February
MTC
Thu, 17 Feb 2011
Everything has been going great, it absolutely blows me away to know that I’ve only been here 2 weeks it feels like I’ve learned a year’s worth of seminary! I love it! I’m crazy tired all the time. Like I never feel awake at all, but that’s ok because I know heavenly father is seriously helping me. If I was doing anything but missionary work I would have died a week ago.
It is wonderful to not get sick of this gospel, you just can't there is just so much to learn and it never stops. Ha it was funny earlier I was sitting in class and one of the missionaries said "isn’t it nice that this is true, because it would be so hard to teach someone if it wasn't. I agreed, it totally is wonderful to know that we aren’t just trying to convince people to join some random church. We are reminding people about this truth that is absolutely amazing.
But man o man I love this gospel! I do, I do with all my heart! I so cannot wait to share this amazing gospel with everyone I meet!
March
3/28/11
What an awesome family I have! I hope you know how grateful I am for you all thanks for taking the time to write me... I know it's not easy, so know I do really appreciate it! this last week was a little hard my companion got sick...out of both ends...not good so we had a couple of not very productive days and when you are here on a mission and your days are like so then you feel like you’re not being the best..:)b but it's ok I know that it's important to take care of ourselves so when we work.....o boy do we work!!!:) It’s amazing!
I don't know if I’ve mentioned this but I love this work!....it truly is amazing, I honestly have never felt so much love for people I hardly know...it's almost a taste I would say of the love of Christ! I look at all these people I see and I love them o I do I just want to do all I can to give them what I have! It blows my mind that these people don't even realize that they are missing anything!
Faith... o if we could only understand the importance of faith! I challenge all of you to strengthen that faith more than you ever have! Because faith is the only way! I have made a goal to have great faith just like the prophets and people in the scriptures. It is so hard but I will not give up! Please please read Ether 12 AND LOVE IT!!!!!!!! All of you! :) ........imp committing you! The only way there can ever be miracles is by faith.
Speaking of faith.... mine has been strengthening this week I will share with you the story....
It was in the middle of the week we had an appointment with Blank . . . she is so cute. But this time was so special to me because I wanted to work harder on my faith. We decided to watch the restoration DVD; we had talked about Joseph smith before but felt this would help her better understand his story... so as we watched I prayed! I prayed so hard that she would be touched by the amazing story! O and I had faith :)...after the movie I bore testimony of the truthfulness of of the story and how much it means to me, after my companion also testified. Now you have to understand that June is very religious and has felt the holy ghost many times in her life...but.... as she sat there with her head down she slowly looked up with tears running down face and said... sorry I just have never had that feeling of joy and happiness in my heart before...thank you...thank you...yes I too almost cried :) but oh what a feeling it was to hear those words come out of her mouth, and to see how touched she was by the sweet spirit of the holy ghost. :) I am forever grateful for that miracle that I got to be a part of!
Well I love you all wow I do thank you for all that you do!
April 11, 2011
Well hello,
It's been quite a transition this week, Elder Blank left home, and so I had to go live with the Sand bridge Elders for a couple of days till we had transfers on Thursday. It was fun, we did some service! We painted trim on a house! that is not easy to do I tell ya, but it was fun looking and seeing how much it meant to the sister in our ward we were doing it for. :) We helped a lot! I’m so grateful for service! It just makes you feel so dang good, and because it does it makes you want to serve even more!
But my new companion is really nice; he definitely has a testimony about this gospel! I'm grateful for him maybe someday I can be as good of a missionary as he is. He believes in being organized and I like that a lot! So the first day we spent a good portion of the day working on the books, alphabetizing and all that, I think it’s going to help a lot with the work here in Cape Henry ! I'm excited. It's fun to see how different missionaries do their work and take thing that I like and make myself a better missionary. I honestly still don’t know a lot about the books and all so this is going to help me learn how to really use them the best way possible.
