Elder Mason Rankin: B-day for Egghead and Teaching with President

This week flew by. "Don't blink", right? It was great though, everyday, every hour we continue to see little blessings and miracles. I will always love serving here in the south, the other day I caught myself saying "I don't want to go home", "I love being a missionary." Such a change from the beginning when I said... "will this ever be over" and "Man, this is going to take forever." Another little miracle.

The week started solid. I went on exchanges with the famous Elder Pierre-Louis! He is from Haiti and wears a beanie all the time from an accident he had as a kid. It was a blast teaching with him and seeing lots of success. My favorite from the day was probably J______. We knocked on her door to see if her mom was home and she came out all flustered. Before she went back inside. I asked if we could make her day better by reading together and praying. As the lesson went on, her frown and stress changed to a smile and a little glow. She was so happy we came by. We hope to teach her and her family to help them experience the same joy our families feel from having the Restored Gospel in our lives.

Wednesday was Elder "Egghead's" Birthday! (a little kid called him that once) It was a blast. We had some pumpkin waffles for breakfast, someone brought cake for lunch and we also found some sweet people at ULM while we were knocking doors. We met C____ and C_____. They are roommates, both recently graduated. Some of the chillest guys ever. They ended up inviting us back for a BBQ later in the week too. So genuine and nice, we hope to find more cool people like them teach as we focus more around the college area and campus.

On Friday night we went out with President Olson and it was a blast. He was in town for interviews, so it ended up working out great. We taught M____, T____ and his aunt D_____. It was a really cool experience. M_____ is progressing a lot, she had read ahead of where we told her to and you could just tell that she was so much happier. The Book of Mormon, prayers and everything is helping her, we can tell the difference in her light. We just keep praying she will come to church, as soon as she gets over that, she will keep progressing. It was just fun being with President, at first I was nervous but it ended up being way fun. T___ and D_____'s lesson was solid. We read from the Book of Mormon together and watched a Mormon message on the Book of Mormon. As I reflected upon my testimony of the Book of Mormon, I am so grateful to have it within my live. I continue to have great experiences with it and learn more from it every time. A keystone to my faith.

Last highlight was yesterday. no specific lesson or meeting. It was just a great day. We learned and discussed about the Good Samaritan together. As we talked, the spirit continued to teach me about love and how it is an action more than saying it. Dad always says "Actions speak louder than words." Those words ring true in everything. From Faith to Love, actions do really show you how someone truly is. The scripture 1 John 3:18 keeps coming to mind as I thought about it... "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Are we showing the Lord we love him by "word" or by "deed"? Let us follow the example of the Savior in loving others by how we act, not by just what we say.

I thank each of you that write me each week or while I have been out here. This last week, I felt your prayers and love as the stress and days seemed like too much to carry. I hope y'all have a great week and keep on smiling! :)

With love and bunches of hugs,

Elder Mason Rankin :)