Change of Heart for Liam

Bore-Da!!

First of all...WHAT! The Mavs took the trophy?! Well nice...And over James and Wade? Wow. I need a shirt ASAP!

But this week has been fantastic. Elder Harris and I have been all over the place teaching and teaching!

We had our last interviews with President Bullock this past week. He and Sister Bullock also sat us down and let us ask them questions about anything. It was a good session. Learned a lot. They also talked to us about their "Life Advice" and President even shared with us what he looks for in hiring someone. Talk about priceless information...

In the interview I took the opportunity to ask President a lot of questions. Some on schooling, and career advice and some on leadership...It was such a great opportunity. We are going to miss him and Sister Bullock. They are in a class of their own!

Our most progressing investigator Liam has had his "mighty change of heart" this past week. Up to this week he had been contentious in the fact that he cannot believe in a God and was definitely not giving up alcohol.  During a personal study I went looking for talks that may tailor to his needs. Well, I found one that I thought would be just right. It was a talk given back in the 90's by Richard G. Scott,  which was somewhat titled "Lifting your Heavy Burdens."

We were excited to share it with him, but as we started the lesson he brought up many concerns. Some that we thought we could just solve. So we talked with him using analogies and personal experiences. But we soon realized it wasn't working. And so we just started reading the talk, as we had planned, and what I had just felt to share with him.

You would not believe the change that went on while we all read the talk out loud.  Liam settled, and eased his tension. Directly after the talk he was a different person. He pointed out key phrases that he felt were "speaking to him." We committed him to read the talk again and really ponder how it applies to his life. He agreed.

30 minutes after leaving his flat we got a call from him. In a humble tone of voice he explained he had a "tingly" feeling after reading over it again. I of course re-assured him that it was the spirit. He said, "Well, I don't know what it is, all I know is it feels good."

Since then, Liam has read all the chapters of First Nephi (he wouldn't read the B.O.M before, saying it was too hard to understand.). He's been off alcohol for an entire week and has a completely different attitude when we come around. He is excited and willing!

This experience has given me a sure testimony that the "spirit converts," not the flowery words and convincing analogies. At the beginning of the lesson I felt  Oh, I can take this one. Just a bit of "my intelligence" will solve this concern. Well, that wasn't what Liam needed. Liam needed that specific talk at that specific time.  And after yielding to the spirit and the prompting I was given in the morning I was able to see that proven. I know that the spirit is the teacher!

This week we also street contacted Nicole, a girl from Canada and her soon to be husband, Spike. It was, well, weird with the whole Canadian/sounds like American accent thing. We ended up going over the next day and we taught them! She had much more "solid" beliefs than you usually run into around here. Most people here are just plain catholic or Anglican. They don't really have firm beliefs like they do in the states or Canada. She even brought that up saying how sad it was that religion is waning here. But we are here to change that! But she and spike were very, very solid. We see them on Wednesday!

 

On Saturday we also took Liam all the way up to the temple in Chorley for the "400th Anniversary of the King James Bible." There were about 1,000 people there and it was a great experience for Liam. We took him up to the temple and he looked around and saw everyone, and he leaned over to me and said, "Everyone is so happy and at peace." I was like you-betchya.

 

But it has been a great week for him. We are having Tea and FHE with him and a family from the ward tonight!

 

This week Bro. Donaldson gave us a call checking to see how we were doing and added something that has made our week. He said he had just gotten out of P.E.C. and said that the Bishop was speaking very highly of us, and was telling everyone this is the time to give out your referrals. It was a sign that we have "gained member trust," which is so huge! And we are seeing the fruits of it. We got a text from the Young Mens president giving us a referral for a woman named Jane. She isn't in our area, but she is next door to us. And the Elders taught her, and saw her come to church!

 

So many great things going on here in this area!

 

Time is up!

 

LOVE YA'LL!

 

Elder Eliason

 

P.S. Can you email me that pic from the reunion...the one of our entire family And is there one of just us a a fam?! Could you attach that as well? Thank ya much!