Tis the Season of Farsi!

This week was SO fun! And SO awesome, we really were blessed a TON this week. 

We did triple splits this week. Tuesday I was with Elder Ross, Wed with Elder Ah-You, my ZL, and Thursday with Elder McCracken. I also got to go on mini splits with the Chinese Elders and our mission assistants as well, so many crazy different things happening! We had our ward Christmas party, which was awesome! And what was even more awesome is we had about 30 Persians come!! Probably 25 of which were non-members. Farsi win for sure. 

Elder McCracken and Elder Ekberg at the doctors office during MiniSplits.  No one died.  (Thanks for that, Dan)

So to the miracles this week. We received a referral from the Visitor Center for a baptismal date. WHAT? So on Thursday we met Hamid, our new Persian friend, and he is awesome!! Seriously soo prepared and wants to find that peace and comfort in his life. We had a sweet lesson with him on Thursday, gave him a Book of Mormon, he prayed, it was awesome. Then we met again on Saturday and we brought Sister Mead and Bro Wood from the ward. We taught a super good lesson about planting seeds of faith, church and the importance of the sacrament. Hamid asked great questions, wants to change, is super willing and excited to move forward towards his baptismal date! We had to leave to make dinner but Sister Mead stayed with him for a bit, but we found out later that they stayed there for almost 2 more hours talking, asking/answering questions and such! It was awesome! Sadly, he had a commitment this Sunday, but he promised he would keep Sunday open for now on and he will bring his daughter next Sunday! boom! gahhh miracles! 

Hamed at the departing Missionary fireside.

Friday, we are about to go out contacting on our good ol bud Westwood, when we get a call from someone from Farsi class. So Elder Sugden is talking to them and a young guy comes up to me in the parking lot and asks if I speak Farsi.. umm yeah a little. So for a couple of minutes I struggle with Farsi and he struggles with English to try and communicate, basically what I thought I got was he wants to be a Mormon! Sick! His aunt and grandpa show up just as Elder Sugden gets off the phone and we ask them if they want to go to a concert tonight, they said yes and we had an awesome night with them! Super cool people! Hamed asked so many questions and has super sincere desire to learn and he really wants to join the church. He even came to church the next morning and then with us to the departing missionary fireside to hear Elder Ross's testimony. He had met Elder Ross just earlier that day! Honestly a super nice guy and he is super prepared! We have been super blessed this week! 

At church we had Hamed come, as well as a lady Elder McCracken and I had invited to church about 4 weeks ago and this guy Reza who showed up at the Christmas party! It was awesome to have so many people at church and especially in Gospel Principles, our Sunday school that the Elders teach in Farsi. 

We also had a super good week of left-overs, always makes the missionaries happy. Let's just say that we didn't have to go shopping this week. Score. Also, the church came out with a sweet video 'A Savior is Born", go check it out! 

Transfers... Elder Sugden and I are staying together another transfer!! Woo! we are super excited to continue to work with these new people together and help them learn and accept Jesus Christ! BUT!! As Elder Ross is leaving, we thought Elder Demond would come back, but no! Elder McCracken is training a NEW FARSI ELDER!! GAhhhh! So SOON! This has never happened. Usually there is like 2 or 3 transfers between new guys, but its just one between me and Elder Wiedrich, the new new guy. We will meet him tomorrow! Super unexpected! 

Ekberg, Ross, Sugden, McCracken

Farsi is coming along! It was super good this week! I had some good solid classes with Sister Mead and I loved spending time with Hamed. He practiced English and I practiced Farsi to each other. Very cool :) I'm also excited we have these new investigators cause now I can practice teaching more! :) Super excited for the next little bit! 

How is your Book of Mormon challenge? You gonna finish by Christmas? I finished it this morning and boy its been such a huge blessing to study the Book of Mormon looking specifically for commitments and promised blessings. As we search the scriptures, there are SO many blessings the Lord promises us if we do these simple little things! Also, I read my patriarchal blessing this morning and did the same. Looked for commitments and promised blessings. For me, it helped to make a list and look at, man there really is only these few things I need to do, and Heavenly Father will bless me with all that. He really does love us. He knows us perfectly and wants to be there to help us as much as we will let him. 

 

I love you all! Thank you so much for what you do! :) 

Farsi silliness.