Dear everyone,

            This week was very good. We managed to find the same guy from last week who was going to kill himself but changed his mind. This time he was not under the influence of drugs and alcohol and was much calmer, and was way nicer, so that was good. He asked us if we knew of any homeless shelters he could go to. He said that it's starting to get too cold to sleep outside now. That may have been the last time we will ever see him, depending on where he goes, but there is no way to contact him. He has no phone--no nothing--but he said he would “flag down the missionaries” wherever he ended up, so I just pray that he will actually do so.

            I am so grateful to serve in this ward. Not to complain about anyone, but we have found out via members that the last missionaries before us were not doing much of anything. We didn't even ask anyone about it, they just started telling us. We found that out when one of the members (who's a relatively recently returned-missionary) told us that the last missionaries didn't really work very hard he said that he always saw them at their trailer or sitting in the church parking lot, (this was the general consensus from many of the ward members we talked to) then he told us he was so happy when he saw us out working and he said, "It's so refreshing to see missionaries in this ward actually out working!" Now it makes sense as to why we “shotgunned” this area. Elder Grow and I have been working so hard to gain ward trust, and I feel that we are finally getting it back. Ward members are giving us referrals, they ask when they can come out with us, and they have asked and invited us to participate more and more with the ward. Now I feel like we are really a part of the ward. I feel that we are really gaining back a lot of lost ground. Even though this last week felt kinda really tough, I am happy to know that the ward is really starting to trust us. Now the key is to make all these things work for the benefit in missionary work.

            This last Sunday we had 2 less-active members that we have been working with regularly come back to church. One is 21, and still has great potential of serving a mission. He is so awesome. They both are, actually, they just need to come to church on Sundays. Having less-active members come to church is honestly just as good to me as having investigators come to church. Seeing the Gospel bring back the happiness these people once had is one of my favorite things about being a missionary. Mind you, that feeling is one anyone can have, all you have to do is go out and try your best to help your home-teaching and visiting-teaching families, and teach them about the gospel. 

            This week we visited a less-active member who was a Bishop for 8 years and a Stake high-councilman for 12 years... and yes, he doesn't come to church anymore. It's very sad. He says it's because he has to work every Sunday because of all the hog houses he has, but either way, he restores cars so we got along just fine. In fact he told me, "I'm surprised ya’ know ‘bout any of this. I did not know young folk cared about old stuff any more." We walked into his sweet garage, complete with lifts and all, and he had beautifully restored Chevys: a 1953, a 1955, and a series two 1955 pickup. Elder Grow asked him, "Oh, are you a Dodge fan?" The guy kinda looked confused and just said, "Well, I guess, I just like mostly all old American cars. . ."

            All-in-all, another great week in Albertson, North Carolina.  I hope y'all have a blessed week.

--Elder White