Elder Matthew Whittle-- May 22, 2012

Que Honda! Wow this week was super crazy. Being involved in two wards is a lot of work haha. But we love it. I love getting home with absolutely zero energy and then going and planning for a half hour. It's awesome! We had a really good week. We're actually teaching somebody right now who's name is C. from Korea. He's a stud. He reminds me a lot of Cho. He's really interested in the Gospel, and is making a lot of changes. He comes to church every week, and reads and prays a lot. He makes me miss Cho a lot. Tell him hi for me, and to give his mom and dad a big hug from me, and that I love them! So we had an amazing experience this last sunday. We were at church from 8 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon. We had Branch council in the morning and then 3 hours with the spanish branch. Then we had ward council with Singles ward, and then their 3 hours of church, and then after we had corelation meeting, and then after that we were talking to Choi and a couple other Singles ward members. Well there was a man sitting by the Bishops office, when the Bishop came out and asked if we could talk to the man while he interviewed someone. So we went over and met him and asked if he would like to go to a room to talk. So we went to a room and sat down. Well it turns out that this man was originally from Texas. He told us that he was Baptized when he was 12 years old, but soon fell away from the Church and got into drugs and alcohol. He ended up moving to Ohio and got married and had a kid. He told us how his wife left him because of drugs, and how he now has a ten year old son. He told us how he felt trapped back in Ohio. How all of his buddies were all doing drugs and he felt chained down. So he decided to just leave everything and get away. So he drove all the way from Ohio here to Carlsbad where he ended up running out of gas and money. So he tried to find a job for a couple of days walking up and down streets asking places for any positions available. He didn't have any luck. So finally he decided he was going to walk down to San Diego because he knew that there was a temple there. So he began to walk. Well he kept trying to follow the 5 down but had to keep crossing back and forth because he kept running into dead ends. Well he made it down to Cardiff and crossed over the 5 again and walked up a big hill. When he got to the top he stopped a guy working in a field for some water, and asked him how to get to the Temple in San Diego. The guy told him that he would have to go back down the hill, and cross the 5 down to highway101 and follow that down to San Diego. So he started walking, but for some reason he felt like he should turn to the right and walk through a neighborhood. So he turned and walked through and ended up walking past a Christian church but there were no cars in the parking lot. This was on a sunday by the way. So he took another turn and walked up the street. Well he ended up walking past our church building, and as he was looking at the building he was wondering to himself. What if this is and LDS church. When he turned the corner and saw the sign out front that said, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, he said he couldn't believe it. He aproached the front doors, and walked in. He explained to us that he felt like he had come home. He said he remembered the memories of going to church when he was little. He then began to cry and told us that he's always known that the LDS church was the only true church on the earth, but that he just couldn't escape from all the drugs and evil influences around him. We told him how much God love's him, and how God led him to church so that he can turn his life around. He agreed, and we asked him if he had a Book of Mormon still. He said he didn't so we went and grabbed one really quick, and left him with the story of alma the younger to read. We gave him our phone number and left him to talk to Bishop Clark. Well Bishop C. found him a place to live and work at a Motel 6, and the next day this guy called us. He told us that Bishop C. mentioned to him that there was an activity tonight at the church. We were going to have a family home evening night with the spanish branch at the church. So we told him there was and that he was welcome to come. So he showed up to the activity, and sat down by us. I translated for him so that he knew what was going on, and after there was a bunch of food left over, so we gave it all to him. He wants to meet with us and get active again in the church. (phew That was really long.) It's amazing to me how the Lord gathers his sheep and how he never gives up on us, even if it takes 30 or 40 years, no matter how stubborn we are. He loves all of us no matter what we do and he's always there guiding us and ready to recieve us back into his fold. We were so grateful that the Lord gave us of all the missionaries the opportunity to learn that great lesson. I love my savior Jesus Christ more and more every day. I love being able to see how much he really loves us no matter how far we've strayed. Well I think that's enough typing on my part. Things are going really well down here. We're working really hard, and seeing a lot of miracles. I haven't gotten the package yet, but I'll let you know when I do. Love you all. Hope everything is going great for all of you. Have an awesome week! Con Amor, Elder Witle