ELDER CANYON ATWOOD

Ok everybody, so this week has been alright. We have transfers tomorrow so we will see what happens . Our investigators are doing alright and we are just trying to get more. I'm really looking forward to having a new companion, one that doesn't speak any English just so i will be less tempted to speak English. I do have one experience to share....my companion and I just finished teaching this girl and we starting walking and we see these drunk guys waving at us. My comp loves drunk people for some reason so they start talking to us. This drunk guy comes over and gives me a hug which sucked cuz he stunk so bad and didn't have a shirt on. Well this guy starts giving me dudes like hitting his fist against mine and thenl he started doing it really hard and missed and hit my stomach. My comp started talking to him and decided that we needed to help take him home. My comp and I spent about 1 hour taking this dude home and he decides that we are going to teach him the next day. I told my comp that we will do divisions because that drunk guy won't progress . He kinda flipped out and said," fine I will see who wants to save a life, I really feel like he can progress. I said fine i will go with you and if he is sober we will teach him. Well we go the next day and what do you know he is wasted and almost passed out in front of his house. The moral of this story is use the spirit of discernment. If they are just chilling with some friends or just at a restaurant with a beer its all good go and talk to them but its when they are down right wasted and can't remember there own name you just have to keep walking. It kinda sucks but you really have to think is this person going to progress and live the gospel of Christ. I know its harsh but who do you think is going to progress more the drunk who is passed out everyday or the woman who is morning because of the loss of a family member . There are so many people out there that are ready to hear the Gospel you just have to pick them out from everyone else. Anyway, this is my advice to the future missionaries. One, this is from the advice that my dad gave to me, pray like everything depends on the Lord then work like everything depends on YOU. Second, sometimes it can be hard to get motivated for the day and that's completely normal, so to get motivated read you patriarchal blessing. Every time I read it I get so pumped to study and preach the gospel that day and it works because it will remind you the importance of your mission. . If you don't have you patriarchal blessing get it,it is great and and insane testimony that God knows each of us individually. I have an amazing patriarchal blessing,I did not deserve that blessing. I think to myself why would God love me a sinner so much to give all these blessings to me. I don't have the answered but all I can say is I am insanely thankful for it. Then this is something that I encourage all of you to do... pray out loud. I just started doing it this weekend and for some reason it has made a big difference. I was pouring my heart out and telling the Lord things that I didn't ever even think to tell him, it was an amazing experience that I had and I hope you all give it a try. This next one is give your heart to the Lord and let him do the work . That means say what Christ would say, you are a representative of HIM. When you give him your heart you put your will aside and let his will take over. I am still working on that but I try to do it everyday by asking him for that blessing. It has made an amazing difference and I have felt the holy ghost with me more constantly and I remembered the other day when I bore my testimony of Joseph Smith I felt as if I had just been struck by lightning. It was awesome. I love you all and I cant explain the blessings of being a missionary. It is hard but it is worth it.
LOVE YOU ALL

Elder ATWOOD