Week 2 in Ohio

July 29, 2009

Dear Family,

Last night we went back over to our investigator’s home for lesson # 2, the Plan of Salvation. They were waiting with the door open for us.

The spirit was very strong and the elders did an awesome job of explaining the plan and answering questions. The highlight of the evening was when Trisha realize for the first time that Heavenly Father had a body like ours and we were created in his image. That concept was totally new to her. Her and Eugene, her husband, both said that made total sense to them. That explains why it is so hard for them to pray. They weren’t sure what God looked like or what his personality was like. To know he was a loving parent and that we lived with him before earth life felt good to them.

The elders invited them last night to pray as a couple for a week and then report back.

Eugene, is a manager of a restaurant and he has to work every Sunday except one a month. Two weeks ago when he attended church he loved it. He said he learned so much in Gospel Essentials class. He defiantly wants to go back. He hates working Sundays. This Fast Sunday we are fasting for him so conditions can change at work and he will be able to attend church more.

The really neat thing last night was when the missionaries asked if they had any questions and Eugene wanted to know if you paid Tithing on your gross or net income. He blew the missionaries away. We are not even close to teaching that lesson yet.

He said he wants to pay tithing and that he is a planner and would like to know the exact amount so they can do some planning. Your dad explained Tithing was paid on your ‘increase” and that it was between him and the Lord. I then shared my testimony of the blessings that come from paying tithing and how paying it helps you manage your money better.

Trisha would like to know how to make meals stretch because they have 14 people living with them right now because extended family members are homeless and jobless.

Eugene is about 25 and so willing to support 3 families with his meager income plus he wants to pay tithing. What a Christ like individual. He just doesn’t know it.

His mother was initially against the missionaries coming. The first time we went she wouldn’t come anywhere near us. Last night she made excuses three different times to come into the house just to see and hear what we were saying. She was pleasant to us as we were leaving. Big change.

Eugene and Trisha will let the missionaries know when they would like to set the date for their baptism. Trisha likes to get hugs from me when we leave. She is so cute.
O, I didn’t tell you Trisha has one artificial leg from her hip down. She is 4’10 and about a size 2 with long brown hair. She wears pants to church because she doesn’t want anyone to notice her leg.

The first time we meet Eugene we asked him what he liked to do and he said he liked to shoot his 40 caliber. Your dad asked him,” A 40 caliber, what?” Then Eugene raised his t-shirt. Strapped to his waist was a semi-auto handgun. He whipped it out, jacked out the clip and the shells, and tried to hand it to the missionaries. They backed away and explained that they are not allowed to handle guns. It was a very funny Redneck moment. He even has a car out front, the hood of which is propped open with a fishing pole. Chaun would like that.

A cute story:
The sister missionaries backed into a decorative post with their car and put a fist size dent into their bumper. They were devastated. They took it to the repair shop close to the mission office. The bid was $480. 00 to remove, straighten, and paint the bumper. He gave them the option of heating the dent and popping it out and retouching it for $75. We opted to go the second route. The sisters took it in yesterday and he fixed it for free. We think the sisters charmed the repairman; they are so cute. They came into the office ecstatic. Your dad wrote the repairman a very nice thank you card.

We are doing well. We had another cloud burst today. Water was running across the roads on the way home. We send our love. MOM & DAD