Well we have had another wonderful week in Goldsboro. We had alot of appointments cancel on us but because we are trying to be always prepared we have back up plans that always turn into great teaching opportunities. I am so grateful to be serving here in the Goldboro 1st Ward. They are truly amazing. We are seeing miracles because we are being "purpose driven missionaries" and members can see the difference. We have had alot of great conversations with them members this week and have gotten a couple of referrals from them. They are really starting to get excited about missionary work. Zone Conference was definitely an answer to my prayer. I had definitely been struggling on how we can help the members but because of our new focus with the members we are seeing great results. They are always excited to talk to us about what they have done and sometimes they are so excited that it can't wait so they call us. What a joy this work brings to my heart. We are inviting the members to act and they are keeping their commitments with the Lord.
I had the opportunity to go on an exchange this week with Elders Haws. I love this missionary. He is definitely an inspiration to me. We have alot in common and it was really neat to see that between us. We had a wonderful exchange. Its amazing to see how the spirit can connect us even though we aren't companions. We had a really great time getting to know each other. Elder Haws has a very strong testimony of the gospel and has worked really hard to be out here and continues to work really hard. I sure look up to him.
We had an opportunity to meet up with Sister Shock and Sister Birkmire this week. Well lets just say it was probably the most interesting lesson that I have ever had. This was the first time we have met with them but they have been taught about the Restoration. The other Elder's did a great job of teaching them the doctrine behind it and made a great first impression with them. They really trust us as representatives of Christ. So we went over there and used the bullets from "How to Begin Teaching with them." I can testify that those bullets were put in there for the purpose of us to pattern our teaching around them. We saw how the spirit really helped them realize our purpose and also our love for them. They felt so comfortable that they told us that they were a couple. Well lets just say that shocked Elder Scott and I. We sat there for a moment waiting for the spirit to testify to us what we need to say. Well we comforted them and told them what the Church's stance is on Homosexuality and also about how we can be cleansed of sin through the Atonement of Christ. We then had a great review of the first lesson with her and the spirit was really strong there. We know our concerns and have faith that the spirit will guide us on how we can best help her come unto Christ. We have an appointment with her this week with our ward mission leader. We will be teaching her about Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance and how the Atonement works into that. We will also be teaching her about the Law of Chasity and invite her to live that law. It will be an interesting lesson I am sure but I know that the Lord will help us and help her overcome this affliction in both of their lives. They came to Church on Sunday and they both really enjoy it. The Sisters are really making them feel welcome. They are starting to participate in the class's as well. Its great to see how the spirit is slowly working on them.
Well we met with Ian McLeod this week. He is wonderful. I can't tell you how much I love him. He is doing so great. We found the perfect fellowshipper for him this past week. Brother Haymours is a less active member who served his mission in Texas that is just getting reactivated into the ward. He has and his wife have a little girl and are expecting a new child. Well Brother Haymour came out with us and it was perfect. They clicked really well. We started out the lessons by answering all of his inspired questions that he had. They are all helping him truly come unto Christ. We helped him answer his own questions by using the scriptures. He was really worried about the temple and why he had to go there. Well the spirit taught him and by the end of the lesson he wants to go to the temple with his wife. We were so excited to hear that. We finished the Plan of Salvation with him and he told us "That it all makes sense." He even told us that he believes that the Book of Mormon is true. It then really hit him that he said yes and so he started stumbling for words and started mumbling. Well we helped him realize that it was ok to say yes and that he needs to continue to read and pray and he will have that more solid testimony. We are really excited about him. We tried setting a date but he told us that he wants to be baptized but doesn't want a date. He told us he would let us know when he got his answer. Its only a matter of time before he gets an answer. He told us that he really does want to be baptized on the 18th of December. So we are shooting for that. He is so wonderful. Then at the end of the lesson he prayed again. He is volunteering to pray. Its wonderful to see. His prayers are coming along great and you can tell he has a sincere desire to know that its true. Brother Haymour then invited him and his wife over for dinner. We are really excited about the ward getting involved. He came to Church on Sunday and it was great to see him learn and really be interested in what was going on.
We met with an investigator this week that we haven't met up with for a while. We actually had a miracle happen with them. We were teaching the Albright Family when we first got here but Sister Albright started having marital problems so told us they were going to move to Ohio. Well that fell through. Sister Albright got a job at Walmart and is trying know to find a place here in Goldboro. There house is falling apart and they can't live there anymore and they want to be away from the Father. Well Elder Scott and Elder Tibbitts while on exchange went over to see them and started talking to Jessica (the daughter) and she told him all the troubles they were going through and so they set up an appointment to meet with them. Well Sister Albright had to bring back the car at her lunch time and so they saw her for a moment. Well Elder Haws got a hole in his tire so we had to go and get another tube from Walmart. Well Sister Albright was standing right there outside waiting for her ride. She used our phone to make sure they were coming and she told us how she had saw the other Elders earlier and know she sees us and she told us that this must be a sign that I need to meet with y'all. The Lord is truly blessing the lives of the people and is directing us on where we need to go and who we need to see. Well we taught them about the Atonement when we went over and they said they were going to come to Church but they cancelled on us. We have another appointment with them this week in a member home though. So were pretty excited about that.
We tried visiting with alot of members and less actives this week but alot of the appointments fell through. So we did some finding on our own. It was great to do some tracting. We really have changed the way we are tracting. We are trying to let the spirit lead our conversations. We know that ever individual that we speak to needs to be called to repentance and that they all have different situations that they are going through. We are excited to continue to work hard in this are to help the work move along in Goldsboro.
Well I love y'all and hope you have a wonderful week
Love Elder Butler
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