5-17

HI guys!
Hope that this week has been good for you... goll it sounds like there have been some ups and downs but I am glad everyone is safe, keep it that way! As for me, I am doing great and am still residing here in Indio California.
Elder Palmer and I have had a good run. Our companionship is pretty much awesome! We thought for sure we would get transfered this week (because it is pretty rare to stay with a companion for more than 2 transfers.) But transfer calls came and wouldn't you know it - we are still together for another round! We are thinking that the Lord has a work for us that we have not yet accomplished together - Hopefully we can be diligent & obedient to accomplish His will!
So we are working with this less active guy named Brian Miller. He grew up in the church. His mom and step dad took them to church every week and the step dad made Brian be there early to set up the sacrament and get the church ready [hmm... sound familiar.. haha jk dad] anyway, Brian really didn't ever get a testimony in the church and so he just got sick of things and went less active. Well years later he is now 39 and called us over to his house to talk (which was about a month ago.) On our first couple of visits he had told us that he had not had any faith (didn't know what it was) and that he had never felt the spirit before. We have been giving him scriptures and every wednesday we have a basketball night with the elder quorum that he comes to and plays. Well he told us this week that he was sick of not being in the church he wanted to come back and get the priesthood and that he would need a priesthood blessing to help him with his really bad smoking problem. On Sunday the we, Bishop Jackman and a couple of the elders quorum members of the La Quinta ward went into the bishops office and gave a blessing. Wow, I am not going to relate to you all the words that were said in the blessing but the Lord spoke through Bishop Jackman and rebuked satan away! it was crazy! You could literally feel the spirits presence in the room! Brian is such and awesome guy and has such a strong testimony of the gospel now - Like the Lord told Ether trials and weaknesses "make you stonger".
We have also been working with this awesome family: the Ferrauds! [This is your special shout out Sister Ferraud... yup that was it!] They are so awesome, and full of laughs (don't worry we won't tell the bishop on you)! I have never really had members of the church that have fallen away for a time actually want to come back as much as they do here in Palm Desert! There are so many of our Heavenly Fathers children coming back to His fold! It's crazy the bonds & friendships you form with people when - if I would never had chosen to come out here and serve I would have never had!
Well I got to go for now, but I love you all sooo much and hope that you will each be safe this week! Remember the Lord gives us trials to make us stronger! How is everyone doing on being a missionary?? Everyone talking to friends and neighbors about the gospel and praying for missionary opportunities?? -- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
P.S. Thanks for all the letters and packages! More are welcome