Email from Elder Lofthouse 5/5/14 Hello

This was a long week. A lot of good things happened. We finally hit 10 lessons taught with a member present. I was super happy about that. And we have some good plans to get lessons in members' homes this week and to receive referrals from members. It's been difficult to change and start working more through the members, but we've been keeping at it and I think it's starting to work.

Yesterday we set a fairly solid baptismal date for May 17th. His name is R C and he's related to a lot of the members. He's gone to our church a lot in Modesto and he reads the Book of Mormon. But he was adamant that he had already been baptized. However, we couldn't find his record anywhere. We've been pretty sure for awhile that he was never baptized in our church. We had dropped him a couple months ago, but we were on splits one night and I was with R's grandson. He suggested we go visit his grandpa. We did, set a return appointment, and I felt very guided by the Spirit last night as I asked R about confirmation and explained the importance of record-keeping. It sounds like he was never confirmed and it just seemed to click with him that he should have a certificate or some kind of record to show that he did that ordinance. So he accepted a baptismal date and he seems excited about it.

Our recent converts, the Q family, are going through a really hard time right now. Sister Q's sister died a couple days ago and she's taking it really hard. Her husband and one of her sons came to church on Sunday and it must have been such a sacrifice for them to leave her (she's really, really overwhelmed). But it was the first time they stayed all three hours, the first time they paid tithing, the first time they had interviews with the bishop, and I'm sure they will be (and already have been) so, so blessed for it. And the members have been great in reaching out to them and giving them support. Sister Q should be receiving several visits this week. I love this ward!

Also, R showed up to church this week!  He was going to get baptized in April and then he disappeared.  But he's back in our area and we're going to start teaching him again.  I'm excited!

Anyway, I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Lofthouse