Hopefully everyone has had a good week. Ours has been very good.
Things are moving along here in Preston. We've been blessed with so
many miracles after a trying first few weeks here.

I was shocked to hear about the newbold's daughter. I'll be praying
for their family. It makes me sick thinking that things like that
happen in the world today. When we talk to people on the streets
that's the #1 reason people say that they don't believe in God. "Why
do bad things happen to good people". We hear that everyday. Who ever
did that made a choice, and they will one day stand accountable before
God.

It sounds liek there have been trying times at home. Trials fit us for
the kingdom. I've been able to learn that out here. That when trials
come, all we can do is face them with courage and have the faith that
better days will come, And better days will ALWAYS come. Miracles can
come through trials.

We’ve been able to see miracles here in Preston. We’ve found some
great new people to teach. Our biggest bright spot is a man named Rob.
We met Rob our very first day in Preston. We were speaking to someone
on the street and he came up and totally ruined our conversation with
him. He was a very proud Atheist and very science based. We talked for
quite a while bantering back and forth. We both used quite a bit of
humor so the conversation didn’t turn nasty. We committed him to pray
at the end of our conversation and he said that he would think about
it.

The next day we were travelling to the library to do our emails and we
met him again! He showed us where the library was because he was on
his way there anyways. At the end of our emailing he came up to us and
just handed a piece of paper with his phone number on it and walked
away. We weren’t really sure what he was trying to say. It was pretty
shocking.

We didn’t give him a call for quite a while. Last week we thought,
“Hey, Let’s call Rob”. We gave him a call and set up an appointment
with him. When we went around to see him he was very excited to see
us. We sat down and he said “I did what you asked, I prayed”. Elder
White and I were shocked. He has begun to recognize that something in
his life is missing. It was one of the best lessons I’ve taught on my
mission. His heart was softened. He accepted a date for July 28 and
we're praying mightily that he makes it.

The craziest thing about Rob is how normal he is. He's 32, loves going
to the gym(He is a body builder), has a job. Most of the people we
teach here wouldn't be considered the norm at home. haha. He is the
definition of a potential kingdom builder.

We've had all kinds of experiences this past week. We've found quite a
few new peopel to teach. We've gone out tracting and been able to get
in homes. We met 3 olympians from the pacific Islands who are training
for the games in London. They recognized us because there are so many
missionaries on the islands. We also have begun teaching a hindu man.
Things are happening here.

Sad news about King though. His parents don't want him to be baptized
until they can speak to him face to face when he goes back to China.
Unfortunately when he goes back to China he won't be attending the
University here in Preston. So we're going to continue teaching him
and try and pass him on to the missionaries where he moves to.

Yesterday was a very special day. We had a great testimony meeting at
church. After that Elder White and I were walking down a street we
wanted to tract and one of the doors opened up and about 20 Hindu
women from India all hurried outside. We asked them what was going on
and they told us that a few of the leaders of the Hindu's were in the
house and were getting ready to leave. Then out walk seven monks in
Orange robes. The girls told us what to say in their language to them
and the chief monk touched Elder White on the head and said some kind
of blessing from God. We asked the girls who they were and they told
us that they were 7 of the Hindu saints and that there are only 500 of
them in the world. They told us that we must be very lucky to be able
to meet them. They all wanted us to come in and have a feast with them
but we told them we were fasting. They packed a bunch of treats in a
bag for us for after our fast. haha it was quite the experience.

Later that night we attended a fireside at the mission home for recent
converts and investigators. We took King there. There were about 8
recent converts who spoke about how they found they gospel and bore
their testimony of it's truthfulness. It was an amazing experience. A
few had only been baptized the day before, but they acted as though
they had been members for years. It fueled my desire to work harder to
find people like them. I'm going to do everything in my power to make
it happen.

I hope everyone has an excellent week. You'll all be in my prayers.
"Keep calm and carry on"(The queens motto)

Love Elder Ford


Pictures:

1. One of the Hindu saints.

p.s When the saint found out that I was from Utah he asked about
Jimmer. haha Jimmermania spreap all the way to India! He also knew
about Brandon Davies