Woodstock and Jimmy Hendrix (Week 70)

This week has been good. Sorry that I didn't email yesterday it was a government holiday so the library was closed. It was nice yesterday, so we went to the lake for lunch, skipped rocks and hung out as a district for p-day. This week's weather has been amazing, I think it got up to 70 degrees. Crazy stuff. Everyone's been outside having fun.

This week we got a referral from the mission office for someone we gave a blessing to at the nursing home. His name is Jimmy (not Hendrix), but he definitely survived the 60s/70s. Haha, he remembers Woodstock like it was yesterday. We got the referral from his LDS cousin in Ohio. He has met with a lot of missionaries in the past, but now he is ready. He is going through a lot right now. He says his wife won't take care of him, so he is in the nursing home. He is currently going through chemo therapy and radiation for his lung cancer. At our first visit he told us that he wouldn't mind being Mormon, so awesome. We taught him the Restoration and read the introduction of the Book of Mormon with him. He loves the Book of Mormon and already knows it's true. We set a baptism date for Feb 26 that we are working towards. He is really excited and asked us if we could pick him up for church on Sunday.

On Sunday we left to pick him up, but when we got to his room he was nowhere to be found. We looked around the halls and the lobby and ended up asking a nurse where he was. She said he was in the hospital for pneumonia. We knew he sounded sick from our last visit, but we didn't think it was that bad. Turns out his being in the hospital for pneumonia was only half the story. Around 5am he fell out of bed on his face and split his arm open, he was laying there for 30 minutes yelling before anyone knew he fell. Sunday night we visited him and gave him a blessing. As we were laying our hands on his head he asked, "What does it take to become a priest like you? I want to be one." So awesome. Elder Matthews anointed the oil and I sealed the anointing with a blessing. It was one of the most powerful blessings the Holy Ghost has ever given through me. It was amazing. In my heart I knew Jimmy was going to be okay. After the blessing we read a scripture to him about the atonement and then read the promise of our bodies in the resurrection. After the lesson we reassured him that everything would be alright, and that God has a plan for him and that's why he is still alive. He said, "I hope so, I want to be baptized. I'm serious I have never felt like this before, it's amazing." My heart began to weep with joy. It was amazing.

Joseph is doing fine. He has had a really hard week. His cousin just got out of jail and is now living with them again so he has to keep a close eye on him. He will only go to church if his cousin comes with him, so hopefully we will be teaching his cousin soon. We have taught Joseph basically everything, so now we are just helping him prepare for baptism and helping him set down the cigarettes for good. We are seeing him this afternoon. He is so awesome, teaching him is the highlight of my week.

This week has been good! I love you all! Keep me posted!

Sincerely, Elder Watkins

Cold Cereal

We found an Elk in the Alley

Ponca Lake

The 101 Ranch Wild West Mural