Email Letter - March 25, 2013

Hey everyone. We had another good, but fairly uneventful week this week. Things are trucking along just fine and things are good. Elder Ballard and I are getting along really well and we're working really hard to get things going.

Life is going really well. Transfers are next week and I think I'll be leaving to go to another area. We'll see how it goes.

This last week I went on exchanges into the Spanish missionaries are and it was really fun messing with people to make them think I know Spanish. Using the proper form to address people respectfully and the such. It was pretty funny when they would ask if I spoke Spanish, and I would promptly tell them no. They would usually be taken aback. It was pretty funny.

Anyway, life is like I said uneventful, just a lot of doors. I love you guys and will talk to you again next week!

Please enjoy the following pictures.

Email Letter - March 18, 2013

Hey everyone. We had an exceptional week this week. As far as numbers go we had the best week of my mission with 25 lessons, 4 less-actives to sacrament and 1 investigator to sacrament. We worked our backsides to get those numbers, and we're feeling pretty good that we can do it again this week.

The idea is to help motivate the other missionaries and also to inspire the members to help us out. Member trust will hopefully skyrocket. Especially since we had a huge report to give this Sunday, while the stake presidency and other stake leaders were in the meetings due to ward conference.


Some highlights: We ran into a less-active member for the third time in the last two weeks, and were finally able to set an appointment with her as she realized that God was putting us in her way for a reason. We ran into her on our way to dinner, members had given us some money and we were going to go to the Chinese place, but as we passed the town's burger joint I changed my mind, and since I'm the driver what I say goes. So we stopped, and as we got out of the car, this less-active was getting out of her apartment on the other side of the street. That was the third time,  and we got things set up for tonight at another member's house.

Another cool experience happened as we were meeting with a less-active that we've been teaching for a while. Her sister was just diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. We were able to testify of the hope that comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. We also outlined the events that led up to her meeting with us. Her daughter was baptized, so she started going to church in Corning, where her daughter and son-in-law are, then the  missionaries there told us about her and we got over to her house and started teaching her. The lesson before she found out about the cancer we taught about the Plan of Salvation. We were able to testify that she had been led by the Lord to us and that with the Gospel she would have greater strength and would be able to stand stronger with the sorrow of her sister's illness.

Those were just a few of the miracles we had this week. It was full of great things and hard work. I love you guys, have a great week.

Email Letter - March 11, 2013

Hey everyone! Things are great. Life is good. We had a great meeting with Elder Niel L. Anderson, Craig C. Christensen, and our area 70 last Saturday.

Here are some main themes and notes:

• We can't be so hard on ourselves. When we're doing self evaluations and introspective thought we need to realize and remember that we are not 100% and never will be until we return to Heavenly Father. So we need to be patient with our weaknesses and work to make them strengths.
• We need to remember that everyone has their agency, and that we can't make them follow the Lord. Elder Anderson taught about Alma 42, and taught that those who choose not to come are not compelled to come, but also taught how that chapter teaches about the beauty of those that do accept the Gospel and how they grow and benefit from it.
• Elder Christensen taught about the word "hasten" as that's what everyone is saying about the age change. He taught about how the word Hasten doesn't just mean to quicken, but also to broaden and deepen. He taught about how broadening and deepening our conversion and also the member's conversion and find our place in the member's lives and help them remember their conversions and missions.

All in all it was really good and really enjoyable feasting on the spirit. I learned a lot about myself from the conference also, and I think that was the most enjoyable and fulfilling thing.

That's really all to report from this last week, nothing big is happening. Things are just the way they should be. I love you all and will talk to you soon.

Email Letter - March 4, 2013

Hey everyone! It was a pretty alright week this week all things considered. We had a few good lessons with people, but most of them were just drop ins, as every single set appointment except for one cancelled on us this week. But that's been known to happen. It made it so we could get out and talk to more people and really look for more people to teach.

We didn't actually have any success in that department this week but we keep trying and working and things are good.

Elder Ballard and I are doing much better too which is really good. We're more united and that makes it easier to teach.

This coming Saturday we have an exciting event! We're having a full mission conference with a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Presidency of the Seventy and also with our area authority Seventy Frank B. Trythall. Rumor has it that the Apostle is Elder Anderson. I'll flip out if it is. He has become one of my favorites. Whether it is or isn't though it'll be a very good conference and will definitely be really enjoyable. I'm super stoked for that. Plus, the conference is in Roseville, so it'll be fun to be there again even though it won't be for very long.

Anyway that's all for this week, I sure love and miss you guys. Have a great week!