Workin good - 10/27/14

I have to say I am loving this companionship. Elder Sabey is a big jock and hunter and a Canadian redneck so he can relate to a lot of people here. And I am a nerd. So I can relate to everyone else. He can start a conversation and if there is any gospel questions I can answer. It's just working really well. 

Investigators: So remember that lady who contacted us at the library a long time back? So we got a lesson with her and she came and we had the lesson at a member's house. She pretty much told us her whole life story and is a very strong Baptist but her daughter is a Mormon. And she has seen the change in her daughter. So she wants to investigate the church. She has read the Book of Mormon but still doesn't think Joseph Smith is a prophet. It was funny we only said like 10 words. She talked the whole time and just said that she would read again, pray and she invited herself to church so she could investigate. And we were like "wonderful". That's exactly what we were trying to do. Also we got a good lesson with Chris. Sadly we had no investigators at church this Sunday. 

Miracle McDonalds Continues: Well we had nothing to do so we went to McDonalds and the lady who we gave the Book of Mormon to actually read it a bit and has questions! So it continues! That's 6 in a row.

Ward Work: What is really good is that Elder Sabey and I have gotten the trust of the members and they all really want to work with us and trust us with their friends. We also went with Glen Hardy the Stake Patriarch to go see some referrals. It was pretty funny we were like "wow you can relate to everybody." And he said "Well I have been blessed with the gift of gab. I can talk to a fence pole if it will stay still long enough." haha I love this place.

We had Jimmy Carter, a less active, come to church and he set up a dinner appointment with us tomorrow. And we are going to have some Venison. Also we had Deer Sausage last night and that was good. Basically the work is really going to go forth in Many. With all the 2,300 people here.

Miles: So to answer your question on miles. We found out that we have 1175 miles for the month and with all the meetings, transfers and stuff we have that takes up 1205 miles. So it is literally impossible for us to be under miles. So we just do the best we can and work with the members. And we stick in good ole Many. But at least we have a truck :)

Love Elder Christian Lehr

P.S. James told me that in Kissy they had 15 investigators come to church.

Miracles in Many, great week! - 10/20/14

Beautiful Louisiana!

Elder Lehr while in Natchitoches.  Back to being Linus again, wrapped in a blanket. :)

So basically this week is jam packed with miracles and fun jazz.

Another lockdown: So Monday we had 2 lessons planned but there was that crazy storm that came through and so the mission went into lockdown for that night. I am tired of lockdowns haha. And what was lame was right when they texted us that it stopped raining and the sky was clear. That was because the storm hit Many first. 

Miracle McDonalds continues!: So that place is psycho. This week we were on exchange and Elder Sabey and Elder Scholles just go on a walk and this guy in McDonalds just calls him over and tells him that this girl needs a Book of Mormon. So they gave her a Book of Mormon. Then a couple days later we decide to go on another walk and right when we reach McDonalds the Relief Society president asks us to do some service in setting up tables and stuff for a ward activity. Literally every time we go there something strange happens. This makes 5 times in a row

Referrals: So we have asked everyone we see for referrals and it's awesome 2 of our investigators gave us referrals and they are both awesome investigators. Dickie and Mickie. They are both black and awesome. Then I'll get to the best miracle of all.

First investigator at Church!: So Saturday night we are supposed to be at a ward activity but we get a text from the Box family who are less active. They say that they have someone who is interested at their house right now. And the referral is Destiny's fiance. So we teach him and have an awesome lesson and on Sunday the whole family came to church with Chris, the fiance! This is my first investigator that attended church in my 2 and a half months in Louisiana. And that's not even all. Between the sisters and us there were 23 new faces at church. That has never happened in Many. There were like 4 less active families that came and 1 investigator family that the sisters have. So awesome.

Activity: So it was a home teaching and visiting teaching thing and at the end they had a live jazz band come and play for us. And they had an awesome saxophone. I loved it. (Elder Lehr plays the saxophone. So hearing a sax played will pull at his heartstrings.)

Exchange. So when I went to Natchitoches on exchange I got my first flat tire. It was a good exchange. Lots of biking...about 20 miles. 

So this week was awesome and we are planning to keep it that way. Oh and Mom, I got the package a couple weeks ago and it was awesome! I found the goat van thing so funny and soo accurate of Ghana. 

Oh and other awesome news James Konteh told me that Bro Johnson in Sierra Leone is getting baptized and also Howa Kobba and her younger sister. (That's Joseph Sandi's niece) Awesome miracle.:)

Love you all 

Love Elder Lehr

Great week full of miracles - 10/13/14

This has been a really good week. We have worked really hard and seen lots of miracles. So I'll go ahead and start with that good stuff.

