Happy President's Day!

Okay this week was sweet! Im just going to throw it down. 

Monday, we were out finding and we talked to a guy named Ishmael, and we taught him most of the restoration lesson as we talked with him out front! We scheduled to come back on Sunday but we had a Mission President's Fireside last night so we weren't able to go back and talk with him. Speaking of the fireside, it was so sweet! All of the missionaries in our Stake were in the choir and for once, I actually entertained the idea of joining a ward choir someday. :) We sounded pretty good up there but that was only because

the spirit was present! 

Tuesday, after dinner, we weren't quite sure where to go and I felt like we should go back to see a lady named Nancy we met back in January that we haven't been able to see since. We went over and we taught her part of the restoration lesson out front until her husband came home and then wanted dinner! Bummer! It was neat to talk to on Tuesday because that was my Mom's Birthday! Happy Birthday Mamma! 

After we talked to Nancy, we were walking back to the truck and right as Elder Christensen got in the truck, I had a thought that we should go and talk to her neighbor. He was getting in the truck and I was backing him, so it was hard to tell him what I felt like we should do and then all of the sudden, he got out of the truck and was like we need to go talk to him and I was like, "NO WAY! I just had the same thought!" You guys, I want to promise you all that the Lord is directing us to the people He has prepared. He leads and guides us everyday and that is why it is so crucial for us to be worthy of the 'gift' of the Holy Ghost. We talked to Paul about his family and asked him how he would feel to know that he could live with his family forever and he said it would be incredible. It was the neatest thing ever! He told us that we could come back and we exchanged information to contact each other. He also had a really sweet dog! It is called a Presa Canario I think. Have you ever heard of them? They are sweet! 

Wednesday, we had dinner with the Giffords in our ward and I was with Elder Young on exchanges. They are a sweet family and they referred us over to visit some of their neighbors, but the neighbors said we could come back another time. It was so sweet to know that they trusted us enough to send us over there. We tracted out their entire street after that! It was so sweet. They were telling us to basically go to every door! 

Thursday, we met with Julie and her daughter Madison. They were meeting with missionaries in the past and one of Julie's daughters was baptized and she is now at BYU. We shared the restoration with them as well and we are planning on going over there tomorrow! The Lord is blessing us with people to teach! 

Friday, we met with Bobby and we had Paul with us! Another great lesson. We focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson and really focused on the importance of every principle in that lesson. Through Christ, we can be cleansed from sin through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. It was a good lesson but, as we were teaching, I noticed two girls eaves dropping on our conversation because we were at Panera Bread. I felt like I should ask them if they had any questions on what we were discussing. So after our lesson, we got up and then the girls got up as well and started to walk outside so I hurried over there and I asked them and it was super funny because one girl was like, "Yeah, we were totally listening to your conversation." And I was like, "Yeah, I know."  Haha! So it turns out that they did have some questions and we were able to answer them and now we are meeting with them this Friday. Teach when you find, and find when you teach! 

Well, I have to go for now, but I wanted to let you all know that we are doing good here! I love you all and I hope you have a great week! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

​I told Brother Bikman that he needed to get a CAT! 

​I saw Elder Weaver last night. Selfies for dayzz! 

Do you remember Elder Neville from France?? 

I'm From the Country and I Like It That Way!

Texas is awesome!! We had a great week. We were able to go over to Bill and Kathryn's house and we read more from the Book of Mormon with them. They still aren't reading on their own so we have just been reading with them the past couple visits. 

We had a lesson with Bobby and, again, he is still waiting to pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true until after he finishes it so we have just been reading with him as well. Bobby said that he wants to be baptized, but he doesn't want to commit to Mormonism. We explained to him that he is being baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and not to the "Mormon" church. He still said that he wants to classify himself as a non-denominational Christian. We are going to meet with him again tonight so I will let you know how it goes. Please keep these people in your prayers. That would really help! 

On Thursday, we had interviews with President Mortensen and Elder Christensen and I and the Sister training leaders in our zone had to cover the specialized training with the assistants while President was interviewing missionaries. We had some people from the stake high council there as well and they talked with us after President told us about how we can best help our ward councils. After that, we had a huge role play with the missionaries. Elder Christensen and I and the two sister training leaders all went into the kitchen and the room next to it and we all had a separate doors and each companionship has to come knock the doors as if they were tracting and they practiced what they would say when they were out finding. We all had to be nice to some and mean to some to change it up and when I was mean to them, I felt so bad!! My heart sunk after I slammed the door on them! Obviously, they knew it was just a role play, but still. I felt a glimpse of what people feel like when they are rude to us. They must feel miserable inside even though they don't show it.  

