Busy Week!

Looking back, i really don't know where this week went. and the past 4 days i have been totally wiped out by the end of the day that i missed the first couple days of writing in my journal.. but I'm going to make up for them today and write.  Its crazy.  

Thursday we had President Cooper's chickens come in. all, 22,700 of them! and we moved them all in a record time.. 35 minutes.. its impressive. Last time we had the record, and it was 45 minutes, and then Thursday 35.  None of president coopers family are members, but they are so impressed with us and how hard we work haha. its a good feeling to be out of the suits and doing hard farm labor. it helps when there is a cooler with mtn dews. and then Saturday, we laid tile in his kitchen and cleaned out a back room of his house. so much stuff!! It was great fun! we found some missionary gold!  The branch made Mormon Helping Hands shirts a few years back when a tornado hit Americus, and we found them and so we grabbed a couple ahah. and we also found an electric griddle thingy. so president said we could have it! so awesome! and then yesterday we had to swing by to get some collard greens and so i hopped on the tractor :) 

But i suppose as a missionary i am supposed to have spiritual experiences too, huh?  On Tuesday we had Terrance with us and we were driving around between lessons and he saw a guy outside shooting hoops that we met a couple weeks back playing basketball, his name is Tay. So we flipped around and talked to him. strange thing was that he was at the house of former gators. come to find out, he is their son! crazy small world. but we are excited for him, he said he is interested in learning more! Its awesome to have a member who is around our age, and can connect with all types of people!! Terrance has given us a ton of referrals, we cant keep up with them all! Its just awesome! 

On Friday and Saturday we had great lessons with Betty Griffin. she is on date for April 26th. she is really excited. we pulled up on saturday afternoon and her and a couple friends were playin spades, her friends were drinking, but she doesn't. but the neat thing is that she told them all to hold off for a bit so she could talk with us! it was wonderful. We had a quick, powerful lesson on the plan of salvation and helped her recognize the spirit and help her realize that she will need to make a decision when she comes to know the truth. She understood that before we even had to tell her. she is awesome!  and yesterday, Sunday, after church, the elders in Americus had a baptism! it was amazing. It was a special experience, because only her grandma is a member. we've been working with the family for, well, since 7 months ago, when i got there. crazy how time flies.. 

Well, off to another adventure of a p-day.  hope all is well! i love you all.

Elder Bodily

I can't even really begin to express the emotions felt throughout this week!  Saturday was just a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the font was filled! 

Elder Bodily and Velda Davis and his companion

We turned it on hot water and filled it, but apparently it got cold after awhile.. but we didn't have an outburst like Trevor at his baptism. 

(Note from mom here:  When Kevin's younger brother, Trevor, entered the font for his baptism, it was cold and he chattered, "I CHANGED MY MIND!  I CHANGED MY MIND!"  He did go through with it, thankfully, but that will always be a family favorite story!)

But it was wonderful. Velda Davis is on her way to eternal life. She had us nervous on Friday.. We went over and she told us she had a bad dream.. she told us that she heard a voice tell her "don't do it, don't do it!" then she woke up.. But it didn't affect her.  She understood that it was Satan trying to stop her happiness. Then on Sunday for her confirmation, we had quite the crowd! It was wonderful! We had a record people there, for me. We had a couple nonmembers from a big part-member family come so that was good. We are working with one of them. He is really promising. Teaching will be hard, because he can't read or anything, but he knows the spirit when he feels it. The work is really progressing here, i love it. 

On Tuesday, we had district meeting, and then we went on trade-offs with the District Leader. Elder Lynch came to Cordele with me, and we got roped into a service project for our hispanic gator. That was quite the project, but the best part, I was finally able to get Chico to calm down for a picture.. this dog looks all nice and cute, but it could jump at least 5 feet in the air if it wanted.. Such a beautiful dog. 

Elder Bodily and Chico

Today is 11 months.. wha..?  i swear just last week was 10 months.. crazy.. oh and apparently its St. Patricks day? cool.. haha. 

Well, till next week y'all! Have a good one. I reckon that someday I will be able to express my emotions more fully in an email. maybe next year.. oh wait..  

Have a good week y'all. 
Elder Bodily

A Baptism on Saturday!

Bodily, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Bartholomew our brother, unto those abroad, my dearly beloved and fellowl abourers. and to my beloved family and friends, our fellow soldiers and to the church in the land: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers.

So i was a little bored and reading the Pauline Letters.. But i love the bible! 

This week was a good one. We have been working with an investigator for awhile now, Velda Davis, and this saturday, she is entering the waters of eternal life! We are so excited. Its been a process of teaching her and helping her understand, but she is ready to make this step in life!  She has had medical problems in the past and when we invited her to live the word of wisdom, it just made sense to her. We followed up with her and she told us that she had a knuckle-length amount, and it made her sick and so she got rid of it all! It was amazing! We are just so excited for her!   

This week we have also been visiting two of our sisters who had surgery. One of them is doing really well, the other, a lot of pain.. Its a wonderful feeling to just be there and talking with them..  