Virginia is getting warmer that’s for sure, man the trees are so pretty here I love them they are hug enormous sometimes I think about if one of them fell over it honestly could takeout like three houses completely.
but a sad story this week that tugged at my heart.... we were going over to a former investigators house but when we knocked on the door a man came and immediately invited us in. that normally doesn’t happen so I figure he was a less active member... we sat down and talked and I asked him if he was a member. He replied that he was but he hadn't been to church for ten years about. so I asked why, and he began telling me how all those years ago one man in the ward said something that offended him and he has never gone sense.... the saddest part was that you could see the toll the world was taking on his life and family without the gospel being in there lives he was not happy and his family has been suffering from it for quite some time now........ But he was still very generous to use and invited us to come eat later in the week....
but it just makes me so sad that because that one man said that one thing, now this whole family is suffering because the loss of the gospel in their lives... so I challenge myself and all who read this to be soooooooo soooo careful to not offend people around us who knows what it might mean to them.
But I’m glad everyone is doing so great wow we are the most blessed family in the whole world! I tell you if you could only see what I see out here you would understand! The gospel is so true thank you all for living it! Thank you mom and dad for building such a strong foundation in our home! It truly means the world to me.
o and brother Garcia is here he found some random missionaries here and told them to find me and give me his number they did so I called him and he is going to take me out to lunch this week cool huh!:) Jealous? ha
May
Mon, 16 May 2011
WELL here I go on another chapter of my mission!
Ha my goodness it is going to be so weird not being here in Cape Henry, the love that I feel for these people is difficult to explain. But I know that this is what the lord wants me to do and I will do the best I can to serve with all my heart!
This week was good there is a new family in our ward that it sooo awesome! The Hendrickson’s they have the cutest little girl! We made pizza! yummmmm it was so good they sent a picture to mom’s cell phone but I guess you didn't get it.
O my I forgot to tell you. We got to meet with our bishop earlier this week like personally and we asked him what we can do to better serve our ward... and it was so awesome we all had ideas and wow it just went great I am so bummed that I don't get to stay here and reap from our planning but I’m ok with that :) next time I write I am going to be far away from here! I’m a bit scared not going to lie
Haha HAA HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! WOW I didn’t tell you yet! haha sand bridge elders, elder blank and I decided to do a finding activity.... this is where one goes out and does awkward things to find people to baptize...any way our idea was to get ottterpops and walk down a street handing them out to people with pamphlets and cards......long story short .... We handed out 0 otter pops and I ate 3 :) goooood times hahahahah nobody wanted anything to with us and there was only about 4 people that we past ha
But I love you all sooo much I’ll let you know my address next week be safe out there the world is scary sometimes!
May 23, 2011
. . . Let’s just say I’ve been doing a lot of praying the last couple of days..... And another hard part is that it's a bike area and so we are completely lost trying to get around because the roads are ridiculous and there are no shoulders on these roads that are for sure. We are going to work on really organizing the map to help us get better us to the area and give us a better idea and where who is ...if you know what I mean. Sorry for sounding so lame....it's not all bad I have a very good feeling about this area and the miracles I’m going to see here, I just don’t want to let my heavenly father down, and that’s what worries me the most... I feel a little discouraged but I know that I will be totally fine I just have to get over this first couple of weeks.
I forgot my camera so I’m sorry for not sending pictures I will next week for sure!
One cool thing about this area is that we live very close to the church and so we can walk to it and there is a trail through this cool little forest behind our apartment that's a short cut to the church!
Another thing that is just going to bring more stress into my life...... I was invited to go up to leadership conference this week... I don't know why, it is for leaders ...and I am far from... but that means I’m going to be gone for like almost the whole week! And I will even have a harder time trying to get to know my area.....as I said the lord is really testing me... that's for sure...
but I love this gospel wow I do and that is what is going to get me through this little stress spot I know that is no big deal...but o well bring it on.....
Tue, 31 May 2011
Well hello my dear wonderful family and friends!
