Hello Ya'll
I believe I told you I was staying another transfer. Elder Brian got sent to FSU campus serving with Elder Perkins, and get this, Elder Butikofer(SP?). He's from Idaho Falls. I think we're related. I don't know any names, but I know mom and her side of the family has mentioned their name a lot. Anyway, he got shipped off to campus and I'm sure he'll love it there.
I am training this transfer. Elder Kanis is my new companion. He has been out 5 days so far. He is from Kaysville Ut, went to Davis High, and plays Rugby. He's Huge!!! I'm small compared to him. Anyway, he's a great companion and a good teacher. We have already had multiple lessons and he has done wonderfully. A little confidence and trust is all he needs and he'll be a great missionary. Alright, so here's my description of a long week. Monday and Tuesday visiting families Elder Brian wanted to say goodbye too. Wednesday, transfers at transfer spot (and hour away), got my new companion. Thursday, drove to Andalusia with Bro Barrington to do baptismal interviews. Friday, drove to Enterprise to do another baptismal interview. Rained all day Saturday and all night Sunday. Its been a really long week. I think I've driven over a thousand miles this week. Then the two days we didn't have to drive, it rained. Oh well, joy in the journey, eh?
This week is going to be great. We have multiple lessons set up with our investigators, less actives and members. We even have a pine-wood derby this Wednesday. James Cook, our recent convert, thinks he's going to win it all. We got a pre-cut car from our Elders Quorum Pres. Its a skateboard...
I love you all a pray the weather isn't too bad.
Love Elder Call
Elder Call
Off to the MTC
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Power of the Book of Mormon
Hello Ya'll
Another week gone by. It seems like everything I do is repetitious. Wake up, work out, study, share, eat, share, teach, eat, journal, bed. The next day the same, just in a slight different order. However, I have come to love each day. Simply because the spirit brings a new life and a new perspective with it. That is why studying from the Book of Mormon is so important. No other Book in the world can bring a spirit like the Book of Mormon can. For some reason a book written thousands of years ago; by people who don't know what a car or even a bicycle is; who used clubs, swords and arrows to fight and protect themselves; who lived in a time of Kings and Judges; can persuade someone like me to believe in it and to know that it was written by God. I can't explain how this book works. I can't tell you how it is going to answer your prayers. I can't help you understand the message. I can't express the feelings or the spirit that is present each time I read. But I know that all of these are true and that the Book of Mormon is the one and only source.
Reading over this letter I have realized that some of my thoughts and sentences don't make sense, but I would tell you to read and pray about them. Read the Book of Mormon and Prove Me Wrong! I dare you!! Prove to me that it didn't answer your prayers in the time of need. Prove to me that your day was the worst day ever when you read that morning. Prove to me that you can't feel the love that God has for you when you read just one verse of the most magnificent book on the face of this earth. I love this book, and because of my love I know that this church is the True church, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that My savior Jesus Christ lives and is the great High Priest of our church. I am here in Alabama to share this with anyone and everyone. Its hard. So hard that Elder Brian and I named an area "The Baptist Pit of Despair!!" No one wanted to hear our message. They would come to the door and say, "no thank you", before we even said, "hi". It was terrible, but we must continue on. I love this gospel and I love caring his name. I hope the rest of you do too. You don't need a badge to be a disciple.
I love you all,
Love Elder Call.
Another week gone by. It seems like everything I do is repetitious. Wake up, work out, study, share, eat, share, teach, eat, journal, bed. The next day the same, just in a slight different order. However, I have come to love each day. Simply because the spirit brings a new life and a new perspective with it. That is why studying from the Book of Mormon is so important. No other Book in the world can bring a spirit like the Book of Mormon can. For some reason a book written thousands of years ago; by people who don't know what a car or even a bicycle is; who used clubs, swords and arrows to fight and protect themselves; who lived in a time of Kings and Judges; can persuade someone like me to believe in it and to know that it was written by God. I can't explain how this book works. I can't tell you how it is going to answer your prayers. I can't help you understand the message. I can't express the feelings or the spirit that is present each time I read. But I know that all of these are true and that the Book of Mormon is the one and only source.
Reading over this letter I have realized that some of my thoughts and sentences don't make sense, but I would tell you to read and pray about them. Read the Book of Mormon and Prove Me Wrong! I dare you!! Prove to me that it didn't answer your prayers in the time of need. Prove to me that your day was the worst day ever when you read that morning. Prove to me that you can't feel the love that God has for you when you read just one verse of the most magnificent book on the face of this earth. I love this book, and because of my love I know that this church is the True church, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that My savior Jesus Christ lives and is the great High Priest of our church. I am here in Alabama to share this with anyone and everyone. Its hard. So hard that Elder Brian and I named an area "The Baptist Pit of Despair!!" No one wanted to hear our message. They would come to the door and say, "no thank you", before we even said, "hi". It was terrible, but we must continue on. I love this gospel and I love caring his name. I hope the rest of you do too. You don't need a badge to be a disciple.
