July 6, 2010
Hey Fam!
Things are going pretty good. We have a lot of work and pick up new investigators every week. We are having a baptism this week with a girl named Chelsey Burns. She is the niece of one of our ward mission leaders. We have quite a few with baptismal dates. I'm not really too sure on the actual total off the top of my head.Elder Nichols and I both have a strong desire to baptize. That is what drives us and I think it's why we have so much success. We are teaching some Micronesian ppl tonigh.
Fourth was kinda lame this year. We really didn't do anything all that cool. We hung out with a sweet member family for dinner. That was good. Had a couple of lessons. We have a few few investigators doing really well right now and some that could end up going one way or another. We have so many in our teaching pool that it is hard to keep track of all of them. I couldn't even write about each one.
I see lots of little miracles every day. People who's path we are put in for a reason. It's awesome to be in the position I'm in. I love the work and the area. Tell Daniel I say hi. I was really excited to hear that. Probably the best news of the week. I love that guy a lot. I'm happy he is doing well. Tell him good job on shaving lol.
So much honestly happens every day I don't really know what to talk about. We have lessons scheduled all day long just about every day. Some fall through every day but we always have things to do. Tonight we have things to do and people to teach so that is good.
I'm hoping we can get the wards more involved with all of our recent converts. We have a ton and it is more we can keep track of and active by ourselves. We have so many others we trying to get into the waters of baptism. It was good seeing one of our gators yesterday we haven't seen for a week or two. He overdosed on drugs a couple weeks ago. It wasn't on purpose but happened because he was being stupid. He is down to a cigarette a day and wants to be baptized. I'm glad to be serving here. It's a lot like Ogden. Most the areas in my mission have been nice with people who are pretty well to do off. It's cool to be teaching some people in humble circumstances who really really need the gospel.
I hope things in the ward keep going well. I love hearing how the missionary work is going. I have such a desire to share the gospel when I go home. I see a lot of guys go home saying that and then they kind of lose it. I want baptisms every month when I go home. There is nothing better then seeing those you love involved in the sacred ordinances of the gospel. It's the best. There are so many unhappy people here in Sunset. It's kind of a rough little place. The people who aren't happy, don't have the gospel, or aren't living it at least. I love serving here though. There are a lot prepared people here and there is a lot of work to be done.
Well I got to get running, but know that I love you guys and care for you. I don't think about you too much, but it's a good thing. I do look forward to Thanksgiving dinner though. Take care and Hurrah for Israel!
July 13, 2010
Hey Fam!
It's been a good week. We baptized a girl named Chesley Burns this last week. I also went back to South Ogden to see a guy named Kendrick Berry baptized. That was sweet. He was way excited to see Elder Jeffery and I show up.
I didn't know you were going back east! I'm jealous. Something I plan on doing the next year or two after I get home is go back and go to the sacred grove. That would be awesome. I'm starting to think about school and those things and probably need to start getting registered and stuff soon.
I had the chance to speak in sacrament meeting this week. It was good. I think sometimes when I give talks I learn more then the people I share it with.
I started my talk by speaking about Alma the younger and Zeezrom. I talked about the great prophet and missionary Alma was. So many doctrines in the Book of Mormon, the atonement (Alma 7), being born again (Mosiah27), faith (Alma 32), the spirit world, resurrection, judgment (Alma 40), the doctrine of restoration (Alma 41) and also mercy and justice (Alma 42). I then talked how Zeezrom is mentioned a couple times in Alma 31 and also in Heleman 5 as one of the great missionaries along with the sons of Mosiah and also Alma and Amulek. Then I talked of how those men were so wicked. I went to Mosiah 27 which talks about Alma the younger and Alma 11 where it talks about Zeezrom. I asked what was it that made these men those spiritual giants we see later in the Book of Mormon. I talked about there conversion experiences were only possible because of the atonement of Jesus Christ and then I focused on something that Alma says to Zeezrom in the 15th chapter of Alma. In verse 8 "If thous believest in the redemption of Christ thou canst be healed." Then I spent a few minutes talking about that principle of faith is the first step out of despair and the first step to unlocking the atonement in our lives.
