Monday, September 13, 2010

Greetings from MT- Monday, September 13, 2010

Hey Everyone,

Well another week has flown by. We had a pretty busy week this week and I can't believe it's pday already. Our week started in Lewistown for pday and district meeting Mon. and Tues. and then it was back to our area. The dirt road that saves us 35 miles one way and about a half hour or so of time was closed due to a rock slide so we had to go through Denton and to Ft. Benton and then up to Havre. If you look at the map it's way out of our way and not as direct as the dirt road. It was a boring drive and like I said it takes longer. You feel like you should almost be there when you get to Ft. Benton but then you realize you're only about 25 miles or so out of GF. We made it home though and we were able to have a good night with ward splits. On splits I went with Bro. B. He's the one that let us stay in their house while they were in Maine. We had a set appointment with our investigator C and when I told him that as we were driving over there he said wait, what's her last name? I told him and he said he had just hired her to work at the Boys and Girls club. I apologized and told him I hope this wasn't going to be awkward for him and he said no it's ok I'm just glad I hired her or that would be awkward. haha. She was pretty surprised when I showed up with her new boss. She said "This keeps happening to me. I go to the dentist and the doctors and I think to myself they must be Mormon, and then I went to church and they were. Then I go for a job interview and think this guy seems Mormon and now I find out he is". It was pretty funny. We had a really good lesson with her about the atonement. It's amazing how different people view the atonement and how their focus is more on the cross than what Christ did in the garden. But when you think about it that was just the ending to the atonement not the bulk of it. I think after our lesson she understands things a lot more.

Wed. was a pretty good day. We were asked to go the library to take a survey the church wanted us to take about the toughest questions we get asked. Well we were there at the right time because a less active member from Rocky Boy Res. came up to us and asked for a Book of Mormon so that was good to be able to get it to him. We went tracting in the evening time and ran into an interesting man. He automatically started to go off on us and tell us all these things we supposedly believe. He told us he was Born Again Christian which in my experience are always the ones that want to argue because they believe you don't have to do anything but accept Christ to be saved where as we believe our works are what help us use what Christ has done for us and take advantage of that mercy. So he kept going off and this was Elder Whitlock's first confrontational person so kind of tried to go at him with some scriptures and things but the guy was obviously not going to listen so it was pointless. Elder Whitlock finally realized this and after a while we were just trying to figure out in our minds the best way to get off his door step peacefully and politely. He kept saying that our church is a church of deceit and lies and that we know we are trying to lead people astray. He told us that we go to a school of deceit to learn how to trick people. When I just tried to smile at him he said SEE, that's what they teach you to do! You're trying to deceive me! It ended up all coming around as he kept talking at us not to us that his wife was LDS and that when he wouldn't convert and get married in the temple she left him. So pretty much we just think he's bitter and angry. It made for a good laugh later because of all the garbage he was saying. He told us we believe Christ only died for half our sins and we have to work for the rest. When I tried to bear my testimony against that he just interrupted me and that's when I knew 1/8 into the conversation that this was going no where. Like I said though it made for a good laugh later. That has only happened three times on my mission and all three were Born Agains.

Wed. night we ate at the B's and she made us some authentic Maine fishish soup. It pretty much was this awesome soup that had all sorts of seafood in it. I thought of Dad when I ate it and how he would have really liked it.

We had a really good lesson in Chinook this week with this lady in her 50's named B. We had an older member couple with us that is good friends with her and she opened up way more than she ever had. We were able to talk about a lot of things and despite her not coming to church yesterday I think we are making headway. It also reaffirmed my testimony in taking members to lessons. It's amazing how much better they work. We ate at Sis. H's on Sat. She ordered a bunch of ribs from the Eagles Club bbq. They were really good. At church yesterday I found out there is a BYU fan in Havre. Bro. S. He was wearing his BYU tie to show he wasn't fair weathered. He told me about the game. It was sad to hear but really not that bad. I guess when you just hear about it it's almost like it didn't even happen. I told Elder Whitlock if I was at home right now I'd still be angry and have a nasty pit in my stomach. haha But when I'm not there to witness it it's almost like it never happened. I hope they can bounce back with a win at FSU but It'll be tough. It sounds like AF has a good team this year. I'm excited to get my shirt this week. Also good to hear the Cards and the Seahawks won.

We were able to play tennis with the Lewistown Elders and Bro. P today. We also went to seminary because they were talking about D&C 4. We cooked them breakfast too. We made German Pancakes. Everyone really liked them. Sis. P payed for all the food we just had to come make it this morning. They have a great group of youth in the Havre Ward who are more missionary minded than the adults at times. I don't know if I mentioned that girl we met at the P's who wants to be baptized but is waiting for 3 years till she turns 18 because her mom won't let her. Well she is now living with her dad and a custody battle is going down. So the Ps and us are all praying everything will work out for the better and she can go live with her dad and get baptized. So more info to come for sure.

Oh also went to the CES fireside last night. Elder Scott was pretty funny when talking about how taking a date to a movie is a stupid idea. haha. It's funny how I was able to relate a lot of his message that was directed to marriage to being on a mission with a companion. Elder Whitlock can be a perfectionist at times and it can be frustrating at times but we are still able to get over that and look past it and do good work. Well I hope you all have a great week. Thanks for the emails. Hope to hear from you all again soon and I'll talk to you later.

-Elder Davis

PS we got a typewriter from the Ltown apartment and bought some ink for it and it works like new. So hopefully I'll be able to bust out some good letters with it.

Go Cougs! Beat FSU!

mitchell.davis@myldsmail.net

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