Another week has flown by, before I know it I will be home! This area has been an amazing place to be, the work is good, members are friendly and they have a passion for missionary work.
Nothing of particular interest has happened since Wednesday (our last p-day/temple trip.) We gave Cody a blessing (Cody is a 17 year old who wants to reform his life.) He called us I believe on Friday and asked us if we could come asap. We could tell something was bothering him so we rushed to his house. He was having a hard week. He said the adversary was working on him. We gave him a blessing and he said he felt better. Little by little Cody is changing, his prayers are improving and he is exercising faith for perhaps the first time in his life. He is on a Felony parole so he cannot get baptized until March, which will be good for him to prepare some more. Cody will hopefully get baptized right before I go home!
We had a lesson with Oliver and Ninoa on Sunday. They are awesome kids. Ninoa had a hard time focusing and taking it seriously. We had them teach us the plan of salvation from a wooden kit my companion had. Oliver was spot on. He had a lot of questions about the resurrection. He was confused about how the graves would open up and our body's would become perfect. He asked if we would be able to fly and eat and etc... He was genuine in his questions. It was sad at one point he was talking about how we can visit other kingdoms and he briefly mentioned he would visit his parents while pointing to the Telestial kingdom.
Both Oliver and Ninoa are in the Foster program. They are split from each other. They were living with their Aunt and Uncle for about 2 years. But the Father who was on drugs was causing some problems in the family so the kids had to go into the system. The members (aunt and uncle) want to adopt the boys, and that would be best for them, but it is uncertain if that would be problematic. The state is currently in the process to terminate the mother's parental rights. She had slipped up and done drugs and that was her last straw. Both these boys have had a hard life. They were exposed to drugs in the womb and suffer some health defects because of it. One of the boy's foster family does not believe in God and doesn't really care about R rated movies, alcohol, swearing, etc... He has asked us to prayer for his foster Mother so they can get along better.
Both boys got baptized a few years ago but the reason we are stopping by and teaching them is strengthen them through this hard time. They know the hand of God is in their life and they have had spiritual experiences. In the game of life they have not been dealt a "wining hand" or even a good hand; Good thing with our Heavenly Father we don't have worry about the "odds", Because we know it will all work out in the end. Please if you can pray that these boys will get to stay with their aunt and uncle in our ward they are doing amazing things for the boys. They are my primary focus in this area.
A Member in our ward is a mental health worker and told us some of the things he has seen. It was pretty gruesome. But it was I think a reminder to me that my mission for coming here to this earth is to help those souls like Oliver and Ninoa. I think I will try to work with foster children and youth. As a career it would be fulfilling. As I near the end of my mission I have had more and more opportunities to use psychological techniques along with the gospel principles to help people. It seems my path is clear for my career, Heavenly Father is paving the way for when I get home and go to school. I have seen it first hand and dealt with people in those type of situations I am excited to continue my mission as a career.
Love you guys,
Aloha
Elder Esplin
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