Monday, January 20, 2014

One Door Closes, Another Door Opens

Sorry I couldn't get a message out last week.  We ran out of time and had to split and stack wood for a guy! We still do lots of splitting and stacking wood. No accidents since my face laceration though :) The scar still looks pretty rugged. It'll be there for a LONG time. People around town have been calling me "The Wounded Warrior" or "Harry Potter" recently, especially when I wear my glasses around town. Honestly, it is a good introduction! A little thing to break the ice right away.
    These past couple weeks we had a bunch of cool stuff! We went down to Jerome for a Zone Conference. On the way we "accidentally" ran over a bunny, a little Mocking Jay and a hawk almost flew into the side of our van!! It flew an inch away from the windshield!! It was nice that Jerome has a Wal-Mart to stock up on food for cheap prices. We taught 4 new people last week!
 1. Cierra Hubb loves coming to church and has been stuck at home the past year with a bad living situation. She was taking care of three of her half brothers and sisters while her father and step mom were out partying and working. Finally she got out and is now lives with her grandparents who are members of the church. We had an awesome experience while watching a video called, "The Restoration" which portrays the story of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the church.  Half way through the video her expression changed from nonchalant to very meek and humble. She said after the video, "Now I know Joseph Smith was a prophet in our day."  I know that she felt the Holy Spirit while watching that video.
 2. Scott Eison, works on a ranch owned by some member out in Leadore, 50 miles away. He had a struggled in high school with drugs, alcohol and jail. When he got out, he turned his life around! He has been to church a couple times.  He agrees with all the doctrine of the church! We gave him a Book of Mormon and asked him to read it and pray about it. He said, "Absolutely, I will read and pray about it. I pray all the time!" He was going to come to church this week but he got an abscess on his cheek. He cut it open, then it got infected. His kids got sick, too. Bad week for him.  I think Satan is working hard to keep the truth away from him! We are seeing him this Thursday.
 3. Shawna Burch came to the church for financial support a month or so ago. Bishop Williams gave her a Book of Mormon. She has been reading it and finds it to be the word of God! She had us over to talk about the church and the Book of Mormon. She is continuing to read it and we are inviting her to church this next week. We really pray a lot for the people who come to church that they will feel the Spirit  It works!! People can see their attitude and lives change when they humble themselves to the Lord, give their time to praise Him and learn more about Him at church. Shawna has been struggling with depression all her life. She said, "When I read the Bible or the Book of Mormon I feel happier than I have been most of my life." Truly the Book of Mormon and the Bible are words of God to help his children.
 4. Chuck Springeri is a man Bishop Holmes asked us to check on! He told us we came at the perfect time! He broke his back about a year ago and has been at a pain level of 9 or 10 the whole time.  He only feels well enough to have people over at his house once or twice a week. He told us he got a morphine pump implanted on his side a couple months ago but it hasn't been working.  He found the morphine was going straight into his stomach and out his body, not to the spot where his nerve is being tipped. He has talked to missionaries a lot and in his worst times of pain he tries to read the Book of Mormon. Over the past year he has come to know the Book of Mormon is true. He is ready to get baptized after surgery to fix his morphine pump! 

    Honestly, with all these people, it was no amazing thing we did as missionaries, but God led us to these people and has used His hand to guide these people to the true church, God's true church on the face of the earth. God loves all of his children and is guiding them to the truth at all times and in all things. I am lucky enough to see and notice His hand in my life as well as the life of others.  I am super excited to see what this next week and month holds for all these people.
     Boy oh Boy, for some reason this week my thoughts have been turning back to Minnesota! In getting to know elder Mace better we share a lot about our old lives and recently we have been talking a lot about music. I loved being in plays, choir and band concerts back in high school.  I really miss it! I miss my trumpet and guitar the most, but I know in 1 1/2 years it'll be that much more fun to play. Wow, the time has flown by.  I have already been out here for 4 months! In just a short while I'll be 1/4 done with my mission!  (Elder) Nick Bystrom, who is done with his mission now and served here just a couple months before me, came to visit Salmon. It's been sweet to go around with him and visit people he knew! I can't wait till that is me and I can come back here and fish and hunt all I want!! But enough dreaming, back to work!! I love to hear from you all.  Sorry I can't reply to everyone every week. Send me a letter!! My address is below.
Love you all and hope to hear from ya soon!
-Elder Ethan Howard (ehoward@myldsmail.net)

#1 Sunflower
Salmon, ID 83467



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