MY BABY IS HERE! Tell me everything how everything went and....just....everything!
Are you all in Indiana yet?
It is blistering hot here :) so fun! I love sweating like a cow in a microwave every day!
Wow heavenly father is very much near me, I feel his love like crazy! I am SO grateful for him and all that he does; I am the luckiest Missionary in the whole world!
the other day we were biking and had an appointment cancel.... so I said well Elder Blank lets knock on some doors.....where should we knock?..he said, you pick, you are the more spiritual one.... I quickly slowed down and stopped, looked at him and said what is that supposed to mean...then he went on to telling me how he doesn't really have a desire anymore to do missionary work. how after all the hard work that he has put in to it he doesn't feel like he really has gotten anything back.....my heart sank, and I listened to him, I just told him that I would anything and everything to help him....he acted like that would never do anything and like it was hopeless.....we quietly went on with the rest of the day....
what am I going to do.....I thought what would my dad do, and then I thought of all of dads missionary stories....I came to a conclusion ... my dad would love him with all his heart! And this is what I have been doing! ...thanks dad :)
And oh what miracles I have seen in this short time so far! I have been praying and fasting and trusting heavenly father, knowing that he would help me through this trial! And he has. nothing drastic but I have seen a change of heart in him and it blows mind, I will just keep praying and praying for him and hope he will continue! Wow it's just awesome!
I love this gospel soooooo much it is amazing and changes lives like nobody’s business!!!!
Leadership was awesome! One thing I would like to share is that is that we love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ....why? Because they loved us FIRST! It is as simple as that! So now it is our turn to go out and love our neighbors, friends. Family first, People need to be loved!
I love you all thank you for everything and thank you for your prayers!!!!!!
June
Mon, June 6, 2011
I am entirely and absolutely jealous of all who get to be with baby Kai! I have been telling everyone about my handsome new nephew!
Everything is just going uphill! I have learned so much in such a short time! And have already seen many miracles! I love that we are all perfectly equal, and that heavenly father loves us each equally! Wow we are all so blessed
I have been thinking lately about desires and what makes them so important...I was reading a talk the other day from conference, and right now for the life of me cannot think of who gave it... but it talked about this very thing! It talked about how desires determine priorities and how priorities determine the decisions that we each make! Cool huh! Everything really important that we shoot for in life starts with a desire...like a desire to change ourselves into what Heavenly Father wants us to... with a true and righteous desire comes action though... We need to make that desire a priority and do our part! So so important, too many times we have these wonderful desires and goals, and they just go to waste... sad but true Satan works so hard to distract us from these wonderful desires..... He uses thoughts like, " that's just too hard, I could never have that even if I put all I can into it, so I shouldn't even try", or " o well it's too late anyways so there really is no point".......I'm not going to lie, Satan is very good at what he does because I know that I often feel this way sometimes when I have a righteous goal or desire..... BUT LETS WIN TODAY! all of us, I have a commitment for each of you, let us all look into our lives and search for our righteous desires and make the goal to accomplish them! Don’t let Satan win...put them on our...do it... list!
Wow my heart is truly full, I am so grateful for all of you and for all of your prayers! Thank you so much I know that I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for each and every one of you and I mean it! I love you all with all my hart and hope and pray for you to all be protected and safe through all of your adventures each and every day!
And in the words of my most wonderful and amazing dad "share your smiles”!
Please do! Because I miss them sooo much!
July
Mon, 11 Jul 2011
Well sweet!!!!! Mom you are absolutely amazing! I love you so much I feel bad though you didn't have to get such nice bike lights but thank you, tithe roads here are really crazy especially at night and I just have been having a hard time seeing lately and there is glass practically everywhere on the roads and I’ve already gotten a couple flat tires too, I’m so excited for my new slacks! Biking around definitely does some wear and tear, if you know what I mean! The package sounds absolutely amazing! I’m sooo excited! I can hardly wait.
