Week #37 4-6-15

SO this week was really good! On Tuesday we had interviews with President cannon and he told me some really good news! HE said that me and Elder Boswell are staying together and that means that I will be Elder Boswells last companion! Yikes! I better step it up I guess! Anyways, nothing else really happened during the week! But this weekend was a good one! Obviously it is going to be a good since we had conference! So Saturday, we were planning on watching conference at the church, but when we got there, there wasn't anyone there so we went to a members house to watch it! Then during the second session we went to the church and hooked up a T.V. from the library up in the high council room and watched it there! That was fun! Then Sunday morning we went to the same members house and they had a big breakfast for us! It was great! 

So sitting there watching conference, the only thing I really got out of it was to go home get married and start a family! So as of right now, that is my plan! Haha Every time they told a story about a son and dad I got teary eyed because one I miss my dad and two I cant wait to be a dad! It is gonna be great! So dad when I get home we should a do a 50/20 (walk 50 miles in 20 hours) okay?? Haha  Anyways that has been my week and I hope that everyone is doing okay! I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a a true prophet and that he is literally the mouth piece of God! Never forget that everyone! 

Love ya!    

Week #36 3-30-15

This week was awesome! So Tuesday we had district meeting which was really good! Then the next day we had a zone meeting which was random because we had one the week before and they usually only do it once a transfer! But it was about a new promotion the church is doing for Easter! It is called #BECAUSEHELIVES. It is just like the Christmas promotion and last years Eater thing, just with different music! Haha It is really good, and is really easy to get peoples attention with it! We haven't had a chance to use it to much, but it will come in handy for sure! 

Austin update: He is amazing!!

SO one day this week, I can't remember which, we ate with a lady and her husband. Her husband isn't a member, but I am gonna give you a back story on them! so two weeks ago a guy in our ward said that sister Croston needed some service in her garden. So we went over there to see what we could do, and when we got there, her husband came out with his hand on his hip like he had a gun and was freakin out! But it was really funny because he didn't actually have a gun and it made me think of the movie mall cop! It was great! But after he calmed down and realized we weren't therer to kill him, he said we could come back to help with his yard. So we came back in a couple of days and worked on their yard. She came out and talked to us while we were working and told us about her husband and she said he isn't interested and probably won't ever join the church. Then on Sunday they invited us over for dinner and we had a really good talk with him. Then he told us how he wants to learn more and take the lessons! SO morale of the story is that service works wonders!!! Game over! 

Love you guys! 

Week #35 3-23-15

Hey everyone how is it going?? I had a really good week! Slow, but it was very powerful! SO I will share one experience with you, about one of our investigators! His name is Austin and he is one of the coolest guys I have ever met! I love him! So his back story is he moved up here a couple months ago to come get his kids out of foster care because the mom put them there instead of telling him. He thought he was only gonna be here for two days, but ended up staying for a little longer. SO we have been teaching him and we know he is golden just from the first time we met with him! SO the first lesson we taught the plan of salvation and he is the only investigator who had a notebook and was taking notes during our lesson! It rocked! So we had a really good lesson with him and set up an appointment for the following Monday. When he came to pick us up, he told us how he read a little bit from the Book of Mormon and we were stoked! We asked him what he read and he told us that he was up until 4:30 one morning and had read for about three hours!! He read the entire book of Enos and the entire book of Mormon! IT was awesome! And without even looking at the Book of Mormon, he was telling us about what he liked and what stood out to him! So after this happened we came to the conclusion that he is definitely getting baptized! So then the following Sunday at church we were in Gospel principles, and it was a really boring lesson, haha but the guy teaching bore his testimony and then asked if anyone else waned to bear their testimony. After a couple minutes of silence the teacher looked at Austin and asked why he was here. I was really mad when he did this because I didn't want Austin to be put on the spot! But, Austin took it like a champ! He bore his testimony and is was such a strong testimony! Stronger than some of the members in that room and it was amazing! This guy just keeps getting better! Then, oh it's not over yet, in opening exercises of Priesthood, they asked for some volunteers to help this guy move out of our ward! And Austin was the second hand up! He made me so happy! So after church, me and Elder Boswell changed our conclusion about him before. We now think he has been an active member his whole life and is just messing with us! Haha 

Well that is pretty much my week, I love you all and hope you are having a great week and thanks for all the support and letter! Love you guys! 

Week #34 3-16-15

A little prank on his Zone Leaders!

SERVICE ON THE FARM!!!

