Jared Wednesday Update - 06/10/09

Here's a pic of me in the excavator at Bro Brownings work, It was a blast.


I got to ride the riding lawnmower.


Picture of the "PJ's" or the "Projects" It's the governmental housing that is everywhere down here.

We received Jared's Wednesday email while we were sitting in the Las Vegas airport. I was going to try and post his update last night, but I was just too tired.

Jared didn't get transferred which left me somewhat relieved. I always worry more after a transfer because, having served a mission, I know what it is like trying to get used to a new area and a new teaching pool, etc. I think that Jared will go on the next transfer, however.

Jared was able to participate in the confirmation for the baptism they had last week. "Sunday Wayne was confirmed. That was really neat. He was the only investigator to come to church. Everyone else had some type of excuse or something. We should have Kristen, Freda, Willy, Marlene, Wesley, John, and Larry at church this Sunday. That would be totally awesome if all of them showed up. I'm hoping for at least four."

I remember what that was like trying to get people to come to church and even after all their promises they still came up with excuses (oh, wait, that was when I was a Bishop...)

"Friday was first Friday again. It was really cool. They had a ton of old cars as well as the new 2010 Chevy Camaro; the car on Transformers. It was sweet."

I guess that even in a spiritually heightened state, men notice nice cars.

"We have a new investigator, her name is Marlene. She is an ordained minister/pastor/preacher lady for a church of God. She's way intense. We gave her a church tour on Saturday and she loved it. It was great. It lasted 2.5 hours. It was really long. I can see her getting baptized because she really wants to know the truth. She is praying about everything we tell her and she wants to meet with us every night. We taught her last night in Phil's home because she lives in the apartment directly above his. The lesson was really great. We watched the restoration and reviewed what we talked about in the church tour. We also read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. That makes an easy lesson."

"Last Thusday we played some more intense basketball. We had two black guys on are team and they are both super good. We won every single game. It was a lot of fun. I've improved with my basketball skills quite a bit. It's really fun now to play. I used to be horrible."

It will be interesting to see how he stands up to the neighborhood basketball group (which includes his brother, Jonathan who is becoming quite accomplished at basketball and getting rather tall also) when he comes home.

"Monday night we had a lesson with a media referral. Her name is Freda. She use to be a Jehovah's Witness so we had an interesting lesson. She still had some of their ideas in her head like how Jehovah is not Jesus Christ and is his father. We had to show her that Jehovah is Jesus Christ and that they are the same person. She actually agreed with us and said that what we were telling her made tons of sense. She wants us to come back and visit with her again. I think she is really willing to learn so we'll have to see what happens with her."

Jared continues to love Alabama and I enjoy reading his letters because they are always so positive. His companions are really blessed to be able to serve with him (of course, that is my entirely unbiased opinion).