Week 41: Blessed for Working Hard

     This week was such a testimony builder for Elder Phillipsen and I. We learned a lot about how the Lord works and what He expects of us. Things were not looking so good for Elder Phillipsen and I at the beginning of the week. We had stopped by Chris' home and he told us that he was no longer interested in meeting with us. The Schwartz kids mom texted us saying that she "no longer needed our services", so basically we had lost all of our investigators. We both agreed that we needed to start working harder and we put a lot more effort into our findings. We tracted for several hours this week without huge success. I was feeling a little discouraged and was wondering why we were not being blessed.

     As the week went on, we still did not have any great progressing investigators, but the Lord had much in store for us. Saturday was one of the most blessing filled days of my mission. Friday we made a phone call to Patricia, the woman who walked in to our chapel weeks ago. We had had a great first lesson with her and her sister, Dot, but she did not want to meet with us. I felt prompted weeks ago to have her read Moroni 7. Finally this week she answered her phone and we were able to ask her how her reading went. She said that the chapter really spoke to her and she agreed to meet with us again. Our lesson with her and her sister, Dot, was so great. Both of them had had spiritual experiences and promptings towards baptism. We taught a great Plan of Salvation lesson and they both accepted a baptismal date for May 7th! Elder Phillipsen and I were in shock with how great the lesson went and how excited they both were. They are both very intrigued with doing baptisms for the dead at the temple and they are already working on preparing temple names.

     Right after that lesson we had to rush down to Narragansett for a baptism happening in our district. I had the opportunity to interview, James Dart for baptism and he was so ready. It was a great baptism and it was great to see somebody in our district getting baptized. After that Elder Phillipsen got to go to a baptism in one of his former areas and so I got to spend the rest of the day with Estavan! It was so sweet. We went tracting (picked up a new investigator names Isaiah), saw a part-member family, had a dinner appointment, and had a lesson with Jose. Estavan was such a great missionary for the day and his testimony has great power. He kept saying that it was one of the best days he has had in a long time. It was so fun to be with him.

     The lesson I learned this week is that the Lord truly does bless us, but in His own time. His vision is so much greater than ours and when we are obedient and work hard He WILL bless us. Thanks to everyone who supports me. I appreciate it so much. I invite you to take President Monson's challenge and read the Book of Mormon daily. I have a strong testimony that as you do so you can be protected from the growing evils of the world. Light and darkness cannot exist together. Love you all!

Love,
Elder Gutierrez

Patricia Burke, a less-active member, we got to come to church

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf at the Chases

Splits with Estavan!