Here in deep Creek it has been so awesome, we are working so hard and are being as obedient as possible, and we are truly seeing miracles from it that is for sure! The people in this ward are so wonderful the just are so kind I love them. Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting, it was great I hope, I talked about missionary work, and I love missionary work... I rhetorically asked why you think that it is so hard to do missionary work when you’re not a full time missionary. Because it is SOOOOO hard we all know that, but also we all know how important it is! It is super important, we read in and throughout the scriptures that it truly is the greatest work we can do here on earth, we know that....and so does Satan, that is why it is hard because he will do everything that he can to put every excuse in our head to not follow those promptings that we get to share the gospel! So how do we get pass this barrier thwart Satan puts there in front of us?? We learn in Preach my gospel page to that the best way to grow that desire in our hearts is by studying and strengthening our testimony of Jesus Christ and his Atonement....that is everything!! As we do this we will begin to feel that love of Jesus Christ through us for every child of God just like the sons of Mosiah did, and we will want to do all that we can to share the gospel wherever we go! That is it soooooooo simple! And I think that that is what gets people is the simplicity of this gospel. We live in a world where there are just too many things that are too good to be true, AND THE GOSPEL IS TOO GOOD AND TOO TRUE!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT SOOOOOO MUCH
Well my dear friend Blank is getting baptized on Sunday, he is so ready, I am so grateful that I am able to be a part of this experience with him, his story is so cool.... he was walking down the street and saw one of our pass along cards on the ground and it was on that has Jesus on it, he said it was like Jesus was just looking up at me! So he called the number on the back :) and now he is getting baptized! Amazing!
I also have another friend blank, which is amazing he is reading the Book of Mormon and is seeing his life being blessed for it!!! We taught him about the word of wisdom the other day and asked him if he would follow it! He said he would, so sweet we are going to try to set him for baptism this coming week as well, I am so excited this gospel is a Miracle I just can't believe that so many people won't take the simple time to try it out, it is absolutely nothing but good!!!!
But I love you all so much I am having the time of my life! I wouldn't trade this for anything; I want to be a missionary forever!!!
Mon, 18 Jul 2011
So all last week we worked really hard and were obedient, but for some reason we just could not find any new investigators and it was killing me because I felt like we were talking to everyone we really could but nobody was caring.... so Sunday after church and before the baptism we both picked out a street that we would ride to and knock on some doors/ talk to anyone that we saw because we just knew that heavenly father had at least one person waiting for us!......:) so as we were biking it was getting kind of hopeless and I was just praying so hard that we would find someone... we went around the corner and there was a young lady sitting out on her porch so we said hello and asked her if we could share something with her, and she said yes! So we stated our purpose and told her what we did and invited her to come take a tour of our church sometime, and she looked at us and said she would love to, she has a ten month old baby and she said that she wanted him to be brought up in church :) I am so excited we are going to do the tour on Wednesday; I hope everything goes as planned; she is so ready to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in her life! I can't wait to see!
To all my dear brothers/ Elders out there in the world- Virginia is wonderful and the work here is moving along sooo great.... wow isn't it kind of funny how different it is from what you expect? I am in an area where the work is just booming, People seem to be more interested here then where I was in my last area. A new light, Church tours are absolutely amazing! The church is so wonderful we must do everything we can to help people get into the church, you will see miracles! I promise you! Man I love you guys, thank you for all that you do work hard and never ever give up, our Savior didn't give up on us! I pray for you!
July 25, 2011
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love her she so much she is so beautiful!!!!!!!
Thank you Tara and Travis! The one picture where she is crying looks just like Tara for some reason! Haha
Wow our family is so blessed! Like for reals.....all are babies are soooooo cute!!!! Nice jobs team
pants fit good they are a little big around the waist though so maybe if there is a smaller size that would be sweet but if not no worries!
Oh and shirts yes please! Mine are getting destroyed! So mom you are sooo inspired I love it!
