Dandelion Races & Lizard Tails

Good Morning!

This has been quite the effective week!

Monday we just talked to a bunch of people who we can come back and share the gospel with! Then absolutely none of them worked out, but it gave us the hope we needed to pick up the work here in Ephraim. Since then we've found two new friends and set one of our friends on-plan for baptism! 

Macady is a young girl who has an interest in learning about the gospel. Duncan has met with missionaries in another portion of Utah and recently moved here. We ran into him through one of those friends who didn't keep our return appointment too! That was kind of sweet. 

We alo set Niko on-plan! He will be baptized at the end of the month. I've met him once but I can already tell he's a fantastic kid with a sincere desire to learn the gospel. 

Some struggles have been our lack of progressing friends. So we're simply dropping them one at a time! That's just how the work goes sometimes, but a true principle of the gospel is this: when some people aren't ready for the truth, God prepares others who are. That has been the case this week and will most certainly be the case for the coming week!

One thing to understand about Ephraim is the sheer quantity of tiny rivers running through the town's gutters. Because of the large quantity of snowfall, many of them are quite impressive waterways! Elder Bagley and I snagged a few stray dandelions and started dropping them in as we walked from house to house one afternoon. 

My dandelion was in the lead for most of the race, until it hit one of the slower sections of the water flow. Elder Bagley's passed mine, slipping into the gutter before mine could by a good 5 feet or so! That was slightly disappointing, but I see how this can tie into my own life. 

Simply don't get caught in the slow side of life. That doesn't mean run yourself ragged, but instead be diligent, disciplined, and foccused. Know who you want to be, and remain humble to allow God to make you who you need to be. By doing this miracles will occur in your life and you will achieve the victories you need. 

On Friday I was the victim of a grease burn. Bacon fights back, and it came with a vengeance. There is a sizeable section of my finger that is now burned skin and was (at the time) incredibly painful. For my mother; yes it hurt, but it's fine now I promise. 

I try not to ask the members here for much because I don't want to a) be dependent upon their generosity, and b) come off as needy. However, I feel like it's a good idea to ask for help when I don't have the sufficient medical knowledge to treat my burn. A wonderful older lady with quite some medical experience (she's raised children before) provided some helpful remedies:

- lavender essential oil

- a giant lizard tail

*cough*

I meant a leaf from an aloe plant.

But it's quite the convincing stand-in for an iguana's tail!

Things have worked out, and whether from the aloe, the oil, or my bodie's natural healing, I'm doing just fine. But it was definitely an exciting event! 

Last observation from my week: People in Ephraim love chickens almost as much as I do. The great hosts of chickens were almost a hinderance to the work! 

But don't worry - I've repented. I'll do much better this week. 

- Elder Williams

Mailing Address:

881 South River Road

St. George, Utah 84790

Pictures:

1. So I found these old glasses . . . They're not sufficient for my eyesight requirements.

2. Elder Bagley and a sweet car.

3. District Council!

4. Niko is on-plan!

5. Yes, rain clouds.

6. Clouds in Ephraim. Again. 

7. Sunsets and clouds.

8. It's the moon!