Sincerely, Elder Watkins: Lawns, Ramps, and Flat Tires (Week 36)

We have done a ton of service this week, its been great. Three days out of the week we were blessed to do service for others.

We built a wheel chair ramp for one of the less active members in Sulphur, M~. She is the Aunt of Th~ a 13 year old recent convert in our branch. She lives in a smaller house behind Th~'s house. Last week M~ fell for the third time this year, and had to go to the hospital. The doctors told her that she will be paralyzed in her left leg until they can give her surgery. She has been living in Th~'s house for the pass week because she been unable to get in and out of her house in the back yard due to the steps from off the back porch of Th~'s house and the porch steps into her's. We talked to the Branch President and Brother Fultz about building a ramp to M~'s house, and this week we got to help build it. The church payed for the wood and Brother Fultz (who has a background with building ramps for hospice work) helped us cut it up and assemble the ramp. The Fultz are amazing, they are on fire!

After we finished the ramp and we were getting ready to leave Brother and Sister Fultz notice the neighbors and they turned out to be good friends of theirs that they use to live next to. The couple were deaf (There are a lot of deaf people in our area because the Oklahoma School For the Deaf is in Sulphur). We greeted them and asked them if we could mow their lawn and help with their yard (we have been learning a little bit of sign language from members in the Branch that learned sign to teach the deaf members in the branch, I also borrowed a sign language book that I've been studying during Language study.) We used the little signing we knew and they said we could. We picked up all of the dead tree limbs and mowed their front yard and back yard. It was awesome to get to meet them through service, such a miracle. They were so humble and kind and we are hoping to go back sometime with a member that signs so we can teach them.

During the week we had to make a quick trip to Walmart during exchanges. As we were walking in to the store we saw that a car had a completely flat tire. Not seeing the owner of the car any where in
sight we couldn't do to much about it. After we had gone in, bought what we needed we walked out of the store. To the Left of the exit of Walmart there was a table where we heard someone say "Hey Elder do you want help support our ministry by donating?" We told them "no thank you" and then we heard "well do you want to hear what we are about?" Elder Durham said "helping people I hope." They then said "of course" we acknowledged their response with "awesome" and walked on. As we were moving towards our car we saw the owner of the car with a flat tire, a hurried young mother with her daughter on the phone assessing the damage. We approached her and asked if we could help. As we were helping many people walked bye not caring, but then others stopped to help. We soon had two other people helping us take off the flat tire and put on the spare. After we were done she thanked us. We then told her what we did as missionaries and asked if we could come by and share a message about Jesus Christ sometime. She said yes and we are going to teach her next Sunday. Miracle! Its been a huge blessing from the lord to find so many people to teach through service.

Its been a good week, and the Lord is blessing Sulphur.

Sincerely, Elder Watkins