Wow, cool!!! I'm sitting here at the computer and we just got a media referral from someone that has requested to meet with us through Mormon.org. That is my second Media Referral my whole mission! Sweet! In other news, Elder Allen and I had a pretty great week, we taught 23 "other lessons" which is 12 lessons above our goal, so we are pretty happy with that. We are also seeing the members become more involved in the work as we have been inviting more of them to join with us in prayer to accomplish the mission vision. We are also inviting them to act by reaching out to one person whom they know are interested in the church and are prepared to meet with us. J August should be a very good month for us. And mission tour is next week, hurray!

Aren't we handsome! We got caught in the pouring rain and had
to find a public bathroom to dry off.

Hey that's me!

On Thursday, we had a lesson with a man that we had found a week earlier by tracting. On this Thursday lesson the man recalled some of his past interactions with the church. One of them being that his best friend while he was a Marine serving in the Vietnam War was a Mormon. He told us about a few other interactions he had from the church and how he owns a 1916 copy of the Book of Mormon. Then he kind of got excited and said "but the most important and the one that I remember the best is when I helped design and build your churches Washington DC Temple!" Elder Allen and I kind of had a "what the?" moment. B___ then tells the story of how he was an engineer and he was hired by the church to be the main engineer for all the concrete of the Washington DC Temple. How cool is that!?!? B___ told us that of all the projects that he ever worked on, the Temple was the highlight of his career. He said it was more fun, more advanced, and much more rewarding (in terms of personal accomplishment not money). He told us all about some of the engineering feats and miracles that he witnessed as he was working on the project. He complimented the church on their respect for sacredness and the demand for high quality work. Isn't that cool, B___'s whole life he has had close Mormon friends and he was also able to work on a temple. When we taught him on Thursday we gave him a new copy of the Book of Mormon and we invited him to read a chapter a day. There are few better spiritual experiences than the blessing of being in a Temple. B___ told us that before the Temple was dedicated he was able to go inside and see the rooms and the artwork and many of the other main features of the Washington DC Temple.

A funny moment: yesterday as us four Elders were driving to church in the morning. We drove by a local fast food restaurant called Taco John. To our wonderful surprise we saw a woman driving her red medical scooter through the drive-in. We instantly busted into laughter. I begged the driver to turn around so that we could all get a picture but unfortunate that didn't happen. It was very funny and the four of us walked into church with large smiles on our face. We shared the moment with some of the youth and it just made for a great start to our Sunday services.

Scripture for the week: Alma 5: 26-35

 26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

 27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

 28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.

 29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.

 30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?

 31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

 32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord God hath spoken it!

 33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.

 34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;

 35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire—

Thank you all for your prayers and your contribution to building the Kingdom of God.

Love,

Elder Luymes