April 14, 2014

We had a pretty good week here in DeForest. It was filled with a lot of different things and we had some great miracles happen. We did two exchanges this week, one with the Beaver Dam Elders, and the other with the Sun Prairie Elders. These two exchanges filled up our week well and a lot was accomplished because of it.

I have to start off with the sad news. On Tuesday morning we were driving to the church building to go to District Meeting. As we were driving through the farm land and going over the dozen blind hills we were enjoying the beautiful day, all was well. I crested a hill, saw a squirrel, and couldn't react fast enough to brake or steer away (it’s a 1 lane road on a blind hill, so swerving wasn't an option.) The poor squirrel took a little trip with the front left tire, around the wheel well and back down on the road, flat, and dead. The squirrel made an impressive noise as my companion and I went from calm and peaceful to all out shock as we took in what had just happened in the blink of an eye. This was my first roadkill in my entire history of driving. Remember when I was in da U.P and a deer jumped in front of our truck as we were driving to church, good thing we missed the deer. But the squirrel had no hope. It made for an interesting day.

But now I'm being haunted by a squirrel spirit. On the same day that I killed the squirrel, an albino squirrel appears on our neighbor’s property. This white furred squirrel looks so cool (I would send a picture but sadly my camera took a fall this week and it died. So I need to get a new camera. Why is my email all about squirrels and death?) We talked to a member about the squirrel and they told us that DeForest has four albino squirrels and all four hang out in very distinct spots, not near each other but separated, they are territorial. J  The Squirrel spirit is out to get me, repent ye repent!!! Alma 34:33-35

Guess what! DeForest has a baptism on Saturday the 19th. His name is M and he's 9 years old. He is from a part member/less active family. What makes this story so amazing and successful is that we first reactivated the family, and then began teaching M and now we get to enjoy the fruit of our labor as we get to see M get baptized on Saturday. He is so cool and loves video games, cheese and goofing off. Teaching a 9 year old can be a bit difficult because of a short attention span, but he also impresses us because he soaks up the gospel really well, he currently is on 2 Nephi. It was also interesting teaching him the Law of Chastity that was different, and fun! At our last lesson with M, we asked him if he felt like the Book of Mormon was true. His reply was "well of course it’s true!" Dang right it is! The Book of Mormon is true, the Prophet Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God, and this Church is absolutely 100% true! M knows it, and to see him get baptized is proof that he knows is and wants to act upon it. Amen.

Scripture for the week: Alma 5:62

 62 I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life.

Thank you all, enjoy your week, enjoy your Easter, and enjoy yourself in celebrating the: Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection of our Savior - Jesus Christ.

Elder Luymes