The coolest part about specialized training was that they had asked a recent convert to come and we had Paul Kendrick come! The assistants asked him to come up and he was asked different questions about his conversion process and what it was like the first time coming to church and how the missionaries used members in their teaching and what not. He was rockin' it up there. He seriously had so many great things to say and that is not because he was talking highly of me, but that didn't hurt(; Brother Kendrick is a stud, and our zone was like, "Wow, that was sweet to have him here." after he left. He done good! 

Okay, so one of the best parts of my week was I got to baptize Niki Gessner! Niki and Pamela were both baptized this past Saturday and we had a great turnout there. Many non-members and less-actives were there. When we were over there earlier this week, we asked the girls who they wanted to do the baptisms and Niki smiled and pointed to me and was like, "I want you to baptize me!" She seriously made me feel like a million bucks. Elder Christensen baptized Pamela and Brother Schulmire and Brother Ure did the confirmations on Sunday morning. We weren't able to be there for the confirmations because we had a stake high council meeting, but we heard they went well! It has been a privilege to be able to work with these two little girls and they have made so much progress since we met them when I first came to Tomball. 

All is well here is the small state of Texas! I hope all of you are doing well and know that I love you!

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

Niki is the one next to me!

We love dressing in white at the church. :)

Another Great Week in Tomball!!

Howdy everyone! This week flew by! On Monday evening, we were able to have Bobby come over to Paul's house and we read Alma chapter 8 with them and we really dove in to Lehi's dream and likened the scriptures to them. It was neat to see Bobby realize that he needs to hold to the rod of iron and be in the scriptures every day. Paul was throwing it down too! He was bearing his testimony of how he was reading the Book of Mormon every day when we were meeting with him and how that was what he turned to in order to receive the strength he needed. It was the coolest thing ever to have Paul teaching with us. Solid lesson! 

On Wednesday, we came to the college campus to try to invite people to the club and something really cool happened. As we were coming out of the library, Elder Christensen went out the door and I was following but I felt like I should hold the door for this guy that was coming and it was one of those awkward times when the person is like borderline too far away to wait and hold it, but I did it anyways. I waited there for a few seconds (felt like 5 minutes) and held the door for this guy and he said, "Thanks." and went in. We started walking back to the truck and he came running after us and he was like "You guys talked to me about a month ago and gave me a card and asked me to watch the video, and I did! What information do you have? I want to learn more." Turns out I talked to this guy and told him about the "He Is The Gift" video and invited him to watch it! He remembered it was me because I told him that he had a sick watch! Everyone loves compliments.  (; haha! So, we walked back to the truck with him and gave him a restoration pamphlet and a Book of Mormon and he said he wants to meet with us!! We weren't able to meet this past week, but we are going to try and see him this week. His name is Ryan and he is a stud! 

We received a referral this week for someone named Susan so we called her and it turns out that she is a member but her daughter, Taylor, is not and she wants to start meeting with us because she wants to be baptized! We were able to go over there this past week and, on the way over, I had to turn around and I got the truck stuck! There are a lot of ditches here for the rainfall and usually they are dry but this one had some hidden water under the grass! So we were totally stuck and even four wheel drive didn't do anything so we just started walking to Susan and Taylor's house. We couldn't find the house, but I saw a big Dodge Cummins at this house and I b-lined it over to this guy. I was like "Hey sir, how are you doing?" and this guy was like "You don't wanna talk to me."  And then I said "No, we just need your help! We are stuck right at the end of your road!" He then said okay hold on let me go get a strap. It was cool to see how even though some people don't want to hear what what we have to say, most people like to help when they can. By the way, this truck had a bunch of motor work done to it so it was super fast! He pulled us right out .:)

We also met with Bill and Kathryn this week and we were able to read the Book of Mormon with them. We wanted to teach the plan of salvation lesson, but they hadn't been reading so we read with them to show them the importance if it! We don't just blow through the lessons if people aren't keeping commitments because they aren't going to progress unless they feel the spirit testify to them personally. Keeping commitments prepares people to make and keep covenants. 

