Tucson--#9

Hey Everyone!

This week has been absolutely crazy! There is a stomach bug thats been
going around and I got in on Thursday. It was no fun at all! I am just
starting to get my energy back but my appetite is lagging behind. Our only
progressing investigator, Doug Dicky was scheduled to have his baptismal
interview last Saturday. It needed to be with President Killpack because of
his past life. He didn't show up on Saturday for the interview so we
rescheduled it for yesterday. Funny thing happened while President
Killpack, Elder Woodland and I were waiting for Doug to show up. There was
a plane in the sky that had just drawn a smiley face in the sky. I thought,
"That is totally awesome!" Then the pilot started spelling out a word. It
started with an 'R' and then an 'O' and eventually spelled out Romney. It
was pretty cool to see and all of Tucson had to have been able to see it
because it was so large. I could not get it all in a single picture because
it happened almost exactly over our heads. Well, back on the home front
now. Sunday rolled around and I saw Doug before Sacrament meeting and he
seemed excited for his interview after church. After church rolls around
and I go up to Doug and ask if he was ready for his interview. President
was all ready for the interview and everything. Doug tells me that he
doesn't want to be baptized anymore and he is moving back to Utah tomorrow
which he is probably already gone by now. This took me by complete
surprise. He would not talk to us about it so there was nothing that we
could do to help him. On a positive note, we had a part-member family come
to church today where the husband and oldest daughter are not a member.
They had not been to church in a LONG time, since before I came out and we
did not even need to remind them. The husband is interested in learning
about the Gospel and we are meeting with the family on Wednesday. We also
met with Patricia Vespoli and gave her a large print copy of the Book of
Mormon. We talked about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. Her seed of
faith is already starting to grow. She told us basically what Elder
Holland's General Conference talk was on a couple years ago about the Book
of Mormon and Restoration. She said that Joseph Smith would not have died
for what he believed and knew to be true unless he actually KNEW. He would
not have lied to the thousands and now millions of people. Ever since our
Palmyra trip, I have looked at the Book of Mormon in a completely different
light. So many things needed to fall into place and they did and hundreds
of millions of lives have been changed because of Joseph Smith and
everything that the Restoration includes. I have noticed my testimony of
the Book of Mormon grow rapidly while being out on my mission. Talking with
Patricia, heard a change in my voice as I testified of the Book of Mormon
and I honestly felt like my voice was "like the roar of a lion". Oh if more
people would recognize the great good and eternal blessings that the Book
of Mormon brings to their lives and coupled with the Bible one's testimony
of both books will grow immensely. This morning, Sis. Wilkinson
(less-active family) texted us saying that her husband had been missing
since last night and had left a suicide night. I have come to realize real
fast that the mission is not for the faint of heart or for the little boy.
It matures you real quick if you allow out. I would never have seen myself
a year ago not even a week ago trying to console a wife who for all she
knew her husband is gone. I feel like this should be an exception, please
pray for Sister Wilkinson and her family that they will be comforted.
Love,
Elder Urry
LiveStrong
Alma 34:32