This week was stressful but it was one of my best weeks in Ridgeway! We were able to teach Cole a lot more so that we could review all the lessons for his baptism. He's totally ready and all we need to do is meet with his mom and he will be able to be baptized. We're hoping it will be on the 15th but it may be pushed back another week. It depends on how meeting with his mom goes. His mom is really nice so I'm hoping it will go well. He has a good understanding. He also gave us a bunch of referrals so that we could go and visit his friends and try and teach them. They all like basketball so we are going to see if we can invite all of them out to play with us so that we can give them a tour of the church and teach them a little bit. That's mostly going to be our focus with finding this week. We also have a lot of families that the ward clerk has given us to see. We have made contact with some and so we will be working on the others this week.
We were also able to drop by a less active family with Bro. Hansen yesterday. They're the Reynolds. Rickey Reynolds is the stake president's brother. We had a great talk with them and then gave sister Reynolds a blessing because she is having a lot of health issues right now. We were also able to see a couple of people with a Brother Luke this week. Going out with the members was a highlight of this week, and we were able to get in contact with people that we haven't been able to talk to yet! So there is good progress there.
We also helped the Hastys with their house as we taught Cole. On Saturday the other elders and the Blythewood sisters helped and we got a lot done. We finally finished putting up all of the joyce beams and
we put up 4 more rafters for the roof. The framing for the first floor is now totally done and we are now working on the roof frame and then the second floor. It's been great working there with Bro. Hasty. I've learned a lot about framing too hahah. It might come in handy one day.
I also had answers to my prayers this week. I was going to wait to fast for my question on whether or not I should transfer schools, but I felt prompted to do it yesterday, and I did. I have been thinking and praying about this subject all week. I've tried to look at every angle and see what will be what God wants. There has been a lot of inspirational things that I've read that have helped me make a decision. First was a talk that Elder Pace showed me called Agency or Inspiration by Bruce R. McConkie. He cited a scripture that stuck with me. It's D&C 9: 8-9.
8. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.
What stood out was "if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, BUT YOU SHALL HAVE A STUPOR OF THOUGHT" As I've looked at both decisions, I made a pros and cons list for each so that I could look at which is what I feel like would be best for my own spiritual growth, best for wanting to be a member of my family,
the church, and to fill my desire to help others. I kind of hit a wall with the pros of being in BYUH. All I could think of was that it was a place that I was familiar with, and a place where I will feel comfortable with being at again. My mind would go blank when I would think of why it's best for me to return to Hawaii. So that scripture has helped me understand that maybe the option of going to Utah for school is going to be the right decision.
So I kind of have been leaning towards that decision. I questioned myself a lot on whether or not it is the right choice, and I searched for more guidance on the matter and found a couple of things. I was reading a talk from last conference and the story doesn't relate to my situation much, but a sentence I read popped out at me. It's
called "If You Will Be Responsible" by Elder Jorge Zeballos. He was telling a story about how when he was young, he wanted to be baptized, but needed his father's permission. Well his father said this to him after he showed months of dedication to the desire to be baptized: "Son, if you will be responsible for this decision, then you have my permission". That sentence stood out to me and I read it over and over and I felt the spirit strongly. I feel like that was answer that I've been trusted with the decision and I feel like it was an indicator that God was going to let me use my agency on what I should do, and he will approve of my decision as long as I am responsible for it.
I was so happy to get that kind of guidance from Heavenly Father and so I prayed and thanked him for the answer, and then decided that I would fast on Sunday to show my thankfulness and also to keep that
confirmation if it was right.
Fasting on Sunday was great and it put me in a great mood all day! It was the best fast I've ever had. Fasting is great when you have a reason to. haha. I really feel like transferring is going to be the right choice for me. I promise I will be responsible and I will work hard at school. I know it might be more expensive at first, but I will get the grades I need in order for the cost of school to become lower for me after being there for a little
while. I'll also work and make sure I am helping pay for all of it too.
I hope you both had a great week!
Elder Sean Bills