The Blessing- Week 52

It was another really busy week! Elder Palmer is incredible! If I wasn't told ahead of time that he was just barely coming out to the field then I would definitely think he was a seasoned veteran of the sport (missionary work, because it is like a sport in regards to you have to work really hard, follow the rules of the game, and have a ton of fun, you see how that works? Good deal😇)

We are seeing so many people and teaching almost all day everyday! These people are just so humble and wonderful that it makes it near impossible not to love them with your whole heart! 

Once again, there are far too many miracles and so many hearts changed to be able to write about them all but here is one great one from this last week:

Franklin and the Stanforth family:

Franklin is an 18 year old young man who is currently living with the family of his girlfriend, the Stanforths due to some poor living conditions from his own home. They just moved here about a month ago from Washington. The mother and all of the children are members but the father and Franklin are not. Franklin began taking the lessons with some sister missionaries from Washington but they ended up only teaching a few principles covering the Restoration of the Gospel and some points of the Plan of Salvation. We set a baptismal date with him for July 31st. 

Sister Stanforth has been trying to share the gospel with Brother Stanforth since they got married and thus far Brother Stanforth has been supportive but does not want to be a member or anything. He comes to church with them often and is a really kind and fun man. We went over this week to give Sister Stanforth a blessing for a migraine she had for nearly a week and while we were there she told us a bit more about her husband and how over the years, he has always been cordial toward the missionaries but when anyone from the church started a lesson he would just quietly leave the room. We had an appointment scheduled for that night to have dinner with them and have a lesson following.

Based on that, were expecting to have a similar experience when we taught. We had a great dinner and wonderful conversation with all of them and started teaching about the Plan of Salvation afterwards like planned. Everything was going really well, Franklin was really receptive and eager for everything we were saying and asking questions. Not long after we started Brother Stanforth came in, sat down next to his wife, wrapped his arm around her and they were just beaming:) I made eye contact with Sister Stanforth and she just made a shocked/ecstatic expression like "I'm not sure what just happened but I am loving this!". He stayed for the whole lesson. 

We went back a few days later for another lesson talking about the 10 commandments and CPR (Church, Pray, Read). He sat in with us for that entire lesson and contributed a lot to the conversation!

We definitely saw and are seeing a softening and changing of his heart and it was such a spiritual and powerful and touching thing to be able to witness. God truly is wonderful and He works in such glorious and mysterious ways.

Keep the faith,

Elder Ricks