POWERFUL PEOPLE

Elder Cahoon a Missionary for the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints - powerful Elder

 




THE AUGUSTA DISTRICT - Powerful People
Sister and Elder Berry,  Elders Phillips,  Ultra, Cahoon and Lee

 The above and below pictures were taken after Sunday Dinner. This week is transfer time again and we will be loosing Elder Ultra Wednesday. Elder Ultra has been our district leader for one transfer and President Holm called him to be a Zone Leader. We are so happy for him but sad that he will be leaving our district. He is truly a great missionary and teaches with Power. The Elders like to clown when taking pictures but I  wanted a dignified picture befitting  Powerful People. I was on one end and couldn't see what was going on  in the middle or the other end. Since this was our last Sunday dinner together they just wanted to have a little fun. Elder Berry and I wondered if the pink strawberry cake and pink strawberry ice cream could have had an effect on them.



The Augusta District with Brother Ficklin  our Assistant District Leader



Saturday we drove Elders Lee and Cahoon to an appointment with a single girl and we were able to participate in the discussion. She is a beautiful young, happy single lady with an eleven year old daughter. Her daughter was at summer camp so we didn't get to meet her. When the lady answered the door she was surprised to see us all standing there because she had forgotten she had an appointment with the Elders. She stood at the door and chatted until the Elders reminded her that they had an appointment to come back and asked if we could come inside and share a message with her. She looked at her watch and told us she would give us twenty minutes because she had a busy Saturday, places to go and people waiting for her. We had a very delightful visit. She told us that in the area she lived previous to moving to the apartment she now lives, the Elders were seen all over the neighborhood. She said she and some of the other people in the neighborhood did everything they could to avoid them. The reason she let us in was because she didn't want to be rude and it would be interesting to know what other people believed. The Elders were teaching the Plan of Salvation. They were explaining the importance of prophets and their role in ancient times and today. The phone rang and the lady answered it and told the person on the other end, "I can't talk now because the prophets are here and we are talking about Jesus." While we visited with this young lady I wished I could have written down some of the things she said. They were truly unique and typical southern expression. Of course it would have been rude and by the time we got to the car I had forgotten. We left about an hour later with an appointment to come back next Saturday. The visit with this young lady was like a breath of fresh air and we look forward to going back. I know she felt the power of these Elders as they taught and testified of Jesus Christ.

Our speaker in Sacrament Meeting Sunday talked about powerful people and what make them powerful.
He listed five reasons we are a powerful people and explained them. They are
1. Power in the Word of God
2. Power in the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
3. Power of Priesthood
4. Power in the House of the Lord (Temples)
5. Power in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
As we and the Elders share the the word of God with power, it is felt through the power of the Holy Ghost and lives are changed. We are armed with the power of the Priesthood and the power from temple attendance as we share our most important message, the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Althoush we are relating these powers through our missionary service, they are available to all who choose to live the gospel.

As time has past we discovered we have gradually become a part of this ward and are involved in many lives. We visit those in the hospital, many with special needs and drive members to appointments or school.
Sunday evening just before we finished dinner with the Elders we got a call from a ward member. Elder Berry answered the phone and thought they asked what time we would be able to take them to the food pantry Tuesday because they were out of food. We were busy so Elder Berry told them we would look at our calender and call them back later. The Elders left, Elder Berry drove the van we use on Sunday back to the ward member, who loans it to us, and I followed behind in the car. Elder Berry drove the van Sunday because everyone else was busy. By the time we got back home it was about ten o'clock and we were extremely tired and getting ready for bed when the phone rang. It was the lady Elder Berry had talked to earlier. What she really said was they didn't have any food and would we bring them some. They forgot to tell the bishop at church and tried calling him and the Relief Society President but neither one answered their phone. They know we cook for the missionaries every Sunday and she teases me all the time about being invited. Elder Berry and I got dressed, gathered up all our left overs, including desert, and drove to a dangerous neighborhood and took them some food. Indiana our sweet sister in the care home got the cast off her leg Thursday. When we visited Friday she had to demonstrate how well she uses her walker. We took her a picture of Jesus to hang in her room. Before we left Indiana and I had to give each other "sugar."  Then Indiana rubbed it in. This is a ritual we do every week. We visited another one of our sisters in the hospital Monday with fluid on her lungs. She has congestive heart failure. She went home later in the week so Friday evening when we went by her home to check on her she had been taken back to the hospital. Fortunately she returned home Saturday. Friday evening just as we were heading home we got a frantic call from one of our recent converts. She had just learned that her mother who lives in Florida had a stroke and was in the hospital. She was sobbing and when Elder Berry and I got there we were able to talk with her and give her some comfort. We called the mission home and our Mission President called Florida and arranged for someone to visit her mother and give her a blessing although she isn't a member of the church. Her first desire was just get in a car and take off to see her mom, about an eight hour drive. Her dilemma was finanical, a car that would make the trip, her family and business. Saturday she and her oldest daughter drove to Florida to check on her mom. She called us just before she left town and Sunday morning to let us know how things were going. Her husband came to church Sunday with his toddler and his daughter's one year old baby and toddler. Three small children and he did it all by himself. We are so proud of them and their desire to receive blessings and power by keeping commandments.  We and the Elders drove an investigator to Department of Family and Child Services. This lady doesn't have a car. The father of her two children took them, although she has custody, and she wants to get them back. She learned they couldn't help her. She needs to contact the police and other agencies. She was very discouraged but it gave her hope that someone was trying to help. The next day we accompanied the Elders as they taught this lady a discussion. She mentioned that yesterday, Friday, was the 13th and it was the best and happiest Friday the 13th she had ever had because we had taken time to help her. We felt bad because we really didn't help but we were someone who cared and tried to help. This has been a busy week and these are some of the experiences that have enriched our lives as we serve.

Many times as we serve we feel powerless as we strive to assist others. They have many trials and need to overcome many habits and traditions to live the gospel. As we visit we can see their eyes light up as they understand the principles we teach. The exciting part is watching them live those principles and their lives change then they have power.

Love,  Elder and Sister Berry

 

Our Third Companion's miles keep adding up

We have started taking pictures of church signs because the churches  have so many interesting names and quotes.