Week 6: 11/21/2016

Alright another week down... just a 101 to go or something like that :P 

It's been good week. Seems like they all are, never perfect, there are always harder days and times when life is more difficult, but the weeks are always good. The Lord really does watch out for and protect his servants. That means all of us, not just me, not just the full time missionaries or the general authorities or bishops. No, everyone receives these blessings if they choose to become His servants. There is a scripture that I was guided to while in the MTC, I think about it pretty frequently, especially when life gets hard for those I teach. I actually found this scripture because I misread a reference I had in my scriptures, but the scripture I found was perfect. So I had a sticky note from Sunday school that said 2 Peter 3:10-13. I instead went to that same reference in 1 John this is what it says, starting in verse 9 actually

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

That last line really got me. And it was perfect for the TRC I was working with at the time. But it basically says, evil things attack good things, so when you get closer to God, why are you surprised that evil people and evil things attack you and life gets hard? Then I think of Nephi's Lament in 2 Nephi 4, he says in 17-19

17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

As sad and hard as it is, sometimes we know that we're doing things right because life gets harder, because Satan is trying to stop us from doing good things, to keep us from our blessings and the reward of eternal life. But choosing to trust, to act for Him and be His servant then "Be[ing] still and know[ing] that [He is] God" I know in whom I have trusted, and He keeps me safe, He guides me, and He will bring me safely home again in a few years. Alright... that was a lot more than I expected but... deal with it :P

So like I said it's been a good week, I made several cakes * (5 now actually) for different families and investigators and people. Every time I learn the recipe a little better and it turns out a little better, they're pretty good if I do say so myself. We've been teaching and eating and doing all the things. 

We did have an experience either early this week or late last week that was kind of cool. So we were getting gas and this guy stops us, he's dressed in kind of farmers work clothes and stuff, pretty good drawl, but he just asks if he can share a poem with us. We weren't sure what to say to that really. So we said yes, and he shared a really cool poem with us all about the gospel and he shared several more with us as we went. We gave him our number and email and asked him to send them to us, unfortunately we haven't gotten them yet but when we do there's another cool story I have for you. But yeah that happened.

So unfortunately not baptisms this month because A., my baptism for this Saturday pushed it back a week to December so his sister could be there, but that also means that we're going to have an insane number of baptisms in December... hopefully ;P it should be really cool. We're planning several for Christmas Eve which will be awesome.

It did finally snow here... but just a tiny bit and it melts away before it hits the ground all the time. It's gotten a little chillier but not too bad, it's still way too warm for Utah... it's been pretty weird. Oooh and I get to go to the temple 3 or 4 times in the next couple weeks! Woot. A few for baptisms for the dead with recent converts, and then also December is the month for the mission temple days so that's super exciting. Anywho, any questions or what not just ask away. Still doing great and learning and growing all the time.

Oh yeah and I sang in church on Sunday, and I'm singing next week, and the week after in a baptism sooo yeah.

And we may have killed a friend of ours. Ooops.

And hopefully a fun adventure in the next couple weeks.

Love you all,

Elder DeFord

Elder Gallegos, Elder Schwantes, Elder Polar Bear (aka Elder Connelly), Elder DeFord

 * Caramel Apple Cake

1 pkg of moist yellow cake mix.
1 pkg of jell-o vanilla flavor pudding.
1 cup of water
4 eggs.
1/3 cup oil.
1/4 cup of milk
3 Granny Smith apples peeled , and coarsely chopped
20 caramels.
And 3 tbsp of milk.
Oven at 350. Beat first six ingredients in bowl until blended, stir in apples pour into a greased floured fluted tube pan.  bake for 50 min. Cool for 15 min then transfer onto cooling rack or serving plate Finally take Carmela and milk, melt until liquid then Pour directly over cake before hardens ... Then enjoy super yumminess