Sweet school is starting that is nuts! You guys just got out of school
By the way shaye and McKenna THANK YOU for your awesome letters! Shaye that story was ridiculous ewe, but it sounds like you are doing awesome, thank you for writing me man! You are definitely like the coolest little brother ever! Yes I brag about you. Man crazy you are so going to be a junior next year! That is so sick I am so jealous. Be the guy that everyone respects, show everyone what true happiness is! Make your Heavenly Father proud! I love you man
McKenna! You are Crazy! You are so going to be relief Society General President someday! Like seriously I love you! I didn't even know what the heck a parable was when I was your age. You are awesome, follow your dreams and never ever give up, school is going to be different this year, but it is just one of those big steps in life that you must take! It’s awesome good luck!
I miss the garden wow it looks like the Garden is doing great....sense I left.... ha
But wow mom you are so cool that is awesome about the lord chastens who he loves! SO TRUE I see it every day here.
This week was so hot I almost died! President even made the biking missionaries stay in for the middle of the day for a couple of days because...we would have died!!!!! but it was nice just sweating bullets up the wazzooo! :)
. . .but everything is going great ! I am just loving life soooo much! And my testimony of the gospel is just growing and growing every day!
I love all of you so much!!! I could not do this without you all!!!!!
August
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!
This week was so amazing I really cannot even describe it! I loved it sooooo much!
. . .we had weekly planning and at the end we brain stormed on some ways that we could be extra obedient and be better so that we could receive the blessings that heavenly father had for this area... and Miracle after Miracle happened, it was like the area changed out of nowhere !! Almost everyone that we talked to was interested and invited us over for a lesson, our lessons went so great and we could just see the blessings of our heavenly father everywhere we looked. Wow I feel so blessed, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and I am so grateful for that. I am so grateful that he allows us to go through hard times because with them our eyes are opened, and we can grow a stronger relationship with our Heavenly Father.
I hope everything is going well over there! Please send me pictures! Of babies and you! I love them so much!
This week.....actually TOMORROW....forgive me I totally forgot to tell you but I am taking a Taxi back to VA BEACH to go testify in court for the shooting that I was involved in.... I am so scared! But I know that I will be ok. It really is no big deal. But it is going to be something that I definitely have never done before. Say a little prayer for me.
This weekend is going to be awesome! Blank is getting baptized. I cannot wait! I am so excited. I will tell you why this young man is getting baptized; first he had the faith to let us in. Then second he has had the faith to trust the things that we have asked him to do (he has kept commitments). And third, he has prayed to know that these things are true, and he has received an answer!.... simple..... But simply perfect. This gospel is absolutely amazing and simple. Everyone in the world can know it is true. All people have to do, really, are listen to and do the things that the missionaries ask. That’s all, and it's all part of this perfect gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mon, 22 Aug 2011
Hey Family!
So Heavenly Father is definitely blessing this Area Yorktown! I know this with all my heart.
When I arrived here, there was only one investigator that the missionaries were teaching...and I guess that it has been like that for quite some time now.. This week that one Investigator dropped us.. I never even got to meet the guy. Elder Blank was pretty upset; he is such a great missionary and just wants to teach people the gospel. But through hard work and Great faith we have talked to many people and Heavenly Father has blessed us with finding 6 new Investigators! It truly amazes me how much Heavenly Father loves all of his Children; He has led them to us and us to them. I am confident that this is just the beginning of the many Miracles that we will see here in Yorktown. I am exhausted, but I love it! I hope that I will always be exhausted doing the Lords work. I feel that it is one way Heavenly Father lets me know that he's proud of me. I know that that sounds funny but it’s true.
One of the people that we found, his name is Blank. We just stopped and talked to on the sidewalk in our Apartment Complex, After Explaining to him our purpose we asked if we could teach him more. :) He said “Well do you eat Pizza?" we laughed and said “of course"! "Well then let’s go get some Pizza, I'll meet you here at 7:00 and we'll walk over". Ha it was awesome, He was so nice. We answered some questions and set up an appointment for the next day! Had an awesome lesson with him. We'll see how it goes. But that just goes to Show that God is looking out for his Children, tender mercy!