Friday, we went into the Windrose Elders area with Elder Meyers and Elder Mikesell and we went finding with them. I went with Elder Mikesell and the other elders went together. In the two hours that we were all out finding, Elder Mikesell and I found a new investigator as well as Elder Christensen and Meyers found one too! It was sweet! 

Saturday, we had dinner at the Gieseke's house and they invited two non-member friends over and we were able to have a discussion about the spirit world and what happens after we pass through our life on earth. It was a good discussion, but one of the friends was not picking up what we were laying down so we just left it at that. The other friend actually came to church yesterday and he really liked it! he was visiting from out of town so we will have to have Brother Gieseke follow up with him. 

Speaking of Sunday, after ward council we went into the chapel and I was going around to say hi to people and one of the young women came over to me to let me know that she invited her friend to the new beginnings program but she couldn't make it. I told her that she was still being successful by making the invitation! It was sweet to have her come report that to me before I asked. Whenever I commit a member to do missionary work, I write it down in my planner so I won't forget and then I follow up with them! It was cool to see that she remembered that I wrote it down and she beat me to it! The members here are so sweet and anxious to do missionary work! 

We also met with Niki and Pamela last night and they had their baptismal interviews and they are planning on being baptized this Saturday! 

Work is happening here! I love you all and thank you for all of your prayers and the support you show. I feel it! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

We were planning on riding our bikes one day this week, but we didn't have time! 

This is Brother Mason. He is a stud! We visit him every week :)

See how she just sunk?? hahah!!

More and More Miracles!

Alright, this week was so sweet but I have to throw it down quickly! We met with a less active-ish brother that hasn't been to church in a while and we talked with him and his daughter about putting the Lord first in all things. Something really cool happened, though. As he was talking, I was listening to him and he said something that made me think of 2 Nephi 32:8-9, when he said not doing anything before checking in with the Lord. So I shared that scripture and we talked about it and then we all read chapter 37 of the book of Alma. Sweet lesson and they both came to church yesterday. So sick!!

We had a lesson with Niki and Pamela and we reviewed the baptismal interview questions again because it is hard for them to remember everything that we teach them. They remembered quite a bit and we set a date for them to be baptized February 7th! 

Last night, we were planning on going to visit some former investigators and we picked three that were in the same area and we headed out to visit them after dinner. The first one said we could come back this week and the second one was not home. We headed to the last one and right when we pulled up, she did as well. Her name is Pamela and she met with the missionaries like 2 years ago and then they just kind of stopped coming I guess......??? Anyways, we talked with her and that was a miracle of its own with the timing and it turns out she is best friends with someone in the Magnolia 1st Ward where her grandson Anthony just got baptized. The same Anthony that Elder Lythgoe and I were working with! Small world!! It was cray!

This morning, I got a call from Elder Graves in our zone and shared an experience with me that was super sweet. He had felt prompted to go to a certain area to follow up on a potential investigator and they got in to teach him and they now have a return appointment for Tuesday this week. I share that because he had been fasting to find new people to teach and they Lord blessed him for that I know that. I have been fasting once a week for this very same purpose as well. We have been fasting every Saturday after dinner till Sunday dinner. I have been doing it this entire month and I plan on doing it for the rest of this year. Remember why the sons of Mosiah were so successful? "They had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting....." (Alma 17:2-3) It works you guys. I have a strong testimony of the power that comes from fasting. 

I also forgot to mention that we went on exchanges with the Magnolia 1st elders and while on the exchange they found two new investigators. Our finding is in direst correlation with our faith. We have to have the faith that Heavenly Father is preparing people for us. 

I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, 

Elder DeLuca 

​Favorite scripture? This was what we were doing at the campus trying to get people interested in the club we are starting at the college! 

I don't mean to boast, but we got a zero on our apartment score! :) 

​"Have you ever seen missionaries like us before??" hahaha Go hard er' day!

New Investigators and Members

Hello everyone! Sorry this is a day late due to MLK day! This past Tuesday at transfer meeting I was shocked to come to find out that me new companion was one who I have served with! Elder Christensen and I are back in business. 

