Elder Dallin Stout

Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 1:39 PM

Transfered/Miracles Week!

It has been an amazing week with many things happening!

Monday

     So after dinner we got a call from the assistants and they told us that we're both being transferred. Elder Martin is going back to Simi Valley to replace an Elder who is going home. I am going to Santa Barbra (AKA Santa Babylon! Its called that for the local college that is the number 2 biggest party school in the Nation!) and my new companions are Elder Yager and Elder Slaugh. The 1st ward Elders (Elders Pace and Comin) are now covering their ward and 2nd ward. (ours)

Tuesday

     We spent the day deep cleaning the apartment, packing and updating the area book. We said a quick good bye to the Gonzalez's and the 1st ward Elders. Then Brother Henderson gave us a ride to the mission office in Oxnard at 8pm. Elder Martin went with his companion to his area and I stayed the night with Elder James, President and Sister Felix at the mission home in Ventura.

Wednesday

     At 3:45 am I woke up and got ready.  We took Elder James to the Santa Barbara airport and President dropped me off at my apartment. We got there at 6:15 am and President called my companions to wake them up and come get me. They didn't know what time I was coming so it really surprised them! Elder Yager is the District leader and has been out 6 months. Elder Slaugh came out a transfer after I did, he has a small dutch oven that he uses to make peach cobbler and stuff! We share a ward with Elders Banks and Grey (Elder Banks was also companions with my trainer Elder Driggs).  We saw a part member family called the Dunnings, we were talking with the Mom when her 11 year old daughter came up to her and whispered in her ear "Can I be Baptized?" and the Mom quietly said back "yes"! They said they would come to church for sure. 

Thursday

     I got to meet my new district, it is the largest in the mission! We have 9 sisters and 7 Elders! Sister Ashworth is also in a tri-companionship (she was in my MTC district) and Sister Wilson is here. (who was in my last district in Camarillo).  We had an amazing district meeting. Elder Grey gave a great talk on Charity and read us a story from Saints and Soldiers that was about giving our lives for our friends. We did service for a guy that is a hoarder. As we were helping clean out the magazines in his garage, Elder Slaugh totally pulled out a Porno right in front of me by accident from a huge stack! We made sure that it was buried at the bottom of his trash can! (not the first or last of similar things that I've seen since I've been in Santa Babylon! but besides that I really do love it here.) 

Friday

     Elder Yager went to a leadership meeting so Elder Slaugh and I teamed up with 2 other Elders who have district leader companions, Elders Philips and Lewis. We spent the day tracting and seeing less actives. 

Saturday

     We biked to the other side of our area (about a 45 minute ride). We were at a Care facility and were going to see Brother Giles, but we got held up by a Jewish guy, named Elliot, that was really cool. We talked for about an hour and got his info so we can see him again. Then a Catholic guy named Armondo gave us prayer cards with a picture of Jesus and started to bash. He talked about the Spalding theory but we had a lesson with him. (that took about 30 min) Then we read scriptures to Brother Giles, right as we started a guy named Bob came up to us and asked to talk with us after we were done. We met with him, he said he's been praying for guidance to get back in tune with God. This morning he felt like something big was going to happen, he was in an area of the facility with a friend that he never goes to and he saw us. We taught him the restoration and he felt the spirit hit him! He just got his big toe amputated and has been in pain, also his breathing is labored. But after the lesson he said that he couldn't feel it and felt completely at peace. He is excited to come to church and read the Book Of Mormon. We invited him to be baptized when he finds out that its true and he said "yes, absolutely!"  Then we had apparently "the best lesson ever" with Brett. (a homeless guy living with a part member family. We talked about overcoming trials with the Lords help. We read 1Cor 10: 13, 1Nephi 3:7, and Ether 12:26.

Sunday

     We were expecting 5-6 investigators that said they would come to church but none of them came, but we had one dropped investigator come. (which no one was expecting)!  After church, we saw Bob and he was caught up in physical therapy but plans on coming next week. We read 2 Nephi 31 with him, it talks about the doctrine of Christ. He said that this is his number one priority now! That he will make time to see us and go to church! Meeting him was a definite miracle, we were held up to the perfect timing, We prayed for people to find, the ward fasted for missionary work today, he prayed to find God and His brother is a good example to him as a converted member!  It is awesome to see the Lords hand at work.

Love,

Elder Stout