was awesome! For this past week Elder Tippetts and I had another
companion, his name is Elder Spence. We had to shuffle some
missionaries around in the Zone, and Elder Spence got to be with us.
It was so fun having him! It made for a really fun hard working week.
We also found out our transfer information on Saturday, and Elder
Tippetts and I are staying together here in Cheyenne for another six
weeks! I am so pumped to be with him for another transfer, but they
threw in a twist. We are also getting another companion, so we will
be in a threesome. His name is Elder Masaniai. Things should be
good! Threesomes are always a good time, and I'm excited for this
upcoming transfer!
We were able to teach Janet six times this week! She is
honestly one of the first investigators on my mission who has been
willing and wants to meet with us daily. It was awesome! Every
lesson we have been focusing mainly on the Book Of Mormon, and
stressing her reading. We know that when she reads consistently, she
will feel more comfortable attending church, and conversion will
follow. I love knowing with confidence that if someone reads from The
Book Of Mormon with an open heart and with real intent, they will be
converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The power of The Book Of
Mormon is absolutely incredible. Janet is truly starting on her path
to conversion, and it is amazing to see it take place. Her reading is
going very well, and she is reading consistently! We talked with her
each time we met how her Book Of Mormon reading went, and we had some
really good discussions! She is slowly but surely continuing on the
path of conversion, and I know she will be comfortable coming to
church soon! I am so glad I get to stay here to continue working with
her. We are planning to meet with her every day for this next week as
well, and we are going to continue to work with her, I can't wait!!
We had some really good service this week. We helped a less
active family, the Chapman's, take their trailer down to the recycling
pits to throw a bunch of trash away. It was awesome! We also went
and helped the Gregory's, a non member couple, spread a bunch of mulch
in their front yard. They were so grateful for the help! We are also
helping them clean out a barn on their property this week, so it will
be a good one! We are waiting for a good opportunity to ask them if
they would like to take the lessons, and learn more about our church.
The Chapman's came to church this past Sunday! We will continue to
work with them as well. We know that as we demonstrate Christlike
service, that it softens hearts. It is amazing to see that work in
God's children!
Elder Tippetts got an email from a bishop in Longmont,
telling him some homeless people that he had worked with last transfer
were moving to Cheyenne. They are in the Capitol Hill Ward, so we
took the other elders serving in that ward down to the Motel 6 where
they were staying. We got there and it was a pretty bad situation.
They had no food, the wife was pregnant, and they were being driven
crazy because of hunger. We talked to them for a little bit, and they
said they tried to call the bishop in the area, and he didn't answer.
They were about to give up all hope when we showed up! They explained
to us their story and the trials they have gone through, they have had
it pretty rough. We tried calling some members of the ward, with no
success...... but we knew it was in our hands. We rushed over to
Walmart, and with all five of us pitching in money, we bought them a
bunch of food! We rushed back and gave them the food. They were
absolutely overly grateful for the food. They asked for a scripture
off the top of one of our heads, so I immediately blurted out Helaman
5:12. They read it out loud, from The Book Of Mormon we gave them,
and it hit home. They were crying and it really explained their life.
We promise them that as they trust in Jesus Christ, they can push
through every trial! It was a really cool experience. The ward is
helping them out a lot now, so they are in good hands. It was awesome
to help them out so much for doing so little!
While we were Tracting a bunch this week, we ran into a very
inactive man. He was a really nice guy at first, asking where we were
from, and was being very polite. We asked if he was a member, and he
said he was but he stopped going to church six years ago. We asked
him why, and he went off about the things he left the church for. I'm
not going to get into detail, but it was a lot of anti-Mormon stuff he
got into. I've noticed that there are two kinds of less active people
that I have seen and met personally on my mission. First are the ones
who really just fell away because of laziness or they married a non
member or something to that effect. Second are the prideful ones who
elevate themselves above all other church members, and think they have
received new knowledge of things that are incorrect about the church,
mostly because of anti-Mormon literature they run into. This man we
met was the second type. He told us that he had run into new topics
of doctrine that he hadn't ever heard about while growing up, and he
thought it was being hidden from him. It was all the things that
anti-Mormon literature has focused on since the church of restored to
the earth in the year 1830. Polygamy, Joseph Smith, modern-day
prophets, and The Book Of Mormon. He attacked every aspect he could
while talking with us. In the middle of the conversation, I
immediately thought of seeing my dad go through a similar experience
on our front door step a few years ago. Someone in our neighborhood
came over to tell him he had found something knew to disprove Jospeh
Smith was a prophet of God. I saw my dad calmly handle the situation,
he went out of the front porch with him, and testified to him that
nothing could shake his testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith because
of his testimony of the Book Of Mormon. That was powerful to see my
dad do that, and I'm thankful for the example you have set for me dad,
thanks! That instance has stuck with me ever since, and Elder
Tippetts, Elder Spence, and I were in the same situation. We were
able to testify of The Book Of Mormon and how we knew it to be true.
The man wasn't satisfied, but I left the conversation knowing that my
testimony of The Book Of Mormon was stronger than ever! I had the
opportunity to finish our mission wide Book Of Mormon reading
challenge this past Saturday, and I can testify to you with all of my
soul that The Book Of Mormon is the word of God, and that Joseph Smith
is a prophet of God! I didn't experience a huge spiritual experience
as I finished the last chapter of The Book Of Mormon, but I realized
that every single day that I read the Book Of Mormon, I felt of its
truthfulness. Little by little, day by day it built, and honestly
that is how my testimony has grown! Just know that you don't always
have to experience a huge spiritual experience to receive a witness of
truth. I know that these things are true, and this means everything
else is absolutely true, because everything is dependent on the
truthfulness of The Book Of Mormon. I would like to invite all of you
to, when you have questions, seek from the true sources of the Gospel.
The scriptures, church leaders, prayer, etc. It is good to ask
questions, but it is essential to get the answers from the right
sources.
I love you all so much! I'm thankful for the prayers,
support, and love I receive each and every day from all of you. I
hope you guys have a great week this week! Remember that God loves
each of you, and knows you by name!
Love
Elder Bailey
Pics:
1-2 Colorado state line!
3. Elder Tippetts with the G.O.A.T
4-5. Said bye to elder Lamouli and elder Callahan, they're headed home tomorrow!
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