Backs and Books

Olá!

This week I want to start off with another experience that I had with a health problem (haha, I´m falling apart!) This time it was with my back! I think it was friday that I started having a lot of pain in my upper back. The whole day I would go between using my backpack on my back and carrying it in my arms, because when I would put it on, the pain would become very uncomfortable. By the time we got home at night, my back was having so many problems. It was even worse when I went to bed because I had nothing to distract me from the pain, and couldn´t get to sleep. It was seriously the worst pain I have ever felt in my back, and I my eyes may have even leaked a little bit ( ;) ). I decided to pray and ask that the pain would go away and that by the next day I wouldn´t have any more problems. After this I remembered that our apartment has a bunch of medicine, so I decided to look through it and I found one that was specifically for back pain and headaches. So I took that and went back to bed and found a more comfortable sleeping position, and by the next morning there was no more pain! I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers, and many times those answers come through small and simple things (like reminding me that there was a drawer-full of  painkillers in the house!)

This week I had the idea to organize our Area Book (which is a  three-ring binder full of the teaching records of past and current investigators.) For some reason, we had three, and neither one was organized, haha. I organized it by specific areas within our working area, and by date. Through this, I was able to see that there were a bunch of teaching records with phone numbers, but without any address. I hate talking on the phone, but I felt that I should start calling these people to see if they were still interested. Within half an hour, I had talked with so many kind people who were happy that we called. We were able to set a few appointments with some of them, one of which will be today after P-day ends! There are so many different ways to find new people to teach, and one of those is by coming into contact with past investigators!

We also decided to go to the park this week to try to give out a Book of Mormon to someone. When we entered the park, there were a lot of people gathered in groups, but I wanted to find someone that was by themselves. After a few minutes, we saw a man sitting alone watching his daughter rollerblade. We went up to him and immedietly offered the Book of Mormon. He was very gracious and accepted it without us having to do much prodding (haha). But as we were talking about this wonderful Book, the spirit was very strong. I realized that each time we give a Book of Mormon to someone, the Spirit is also there because this Book truly is sacred. I love the Book of Mormon, and the truths that it contains! I started re-reading it this morning, and I learned so much from just the first chapter, even though I have read the first chapter so many times before. There is always something new to learn! 

I love and miss you all! I hope you all have a great week!

Love,
Elder Barker