E ai fam!!!

Another week in the Park done and out…Let me tell you the area is crazy. So many families, friends, and kids to teach. Honestly, I have never seen an area more blessed. Let me tell you about a crazy happening this week. Here in the Park (name of the ward), there are 2 companionships. The other day, I did a division with Elder Pariente from Uruguay and had an awesome day. The next day a stranger and all news programs newspapers showed 5 people who were murdered on the street we were working on during the division. Don’t worry mom, my half of the area is way safer. But I’ll always keep an eye out and testify that missionaries are protected when they are doing what is right.

This week I’m going to hit on the importance of prayer. As missionaries, our first invitation for our investigators is to pray and ask God if what we teach is true. I love an example of this in Doctrine and Covenants. In Section 6, Christ speaks with Oliver Cowdery about his request to translate/receive the gift to translate the Book of Mormon. After speaking/testifying to Oliver in section 6, Christ invites Oliver to pray unto Christ to gain a second witness of those things that Christ testified. If Christ invites Oliver to pray, we must as well. (3 Nephi 19:30) This week, I focused on having more fervent prayers and praying more often. Let me say that asking with an extra effort for God is always a great thing. Being more thankful, praying for others, and talking with God about my day and what I need to improve has made a huge spiritual difference in my life. On the street, I try my best to pray often. I’ve developed a habit to pray with my comp several times in the street a day. It’s funny cause we say the prayer walking in the street, eyes open, out loud, and it seems pretty loud, but for me, it’s a serious, focused, inspired conversation with God. On Friday, we were walking the street when I said a prayer to find a family who would accept all the invitations we would give them. We felt inspired to visit some people, who turned out being alright. But at the end of the night, we felt inspired to visit a member who had recently moved to the ward. At her house, we found her family and another family of 5 with 3 girls 12, 8, 4 years of age. Super awesome family who is legally married and accepted all of our invitations during the spiritual message. The power of prayer is real people. My testimony of this simple but impactful principle has grown so much this week. I know that this church is true and our purpose as members is to keep the commandments and bring this gospel light to all places of the world, establishing God’s kingdom here on the earth! Doctrine and Covenants 6:6. Praying to God puts people ready to hear the gospel in your path!

Dave