We had transfers & I am still here in Tennessee! I really do love it here

I guess the highlight of the past couple weeks is our friend Brandon. My companion & I were getting gas one day and as we were leaving I noticed a man walking to his car at the gas pump next to us. He stood out to me for some reason and my heart started to beat really fast. We had already pulled out onto the highway but I told my companion to do a U-turn, and that we needed to go talk to that man. She turned the car around and we went back. He looked like he was about to leave and I felt so awkward I had no idea how to talk to him he definitely saw us circle back around haha. I pretended to throw trash away at his pump so I could talk to him. I went up to him & told him that I felt inspired to talk to him and that I was a missionary for my church. He told me it was interesting that I felt like I should talk to him because he said he felt the same way about us. He said he noticed something different about us & that we stood out. He was done filling up his car but decided to wipe of his windshield instead of leaving to see if we would talk to him.

Brandon told us this past year has been the hardest year of his life. Hes been struggling and has been trying to figure out what he believes and if God even exists. The first lesson we had with him we taught him about The Book of Mormon and the restoration of the church through Joseph Smith. The next morning we woke up to a text he sent us at 2 in the morning. He apologized for texting so late but that he couldn't wait till the morning. He had been reading the Book of Mormon and told us that it has been able to answer all of his questions about life. He also told us he knows Joseph Smith translated this book by the power of God. I think this was the best text message I've ever gotten haha

We had a couple more lessons with him and invited him to church! The Friday before church we found out that while he was sleeping his house caught on fire. His fire alarms didn't go off because he had just taken them down to change the batteries that day. He woke up surrounded by black smoke. He got up but couldn't see anything & tripped over a chair. He told us he laid on the ground contemplating if he should even try to get out. He eventually found his strength & was able to crawl out the window but realized his dog was still in the house. He went back in and was burned really bad while trying to get his dog out. The second we found out we went over to see if we could help him with anything. His entire house was ash and all his belongings guitars, books, were melted. He told us there was one thing that didn't burn though. The Book of Mormon we gave him was completely untouched by the fire. He told us that it was definitely a sign to him. 

He's been in a ton of pain, a lot of his skin has turned black and he has huge holes on the bottoms of his feet. It's been a couple days & he's still coughing up ash. We had invited him to church before the fire but were not expecting him to come at all. We were sitting in church with a couple of our friends we are teaching on Sunday & I noticed Brandon limping into sacrament meeting. It was his first time coming to church, I was so happy !! All the members in the ward introduced themselves and all offered to help him out. Brandon kept telling everyone that his Book of Mormon was undamaged haha. He was so overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone, he's not used to so many people wanting to help a stranger. I love this church! I love & miss you all too!