Harry Styles Happenings

Elder King teaching "Harry Styles"in Portland.

I just want to say it's been another perfect Portland week.  The greatest people in all of Portland seem to find Elder Jewkes & I as we walk from appointment to appointment.  Maybe not the most prepared for the gospel sort of people all the time, but the GREATEST for journal writing and laughing while writing emails home.  The rains descended again this week like Hurricane Helga just how we like it!  Let's start off with an interesting experience while walking the streets this past week.  I was on exchanges with Elder Astle in NE Portland walking the streets attempting to talk to people.  We saw a house off to the right with 3 YSA aged folks lounging around outside and I thought I saw some good brethren who could be one day accepting the gospel.  As we drew nearer I realized my eyes were sorely mistaken... As soon as we arrived at the stairs walking up to the porch the door opened and we were graced with the sight of a large "full moon". We were told to get off the sidewalk and continue on unless we wanted to purchase some pot.  Not what we were expecting for sure?! I couldn't help but laugh my brains off for the rest of the day. LESSON LEARNED:  YOU JUST CANT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER EVEN IF IT LOOKS G- RATED!  I will now attempt to describe the reasoning for the subject title of this email.  It begins with member stop by visits on Saturday of last week.  We stopped by a few with no luck until we arrived at Brother Barrow’s home.  He let us in right as he opened the door and I couldn't really focus on anything other than the fact he looked exactly like Harry Styles from One Direction.  I even asked him "have you ever been told you look like..." And he cut me off right then and there and finished the sentence for me.  He gets that about 50 times a day.  But I was pretty dang excited so I took a picture with him and asked him to autograph my bicep.  Not to mention he really needed a visit from the missionaries and wants to start coming back to church.  He gets anti-Mormon literature from his close family all the time :/ the Lord knows His people!   Cool miracle story comes next.  We were on the hunt for a referral we received in NE Portland as well for a certain young single adult interested in the gospel.  She didn't answer unfortunately and we were feeling the prompting to stay and work in this same area.  We whipped out our I pads to grab some of the neighborhood xfinity wifi only to be saddened at the sight of no xfinity wifi.  So, not really knowing what to do or who to talk to that would be YSA age we embarked as wanderers in a strange land.  We lost ourselves in the streets talking to everyone we could and doing our best to follow the spirit towards at least one person that needed the gospel... As we followed the
promptings of the spirit we landed at Eric's house.  Eric happened to be driving a Lotus which was way cool and he happened to have studied with Mormon missionaries before.  He requested visits from the missionaries a few years back and he told us that since we stopped by this evening he will be pursuing the church again.  He says it's no random occurrence that we stopped by.  WAY cool.  You're never really lost when you're on a mission, even in Portland.  Okay, so cool story comes next.  Our ward mission leader Cameron Smith loves taking us out to dinner.  He probably takes us out at least once a week and he knows the best spots to grub out.  He took us to Gustav’s German cuisine this past week and we sat down on Friday night for some schnitzel and fondue.  Shortly after we sat down the Gustav team came out with accordions to sing and dance for everyone as we grubbed out on German food.  Definitely a unique experience when the whole restaurant is raising beer glasses and toasting to the accordion player and we all raise our lemonade and water glasses to toast as well! German food is awesome.  The saints are amazing wherever you go and take care of all the missionaries.  It’s been a grand week indeed. I wish you the best of weeks from the streets of Portland and I hope you all take some time to spend with your Heavenly Father in prayer.  A ten minute prayer in the morning and night (those are way longer) is only about 4% of your day.  Send him some love and He will send it back.