In God We Trust

Man....I don't even know how to start this email. I have so much content that needs to go into this but I am not sure where to start. My thoughts will most likely be a bit random with the overload of information to be involved here. Hopefully you can all follow along.

P-day last week went well. We played some basketball. That's just becoming the thing to do. It's always nice tho when you have to end your p-day early because you have so many people to teach that you can't fit it all in in the allotted time frame. I need to make mention of one contact we did make so you can see a larger picture later in this letter. We have had a new less active show up on the ward list and no one had met him yet. We showed up at Ben's house on Monday night as we had set up with him on the phone. When we entered and talked to him we learned that he has lived in the same house for 15 years and somehow we just didn't have his records. He said his mom must've been involved! Thank goodness for moms! He grew up in Utah and was a faithful member til the tough age of 15. He hadn't set foot in church since. He said he has been pondering lately tho and now he has a family with 6 kids and a wife and he said, and I quote, "I have felt a tugging in my heart to go back to church." The spirit had been teaching this man and his family way before we entered the picture. That's all I shall note as for now but remember this when I speak of Ben again.

All in all, great p-day. Lot's accomplished and we got to drive the a.p.'s van all week. Kinda not so cool. You appear like a rather large creeper in suits and a 12 passenger van. There is no way to pick up chicks in that. Thank heavens! Turns out that our car is going to Davenport for some elders there and the a.p.'s get a brand new truck and we have the van til our new car comes. Joy.

Tuesday I had my doctor's appointment with Dr. Groen and all is well. I have some slight drawer action in my ankle joint but it is mending well and I have been released from his care. We wore awesome pink ties for Valentine’s Day and many people noticed. We saw some good people that day but the best part of the day was dinner. We had dinner with the Morrison's. I love that family a lot. They have 4 kids and he actually lost his job the day before we saw him, completely out of nowhere. My heart sagged a little for him. I have seen firsthand how that can affect your family and especially the patriarch of the family. This is what impresses me though...In every case that I have seen where someone loses their job and also has a strong faith in Jesus Christ, they react with faith. They have something to fall back on...their Savior. I'm so grateful for that knowledge. We had shrimp scampi with them as is their tradition for Valentine’s Day. It was a great night.

On Wednesday we did a lot of driving. I was with Elder McKeon who is normally in 3rd ward. He's from Valencia California. Great kid. He's still brand new and I love him a lot. We drove to some farther homes than we normally reach. We had dinner with the Buggs and they just had a son enter the army and is in boot camp right now. I guess he loved to play the piano and so Sister Bugg, now being an empty nester, asked me to play the piano for her for a while. I loved that! I'm glad I could help. My biggest suggestion to all you kids taking piano lessons who want to quit....Don't. You will forever regret it. It's worth it to stick to it.

Thursday was an exciting day because we met with a man named Masa Lin. He's Chinese and some of you may remember him because I taught him with Braxton and Uncle Limpy. He dropped us that night for all who have forgotten. Well I felt "a tugging in my heart" to go see him. I have a deep love for that man and I missed him and so we stopped by. We ended up setting a baptismal date with him. He will be baptized March 24th or sooner. We actually met with him again yesterday and he was pretty down because he hadn’t received an answer yet as to whether this was all right for him. So we taught about fasting and we are all fasting now until this evening when we will meet with him again and I have faith that he has received an answer! I know that man will be baptized. Great guy! I have learned tons from him.

It's funny that in every area in which I have served in Iowa, President has said something similar every time...."Elder, this area is not doing well...go fix that." I have now been trying to fix that for 4 months and its working. Our first baptismal date in Waukee and I was floored! =) =) =) =)

Friday we helped sheetrock in some member's home. We taped and mudded and sanded. It was a lot of fun. I miss manual labor. I have no calluses on my hands and so I really enjoyed getting blisters. That night half of our dinner appointment's family was sick so he took us out with a couple of his kids. We went to the golden arches, mickey d's, mcdeezy's, however you wish to call it. We then went bowling with them and it was epic. I lost horrifically but it was fun! Me and the 4 year olds get along real well. I'm pretty much best friends with them all.

Saturday we had an appointment with a member family and they had some family over. Most of them went home but one named Tasha stayed. She's 18 and she now has a baptismal date and so that's awesome! The spirit is so cool! It does such a good job at convincing men and women of the truth.

Saturday night was Brother McKellar's birthday and he turned 40 so for his birthday he wanted to have a piano recital and play duets with all his kids and his wife. He is really good. They've had it planned for months now and we were invited and multiple times in the recital he made mention of the missionaries and how he did that too and how it changed his life and how his love for music started there and just grew and grew. Anyway, to an audience of 500 people where most are not members, that was pretty bold. It was great! We talked to quite a few people afterward.

Yesterday we had our zone p-day and we had an epic nerf war. We called it Hunger Games. We had 15 people and last one standing won. I would love to say that I won...and well I can because I did. It was so much fun. I felt like Katniss. I made certain alliances and friends and then would watch them die. It was quite sad. Tons of fun!

The best part of yesterday was last night. We met with Ben and his family again. Oh man...I’m already getting chills from it. The mom, Tina started out our whole discussion by saying, "I want to be baptized. I've been taught the lessons before but never committed. I'm ready now." It was just an incredible lesson. # of the kids are still living at home and all want to baptized as well and Dad wants to come back to church. They have hit some rough patches lately and Ben immediately knew that he needed the gospel in his life again. He said, "When you two came into my home last week, I felt the spirit for the first time in 30 years and I knew what I needed to do. We need your help and support but we are ready to do this." I just started to cry. The spirit flooded the room and everyone was in tears. I was prompted to bear my testimony of something that I have learned through some rough experiences of my own. I said something to the effect that the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ will not prevent or exempt anyone from trials. But I promised family peace and something to always come back to when things get tough. Our savior is ALWAYS there. Oh it was indescribable. So we now have 6 baptismal dates after one week. Hard work pays off and just like every piece of American money says, "In God we trust".

Things I learned this week-
-I'm not a good bowler...especially in a suit and tie.
-I am an awesome Hunger Games candidate...as long as it's nerf weapons only.
-When work is done and trust is put in the lord, miracles occur.

I am out of time but I want to tell you all one last thing. I love you. It hit me this week on Saturday I have been in Iowa for nine months now. I only have six remaining. That has provoked some thought and if it wasn't for the love I have for my family and friends I would never go home. I would petition to do this full time forever, but nothing gold can stay and I love you all way too much! You're the best! Thanks for your support!

Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell