David's Mission in Ohio: I'm tired

In these past few weeks serving in North Olmsted, I have gained a greater testimony in work. I have never worked harder my whole mission as I have now, and I have never felt as fulfilled and full of joy as I have recently. The harder we work towards being more like Christ, the harder we strive to bring others unto Him and partake of his beautiful Atonement, the more we build our faith, the better life gets. It's so simple.

Not too many highlights for this week. Last night there was a musical fireside in Kirtland and I was asked to play in it with one of the Sisters singing. We ended the night with "My Heavenly Father's Plan" and though I made plenty of mistakes here and there, everyone liked it. I'll be performing it again this Wednesday at a Leadership Training Meeting and will have someone record it so I can show you guys someday. Who would have guessed I'd be playing the piano so much these days... I guess I'll have a new (or restored more like it) talent when I arrive back home. But that wont be for another 13 months! Hard to believe that 11 months have gone by come tomorrow!

We had an appointment last Tuesday morning with a less-active 35-year-old woman. She has been working hard on getting her life back on track and becoming reactivated, but has had trouble focusing her desires in the right direction. I taught with a member in our ward and the original plans were to read from Alma about faith. But as we sat down in her house and talked for a few minutes, it was clear that the message we had planned wasn't what she needed to hear. So I flipped through my Book of Mormon while we chatted and said a silent prayer, asking what she needs to hear. I found a chapter that stuck out to me and we began the lesson. It was amazing to see how the discussion we had fit the chapter perfectly. We would read a few verses, discuss it, apply it, and then a concern would come up that would be addressed EXACTLY in the next few verses. It was incredible! By the end of the lesson the Spirit was so strong and she had realized what steps she needed to take to help her dedicate herself and become more like her Savior. It was a wonderful experience.

We also did a lot of tracting this week. Though sometimes looked at as a negative experience (it's hard to knock on door after door and be rejected so much when people don't know what they're even rejecting!) I am coming to love talking to EVERYone. We saw many tender mercies of the Lord as we would contact/tract - one lady was pulling out of her driveway and when she saw us stopped and called us over. She asked where we were from and said she wanted to talk to us. She pulled back in her driveway and we followed her into her backyard. Turns out she's going through a very bad divorce and life is starting to be very hard. We shared with her our message and presented her with a Book of Mormon. She said she could feel the Spirit and liked all that we were talking about. As she gave the closing prayer, she prayed that she would keep an open heart and mind, so that if this was true she would accept. I know that her coming to know of more truth in her life is exactly what can heal the bruises of our many trials in life. We are excited to meet with her again this week.

Well, we have a million and two things to do or else I would try to write more. Know that I am doing great and that I am having the time of my life here in Ohio! I love the people, I love my calling, and I love our Savior, Jesus Christ! I wish you all the best!

Love, Elder Dransfield