We got in with two of our investigators this week, so still a bit slow but we got quite a few way less actives to come back, which was good. Elder and Sister Anderson had to go home which was really sad. They had a son that was on a mission in Alaska. He has been out for 10 months and was having some really bad seasonal depression. Since it was getting darker and darker it just kept getting worse and worse. So now that they had to go home we are now over Strathmore and Siksika. We started meeting and going back with the people of the nation this Sunday. We met with Joy Yellowfly yesterday, she is a very sweet lady. I am going to have to keep in contact with her. She has had a rough life. It takes a little bit for the natives to warm up to you and get to know you but when they finally do and they can trust you they love you. She has just recently really warmed up to us and she told us some of the challenging things that have happened in her life. She had a husband and she really liked him but he got in a car accident and died, so she got remarried to a drunk. She went to Edmonton to visit family for a week and when she came back she got on her doorstep and could smell what she thought was a dead dog or something. She walked in the door and it just kept getting worse. She worked her way through the kitchen and to the living room and found her second husband dead, with blood and white fluids running out of him. She said that it was so much worse then a dead animal. I was so grossed out but I just kept listening to her and she went on about how he was bloating and stuff. She walked out of there and never went in to get any of her stuff and so she had only like 5 changes of clothes for her and her few kids. Her aunt ended up helping her get back on her feet and find a new house and clothes. She went on telling us that she couldn't sleep during the night so she would sleep during the day, and she always had to have the light on whenever she was somewhere that it was dark, for like 4 years. (this happened in 2003) She said that it was during this time that she really turned to the lord for help and that is the reason she was converted to our gospel. After she told us the story she said to us, "I don't know why I just told you guys this." And then I had a scripture come into my head it was in Ether 12:27,
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." In this scripture it really related to everything that she was going through and what she was talking about. She marked it so that she could read it again, and was pretty amazed that it was in the Book Of Mormon, she thanked us for it, and really wants us to come back soon. I really like the Book of Mormon and how it will bless our lives, and give us answers that we are looking for, or answers that we may really need in our lives. It truly will motivate us and bring us closer to our Savior Jesus Christ.
I am sure that dad has to listen to lots of things like this just being the bishop and all. It is pretty crazy to know what some people go through in there lives. Just listening to everything that people tell us makes me have a greater understanding of just what he is going through, and why being a bishop can be so hard. Well hope that you are all having a good day!
Love, Elder Allred
We wake up every morning except for sunday and work out with Brother Cealey (Adam403-921-4622)
