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| DEEP IN THE HOOD We have had some unbelievable experiences lately and have been truly blessed. We were asked to cover the Logan Square Ward while the missionaries that were there went elsewhere. During this time, we were introduced to a black woman who was interested in the gospel. She assists one of the ladies in the Logan Square Ward in keeping her home clean. Sherita is 35 and has 5 children. She lives deep in the hood on the southwest side of Chicago. We made an appointment and headed off to find her apartment. Driving in, we went through some of the worst parts of Chicago. It made us sad to see the stark difference from one street to the next. All we did was cross through an intersection and the scenery changed completely. We had driven about 4 miles when we realized we had not seen a Caucasian for along time. I mean not a one. Actually I had not seen any race but black for miles. The last time we had the opportunity of being in the minority was way back in the city of Oakland California in the 70's. It was a little unsettling to say the least. It sadden us to see they really did not care to keep anything clean. Garbage was everywhere. It was as if nobody had ANY pride in their homes, businesses or parks. |
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| Our Police Officer Son-in-Law says Chicago has the largest Police Force in the Nation We arrived at Sherita's apartment on a Saturday afternoon around 2pm. Driving in, we received some strange looks from those on the streets and believe me, there were plenty of people "out & about." We parked our car (hoping it would still be there when we returned) and walked to her apartment. We had tried calling her on the way there to make sure we were still on for our appointment. No one answered. When we reached her door, it appeared there were 4-5 apartments in the building. None of the doorbells listed her name, so we pushed every one of them. No one answered. We check the address and learned, yes, we were at the right place. We tried calling from her front porch, again no answer. So we left a some goodies for her with her name on the box and hustled back to our car (Yeah!!!It was still there). |
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| Hangin' with the HOME BOYS |
We were disappointed we had traveled all the way out to see her and no one was home. We heard from her a few days later asking why we didn't keep the appointment. She claimed she was there. We told her where we had gone, what her building looked like and that we had left goodies for her. She said it was at the right place, but the bell didn't work. (We didn't want to remind her we had also called. ) Anyway, we set up another appointment and this time she was there. She lives in very humble surroundings. She recently had her grandmother pass away so we started out with the lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She was very open to our teachings and we left her a Book of Mormon and challenged her to read in 3rd Nephi, the visit of Christ to the America's. She postponed her second visit to this week. We were set to meet with her, and again she stood us up. Elder Beck knew it was too good to be true to find a parking place RIGHT in FRONT of her home and have no one out on the streets. I hope she hasn't given up already and is no longer interested.
We were also given a referral from the Mission Office a couple of weeks ago. This woman lives in Evanston, Illinois (about 20 miles north of Chicago and way north east of the hood). She is an online referral from a man in Utah. He has been corresponding with her online regarding the gospel. She has some issues at home and the Mission Office thought we were better equipped to handle the situation than the young full-time Elders. Because of her home life she could not have us meet her at her home so we have been meeting her at the public library and the two chapels up north. She is Baptist and has felt their teachings were missing something for a long time. She expressed that as the different pastors gave their sermons they continually contradicted each other in what they preached. Thus she was always confused. She believes a true prophet of God would consistently teach truths that would help you to continually progress towards being a better person. She says the more she learns about our church the more she feels it’s truth and she hopes to be baptized.
On our first visit with her we asked about her relationship with her Heavenly Father and she said, and I quote, “I have been praying and He brought me to you.” She is a very humble woman who works as a Math Teacher and a Medical Assistant. She has two children, a son that is 22 and a daughter who is 14. We read some of the Book of Mormon with her and gave her a copy with some assigned reading. It took a while for our second visit. Satan is doing all he can to prevent her from hearing what the Lord wants her to hear. But the righteous are winning!!!!! We finally met with her and she asked Elder Beck to give her a blessing. (Her online friend told her about Priesthood blessings). We taught her the plan of salvation and happiness. She shared her hope for her children to hear the gospel also. We asked her what she felt when she read the Book of Mormon. She answer that she felt PROVOKED! We weren’t sure what she meant by that so she explained. “I felt provoked to read more!!! She is amazing! Once again the spirit in the room was extremely strong. SO… on our third visit with her she brought her daughter. What a beautiful girl. She reminded me of our beautiful granddaughters at home. Her mother has been sharing with her what she’s learned. The daughter wanted to know why we had to wear dresses to church. When I ask what she would wear to a wedding she said she would wear something very nice. I responded that when we come to the Lord’s house we also wear something nice out of respect to him just as you would for the wedding party. That made sense to her and she was ok with it. We had them watch the DVD on the Restoration. You could see when they were filled with the Spirit and were touched with the truthfulness of what they watched. The woman then asked if Elder Beck would give her daughter a blessing. We were at the library in a conference room with windows looking out into the library. Oh well, Elder Beck did it anyway. Wow!!!! What an amazing meeting. We received the following text from her on the way home. "Elder & Sister Beck, thanks for reaching out to my daughter! She said many things were cleared up for her tonight. She is excited. I think she will be okay! My son will let me know when he is ready. Did I tell you he is a dread lock? He is worried the church would want him to cut his hair! I am so excited. Thanks over and over again. I have found what my heart was searching for all my life. I know of a certainty Joseph Smith was sent of God. I know my path in life for the very first time and have faith in God to protect and defend me from the devil. I will not stop now. If I die then okay! I will seek baptism soon! Will let you know when! Thanks again, I cry for joy!”
