Summer is most definitely
coming here in the Columbia Basin. The winter ended early so it has been
warming up extremely fast and as such, the barbeques are starting to come out.
Well, I guess, more barbeques are starting to come out. There are a few devoted
people who will have a barbeque if its 20 or 120 outside but on the whole there
has been a lot of barbecuing this week. Sunday (a week ago) our bishop gave us
each half a chicken smoked to perfection, followed on Monday with some carne
asada we threw together as a zone for a zone p-day which was a blast. Friday,
we had dinner with another couple that gave us some more barbeque (there was
sauce dripping off the chicken - it was unbelievable). Sunday (yesterday)
followed up with almost a double-whammy of more BBQ when a guy we had tracted
into the week prior invited us to his daughter's 1 year old birthday party and
more or less commanded us to have some steak with them. It ended up not panning
out for one reason or another but it was for the best because that night the
bishop's brother had us over for dinner and smoked even more chicken to
perfection. We each had a whole chicken and then took two more home for later.
It has been a glorious week of sauces and seasonings on the barbeque for Elder
Kupferer. He just has to run 5 miles a day now to work it all off.
And in other news, my
companion and I got to experience what it was like being on the other side of
the door this week. We were sitting there finishing our comp study one morning
when we hear a knock on our door and much to our surprise there was an elderly
couple from a local church inviting us to their services. If I wasn't on a
mission and already had a prior engagement at the time, I think I might
actually go. They were super nice. It was a little different on the receiving
end of proselyting like that. I just felt bad because there were two more sets
of missionaries in the apartment complex the couple would have to knock
into.
So in regards to the more
spiritual side of things as opposed to the sauces and seasonings of summers'
barbeques, this week we had a really cool experience with a guy named Dave (not
actually his name.) This past few weeks since the family we were working with
got baptized, we didn't have much to do so we have been finding a lot. It was
kind of frustrating because we had tried so hard but we weren't seeing much
come of it, until this week. Long story short Dave's best friend just got out
of jail and they are both looking to turn their lives around and come closer to
God. Dave's friend had grown up in the church and so they decided to turn there
for some answers and help in leaving the past behind and we had the opportunity
to teach them. We saw them twice this week and it was a super inspiring lesson.
We did our best to teach simply and were able to watch as Dave made the
connections himself and was taught from on high and apply what he was learning.
By the end of the lesson, he - for all intents and purposes - invited himself
to be baptized on a specific date we had mentioned previously to him. I am so
stoked for the chance to meet with him more often and continue working with
him. It was a great blessing for us to see that we work hard and do what we
can, then the Lord will make up the rest and bless us on His time table with
what he deems fitting. I am glad we were deemed fitting enough for such a
special opportunity.
Just a side note about the
lesson. On the outside looking in, it was a pretty comical sight the night we
taught them. They both had rough pasts and looked the part, then there were two
missionaries - relatively the same age - dressed in white shirts and ties, and
then their grandparents looking on. It was a sight to behold.
And for the quote this week
it comes in two parts. Part one is the principle applied from the movie
"Field of Dreams" (did I cite that right? I guess I wasn't paying
enough attention in English class). The Pasco North Stake has been working very
diligently to establish a good system of correlation and unity with the members
and the missionaries in hopes of the following:
"If you build it, they will come."
With that system in place,
they are showing to the Lord their diligence and desire to have people to teach
and more people come unto Christ through baptism. Last night we were meeting
with a member so my companion could say goodbye (he is getting transferred
Wednesday) and we made a comment about it and in an offhand response he said:
"Who needs a program? Just do it."
Since I respect and admire
both of the men with whom these quotes are involved, I will stay out of this
one and just do my thing down here in Othello. But may you all leave feeling
inspired to try something new and then go out and
"just do it."
Elder Kupferer
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