Hello from Southport!
It has been another great week here in Southport. We had a miracle this week in finding a family and teaching them. But I’ll give some background first.
During Weekly Planning a couple weeks back, Elder Jolliffe and I were looking at what areas we wanted to street contact and tract. I was looking at the map and nothing was coming. I just picked out a street called “Cypress Road.” We went tracting on it that week one evening and had no success. But we kept it in our plans for the next week and decided to try again some other time.
The other time came on Monday night. The night before, I mentioned in Nightly Planning to go back since it had been a while. We were on our way to tract and were speaking with everyone along the way as usual. There was a woman across the street with her two children. from where I was so I went to go speak with her. She wasn’t initially interested and said she was catholic. She also is from Liverpool (fyi the Liverpool accent is hilarious, you have to hear it). But, we continued in conversation and she asked if I was American. She then told me that her family was hoping to move to Louisiana in a year so that her son could get a soccer scholarship for school. We had some more small talk and we brought it back to the gospel. She then became interested and set up an appointment.
We taught her and her family the next day. She has SEVEN children! She was very interested and then mentioned to us that her and her son talked about that coming across us was fate. She wanted to strengthen her faith and she felt that meeting an American was an absolute blessing. We then shared what I have talked about planning. The Spirit truly does prepare others to receive the gospel. Being persistent and sticking to plans is so important. Miracles happen everyday. You just have to look for them and do what you are supposed to. Her name is Jenny. We also have two other investigators that are African. One is named Luke, and the other is called Precious. They both need to gain a spiritual witness of the gospel. I hope and pray all goes well with them.
My study of virtue this morning was amazing. In Preach My Gospel it says, “What you choose to think and do when you are alone and you believe no one is watching is a strong measure of your virtue.”
With this quote in mind, I was thinking how this is applicable with the Savior. I then thought of the instance of when Jesus had been fasting and Satan came to tempt Him. Christ was alone and Satan, being the evil one he is, knew this was one of the best opportunities had to tempt Christ.
James E. Talmage notes in Jesus the Christ that if Jesus would have performed the miracles to prove to Satan that He was the Son of God, doubt would have been in the Savior’s mind. He also would have been thinking selfishly, but as we know, Christ was triumphant. He was obedient to His fast to the Father and defeated the cunning one. Virtue was most definitely in the Savior’s thoughts. Virtue was never ceasing.
A normal day goes like this:
6:30 am: Get up and pray
630-800: Exercise, shower, breakfast, get ready.
8 am: Personal Study
9 am: Companionship Study
10am: Out the door to find and teach
12: Lunch
1pm: Out the door to find and teach.
5: Tea (dinner)
6: Out the door to find and teach.
9: Nightly planning for the next day.
10:30: Pray and Sleep
It’s pretty easy to not have time as you can see.
I don’t know what happened with Colton’s letter. I wrote him one the week before Lindsey’s and sent it to the old house address. But I will write a new one today. Tell Layne thanks for the wonderful email and kind words. I cant write to him unless I have his home address though. The house looks good. Tell Colton congrats on the basketball team! The Lord answers prayers. I know he does because he has said yes to too many of my prayers.
I love you all and pray daily for you as you have for me. May the Lord bless you in all you do! Continue your study on Becomig Like Him!
Love,
Elder Starr
