Week 13!!

Hi everyone!!

How are you all?
This week was crazy and I am so happy I get to tell you about it!!

My companion and I have a lot more people to teach now! The other missionaries here in Reading forgot to send us a few people, but now we have them!! Now my companion and I have about 10 people that we are teaching now!!

So Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were super busy!! We spent a lot of time getting in contact with all of our new investigators! We were going so fast having imprromptu lessons all day! Then we had dinners with members and shared messages with them. These days are so crazy because it just feels like you are going 100 miles/hour and it doesn’t stop until 9:00PM!

Friday was a cool day because after all of our missionary work and contacting, we went to the Ortiz house for dinner. My companion and I ate together, and then did a little bit of missionary work afterward. I fellowshipped a man named Andy. He hasn’t come to church in a long time, but is very respectful of our church and the missionaries. While we talked and I answered his questions, my companion helped Hermana Ortiz with doing some family history work on her phone!

Saturday was super fun!! My companion and I were doing our studies when we got a call from Elder Watts (my old district leader) and Elder Close. We picked up the call and they said, “Want service and food?” BOOM we booked it over there. Within minutes we were dressed in service clothes and at a rowhome in town! A member of the English ward is working on his row home and needed some extra hands! We helped him clean out and strip his bathroom, chisell out some rock, and lay a new floor!

Then after this service, we went to Hermano Rodriguez’ house! The basement of his new row home was COVERED in spider webs!! So we grabbed a couple of brooms and swept the ceiling clean! We probably should have worn masks, but at this point we are probably immune to any airborne pathogens. We have been living in a moldy house for 8 weeks now…

Sunday was so so amazing!! Iris has been wanting to come to church, but will not come if it is raining. She is afraid that she will slip because her balance is not very good. So all week, we have been praying for the rain to be held so that Iris could make it to church. Well sure enough, we saw a miracle. Two days ago there was an 80% chance, and come Sunday morning, it was all the way down to 15!!! Iris, her granddaughter, and another investigator named Lidianali all came to church! Also David and his wife Maria came who had not been to church for years!!! There was so much happiness as members greeted these people we brought to church. Iris even knew a couple of the members and was shocked to see them there!! David and Maria were so happy they were tearing up because all of the kids they taught years ago were grown up into young men and women! Ugh such a happy moment!

Then Sunday night, all that rain that was supposed to come down did! Oh my gosh it was a huge lightning storm at first and then dumped a ton of water!! The roads had water flowing on them, and tree branches were falling off everywhere because of the rain and hail! Within 30 minutes, Reading went from beautiful warm night to 100% humidity foggy thunderstorm! It definitely reminded me of the severe weather in Colorado!

Well as for today, my companion and I are going to go shop, eat some lunch, and then do something fun! We aren’t sure what, but I’ll let ya know haha.

I love you guys so much and this week really has been my best week out here. There is finally work to do and I feel like I am finally helping people grow closer to Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for all of your love, support, and prayers! I hope you all have a fantastic week!

-Elder Petty

P.S. Check out the website Elderpetty.com if you wanna see my past emails and pictures!!