Week 71: been a good week

I'm sorry I can't write a lot today. It was a good. I will share something cool though. So Yulieth was baptized about a month ago, and in out last two visits, we were able to start talking to her mom. She's always been kind, but never joined lessons, and never really been interested. But she's started reading the Book of Mormon, and she came to church! Yulieth said that she wants to get baptized, so we'll have to talk to her about that. So please pray for Diana!

- Elder Wride

Us recording a scene for our video

recording audio

Us eating with Yulieth and her family

The Sisters's AC broke, lol.

Week 70: Always You - We Are Messengers

So my title is actually a song. My companion has a ton of music, and I just like it. Give it a listen if you can

We've been dropping people a lot lately, and we have not been finding fast enough. So our teaching pool has dropped a ton. Please pray that we can find more people to teach, people who are actually prepared. We need some guidance. But the week was still good! My comp and I were asked to make a video about a day in the life of a missionary (its an ad for salt lake, which is pretty cool i guess), so we've been doing a but of filming too. It's fun too because Elder Wages has a lot of fancy camera stuff. He has a photography business back home. Anyways, our new members are really solid and so that's awesome. We got a new ward mission leader and the ward seems to be waking up a lot more to missionary work, and I'm excited. Anyways, it's been good. Please pray for Alexa and Yulieth! They're are newly baptized members, and also for Yaline. She's preparing for baptism in June

- Elder Wride

(Elder Wride's mom here, "Always You" is the song title, the artist is We are Messengers)

Week 69: Temple Trip Take Two

So last week I wrote about Alexa getting baptized right? Well last Saturday we all went to the temple. You know how last time we went for Yulieth, they closed as soon as we got there because the plumbing was backed up? (It's a 2 hour drive there and 2 hours back) Well we got to go with Yulieth again and got to bring Alexa this time. They drove up together and we rode with another member who went earlier, and so we got there in time for the endowment session as well. It was my first time doing any ordinances in the temple in 15 months. It was so good to be back. After the endowment we got to do baptisms with Yulieth and Alexa, and they both shared their testimonies in church yesterday about their experiences. It was so cool. It's incredible. I wish everybody was like them. They actually kept commitments and decided to plant the seed to see if it grows. It makes me think of Elder Bednars talk last conference, speaking about the message of the restoration, he said "I invite all to learn about and prove this message." I remember having doubts before the mission for a time  and then during the mission, and I don't understand why I spent so much time just wallowing in darkness and doubt. Like, do you really wanna know if it's true? Prove it, test it, read, get moving.

Anyways, looking back, I still think those struggles were necessary, and I wouldn't remove them if I could, but I also dont want to go back to where I was. I'd rather stay in the light.

Yesterday we went to the hospital to give someone a blessing, and as we were walking in, this guy stopped us to chat. At first we thought he was a member, cuz he seemed really familiar with missionaries, but then he was like "have you guys ever studied protestantism?" And then started trying to bash us. It lowkey just made me laugh, but I also just think it's funny to watch people try to defend solascriptura. We didn't talk long, but he got our number and said he'd send us some videos.

Also we have another friend named Yaline who is just so amazing. She knows a lot about the Bible, and is getting baptized next month! She loves the Book of Mormon and last visit we taught her the plan of salvation, and the kingdoms of glory. It was so awesome, because it was all completely new bit so powerful. It was funny because after teaching all of it, her friend came over, and then she was like "teach all of that again. That was beautiful." She's awesome. Please pray for her as she prepares for baptism!

- Elder Wride

Week 67 and 68: Alexa was baptized!!

The past 2 weeks were great! Sorry I didn't write last week, but I didn't have much to say. But Alexa was baptized this week! It was so fun to teach her. She and her husband have been married for about 9 months, and her husband is a member. It was so fun to teach them, and her husband baptized her on saturday. So that was awesome. She had come to church for like 2 months before we ever started teaching her, and in our first lesson she talked about wanting to be sealed in the temple. I've loved it here in Odessa, both of the people I've taught and that were baptized have been the most prepared people I've taught on my mission. Yulieth and Alexa are the best. The Bishop gave Yulieth a ward calling after her baptism, and now she makes the pictures for each person's baptism. So she made a picture of Alexa being baptized on her program. The heater for the water doesn't work though so we had to boil multiple pots of water in the kitchen and pour those in the font.

Week 66: PS, one more thing!

I forgot to write that I became an uncle this week! When I started my mission, none of my siblings were married, and now two of them are married, and Joe and Eliza just met their baby girl.

Week 66: Odessa take 2

So I spent 4 transfers in my 1st area, 3 transfers in my 2nd area, and 2 transfers in my 3rd area, so part of me thought I was going to one and done here in Odessa, but I'm staying here! The pattern is broken. My comp is staying too, so nothing changed for us. Our district barely even changed at all. I honestly don't have a lot to write today. But this transfers taught me a lot about patience, humility, confidence, etc. We were able to help Yulieth get baptized and go to the temple, and our friend Alexa is planning on her baptism on the 10th. Her husband is preparing to baptize her, and it's just awesome. I love teaching prepared people

The other Elders don't have a wash and so they have to use ours and then they spilled laundry detergent everywhere. Spent a while cleaning that up. And dumped ice water on my head because I was nominated for the USC speak your mind challenge

- Elder Wride 

Week 65: because I forgot to send it last week

So we went to the temple which was good! It was kind if unfortunate because the plumbing got backed up, so we werent able to do any ordinances or anything, but Yulieth got there early enough to do 3 confirmations, so it was worth the 2 hour drive. We're so spoiled in Utah, we have so many temples. It's the best. We have 2 other friends on date for baptism, which has been pretty fun, because they're all so prepared. One of our friends who we just put on date brought 3 other people to Church on Sunday, and they all loved the Easter service. Anyways, it's just amazing to be out here. Not much else to say, other than his work is rolling forth here in Odessa Texas. Love you guys!!

- Elder Wride