Going Hard - 3/30/15

Well like the title says we went hard this week.

Work: Most of what we did this week is organize our former investigators and hit up the ones that seem to have the most potential. Then we contact EVERYONE on the way to that person even if we are in the car still. Then if they aren't there we tract a little and contact more people and ask for referrals. Seriously we got like 5 new investigators and a ton more potential investigators. This next week is gonna be a lot of follow up.

Kristi: Our investigator Kristi came to sacrament meeting! She left right after but at least she came. And she has been reading her Book of Mormon.

North Elders: They have been working with their bishop real closely now and just got 36 referrals from him! Isn't that crazy. I just needed to give them a good shout out for that.

Exchange: We will be going on an exchange with President Hansen tomorrow. I am really excited for that so I can learn from him.

Fear is Gone: My whole mission I have been a little afraid to talk to people because I feared that I would say the wrong thing and make them not interested. But now as I have just been going hard and practicing I love it now. I am even now not afraid to talk to white people! They were always so scary to talk to. (When Elder Lehr got reassigned to the Louisiana mission after being in Sierra Leone for 10 months he said that he didn't know how to talk to white people anymore. Looks like it took another 8 months for him to figure that one out.) I just like now telling the truth how it is and inviting them to act. Not going around the bush to talk to them about the gospel. If they reject then I ask for a referral. It's all good.

Zone: I feel like the zone is starting to catch on fire. The fire is small right now but will get bigger. Our district is definitely on fire.

Funny experience: We contacted this man who was either high or crazy or both. Anywho he is the most ghetto looking person I have ever seen and he just started spouting about how God created 5 Adams and crazy stuff like that. Then how they have been reincarnated today as a deer or something. Then we also had a guy tell us to watch out for Sufu. Apparently Sufu is short for Lucifer or something so you know. Watch out for Sufu!

love yall tons

Elder Christian Lehr

P.S. I cant believe I forgot this part in my main email.

Clarise: While we were looking for a former investigator the person we were looking for moved. But instead we found Clarise who is from Ivory Coast, West Africa! She speaks just a little English, mostly French. So we gave her as a referral to the AP's since Elder Murhula is from the Congo and speaks French. They told me that she is completely golden. Just goes to show that the Lord is leading us to people who are ready.

Week of Miracles - 3/23/15

Elder Richardson, Elder Lehr and Elder Wittig

So this transfer my new companion is Elder Richardson. He is a fireball and just full of energy. He has been out 17 months and still has his greeny fire. The assistants told us that we were pretty much the dream team. Which is pretty true. Miracles are happening left and right now.

Tracting: We were tracting and this man invited us in and we shared the first lesson with him and his mom and they both were like "this could actually be true." So they now really want to investigate to see if it’s true. And that's just one of our many stories. We have a lot of potential investigators that need to be followed up on now. Also the other day we went tracting and while we were tracting we got the prompting to turn around and start tracting the other way and when we did that the first door we knock on this man answers the door and has a few questions about the plan of salvation and he tells us that it was no coincidence that we came to his house at that time. We got a return appointment for next weekend.

Contacting: We also have been talking to everyone on the streets and while we were driving around a neighborhood we just roll down our window and ask this lady on the side of the road if we could give her a pass along card. We did and we set a return appointment. Yesterday we taught her and she has 5 children and she really wants to be baptized and come to church. And while we taught her, her friend showed up and joined us and she wants to do the same. So the woman who's name is Kristi now has a baptism date for April 25.

Food: These members took us to a really nice seafood restaurant and I got to try swordfish and also fried alligator. Which is sooo good. We also got to try a crawfish boil. SUPER good. I love the south.

Debbie: We painted Debbie’s house and while we were there she broke into tears and told us that she knows that we were sent from God to help her. That we were angels. She started talking about how when she was super down and needed help we were the ones that called her and said we could help. She wants to have the discussions soon and also she wants to invite her neighbors over for dinner with us soon. Doing service like that and being able to answer prayers makes a mission so worth it.

We are now going hardcore mode and we are working like crazy and seeing crazy miracles come from it. Our zone is now starting to catch on and follow our example. I see great things happening in Baton Rouge in the next couple months. Great things.

I love you all soo much

Love Elder Lehr

P.S. So glad that Elder Richardson is my companion now. It is just what the zone needs and what I need. It feels like Salone again.

Trunky week - 3/17/15

Baton Rouge MLC Mar 2015

Goodbye to Elder Wittig with Elder Joubert, Elder Horrocks, Elder Lehr and Elder Wittig

Baton Rouge scenery

This week was fun but honestly kinda a struggle with Elder Wittig going home this week. We kinda slowed down a little bit. So with transfers I am staying and from what I have heard Elder Brimhall is going to be a zone leader in Alexandria zone and Elder Richardson (one of Elder Allen's trainers) will be my companion. That's what the rumor is so far. I am excited to work hard again. Being a missionary's last companion is pretty hard. I love Elder Wittig though we are bro's now. We have had tons of fun.

