Monday, April 8, 2013

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Hello my parents, family and friends!

I love you all!

This week has been a crazy week! We got permission to go to my companion’s last area to see a baptism! We drove 2 and a half hours to get there!...hahahah… I swear I have driven more out hear in Ohio and Indiana then back home…which is probably true.

We were able to watch conference at the branch house.   lol   We were the only two people there.... but the projector was all set up and we got the best seats in town!

Later Sunday night we re-watched the first session with our progressing investigator and their family… =D… the spirit was so strong! Whitney,  you could tell was just eating up the spirit! Especially when Elder Packer was speaking =D

It’s so amazing to see how much you learn to appreciate things when you move away from home. At home I don't think I ever really, really listened to general conference like I should have…it use to feel like it dragged on and on.  Now don't get me wrong…I have always enjoyed conference especially since we didn't have to get all dressed up and go to church.

I suppose the largest change is that now I am watching conference to gain more spiritual knowledge so that I can help strengthen my investigators faith, which adds so much more concentration than actually getting something out of conference for myself.    =)    The talks were amazing!!! I felt clean and good! Also I was filled with fire to go out and preach the word of god!

Last week we visited an older lady in our ward.  It’s funny that less active members are way more receptive to sharing the Gospel with others then active members.  This lady is only really less active because of her age and health. She told us of her 80 year old neighbor and said we should go visit with her.

We went and knocked on her door and… wow… you could have never met someone as nice as this dear old lady.  She walked out with her kids (two dogs). We sat out on her drive way in some lawn chairs; she shared with us some of her life story.

Three years ago she lost her 45 year old son, a very hard blow to her and her husband. Just last year she lost her husband as well. She was telling us how people say that Jesus Christ and religion are suppose to help you heal from those kinds of heart ache but " they tell you that…but it really doesn't help" You always miss them and your not quite the same without them. Next she told us her daughter... maybe in her 40’s …was told that she only has 5 years left to live!

Talking with her almost broke my heart…especially since I know that the fullness of the gospel can fully heal her! I know by personal experience how much the atonement can really take pain away... whether sin or heart ache it is a real power and can penetrate to the core!

We were able to share some of the plan of salvation with her but her back started hurting and she needed to get back inside… lol…but then she offered us some beans and corn bread!   Lol   As we were eating she kept telling us how happy we made her day and how happy she was to be able to do something for someone else such as feeding us!!!    =)

We are going to be able to go back and see her again next week…please pray for her and Whitney!

I love you all so much!

Elder Henke

Here are some pictures ….

There is not a more perfect place to preach the gospel... hehe.... then on Heck Street... now just remember life can be heck like but if we do our part our Eternal Street can be within the Celestial Kingdom of our Heavenly Father!!!

This was for both mine and Elder Fosters b-days! We got a cake and 20 candles…it was around 10:20pm, we had just gotten back from the Priesthood session and we were super tired and still had to plan our next day out.    =S    hahaha    Usually we are able to plan sooner but we had so many things going and Priesthood session doesn't end here until 10 o'clock!   haha