June 5

Dear Sows,

The baptism went very well. I will send pictures next week. After the mission president talked to the stake president, they decided that H should be baptized in Bristol but confirmed in her home ward. Yes, very confussing. So we made it happen and it went very well.

Her less active mother and non-member "step-father-person" were at the lesson on the plan of salvation, the baptism, and the confirmation. After the lesson we invited the whole family to meet with the Sisters in their ward (Watauga) and they said yes, so when we were at the other ward, we introduced the family to the sister missionaries, and they have set up to meet with each other. Bro H talked with the bishop's counselor in the Watauga ward, and he said they've considered putting the family on the ward rescue plan. I am excited for them.

We challenged Fred to come to the baptism and seek revelation to know if he should be baptized on the 18th of June. He said that he would. After the baptism, he said "the baptism didn't sway him." But he also told me about an expirience he had that morning while he was "drinking [his] coffee and smoking [his] cigarette." He was thinking about the whole thing and he asked God to "show me what sign I am suppose to feel when I do get my answer." He explained that he felt this "incredible" feeling. So now he "knows what to look for" when he gets his answer. I don't know, I guess the Lord does work in mysterious ways.

-eldervonsowards

May 29

Dear Familia,

We had a fantastic week!

Last Sunday, we got a member referral and on Thursday we contacted, taught and committed that very referral. She will be batized on Saturday (June 4th). Exciting! Her name is Haley. She is 12 years old. Haley is visiting her grandparents, the Hussys (Bro. Hussy is one of the bishop's counselors). They brought her to church last week and afterwards she talked to them about being baptized. We taught her on both Thursday and Saturday. Though on Sunday when Bro Hussy told the ward council, there were a few raised eye brows because technically, she lived in another ward in the stake. The Hussys were a little disgruntled about the ward council not wanting to baptize Haley in our ward. We asked the bishop what needed to happen and that we would do what it took to make it happen. He said to call the mission president and seek counsel from him (it being under his keys). President Griffin told us to go head and baptized her in Bristol and then transfer the records. Sister Hussy said, "Oo! Yes! I like this mission president!" We are really excited because this is in preparation for her going with the young women to girl's camp. Also her parents (less-active mother and non-member-mom's-boyfriend) asked if they could sit in on the lessons, and have made a special effort to be at the baptism.

The awesomeness of this is that originally she was committed for the 11th of June, but her parent were going out of town that week and asked if it could be moved to the 4th. Last

Tuesday, we were at a funeral at the church and afterwards the ward mission leader of the other ward that meets here, asked if Bristol ward was having any baptisms on June 4th, and if we did, we would put it in alinement with a child baptism for their ward. I told him that we didn't, but (in joking) we'd find someone to be baptized then. He kind of chuckled. Then I called him on Saturday and reminded him our conversation, and informed him of Haley's baptism. I would have loved to have seen his face as he said, "Wow, Elder!" Priceless!

District meeting went well last week. We got on a few different discussions (both doctrinal and social) that may have lasted a little bit longer then they should have. I have a great district.

Our 5th Sunday lesson went really well. I talked about invitation and elder Dangerfield spoke on agency. We committed everyone to set a date (before Aug. 1st) to invite someone to either:

Meet with the missionaries (us)
Come to church
Read the book of mormon
visit mormon.org
Come to the family history center
Come to wednesday night activities
Come to other activities (especially the missionary/member fireside on July 7th)

I hope it will be a big step in getting refferals. These last few weeks I have had allergies making my eyes puffy and watery and making my nose runny and sneezy. While I was giving the lesson I think a few of the members thought I was getting emotional about the topic of missionary work. Who knows, maybe that will work to our advantage and they will see that we are missionaries with our hearts in the work, and trust us with even more people to teach.

You've just got to love life!
-eldervonsowards

16 May 2011

Dear Mom (and everyone else),

Wow. When Sister Miller called me back and told me you and Dad were in a rollover, I was amazed. She said that both of you were alright, so I knew I didn't have to worry about you. I am so very thankful you are safe. That would be the talk of the mission if an elder lost his parents. I love you both SO much. It's times like this that really remind you that, hey, I have an eternal family. Even if death had taken one or both of my parents, I haven't lost them, I just can't see them for a little while. Wow! Who else has that hope?

