Email April 28, 2014

Greetings from sunny California! How are you all doing?! I hope everything is going swimmingly. Especially since it's almost time to start going swimming! So this week was pretty slow, only a few things to report on and only one of them is big. So I'll end on that one because it's the most Spirit-filled one and that's always the best to end on. So to report: We had another lesson with Rick this week. We had a member there who used to be Lutheran, just like Rick is Lutheran (he doesn't practice anymore, pretty much believes everything we believe haha). He bore a strong testimony and put forth good challenges, but Rick still isn't sure about being baptized yet. I worry that sometime with the heavy push he's going to ask us to back off, he's done that with past missionaries. Not sure why, but he has asked them to stop coming by once I think. So I don't want that to happen. But he's still kicking the idea of being baptized around, coming closer and closer. His wife is even encouraging him to stay with the Mormons haha. She's awesome too. If he converts, I have a feeling she might too. She doesn't sit in on the lessons, but she might take them if she isn't already a member. So keep Rick in your prayers! He's coming so close to receiving such joy and happiness! Jim again said he would come to church and again did not come to church. We had a lesson with him this week where he started asking us questions and stuff. Which was way different because he usually just talks and has stories to tell all of the time and we never have lessons. But this time we mostly did. :D It was great. Pray for him that things will stop popping up for him so that he can come to church! We went out to visit an inactive man. He lives kind of out in the boondocks, pretty far away from the rest of the main area in a kind of forest-like area. So we bike out there and he's got all kinds of stuff hanging on his house, things just laying out and around his property, and we see this limo on the property. Cool, whatever. Probably doesn't run but whatever. So we knock on his door, he answers smoking some weed and says he'll be right out in a second after he realizes who we are. Shuts the door, we walk back out to a different part of his property and he comes out without the weed and with sunglasses on. He's got long, medium blonde hair down to his shoulders, about my height, really nice guy. We get talking and we cover tons of topics, he switched the subject a lot. We finally asked him about his limo and he tells us he just bought it and either has or is getting his license to be a driver! He shows us the inside while he's telling us all of this and he says that if we ever want a ride in a limo to just call him up because he'd love to. Limo ride on my mission? I might have to hit that up. But, probably not with him as the driver. Hahaha! Really nice guy, but wasn't as coherent as he could have been you know? Haha. But the offer still stands, we go out every once in a while to visit and he says the offer is still up. Another thing I've heard since coming to Redding is the Lomarians. People up around here believe that the Lomarians live inside Mt. Shasta which, by the way, is a dormant volcano for those who didn't know. And whenever the peak of the mountain is covered by a cloud, the people who believe in the Lomarians say that aliens are delivering supplies to them in the mountain!! Hahaha, oh the crazy things people think and believe! I have no idea where this lore came from, but I found it awesome and hilarious. :D Good stories. Well here is the good stuff: We had a lesson with a new investigator and her inactive husband on Monday night, the Francis family. This particular couple has had the missionaries teach them a few times over the years so I kind of went in with not as good of an attitude as I should have the first time we met. But I wasn't completely lacking faith! I still hoped that Elder Solomon and I would be the ones to be able to help them join and come back to the church, that somehow one of our personalities would mesh with theirs and something would be different this time. Well, we go through the second lesson which is on the Plan of Salvation. She had some questions like what we believe about Heaven and Hell or what happens to the people who never joined the church, because she has had both of her parents pass away who weren't part of the church and she wanted to know what was going to happen to them according to our beliefs and knowledge. I assume she also wanted to know for the rest of her family, like her kids (they're all married and/or moved out) and whatnot. So when we described that we believe that the people who didn't or never had the opportunity to accept it in this life will have the chance to in the next life, I feel like something connected for her. The member we had there talked about previous wives and children who have passed on and bore powerful testimony that he knows he will see them all again someday. The Spirit was so strong! And I felt prompted to share my testimony of the Plan of Salvation and forever families, especially having a little sister from the Marshall Islands. I bore my testimony that I knew that because of temple ordinances, my little sister who I love so much, will be part of my family for time and for all eternity. That even though we aren't related biologically, that it just wouldn't be the Cevering family without her. We wouldn't and couldn't be complete without her. That I love her so much and if God wouldn't let our family stay together forever then it wouldn't be fair, or understanding, or loving. But I testified that I knew we will be brother and sister forever, and that I love her so, so, so much and that that love will be able to continue everlastingly. And I testified that it can be that way with her, her husband, and her family. That they can have the same feelings of love forever too! The Spirit was so strong at the end of that lesson, it was incredible. She was in tears and I felt like he was hiding/fighting tears as well. Brother Francis closed the lesson with a prayer, Brother Francis! Who hasn't gone to church in possibly years said he felt earlier that day that he should say the prayer in the lesson. The point was also brought up that Brother Francis could baptize Sister Francis if things worked out correctly. They both were really touched by that. They both have said that something is different time, that the presentation or something is different. Well, guys, that's the Spirit!!! It must be time! Please keep them in your prayers! She quickly soft committed to baptism when we asked her if she would, and we'll be setting a date with her hopefully this week. The Spirit was incredible, and it testified not only to the Francis family. It testified to me (through my own words!) that I knew the Plan of Salvation is real and true. That me and Mikayla and our whole family can be together forever! That the incredible love we all feel one toward another, although it's harder to see at some times, can and will last forever!!! I LOVE THAT. I love the Plan of Salvation. I am so thankful for the opportunity I am so blessed with to have you as my family and I am so blessed to be able to be part of this family FOREVER! I love you!!! :) Love, Elder Jacob Cevering