8/6/12 email from Elder Devin Dilard

EXCITING NEWS!  They are splitting up the St. Cloud ward! It's too BIG!  Hahaha. I love this problem. It is going to be split into Sauk Rapids Ward and St Cloud Ward. It's going to be sad for many and yet exciting at the same time. They haven't let the members in on all of the details yet. That wont happen until the 19th.  I may or may not be here. Transfers is the 15th, next Wednesday. We have been working with the Bishop and the Stake President to decide where the missionaries will go. So we have been enlightened a bit more, but have been sworn to secrecy. It's exciting to see who the new bishop and all other auxiliaries will be. Fun! This will allow for more effective missionary work now that missionaries wont be competing for members to go out and teach with. This is all good.

Yesterday was an exciting day at church! All 6 Saldana children were confirmed in sacrament meeting. My arms were tired haha. It took the majority of Fast and Testimony meeting. SO SUPER AWESOME!  The Sister Missionaries were on Cloud 9 all day!

We have come across many awesome people this week and I wish I had the time to tell you about each and everyone of them. My heart is so full. It is such an amazing thing to have a great love for people I have only known for a few minutes. To help them and see the spirit touch them is such a priceless event, and I can never get enough! It's the delicious fruit on the Tree of Life for sure!

Remember me talking about Matt Williams last week? Well...He ended up having an emergency and couldn't make it to meet with us last Monday. His Dad went to the hospital. He did however, reschedule to meet with us the next day. We taught him the Restoration lesson in a quiet room in the Library. It was super spiritual. To actually witness him praying to God, who when he first talked with me didn't know he existed, was a thrilling experience. Now he knows that God is there. His words, "I know that this is good. Usually I am nervous and have anxiety when meeting new people, but ever since we sat down I have felt calm and clear headed. No heroine or drug has ever done this for me."

So COOL! He accepted the baptismal invite and will be working towards September 15th. He came to church yesterday and loved it. He hasn't been to church in 20 years he said. Hopefully we can meet his girlfriend soon and teach them the commandments so that they can enjoy more fully the blessings that our Lord wishes to give them.

With this new ward split, Elder Filby and I will lose most of our investigators. We will have to allow them to be taught by the sister missionaries. This will take away 3 or our investigators who have baptismal dates, and quite a few others. The Lord knows whats best:D  Plus the sisters are powerhouses for providing the Spirit.

I was privileged to head to Alexandria, MN again yesterday for another baptismal interview. This one was for a David Elhers! He is so cool! Alexandria elders are on fire, and the ward is so amazing! All of their baptisms have come from member referrals.

Headed to Bloomington tonight to spend a crazy night with the Assistants and other Zone leaders. 20 missionaries crammed into an apartment means no sleep again, haha. I love life!


Please have an amazing week!!!!!


Love,


Elder Devin Dillard