Aug 21

dear familia, Aug 21, 2011

The members here in Cleveland are awesome. There are four families that have already fed us 2-3 times since I came here. One of them is a wonderful family from Mexico. My companion is a Spanish speaking missionary. It is so cool being inside a Spanish home and eating Mexican food and hearing Spanish. It reminds me of sweet home Arizona. We were at their house, teaching a friend of theirs who happens to be from the Philippines. Listening to them all speak with their thick homeland accents just made me smile. In my thoughts I said, "This sure is different, no one in here has a southern accent."

Yesterday, I had my first opportunity to talk in the ward. The first counselor called and asked if Elder Sexton and I could speak in sacrament and if one of us could speak on the Restoration and the other speak on the Doctrine of Christ. I ended up with the restoration. As I studied and prepared and studied some more, thoughts kept bouncing around my head like bingo balls as excitedly bounce around their spinning cage, all wanting to be the one that is picked, but none actually made it on the page. So finally, after prayer and thought, I came to the conclusion that I should simply rely on the Spirit and call it that. I wondered if I was being lazy or complacent or even arrogant, but it felt like that was what I should do. I remember sitting in thought while the sacrament was being past, wondering if my preparation was adequate. saying a silent prayer. In my fears, I asked God to fill me with the Spirit as well as all the wonderful people in the congregation, so that we could all learn and be edified. I said to myself, "Don't be afraid and just do it." That talk was amazing, for me anyway. I began speaking, and as a scripture or a "Preach My Gospel" quote came to mind, I opened my books and read the passage, unaware of how I found it so fast. I am so thankful that the Spirit was there so I could give that talk. I am also very thankful that I studied in preparation or I would have never been prompted to read those scriptures.

So apart from speaking, I also got to give my first training as a Zone Leader. We hold a district leader's training for all the district leaders in our Zone. I found out at the last minute from my companion that I was to also conduct the meeting. I talked on the attitudes and examples they as district leaders need to have, or set, for the missionaries they serve over, also I talked on nightly phone calls and district meetings, while Elder Sexton trained on Key indicators, exchanges, and baptismal interviews. It was odd for me to train on this because there were elders there who had been district leaders longer than I'd been, even one that had been out longer than me. Both Elder Sexton and myself felt that it had lasted a little long, but in the recap afterwards with President and Sister Irion and the assistants, they said that it was the shortest of all the other zone's trainings. I am glad it went well.

I got to do an exchange with an Elder Pattison. He is an excellent missionary. He has been out on his mission for as long as I've been in Cleveland. He is a Spanish speaking elder. While I served and taught with him, I saw his great love for this work. He wants to be his best.

At one point I made a comment that he might be called to train at the end of his time being trained. Most missionaries when you make that comment will say, "Oh heck no!" out of an attempt to sound modest or humble, even if they really would like to have that type of calling. I have also seen missionaries respond to that kind of comment in a very self serving way. Both are kind of prideful and in an attempt to draw attention to one's self. He just said, "Wow! that would be so cool! you really think so?" When he said that, it reflected upon myself. I knew I would not have responded in the same way he did, but more with the feigned modesty and humility way. His comment was not self serving or self degrading but a simple and enthusiastic expression of his love for the Lord's work and his fellow missionaries. I hope I can be like this young elder.

Well I hope all is doing well and that we all grow stronger in the faith.
-eldervonsowards

Aug 14

Dear Arizona, Aug 14, 2011

Wow! Two little girls! Wow!

I am SO happy! Congratulations Tas and C.! I think the custom is to smoke a cigar, but due to that being bad, I say, "Go eat a Twix!" Wow!

So yes. I have been transferred. I am in Cleveland (like I said). My new companion is from Chino Valley AZ (actually his parents have moved now to St. Johns, I think). He actually knows the Blairs! They were in the same ward.

Cleveland is a pretty tight place. It is in the same zone as South Pittsburg, my area before Bristol. Two weeks before I got here, the ward got a new bishop. He was the former 1st counselor in the mission presidency until he was called as a bishop. He is gun-ho about missionary work. He says the goal is for baptize every week and that we will do it. His plan of action is that us as missionaries to work as if there is no ward or branch or anything here, as if we were opening the church and find/teach/baptized people that way. Then, from his side, he will work with the members and find/teach/baptize that way. I pray that it will work.

Here in Cleveland we are not teaching anyone too consistently, but that will pick up. There are quite a few investigators that are on the edge of being awesome and that we are really excited for. I'll have to let you know when I know more myself.

-eldervonsowards

Aug 7

Dear All, Aug 7, 2011

Thank you for the letters. I'm glad to hear that Cory is home safely and that all is going well. It definitely would be interesting if the little girls were born this week. Their family is in my prayers.

So I've got news. I will be leaving Bristol this Wednesday. For once, I actually know were I am going, or at least think I do. I will be going to Cleveland TN. The reason I know is because I have been called to serve as a zone leader, and that is the only area that will be lacking a zone leader. Who knows, anything can happen.

So I stood and bore my testimony in sacrament meeting yesterday. I was trying not to cry. I'm not sure if I won. T had also got up to bare her testimony, and she broke down. Not because I was leaving (she didn't know yet) but because she had [struggled all week]. Have you ever felt like you finally started to figure things out and do things right, and every one was so happy for you, but then it gets really hard to continue being perfect and so you are so ashamed to face all those people that thought you were doing SO well? That is how she was feeling.

On Wednesday we met her at a park and we brought her two talks by elder Holland. One, he takes the story from Moses chapter 1 where after Moses has this marvelous revelation, Satan attacks him. It shows us that we should never let our guard down. In the the other article, he shares an experience when, many years ago when he was a young father, he felt all hope was lost, but now he can see that there were good things to come.

