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| Elder Belnap, David's district leader. |
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| LDS with pride! |
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| Happy Birthday to David!! |
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| Beautiful Texas sunset! |
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| David walks into the sunset.... |
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| A wee lil snake they found while knocking doors! |
So as you probably could have guessed, I was unable to email
yesterday because of the holiday. Everything was closed! So here I am
to tell you about my week. I had a great week and a very happy
birthday. My birthday was pretty much just like any
other day. All business with a few exceptions. My district leader,
Elder Belnap, came from Plano to McKinney for an exchange. He goes home
tomorrow, so Tuesday was his last chance to eat Texas BBQ at Hutchins.
We stuffed ourselves like you would not believe!
Then we had an early dinner two hours later at the Mondragon home. It
was quite the challenge. They bought me a tres leches cake, and the
Spanish tradition is that the birthday boy or girl has to do a
"mordida", or take a bight out of the cake, but really
it's just so they can smash your face in the cake. I totally saw it
coming, so I was tricky and super fast, and I was able to eat my cake
without getting my face smashed into it! I got a birthday phone call
from President Durrant, as well as Brother Rogers,
which I believe was passed on from you, Mother, to Sister Wyss, and
then to him. He said "hugs and kisses from mom!" and then apologized
that he couldn't give me the real things. But other than lots of good
food and a couple of special phone calls, it was
just another day in paradise, knocking a few doors and contacting
referrals. But I enjoyed it!
A lot happened this past week. Our visit to the physical
therapist on Monday was a treat. We thought we were just going to go
play around and have a good time, but she put us through a workout and
kicked our butts! I learned some good stuff though.
On Friday we had a zone conference, which is always a good time. We
had car inspections and Elder Packham and I got rewarded the second
cleanest car in the parking lot! But that was only because we were
anticipating the inspection and we took it to the
car wash and vacuumed it the morning of the meeting. Leave it up to
some hermanas to have an even cleaner car than us. Meetings with
President Durrant are just the best. My respect and admiration for him
grows with every one. Next month is our last meeting
with him, and everybody is going to miss him dearly.
On Saturday there was a branch baptism of a little boy who just
turned 8. His mom was baptized in February, and his sister in December.
I don't know if I've ever seen somebody so excited to be baptized. He
went down into the water, and then literally
jumped up out of the water! That little boy knew he was clean clean
clean, and it was so neat and touching to see somebody so young truly
understand the significance of baptism.
We had a neat experience later that day when we knocked on the
door of some hardcore Catholics. They told us straight up that they are
very involved and satisfied with where they go to church and are not
interested. They told us they had no time.
But somehow we got them talking more, but they were just telling us
about how great the Catholic church was, and for a while it was almost
mild, polite arguing. I don't remember or know how things changed, but
after 15 minutes of talking on their doorstep,
they invited us in. We talked more and politely exchanged religious
views and beliefs. Then we got on the topic of the Book of Mormon, we
started sharing verses and answering their questions with the Book of
Mormon, and it was incredible to see how the mother,
specifically, and the most Catholic, softened and opened up to this
book. After an hour and a half of talking, we left with her accepting
an invitation to read the Book of Mormon, which in the beginning we
thought there was no shot at that! The Book of Mormon
is the key. It is powerful. It is true. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE READING
THIS BOOK!
So I went an entire year of my mission before being asked to
give anything more than my testimony in a Sunday meeting. That's pretty
lucky! But I was asked to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting this past
Sunday on a General Conference address by President
Monson from 2002, called "Models to Follow". I guess it went fine, but
I just feel like I speak with no emotion in Spanish over the pulpit.
And I spoke for over 10 minutes, so it was probably pretty boring. But
I love the topic I was given. God has always
blessed me with good models in my life to look up to and follow. One
of the things that strengthens my testimony more than anything else is
meeting incredible saints in the Church. The happiest, noblest,
admirablest people I have ever met are faithful, converted
members to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The people
I look up to most build their lives around the Gospel of Jesus Christ
above all else. It is people like this that make it obvious to me that
this is the Lord's church, and I am on the
right path. I love the Prophet, and every other leader of the Church
down to the many young men's leaders I have had. Dad, you are a greater
role model to me than you will ever know. The Lord has put good people
in my path.
-Elder Packham and I were far from our goal of a 30 lesson week,
but luckily we didn't get transferred and we have six more weeks to
reach it!
-I got my birthday package on Wednesday, along with letters from
Tom, Dad, and both grandparents. Thank you for everything! I could not
have asked for anything more or better! Emilee - one of the pairs of
socks might be a little too femmee, but I am
going to give them a try. As far as the other pair goes, I don't know
if I have ever been more in love with any other article of clothing.
And Dad, yes I do get the Ensign every month, thank goodness! Those
Cwood baseball numbers were very interesting.
Some impressive, some surprising, and some very disappointing. I
still miss baseball!
I think that is about it. Make sure my baby knows that I love him
and he is in my prayers. Then tell Toby to tell the family likewise.
Have a good week!
Elder Williams
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