This week was pretty fantastic. I've been doing a couple of
things differently to get myself more involved and invested in
missionary work on every level. We've really seen the work start picks
up this week here in Sundance and Moorcroft. There are definitely many
things that the Lord is putting into motion in this part of his
vineyard and I feel privileged to witness them.
Last preparation day was fantastic because I found out that Elder
Thomas has a bunch of our approved music that I don't have so we
ripped everything off his CDs and put them on our flash drives. The
best part of it was he had a recording of one of my favorite choir
pieces, My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee! You should all take
some time to read 3 Nephi 22 and D&C 122, many of the lyrics come from
there. I'm so happy to have it now!
Wednesday was super rad! We went tracting and found a part member
family that no one knew about! They moved here in Spetember and he is
just ordained a teacher. His fiancé isn't a member and their kids are
too young to be baptized. We talked with them and he asked how old
they have to be to be baptized and she asked what the process would be
for her to get baptized! We set up an appointment and invited them to
church and got his information to request his records to be
transferred. When we left, we knocked on the neighbor's trailer and he
said he'd love to learn about our church but he's leaving to Canada
for the rest of the year, so we'll get back in contact with him then
haha! We also had our first lesson with the Tom, Alisha and their
daughter Hayley! We tracted into Hayley and she said her family used
to talk with the missionaries and that we should come back when her
parents were home. We did and they were interested again! We started
talking with them about the Restoration and then he started telling us
about his religious background and just started asking us questions
about our church! And they were good questions, the ones that aren't
unanswerable or unnecessary! He asked us what time church was, where
it was and promised to be there. It was grand.
Thanksgiving was definitely filling. We had a lunch at 1 with the
Gennings and some non member friends and family, and then another mean
at 3 at the Skeens' house! So much turkey. Plenty of leftovers too.
Sis Skeens bought chalkboard tablecloths and after dinner we decorated
them. Everyone else drew pictures and the usual things....I wrote out
a grand staff with half the music to one of my favorite barbershop
songs, Ebb Tide, from memory haha! I still find ways to enjoy
barbershop out here 😉
Friday we helped the part member family move from one trailer to
another in the same little park win the help of some of the Lawrence
boys. We got lots done and they were really grateful and were
impressed by the help we gave. After we stopped by the Lawrence's home
to meet Tyrell, he got home from his mission to Brazil on Thanksgiving
Day! He asked us to brief him on the work that's going on here and
wants to go with us on visits often, so we'll definitely use him a
lot. On Saturday we did our weekly planning because Thursday and
Friday were packed. We went around trying to contact a bunch of
investigators but no one was home. At the last one, before we headed
back to the church, we decided to knock on his neighbor's door before
we left. We found a really nice lady that hasn't lived here for long
and is looking for a church! We told her about the restoration and
offered to teach her more about it and she agreed.
This was probably the best Sunday of my mission yet! So many
awesome things. We were really excited for Tyrell's homecoming,
especially because investigators were coming! Before on my mission the
only investigators we've had come are pretty much Trent and Mikey
because they were getting baptized and they never had a problem with
coming to church, but this was going to be the first time we were
unsure about if we'd have someone show up. It didn't look like we were
going to have any luck and then 3 minutes before sacrament Tom and
Alisha pulled up! I was smiling so before the rest of church, and they
really enjoyed it. They had to leave after sacrament to go to work,
but here's the kicker. They were supposed to go to work way earlier
but decided to just not go because they decided church was more
important to them! Tom also told their boss that they were no longer
going to work on any Sundays! Sadly the part member family didn't show
up but we got to go teach them the first lesson later that day. They
hadn't come because she had fallen on Sarurday and was in pain, but it
looks like she's doing a lot better now.
I love you all! Thanks for the support! Look for opportunities
everyday to help prepare people to receive the restored gospel, your
local missionaries will be so thankful! And so will all of their
posterity!
Elder Tippetts
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