 Hey Yall! I had a really god week! So really the highlights are Service! We got the whole zone together and  
did service on a bunch of farms! It was great! The first day we cleared this road from a bunch of branches and limbs that they trimmed off the day before! Then the next day we were supposed to dig out this giant tree stump, but when we got there the guy cancelled! But it was okay, because the sisters had another service! So we went there and got to work with horses and burn a Christmas tree and all that good stuff! It was really fun! I love doing service because I get to get outside and work with my hands! It's great! We also cooked a turkey! Haha We found this frozen turkey in our freezer so we decided to cook it!  (mom insert:  I asked him how the turkey turned out, he said "good, the only problem is that neither of us really like turkey- haha)  Me and Elder Boswell are getting along really well and are just a bunch of goobers! So he was showing me a bunch of pictures of pranks he was pulling on other missionaries and it got me into the pranking mood! It was great! I called my zone leaders at like 9:00 at night and was acting sick and asked if they could bring me a Dr. Pepper! It was really funny! Well that is all I got for the week! Love you guys and thanks for everything!

Week #33 3-9-15

Idaho Air Guard!

New Companion Elder Boswell!

Hey guys so this week was really goo! I got my new  Companion and he is great! He is from Alabama and he went to Auburn and has seen Cam Newton in the flesh! DOPE!! HE can shred on the guitar like a mad man and its amazing! He is super funny and we get a long really well! This is going to be a good transfer! I am super excited! Anyways, we are shotgunning the area so it is REALLY REALLY SLOW! SO I don't have any good stories, but I will tell you about a family we met! They are the Jones family and they are a super awesome family! Every Sunday they have something called JFGN! Jones Family Game Night! It is super fun! Well that is all I got this week but I love you guys and love Jesus because he loves you! Love ya!

Week #32 3-2-15

Super Awesome new convert.

With his "dad" Elder VanWagoner and "brothers".

Saying good bye to the Haws family.

Saying good bye to the Keller family.  He got transferred to Nampa 33rd Ward

So this week was awesome! Well it was mostly just the weekend, but It was a really really good weekend! So Saturday morning we got transfer calls and I am being transfer ed to the Nampa 33rd ward! My new companions name is Elder Boswell! I have heard really good things about him and I am super stoked! He is a red head so he is helping me get used to the new addition to our family at home! Haha I don't have any pictures with him right now because he isn't getting here until 12:30ish! So if I get a chance to send some I will! We are also "shotgunning" the area! Meaning that neither of us have been there before and we are starting from nothing! So hopefully it will go well!

Then that afternoon we got to hear from my new favorite Apostle, Elder L. Tom Perry! He is such a champ! So he first walked in and I didn't realize how freakin tall he was! He is huge! We all got to shake his hand and it was sooooo nerve racking! I was kinda freaking out! But it was crazy! He looked into my eyes and stared at my soul! I felt like he knows every sin that I committed now! Haha just kidding, but he is a very very powerful man! He gave a super good talk about companions and it was crazy good! Then afterwards he did a Q & A session with us! That was cool, except I drew a blank and I couldn't think of anything to ask him! 

Cool/sad/funny story about Elder Perry! So on New years day he was watching a football game and got up to go get a price of candy! While his back was turned something big happened and when he turned to see what happened he fell and broke six ribs on the table! Haha He is such a champ because he is stinkin 92 years old and he is still flying around doing stuff with six broken ribs! I have a new respect for him now! 

Anyways, I love you guys and I will let you know how the new area is next week! I love you so much and remember that everyone has to change at some point! And now is the time to change for the better! Love you guys!

In another email:  Oh also, I forgot to mention that I had another baptism on Saturday!  That rocked as well.

Week #31 2-23-15

Matt's Baptism!

Hey everyone how is it going?? Things are going good in Nampa! I had a really good week! I really only have two things to talk about! We had Zone Conference on Thursday so I got to see a bunch of my buddies! It was really good! I really enjoy them because I get to see all my buddies and we get a training from Pres. Cannon which is always good! Then my second thing is the Baptism we had on Saturday! If you remember me ever talking about Matt, that is who got baptized! I am so proud of this guy! He is such a champ! He is 21 and he is in the Army and has a wife and a daughter. Me and his daughter are like BFF's!! Don't worry she is like nine months old! Haha I really enjoyed teaching him, because I was able to see him change! Which was really awesome! When we first started teaching him, it was to support his wife and daughter because they are part of the church. But by the time he got baptized he was doing it for himself! I think we can all learn from him, because sometimes we do things for the wrong reasons. But even doing the right thing for wrong reasons will eventually change our hearts and we will be one with God! I love you guys and sorry the E-,ail is so short, but I love you guys and  hope everything is going good!