Wednesday, we has a miracle happen that was SO sweet! We were tracting in an older neighborhood that evening because President Mortensen has emphasized all of us going from house to house Alma 26:28, and we were not having a ton of success. We knocked over 10 doors and no one wanted our goodies. It wasn't until the last house we knocked that this lady was like "Come in!" after we explained who we were. We asked if there was a adult male inside and she said yes so we went in. Her Husband Bill was sitting on the couch and I went over and shook his hand and sat next to him. He is Vietnam Veteran so he was telling me about a bunch of stories as Elder Christensen helped his wife with something on the computer right there in the living room. When he was done he sat down and we just started teaching the restoration lesson! It was so sweet. We shared the entire lesson and they committed to read from the BoM and we have a return appointment tomorrow evening! 

We have been seeing so many miracles with finding throughout our entire zone. We were averaging with like 3-5 each week and just this past week our zone found 18 new investigators. This work is so real and it is on fire! We have been talking a lot with the district leaders and doing all that we can to help out and they are getting the companionships all fired up. we have been seeing so many miracles and we are grateful to be a part of it! 

The best day this past week was for sure Saturday. We had been meeting with Paul throughout the week and he was so excited for this special day. To start off, it was a great turnout. There were like 20-30 people that showed up, including both of his parents that are non-members! It was really neat for me to see and listen to Paul's brother James give a talk on baptism. As he was sharing his message he started to talk a little bit about how far Paul has come and he started to get a little choked up. I could see the love that these two brothers had for each other and I couldn't help but to think of my brother. I love you Zacky. After the talk on baptism I had the opportunity to perform the ordinance. It was funny because before the service started Paul and I were doing a little "test drive" so to speak and I showed him how I was going to grab his wrist and what not and he was like, "Are you sure you are going to be able to pick me back up!?" And I was like, "Come on man, don't you see these guns?? I got you!"  Haha!! After the ordinance was done and when we were changing, he said that I was a lot stronger than he thought and that made me feel pretty good. My push-up are paying off. (; Haha!! So the baptism was a success and it was the neatest thing for me to be able to have been working with Paul these past few weeks. It is the coolest thing knowing that you are someone's "missionary." I love it! 

Bobby was not baptized this past weekend, but we are still working with him and we set another date for February 7th. He wants to finish the BoM before praying about it....He has like 100 pages left so we set a goal for him to finish it by the end of the month! 

That is all for this week, but I want you all to know how much I love you! I will talk to you soon! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

 ​I have a video too, but I don't know how to post it. I was doing some service by bringing this back into the store. This thing needs a turbo! It took like 5 minutes to get into the store! 

​Elder Weaver made it back to give a talk on the Holy Ghost!

​We are getting some snow here in Texas too! (; 

More Miracles!

This week, we were super busy with different activities and lessons! On Tuesday, we always volunteer at this place called S.O.S., which is a food bank and we unload a big trailer full of food and then organize it all in the room that they store it in. After that we went over Sister Hughes' house to help her with some stuff in her backyard. I got to mow the grass! I was so excited. I love it! 

    

Tuesday night, we met with Paul and it was such a good lesson. We visited him with Brother Hausman and we all felt the spirit so strong. We started teaching the commandments lesson and we all were bearing testimony of each principle and it was like a mini fast and testimony meeting in Paul's apartment. I seriously paused and was like "Are you guys feeling it?" We ALL knew that the spirit was present with us. It was the coolest experience ever. 

    

Wednesday, we went back over and we went over the 15 steps to quit smoking. He has completely stopped smoking these past few weeks but we wanted to make sure he has all of the supplies that are on the list to just help out. He didn't have any grapefruit juice so we told him that we were going to go have dinner and then pick some up for him and bring it over. We told him to be thinking of who he wanted to perform his baptism and confirmation because it is this coming weekend. He knows a lot of people in the ward and his brother is a member of the ward so we just wanted him to have someone in mind so we could get the programs printed out this week. When we came back with the juice we were talking for a couple minutes and then Paul said "I have been thinking a lot about my baptism and...." My heart sunk to my stomach! At first, it sounded like it was going to be bad but it ended up being the sweetest thing ever. He said, "I have come to a decision on who I want to do what and I want you (Elder DeLuca) to do the baptism and you (Elder Weaver) to do the confirmation." But here is why. "Elder DeLuca, you and I have had to make a lot of changes in our lives and we relate well with each other and I feel like it would mean a lot to you to bring someone to the waters of baptism to be forgiven for their mistakes. I feel like it would be a blessing to you to know that you have helped someone change so much."  I actually cried a little bit. (just a couple tears) because it meant the world to me that he took that much thought into it. He told Elder Weaver that he "has an angelic voice and he is very sincere when he teaches." He said like four time to not take offense from that before he told Elder Weaver that he has an angelic voice but he really hit it right on the head. We both we so honored to be able to be the ones that he chose. 

