G is Getting Baptized =]

Hey family! Happy Birthday tomorrow Mindy! Wow... 19 years old?!? Aaaah. Hopefully I got your age right and you aren't actually 18... I mean come on, in Seth's case it WAS only a year.. ;) It's probably just because you seem so mature that I thought you were 11 Seth. Anyway. It has been a great week, for many different reasons. Well, first off, G is getting baptized this Saturday! Woot! I am so excited for him. He is solid. It has been such an inspiring and miraculous experience to be able to work with him. Also, B from Daytona Beach (Grandpa's best friend) was baptized yesterday =] How awesome is that?!? I'll tell you more about that in a bit though.

So this past week has been great; we were able to set 3 new baptismal dates. Tuesday we were on transfers and I stayed here with Elders Sharp & Day from our zone. We didn't have any real teaching appointments, so our day was mostly doing a lot of finding. Well, I had been praying for a miracle and that morning we found a lady that said we could come back that night. Her name is N. We went back that night, taught them the Restoration, and it went picture-perfect. It was amazing! The Spirit was there, we asked inspired questions, and the Spirit was the one doing the teaching. N and her husband talked way more than we did, but we guided the discussion through questions from heaven. It was so awesome to see the light come on in them! We invited them to be baptized on Sep. 17, and they said that if they come to know it is true then they will. We are going back to teach them tomorrow. I am super excited! One of the main reasons they were interested in learning more about our message is to help their sons out. I promised them that even though their sons weren't interested now (they were invited to the lesson but chose not to come), if they (P & N) were to learn about it first themselves and apply these things, then it will eventually change their sons as well. It was truly a miracle though to be able to find and teach them in the same day! We were going to go back on Sat to help P with a service project, but he ended up getting it all done before we had scheduled to come over so he called and canceled. That's ok, we'll find something else to help him with.

We also had a great lesson with P and the B family! They are such an amazing family; super missionary minded! It has been great working with them. This whole ward is chuck full of member missionaries! Anyway, we taught P the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he comitted to be baptized on Sep. 10. At church we talked to him again and he said his family is planning on coming, and he has some cousins that may be interested in learning more. Way cool!

Transfers are tomorrow, and I will be staying here for another 6 weeks! I am so thankful, and hopefully I have even longer than that. I love it here in the Lake Reams ward and am learning so much. It is cool to be working with a brand new ward; we get to kind of set up the missionary program here. I am also way excited to still be working with Elder Jensen! He is a great missionary and this last transfer has flown by way too fast.

Thank you so much for the tape Dad! I loved listening to it =] I'm working on a tape to send to you guys right now. Hopefully it won't get lost in Hurricane Irene or whatever =]

This week I learned a lot about putting the Lord's will first. I had asked and received special permission from President Hall to go up to B's baptism. He told me it was fine if I go, but that I should pray about it and see if that's where the Lord wants me. Well, I prayed, and prayed, and prayed some more. I figured that of course I was going, it would be great! Why wouldn't He want me there? However, as the week progressed, I just didn't feel quite comfortable about it. I didn't know why, I just felt like I didn't need to be there and the Lord wanted me here. Well, it was really really hard, but I stayed and worked here in our area instead. We didn't have any miraculous appointments, find any amazing people, or anything like that. In fact, the plans that we did have for Saturday all fell through. However, I know that for some reason, the Lord wanted me to stay here. I was able to call B and tell him congratulations, but he didn't answer so I just left a message. But the lesson that I learned was that sometimes we don't know how or why we should follow promptings, but we need to do it. I may never know why I felt like I was supposed to be here, but at least I know I did what I felt I should do. And sometimes that's hardest when we really want otherwise, but the Holy Ghost quietly, gently, but firmly lets us know what the Lord wants. I am thankful for revelation.

G and P were able to make it to church yesterday and it went well. They are pretty solid! We are super excited to be working here and the baptisms should start rolling now. It seems like it takes a few months once an area has been "dead" (like the last 2 I've whitewashed) when you get there, but then good things start happening. I'm just waiting to see if I get to see the fruits of our labors start coming around next transfer as well or not ha ha. Whatever the Lord wants =] Well, I love you all! Thanks for your prayers and faith. You are all the BEST!

love,

Elder Andrew Beckett