Hey Family,
It is a nice, sunny morning in Phoenix. I have been waking up congested every morning, but apparently every missionary suffers from that. It is just that the air is so darn dry and there is so much pollution that our bodies can not handle it while we are asleep I guess. I feel like heck every morning, but I go to the gym, run a mile, and lift weights for a half hour or so. By the end of all that, I am usually all clear of mucus and such. I am doing well though. No sinus issues have come up so mom does not need to worry! I am alive and well.
This last week is FULL of stories. I will go from the beginning.
We began by teaching a young girl named Jaclyn. She is 16 and we have been teaching her little sister, Jessica. I will just begin by saying that Jaclyn already has a testimony of so many gospel truths, she just has so many questions that it is hard to answer them all while teaching her the Gospel. Elder Faldmo and I are trying to think of how we can get her to focus and actually keep her committments. We may be forced to drop them if they do not drop. We just asked her about her goals in life and what she aspries to. We found some gospel truths in things that she said and focused on them while we taught her.
Later that night we taught Elder Hainsworth's convert from the beginning of her mission. She is puerto rican and is married and sealed to a man 20 years younger than her. Sadly, she cheated on her and she has a lot of health problems. Life has treated Karina poorly, so she is really doubting her testimony. She was Relief Society president, but asked to be released. We went and visited, and just let her vent. Our Branch President offended her and she really doesn't feel much happiness in her life. We did not say much, but I did get her your number mom, just incase she wanted to call and have someone to talk to. I figured you could relate because she has never been able to solve her medical complications and has given up hope. I think you would be a great help to her and I think both of your testimonies would grow. But, she is really not into the gospel right now. It was one of the more spiritually draining experiences of my mission. I felt so sad afterwards. She is still in my prayers, and tomorrow I am putting her name on the temple rolls.
Tuesday was a pretty average day. We taught Margarito, Natalia, and Teresa. Nothing special other than the fact that as of recent everyone has been asking, "Where did God come from?". I do not know what to tell them. I do not want to give them too much and make their minds explode.
Wednesday is a crazy day. We had district meeting then went to teach Jose Lopez, a Recent Convert. The lesson was great and simple. On the way out of the trailer park, someone shouted "Hey Mormons!!!!" We ignored him, but then he yelled again. We turned and greeted him. To make a 1.5 hour long story short, he was an apache that had a bit too much to drink. He told us he was a killer and would have killed us if we were not missionaries. He was waving a knife around and smelled awful. He had been through a lot and really has a strong hatrid towards God. Elder Faldmo has taken some self-defense, so he was ready to do something if he tried any funny business with the knife. To sum it up, I am fine, but I was terrfied. I have a greater testimony now that God protects those who serve him and that evil spirits are attracted to the light of Christ. I did not have much of an appetite the rest of the day.
Friday was quite thrilling as well. We went to dinner and all after having planned for the next week. All of our appointments fell through, so we decided to go teach Maria Rubio if she was home. She was home sewing. She knows we can not come in without a thrid male, so we visited with her outside. In the end, she told us that dark spirits were still haunting her. So, we determined we needed to bless the home and use the priesthood to cast out any evil spirits. We entered her home and it just felt dense. Way dense. We sat down to offer the blessing and prayer. As a stated authority, it felt like someone was pushing down on me. I could not think straight and had to fight to speak the words correctly. I could feel something trying to stop me, but I kept going. It wortked.The pressure that was over me was gone and it was relaxing. There was not any more tension. I never believed in evil like that before my mission, but now, from personal experience I KNOW that evil is real. If we invite it, it will come. I never want to watch horror movies again because they are just a conduit for evil. I have never felt worse in my life than in that home. But, I have also never had such a great spiritual experience as after the blessing on that home. The priesthood is real and the power of Christ always overpowers the works of the Adversary. I would not mind if I never had to do this ever agin though. It felt awful.
Saturday was a fantastic day. We kept busy and taught a lot. We ended the day by going to Mesa for the Easter Pageant with an investigator, Heather and her daughters. They loved it, as did I. I am sure everyone there felt the spirit, even the protestors. Their propoganda is hilarious. I was reading it and one of them was showing contradictions in the book of Mormon. They quoted joseph smith saying God had a body of flesh and bones, then they quoted the book of Mormon from Alma 31, where the Zoramites (apostate Nephites) were praying on the tower of Rameumptom (spelling?). If only they read the entire context of the chapter they would understand. Hahahaha. It gave me a good chuckle. A supposed contradiction in fact supported the Book of Mormon and the words of Joseph Smith.
Easter felt like most any other Sunday. I figured out why. I have had so many great spiritual experience recently that I just am always surrounded by the Spirit. I often ponder over the Resurrection and the Atonement, so yesterday was just a day where more people were doing the same. We had more investigators at Church than ever, and Maria Rubio told us she finally felt safe in her home. It was a fantastic day.
It was a good, stressful, dangerous, and a miraculous week. I thank you for your prayers and support. The Easter Package has still not come, but I need to learn to be more patient. I am glad you got to "channel" me by snowboarding fast (Will and Maddy). I do miss the snow, but I just know that winter will always come around again. Please be safe, and please love one another. Do FHE tonight and say family prayers always. I love you so much! I hope you all have an incredible week!
With all my love,
Elder Jonathan Pearson
(posted by Maddy)
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