Hey my loving family!!!

       It seems like it has been a way long week for some reason. Maybe because our P-day was boring. We didn't have a ride to the church so we just sat around and then eventually started playing some chutes and latters which was a bundle of fun ha. We did finally get the car back after 2 weeks so now we can actually get to places. We are in North Liberty, so it is kind of a ways from Iowa city by biking. We have had some good things happen this week. We found this old black guy from CHI town that lost his wife about a year ago so he was really happy to see us which was great because we have been praying to find somebody that is really in need of the gospel. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he seemed to really enjoy it. The great thing about him is that he is always home so we can go visit him at some of the worst times of the day. We have also been trying to teach this less-active lady for a while but she has been avoiding us. She has 5 kids and only one has been baptized. So we finally got an appointment with her and her whole family and kind of just got to know them and then I asked some of the kids how their relationship with God was. The older 3 told us that they didn't even know if God really existed.... Ha wrong answer. The mom just started raising her voice telling her kids of all the miracles that God has down for them and all this stuff and she couldn't believe that they didn't know God. So I just chimed in and told them to cheer up and that our message is a really joyful message haha, because the mom was making it seem like we were condemning them. Anyway, she did tell her kids that they have to start meeting with the Elders so that was sweet:) So now we have 3 more new investigators. Very weird lesson, but hopefully the mom can just learn to listen a little bit. She has been inactive for quite a while and definitely needs some tuning up on her doctrine. The older boy is 16 and has been baptized and another missionary that was working with them told me that his goal was to get him on a mission, so we will be working hard with that.

      Our 3 investigators that are on date didn't show up to church so that was a bummer. We even had a ride for them and everything. Really frustrated with that. We have been working with them forever now!! They are scheduled for next Saturday so hopefully they can really try this week. The youngest kid is way excited about it, but the mom and older brother aren't putting much into it. The family that we just baptized is great though. Their home teachers are starting to work with them, and we got them a children's book of Mormon. They are always really happy when they come to church. The dad really just needs to get baptized so he and his family can enjoy the blessings of the Priesthood in their home. All is going well though!! A lot of finding lately so our potentials are really racking up. Got Elder Ragozzine more comfortable with door approaches that's for sure. Oh yea and this really inactive Return missionary fed us last night with his girlfriend. He is about 45 years old and I guess just went less-active right when he got back, but after we fed them we taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I don't think he liked that very much. You could tell that he was really umcomfortable with it, but is non-member girlfriend isn't a member so she was enjoying it. It was pretty awkward though. Also found this Brazilian named Rodrigo, well the sisters found him and referred him to us, he is a scientist and hasn't had much to do with religion, but he said that he would be happy to help me with Portuguese so that sounded good to me. All I know is gospel terms so he will have to learn:)

            Tonight we are doing a big church tour for whoever wants to come. I guess some members put it on facebook so hopefully we have a good turn out. But I'm way excited for Lindsey's big day. I hope that everything turns out great!! Thanks for all your love and support and tell the fam I love them. Love you all!!

 

Love, Elder Polatis