We met with her again last Friday night. We told her how happy we were to see her again. She said the devil did not want her there but our prayers willed her there. She asked a lot of questions about Christ’s atonement and the Godhead. She asked about the hosts in heaven and what we thought they were doing. We explained what we believed. I told her I knew we had a Heavenly Mother and she was quite moved by that. We taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ. She said she was now going to start at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and read and pray. That is all we can ask. She hasn’t come to church yet. Satan is doing all he can to prevent that from happening. Her husband isn’t helping either. He doesn’t want her to bring her daughter anymore either. This woman has incredible inner strength though and we know the Lord will provide a way. We just have to be patient. Those of you who know me well know that is not one of my strengths. But wait we will!!!!! Maybe tomorrow!
Yasna is still going strong in her study of the gospel. She retains everything she learns. She comes to church every week and expresses her desire to be baptized often. She needs everyone’s prayers. She is trying so hard to quite smoking. This woman does not have a mean bone in her body. She is kind and good in all she does. She is truly Christlike in all she does. Satan knows that and knows her only vice is her cigarettes. So please pray for her!!
We went to see David again. He is the inactive blind man we found before Christmas. On our first visit with him he shared his testimony of the Book of Mormon with us and told us he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. He drinks coffee though and doesn’t feel worthy to come to church. We have tried to get him to church by offering him rides. Even the Elders of the ward have tried to contact him but nothing seems to work. Sooooo on our last visit with him Elder Beck called him on it. I have to say I felt I was witnessing Samuel the Lamanite upon the City Wall. Elder Beck very firmly but gentle called him to repentance. So many times in those situations we tend to say things like “I’m sorry to hear that. Or I can see how you can feel that way”. Not Elder Beck. He was kind but direct. He said if someone knows the Book of Mormon is true and reads it every day (which he says he does) and believes what he reads. Then he should be doing everything he should to prepare himself for the second coming of Jesus Christ. And Elder Beck said a whole lot more than that. Samuel the Lamanite I tell you Samuel the Lamanite. He moved me to want to do better. I was so proud!!!!! I also thought of President Hinckley on his soapbox in the parks in England. I realized as I listened to all he told David (I couldn’t even get a word in) that that is exactly what we are here to do. We are here in Chicago to call people to repentance and help them prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. With all the turmoil throughout the world I think we should be repenting every minute of every day, myself included. It is closer than we think. Will we all be ready? That is our utmost prayer for everyone.
We are SO HAPPY and EXCITED to be teaching the missionary lessons. This is truly why we were sent to be proselyting missionaries! We love the people here, the Gospel and love bearing testimony of the truthfulness of it. Please continue to pray for us, for free parking, for safety, for more investigators and especially for the ones we are currently teaching! Thank you all for your prayers and support! We love you!
We were also given a referral from the Mission Office a couple of weeks ago. This woman lives in Evanston, Illinois (about 20 miles north of Chicago and way north east of the hood). She is an online referral from a man in Utah. He has been corresponding with her online regarding the gospel. She has some issues at home and the Mission Office thought we were better equipped to handle the situation than the young full-time Elders. Because of her home life she could not have us meet her at her home so we have been meeting her at the public library and the two chapels up north. She is Baptist and has felt their teachings were missing something for a long time. She expressed that as the different pastors gave their sermons they continually contradicted each other in what they preached. Thus she was always confused. She believes a true prophet of God would consistently teach truths that would help you to continually progress towards being a better person. She says the more she learns about our church the more she feels it’s truth and she hopes to be baptized.
