Week 83: I love Cubans

So we have been on a grind this week and have literally been talking to everyone we possible can. We found a lot of people, but I wanna talk about one guy specifically. So basically, we were walking around this complex, and we knocked this one cuban guys door. He was basically just like 'yeah I'm busy talking to my wife, do yall have a card or something?' We didn't think anything of it and didn't even put in any info on our phone. We did not think he was interested. And then he called us Sunday morning and was like "hey I'm coming to church." We didn't even remember who he was for a min, but he was like "yeah you guys gave me a card? And I wanna come to church." He got an Uber, and then we had an amazing Member Present Lesson, and gave him an Book of Mormon. We got another Member to give him a ride home, and he started reading the Book of Mormon while he waited for the Member. And then we introduced him to Yaline, our incredible recent convert also from Cuba, and turns out they're from the same city in Cuba. They hit it off super well, and Yaline was planning on having all the missionaries over for dinner that night, and so we Invited him to come to dinner and he said yes! And he came, and brought his Book of Mormon, and then we had an even more incredible lesson where we talked about the Book of Mormon, the restoration, and praying to know the truth. It was just so cool. He was a miracle. He and Yaline are super similar too. The biggest being that they both talk a lot. Our lesson after dinner was 2 and 1/2 hours...

It's been a good week. I love my companion Elder Ball. He's super fun and he's a hard worker. We're having a great time here in Odessa. I don't wanna leave this city, so much is happening. We also went public contacting at the lake, which was a lot of fun. There was one guy from Andrews who said he wasn't super interested, but he had his camera with him and so we asked him what he was doing. And he said he was filming stuff about the lake for the county website. And so I was like, "Do you wanna film us?" And he was like "sure ." And so he gave us Mics and recorded us sharing a Book of Mormon scripture and inviting people to come to church with us. He said they might put it on the Odessa county website... so that was pretty fun. I also apologize, because those are the only pictures I got this week

Week 82: Temple Trip!!

Yaline was able to go to the temple for the first time on Saturday!! We got there early enough to do an endowment session, which was very much needed, and then we did baptisms for Yaline's Grandma and Grandpa. She was super emotional, but it was a very sweet experience. It was definitely worth the 2 hour drive. It always is. We also had the baptism for Noelie last week, and Yaniuska and Reimel's baptism yesterday after church! There's tons of Cubans here in Odessa, and it's pretty fun to teach them. I don't have much else to say for this week, but it's been good. Please pray for Tim, Jose Zabaleta, and Rigoberto! We're hoping to help them get baptized soon. Anyways, love Yall!

Week 81: Zone conference, Stake Conference, and Tim

So this week was super cool. We had zone conference. There was a lot of cool takeaways for me, but we applied something that the mission president's wife talked about. She talked about earning referrals through members. While we were on Exchanges, Elder Adam's and I decided to knock a members house and we were like hey we're looking for more friends to teach, and she referred us to her neighbor 2 doors down, and we had a really awesome lesson about the restoration. He basically said yes to baptism. We also went public contacting at the park and met Tim. He is recent life is pretty traumatic and he talked about trying to find God and more healing in his life. He came to both the adult and regular session of stake conference. He loved it and is super open about everything. But God has for real been preparing him so much. About a week and a half ago he happened to be driving through midland and stopped by our church building. He had no idea what church it was, but he just walked inside. Idk why it was unlocked, but he just walked in, went to the chapel and started praying. Anyways, he loved coming to stake conference. It was a powerful meeting. Also there was a baptism this week! Noelie got baptized yesterday, and it was just so cool. And I get to go to the temple again on Saturday!! Yaline will be going to do baptisms for the dead for her first time. She said she wants everything. Step by step, but everything. Paso a paso, pero todo. Please keep praying for Odessa!!

Week 80: Faith brings Miracles

So this last week was so so cool. Odessa Spanish has been very blessed. As a district, we have 4 people that are planning to be baptized in August. Noelie, Yaniuska, Reimel, and Idalmis. Please pray for them! Yesterday was especially awesome thoughm a few days ago the sisters called my comp and I and asked us to give one of their friends a blessing of comfort and council. She was likely going to be separated from her family and not be able to come to church or meet with missioanries anymore and anyways, it was just super sad. We had a super spirit filled lesson with them though, and then we gave her a blessing. Then we all fasted and prayed for her, and they were all able to come to church! She bore her testimony about faith and miracles, and another member of the family bore her testimony on the Book of Mormon, and neither of then are members. The spirit was super strong and definitely the most memorable sacrament meeting I've ever had. Odessa is just so blessed. Please keep praying for the people here!! Love you guys

- Elder Wride

The other Elders in our district thought it would be a funny prank to put raw chicken under our sink and not say anything. It was disgusting

Week 78: good week

Sorry it's such a short email, but I don't have a lot of time. We got transfer news, and I will be staying in Odessa for another transfer! I'm also going to be the leader of the Spanish district here, so that'll be fun. I also hit exactly 18 months today. Anyways, the sisters in our wardshare had a baptism this week, and that was awesome. Alethia is incredible and was definitely ready for baptism. We also put Noelie on date for baptism on August 9th, and she is going to do great. Anyways, the work is great here, and I love it. I love you all

- Elder Wride

Week 77

So the past 2 weeks have been great, sorry I didn't write. I don't have much to say. We've been working hard. It's weird, because I'm still the only missionary covering my area. We're going to be in a trio until the end of the transfer, so we'll see what happens after that. Here's some pictures though!

Week 75: So I guess I'm 20 now

My birthday was this week! That was pretty fun. It was on the day of zone conference. The STLs gave me a birthday boy pin that I had to wear the whole time, and then a crown for lunch. My district is so fun. So I've been in a trio for a week now. I still have no news about my new companion, so I'm still working alone in my area. That's kind of weird. But it's been really fun, and we've been working hard, and having lots of incredible lessons. We had 8 friends at church, and Yaline is incredible. She's such a good new member/missionary. We've had a join us for a few lessons, and her testimony is so powerful. 

I want to share something I've been experiencing this week. I think sometimes I read the Book of Mormon too slowly (which is sometimes really good), but it think I've been limiting the effect that the Book of Mormon had been having on me. I recently set a new goal to read the whole Book of Mormon before this transfer is done, so that's about a month. I'm not writing anything. I'm just reading and highlighting everything that points to or testifies of Jesus Christ. So far, every page is marked multiple times. It's interesting, because it the 3 days that I've started this new goal, I've already felt a dramatic decrease in temptation. I'm not saying the temptations aren't there, but my interest in them is so much weaker. I don't think I've ever fully felt the power of the Book of Mormon like this, but it's great. So please read the Book of Mormon, and you don't need to make it hard to read by trying to mark too much. Just read it with an open heart and see what happens. If it's true, it's true. And if it's true, it's powerful. Love you guys! Sorry I didn't have much else to write!!