I've lost a gift/talent I used to have and still love.
I can't read the books I used to read, and I can't write the way I used to write.... so my ability to write and express my thoughts and feelings with writing..... yeah, it's kinda all gone down down down hill.
sad sad sacrifice.
but I was thinking about it and I guess I just need to outline what I want to say better.
this week we had two funny/interesting experiences and one very cool spiritual experience.
#1.) the interesting experience:
we got to "exorcise" a demon from someones home.
that was sure interesting.
we really just went in there to visit, and the next thing we know she is talking about how her son has a new "playmate" and how there are weird sounds at night and things are always moving around and there is simply a bad sad and overall unpleasant feeling in the home all the time.
after she told us all that, we were all just silent
for a few minutes.... and then I just kinda laughed inside and got excited and I said rather boldly "okay then, lets sing a song and say a prayer!" and so we sang "I am a child of God" and then we read some great empowering scriptures about how God is all powerful and then we each took turns and said a prayer. and then I went over and very blatantly told her that her cigarette habit and alcohol and swearing and the constant television with the angry shows and the bad video games and the nasty porn like art and the sheer dirty gross state of her home was NOT going to allow the spirit we invited to stay for very long. and she totally agreed!
for a few minutes.... and then I just kinda laughed inside and got excited and I said rather boldly "okay then, lets sing a song and say a prayer!" and so we sang "I am a child of God" and then we read some great empowering scriptures about how God is all powerful and then we each took turns and said a prayer. and then I went over and very blatantly told her that her cigarette habit and alcohol and swearing and the constant television with the angry shows and the bad video games and the nasty porn like art and the sheer dirty gross state of her home was NOT going to allow the spirit we invited to stay for very long. and she totally agreed!
we came back a few days later and the home was still dumpy, but she had some windows open to help with the cigarette smoke and most of her garbage was thrown away.... so she was obviously trying to fix her situation. she had pleasant music going and she had put up a picture of Christ. we brought her a large picture of the OKC temple and explained to her how sacred and special that place was.
she said she hasn't had a ghost problem since we were there, and she invited to continue to come back and read scriptures with her.
we will see what comes of that.
#2.) funny:
we did some service at the nursing home, helping them plant some flowers and a little herb garden.
sister Ma'alona is pulling some weeds when all of sudden she jumps back and squeals and sister Burt jumps and I nearly fall out of the raised bed we were working on!
they looked like rats! 4 of them just started to run in circles! the flower beds we were working in are raised up with little walls, so the poor things were trapped in with us.
looking at them closer, we saw the floppy ears and little white tails.... BUNNIES! oh so so so cute :) they were just tiny little babies! we put them back in their little nest and left that area alone. at the end of the service we said a prayer with the residents that the bunnies mom would come and help them find a safer place.
I hope that prayer came true!
#3.) spiritual:
I got to see a baptism on Sunday!
Jesse is 8, so it's not a convert baptism, but it sure felt like one!
Jesse has loved the church forever and he always went with his grandma, but his parents were less active until a few months ago.
Jesse's dad got the priesthood and blessed the sacrament on Sunday for the first time, and then after church he performed the baptism for Jesse and he did it perfectly!
I just love seeing the change that happens in people and especially in families.
The End
I have to talk in church next Sunday... so that's gonna be rough.
but on Friday Tracy is getting baptized :)
busy week coming up...
