Week 21 - Cat 1 Missionaries 0

Hey everyone,

   Hope you had a good week. Mine was pretty good. Funny story to
start off.  We knocked on this lady's door before Christmas.  She said
she had talked to missionaries before. But then she just stopped for
some reason. She answered and told us she was super busy and that we
should come back after New Years. She seemed super nice. And we were
like sweet. This will be awesome.  Anyways we stopped by again this week.
And she was like sorry guys I am super busy right now, maybe later.
And just then this black cat goes running right by her foot out the
door to the outside world. And she screams right in our ear "oh gosh".
So we were like don't worry. We will catch your cat. I have never
really tried to catch a cat.  I thought. Man. I have caught many an
animal in my day. Pigs, chickens, ducks, a raccoon, sheep, dogs.  I
am well trained in the art of catching animals.  Don't worry lady. We
will get you your car.  Well we tried the cornering technique. That
didn't work. So we tried the whistle and kissy technique. That didn't
work either.  I didn't think the lady would appreciate us throwing a
blanket over it or anything like that, so we didn't do that. But man
this cat did not want to be caught. So we started following it.
Thinking maybe it would come to us. But no, instead it jumped on this
fence and was in someone else's back yard. So we watched it. And it
went from one fenced off back yard to the other.  After a little while
we lost the cat. It went under some porch and we couldn't see it. So
we decided to go back and tell the lady, "We couldn't catch your cat."
We go back. And she was pretty mad.  I think she was mad at us. Which
was weird. We only tried to help get the cat.  We wished her luck and
moved on. Cat 1 missionaries 0.
 
Here is a miracle we had this week. So we have this one family in the
ward. They are the best. They are super missionary minded. And they
actually walk the walk. So we have been promising members at dinner
appointments that of they will pray every morning and night about who
needs to hear what they love the most about the gospel. That they will
get and answer.  And we invited them to do this. And it worked. We got
a text the other day saying, "Elders, we did what you said and we invited
some people over. It's a family. And they are coming this Sunday." And
then she said, "oh and I gave away two copies of the Book of Mormon
today." (That's how great they are). So we are like sweet. Sunday
dinner and a lesson. So we go to dinner and there are a couple member
families there too. Great Mormon environment.  So we have dinner. Mingle
a little bit. And then it is time for our spiritual message.  And we
share the video "moments that matter most". And we start talking about
it. Some people chime in. And then, the husband says something. And I
am like sweet. They are involved. And then the wife does too. She
says, "Man, that's what I needed to hear.  I am kinda nervous about
this whole foreign service thing." And it was awesome. They said they
wanted to come to church this week. And it was a great lesson. I know
that the lord answers prayers. And when we are willing to ask and then
act on what we feel. Miracles will happen right I front of our eyes.
And we will grow so much.
 
And here is a lesson I learned this week. I actually learned this from
an investigator that we were are not even teaching. We ran into him on
the street. And the other elders are teaching him. He told us he was
about to go home and read the chapter the elders had assigned to him
and he was going to get down on his knees and pray about it.  And then
he went on to say that he feel like the Lord answered his prayers when
he was down in the dumps. But not as much when he is doing fine. But
then he said, "I think it is because when I am having a rough time I
realize that I need him. And my prayers are more meaningful, more
sincere." I thought that that really makes sense. That when you are
sincere. And really what to know. And pray from your heart. That is
the best.
 
I know that prayer is real. And that there is someone up above that
really hears and answer our prayers. He want to he from us.  I love
you guys. Hope you have a good week coming up.

Love, Elder Bigelow

The cat that couldn't be caught!

(Mom note... I received these pictures bright and early Monday morning (5:15 Utah time) with the caption, "My email might be a little late this morning...Elder Sanders and I are locked out of our apartment."  He and Elder Sanders went to play basketball and came home to the doors locked and the other missionaries asleep... We checked the weather...it was 17 degrees in Falls Church at 7:15am...Yikes!)