ANOTHER WEEK IN PENDLETON

12 April 2011

Well it was definitely another week in Pendleton,

Elder Liu and I had a great week. Every once in awhile you will have a week like this that just boosts your spirits. We had tender mercies coming from every which way. It was another big testimony builder that the Lord will bless those who are diligently seeking to do His will and striving to do their best with what they have.

I am trying to figure out some of the especially good things that happened this week. I don't think there is anything in particular that stood out to me this week. We were able to accomplish a lot and be led to some of those people who are prepared. We started teaching the girlfriend of one of the less actives . She is just soaking it all in. She kept her commitment and as we were talking with her yesterday, she said "it just makes sense, I had heard your beliefs were crazy but they just make sense and they go along with what I believe." We just about jumped for joy but we kept our cool. The only downside is that she is moving to Portland on the 30th. Hopefully we can get her interested and then pass her off to some other Elders and she will get baptized.

Last Friday we were led to another one of those prepared people. We were tracting and the road came to a fork. We paused for a second and just tried to listen to the Spirit for which way we should go. We both felt left was best direction. The first house we knocked on is this guy who had just moved up here from New Orleans. Hhe is a less active member that got baptized right after hurricane Katrina. He and his two sons got baptized but he has a third son who was in jail at that time. He just got out and they are all living together right now. The first thing Zackery Owens (the less active guy) said to us is that "I used to have Elders come over to my house all the time". We started talking and the non-member son wants to learn more and is really interested. The crazy part is that they had to leave for work in like fifteen minutes and if we would have gone right instead of left they would have gone to work before we got there. There are people waiting and ready. The question is, how hard are we looking?

All of our lessons this week went really good and people are finally starting to keep commitments. We have been tracting a whole lot lately and have had some interesting experiences. We have tracted into the head of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the lady that is a pastor at the Lutheran church, the Bethel Minister, the Baptist Minister, the Catholic Priest, the Assembly of God Minister and we have talked to all the clergy who have a church service in the prison. We have had people call us con artists, told us we are mislead, told us we should have an actual relationship with Christ, ask why we would waste two years, and all kinds of ridiculous things. The best part about it all is that no matter what the situation is, as Elder Liu and I have born pure and simple testimonies, it has confounded even the most stubborn people. There is power in bearing your testimony. I have seen it many times that people can't argue about it, it is what we know to be true. It also strengthens our testimonies of the things that we do know.

Well I hope you all have a wonderful week. Remember to replace fear with faith, do you best and bear testimony of the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ whenever you can. At this Easter season there is no better chance to share your testimony of the Savior. Be ye not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. (2 timothy 1:7-8).

Love,

Elder M. Scott Draper