Thursday, January 7, 2016

Staying in Roanoke -- November 4, 2015

Hello Everyone!

What a week and a half it has been. Transfer weeks are always hard, they go sometimes really slow and it throws everything off. But the good news is, I will be staying in Roanoke for at least one more transfer. The Bad news is Elder Millard is getting transferred. . .  I am going to miss him; at first we had a harder time learning how to work with each other, but now things have been clicking. I have taught the best lessons with him and I am going to miss the good times that we have had. He is way funny; there was never a dull moment! 

My new companion is pretty sweet! His name is Elder Kropushek. I was his Zone Leader a few months back and now I get to show him the ropes of being a Zone Leader. It should be really fun. I'm looking forward to this transfer; I cannot remember where he is from.
Well Elder Millard and I did have a pretty tough week. The last few days have been better but we hit a rough patch! My whole mission I have always known what to do and where to go by following the spirit. Last week for some reason it felt like the switch of inspiration got flipped off. I was getting a little frustrated by it. I couldn't figure out why all of our plans were falling apart.

So in sacrament, I was thinking about what was going on and as I was listening, the words came to my mind, "Have you asked?" I realized that I had stopped praying for direction and for the spirit; I got comfortable. I immediately repented and begged and asked the Lord to be led to those that needed us that day.

After church we were driving down a busy part of Roanoke and we passed a street. And as I saw it, I knew that was exactly where we needed to be. I whipped the car around and we parked and started talking and knocking on a few doors. It took a while but then we found a man that wanted to listen to what we had to say, we had an awesome lesson! He was excited to read the Book of Mormon. We finished that lesson and then knocked a few more. Less than five minutes later we found a very nice man that invited us in and we taught him as well. They were both awesome people that had been prepared for us on the same block. It was the miracle we petitioned for.
The lesson I learned is WE NEED TO ASK. There is a practice of humility in asking for blessings we need. I learned this lesson this week for sure, it is a promise found in D&C 4: 7 “Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.”

We later had a great prompting to go visit someone we knew of months ago. Elder Millard had two converts that got baptized before I got here and they got Anti Mormon material and stopped coming to church because they doubted the faith they had. We went over so he could say goodbye, and we actually had a great lesson; they were humbled. The wife especially; we addressed many concerns and brought every one of them back to the restoration. We helped her not just look at the negative and the mistakes of the early church leaders, but to look at the positive and the fruit that came from the restoration. She directly looked at me and said "What is the biggest fruit you have seen?" I told her that I was raised in a loving gospel home where I was taught and I have never not known the love of my Savior or my Heavenly Father, I have never had to wander on strange roads. Then through my tears, I asked her a question back.  I said, “Isn't that what you want for your kids?” The gospel truly does bless families. This family will hopefully be back to church soon. 
I love the Gospel!  I’m so thankful for it. I am learning so much while being here. Keep the Faith! Talk to you all Monday.

 - Elder Kaleb Bingham

P.S. The pictures are of Elder Trujillo, a former companion that I was able to meet up with at the Roanoke Airport and of the beautiful Virginia fall colors.


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