Exchange: I was able to go on an exchange and it was super cool. This old couple from Taiwan took us to a Chinese buffet and they are sooo funny. The lady reminded me a lot of Sister Free. We also saw a recent convert that moved in and they have had a crazy past. Probably one of the craziest I've heard so far.

Slow week: A lot of what we did this week was help Elder Wittig pack and whenever we tried to see an investigator or less active they weren't home so that was also kinda a struggle.

Well I know this isn't the most uplifting email but we all have those weeks ya know? Next one will be better.

Love Elder Lehr

The Kopischke Grind - 3/9/15

This week has just been soo busy. We have literally been having meeting after meeting. I have had a lot of meetings recently which has been good though.

Investigators: This week we were not able to see Debbie or Doug or really anyone that we normally visit but we will this week.

The Kopischke Grind: So that's what our mission basically calls hitting the grindstone and talking to everyone you see. That has been a huge focus in our mission right now. I went on an exchange with the assistants on Saturday so I was with Elder Murhula. He is a powerful missionary. While we were tracting we were also talking to everyone on the street and testifying to them and it was just a spirit packed day and we got a few new investigators that way. It was kinda funny one of our door approaches is when we knock on the door we say that we have been sent by God to pray with them and leave a blessing on their home. When we asked people if we could pray with them they would often say something like "Sorry I’m a devout Catholic." And I’m thinking oh you’re so devout you can’t pray with us? We also were tracting and this lady creaked open the door, saw us, screamed, and slammed the door, pretty funny.

Funny quotes: Elder Wittig was telling me of some of the funny anti stuff he experienced in Oakdale. "My pastor threw away my book of Mormon. Can I have another?", "My pastor told me that you brainwash people. Are you brainwashing me?" "MORMONS! somebody get a gun!" "Look you can see their horns!" "My pastor told me if I talk to y'all I’ll go to Hell.". haha yup that's the life.

Free Speech Alley: About once a week we will go to LSU and do free speech ally where we have a booth with a question of the week and people can write on the board. We usually do this for about 4 hours when we do this and we did it on Thursday and I just have to say it was freezing. It was 33 degrees and raining and with the Louisiana humidity it was cold.

Zone: We have been doing lots of role plays and I can really see our zone moving forward right now. Everyone is just excited about the work right now.

Love

Elder Lehr

The Wizard - 3/2/15

This week has been pretty fun and we have had some good stuff happen.

Investigators: It was kinda funny while we were doing some service for Debbie she asked some questions about the temple and also asked when our church started so she could come which was really cool. Then she started talking about polygamy and we were like yeah we don't do that anymore. That ended in the 1800's. And she was like "what? I thought that was really cool. I talked to one of my friends and we were like that would be so nice to have another woman in the house to help clean." haha I was laughing pretty hard at that. Hey it’s better than what we usually get about polygamy.  She is a sweet lady. Sadly she didn't come to church yesterday because she took Benadryl and slept in. But at least we got next week. Also I tried calling Wendell the man we met at Taco Bell but there was no reply. And another investigator apparently got evicted. But we are still trying to see him.

Exchange: I went on exchange with Elder Gordon. That was really awesome. He is a solid missionary. While we were together we applied what Elder Kopischke talked about and we got like 3 referrals from that. One of their investigators was soooo drunk when we met him. I was like dang this guy drinks more than a fish. It was hard to feel the spirit in that lesson. One less active gave Elder Gordon 6 dozen eggs and me another 6 dozen. So we got hooked up real nicely. Last thing about this exchange was the crazy wizard house. I'll send a pic as well. It is crazy. I feel like if I owned that house my swag level would drop a ton but my nerd level would be off the charts. It was a crazy house.

Trent: I heard from Elder Sabey that Trent got the Aaronic Priesthood and he blessed the sacrament yesterday perfectly. And also that his dad (Dicky) came to church and loved it. I am so glad for Trent. He is my home boy. I love that man. Also shout out to the Many ward for making him feel welcomed and loved.

This next week is gonna be crazy busy with MLC and a zone meeting to plan for and exchanges which I am really glad about. I hate it when I am not busy. At least as a missionary. Also one last cool thing. I got a super awesome LSU hat for like 2 bucks at Goodwill. Gotta love my thrift stores. Way better than 25 bucks for a hat.

Anywho

Love Elder Lehr

This is the wizard house. And it’s not a painting it’s all legit. 

Trying out a new hairstyle thanks to Elder Wittig