SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Howdy folks, 

*preferably read in the most... barnyard voice imaginable*

Barnyard Boyd and Cowboy Cox, at your service,

The legends of Barnyard Boyd echoed through the pasture. With a Black and Decker in hand, he was a crazed man with a fancy for fixin' up barns. Stallions gawked in awe at the technique of his signature, "push and drill" as he reinforced the walls of your friendly neighborhood barn. Does he demand commission? Of course not. The only compensation he requires is a sweat-stained brow and the influx of lactic acid in his muscles. Quite the rustic resume, yes indeed- look out barns across America, Barnyard Boyd is in business. Prepare to be built. Giddy-up ladies and gents, it's a wild, wild western this time around in the SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER  SIXTEEN. 

So yes, in short, we spent nine hours this weekend building a barn for some country folk. We tried to recruit members of the ward to lend a helping hand, but with such short notice, it was just left up to us two Elders. We finessed our way through families of fire ants, maneuvered around manure, and like the Grinch's softened heart, our shoulders grew three sizes larger that day. All in all, I am both more calloused and more appreciative for the future farmers of America.  As a great prophet in this dispensation has remarked, "one of the greatest secrets to missionary work... is work!" It was all worth it, in the end, to follow in the perfect example of the Savior, and to, "go about doing good." Also pro tip: yes, listening to country music DOES make farm-work much easier. 

When we weren't high-tailing our way around horses and houses, we were immersed in our, "father's business" being front-row witnesses to the many mighty miracles of the Gospel:

If God commands, he will prepare. And in the wise words of the prophet Joseph Smith, "when the Lord commands, do it!" 

It was one of those post-dinner appointments, "wow, I am so tired and stuffed, it would be so much easier to go in thirty minutes early and take a bath and ZONK for the night" kind of evenings. Which is ironic because the dinner appointment we had that night, forgot I had a dairy allergy, so I ended up eating two Tupperware's full of cauliflower. Our plan: Earlier in the day, we had planned our 8:00 appointment (it's so much more effective to teach that tract during those late hours... especially in the "low income" part of Slidell.), with the plan to preface the Word of Wisdom, by teaching the importance of commandments. The couple we planned to visit were some of our most progressing people- they had come to church for the past two weeks and committed to being baptized in the following month. However, because we cared about them so much, we were very sensitive to share commandments slowly, so as to not overwhelm them. HENCE the reason for our, "preparatory" plan- to teach the importance of commandments, and then teach the word of wisdom NEXT TIME! But, isn't it so funny, that you can do ALL YOU CAN DO to plan, but you're always planning a Plan B? We learned this lesson in a beautiful way that night. We showed up and got things rolling... the prayer, the importance of commandments.. but just when we were about to wrap up our spirit-filled lesson, God had other plans. God's plan: One of the members of the couple has struggled with both drinking and smoking for his entire life. For twenty years, he said, he has been drinking a case a day. Now I'm not all too familiar with beer-lingo, but I'm pretty sure that's a lot? Anyways, we knew without a doubt, this would be his stumbling block to baptism... which is why we were very careful to share the lesson at the right moment. Well, as I have learned time and time again, we never truly do know when the "right moment" is- but God certainly does. Right before the prayer, this man says, 'I went to the doctor's this week- and it wasn't the best of news... I need to stop drinking and smoking." EVEN BEFORE WE TAUGHT HIM THE WORD OF WISDOM. IT WAS ASTOUNDING. Well, you can bet Elder Cox and I zoomed like the Millennium Falcon in hyper-drive into the Word of Wisdom. Not only did they commit to living it, but a little incentive goes a long way... I promised to hand deliver a bucket of Jolly ranchers if they kept their addiction goals. Y'all, God has prepared and is literally preparing people to keep covenants and accept the Gospel. His plans and hands are so much better than anything we have or come up with- and the sooner we realize that the sooner we invite his miracles into our lives. 

Another lesson learned this week: how to view success.

As you can probably imagine, building barns takes a good chunk of time- time away from people we love so dearly and from guaranteed opportunities to invite them to church. I'll be honest, we weren't expecting a whole lot this sacrament meeting. We texted nearly everyone we were teaching, certainly everyone on date- but with T-30 minutes until the sacrament, our hope had nearly diminished... Now, let me tell you, true to expectation, none of our people showed up. Even the four guaranteed friends we had rides for, came in contact with some conflict that prevented their sacrament attendance. Honestly, it's so disheartening to have empty seat's at the Lord's supper... but had we taken a look around, we would have seen the success the Lord had prepared for us that day. A less active who hadn't come to church in the past three years was sat comfortably in the back pew with her children- all because we went over and gave her husband a blessing before rehab earlier in the month. Two new people who had been brought by one of the Spanish members in the ward came up to us after the block and asked us in the cutest English, 

"will you come to teach us at Reyna's house?"

We now have an appointment to teach a Spanish family this week, who have already been to church, love primary and want the blessings of the Gospel. God does not cease to be God and he CERTAINLY doesn't cease to be a God of miracles. 

Other than that folks, we had Zone Conference, where we instructed to focus on the doctrine- to ask why? Instead of how? and learned how to abolish antagonists with refined conversation skills. Basically, we learned what to do in case of bashing... a Bashing 101 some would say... so look out evangelists everywhere, the LBRM IS HERE with a new and improved squadron of high-functioning communicators. It was a very uplifting and edifying experience that just has me jazzed more than ever to share the Gospel with the WORLD- starting with the boundaries of Louisiana and Mississippi first. :)

Well, that's all folks. It's been a mighty miracle week, yet again, out here in the bodacious bayou. I would wish nothing less on you fine citizens back at home. ALSO: prepare a question for conference. The Lord's work is hastening and the sooner you enlist in the Lord's battalion to gather Israel, the sooner you will unfold the greater blessings of the Gospel in your own life. Remember to always look up, success can hide in the back pew sometimes, but as long as you're looking... you'll always find it. Hard work is always worth it and so is planning... but always be prepared when God reals Plan A. Other than that, keep slaying and praying y'all! HAVE A GREAT WEEK Y'ALL! ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU!

A mighty goodbye from your favorite consecrated cowboy,

Elder Boyd

This Week's Pics (plus 2 video bonuses):