Amorynites

Goodness Ya'll, 
The days are just going by like mad! Welcome to the month of May! Thank heavens everyone's been telling us that what we've been having down here is unusual weather, because it's been very nice. Not too hot, and not much humidity. Just what I like. 
This past week was great! We had interviews on Tuesday with President Hanks, and it was his birthday that day! So that was special! 
We went to a high school band concert on Thursday for a bit to support an investigator. It was so cool to step back into a high school and be surrounded by teenagers. Sometimes I miss High School, but not enough to make me dwell on it too much. But it was fun, and they sounded really good. 
Friday Sister Bond, one of our dearest friends and members in our ward took us out to lunch at Subway. She is amazing!
We tracted into a family not that long ago. Theirs Lesley, the grandma, Ricky, the grandpa, and their daughter Ashley and her kids live with them as well. We visited with them this past week and taught them the Plan of Salvation. It went really well, and I just knew that they know it's true! It's just going to take some time for them to admit it. But I know this family will come to church and be baptized! As well on Thursday, Sister Castagno and I ran into some people that we learned a lot from. One of them was a guy named Drake at Walmart. We'd just left a kind of heated bash with some people we'd asked to hear a message. We'd seen Drake previous to that and just said hi, but he ended up coming to us and said "I saw you back there and something hit me really hard. When I saw ya'll, I could feel that you're anointed in God." He went on to tell us that the power we hold is big and dangerous and that what we do every day is so important. It was so interesting to hear him try to speak with us with such power, but because he didn't have the gift of the Holy Ghost, or the Priesthood it was just him. But, we know that God sent him our way for a reason, he wants the truth, and he doesn't even know it! Hopefully we'll see him again so we can teach him. 
We also ran into a Pentecostal preacher while tracting. We caught him at a busy time, but he asked us to come back, so we did. He talked to us for almost an hour about all these crazy miracles God has performed for him, how he's talked with God and angels etc. It was the same thing as Drake. Although this man may have actually seen and had those experiences, because he didn't hold that proper authority, it was just blah. He was trying to testify to us, and we know that he is a man of great faith in God, but he doesn't hold the Priesthood. It was such a testimony builder for me. The Priesthood power is the key thing that separates our church from everyone else's. 
Saturday we rode our bikes all over town, I was pretty sore by the end of the day. But we tracted around the nicer neighborhoods and met some really awesome people. One man was out in his yard working on his flower beds, so we asked him if he needed help. He instantly knew that we were Mormons, and struck up a conversation with us. His name's Tim, he's a banker, and very intellectual of other beliefs, but doesn't know a lot about the LDS church. He told us that he'd started reading the Book of Mormon online, but never finished it. We knew that trying to talk to him about our church in spiritual matters wasn't going to go anywhere as of right now. So, we finally convinced him to let us help him mulch his flower beds. Let me tell ya, service softens stony souls for sure because we committed him to reading the Book of Mormon and we'll be seeing him again soon. 
We met another guy named Kem, saw him working on a garden in his backyard and did the same thing as Tim, we asked if he needed help. He said we could, but we before we could get our hands in the dirt, we talked about our beliefs for a bit. He kept asking us really vague questions that didn't necessarily pertain to the Gospel, but we just kept testifying to him that we know this church is true. His only problem was Joseph Smith, and that if his name isn't mentioned in the Bible, he is not a prophet of God. I told him that we didn't come over to but heads with him, but to simply invite him to hear what we know to be true, that this message brings everlasting peace and happiness, and we want to share with all who will listen. That kind of shut him up enough for us to help him plant some peppers and tomatoes, which gave us the opportunity to talk with him as friends, get to know him better etc. 
Lee didn't come to church again, so we'll try this week to get him there. And! This Sunday is Mother's Day! Whoo hoo! Can't wait to skype you family and see all ya'lls faces! Oh, funny story. When we were talking with Tim he asked where we were from, when I told him I was from Utah he asked if I was from Southern Utah because I, unbeknownst to me, I have a bit of a twang in my accent! The South is growing on me and I didn't even know it! So, you'll have to let me know Mom and Dad if I sound any different when we talk on Sunday. 
I hope ya'll have a fabulous week! Ya'll are constantly in my thoughts and prayers! 
Love, Sister Michaela Mason