invited over was from China!  She spoke Mandarin with me all night. I had the "opportunity" to teach her the restoration in Mandarin. It went well, but she said her life is very hectic right now, in preparation for Chinese New Year, but if I am still here after Chinese New Year she would be happy to meet again. 

Then on Saturday we went on exchanges, because Elder Kim is the district leader. We went on exchanges with Elder Lee Wen. It was supposed to be me, Elder Nelson, and Elder Lee Wen together, but the zone leaders called and told us one of the zone leaders were sick, and they needed one of us to sub in for him. Elder Nelson went to help them and it was just me and Elder Lee Wen. However, we had 2 set lessons that day with single sisters, and we can only visit single sisters if there are 3 males in the house. We had to rush to try and find someone to come to the lessons with us. One of the lessons actually cancelled, which was a blessing, and the other we got a ward missionary to come with us. Everything was peaceful again, until we had an investigator call us and tell us he needed our help. So me and Elder Lee Wen rushed to our investigator's house, who had relapsed again and was extremely drunk. Me and Elder Lee Wen spent an hour chasing around a drunk guy and trying to figure out what to do with him. 

On Sunday we exchanged back, and I was back with Elder Kim and Elder Nelson. However, early in the morning the zone leaders called again, and said one of the zone leaders was still sick. So now it was my turn to go. For the rest of the Sunday, I was a zone leader and I got the opportunity to see what the zone leaders do. 

And to top off the entire week, Sunday night a different zone asked if I could go on exchanges with them to help teach a Chinese lady who is investigating the church. I was able to go over and I taught her the restoration. I pray that she understood most of it and I hope she felt the spirit. 

A pretty crazy week for me. I was stressed through some of it because I felt like I was running around the whole time, but the Lord blessed me and I could feel the extra strength He was giving me to overcome my trials. I know that if we consecrate our lives to the Lord, we will never "run out of juice" but we will be continually fed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love, 

Elder Quist