Hey family and friends!
I'm going to start right off with the miracle and hand of the Lord for this week, which was that investigator named Paco! A couple months ago I told you guys we finally got in contact with him and it was a miracle. But when the day came to meet with him he called us and cancelled because he was sick. After that we lost contact with him for a while again. BUT somehow he answered his phone last week and we set up an appointment to meet with him and it actually did happen this time. We met in the chapel on Tuesday, and for the first time since the beginning of October I talked to him! He is still doing awesome but pretty sick. We found out that the main reason he went off the face of the earth was because of his wife. She can't stand our church basically. Can't stand the thought of Paco having any part in it. So every time we would call Paco's phone and she saw, she'd freak out and threaten him, threaten to answer and chew us out. Sounds like a crazy woman. Never met her and don't really have an interest in meeting her.
Anyway, he told us he has his Book of Mormon hidden away in his house and whenever she would leave for work he got the book out and read as much as he could and then hid it away again when she got back. This story made me really realize how easy we have it. I've got a family who are all members and support me on my mission, encourage me to go to church rather than keep me from it, parents who invite me and my siblings to read the scriptures together and pray every night. And yet, here is Paco with this search for the truth. During the lesson, without us mentioning it at all, he told us he wants to get baptized really badly but doesn't know how to with his situation. I didn't really know at first what to say, how to address the issue. I mean, we are here to bring people closer to Christ and to get baptized and be strong in the church. I hate to admit that at first I was thinking like, "Hmm...how can we get rid of or past the wife," haha which I feel so bad about, because this gospel really is all about families as well. I've been praying super hard every day that the Lord will soften the heart of his wife and at least, for now, allow him to continue meeting with us and eventually get baptized. Then when he does that, she could see the change in him for the better and hopefully she can change and come to our church. So if you guys could, she needs all of our prayers and help. Please pray for her and Paco. This is something that I, or any missionary, can't do alone. The better way is to rely on Christ. Is there anything too hard for Him?
This week was really good. We ended up teaching a total of 32 lessons, which was the most we've ever taught in a week. It was incredible. I feel that every week with Elder Wilson we're getting better and better--we've been together for almost 4 and a half months now. There have been some frustrating times but overall it's been great.
Okay, funny story to end it off. Friday, Elder Wilson and I were talking about our 30 minutes of exercise each morning and how we should have a contest. So on Saturday morning we had a push up contest--who could do the most push ups in 30 minutes. The winner got the nice couch on Sunday morning (because only one person can lie down on it, and Sunday morning we don't have to exercise, which means we just go out there and lie on the couch or chair for the 30 minutes listening to music or reading haha) as well as the second shower, which means they can lie there on the couch for longer! A lot was at stake. So Saturday morning rolled around and we both got started. Oh boy, we both went so hard those first five minutes. We hardly talked at all haha. After I hit 80 I was struggling haha. I went until I honestly couldn't support any weight on my arms anymore--I think I got around 180 total. Showering was quite a struggle because I couldn't lift my arms up to put shampoo on my head haha. Elder Wilson probably won (he claims he did), but he lost track so I'm holding that against him and telling him it was a tie ;) It probably was one of the worst decisions of my life.
I weighed myself the other day...and yep. I weigh more than 190...came out with 170. I don't know where it's all going, but thank goodness not too much is going to my belly.
Well, that's it for now, folks. Have a great week!
Love, Elder Franson
P.S. The last day of the transfer is the 16th, so make sure to send all the letters to me before this Friday because there is a good chance I could get transferred :(
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