Hopefully I can explain all that has happened without my email being too long!
First off, Cecil isn't doing very good anymore. The past couple months he has been doing awesome health wise. He was walking around all the time, coming to church, and taking care of himself. But then at the very beginning of the week he had a fall outside for the first time in months, and he had to call the fire department to help him get back up. The fall wasn't too bad except for that he bruised his back a little bit. He still could walk around, but he was really sore. Well on Friday night he had another fall outside his house while he was taking the garbage can inside, and he scraped his arm really bad on the asphalt. He has sensitive skin and it ripped it pretty bad. He called the fire department again, and they patched him up and brought him inside, and then Cecil called us to let us know. We didn't get to go see him because we were in a lesson that night. then the next morning when Elder Root and I were getting picked up by the AP's for our meeting I got a call from Cecil and he said he needed us to come over and help him. he didn't sound very good when I talked to him either. We all drove over to his house, and luckily his older sister was there to get him back up from falling on the porch. He was in really bad shape though. He was in bed and since he can't control his bowel movements he had soiled his bed pretty bad. Elder Root and I had to clean him up, change him, clean his bed, get him up to a chair, and then change him again like 2 minutes later haha. We were the only ones who could help him so we did. We had to call 911 for him so that he could be taken care of until he can walk again. He's in too much pain to move himself. But the hospital only took him in for a few hours and then sent him home... They wouldn't let him stay there. He's just in bad shape right now and I would ask everyone to pray for him. He's one of the nicest members I've met on my mission and he doesn't have anyone to help him out right now. He's making calls with nursing agencies to have someone stay with him because we can't be his caretakers as missionaries. His sister can't help him either because she's older than him haha. Please keep him in your prayers.
We got to take him the sacrament last night though. It was a great experience. Elder Root and I sang an opening hymn for him and then blessed the sacrament and gave it to him. Then we sang like 5 more hymns to him and he just loved listening to the music and us. I really love helping out Cecil and Elder Root and I have become really close to him. It really hurts me that he's in such bad shape and that I can't do anything about it because I'm only a missionary. All I can do is give him a blessing and the sacrament and that's what we've done. So please keep him in your prayers this week so that he can get some help and recover. He's the best. We talked about him in ward council. He will be fine once he gets help. He just needs someone to change him until he can get on his feet. Poor elder Root had to clean him up like he was his kid hahahahah. Cecil cracked jokes the whole time he's always happy.
So that was the first crazy thing this week, I have another one though.
So we have a new investigator named Alex. He's only 20 and he met the Polanders in our ward while he was working at Best Buy on his first day there. They talked with him a lot and found out that he is trying to learn Chinese so he can speak it when he goes into the Air Force in February. Well we have 1 member in our ward who speaks it, and they referred him to Brother Da Rosa. Brother Da Rosa brought Alex to the trunk or treat, and then he's come to church ever since. He's become really great friends with the Polanders and I'm pretty sure he's dating their daughter that literally just got home from her mission a month ago. He's been asking a lot of questions and we've been teaching him a lot this past week. We've had 2 really great lessons with him at the Polander's. He's been asking great questions and he's been loving the church the more he goes. We taught him the Restoration first and it went perfect. He listened with intent and he wants to know as much as he can. We had a lesson with him last night to address some of his concerns. He just wanted more clarification on the Restoration and Elder Root and I were on fire, it was the best lesson we've had together. He had a few concerns but because they were real concerns that he just wanted to have answered, they were answered. I told him about this parable in the New Testament that I hadn't even read in months and when Elder Root gave him an explanation before it and then let me tell Alex the parable, Alex just smiled and said that we answered all of his concerns, even the ones he hadn't told us yet. I'd put in specifics but that's too much haha. It was so great. Then the next thing we did was put him on date for December 5th. Elder Root looked at him and went "What's the next step to go in pursuing these lessons and our church?" and Alex just went "Well to be baptized". It was so great. Alex is solid as a rock man. He's a way cool guy too. Elder Root was jumping around and clicking his heels when he left he was so happy!
NOW GET THIS
We went to the church to play basketball today. We got a text from Alex saying that he needed a blessing. We told him to come to the church and we would give him one. He came with the Polanders and told us that this morning his Dad woke him up and told him out of nowhere that if he doesn't drop all of the religious investigating he is doing with our church, then he has to get out. Alex said he hadn't even told his Dad what he had been learning about yet. His Dad told him that he had a business meeting at 1:30, but he's cancelling it and taking Alex with him to talk with him and all of his associates that were supposed to be at the meeting and they're basically going to tell him "all about our church and what we teach". He was really taken back by it and he said he wanted a blessing so that he could be safe. So I gave him one. We read 2 Timothy 1:7 with him, and we told him that no matter what they or we tell him that he needs to ask God who is right or wrong, and remember the happiness that he's had since he's come to church and since we've taught him. He said he will and he gave us both hugs and thanked us. He's left now, I hope that everything goes well.
I honestly don't worry much about him at all. I've been so amazed at how hard he's been searching for truth in his life, and how fast he has looked to us and the members of the church for help. He's such a great guy and I know that he'll be okay. I gave him the blessing and I know for a fact that God is keeping him safe and giving him the ability to know what's true and what's not.
It's sad to see adversity come to someone like Alex. But I know that he will be alright and that we'll be able to help him through whatever he needs. It's lame that people want to cause contention with someone when all they want is to find some happiness in life from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's all I've taught on my mission and there is no doubt in my mind that what I teach is what the Savior would teach. What The Church has to offer anyone is not fake, false, or evil. It gives people hope and happiness in life and I know that because it's done it for me more times than I can count.
Anyway, Alex will be alright. We are going to talk with him as soon as we can. The members are so kind to him and they've taken him in so fast that I know he has a lot of help if he struggles.
So yeah, this week was pretty insane. I just played about 12 games of basketball with the other Elders and The AP's and got a charlie horse at the end. Life is good.
I hope everyone has had a great week! Can't wait to hear from y'all again.
Love
Elder Sean Bills