I love you. I hope that you had a very merry birthday! I was going to have more people call, infact I did, but we went to a last minute training meeting down in Kingsport that took most of my day. The ward mission leader's wife called you around 9 or 10 in the morning (in AZ) but she said there was no answer and she didn't know how to say it on the answering machine. She said that they were going to call in the evening when her husband got home, but it was stake conference and I just didn't happen.

Stake conference. It was really a regional conference. 63 stakes and 1 district. Bishop Edgely spoke as well as a sister from the YW presidency. Elder Ballard and Pres. Eyring finish the conference. It was all about in today’s world we need to: hold our standards, strengthen our families through scripture, do missionary work, and remain optimistic. There was alot of training for missionaries.

Back to the training meeting in Kingsport on Friday. There they called me to be a district leader. Please pray for me in this calling. I have to admit that I am slightly flattered, but to tell you the truth I was hoping to make it by without having to shoulder that responsibility, but I guess the Lord had other plans. My hope now is that (since I've got the calling) to learn as much as I can from it, and to really encourage my district to accomplish much good together. Please pray for me and my district.

-eldervonsowards

Easter Sunday

Dearest all,

Thank you so much for the pictures! They were fun! It's crazy that Cory is leaving. I remember when we all went down for Al's blessing, probably a month before I got my mission call, Tas and Cory announced that he needed to go back into the service for career reasons. I remember my feelings that night. I didn't want Cory to have to leave before I could get endowed. I wanted to be in the Temple with my family. I remember even gaining a deeper commitment with myself to get my papers done and sent, which I was currently procrastinating. I even considered asking the Stake President if I could go to the temple before I got my call.

I was very happy that things worked out and he did not have to go at that time and was able to be there went I received my endowments. My entire mission, I have hoped for the day soon after my return from my mission that my entire family (except the little ones) would stand there in the Lord's house, together. That day will come. The Campbell family will be in my prayers.

The most eventful event this week happened to my district leader. They were out helping a member move and his companion found an empty throw-away Arrowhead water bottle. He tightened the cap and planned his moves carefully. Creeping along the wall toward the room were his compantion was, he decided he would scare the living day lights out of him. As he jumped into the room, he yelled, "HHHAAAA!!!!!" flicking the cap, causing the pressure in the bottle to projectile the cap directly into the district leaders eye! (with all credit to Elder Hansen, he was not aiming for the eye, he just wanted to scare him.) The member then came down to find the district leader at his sink washing his face. They rushed him to the ER and now he is required to remain homebound for five days and wear a gnarly metallic eye patch. The guy looks like a certified thug. President even had him call his parent to let them know what was going on. The parents actually thanked Elder Hansen for shooting him because they got to talk to him early. His eye is now full of blood.

Easter was good. They asked the Elder's quorum president to talk in Sacrament meeting. Let's just say he's the type who has a firey testimony. He is a lawyer and his talk showed it. He actually seemed very much like a protestant preacher. I turned to Elder Manoa and asked, "Are we in the right church?" but sure enough he was quoting from the Book of Mormon, and then I proceeded to stand up to give him an "AMEN PREACHER!!" but my companion stopped me. Don't get me wrong, it was a really good talk on the atonement of Jesus Christ. I just had to tease him about it in priesthood.

-eldervonsowards

18 April

Dear Family,

It sounds like yi'ns are having fun out there. Mom, I'm glad to hear that your solo went well. If only I could have heard it. Our district (6 elders) sang "When Jesus Christ was Baptized" at the baptism this past saturday. It went really well, the song and the baptism. A is awesome and ready to begin her new life.

