3 months today

Well it has been another great week out here in Durham! Today marks exactly 3 months since I've been out, crazy how fast time goes by. It was a pretty good week out here. We did a lot of service this week, and we found someone new to teach.

For service we dug up a bunch of tree stumps in someone's yard and moved some plants and stuff. We also went out to Steve Browns house and cut down trees and picked up sticks on his massive property. We also finished an irrigation system at the Smith's house and threw gravel around their house. It was a lot of fun.

We found a new lady named Jessie this week. She had requested a bible and we took her a Book of Mormon. We also taught her the restoration this week. The other people we are teaching are doing well. The progress is slow but steady, we are doing everything we can to help them progress. Ellery the man we have been teaching gets back in town tomorrow so I'm pretty stoked about that.

We had a member from the Elders quorum come on exchange with us just about everyday this week which is super awesome! We're really trying to work with members, it's the only way to go. Members really are what help people to get to church. For most people they have to feel comfortable to come and the more members they know the better chance they have coming out.

We got a less active that hasn't been to church in forever to come to church this week!! We are super stoked about that. We taught him about CPR. Church Pray Read and we are trying to spiritually bring him back to life. He's an awesome guy.

Put the new Costco membership to use this week!! Elder cook and I ate 7 Costco pizzas and about a dozen hot dogs this week and we only paid for 2 pizzas!!! Every time we went a member was there and they paid for us!

The greatest thing that happened this week was with Terry. We were getting ready to drop him because we haven't seen a ton of progress. We went into the lesson with that in mind and he proceeded to tell us just how much that he has seen his life change. He said he feels he is getting closer to Jesus Christ. I realized that maybe the progress seems slow to us but for Terry he is progressing rapidly. Terry hasn't been the most religious throughout his life and these are big steps for him. I realized that we cant just give up on people, we have to be patient and give them time to let the Spirit keep working on them. 3Nephi 18:32 says...

32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.

We don't know when someone will repent and follow Jesus Christ. But we do know that it's our duty to teach them and invite them to follow him. We cant lose hope on those around us, these are our brothers and sisters. They are lost and they need help.

Overall it has been a wonderful week, there is a lot to be learned everyday. Being a missionary is the most fun thing I have ever done in my life. I can honestly say there is no better feeling than teaching someone Jesus Christ's restored gospel and inviting them to follow him. Most things in this life are temporal but the gospel is everlasting and it brings families together.

I love you guys! Thank you for the support and for the package. Also for the Costco card! I hope you all have a great week.

Elder Forrest

Putting the Costco membership Sydney gave me to good use