The Book of Mormon is a "Diamond as Big as the Ritz"

THINGS ARE IN SWING here in Abymes. The work is about ready to explode. This last week Simon, a less active, came back to church. He has been a member since he was 8 years old...actually his mom was one of the first members on Guadeloupe, taught by the first two missionaries. She, too, is inactive, but we saw her the other day and set up a rendez vous for this week. So we are praying that will go well. We are really trying to find success with the members, and more importantly we are trying to make it THEIR success not ours. The missionaries have kind of done their thing in this area without the members for the last 2 years and nothing has really happened. It's true that there are a bunch of members who are kind of spiritually dragging their feet, so it has been hard in the past. But, I believe with the Book of Mormon, with spirit, and some Creole we are going to help them.

Haha, I love hearing about Trent doing a great job in his talk. He is such a stud! He is gonna get himself hitched pretty quick.....you just watch!

Here is my letter to President Gamiette:

Dear President,

This week was quite an amazing improvement on the last week. We were able to see members and teach them more than 50% of the time. Some of them are starting to give us referrals because we have won their confidence. This week we worked with frere Jose Lucia in our area. He is less active and has recently been coming back to church. We are trying to focus on helping him understand the blessings and responsibility of the priesthood he has. Missionaries have taught and taught this man and all though he does make some baby steps to return he never has fully come back. The converting power of the Book of Mormon is incredible though. Our goal was to get him reading every day. Last Thursday as we read Nephi 2 with him, we had a breakthrough. We were talking about the great plan of happiness and the role our free agency plays in this plan. It was incredible as the spirit bore testimony to us by the Book of Mormon of this eternal truth. Jose began to understand by the spirit instead of his head how each choice in his life affected his eternal future. We were able to rejoice with him because of how excited he was about what he had learned. He said, I want to know why I have had this book for 4 years and have never learned that! He committed to read every day for the rest of his life! We are seeing great miracles President because people are reading the Book of Mormon! We are seeing great success with less actives...maybe you remember Simon Laurent who lives in Abymes? He is about 24 and has been a member for about...well since he was 8. He came back to church as well this last week...but my testimony has been so strengthened this week that these people who are coming to church for the first time, or returning after a long absence...that they will not stay if we can not help them read the Book of Mormon every day.

I love the Book of Mormon. Its my comfort, and my guide wherever Elder Evans and I go. It's that book that we turn to. It's amazing the blessings that spring up out of its pages...blessings that I didn't know existed before my mission! I'm so grateful to be out here serving, so that now I may recognize those blessings.