I love you all,
Love Elder Call.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Another Week
It seems like I just spoke to you guys. :)
Well this week was a crazy one. The weather here has been ridiculous. Not Utah crazy, but still crazy. It’s the worst winter in about 15 years. At least that’s what members have told us. It’s so weird here. It averages about 32-34 degrees in the afternoon, so it’s not that bad, but the humidity sends it right to the bones. We spent a lot of hours tracting and finding this week and it felt like I was walking at the top of 'little cloud'. It was so cold. However, it’s supposed to be gone by the end of the week. (fingers crossed)I've decided that I love snow and hate the cold. I really miss snowboarding with all of the guys. Going up, riding really hard in the mornings, eating a nice long lunch, then spending the rest of the day goofing off. Those were the fun days. Since that is not an option here, or for any other missionary, the cold really sucks.
So back to the finding part. We couldn't get a hold of any of our investigators. The first 4 days of the week were all finding. We had less than 2 lessons a day, and those were with members. Everyone was coming from Christmas break and didn't have time to see us. So we spent a lot of time finding new and old investigators. Not until late in the week did we start seeing any success. We got a hold of Cassie, Kim and Savannah. Three of our investigators who left for Christmas Exodus. Some of our potentials had family coming home so we got turned away from them, but later in the week they were more willing to see us. Lugenia (I learned how to properly spell her name) and Junior have been in Dothan and Columbia almost every day, but again later in the week we saw them. It was really weird how the Lord works. Our numbers were terrible this week, but the blessings we saw came in other simpler ways.
Cassie, Savannah and Kim are all meeting us this week. Cassie is actually cutting my hair in a couple of hours. :) Our potentials have invited us back over and Lugenia set a Baptismal date with us on Feb 20. Her son's birthday. It was a great way to end the week. This week is Zone conference once again and the last week of transfers. Next transfer I'll hit 8 and 9 months. Cool.
I'm sorry this is a short letter. I'll do better next time.
The Book of Mormon is true, I love everything it teaches and how it teaches. The Book of Mormon IS Preach My Gospel.
Love you
Elder Call
Well this week was a crazy one. The weather here has been ridiculous. Not Utah crazy, but still crazy. It’s the worst winter in about 15 years. At least that’s what members have told us. It’s so weird here. It averages about 32-34 degrees in the afternoon, so it’s not that bad, but the humidity sends it right to the bones. We spent a lot of hours tracting and finding this week and it felt like I was walking at the top of 'little cloud'. It was so cold. However, it’s supposed to be gone by the end of the week. (fingers crossed)I've decided that I love snow and hate the cold. I really miss snowboarding with all of the guys. Going up, riding really hard in the mornings, eating a nice long lunch, then spending the rest of the day goofing off. Those were the fun days. Since that is not an option here, or for any other missionary, the cold really sucks.
So back to the finding part. We couldn't get a hold of any of our investigators. The first 4 days of the week were all finding. We had less than 2 lessons a day, and those were with members. Everyone was coming from Christmas break and didn't have time to see us. So we spent a lot of time finding new and old investigators. Not until late in the week did we start seeing any success. We got a hold of Cassie, Kim and Savannah. Three of our investigators who left for Christmas Exodus. Some of our potentials had family coming home so we got turned away from them, but later in the week they were more willing to see us. Lugenia (I learned how to properly spell her name) and Junior have been in Dothan and Columbia almost every day, but again later in the week we saw them. It was really weird how the Lord works. Our numbers were terrible this week, but the blessings we saw came in other simpler ways.
Cassie, Savannah and Kim are all meeting us this week. Cassie is actually cutting my hair in a couple of hours. :) Our potentials have invited us back over and Lugenia set a Baptismal date with us on Feb 20. Her son's birthday. It was a great way to end the week. This week is Zone conference once again and the last week of transfers. Next transfer I'll hit 8 and 9 months. Cool.
I'm sorry this is a short letter. I'll do better next time.
The Book of Mormon is true, I love everything it teaches and how it teaches. The Book of Mormon IS Preach My Gospel.
Love you
Elder Call
Monday, January 4, 2010
New Year - Small and Simple Things
Hello Everyone,
Another week has gone by. Another year has gone by. As I look back on both I see gaps. I see what I could have done to change the circumstances. Little things that if I had listened and followed would have made me a better person. So that is my goal for the New Year. Make everyday count. Not the week, not the month, not the transfer, not the year, but everyday. I am working on the small and simple things. I feel sorry for those of you who are reading this and not on a mission. I'll explain why.
