Elder Kyle Houssian: Week #40

Howdy everyone! I apologize again for this being so late. I made a goal to get this done before P Day so that I don't leave y'all hanging! I hope your week was great and those who are on spring break are enjoying it!

So Elder Bannagao is an awesome missionary. We get along really well and he likes to work hard too so we are pounding pavement every day! He's athletic (he's 5'7" and can grab the rim on a basketball hoop)! He's an animal haha I'll send a picture of us!

We had an awesome miracle this week. There is an investigator named Joey who was progressing really well, but had to stop taking lessons for a bit because she races Go-Karts and Razors across the state and even in some other states as well! She's a boss haha. She told the missionaries to come back at the end of March, so last transfer Boudi and I went to try and find her again but no answer. Then this past week, we pulled up to her house and she was walking out to get her mail. We stopped to talk to her and she was really excited, then said "I don't know why I went out to get the mail, it's 2 in the afternoon". It was pretty funny. We answered her questions, set a return appointment, and asked if she'd read the Book of Mormon. She said she would, and then read 14 chapters in one day and asked us a bunch of questions, it was awesome! Then at our return appointment, she scheduled us for 5 more return appointments, as well as the next 2 Sundays of church! She's progressing really well.

This week has also been a week of a lot of firsts! And by firsts, I mean for my Filipino companion! We went to Sonic, Wendy's, the Nevada Las Vegas West mission (doctor's appointment haha) and the notorious Faustos. He did really well with all of the food, but Faustos (a Mexican place) got him pretty good. He wasn't feeling so good the rest of that day! But it was awesome haha he enjoyed it and we've been getting really close as a companionship.

And of course, the highlight of the week. One of my investigators from my last area, Amanda, was baptized on Saturday. Her husband performed the baptism and it was wonderful. The Spirit was strong and it hit me really hard. Also, like half the mission showed up to this baptism because she had been taught on and off for over a year! So tons of missionaries came to support her!

My spiritual thought comes from D&C 84:88, which reads:

88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

I love this promise given by the Lord. This isn't just for missionaries, this is for EVERYONE. God will deliver us. He will help us. No matter what we are going through, He will be there with us, He will comfort us through the Spirit, and He will surround us with angels and lift us up. We will have the confidence to stand firm in our faith no matter what opposition we face. I know this to be true Brothers and Sisters. I know we have a loving Father in Heaven who wants the absolute best for us. He loves to see us grow and improve. He loves to see us succeed. And when we don't, he loves us even more. His love grows bigger and bigger as He helps one of His fallen sons or daughters get back up on their feet and keep pushing forward. We have to trust in Him and have the faith that He will bear us up and fill our hearts with the Spirit, and as we show that faith and trust, He will do exactly that. I know these things to be true, and I say them in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.

I love y'all so much and hope y'all have a wonderful week this week! Until next week!

Elder Houssian