Week 14; Snowed In ❄️

Photo Album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QuW5JQQJL6emqhb68 When we were doing calls one night, we originally were just calling a random person in our area and it ended up being a completely different person and the wrong number. The person we were originally calling was a girl named Kelly but, a guy ended up answering. He was really cool and we ended up just talking for a while getting to know him and talking about our beliefs in the Book of Mormon and how that helps us grow closer to Jesus Christ. He said that he was skeptical because he didn't know how we got his number but I ended up explaining that to him. He said that he'd be at church and he ended up calling back right after to clarify on some things concerning the Book of Mormon and where that all happened. On Saturday we went on an exchange with Altoona once again. I was with Elder Eldredge once again. He's an incredible missionary and I'm always so grateful to serve around him. It was an amazing day but a short one. One of the first things that happened that day was we had a lesson with the Altoona sisters and their friend on date for baptism named Zachira and her brother and cousin. We focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ and Drew it out for them and it was an amazing Spirit-filled lesson. We went out to do some work and a lady answered a door and gave us a street to knock with lots of families on it and so we knocked the whole entire street and really no one answered. We ended up going back and while we were walking back to the car a guy named Dave was walking into his house over 40 yards away and we yelled at him to stop and we talked with him. He was a Baptist and pretty dedicated to his religion. We ended up sharing the whole entire restoration with him and it was very spiritual. After we asked him if he felt that Spirit while we were talking with him and he said yes and so we explain that that happens when something is only good or true. We were walking away and there's a door with a bunch of bikes and stuff on it and so we knock on it and this lady answers named Barbara and she was interested in coming to church with her kid, she was really cool even though she didn't have a car she still said she would make it no matter what. When we got back into our car from all that a family walks out of their car about to enter their house and we stop them and it's a lady in her teenage son and she was interested in coming to church as well and we got all of their numbers. It's crazy what a prayer can do, the last three people we talked to all were interested and we got all their numbers. Later on that day we had another lesson with their progressing friend and it was great, their kid has the same birthday as me (February 9th). One of the Altoona sisters friends on date for baptism took us to Hibachi for dinner and it was so good and fun. I've never been to Hibachi in my life or at least I don't remember and it was so cool. We knocked on this lady's door named Bobbi And She wasn't originally interested, but shared a Christmas Book of Mormon verse with her and she let us in her house And we talk with her for a while About religion in general period she's a part of the Brethren Church and isn't interested in changing. She gave us hot chocolate and some toast, it was so good. She had this big box full of Bibles and one of them was a King James Version which looked so cool and she let us have it. Such a nice lady. Over this last week we have gotten into a couple conversations that were pretty contentious. I was talking with my district leader about this and he was saying that when we seek to bash, we find a bash. He explained that when he was in Wintersville Ohio that he would always look to just prove our church and not invite people to come unto Christ and he would find people that would bash him every single day. When I was with Elder Kress we never talked with anyone that ever bashed us. As soon as I get a new companion we start getting in bashes so I don't know if that's me or him but I'm going to try to work on that. Sometimes it's pretty hard to back up our church without making it contentious, really just spreading charity and loving everyone is the answer. As soon as the spirit of contention arises, the spirit is gone and can't help you answer people's questions and it will get you nowhere. This week we have been having so many member meals, I think we had around 5 in total. On Thursday we had two member meals, One for lunch and one for dinner. Brother Woffinden took us to McDonald's for lunch and the Reeds had us for dinner that night. Usually we don't get that many remember meals but this week was stacked for no reason but it was amazing. The snow this last couple days has been coming down really hard. On Sunday it had been snowing for the past 2 days before. We got a call from our Bishop saying that church was canceled and to tell all of our friends to not show up. The difference between Pennsylvania and Utah is that Pennsylvania, anytime it snows it just turns into ice and the roads become terrible. Luckily, we have all-wheel drive cars that do pretty well in this weather but you do still definitely have to be insanely cautious. It's kind of nerve-racking driving in all this especially with all the accidents around. The snow really just is beautiful to look at though. A lawyer asked Jesus how to receive eternal life. Jesus asked him what was written in the scriptures. The lawyer answered that the scriptures say to love God and love our neighbor. Jesus said he was right. Then the lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered by telling a parable. In the parable, a man who was a Jew was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Suddenly, some thieves came. They stole his clothes, hurt him badly, and left him there. Soon, a priest came down the road. A priest was a person who worked in the temple. He saw the man on the road but passed by on the other side. Next came another man who also worked in the temple, called a Levite. He saw the man who was hurt, but he passed by on the other side of the road too. Then a Samaritan walked by. He saw that the man on the road was hurt very badly. Samaritans and Jews usually did not get along well. But this Samaritan wanted to help the man anyway. The Samaritan cared for the man by putting oil and wine on the man’s wounds. He put the man on his donkey. Then the Samaritan brought the man to an inn, where he could rest and get better. Before the Samaritan left the next day, he gave the innkeeper money and said, “Take care of him.” The Samaritan said he would be back in a few days with more money. At the end of the story, Jesus asked the lawyer a question. Who was the hurt man’s neighbor? The priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? The lawyer said it was the one who had shown love to the man, the Samaritan. Jesus told the lawyer to go and be like the Samaritan. The parable of the Good Samaritan is a powerful reminder of the importance of loving our neighbors as ourselves. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus teaches us that true discipleship is not just about knowing the rules, but about showing compassion and kindness to those in need, regardless of their background or circumstances. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's teachings is that the Good Samaritan represents Christ Himself, and when we serve others, we are actually serving the Lord (Look at Mosiah 2:17). He emphasized that "if you are looking for a way to be of service to someone, you will find a need everywhere you look." With Love, Elder Batman