Blessings

Hey there! 3/19/12
 
The included pictures are us at the dump! Elder Wiederholt and I went a few weeks ago, but had to go again this last week. It took me right back to the Montana days huckin barbed wire, same smell and everything. What a load of fun that was. I got sick for a few days this week as well. (not connected) It was actually the first time on my mission that I have had to stay in because either me or my companion have been sick. Definitely a something I am grateful for. We also had a specialized training meeting that Elder Butler and I had to teach at for an hour about teaching to peoples needs. I was really nervous, because I didn't have a voice hardly at all and I was going to have present to the whole zone. President and Elder Hilton gave me a blessing that I would be able, according to our faith, to speak as the Lord would have me. I was so anxious to say Amen to the blessing, because I knew it would be fulfilled. As it was and I was able to teach for that hour. It was so neat.
 
Yesterday at Church Pam came for the 3rd time, but she split right after the closing hymn again. We even had a member assigned to catch her, but she was too quick. It was a bit discouraging. The meeting was sweet for her too. She has two major concerns before baptism. Baptisms for the dead and she still feels that she will study her Bible during the week and the sermon at her church will fit in perfectly, almost as if the Lord is still directing her to her old church. Well when we taught her earlier in the week we left her to pray about baptisms for the dead and to read 3 Nephi 11. At church one talk the speaker read almost the entirety of 3 Nephi 11 and the other talk was on the temple and doing work for the dead. We thought it would have really touched her - Nope. But we went and taught her with President Pitt and it was amazing! She seemed like in the past that she was almost begrudgingly taking it in. As President shared experiences of others conversions Pam talked about the loss of her husband more and more and her tears flowed as she intently listened to each of his words. She began to feel the impact and joy that comes from the gospel. She won't be baptized next sunday as we had planned, but she will be truly converted when she does.
 
Also continuing to teach vince and luke. Vince is getting stronger in the gospel and we met with his girlfriend this week. We also met luke's girlfriend, but Luke isn't as strong as he was before. We are keeping the faith though! Yesterday the ward had a baptism of the elders that were just put in 4 months ago in a new area. She was a 70 year old woman that went into a members grocery store and heard the book of mormon playing. He has played the book of mormon on his stereo for the last 6 years and hasn't really had anything come of it. This lady ruth however heard it playing and felt something she hadn't felt in 30 years. She had been meeting with elders in Virginia 30 years ago and was set to be baptized and then she moved and she lost contact with the church. This brother gave her a Book of Mormon and an audio cd and then contacted the elders. They went over to her home 30 minutes later and she was already listening to it. Yesterday she was baptized and it was so neat to see a real testimony of how the Lord knows and loves his children and wants them to return to live with him.
 
Looking forward to another great week!
Love yall!
Elder Dumke