Monday was the best day of my mission! It was a regular P-day and then I went to a lesson with the Saenz family and Lofton Bean. Lofton just returned from his mission like 4 weeks ago and he is a total stud. We went in to teach them the rest of the Plan of Salvation with the intent on setting a baptismal date for September 19th. At first, Chris had a couple of questions about the Restoration and Alice was teaching him! Then, after we finished The Plan, we went to John 3:5 and explain the metaphoric key that unlocks the gate to the pathway to the Celestial Kingdom being baptism. We explained that and then said we had been prayerful about a date for them and we had come to the conclusion that they would be ready by the 19th of September. Then, I said what are your thoughts? Alice said, "My initial thought is that is very soon." And immediately, Chris said, "Mom, why would you want to deny yourself of the blessings, peace, comfort and happiness that will come into our lives as we get baptized?" Alice started crying and said "Wow. He continues to amaze me." Chris is special needs, but believe me, he is one of the most spiritual people I have ever met. He knows right from wrong and he knows that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. He thanked me for getting him out of his "mirage of faiths" and for finding the true church. He is truly intelligent. Robert started cry and said, "Well, that date is inspired by God because that is my mother's birthday and she passed away a few years ago. I am good for the 19th." Then, Alice looked at him and said, "You are right, the 19th it is." As we all know, Elder DeLuca is not a crier but, believe me, the tears started to build up in my eyes. It was so powerful, I couldn't help it. Lofton and I just looked at each other and smiled and then we both bore powerful testimony. What a great lesson! I had to write this experience down in my journal. I HAD to. The Spirit urged me to do so. It was the first time since I have written in my journal since February, but I have repented. I have been writing in it every day since then and I am committing to do it every night for the rest of my mission. Too much is lost in just a weeks' account.
We met with Luke on Tuesday and set a baptismal date with him for the 26th of September. It was a good lesson, but the member we brought was just kind of messing around and not being that serious. Luke and him are too close for bringing him to lessons! That night, we went tracting and met a guy named Caleb and talked to him for like 30 minutes and he and I got to the point to where we were almost bashing, but not quite so I bit my tongue. I need a mouth guard! We went back and taught him on Thursday. It didn't go as well as I would have liked it to, but we have another appointment with him tomorrow. He was arguing a lot with Brother Lane as we talked to him.
Sunday was sweet. We had four gators at church. It would have been five, but Alice was in the hospital. She is out now, so it's all good. We went tracting after our dinner appointment and we knocked an entire street and everyone was being so dumb! They were so rude and the ones that we talked with slammed the door when we started to ask them questions about the Bible. People are so lost, it is sad. I was ready to go after the first few houses, but we endured through the entire street and finished in an hour. We had an hour till another appointment, so we went to another street. This is where we found a super nice black lady who talked to us for like 30 minutes! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she committed to read the first 15 chapters. Yes, please! Then we kept going. We were at the second to last house but there was someone at the end of the street, so we went to talk to him. We walked up and he told his son to go inside. Ouch! He knew who we were and said he was Catholic. I told him that my dad was as well. Right then, his wife walked up and she was so nice! She said that she had friends that were Mormon in Tomball. I said, "Who are they?" "Doug Bateman," she replied. I said, "I know Doug!" His wife's name was Payton but I couldn't remember right then, so I told her not to say the name because I wanted to recall it. Payton came to mind so I said that and she was like "Nope!" I knew for certain that her name was Payton so I was thinking to myself what the heck!? Then the Spirit told me to say "PJ" and she was like, "That is her!" Her name really is Payton, but she goes by PJ. Her friend just didn't know her full name. We talked to them about how our families can be together forever and we would love to come back. They said yes! Miracles ever single day.
"Anywhere you go in this church, you will have someone to help you, that is part of what it means to be a Latter-day Saint." Those are great words of the one and only Jeffrey R. Holland. This is so true. It is a small world in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I met a guy last night that lives in our complex and he knows John Ortiz who works with him. I know John well. He lives in the Copperfield area where I served for four in a half months.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder DeLuca
Sorry I didn't take any pics this past week! We cut each others' hair a couple days ago!
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