We had a great week.  I love the Fourth of July and celebrating our great country.  In my personal studies on Friday, I read 2 Nephi 1:6-9, which is Lehi's prophecy about the Promised land and how it will be a choice nation and a land of liberty so long as we serve God. Doctrine and Covenants sections 98, 101, and 134 also have awesome scriptures about the constitution and the importance of supporting our rights and privileges, especially the freedom of religion.  I gave Elder Mackay a real hard time since he’s from Canada :))

We taught some good lessons this week, and had 4 investigators at church yesterday!  Two of them come every week and are part of the Z--- family, but the other two were regular investigators.  J-- really wants to get baptized but there are some hangups, so we are figuring out what we can do there, and the other was a girl named D--- who is the friend of a less-active member we have been trying to get to come to church since I first got here to Fillmore, and yesterday they both came! 

My favorite part of the week, though, was with A---.  He is 15 years old, his mom has been less active for his whole life. But he is a great athlete, and already has a few different D-1 schools offering him football scholarships. We got him to come to mutual/scouts with the young men on Wednesday and he had a blast playing basketball with them. He is reading in the Book of Mormon, and said he believes it is true. We invited him to be baptized and he said yes!  He really wants to come to church, but so far he hasn’t been able to come, because he has basketball practice at 5:30 am on Sunday mornings, so we are still working with him to get him to church.

We also did quite a bit of service this week.  We helped F--- pour some concrete in his yard we have been digging up for him, and also pulled some weeds for H---.  Service is one of my favorite parts of missionary work.  I've come to know that it’s also one of the most successful ways to earn trust with investigators.   We are also teaching an English class to 2 women, who are friends of a member  here, and she is a great fellowship for them. This is another great way to serve and build trust.

Well, last week in Sacrament Meeting, we sang the national anthem and as it closed, Brother R---, the less active we brought to church yelled "PLAY BALL!!" Haha.  It was super funny, but some of the old ladies in the ward thought it was me, so I kind of got chewed out.  Then, yesterday for Fast and Testimony Meeting, he stood up and apologized for saying that and then bore his testimony and then he said the @$$ word in his testimony.... Hahahaa, ole Brother Ramirez.   He tells hunting stories for days just like Grampa Parrish :)

Love, Elder P