September 14, 2009

I'm loving my bike, kinda. Its fulfilling but also harder to get up in the morning. Wednesday night we rode to the church (about 5 miles away) and it was drizzling when we left, but we were moving pretty quick, just because I knew it would get worse... and it did! By the time we were a mile away from the church it was a complete Georgia downpour! I couldn't see anything and rode by faith for the next mile, just hoping to live to see our new church building. I was singing hymns whenever I wasn't out of breath. We arrived at the church completely soaked and lo and behold, they canceled the mutual activity of going out and passing out invitations to the Open House, so we taught a lesson about Christlike attributes, choosing NOW what kind of person you want to be and making NON-NEGOTIABLES that will help you get there... so maybe some of it I stole from mom, but it ended up being a good experience for all.

Well, Thursday night, we rode home from the church after a long day of giving our invitations and I was riding in back because I still didn't have a light for the front of my bike. Well, Elder Christensen was about 50 feet in front when we were coming to a T intersection. A car was coming to a stop sign about 30 feet in front of him, it seemed to be slowing down, but then I saw him swerving his handlebars so to shine his light in their eye and then he hit on his brakes as they pulled out feet in front of him. To my great enjoyment, he raised his fist and shouted 'You SON OF PERDITION"
They stopped and apologized, the lady driving said she didn't see him and I was trying to hard to contain my laughter that I didn't get much in. Well, needless to say I was joking around with him the rest of the way home, so proud that he actually said it (we'd been joking around about doing that if something like that ever happened... it's from a J. Golden Kimball talk... Oh by the way, I love talks on CD) when we were just about home. Now, I've been told that karma isn't necessarily a point of the gospel, but after that night, I've gained a testimony. We were cutting through some parking lots and going up this little dirt path about 8 feet long and at a 60 degree angle, so I was building up some speed to get up it quick and it style, just like I've always done. I let Elder Christensen go first and then took my ascent, well, like I said it was dark and I didn't have a light yet, as I was about halfway up I hit a tree root and immediately was stopped and as I was there, just hanging in mid-air I fell to my right into a thorny bush. I laid there for a few seconds and then realized my foot was caught under the bike so I calmly called to Elder Christensen "Hey, Elder, I would get myself out of here, but my bike's on my foot, could you lift if up for me?" He did so I brushed off the thorns and couldn't help but think that what goes around comes around.

Moral of the Story: Love your bike or it will find ways to love you!

Well, we had an Open House for our new ward building and it was great. I actually had to sing a Prelude of Nearer My God to Thee, and it was a good success. There were abut 30-40 non-members who showed up and we were able to talk to a few people who may become investigators of the church. One lady was a former baptist who stood up for us to her Sunday School teacher and said "Have you ever read the Book of Mormon? Then how can you judge it?" I'm pretty sure she falls under the elect category, but it is harder to get older people to change... so we'll see. That night we had a fireside with Dale and Nancy Murphy, it was sooooooo cool. He's a super nice guy and he reminds me of Uncle Dave Checketts in a ton of ways.

On Sunday, Sister Harlow, our ward organist and former member of MOTAB sang a solo and it was absolutely gorgeous. Then after church we had the baptism of Nathan Harris. It was a great experience and we hope to strengthen that family in the gospel.

Love,

Elder Davies