July 13 Trials make our Faith grow stronger!

The title for this week is not pertaining particular to me, well it could because there's always trials on mission and my faith is definitely growing stronger, but it's about what Norah is going through. Her father had permitted her baptism a few weeks back but now went back on it and even her mother is now supporting him because she doesn't want to deal with problems over Norah's baptism. So now Norah is definitely going through a trial of her faith. She has to choose between the truth she has found from God or her parents. I know if she chooses the right and follow the truth that God has given her she will be such a help to the Church here, but also will be blessed in her personal life tremendously. It reminds me of all the struggles the Pioneer saints went through being persecuted and yet they pushed forward and eventually "ate the good of the land" as the scriptures would say ha. So once again we are at a moment of suspense with her!  We also found some other good people this week, but the search continues to find those families that are prepared by the Lord to accept the restored gospel!

We did a service project this week for Nandi, a less-active member.  She had grown up in the church and her mother was a Relief Society President or something but when her mom passed , the Church didn't do a funeral service I guess so the family all got offended and stopped attending church and found themselves off "the straight and narrow"...but we are trying to help her come back to the fold!  We cleared out a giant heap of trash that was in her compound and burned it (they burn all their trash here so don't be thinking we were just trying to be pyrotechnics or something!)  It wasn't burning quickly though and would've taken a day probably because all of the different plastics and such (Ozone layer? what ozone layer?  Toxic fumes?) so we couldn't just leave a burning heap of rubbish on her doorstep and leave so we shoveled it all into wheelbarrows again, this time while it was burning and smoking haha, and dumped it on the road side.

Sorry to say, 3 rats were killed in the process..RIP. (the pictures shows our makeshift weapons ha..you can also see our gloves we used to pick up all the rubbish with:plastic bags tied around our hands.)

On Friday I went on exchanges with Elder Chiliza. Pretty cool working with him again! We have both improved in our teaching so much since the time we were together. The Spirit was very strong in all our lessons and just throughout the whole day. He's a great missionary its awesome working around him again!

Love, Elder Grant Hiltbrand