Email May 11, 2015

TalofaHowdy! Isn't that an awesome greeting? The Sister Training Leaders in our zone are from Samoa (well she and her family are Samoan, but they're from Utah) and Oklahoma (she really is from Oklahoma), and they have an awesome bishop who likes to make up silly songs and stuff. So their first day here he came up with a greeting for them that they would "understand" haha! "Talofa" is hello in Samoan and "Howdy" is hello in Oklahoma - the sisters loved it! So "TalofaHowdy" was born! It's funny because now everyone in the zone is starting to use it between the missionaries too, so it's pretty sweet. HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!!! I'm giving a huge shoutout to all the mothers out there who are just awesome for being moms! The most overlooked, underpaid, and under appreciated job in the world, but one of the absolutely most important jobs in the world as well! All you moms out there are amazing! Thank you for everything you have done for your family! You never know how much good you do. And more specifically, to my own mom, thank you so much for everything you have done for me! I know I said all moms out there are amazing, and they are, but I say you are my favorite! You're the best, Mom!!! :) I love you so much!!! :) It was so good to see you yesterday and as the title says, four out of four calls home have been made! Next time I see you it will be in person!!! Now to update you on what happened this week: One investigator accepted a baptismal date! Currently she is on date to be baptized on May 30th! Please keep her in your prayers so that she can make that baptismal date! Although she has made great progress in the last few weeks, she has only come to church once out of he last three Sundays and that is concerning. She was coming consistently before now, but for some reason she hasn't come to church as much. We are definitely following up on that! Also with another investigator we've been having the same problem. She has a baptismal date for June 6th and she wants to make it, but she hasn't come to church the last two, possibly three weeks. We are going to be following up with her this week, but please continue to keep her in your prayers too! She needs all of the help that she can get, especially now that she is on date to be baptized! Satan goes crazy trying to stop being from receiving the ordinance of baptism and it is extremely annoying. Alright, MIRACLE TIME. About 15 months ago when I was serving in Yuba City, I probably wrote home about a couple named Chuck and Theresa. They are an older couple that Elder Perkins and I found while we were out tracting in the farther reaches of the city area. They invited us in and we had a good talk once or twice about things we believe and I know we talked about some other things as well, but I don't remember any specifics. Well, as zone leaders, Elder Jones and I attend a meeting on the first Thursday of every month called MLC where we meet with all of the other zone leaders (from now on ZLs) in the mission, as well as the Sister Training Leaders (from now on STLs) from each zone, the APs, and the Mission Presidency, and we receive training that we are supposed to take back to our zones. As part of this meeting, we have an accountability section where the ZLs and STLs in each zone stand and tell the goal for baptisms of the last month, the actual number of baptisms, and then the goal for the coming month with the names of those scheduled. Each zone does it until it's Yuba City zone's turn and they are talking about those who are on date to be baptized and I hear the missionary say "Chuck and Terry" and I kind of freaked out! The missionaries on the tables around me all heard and laughed and stuff but once they heard the background they were all talking about how cool that was. HOW COOL IS THAT. YOU GUYS. I have felt for a really long time that I did no good in Yuba City. I didn't see any baptisms and we hardly had any investigators the whole time I was there - no one wanted to listen. We knocked so many doors and tried to talk to so many former and potential investigators but no one wanted it. But now, 15 MONTHS LATER, I hear that there ARE people I met and picked up in Yuba City who are getting baptized!!! Miracles are real. You never know the good that you do. Please pray for Chuck and Theresa Filby! Pray that they will be able to make their baptismal date! They are an awesome couple who would benefit from the gospel so much! Keep them in your prayers! My testimony this week is that you never know what can happen. You never know what can come of your work. You never know the plan that Heavenly Father has for you. But it is a good plan. A plan that has in mind the goal for each of His children's immortality and eternal life. Miracles do happen! You may not know it now, you may not know it soon, you may not know it later. But you will see the fruits of your labor if you work diligently!!! I love this gospel, I know it is true. I know Christ is the Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer. I know He loves me. I know He loves you. I know He loves all of us. I know it! I love you guys too! Have a great week and know that the fruits of your labor may not come now, but they will come! Love, Elder Cevering P.S. Again, Happy Mother's Day!!!