Investigators: Martey broke his knee and is really struggling. We tried to see him but he couldn't even open the door for us to come in. And if his mom falls he can't really help her up because he can't even help himself up so that's kinda sad. But he really loves it when we come visit him. So that's nice. Also one of our investigators is a super busy man. He works 2 full time jobs so we are super lucky to catch him. And we totally did. We taught the restoration using a cup object lesson and it worked wonderfully. Elder Sabey and I taught with unity and it was awesome. We invited him to be baptized and he said he will sincerely pray and think about it which is a great start.

Miracle McDonalds: So our McDonalds in our area is like blessed or something.  The first time we went there a random guy paid for our fries, another time a random guy who contacted us bought us drinks there and I'll talk about that in a sec. And lastly we went there this last Saturday and there was this big black man who looked kinda like a thug who suddenly came up and was all like "It's on me, I'm buying your dinner." And so we tried to pay ourselves and he was like "No you are not buying it. I am buying your dinner!" So I was kinda intimidated but in awe of how nice this guy was. So basically this is a Miracle McDonalds. :)

Other Miracles: So we decided to go on a walk and the spirit prompted us to turn back and walk on the main road. So we did. And this random 85 year old guy named Guy pulled over and talked to us saying he talked to us before and rejected our books but now he is interested and wants to learn about Joseph Smith. So we went to McDonalds and talked to him. Awesome how the Lord always puts us in the right place at the right time. And this lady Laronda who we have been trying to contact for a while was finally at her house and we were able to leave her a Book of Mormon and a pamphlet. And she said that we could come over again and talk about it. Haha she also is really mad at the government right now as everyone here is and she said that her church is praying and fasting that we can get some good Christians in congress. haha I thought that was awesome.

Workout: Well my companion is working me out. I'm doing at least push ups every night. 

We also watched Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration with Bro. Lee, He is the less active who I took the pictures of the guns with. And it was awesome the spirit was really strong.  We also have 2 appointments tonight so we hope that works.

Rain: So the rain here is basically the same as in Sierra Leone except we don't have it for 7 days straight. It's awesome. I love the rain. Man I miss Sierra Leone. I don't really get trunky for home anymore. It's just sometimes missing Sierra Leone. If I had the chance to go there right now...I would not take it because I'm scared of Ebola haha. But if it weren't for that I would love to be there. But Louisiana is awesome. I am so glad I am here. I am getting along with Elder Sabey and we are working hard and really enjoying lil old Many.

Well love you all 

Love Elder Christian Lehr

P.S. So I have received some awesome info from James Conteh. He said that my investigators from Kissy are getting baptized :) (It is so wonderful that even through the trial of Ebola interrupting the lives of the Sierra Leone people, the Lord makes a way for His work to continue and for His gospel to be spread. How grateful we are for the strength of our fellow saints in Sierra Leone.  May God continue to bless them through this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of you. You have touched the life of Elder Lehr.  He is better for having served in Sweet Salone.)

New Goods - 10/6/14

Elder Hacking and Elder Lehr

Elder Brimhall and Elder Lehr (both served in Sierra Leone for 10 months)

Elder Sabey (Elder Lehr's trainee/comp), Elder Lehr and Elder Allen (the brother of Elder Lehr's companion in Sierra Leone)

So this week has been pretty good I'll start by talking about my new companion.

New pikin (trainee/son): So my companion is Elder Sabey and he is an awesome missionary. He is just ready to work and is super obedient which is just what I needed. He is from Alberta Canada and is a total cowboy and hunter. And I'm a total nerd. But we still get along very well. So far he loves it here and is fearless when it comes to wanting to talk to people and find people to teach and that's what I need because I am not. Haha I think he is going to train me. Literally he is working me out every night which is awesome. 

Tracting: We actually went tracting last night for the first time in Louisiana and well we didn't get any new investigators or potential but it was good training. This Old lady we talked to was like "Baby, we already have Jesus." Imagine that in a very southern accent. And that pretty much sums up everyone here. Very Christian and good people. Just they are stuck in their ways. I mean it's good ways just there is so much more.

Investigators: So we have a referral named Laronda and we tried to contact her 3 times just she was never home. We saw Martey and almost got a member present but he had an emergency and then we tried to see him the next day and he broke his leg and was really struggling. Oh remember the one lady that contacted us at the library? We got a hold of her and set up an appointment for Oct 18 and so that was a miracle. Awesome.

Conference: So we watched Saturday conference with some members named the Johnstons and it was awesome because Sister Johnstons dad, Jimmy Carter (not the president of the US) actually joined us for conference. He has been inactive for a while and just came back. And that was awesome. Then on Sunday we watched at the church and it was just us so we enjoyed the whole chapel to ourselves.

The pictures are Me and my companion, Elder Sabey is on my right and Elder Allen is on my left. Another of me and Elder Hacking, another of me and Elder Brimhall my other Sierra Leone buddy.

Love you all so much :)

Elder Christian Lehr

The Natchitoches District before transfers