Donkey Kong vs. Missionaries

Let's see, how can I best start this e-mail? Well, I'll just say that I'm grateful we elders always pray for the Lord's protection before leaving our apartment, as well as you and many other people. Yesterday it was even more appreciated. Too bad that those prayers of safety DIDN'T include our car. Yep, you've guessed it! Yet another car wreck, I guess it's my curse on the mission. We were headed to Church, and our building is located at the top of a hill. We were about 1/3 of the way up when the road starts to bend slightly, traveling about 20 MPH, when a solid patch of ice which was practically invisible sent our car drifting hard to the left....and off the side of the mountain. Luckily, there were trees. LOTS of trees. And a fairly good sized one finally stopped the front of our car about 15 feet down from the ledge where the road was. Also, the airbags didn't deploy, there was no broken glass, neither of us were thrown through the windshield, and the car didn't catch on fire and explode. In fact, we made it out of that wreck without so much as a scratch. All I can say again is thanks for your prayers! The front of our car looks like Donkey Kong took his giant hammer and smashed it. Funny, the darn car still runs!! I have mixed emotions about the whole ordeal, trying to maintain a positive attitude while at the same time realizing that the loss of our car really hampers the work in Hazard. So, you can imagine how well I slept last night. I believe this is the 5th accident that I have been involved in on my mission; most of them small, but a couple, including this one, quite scary. In both of those cases, the hand of the Lord has reached down and delivered us. Unfortunately, that didn't include our vehicle this time. I guess all that I can say is that apparently driving 20 MPH up a hill in wet and supposedly icy conditions isn't slow enough. Lesson learned! I'll be glad to get back to the other side of the mission where the roads are actually normal. :)

All those "hazards" (no pun intended) aside, the work IN Hazard is actually going quite well. I say this primarily because we have 2 new investigators who were introduced to us by members! And, as is the case with just about any member referral, they are both solid. One is William Baker, whom I alluded to a few weeks ago. We had a lesson yesterday in his car with Sis. Causey (his fellowshipper) and Pres. Phillips. The reason we were in his car was because it was cold outside, and we didn't want to drive up the hill to our Church building. This lesson took place right after our accident at the bottom of the hill. Well, I guess the Lord had set that one up, didn't He? Anyway, the Spirit was there as we all bore testimony of the Book of Mormon, which he's been reading regularly, and of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph. I'm thankful that the Lord was able to calm my anxiety enough to be able to teach and testify without a weak or stuttering voice, since such an ordeal like we had would certainly be grounds for extreme nervousness. Our other new investigator is Debbie Combs, a good friend and neighbor of Sis. Wilma Creech, a recent convert. Debbie's mother passed away a couple months ago and she was seeking answers as well as peace. Coincidentally, her mother had been in the Hazard Nursing Home as a roommate to Sis. Billie Phillips, an older member who we visit often. In fact, we gave her mother a blessing just a few days before she died. So, I guess now it's come full circle and we have another appointment with her this week. We were able to answer her questions using the Book of Mormon, and she said at the end of the lesson that she felt more peaceful than she ever has since her mother died.

So, Liz is getting married!? That's really weird when your friends start tying the knot, so to speak. Makes me feel rather old from time to time, but I know I'm not old at all. Glad to hear that Cal is really enjoying Cub Scouts, those were good ol' days that I really miss. Boy, that'll be weird knowing Ellie will be in Kindergarten! Wasn't Caleb just there!? WOW!! So many new things happening, but I have no regrets about being out here to serve the Lord. It's clear that He has wrought mighty changes within all of us in the time I've been away, and pray that it may continue for the better. It has been both a blessing and a learning experience to serve here in Hazard; I have been lucky to teach and get to know some really great people. I look forward to my next assignment with anticipation, as I'm pretty sure this is my last week here. Nonetheless, I still plan on making this week as Spirit-filled as any other. Hope your week holds similar experiences!

Love,
Elder Isaac Livingston
P.S. Pray that we get a new car SOON! This area is kinda large..... :)