On Wednesday we combined lunch and dinner and went to Golden Corral.. man that was wonderful. never gets old.. and then on friday we had Zone Training Meeting up in Columbus. Being with all the other missionaries was a great feeling. to get out of my area and actually be around other people! But afterwards, half the zone and most of the elders all went to a hibachi grill and buffet place.. man. i cannot tell yall how much i love buffets..  until one elder leaves and then the others pour salt into his mtn dew.. and no it wasnt my dew! i had water, thank you very much.. hahaha.  

yesterday was a long day. apparently too long for my companion, we were driving into our apartment complex and then he waved to a cat.. haha. it was kinda funny.. but i guess i have no room to talk, i have been sleep talking, throwing my shirt at my companion in the middle of the night and telling him its the scripture he was looking for, then he threw it back at me, i put it back on and then fell asleep. and then another night, he had to switch over his laundry, and apparently i went down with him, waiting, and came back up stairs and didnt even know it..i knew i was different. oh well. 

we were bored and so we redid our chessboard.. its pretty dope. 

well, have a good week yall! i hope you all enjoy the tender mercies of the lord in our days. 

Elder Bodily

It's March! And some hoop time . . .

This past week was a good one!














We had district meeting and then a Zone Leader came down to Cordele with us. That was a good time. Elder Faleao is awesome. I'm so grateful I have been able to serve around him for 5 transfers! It's crazy.. we had some good lessons with him, put one of our gators on date, played some basketball, and got him to play the guitar. 3 of his favorite things!  Me and him have been on more exchanges than him and any one of his DL's and I aint even in leadership haha. I love it.  

On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to go to a family and friends night with one of our gators at her church. That was a fun experience. When they say this is the bible belt, they aint jokin. They played a bible trivia game.. wow.. some of the most random, pointless facts, and they knew almost every single one of them! But it was a fun experience, their pastor recognized us and gave us an opportunity to speak.. I had to bite my tongue and all I could say was, "Love God."  yeah.. stupor of thought is real. My tongue was bound then.  

The weather was beautiful this week and so we were able to walk around some neighborhoods and get contacts.  Sometimes I like government housing, other times I don't.. oh well.  

On Saturday we planned on playing basketball with some gators. so we went to the court with our 12 yr old member Jermaine and met a 22 yr old member there and kinda played around and waited.. Terrance, the 22 yr old, saw some buds drive by and yelled to come play.. Luckily they did, but wow. I need to work on my basketball skills, or my skin color.. and I did both.  I got home and my neck was burned, my face was burned, I had a wicked burn line on my arms and legs from my socks and shorts.. It was funny haha.  

Sunday was amazing. I just love sacrament meeting when its fast Sunday.. the spirit is so strong.. I bore my testimony, and really the spirit touched me yesterday.. with our 10 members or so, I come to church to strengthen them, but ultimately, I go so I can partake of the sacrament and renew my covenants.  I love this gospel so much. I wouldn't trade being out here for anything.  

A shout out to Aunt Bea! I love you and stay strong! 

Elder Bodily

An Amazing Week!

hey yall! 

This week was a good one. We had some amazing lessons! First one was with Betty Griffin. She's an older lady we contacted a couple weeks ago. we went over on a beautiful day out and she was home and excited to talk! So we sat on her porch and talked for almost an hour. It was wonderful. she was feeling the spirit and it really touched her. She was excited for baptism! she hasn't felt the truth in any church she's been to, and has noticed how we have helped a member who lives across the intersection from her a lot. She's always wondered about us, now she is on date for March 22! so exciting! 

And then we also put a lady that has been coming to church for awhile, Velda Davis, on date! Since she's been coming for awhile, she is on date for March 8! Its exciting! the work is picking up! and now if only we could catch all the other gators we have and teach them.. 

We also have done a lot of service this week! We helped out with Sister Lulu, who is an eternigator spanish lady. Come to find out, she is dating, and has been dating for 16 years the body building man that owns the gym we went to for awhile! Small world. we made a lot of connections!  We helped in her yard almost everyday this past week! It was crazy, but felt good to be out of the suits and doing normal yard work. ya know? Even if there are 2 huge pitbull-terrier dogs watching us the whole time! i'll get pictures soon :)  

On Saturday, we were practically doing service all day. One of our experiences was amazing. We went out to a see a partmember family, the wife is a member, the husband isn't. They have been married for 50 years.. they are wonderful. but he is so hardheaded when it comes to getting help in the yard. He didn't let us work, but we walked around his property and showed us everything for almost an hour and that was great!  It really worked in him. He invited us over a cookout after his wife recovers from surgery this week. She was shocked that he did that. He never does that unless he likes us haha. so that's good.   

Yesterday was amazing. after lunch at our Branch Presidents house, we took a road trip up to Unadilla. It was a good drive, through back country roads we hadn't been on before.. man I love this state.  We had an amazing lesson with Joy McKinsie. She ordered a free bible, but got so much more. And they want us to come back and share more! So it's good!  Her husband was there and granddaughter, and then at the end of the lesson, he said next time when you come, we will have more of our family listening! I was like, sweet!!  only problem is our miles won't allow us to visit too often. It's sad.. but the work goes on! 

