Elder Nathan Steed: Email received March 3, 2014

Hey all,
Hope everyone had a great week! We had a better week this week. To start off, it was our turn to teach the Book of Mormon class this past Wednesday. What a crazy day that was. It started with zone conference at a building 25 miles away from our apartment. It lasted until about 3 in the afternoon. We then had to stop at the mission office so that an elder could get his bike. As we were driving and finally made it back to our area, one of the elders realized he still had the key to the bike shack in his pocket. We had to go all the way back. It was raining and traffic was really slow. Long story short, we didn't get back until 6. Book of Mormon class is at 7. We had about 15 minutes to plan a lesson. Which proved useless because those minutes were taken up in a pointless argument. Well, on the way to the church I probably prayed the hardest I've ever prayed. haha. When we got there, there was 3 investigators who came. I was just like, you've got to be kidding me. They will never want to come back haha. Idk how, but somehow, the lesson went really well. I know for a fact that we received lots of help. We had no idea what to teach but somehow it all worked out.
On friday, a guy that the sisters have been teaching got baptized! It was awesome! His name is Jontae. He is way cool. I was asked to sing at his baptism and I was very stressed out about that. haha. I ended up singing My Soul Hungered. I decided to sing that on Wednesday and I found someone to play it on Thursday. When we practiced it, it was not very good haha. I prayed for help. In my patriarchal blessing it says to use my musical abilities on my mission. I knew that He would help as I did what He has asked me to do. Well, it was by no means amazing, but it all worked out. It went pretty well.
We have been trying to find people to teach. On Saturday we finally got back in contact with Roy. His friend was there and we were able to teach him as well. Hopefully we can meet with both soon. We met with Laura twice this week. She's doing great. We are focusing on getting her family involved with all of this. Yesterday on the way home from church. We happened to stop to cross the street on the wrong street. Normally we would have kept going straight. But as we were waiting for the walk signal, a man came up to cross the street as well. We talked to him and he seemed very interested. It was a testimony to me that there are prepared people out there, and God will place them in our paths, even if He has to make us take the wrong street. We are meeting with him on Tuesday! I'm excited.
I know that this church is true, I know the things that missionaries, and members teach are true. Lately we have been talking about what makes a successful missionary (full-time and member missionaries). As missionaries we keep track of a lot of numbers. Such as lessons taught etc. If that was what measured success then I have pretty much completely failed. haha. What makes good missionaries is simply inviting. People have their agency to listen or not, but it is our job to invite them. No one has joined this church without somebody, member or full-time missionary, opening their mouths. It's our job to share this gospel with others and to simply invite. We have been asked by our mission president to invite 25 people a day. That is so hard to do, but I know that as we try our best to do that we will be blessed and we will see the fruits that come from it. I love you all, have a great week!
love,
Elder Steed