5-19-13

So this past two weeks have been pretty crazy. I don't think that I told you when I called you so I'll just tell you now.

So last week we got notified on Tuesday that we had to have all the houses found and set by Friday because the system that we have to ask for the money for the houses was going to be going under a modification period. There were still 4 houses that we had to find and they were on opposite ends of the mission. Tuesday we were stuck the whole day doing a special transfer, so we had just 2 1/2 days to find 4 houses. So my companion and I split up with the assistants to find the houses. I found two houses that day during the exchange, but my companion didn't have any luck he could even get one. So the next day he and I went up there again and all the houses that they had seen and wanted to go back to look at we weren't able to look  at so we basically had to start from scratch up there and look for houses. We found a couple that were even better then the others that they had seen the day before. We were able to find the other two houses and get the money submitted by Friday. Nobody thought that we were going to be able to do it, they were trying to find any other way that we could get it done. My companion and I sat down and we felt calm and sure that we were going to be able to find the houses. We prayed lots and we were really directed in where we should go especially considering the circumstances that we were in and the weather and conditions we were in trying to find the houses. In the rain and flooded streets and in the dark. It was a miracle.

The next Monday we found out that we could still order the money until Wednesday, which was pretty much just a joke by then that we had been going crazy to find the houses by Friday.

On Friday I was a bit sick for the day but it went away pretty fast. I woke up fine and did exercise and then I just ended up using all the toilet paper that we had in the whole house in less then an hour and my companion had to go and buy more. So that wasn't that fun but by the evening I was fine again.

We have had more time to go out and teach this week. We went out on Monday to that family that we have been trying to help read the book of Mormon. When we got there we were just planning to find out why they had stopped reading and try to get them going again. We started the lesson and it felt like a pretty normal lesson to start out with. They were just a little un excited about reading anymore and the more we talked the deeper it got. We started to take the lesson more towards Faith and that direction. Then the mom started to go off. The entire setting of the room changed. Everyone was silent and the situation that they were in finally can into view. It was really bleak. They had lost complete faith that they can change. The mom who was motivating them before has just gotten to her last straw and given in and the whole family seems to be sinking. The spirit in the room seemed like a hundred pound weight on my soul. I was speechless completely lost for words my companion just had his head down. It was silent for a few minutes I finally was able to speak a couple of frail words, but they were definitely inspired, "Can we speak to the parents alone." At that moment the hundred pound weight seemed to turn into a thousand pound weight. My companion just started to cry and to be honest I was pretty close to crying too. A family that we have been trying to help for so long and they we love so much just lost all faith in themselves. I was fervently praying with all my heart to know what I should say, because my companion wasn't going to say anything. We started off with questions, and analyzed trying to see what their needs were, which seemed endless. Then we tried to discern what we could tell them without over whelming them, but enough that it gave them some hope and some light. We started with the communication because there is a huge lack of that especially as a couple. We explained how they should talk every night to express gratitude and then something that they could do better. then we practiced right there. It brought some light back into the lesson, and we saw some hope we are just hoping that they can keep doing that. We finished the lesson with little bit of hope and light. But today they didn't come to church their kids did but they didn't so we are going to try to visit them today and keep trying to help them.

Well I hope that you all have a great week the end of school is right around the corner. congratulations on finishing the AP tests and for Graduation in seminary and in High School!

I love you all!

Con Cariño

Elder Cannon