Monday 18th November

Hey Everyone!!!

I hope you have all had a good week this week. Ours has been quite a bit better then last week, thankfully.

So, first of all, Osa and Justin we have not been able to see them this week. Justin we haven't even been able to contact, which is quite strange. He hasn't answered our calls or replied to our texts, so we don't know what is going on there. Osa, we have spoken to over the phone, but every time we call him to set something up, he is always busy. So we don't know what is going on then.

We have at least been able to meet with Brian briefly. We stopped by last night, and he was busy, but he seemed happy to see us at least, he has just been really busy. He said he would call us at the end of the week and arrange a time we could meet though, which is at least a good sign. 

Then we have an Investigator called Steven. I don't remember if I have mentioned Steven before, but he is quite interesting. He comes from a very Catholic family, but we have given him a Book of Mormon and he is really interested in it. He says he feels that it is true, and he always calls it "the Third Testament" He has at least read up to 1 Nephi 4, and we have read some other bits with him, but he was telling us when we met with him this week that he has always felt that there must be more out there, that the Word of God didn't just stop at Revelations. It will be tricky though, as he has a few issues with some "worldly things" is probably the best way I could describe it, and he says that he won't change from being a Catholic.

Our miracle of the week though is Charles. Charles is a self referral from Mormon.org. He is an 81 year old man, who has been through 6 different religions in his lifetime, including Islam. He remembers meeting with Mormons 20 years ago, and he remembers how happy they were, and he remembers feeling good at any meetings he came to, so he wanted to find out more. He wants to come to church with us too, but as yesterday we had Stake Conference in Reading it will have to be this sunday. He seems really promising though.

So Stake Conference: It was great! We had a new Stake Presidency called which was good, and because of that Elder Walker, of the Temple committee and Elder Herbertson (from Scotland) were there. It was really good. At the adult session on saturday evening, Elder Walker gave the members 10 easy things they can do to do missionary work WITHOUT giving the missionaries a referral. I would share these with you as I had planned to, but silly old me left my notebook back at the flat, so that will have to wait until next week.

It was great to be back at Reading though, as we drove though, I was able to reminisce a little at seeing all the streets I used to walk down on a regular basis, and seeing the Reading buses (sad I know, but they are all different colours!) and being back at the Chapel again! It was great! And then, during the session, a member of the Reading Stake Presidency, who was in Reading ward came in and sat next to me which was great! And as Elder Holmes is our Zone Leader he was there too, so we got to see some of the members there, including the Bishop. It was good fun.

Well I think that is all for my week.

I hope you all have a great week, and that you are all getting your Christmas shopping done! (no hints or anything :P) Haha! I'm kidding!

Love you all!!

Elder Zach Mitchell