{5.9.16} The Halfway House

Mother's Day Call!
Not the greatest pic... but the Greatest Call!
Loved hearing him speak Spanish to la familia

Since Mothers Day was yesterday, I'm all talked out. Also, I have a lot of stuff I need to do today so this email will be pretty short! Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there, and thanks to everyone who still reads my weekly epistles.

I just want to share a cool experience I had this week. In the Zone, we did "District Blitzes" where everyone goes and knocks in a specific companionships area to help them find new friends to teach and share the gospel with. During a blitz on Saturday, I was knocking with Elder Duvinston (awesome Haitian kid from Jersey, his dad got baptized last week!) and We knocked into a HalfWay house without knowing. 3 guys were coming out of the house. At first glance, you could  tell they'd been through some things. We offered to say a prayer, and they accepted. They all asked for one thing: "Pray that we can stay sober." So we did. One of them left quickly; he obviously felt uncomfortable, for reasons I don't care to know or judge. But, we kept talking with the other two, asking how they felt. They opened up pretty quick. One was from Philly, the other from Jersey, both super handsome guys not much older than me. One was super clean cut, with icy blue gun fighter eyes, and the other had a long hair and a neatly trimmed beard. They talked to us about their experiences with AA, how far they've come, how much temptation is in the world, and that in the AA it's very Faith Based. We were able to invite them to church, talk about baptism, and coming closer to God. We left them with all the information they needed. Halfway houses won't let you come in and teach, and with everything goin on they may not find their way to church for awhile. But I definitely felt my purpose fulfilled and walked away feeling edified.

Elder Cutler, Elder Adams, Elder Johns, Elder Foster, Elder Schaugaard
 "visiting" the ocean...just looking...not touching the sand or the water!
Thankful for their obedience

Because in reality, in our own way, are we not all the lost sheep at times? Do we not all have our "prodigal experience?" I know for me, I had countless experiences where people spoke to me and shared things we me that I knew came from God, but I did nothing at the time. But those moments always stayed with me, until a later date when I decided to change, or decided to pray, or decided to ask for help. It's important to remember, No Effort is ever wasted.

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

3641 Turtle Run Blvd

Apt #913

Coral Springs, FL 33067