Elder Murdock In The Texas Houston East Mission: Getting Cold in Texas

Howdy everybody! I hope y'all have had a fantastic week. Ours sure was good, we had a lot of good things happen. We've really been striving to learn how to call down the powers of heaven to help us in our work, so we did a lot of fasting and praying to know what we needed to do. We did our best to get members out with us, there were a few days when we weren't able to find anyone available to come out with us, after all we could do, but hey, that's exactly when the Lord steps in to help out, right? Those days that we tried our hardest to get members out but couldn't, other members of the ward invited us in to teach them and their investigator friends and family, and we were able to exceed our member present goals for the week! Another miracle that happened this week was with one of our investigators, Ryan. He's been very humbled and very prepared to hear our message, and we've loved teaching him these last few weeks. We stopped by to see him on Tuesday and he was working in his garage as usual. We noticed that he sick and stuffed up, but he just brushed it off like it was nothing. We taught him a lesson and said goodbye, and I went to get back on my bike as he was closing the garage door, but Elder Harmon stayed up by the door with a thoughtful look on his face. We had wanted to give Ryan a blessing for his chewing tobacco problem but we weren't able to because of time, but I could tell Elder Harmon was still dead set on giving him this blessing, especially after we found out he was sick. So I got off my bike and Elder Harmon knocked on the garage door so we could come back in and give him a blessing, which is exactly what happened. Ryan was more than happy to let us give him a blessing, Elder Harmon anointed and I sealed it. After the blessing Ryan sat in his chair for a bit, then took a deep breath through his nose and told us that that was the first time in two days that he'd been able to breath. He teared up a bit and thanked us and gave both of us a hug. We said goodbye, riding off with a greater love for Ryan and a greater thanks to our Heavenly Father for allowing us to be His servants.

I testify that this work is true! The Lord wants all of us to do our best and serve Him, and give Him our all. I can tell y'all that as you strive to give all you've got to him, a change will come in you're

Heart that will be sweet and pure.

We also had the Kingwood Nativity this week, and that was awesome! It was the same one we worked at last year, so I kinda knew what was going on. It was so fun to be there again and feel that awesome Christmas spirit. I think the coolest part was one of the performances, he was a blind and handicapped man that played the piano so beautifully! I loved listening to him and other performers play Christmas music, I love this time of year, there's just something wonderful about it, I hope y'all can feel it too, and share it with others!

I sure do love y'all, but I just love the Lord a whole lot more, so I'll be serving him with the best I have for as much time as I've got till he says I'm done, until then I'll be sending Texas sized love to y'all from here in Atascocita!

Love,

Elder Murdock