Dear Family and Friends,
I apologize to you that I cannot respond to you individaully.
Forntunatley for me here is just not enough time to stop working. Today is my first prep day in Cleveland.
I can't say enough about what this week has meant to me.
I started my week by flying to Cleveland on Monday. We got to stay at the mission Presidents houe that Night. President Sorensen is such a heart felt and spirit filled man. He had a personal interview with each of us and then we had a testimony meeting, it was truly an amazing night. I got to shae my grattitude for my Savior, the impression I had while we all ate dinner together that night was " I am exactly whre I need to be", such a peaceful confirmation.
The next day we toured old Kirtland and got to go to Joseph Smith's office on the top floor and read the revelations in the D&C that the Lord revealed to him there. It was so powerful to stand in roomsin which our Saviour appeared and began the work of is restored gospel. I got to thank the Lord for the Word of Wisdom which was revealed on the 27th of Feb( which happens to be my sobriety date...kinda ironic....) It was great to tour that day,. Las we went to the school of Prophets and got to have a silent moment to ourselves to express to theLord what kind of servants we wanted to be over the next two years. I told him a few things but I promised above all that I was hear to lose myself and that I would serve with all I had.
Shortly after the school of Prophets we headed down to the Kirtland Stake Center and met our trainers, let the REAL miracles begin!
My trainer's name is Elder Martinez, he is little humble 23 year old from Puebla Mexico. He is about 5 feet tall and speeks broken enlgish, but you've never met somebody more humble and prayerful. He hugged me the moment he saw me and toldme how grateful he was to have me. He is such a hard worker and despite struggling to understand him at times, he has been doing a great job training me. He told me that his last few companions didn't like to work and that he so happy I like to go out and contact people. We have been contacting like crazy all week, and in so doing i have seen so many miracles, I cant believe it!
I was assigned in my firt area to East Cleveland, this is the roughest area in the the mission, and about a fourth of our area is the highest crime reported area in the whole nation! haha ha I know that sounds a bit intense. It is the hood. I was a little intimiated my first few times contacting but now I straight up love these people. They all long for change, and that is exactly what I carry with me. We have new people cming to church, we have people reading and crying during our lessons! I cant tell you how grateful I have been to see these people feel the spirit and for all the Lords blessings this week. There is so much poverty where I am, so much struggle, but all in all I know that the Lord can work miracles amongst these people if they have faith.
I met a mannamed LeRoy at the gas station on Saturay night and invited him to come to church and bore my testimony to Him, I thought for sure he wouldn't come and to my suprise there he as in his street clothes at 9 AM on Sunday morning, we were able to teach him the first lesson and invite him to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it! He and another investigator daniel said that they would be baptized on July 16th if all goes well. I pray for them! I have seen so many miracles this week.
I will spae them for the lackof time but I want my friends and family to know that The Lord is truly blessing us all. I want you to know that I know this work is true and that God is answering our prayers. I cry unto him in mighty prayer for all of you every morning and night. He is with me and I cannot deny it. I have come to the realization that the only difference between me and the beggars I see on the street it knowledge because ultimatley we are all beggars and dependent on the Lord for all that we have, despite how much we think it is our own doing.
With that said my hope and prayer is that we forver stay garteful for our MANY blessings and continue to insprire and uplift each other. I know that God lives and that his invitation to Follow Him is always manifesting itself in our life, take the invitation, and if we love Him we keep his commandments, pretty simple.
All is well in the work, The Lord is on our side. I have been rejected and scorned more this week that any in my life but I take it in stride because I know that with every 'NO' I am one person closer to finding the 'YES' from a heart that the Lord has prepared.
I love you all so much.
I know this has been a bit of heavy e-mail but my heart is light, just know that
ALL IS GOOD IN DA' HOOD!
Love, Elder Prince
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