Elder Brock DeLuca: New Companion and New Investigators!!!!

This week was awesome! We had transfers on Tuesday and my new companion's name is Elder Petersen from San Diego. He is a stud! My first companion that is the same height as me haha!!

Wednesday, we were jam packed with lessons on deck!! We actually got to see Elder Lythgoe in the morning because he came back to visit with his family so we talked to him in a parking lot for like 5 minutes. I miss that fool so much. He is such a great missionary.

We met with Guy Benjamin and talked to him a lot about baptism and what he needs to do in order to be baptized. He had been taught everything and knows that the church is true, but he has a female roommate and he cannot be baptized while living in the same home with someone of the opposite sex unless they were to get married, but they do not want to do that. It is a really confusing story but that is the gist of it.

After Guy, we were able to meet with Orian and this time we just read with him AGAIN because he was not reading. We really stressed the importance of reading and then when we saw him again on Saturday we were able to teach him the Plan of Salvation lesson in our bishop's home and everything clicked for him! HE was like, "You know I was really nervous about being baptized and having kids make fun of me at school, but I know I need to now so let's just get it over with." Hahaha. I thought it was hilarious how he said, "Let's just get it over with." If you knew Orian, you would know that that is just how he is. He is really excited now and we have a date set for May 9th!

We also were able to see the Castillo family and we talked to them a lot about the Plan of Salvation as well. After them, we saw Julie Stewart and we brought Sister Bean with us. We had a really good member-present lesson with her. We reviewed the Plan of Salvation lesson with her too! You guys are probably thinking that is the only lesson we taught this week, huh!?! Hahaha!! It went well, though, and it was really good for Sister Bean to be there to fellowship Julie. They connected really well!! Sister Stewart gave Sister Bean a bunch of baby clothes for her new baby!

Okay, so get this! Thursday, we helped Guy Benjamin move a pile of wood at his property in Magnolia. We were loading up this pile onto his trailer and we were just about finished and then he said, "There are some bigger, heavier pieces from my deck over there but be careful because there are nails in them." Bigger, heavier pieces? Yes please. I went over to grab them with another elder and we brought a few pieces to the trailer then we came back and we were talking and I was not paying attention and I stepped right on a board full force and a nail went right through my shoe and into my foot! Hahaha....I was like, "Dang it!" I felt my foot getting really cold and knew that there was a bunch of blood. I took off my shoe and sock and hopped over to the car to wait for them to finish. We called the mission nurse and she said that if it went that deep that I needed to go to an urgent care to get it cleaned out. I really did not want to go, but I obeyed. They cleaned it all up and gave me a tetanus shot to be safe because that sucker was rusty. I also got an antibiotic to be safe, so DO NOT worry about me. I just thought it was funny so I wanted to share that. :)

Saturday, after we met with Orian, we went to a baptism in the Woodlands where Elder Petersen was serving (College Park Ward, baby!!) and I saw all of the members from my first ward!! So sweet!

Sunday = best day everrr!!! We were asked to go and help teach the primary yesterday. Too cute! I seriously look forward to the day when I can be a daddy. Anyway, we talked to them about Joseph Smith and we shared the First Vision. We had them all close their eyes while we restated it to them and then we talked about it. They were so cute. We ended up doing it twice to two different age groups so we each had the opportunity to restate it. After that, we were back in gospel principles and the Brother Hiatt opened the door and looked me right in the eye and did the "You come here thing" with his pointer finger. It reminded me a lot of when I was in elementary school when teachers would do that to me. I was like, "Great what did I do now!" We walked out into the hall and there was a non-member, Rick, there that he wanted to introduce to us. He just came to church on his own and brought his two children!! Corban is 15 and Shelby is 11. This was a miracle you guys. They went to their classes and then Rick came with us. He stayed until the end and, during the closing prayer in Elders Quorum, I had the thought to invite him to the temple tour that night, so I did! He was like I have done work on the furniture in that temple, I know exactly where it is. Corban and I will be there, but Shelby is going back to her mom's at 5. So we went to our dinner appointment a little early so we could make the temple tours at 6:30! He texted us before and was like, "Is it okay if I bring a friend from the Windrose Ward?" We were like, "Yes please!!" So it turns out his friend Julie had told him to go to church and so she contacted the Bishop in our area to see what time for him to come and what not. They all came to the tour and they loved it! We asked them if we could meet with them for a few minutes after the session was over and they said yes. We talked about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the restoration of the church and also the Book of Mormon. Rick even said that it is a pattern of God calling prophets in the bible so why would he just stop? I was like, "YOU ARE SO RIGHT!! He didn't stop. He called Joseph Smith and we have had a living prophet on the earth ever since then." It was amazing. Julie also bore her testimony and I know they felt the spirit. So we have a return appointment with them this Thursday for sure and possibly before that to meet that the church to have a church tour. There was one little detail I left out of this story. Remember how I told you that I fast every Sunday now? Well Elder Petersen and I were both fasting to find a family and the Lord answered our prayers. We didn't even know that each other were fasting for the the same thing.

I know that this is Christ's church and that He is at the helm. I know that Heavenly Father hears our cries and He wants to bless us more than anything and He will as we are faithful and obedient to the things He has asked us to do. I know that Joseph Smith restored the Priesthood that Christ had administered to His Apostles and that His power and authority to perform saving ordinances is back here on the earth today. I know this with all my heart and I cannot and I will not ever deny it. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,

Elder DeLuca