I love you all! 

Elder Bodily

this is my family here in Cordele, Brother and Sister Pryor on Valentines Day

Old People, Gunshots and Scriptures

Well. this week was a quick one, a good one, and then it was ruined by Valentines Day, and then made good again Saturday!  This week was really all over the place.  On Monday we were sitting at a hotdog shoppe and then this man came in, got his dogs, and then sat by us and talked. We had met this man before at Burger King, about a month earlier. He thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses then, and again this time. but we cleared it up and talked with him. We got a return appointment for that night. and when I tell you I was humbled by where he lives.. I aint lyin. But Scott was a great man. We first started talking, he asked, "so whats the meat of your gospel?"  I was like, uhh.. the Spirit was so strong there. He has lived on the wild side, but now trying to fix it all. We talked about Thomas S. Monson, and he asked, well more said " if his middle name was Scott, cuz if it is, I have no doubt he's (i forgot the word he used) cuz my brothers middle name is Scott and he's a preacher."  I was like, I see.. haha. But he is a good man. 

We really had a lot of good lessons and experiences, just no one willing to commit to baptism yet.. oh well..  

Another great lesson we had was with a lady named Vernet. This lesson happened on Valentines Day.. But it was a really good lesson. She said she had studied with the JW's that morning, and was willing to study with us! So hopefully that goes somewhere. 

Good news though? She sells Girl Scout Cookies.. I found myself a drug dealer..  also Friday we helped Brother Pryor put together his valentines gift for his wife. that was fun. even though its valentines day.. boo. 

Saturday was good. Happy Birthday Dad!  We celebrated by going to the Nursing home and spending a couple hours with the old folks doing activities. That was fun :) I seriously love being around them. We are going back this week, the best part? We can have the same conversations and they will enjoy it just as much! 

Another great lesson we had.. we had Terrance out with us. He is a returning member. He knows the street life. Well, knew it. He's changed. But he called up his buddy and we went over.. well, Michael lives in the 24th street projects.. the area where we heard about 8 gun shots last night. but thats no matter. :)  But Michael is a good guy. We are just helping him understand..  and imagine Julio Iglasias, yeah. thats Michael.. ahhaha. i love it. 

Weird to think that today is my 10 month mark.. boo. i love the southern people too much to leave. even if they reject us.. you cant help but love them. 

I will send pics later. I forgot my camera.. hope all is well!! I love you all.  

Aahhh, some of my favorite scriptures this week.. 1 Tim 4:8 and then 2 Cor. 10:10. 

Elder BODILY

Just another week, and Michael Jordan he is not

Hey y'all, I can't believe that it is another Monday!  Where does the time go? 

What are you doing with the precious time that God has allowed to you to live?

This week was a full one and we have met a lot of great people and had a great zone conference!  Just a few experiences I'll share. 

Tuesday we traveled up to Columbus to be with President Cottle in training.  It was wonderful.  It is amazing how powerful the Spirit can be, if we allow it into our lives and let it work with us. 

We had a really good lesson with a part-member family in the group, Brother Gilliam isn't a member yet, but his wife is, and they have been married for 50 years! They are wonderful people.  We decided, instead of teaching a gospel lesson, we would share a message from the ensign. and how powerful it was!  It wasn't until we got to the point in the article, where Elder Scott talks of his experience in the Navy, that I remembered that this man served in the Navy also.  Towards the end of the lesson, we saw Brother Gilliam wet-eyed, not yet crying, but he was close!  It was powerful.. He will break down soon and get baptized!  I do love them. 

We also had a great experience where offering simple service brought great outcomes. 

We saw a man working on a child wagon type thing and offered to help.  I recognized his accent and I fell in love with it again.  The man and his family are from Haiti and with that French/Creole accent, it was wonderful to talk to them. We gained 5 new investigators just like that.  And they also know the other Haitians we know.  It's awesome!!  Great work with the Haitian people.  I love it.  But it was great, who would have guessed, offering to help with something as simple as putting together a little wagon.. yes, we did have to use the instructions, but that's no matter.. hahaha. 

Another highlight would have to be our experience with Corey. We met him last week and he called himself "Atheist" but he really isn't..... just uneasy right now.  But we talked with him Saturday.  We didn't bring up the gospel right away, we became friends first and connected, then, well, following the Spirit we asked about his questions about God and that.. well, turns out that all they are, are what we call, "Questions of the Soul", it was perfect..  we are excited about him.  

Saturday we played basketball with a member and some less actives and an investigator. It was pretty cool.  I just love being white and playing around black people.. haha. it helps when I wear my Michael Jordan shirt.. I feel I can play better with it :) 

(He didn't sent a picture this week, so this is an old one - not Michael Jordan!)

Valentines Day is this week?  Boo.  More like,  Happy Birthday Dad on Saturday!! 

I love you all! 

Elder Bodily