     

Another miracle was that we were at lunch with the Relief Society President Sister Rittman and she received a phone call from Cindy French! Remember her? We have lost contact with her and here is why! She told Sister Rittman that she broke her phone and she lost our number but when she came to church that one Sunday, she got Sister Rittman's number and she was going through her purse and found it! She said that she wanted our number because she felt so bad that she lost our number and that she wanted to meet with us again. Sister Rittman was like "well they are sitting right here with me as we speak!" This was seriously a miracle. We were so pumped! We went over there Thursday night and we got to know here and her husband a little bit better. It was a great birthday present. ( : 

     

Friday we went to College Station for a YSA Training meeting. We are now going to be working with the YSA's in Tomball. We are stoked. There is a lot of paperwork we have to do in order to get the LDSSA club up and running. 

     

Well, those are the highlights of this past week, but we have two baptisms scheduled for this Saturday, so please keep them in your prayers because we know who is going to be working on them extra hard this week. We haven't been able to get in contact with Bobby since Saturday so please keep him in your prayers. If all goes as planned, we are having Bobby and Paul's baptism at the same service! 

     

Thank you and I will talk to you next week! 

P.S. - Elder Weaver is being transferred tomorrow. We both were so shocked! He will hopefully be able to participate with Paul's baptism! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

Service clothes say whaaaa?? No way! I mow in pros! Nothing a little lint roller can't fix! ( : 

​Sundays are good days! 

Happy New Year 2015!

This past week was sweet! We were able to meet with Niki and Pamela twice and they are doing well We have set their baptismal date for the 31st of this month. I can't remember if I told you guys that or not last week! On Tuesday, we had MLC and President Mortensen threw it down again. I love him! I pulled him aside after we had lunch and I was talking to him for a few minutes and I asked him how I could improve my studies and he said something really cool "The difference between studying and reading for an hour is thinking." Information leads to revelation. I have been wanting to have more effective personal studies and he helped me out a lot! 

Wednesday, Elder Hegeman left us! He was needed in another area so he will be there until next Tuesday and then we have transfers. We miss him, but he is off doing great things in the Woodlands!

We were able to meet with Bobby three times this week and he is awesome. We went over all of the commandments with him and everything made sense. He also came to church on Sunday and Aaron Finch from our ward was quick to reach out and sit with him. We have a sweet ward! 

Saturday, we went to an apartment complex to visit a member who was not home and we ran into a lady named Stacy and we were able to talk to her for a few minutes. She was super nice to us and she explained that she was ready to start cleaning up her life and that she would be okay with us coming back soon to teach her! The sister missionaries actually had run into her a week or so before and she recognized that God was watching out for her. How cool is that!?

Saturday evening was one of the times we met with Bobby and after our lesson we went back home and I told Aaron Finch that I had a tie and some socks for him, so I gave them to him and we were talking for just a few minutes and some guy walked up to us. This was really neat because he knew Aaron because he gave him a "He Is The Gift" card the week before. This guy's name was Robert and he was Christian and we were able to talk with him for like ten minutes just about the love that our Savior has for us! This may not seem like it, but it was truly a miracle because Elder Weaver and I had been fasting for more opportunities to talk and find people to teach in our area and for the entire zone. Robert was really friendly and he said that we could come over next weekend! Ill let you know how it goes! 

Sunday was sweet! We had asked Brother Finch if he would be willing to bear his testimony at church when we were talking with him the night before and he said he was thinking about it, but we were an answer to his prayers and that he definitely would! So he did. He threw it down up there, to the point where he scared everyone from going up there. haha jk, but seriously. It was dead silent for a couple of seconds and no one was getting up to go to the pulpit so I said to myself, "If no one goes in 5 seconds, I'm going." 5,4,3,2,1 boom! No one was up, so I went for it! No turning back now. I got up there and testified of what Brother Finch said and I told the ward about Robert and the experience we had all because Brother Finch shared a card with him! It was so sweet. I had no intentions on going up there, but the spirit guided me otherwise. 

Have a wonderful week and I will talk to you next week! 

Love,

Elder DeLuca

Elder Christensen came to our zone meeting on Friday! It was good to see him again! 

Another lame pic! I buzzed by head a #4 though!