On our first visit with her we asked about her relationship with her Heavenly Father and she said, and I quote, “I have been praying and He brought me to you.” She is a very humble woman who works as a Math Teacher and a Medical Assistant. She has two children, a son that is 22 and a daughter who is 14. We read some of the Book of Mormon with her and gave her a copy with some assigned reading. It took a while for our second visit. Satan is doing all he can to prevent her from hearing what the Lord wants her to hear. But the righteous are winning!!!!! We finally met with her and she asked Elder Beck to give her a blessing. (Her online friend told her about Priesthood blessings). We taught her the plan of salvation and happiness. She shared her hope for her children to hear the gospel also. We asked her what she felt when she read the Book of Mormon. She answer that she felt PROVOKED! We weren’t sure what she meant by that so she explained. “I felt provoked to read more!!! She is amazing! Once again the spirit in the room was extremely strong. SO… on our third visit with her she brought her daughter. What a beautiful girl. She reminded me of our beautiful granddaughters at home. Her mother has been sharing with her what she’s learned. The daughter wanted to know why we had to wear dresses to church. When I ask what she would wear to a wedding she said she would wear something very nice. I responded that when we come to the Lord’s house we also wear something nice out of respect to him just as you would for the wedding party. That made sense to her and she was ok with it. We had them watch the DVD on the Restoration. You could see when they were filled with the Spirit and were touched with the truthfulness of what they watched. The woman then asked if Elder Beck would give her daughter a blessing. We were at the library in a conference room with windows looking out into the library. Oh well, Elder Beck did it anyway. Wow!!!! What an amazing meeting. We received the following text from her on the way home. "Elder & Sister Beck, thanks for reaching out to my daughter! She said many things were cleared up for her tonight. She is excited. I think she will be okay! My son will let me know when he is ready. Did I tell you he is a dread lock? He is worried the church would want him to cut his hair! I am so excited. Thanks over and over again. I have found what my heart was searching for all my life. I know of a certainty Joseph Smith was sent of God. I know my path in life for the very first time and have faith in God to protect and defend me from the devil. I will not stop now. If I die then okay! I will seek baptism soon! Will let you know when! Thanks again, I cry for joy!”
We met with her again last Friday night. We told her how happy we were to see her again. She said the devil did not want her there but our prayers willed her there. She asked a lot of questions about Christ’s atonement and the Godhead. She asked about the hosts in heaven and what we thought they were doing. We explained what we believed. I told her I knew we had a Heavenly Mother and she was quite moved by that. We taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ. She said she was now going to start at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and read and pray. That is all we can ask. She hasn’t come to church yet. Satan is doing all he can to prevent that from happening. Her husband isn’t helping either. He doesn’t want her to bring her daughter anymore either. This woman has incredible inner strength though and we know the Lord will provide a way. We just have to be patient. Those of you who know me well know that is not one of my strengths. But wait we will!!!!! Maybe tomorrow!
Yasna is still going strong in her study of the gospel. She retains everything she learns. She comes to church every week and expresses her desire to be baptized often. She needs everyone’s prayers. She is trying so hard to quite smoking. This woman does not have a mean bone in her body. She is kind and good in all she does. She is truly Christlike in all she does. Satan knows that and knows her only vice is her cigarettes. So please pray for her!!
We went to see David again. He is the inactive blind man we found before Christmas. On our first visit with him he shared his testimony of the Book of Mormon with us and told us he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. He drinks coffee though and doesn’t feel worthy to come to church. We have tried to get him to church by offering him rides. Even the Elders of the ward have tried to contact him but nothing seems to work. Sooooo on our last visit with him Elder Beck called him on it. I have to say I felt I was witnessing Samuel the Lamanite upon the City Wall. Elder Beck very firmly but gentle called him to repentance. So many times in those situations we tend to say things like “I’m sorry to hear that. Or I can see how you can feel that way”. Not Elder Beck. He was kind but direct. He said if someone knows the Book of Mormon is true and reads it every day (which he says he does) and believes what he reads. Then he should be doing everything he should to prepare himself for the second coming of Jesus Christ. And Elder Beck said a whole lot more than that. Samuel the Lamanite I tell you Samuel the Lamanite. He moved me to want to do better. I was so proud!!!!! I also thought of President Hinckley on his soapbox in the parks in England. I realized as I listened to all he told David (I couldn’t even get a word in) that that is exactly what we are here to do. We are here in Chicago to call people to repentance and help them prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. With all the turmoil throughout the world I think we should be repenting every minute of every day, myself included. It is closer than we think. Will we all be ready? That is our utmost prayer for everyone.
We are SO HAPPY and EXCITED to be teaching the missionary lessons. This is truly why we were sent to be proselyting missionaries! We love the people here, the Gospel and love bearing testimony of the truthfulness of it. Please continue to pray for us, for free parking, for safety, for more investigators and especially for the ones we are currently teaching! Thank you all for your prayers and support! We love you!
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| Watching the coloring of the River |
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| Coloring the River for St. Patrick's Day |
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Looking Good!
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