DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS

To start I am going to talk about weather. Like always Texas throws the people for a loop by giving us weather in the low 80's for a day then 3 days later it is in the mid to high 40's. Thanks Texas!!! It is pretty cool. I enjoy colder weather. When it is hot it is more difficult to think and you can't focus as well as you can when it is cooler. the hot weather this time of year made me feel so weird. It didn't feel like winter for a few days. It is supposed to get colder this week. There has been a big storm and winds coming in that have been cooling things off. I haven't seen the sun for a few days which is odd in Houston.
 
We are working with some wonderful people. I love everyone I teach but the people we are teaching now are keeping commitments and doing so many great things without us even asking them. We have an investigator preparing for her baptism and she has made so many changes. She took out her piercings and gave up her word of wisdom issues and started sharing the gospel and praying every day without ever having to be asked. Once the spirit told her that this was true she made the change. She is so strong and has made me feel to repent in my heart for those things that i think bring me happiness that actually do not and i am asked of the Lord to give these things and myself up to Him. Like she has. I feel to repent of so much. There are people out here that have helped me when I have tried to help them. And they didn't even know it. There is so much that i have learning and that I am still learning about who i want to be and what i want my priorities to be. If this week has taught me anything it is that people don't have to stay the same. I already know that but seeing people make drastic changes in their lives and then seeing how they are so much happier when they are living the commandments brings so much happiness to my heart. It is so awesome.
 
Whenever something is going great there are some things that get thrown at you. This week was rough in some aspects. We had a lesson with a recent convert who had been offended and had some doubts about the gospel. After talking with her about them we found that the real problem lied with not being willing to forgive somebody and not being willing to live a certain commandment. That is usually why people stop coming to this church. Because it is too hard or because they choose to take offense. Or they are scared that it will be socially awkward for them to return to church after being gone for a while. Of course there are many reasons why people say they aren't going to church anymore or why they just aren't going to church. But coming to church is going to help them and when they really think about what they could have if they came to church they come. When they remember how they have felt while living the gospel and the spiritual experiences they have had, why they are members of this church, and what the Lord has to offer them and what blessings he is willing to give them then they will start to come back. With this certain convert we talked to her about why she chose to join the church and tried to bring back those memories of her spiritual experiences. She said that she would talk with the bishop and would try to come back to church.
We cannot force people to do anything. All we can do is bear our testimonies and let them know how we feel and the experiences we have had. There is so much that I have been blessed with and at times I feel inadequate and that I cannot be what the Lord expects me to be. But he would not let me know these things or put me where I am unless he knew that I could become what he wants me to become.
 
I am sorry that this is short. I love you all and I know that this church is true. I know that the Lord welcomes all of His children to come to him and to follow him. No matter who we are or what we are doing in life we can change and today can be the day that we choose to be happy by following Him. I love you all and I hope that this week goes well for you.
 
 
love,
 
ELDER MARR