I just am having the time of my life here, I love it so much! It truly is the hardest thing I have ever done! But yet the most rewarding. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for letting me be a part of this AMAZING WORK! I have changed so much... But that is ok because it has all been for the better....I hope...One thing that I have realized while I’ve been out here is that Heavenly Father put us here on Earth, not to test us, but to Change us! He helps us become greater every day! We must always be striving to become greater, that is the only way we can make back to our Heavenly Father.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
Mon, 29 Aug 2011
Well what a week I tell ya!
We started out the week with the Earthquake it was crazy! I honestly have never in my life felt an Earthquake before!! Yes I was at the meeting that President Perry was speaking at when it happened, it was crazy the timing couldn't have been more perfect. President Perry was giving a wonderful training on the Holy Ghost, and how quiet it is and.........rumble rumble rumble! ha it was crazy we all kinda started laughing. One elder commented that he had never felt the spirit so strong at a Zone Conference! But as far as I could see there wasn't any damage around me, but I heard that the DC temple was damaged, so fill me in if you can :)
....the Storm...
So being missionaries without TV or the News ... we really had no idea of what to Expect for the Hurricane because half the people we asked said that it was going to be huge, and the other half said it wasn't that big of a deal...
So Thursday evening I just started to poor! Crazy hard we got a call to go pick up some other Elders and bring them to the apartment because they lived on lower grounds there they spent the night and the rain pretty much just stopped we received word that we might have to evacuate, so we quickly prepared and put everything together... we woke up the next morning and got a call that we were being Evacuated up to New Kent which is all Farm land the missionaries that Serve there actually live in the barn of the branch President up there haha that is where we got sent to.. Everything there was pretty nice for the rest of the day we went out and did missionary work and had a pleasant time... the next day we woke up to rain that wasn't really bad at all just constant... we were told to stay inside though.. at about 1ish the power went out and the branch president and his wife had a generator up at the house and there house wasn't surrounded by trees like the barn was so they told us to come up there, amazingly they had TV too and had the news going, so we could see what was happening later in the evening it got CRAZY the wind and rain were just ridiculous, all I could think was how they moved us there to get away from the storm but it actually felt like we were right in the middle of the storm...we tried to sleep it sound like jets were taking off all around the house, ya it was crazy.....the worst part was that the water wasn't working either so if we had to....you know what... we had to GO OUT SIDE.... it is so hard to pee in the middle of the night ...in a hurricane.... let’s just leave it at that...
The next day was crazy AFTER THE STORM DAMAGE WAS CRAZY Trees and branches and leafs everywhere power lines on the road some really bad stuff we quickly had a sacrament meeting... then we went to work cleaning up the place and checking on all the neighbors and ward members around us.. I was exhausted we ate lunch and the National Guard had pretty much made it possible to kinda drive around the roads so we were able to head back to York town... York town lost power a little but it really didn't even look that had at all everything is pretty much cleaned up here now.
It was quite an adventure I might say, one that I will never forget. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for his protection through the storm, I am safe and healthy and everything is going to be A Ok. I am just so grateful that I have the Gospel and that I have the comfort and peace that comes from it.
September
September 12, 2011
. . . I met some Sevys out here, and... yes they are related to us, they hail from Pangauch* I have no idea haw to spell that but it was cool I only got to talk to them for about 30 seconds but I hope that I will get to meet them again!
