Dear friends and family,
Things have been pretty interesting around here lately. We've been doing a lot of Hurricane Irene cleanup these days. Most of it's taken care of now, so it's getting back to normal, but in the last week I've been spending much of my time in jeans and a tshirt doing all kinds of work. It's pretty weird that now I feel really strange wearing jeans because I'm just so used to my "church clothes"! It's been nice that we haven't really had time for tracting, but all this work has been pretty hard on my body. On Saturday alone, we helped two families move out of their top-floor apartments into different top-floor apartments. Elder Westley and I moved most of the heavy stuff because there weren't very many men to help with the move. My knees are still feeling it, but I can feel the spiritual rewards of making a sacrifice of my physical comfort. We've also had a few opportunities to help people clean up their yards or reduce fallen trees. Most of them were members of the Church, because almost every nonmember who sees our nametags quickly turns us away when we offer to help, even if they still have hours of work ahead of them. That can be pretty frustrating. I just wish these people would soften their hearts enough to accept help when they obviously need it! We did get to help one man who was cleaning his yard. When we were done, I told him who we were, what we were about, and invited him to learn more. He said he would like to have us back over so we could teach him! It's such a wonderful thing when someone finally accepts to learn more. It turns out, however, that he was cleaning a friend's yard and his home is not in our area. Oh well. At least we were able to help some different missionaries teach someone!
We found out about a week ago that we're expecting a second hurricane on Friday. Oh well. Hopefully another storm will humble people enough that they will be willing to accept our help!
We're still trying to find people. No new investigators yet. That can be pretty frustrating. It seems like everyone is "satisfied with their salvation". We have about 15 potential investigators, but because of summer vacations, the beginning of the school year (our area covers East Carolina University), and the hurricane, everyone is really busy and doesn't have a lot of time to meet with us.
We are still working with our only investigator, Grant Smith. He's 81 and has been battling his addiction to coffee for quite some time now. He's slowly cutting back though, and tells us that he's seeing the blessings for cutting back. He wants to be baptized, and this is really the only thing holding him back. He even fasted on Sunday that he would have help to overcome his habit. We're a bit worried though... he's going to be in Arkansas to see his daughter from 9/13 to 10/9! He'll be gone for a whole month! We're praying that he won't lose his growing testimony, that he won't give in to temptation, and that he will keep reading the Book of Mormon while he's gone. He is planning on meeting with the missionaries in Arkansas to help him get to church each week, and we'll be having lessons with him over the phone, so things should be pretty good. I'm sure he would benefit from your prayers....
Well I don't really have a lot of time today to write a super long email. So I'll try to wrap this one up.... Thanks to those who have sent me letters. I think the hurricanes are really messing with the mail system because I got 6 letters all at once and they were sent on different days... all about 2 weeks before I received them. And the packages I've been told that have been sent still aren't here. Thanks to those of you who have sent them... I'll let you know when I get them!
Today we're meeting with Bro. Smith. Then we'll be teaching a potential investigator for the first time a little later with a recently-reactivated man in our ward named Louis Warren. I can't remember if I've written about him before, but he is my favorite person of everyone I've met so far! (He apparently wrote a letter to my mom and dad!) We'll also be teaching him tonight.
Well, I've got to go, but I hope that all of you will keep trying to improve in your daily prayers and scripture study as well as your temple attendance. I know that if you do those things, your relationship with the Savior will grow and strengthen and you will have a better understanding of His love and sacrifice for you. That's why I pray for each of you every night to do a little better at these three things!
I testify that Jesus Christ lives. I know firsthand that He is very active in the lives of His brothers and sisters on earth. He loves us very much and promises to help us in our times of need---no matter what they are---if we will accept His constant invitation to come unto Him.
I hope to hear from you soon! I would love to get a letter from you!
I love you all and hope you are doing well!
With love,
Elder Schank