A crazy thing happened. Part of our district is Marion VA. Two Sundays ago, a guy who is dating a member there, came to the branch and loved it. He then left for Memphis and loaded the Book of Mormon, and any and all articals he could get, onto his iPhone. Due to the fact that he was getting deported out in the Navy tomorrow, he called his girl friend and told her he wanted to meet with the missionaries before that. The amazed missionaries called the president and said "We've got a situational." He came back late Friday night and the next morning, Saturday, the elders and the district leader and his companion forewent teaching all 4 lessons in one day. Then they brought him to A's baptism, that night, where he made the final decision to get baptized. Due to the fact that the district leader helped teach him, he could not interview him, and due to the fact that this was last minute, and even late at night, the zone leaders could not get there in time. So President asked me to conduct the interview, even though I hold no leadership calling. Wow. That was nerve racking, though it went well. I got to learn from him in the interview. The interview made so much of an impact that he asked me to preform the conformation after the baptism, which was the very next day, Sunday or yesterday.

Crazy.

-eldervonsowards

April 10th

How dee?

So how is life on the western front?

This past week has been good. Spring is springing. This world I'm in is getting greener and hotter. Which only means that this world I'm is about to get coated with a thick layer of pollen, which means my sinuses and throat are about to get coated with a thick layer of alergynesses. Oh what a joy!

But it's true. It has been getting a lot hotter here and the bugs and flowers are making their début. That is crazy to hear about snow out there. I haven't sweated this much out tracting for months. Though it is very pretty all over this world. All sorts of colors and critters and smells. I keep experiencing sensory memory. All these sensations remind me of right before I left Crossville and when I first got to Rogersville. I hope this summer will be as good as the last.

So, A came to church yesterday. She is all set to be baptized this Saturday. We are excited. Saturday night, we watched the Joseph Smith movie with the S family. I think they enjoyed it.

We found a lady that has invented a flashlight thingy and is like a specific UV number light that penetrates into your flesh and stimulates energy to cause healing. She showed it to us and I thought, "Wow, this is like something out of star trek or something!" We are going back tomorrow.

-eldervonsowards

April 3rd

Dear Familia,

Well, that is way exciting that there is at least one more little niece running around in coming years. Fun, fun! I'm sad that they will be born before I get home, but, oh well.

Conference was pretty tight. I was sad that we did not get to hear Elder Hales speak. I always enjoy his talks. What they need to do is add his talk as a "bonus feature" or "deleted talk" in the Ensign next month. That would be pretty tight. I really enjoyed President Monson's talk, but I [missionaries] always feel left out when anyone talks about temple attendance.

You asked about if any one did any pranks [for April 1st]. A few week ago my companion called the sisters in the next area and told them that he was being emergency transfered because of something they did and that he was willing to take the bullet. So when they called the zone leaders the ZLs played along and said that the elder was being mission transfered to Nashville because of them. Then the rumor spread like wildfire through the entire mission that Elder Manoa was going to Nashville.

The calls have finally stopped coming in, but it got me thinking. If I was offered a chance to get mission transfered, I think I'd take it. One, it would be really cool to see new places and to see how the two missions compare. Two, to get a clean slate. and three, (if the offer was the Nashville mission) I would have a temple to attend (or in this case the offer could be any mission with a temple). Did any of my siblings get to serve in a mission with a temple? Or did they get to attend any temple while on their mission?

So A did get to attend all four sessions of conference. She enjoyed it a lot. B dropped us. He said, "The Good Lord layed it upon my heart to remain Baptist BECAUSE it is what I grew up with." I don't know. To me that does not make any sense. I maybe could understand if he said "Because it's truth" or something that could make sense, but simply because its what you are use to? Who am I to argue about the way somone else chooses to live their own life. All I can do is inform and invite. I know that God told me that the Book of Mormon is truth and I know it by the gift and power of God. I also know that truth is eternal and God can not lie, so therefore, He will not tell two people differently on the same subject.

Ever since I became a missionary, whenever I watch conference I am always thinking something like "Man! If only So N. So was here to listen to that talk," or, "Hey, they are talking about the question that Whats R. Face had, if only she was here to hear it." Is that judgmental? I mean is that me seeing motes in people's eyes and not looking at my own? We were talking about this a few weeks ago. What defines righteous judgment?

eldervonsowards