Josh's Country Roads Journey: I AM SO GRATEFUL I WAS SENT TO SERVE WITH PRESIDENT AND SISTER PITT

DATED: June 9, 2014

So first I’ll answer these questions that my mom gave me.

What was the neatest thing you saw this week?
A classroom with the first level of Mario painted on the wall. I’ll send a picture. Also something else neat I saw is the Power of Boldness. This week Elder Rodriguez and I have been pretty bold with some of our investigators in our lessons, and it has been good. We have been able to teach much more clearly and simply. Another thing I saw this week was a truck with 4 tires that goes. Meaning, we got a truck back. Not ours because it is still in the shop, but some other missionaries in Oakland, Maryland got a new vehicle so we got their truck. I am so happy!

What was the funniest thing that happened this week?
Well, there are always funny moments when you do missionary work. People react funny to us all the time. I can’t really think of a specific experience though. It's always fun to go into lessons and keep it spiritual but laugh about things at the same time.

What was the most spiritual thing that happened this week?
We had specialized training this week. It was our last meeting with President Pitt and Sister Pitt. It will be the last time we see them unless we are transferred. I’ll tell you why it was so spiritual. So, it is very hard on President Pitt to leave. Every time he got up and started telling us about us and the mission he would tear up. It just made your heart melt because you could just feel and see the love he has for each of us, the Savior and this work. Everyone was on the verge of tears during the meeting, you could just tell. We talked about teaching and how who we are influences more of what our investigators learn from what we are teaching them. The classic teach by example idea. It was really good. After many activities and role plays it was about over, President said "I want to hear your testimonies of Jesus Christ" and he got us in a big circle of chairs. There were about 60 of us. So he told us take about a minute and just share your testimony of Christ. So we all did. We went around the circle. It was neat for a couple of reasons. One reason: a lot of people started their testimony with "I have a testimony of Jesus Christ!" That is a power statement. Another one is that we each believe the same thing, we each have personal testimonies of the Same person, but we each came to it in different ways. It was powerful. The spirit was strong. We had a testimony from Elder Fehlberg, whom I love a ton! If you don’t remember, we lived in the Charleston Homestead for 3 months. He gave his departing testimony because he leaves at the end of this transfer. It was powerful also. President and Sister Pitt shared their testimonies which were just amazing. Then President said he wanted to do a kneeling prayer, so we all knelt and he prayed. I don’t remember much of what he said, but it was powerful. I knelt in the presence of a very consecrated servant of the lord who is filled with the spirit. He was powerful because of the Spirit. I have never heard a prayer like the one he gave. It was amazing. My heart was burning. Of course a lot of people were tearing up at this point, me being one of them. It was amazing. President and Sister Pitt are people who seek to do the lords will. They are people who have faith, hope and charity. I am so grateful I was sent to serve with them. I am better because of it. I often say, I know God loves me because of the people he has put into my life. They are another evidence of that truth. I think I got a little taste of what the Nephites experienced in 3 Nephi 17.

What was the best thing you ate this week?
O by far, eggs with hot sauce. Elder Rodriguez told me to try it and I did and o boy it was amazing. It took me back to my childhood when we lived in Rose Park. Daniel had a friend named Marco. And Marco had a hot sauce that I tried one time. I didn't like it at the time, but when I ate this hot sauce, I think it was the same stuff that Marco had, so it reminded me of my childhood.

This week my studies have been great. I have been reading the Bible quite a bit along with the Book of Mormon. I started the Book of Mormon over again. I love 1 Nephi. It is so powerful. Nephi is a powerful example. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was and is a true prophet of God.

I guess that pretty much sums up my week. It was a good one. I’ll just close this with my testimony. I have a testimony of Jesus Christ, that he LIVES, that he LOVES, that he HEALS, that he SAVES, that he DELIVERS, and that he is REAL. That is the truth and it shall never ever change.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.