"How many friends did I share the Gospel with?"

I had a pretty good week. Friday, during weekly planning, really made my week. Last week you could probably tell I was getting frustrated. This area is so small and we are running into the same people over and over again. We decided to try places where missionaries have never been before but the houses are few and far between-- very far between. The other day we were tracting a road (a highway really) and in our 4+ hour block we maybe knocked and/or passed 20 homes; and we were soaked in sweat to the point where it LITERALLY looked like we jumped into a swimming pool. I was frustrated because I felt that that was working harder not smarter. But what else were we to do? Granted, we found a few potentials, but that's it.

So the reason why Friday was so good was because during weekly planning I realized that all the investigators we have were from members-- and they all have really good potential. It's gonna take them a little while to get to baptism but they will get there. I am so grateful for this ward. I feel like they have really done so much for us. I know member missionary work is hard but they are truly trying. We can't expect things to change over night. It takes persistence. A lot of missionaries don't realize that. We can't just expect the members to 1: trust us the moment we get to an area; 2: find a billion people for us to teach right away; or 3: even know how to do member missionary work. I look at myself back home and ask, "How many friends did I share the gospel with?" That really puts it into perspective and helps me be a lot more patient. Besides, we can't just jump on people to take the lessons.

Ok, enough of my ranting. I'm just grateful for where this work is starting to take itself. It's hard when your Zone Leaders are on your back about not finding enough "new investigators" and you're doing your best, but it'll all be worth it at the finish line, when you've tried your absolute best, and you look back and see the effect you've made. The next 99 days are gonna be hard. But if I work harder, when all is said and done, it's gonna be so sweet.

Yesterday one of our "new investigators" (who one would describe as a hardened Marine) told his wife (a member) how our first run-in with him went. "When they first came over I was being really rude and was gonna run em off... but then they started talking about my bike (motorcycle), and that got me," he said pointing to his heart.

It was a cool testimony builder on how, we need to find common ground and become friends with these wonderful people; not just treat them like "lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic" like Elder Holland says.

I love you more!

-Elder Bubba