#7 - Teaching a sermon

Saturday night we went out to some potentials houses and as we were walking down the street we saw a neighborhood party. We saw the Potter family that are our good friends and they waved us over to say hi. It is funny how many people gave us dirty looks! Im not sure why but people dont like us... The Potters were way happy to see us and thats all we cared about ha. Some people came up to us and wanted to know who we were. The Potters totally backed us up and told them that we were missionaries and very nice. More people came over and started wondering what we do. At first we were skeptical but it turned into a huge blessing! Some of their questions, like "If you believe that God is just and fair then why do you believe he would condemn us to hell after we die if we dont believe in your religion?" They were just trying to mess with us but we turned it around into teaching moments and in the end the night turned out very positive! It felt like we were teaching a sermon haha. 

The mission goal we have is to have 60% lessons with a member present. Because all the lessons we have been getting our ratio has been at like 5% haha so we have decided to change things up so we have more members out meeting our investigators with us. So last night we call the only priest named Noah out with us! He is 16 years old. I always loved it when the missionaries let me come out with them. Noah is going to start coming out with us every week. Can't wait to bring him tracting with us haha Martinsville has so many crazies he will be hilarious! Last week we hit another 50 lessons so I'm not sure we could get 60% but our goal is 25% and with our new strategy we plan on reaching it!

Not too many crazy stories this week! But we committed Nickelle to baptism yesterday and Dona on Saturday. Both of them are gaining a testimony of the gospel. We gave nickelle a Book of Mormon and she was so excited she told us right when we were going to leave she would start reading it! Dona has a broken back and has to wear a back brace all day every day for the next year. She told us she doesn't know how she will be able to be baptized because she can't take it off. And she smokes like a pack of cigs a day but if there is a will there is a way right!? any suggestions on how she can be baptized without the brace getting wet??

Love you all! Ye are the light of the world, share that light with everyone around you!

email me! ~~~james.coon@myldsmail.net

this is an average house here haha like my new ride!?

To Mom,

another good week! peggy and pete are not kicking the tobacco.. its been really hard and we have set another date for the end of sept so we are praying they can do it. we committed 3 more people to baptism this week! we have so many people who like our message and are progressing but all have an addiction to overcome.

good job at the gym! i wish i could touch my toes... you are a fit mama for sure:) 

that protein isnt all mine ha its mostly redmonds, the monthly budget is good i stick with it! the only thing i pay money our of my own is the protein i think. and the gym is 22 bucks a month.

thanks!

To Hannah,

sounds like a fun week! good luck at soccer try your best and work hard! the protein wasnt all mine haha i only have a few... its mostly redmonds he takes wayyyyy too much protein! i told him he couldnt digest that much at one time but he doesnt care haha

To Annie,

thats good! stay away from the bad kids! i remember doing the balloon car thats a fun project. its always nice to have a few rich friends because they always have fun things to play with! good thing you dont have lice i would make you shave your head;)

To Dad,

Wait you are over the teachers!? thats awesome! take them shooting and on the boat and everything! haha 

hmm i dont remember much... the churchball games are fun! and going on campouts. the firesides we have on campouts always have stuck out to me. 

my knowledge of the gospel has grown so much. and i have more of a desire to learn. we were in a lesson with nickelle(who we committed to baptism yesterday) and she was so excited to know more because she has been to other churches but none of them teach about where we came from or why we do things. we could answer all of her questions. there is a church on every corner here! but the crazy thing is their knowledge and understanding seems so shallow compared to the fulness that we have.