SUNDAY #14

Sunday #14

     THE SIGNS ARE STARTING TO WORK‼  and they have only  been up 1 week. During the week we learned from the sister missionaries that at least two people have asked for building tours because of these signs. Hopefully they will work even more when the fall semester comes. I hope that is just the beginning.‼!  Elder Judd will start working on the pillar signs telling everyone that this is the Institute of Religion.  We want everyone to know who we are.

    My choice for last Thursday’s meal was a rice, black bean, corn and chicken dish served on corn chips with salsa  and sour cream and a peanut butter bar for dessert.  All day long I stewed about how awful it was looking and smelling. Elder Judd loved the way it smelled and looked. It had taco seasoning, onion and chicken bullion in it.  However, I was still gagging as I cooked it When it was served we thought the students were going to knock us down getting to it and then they ate it all.  That didn’t help my feeling about it and Elder Judd was sad that there were no left-overs.  Apparently, people here in Florida like a lot of beans and rice. Who would have guessed???  Sister Tollerton(Mission secretary) said it was like a Cuban dish..

  We did not leave the Institute on Thursday till about 11 pm and we were both really tired.  I cook the meal for the students, Elder Judd teaches, we set up  the meal, clean up, socialize with the students and  then Elder Judd plays volley ball until 10:30 or 11pm I watch from the side line.  The students have a great time with the volley ball, everyone who wants to plays which is usually 24 individuals plays.  It is fun to watch them interact with one another.

  We are getting rain shower generally every day with lightening and thunder.  I know everyone told us about this but is so unusual.  Half the time the sun shines in one area while it is cloudy in another.  Some people say there front yard is sunny and the back yard is being rained on.  And it is true‼

Elder Judd classes:

Missionary Prep went well- the subject was how faith grows and the importance of physical and emotional preparation is important.  Elder and Sister Severinson helped in this discussion.  The Isaiah class went really well because he involved the students more in learning about the prophecies about the latter days.  Elder Judd has about 10-15 regularly attending both classes and that is really a sign. He loves to teach‼

Elder Judd:

 We left for Orlando and our meeting with Florida’s early morning Seminary teachers, about 120 of them.  There was an opening session by Brother Patrick and then three sessions to choose from each hour for three hours.  I taught two of those sessions with power point on the subject of  “The Importance of the Background and Setting of the Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.” Sister Judd said it went very well.  I am so grateful to the Lord for the inspiration of that subject with came to me as I pondered what I should do in this assignment. I am also grateful for the work on that subject that I have done over the years in preparing and teaching the D&C in the Stake Adult Religion classes.  I have the testimony of the importance of the D&C’s background and setting. After the meeting, Sister Judd and I stopped at the Olive Garden for dinner before driving back to Tampa. This week exhausted us so we sat down at the apartment and watched a movie to relax.

Sunday, we drove to New Port Richey to attend Sacrament meeting where Parker Jeans gave his farewell talk before leaving for his mission to the Idaho Nampa Mission. Parker is the grandson of Bob and Jan Jeans who I baptized in 1965 on my mission in New Hampshire.  That was a joy to see the fruits of a success so many years ago.

At the close of class on Monday Fernando, who was baptized just two weeks was struggling with the mandate that his parents had given him. They threatened to cut off his support if he was determined to serve a mission.  Unknown to us, Fernando began fasting and pleading with the Lord that he could have help to get his parents to change their minds.  I know that he fasted at least three days this past week. He is truly a young man of great faith.  I encouraged him and testified that the Lord could do more for him behind the scenes that he could up front if he remained faithful and sought the Lord’s help. On Thursday, as he came in for class, he was very upbeat. His mother was so upset over Fernando’s baptism and plans for a mission she was not eating and getting sick. He said that his parent’s had called a close friend in another city for advise of what to do about their son. This friend is a very well known writer in Columbia, an announced atheist. When this author friend heard of the problem, he set the phone down and drove two hours to their home to talk to them.  When he arrived he told them that his own daughter, after looking all over for a church that had some true character, she had discovered the LDS Church as was deeply impressed with its people, organization, and teachings.  This atheist author told them that they should not be too concern for, from what his daughter had said, there could not be a better church to be a part of.  These words changed their anxiety into relief and they called Fernando and told him they were rethinking their direction.  What a testimony of the power of the Lord to change things that are totally out of our control. Fernando’s faith is incredible and his desire is to do what the Lord wants of him. The Lord heard his prayer and did for him what he could never have done on his own.

    We both have felt the spirit that this young man radiates. No matter where the Lords sends him, he will be a great asset to His work. 

    Sister Goodman and Sister Wheeler invited us to join them for a lesson they were teaching to an Egyptian Copt Christian and his nephew who just arrived from Alexandria, Egypt.  Momdouh and Joseph are very gentle and kind people.  When Sister Goodman realized Momdouh had not read the Book of Mormon for the day, she decided to forgo the planned lesson on the Word of Wisdom and read the Book of Mormon with him.  Sister Goodman did a masterful job with the first 12 verses of 1Nephi as she taught him the importance of reading the Book of Mormon to invite the Spirit and come to know the book was a true record of scripture. She likened Momdouh to Lehi who was given a book by Christ and told to read it.  The sisters invited us to bare our testimonies which we did. After the lesson, Sister Judd and I spoke with them about Egypt and our love for the people and what little we know about Arabic. We had a good experience and hope that we made a connection with them and hope that Momdouh continues to progress toward baptism

    We have enjoyed the two sisters missionaries(one is from Park City –Sister Howard and  the other is from California -- Sister Miller) that come to the YSA ward.  They are on the ball and excited about meeting new people and sharing the gospel.  We think that Megan looks like one of them and she also has the same excitement for the gospel. It is fun to have them around to remind us of our beautiful granddaughter from St. George.