Samuel the Lamanite

Funny: During church we had a member from Durango speak. He was Navajo and told us about how he was baptized right before his second son was born. He said that both he and his wife were on a spiritual high the day that their son was born that they named him Samuel so that he could literally be Samuel the Lamanite haha.

Spiritual: We got to do some tracting!!! One of the doors we knocked was a girl named Sierra. We were able to share an old Easter video about the resurrection with her. With gratitude in her eyes she told us that her brother had passed away a few months ago and that she was really struggling but that the video had brought her lots of comfort. The Lord is really preparing the hearts of his children!

Where I am at: The work here in Bayfield is really picking up. We have been able to light a fire under the members and they are getting excited to do missionary work. We have had great weather down here but we need a bit more moisture. Everyone is freaking out about fire dangers. I love it here and I am so grateful to be a missionary.

I love you all!

Elder Black

 They got matching shirts to wear while they do service. Just because they could.

I'm Afraid it's the Normans!

Funny: I had the great experience to go to Durango with the zone leaders on exchanges. We did my favorite thing. Tracting!!! We knocked on one door and this kid opened the door. The exchange went like this:

us: Hi! is your mom or dad home.

him: My dad is

us: will you go tell him that the Mormon missionaries are here

him: (yelling into the house) DAD, THE NORMONS ARE HERE!

dad: tell them to go away

kid: Come on in

us: ...

dad: NO, tell the normons to go away!

kid: come back in a few hours

it was really funny; that kid knew what us the normons teach, haha.

Spiritual: We had a really good Sunday this week. We got with the elders quorum presidency and developed a plan of how we can help them with their home teaching. We are really excited to see what comes of finally having the ward trust us.

Where I am at: We are living life and loving it. We were able to put the Andersons back on date for April 14th and we were able to put David back on date for May 12th. Lots of good things are about to happen here in Bayfield we are excited! Also, we almost got snow. it looked promising and it started but when we woke up in the morning it was all gone. :( oh well better luck next time winter.

I love you all and can really feel your prayers

Elder Black

The Game's Afoot

Funny: This week was a little bit crazy as a whole. The Zone Leaders and our companionship started playing a referral game. It was who can give the most referrals to each other. As a result, we actually gave more referrals to them than we picked up ourselves. Haha, it was really funny that it seemed that everyone in Durango was in Bayfield.

Spiritual: This week we had a baptism!!! Patrick was taught in Texas but decided to be baptized here in Bayfield. It was a great opportunity, ironically this is the third baptism that we have been to here in Bayfield and we have met the people being baptized for the first time at the baptism. But hey, whatever works. I love baptisms, they are always filled to the brim with the spirit.

Where I am at: Sorry I don't have many pictures this week. We had a conference in Farmington for the District leaders and I brought my camera and promptly left it in Bloomfield. Thankfully I got it back Yesterday so that was a miracle. But life is good down here in Colorado. Still no snow and so we have been out in short sleeves and actually getting hot. We are a bit nervous for this week because we have to drive down to Farmington to go to a doctor’s appointment for Elder Howlett. He hurt his knee in Many Farms when he was serving there and we find out this week if he has to go home to get surgery. We are all hoping that the answer is no. If you will include him in your prayers that would be spectacular!

Back to doing what I love

Funny: Elder Fenton played his last joke on us. For about 3 weeks he said that he had brought the dinner calendar to church and had given it to our relief society president. He in actuality had not. So, we had one dinner this week. It was with a part member family. During dinner we mentioned how we had no dinners and they sprang into action. They loaded us up with a ton of food. Healthy food too!!! It was such a funny miracle.

Spiritual: This week was full of miracles. I probably saw more small miracles this week than any other week of my mission so far. We had so many opportunities given us to share the gospel. We were tracting an old apartment complex when we ran into a family. They had been taught by missionaries in the past, but no one had made a record of them and they dropped off the face of the earth. They are so humble and ready to be taught. We are so excited for them.

Where I am at: This transfer we are taking a more aggressive role with our members to motivate them and inspire them to do missionary work. We developed a plan and we are working very closely with our Bishop and Ward Mission Leader to help the work in Bayfield flourish. We are so excited about this transfer and I love my companions. They are both incredible missionaries and are highly motivated for the right reasons.

I love you all

Elder Black

Update- I asked him if he needed help with food and he said that the members really stepped up and were helping them out. So they aren't starving. Bless the good members in Bayfield.