Hello Everyone!
Time is just flying by here in Florida! Its crazy to think that I'm half way done with my training and next week I won't be called a "Greenie" anymore! I feel like I still have so much more to learn..
Some of the highlights for this week started when we took another visit to the Hospital to go give a blessing. As we were walking in, we came across a small, very skinny, black woman walking with two little children. The reason we noticed her was because she was in her hospital gown that was flopping in the wind. She had socks on her feet and she was pulling her metal rod with the water bag attached to it. It was the weirdest thing! We were approaching the Hospital, and we found a wheel chair that had been left out in the middle of nowhere, which we assumed was hers. So when we walked to the front desk we were going to tell the workers that there was a suspicious woman out there, but we got beat by someone who was telling them the same story! They all immediately stop what they were doing and called security! ha ha. That woman was ESCAPING!!!
A few months before I had come out, Elder Jenkins baptized a black man named Darius Stackhouse. Nicest man ever! He had been visited by fourteen sets of missionaries over a span of 7 years and after the first time Jenkins met him, he invited him to be baptized, and he said yes! Before, he was a Marijuana dealer and was smoking like 10 fat blunts a day. He has an amazing testimony now! Just this last week we found out that we had relapsed big time. We could obviously tell that something was wrong with him. He and his wife finally confessed to us, and Elder Jenkins was just devastated. He knew that the reason why he came to Gainesville was to meet Darius, and now the reason he is still here is to continue to help him. I can relate to him a lot with my past and so we are creating a plan for him to quit again. We are meeting with him EVERYDAY this week in order to keep him straight. We are also going to be focusing on reactivating members this week too. For ward conference, we had a huge turn out of less actives show up! Miracles are happening each and everyday!
Cant wait to talk to Y'all next week!
Love,
Elder Greenlaw
In Elder Greenlaw's email to me, he said that his companion's back is doing much better. They got a new bishop this past Sunday and that was hard. He feels like there have been a lot of changes in his life lately. He also said he receives a few letters here and there throughout the week, but they can't read or write them until P-day. Its one of the hardest rules to keep. His companion and him are trying to be EXACTLY obedient. Please be patient with him. He will write each of you when he can.
Hey Elder Greenlaw and family,
ReplyDeleteI had the honor of meeting and sharing lunch with your wonderful missionary son and his companion today, Tuesday April 23, 2013. He and his companion gave my mother Sister Doris Staber a special priesthood blessing yesterday at the hospital near their apartment. My mother has just been diagnosed with stage four bone cancer and is undergoing radiation treatment. I live in Orlando,
about a two hour drive away, and am unable to be with mom as much as I would like. But she loves the daily visits from the missionaries, and it brings me a measure of comfort knowing that your son is there to share his special spirit with my mom even though I can't be with her daily. I only spent a couple hours with Elder Greenlaw but I felt his spirit and love of
the Savior and desire to serve and love the people here in Florida... Thank you for raising such a fine young man and for sharing him with us here in Florida! I also found and enjoyed watching him open his mission call with your family... Thank you for sharing that special moment with us. And know that your son is already off to a great missionary start touching and blessing those around him, and my family and I are humbled and greatful to be numbered among those whose lives he's touching and helping...
With deepest appreciation to Elder Greenlaw and to your family,
Brother Rick Staber