This week was a great week; the work is still moving forward, and getting better and better every day. I have had the opportunity to meet so many people hear, and I love each and every one of them. It is amazing what the gospel does to people. You can absolutely see the difference in those who have it and those who don't. Lately for a finding activity we have been knocking on doors and just asking people some simple questions...like a survey... and it has blown me away on what kind of answers we have gotten. For example one of the questions that we have been asking is, "what do you think happens to families after death?" most of these people that we have talked to are OK with not really knowing the answer... some say that we will all go to heaven but we won’t know each other as families.... that to me is sad! Why would our Heavenly Father put us here on earth in families if he didn't expect this to continue after we die? Answer.... he would not do that! If that was how it was supposed to happen then we would just pop out of the ground like daisies! I just am so grateful for the knowledge that I know with all my heart that our Father in Heaven put us here on earth with families for a divine purpose, and we know that it is not going to end here nor will it ever end.:) The gospel makes us happy! The other day we were in a meeting where the Stake president was speaking... he started talking about how life is not fair. like it's not fair that any women should ever have to lose a child, it's not fair that any person should ever have to grow up in a home without two loving parents... and he went on... but then after his long list of these things that happen to everyone he said "I don't know how it is done, but I know that is through our Savior Jesus Christ that everything is made right". I just thought that was pretty amazing. I want to add my Testimony with his that I know that life is hard, I know that life is unfair. I know that sometimes it is hard to go on, But I can promise all of you this that our Heavenly fathers plan is Divine and Perfect, and part of his perfect plan we are meant to go through things...not so he can give us a grade, but so he can truly change us into what we were sent here to become! I love this gospel, I love teaching people about it, and I love all of you SO much
Be safe and have fun!
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Mon, 19 Sep 2011
Hey family!
. . . I loved the pictures sooooo much! You all are great... my companion saw them and was like wow... your family is perfect! I was like nope ...but they are awesome! You all look so happy and fun I just can't believe how much you all have changed! And the babies are sooo the best part! I cannot wait till I get to come home and squeeeeeze them!
This week has been quite a ride, we started out this week with a mission conference where Elder Evans...of the seventy I think , he is like the executive over all the missionary work of the world...came and spoke to us! It was great I learned so much... mission conferences are like a love hate relationship... I love them to death...but also when I go I realize that I have soooooooo much to do and learn! ..And I get a bit overwhelmed at times :) but I’m ok!
Crazy cool, my companion who has only been out like 3 months is going to become a trainer! And train a brand new missionary! And I am going to be receiving a new companion this Thursday, his name is Elder Blank and has only been out for about 6 weeks, it should be fun, I’m excited, every companion is so different, and you learn sooo much from each one. Want to know something that is crazy? I have been on my mission for about 8 months now and I have changed companions every 6 weeks... I don't know what’s wrong with me! But I guess that this is what the Lord wants! I sure am going to miss working with Elder blank he is a great missionary and we have just had so much fun doing the lord’s work!
A cool thing that happened this week was this couple that we have been working with is doing sooo good! We taught them the plan of salvation and they believe that it is true! And they came to church for the first time Yesterday! They loved it! :) It is like the most bestest thing ever when an investigator comes to church! Wow it is awesome! The happiness that I have felt on my mission is unlike anything else that I have ever felt! I love helping people on this amazing journey or receiving the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ!
OH I almost FORGOT! So we talk to a lot of people like every day and we like to ask them where they got to church...if they do go to church... and a lot of them have said WatersEd ge.... :) so we decided we better go check this place out...because everyone that goes there just thinks that it is so awesome! :) So we did! WOW I know why everyone thinks it is so great because it is like going to a Concert and a comedy show one Sunday with Jesus' name thrown in it! when you go there you find out that you have an "AWESOME GOD" if you know what I mean :) and that you can come as you are and STAY that way ... as long as you come to church and yep you guessed it....PAY your tithing! .. I'm sorry I do not want to bash on this church because everyone there is sooo nice and I enjoyed talking to a lot of them... it just kinda hurts my heart a little bit to see how easily the Adversary can take our Saviors name and use Church to blind people from what is true... all we can do really is try to share our message with everyone!
September 26, 2011
Oh my goodness, my heart is so full! I love you all so much! I don't even know where to start! I am so blessed I don't understand why! I definitely have not done much to deserve all that I have, but I am so grateful for it!
