My Favorite People To Teach

      This week was pretty bad except for one thing. I did go through my depression cycle this week, it hit hardest on Wednesday, but it was also on Wednesday that I gained a great testimony of prayer. We were at a church building, I was collecting myself and I handed my phone to Titus, I went by myself, I got on my knees and I prayed. A mission is interesting because it makes it so that there aren't a lot of options for when you're feeling this way, I can ask the Lord for help or I can continue on my own. What I used to do for relief is I would go to In-N-Out, I would play video games or watch a movie and I can't do that anymore so I prayed. I asked for help, I asked for strength to continue the rest of the day and I also prayed and asked for a hug because that's all I wanted in that moment. When I'm in this state I've learned that hugs do wonders for me. After I prayed I felt a little bit better, I walked back out of the room and went back to my companion and he saw me and got up and gave me a hug! It was so awesome, there's no way Titus could've known I prayed for a hug either. He also said to me, "I'm proud of you Elder Blacker, you're a good one. I hope you know that." It was exactly what I needed and the rest of the day while it wasn't great I was able to genuinely smile and genuinely laugh that night. Elder Titus is just such a goober, it's hard to be sad around him. 

       Also this week, we met somebody named Lucas. Meeting Lucas was interesting because we were literally just sitting outside of a church building talking with James' kid when he walked up to us and asked about our religion. We had a pretty nice lesson with him, we could feel the spirit but he is a little bit crazy. So we'll see what happens there, also his parents are very anti. He came behind his parents back. I mean he's over 20 so he can make his own decisions, but it felt odd knowing that. 

      We also got to see the Van Der Spek's a lot this week. We went over for Shaun's 13th birthday party, we were at a ward activity with them, and we had another quick lesson with them on Sunday after they came to church again. Their kids are my new best friends, I'm so incredibly excited for their baptism on Labor Day. They're the first people where I can see the change that the gospel has brought to them and it's such an awesome feeling. I didn't realize the amount of joy that would come from seeing someone accept the gospel that you've introduced to them. 

                            

Trust in the Lord, 

Elder Blacker