Distractions - Well that's all the explanation you really need. There are so many distractions out there you forget to do the little things. The little things that if not done seem insignificant, but later down the road lead to wrong paths and hurtful returnings. Being a missionary, it's easier to focus on the little, because I have no idea what the big is. I study because its part of my daily routine. I read the scriptures because I have nothing else to read. I pray because I have no other way to get strength to accomplish the tasks in front of me. I do the little things because I have nothing else to do. No Tv, no computer, no movies, no sports, no homework, no work, no friends, no family, no social life, nothing that seems insignificant, but when looked on from the grand scheme of things leads us down the wrong path. I feel bad for those not on a mission. You may feel bad that I'm on a mission and that I am separated from the things I once loved. However, wickedness never was happiness. You may not think that School, Family and Work is wickedness. I feel the same way, however, when we are so consumed in either one of these that we forget our place and our responsibility; our calling and our devotion to the Lord; we lose sight of what is really important and fail to accomplish the little things.
I met a wonderful woman the other day. She is a convert to the church, was married in the temple, has two wonderful sons who have served faithful missions and have a family of their own, lives on a farm, is now the current Relief Society President and over the course of her entire life has never missed a month to visit teach. OVER 50 YEARS of perfect, 100%, flawless visiting teaching. She understood the little things, and because she understood it she had a testimony that could and does shake the very foundation of Hell. All because she knew that the little things in this life matter. Distractions are everywhere. As a missionary I don't have to see a lot of them, but those who aren't on a mission with me right now are finding distractions everyday. They are not bad and in most cases necessary, but do they take up your time so you don't read your scriptures; you don't pray; you don't do your home/visiting teaching; you don't magnify your calling; you don't build your home in righteousness with family scripture study, family prayer and family home evening. These are, along with so many others, the small things that give us strength, power, wisdom and blessings. So that when the fiery darts of the adversary come upon us, they will have no effect because of the foundation you have built. Every step is a pebble on your foundation, a brush stroke on your canvass. I love you and pray that one of your resolutions is to Remember the Small and Simple things.
Love Elder Call
Another week has gone by. Another year has gone by. As I look back on both I see gaps. I see what I could have done to change the circumstances. Little things that if I had listened and followed would have made me a better person. So that is my goal for the New Year. Make everyday count. Not the week, not the month, not the transfer, not the year, but everyday. I am working on the small and simple things. I feel sorry for those of you who are reading this and not on a mission. I'll explain why.
Distractions - Well that's all the explanation you really need. There are so many distractions out there you forget to do the little things. The little things that if not done seem insignificant, but later down the road lead to wrong paths and hurtful returnings. Being a missionary, it's easier to focus on the little, because I have no idea what the big is. I study because its part of my daily routine. I read the scriptures because I have nothing else to read. I pray because I have no other way to get strength to accomplish the tasks in front of me. I do the little things because I have nothing else to do. No Tv, no computer, no movies, no sports, no homework, no work, no friends, no family, no social life, nothing that seems insignificant, but when looked on from the grand scheme of things leads us down the wrong path. I feel bad for those not on a mission. You may feel bad that I'm on a mission and that I am separated from the things I once loved. However, wickedness never was happiness. You may not think that School, Family and Work is wickedness. I feel the same way, however, when we are so consumed in either one of these that we forget our place and our responsibility; our calling and our devotion to the Lord; we lose sight of what is really important and fail to accomplish the little things.
I met a wonderful woman the other day. She is a convert to the church, was married in the temple, has two wonderful sons who have served faithful missions and have a family of their own, lives on a farm, is now the current Relief Society President and over the course of her entire life has never missed a month to visit teach. OVER 50 YEARS of perfect, 100%, flawless visiting teaching. She understood the little things, and because she understood it she had a testimony that could and does shake the very foundation of Hell. All because she knew that the little things in this life matter. Distractions are everywhere. As a missionary I don't have to see a lot of them, but those who aren't on a mission with me right now are finding distractions everyday. They are not bad and in most cases necessary, but do they take up your time so you don't read your scriptures; you don't pray; you don't do your home/visiting teaching; you don't magnify your calling; you don't build your home in righteousness with family scripture study, family prayer and family home evening. These are, along with so many others, the small things that give us strength, power, wisdom and blessings. So that when the fiery darts of the adversary come upon us, they will have no effect because of the foundation you have built. Every step is a pebble on your foundation, a brush stroke on your canvass. I love you and pray that one of your resolutions is to Remember the Small and Simple things.
Love Elder Call
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