This week was Crazy! We had so much success Heavenly Father has truly blessed us here in the Yorktown ward, the field is definitely white and ready to harvest!
I must tell you about one of the most beautiful miracles of my mission. So about 4 or 5 weeks ago we found this couple. That I have told you some about already. When I first met them I instantly just felt an overwhelming amount of love for them. I knew that it was not just some coincidence that we just happen to run in to them. So we started teaching them... time went on...our lessons had been going well...but for some reason the wife had some kind of barrier that was keeping here from recognizing the witness of the truthfulness of that which we were teaching her... we could not understand it... I would look her strait in the eyes and bare my testimony that what we were teaching her was true, and that she truly could know just as we did that this was true also.. After saying that I could just see that she wanted to believe...but I could also see that she did not think that it was possible....so we prayed! I prayed and just trusted the Lord and his promise to those that read the Book of Mormon THAT THEY WILL KNOW... ;) and it happened...the night before Elder Blank left we went over there to have one last lesson, it was amazing. We taught the word of wisdom.....knowing that She had drank Coffee for the past forever and seeing her two huge Coffee machines on her counter and all her Coffee everywhere, and her husband’s cigarettes sitting on the Coffee table.......I was a bit scared...because this could be the last straw, just the thing for them to say...ok we're done....after teaching we asked THE QUESTION......will you both live the word of wisdom? Without hesitation she stood up... both of them said yes... and she went over to her machines and supplies and started bagging them up. And the cigarettes too!!!!!!!!!!! They gave us absolutely everything! Hundreds of dollars of stuff and didn't even think twice... you can imagine we were just in awe... I asked them how and why they were doing this? She looked at me and simply said ... I know that this is true and I am not going to let this get in the way of me and god. She knows this is true and has received a witness of it. After we asked them if they would be baptized, again without hesitation yes... they are now scheduled to be baptized on the 15th of October! :)
I would like to bare Testimony to the world that The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that everyone that will take the time to read the Book of Mormon with real intent will receive an answer! I see it every day all people need to do is put forth the effort that really is all that our Heavenly Father asks of us. I love it!
October
Mon, 3 Oct 2011
Hey you all o wow I love you all so much!
Yet another crazy week here in Yorktown, and wow it has gotten a little chilly the past few days!
General Conference was incredible! . . .
I must say as I listened to the words or these great leaders my heart was full of gratitude. I kept reflecting on my wonderful family and how amazing you all are! Thank you, thank you So much for the lives that you live. It truly is the most wonderful blessing in the world to know that I have a family that is Eternal and that I have a family that is trying everyday to become better! I loved sister Daltons talk I, could not help but think how she was truly describing My dad, as she listed off the things a father should do I kept seeing dad doing these things! I have seen him doing these things my whole life! But don't you worry mom, :) I thought of you too! Even though the talk was centered on fathers I could not help but reflect also on my mother and how you have filled that role, you are absolutely amazing! In behalf of all of us children I would like to thank both of you Mom and Dad for everything! I hope you can look out over us and see that none of us would be here today if it was not for you! Because of each of you trying every day and not giving up, our family will be together forever, I know this. I could never thank you enough for all that you both do! I know that we children have not been perfect...but because of you loving us perfectly, we all want to become like you two! And hopefully we all never give up, because you two never gave up on your Eternal family!
I love YOU!!!!
The work here is moving right along it is wonderful! I continue to see miracles I sure hope you all see the miracles in each of your lives! It blows my mind how fast time goes by I have been out here on a mission for 8 months ...time is ticking!
The couple that I told you all about are just doing great, it has not been easy though! We are still working with them to help them along this path, they are valiant though I hope someday I can have the faith that they have! Thank you so much for the prayers, they are very much needed!
One last thing as you could see during conference, the one thing that we can all do more, is study the atonement of Jesus Christ! THIS IS EVERYTHING! So I encourage all of you to study this along with myself!
I love you all so much! Thank you all again for everything that you do, you are all absolutely amazing!