Anyway, she has been going through some hard times and she got up and explained her situation. I remember feeling.... maybe compassion.... for her as she pleaded for the ward's forgiveness. No one in the ward held anything against her. There were several members that got up later and gave their love and support, and also their testimonies of how they know that when we sin we just need to keep going, and repent.

I got up at the end of the meeting and announced that I was leaving. After sharing my love, gratitude, and testimony that Christ will always helps us through our darkest hours, I asked the ward to please keep T safe. She is such an amazing lady with such an amazing story and spirit. She will always love. I had many members thank me for my service as well as my charge to them to keep her safe. That meant a lot.

The best part of it all was seeing all the members who went to T afterwards, giving her hugs and commending her for her courage and endurance. I know that she is in good hands.

-eldervonsowards

Aug 01

Dear family, Aug 1, 2011

This week was kind of slow. We did a lot of tracting, with not so much success. I do know that tracting helps. It shows God that he can trust us. It is interesting. I have found that even if blessings don't come directly from tracting, they will still come later another way. It's like all those blessing are just stored away in a savings account that you never use and later down the road you have this nice goose egg waiting for you. I've seen that being diligent and faithful always yields blessings later, some way or another.

We did get 7 referrals this week! And we started the week with a few referrals. Then we contacted 6 of all those referrals! That has to be the most I've received and contacted in one week. The only thing that bugs me is that none of them became new investigators. I know you're not suppose to beat yourself up over stuff like that, because of people's agency and all, but it is true that you do need to sometimes take a step back and re-evaluation yourself and see where correction is needed. Do ya'll have any advice?

I am really happy with my district and how they are willing to work with me. Our mission has had this tradition of going out to eat "district lunch" every Friday at a restaurant after our meeting. Our mission president, Pres. Irion, asked the mission to stop eating district lunch at restraunts every week except for maybe once a month. There was a time when President Griffin asked us to do that and the district I was in refused to obey that rule. When I was told, I was kind of scared to see how my district would take to it. They took it very well. They rejoiced because they were all running out of money on their mission fund cards, due to eating out so often, and would have to use thier home cards. Now every week, we organize a lunch that every one brings something to add. This will be cheaper and healthier. I am glad it is going so well.

-eldervonsowards

July 24

Dear all, July 24, 2011

This last week was fabulouso!
Monday: Appointments fell through, tracted and taught one lesson.

Tuesday: We tracted, volunteered and played BINGO at an assisted living home, then had T's baptism. The baptism was beautiful and probably the best attended we've have had here in Bristol. We asked T. if she would bear her testimony and she said that she was hoping we would ask. We had implied that we would have the baptism, get into dry clothing and then afterwards, have her stand up. I guess we didn't explain that right bacause when she popped out of the water she immediately proceeded to tell her story and the feelings of her heart right there standing in the water. I was the one performing the ordinance and so that just left me standing behind her unsure if I should step to the side and leave her in the "spotlight," or just stay there standing behind her. I compromised by leaning against the back wall. It was an amazing testimony and being there in the font just made it SO uniquely her. The ward wouldn't have her any other way.

Wednesday, we had a lot of appointments and all but one fell through. So lots of back up tracting that day. BUT! that one appointment made it all worth it. It always does! It was with a part member brother. Awesome lesson! We read Moses ch 1 and he had some amazing insight.

Thursday we held a district meeting and I went on an exchange with Elder Hansen, a missionary in my district. We had an excellent day. We taught a media refferal, gave a less-active a job lead and a lesson, had dinner at an awesome active member home, went on a team-up with the member and taught T about family history and temples, then went on a follow-up appointment to a new investigator who had actually read the pamphlet we gave him, and had questions. It was a good day.

Friday, we weekly planned. We were invited to teach at the stake Youth conference. The youth seemed a little bored but all the leaders said it was because the youth wouldn't go to sleep the previous night.

Saturday: lots of tracting and fall throughs.

On Sunday we got to see T confirmed. The part member brother came, too, and stayed the whole time. The ward is so excited to have this new member.

I love being a missionary!
-eldervonsowards

July 03

Dear all,

Last week was pretty cool.

Monday night, we were coming back from Abingdaon where we spent P-day. We figured we should use that time and visit people who were on our way back to the house. So we called a part-member/rescue family to ask if we could come by. We visited them and had an awesome lesson on the spirit world.

Tuesday, we had a return appointment with a guy we met the previous week. He was not home, but we noticed the family next door had all their stuff out on the yard and the father was loading everything into a Durango while the mother and little girls brought stuff out to the yard. They all looked very stressed. We asked if we could help and he said, "Oh you wouldn't want to." We said, "We do want to help you," so we got to spend the rest of the afternoon helping this little family. The father hadn't slept for 3 days! It was pouring rain by the end of the afternoon, but we got to help them. Afterward, we went to teach T., who is getting baptized on the 12th, and took with us a member of the bishopric. It was an awesome lesson.

Wednesday, we did a lot of tracting. In the evening, we went with a brother, who JUST got home from his mission, to teach a guy referred to us by a member in Nashville. M., the investigator, has a lot of skeptical questions. We invited him to pray and read, and promised that God would give him understanding.

Thursday we went with the high priest group leader to teach T. again, She is doing awesome! The brother loved the lesson and said it was the best team-up he had gone on for a while. We then went on another team up and saw a less-active.

Friday we visited F. Great lesson. He is preparing to be batized on the 12th, as well.

Saturday we visited alot of people from the area book but did not get to teach any of them.

On Sunday T. got up and bore her testimony and told the ward that she is going to become a Mormon on the 12th and that she is putting down the cigarette. She is awesome!

-eldervonsowards