I then talked about Gene Lloyd. You've heard the stories I've told about him and have some pictures. I talked about how not to long ago he was a Zeezrom, an Alma the younger. His life wasn't were it should be. When I first saw him I thought he wouldn't make it to baptism. I doubted the atonement. I told them I had to repent. I saw how it changed Brother Lloyd's life and how now he is blessing the lives of many people in his ward with the selfless service he gives to all. Just amazing. I asked "Who are the Zeezrom's you know? Who is the Alma the younger who isn't coming out to church anymore?"
I then shared the joy of missionary work and the joy of seeing others come unto Christ. I invited everyone to do better. That was kind of what I talked about. The atonement, how it changed these Book of Mormon hero's lives, and how we need to take it to others because we can't judge who will change and who won't.
We have a guy we are teaching named Shawn. He is trying his best to quit smoking. He is on probation for a crime. He had an interview yesterday with Pres Olson for baptized and President told us to bring him back in month. We visited a neighbor to try and get him involved in the teaching. This member made me very upset because he started telling us don't get too excited yet for Shawn and how he doubted he would make it. I was just thinking of the talk I had given. I bore my testimony that I've seen men like Shawn turn it around before and I've seen his pure heart and desire to do what is right as I teach him. Then a scripture came to my mind, 3 Nephi 18:32. "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them."
I was the one with the learning experience this week. Too often we judge and decide ourselves who's ready and who's not. Who will change and who won't. I've been guilty of it too many times. There is a chance I might be getting transferred. Kinda a bummer because I've been here one. President has been really impressed about how my area and district are doing. He asked how I would feel about becoming a ZL again. He said he wants more missionaries focusing on baptism like I have been the last few transfers. I told him I would love to stay but I'll go where he sends me. I wrote him this morning and told him one place I would love to serve if he decides to call me this transfer. He said it's either this transfer or next he's making me a ZL again. I emailed him and told him I want to go to Ogden. It has the most humble people in our mission in the worst circumstances. That's who I want to help. The ones who have it worse. I'm praying to go there. I think I'll be able to. He said he wants to put me with a younger Zl and one of the Elders there is. The other goes home in the middle of the transfer so I could go there and serve in a trio. I'll know next email what's going to happen.
Things are good. I love the mission and the people I'm teaching. Had 3 potentially active fathers at church this week with their unbaptized sons/daughters!!!!! It was so awesome. We don't just baptize kids in this mission, which some people think. We baptize all kinds of people. With those kids we brings families back to the gospel. Things are going awesome. Keep praying the Lord's investigators whom I'm teaching will get baptized. They need there sins washed away and I want to see them all in Heaven. Love you so much Fam! I know we'll be together forever. Hurrah for Israel!
July 20, 2010
Hey Fam!
Some of the big things happening with all missions is Zone conference will be once every two transfers instead of every transfer. Interviews with our mission pres will be 10 minutes long every 2 transfers instead of 15 minutes every transfer. I heard they might be changing how we teach the lessons to. 8 instead of 4. I don't know much about that one though. Just little changes. Nothing too big.
I'll try what you said about helping people with addictions. It was kind of a downer week. A lot of people didn't make it to church. One guy came that totally caught us off guard. Brandon Perry. He told me he wants to get baptized before I go home. He is worried he won't be able to quit drinking alcohol. Hopefully we can help him overcome that sooner. I think I'll only be here till September.
So I'm going to be training this transfer. Elder Nichols is going to Layton. We've had a blast. One of the few companions I've never really had any kind of disagreement with. Usually there is some things you don't always agree on. That was good. So I'm pretty sure I"m training Elder Travis Lunt. I talked President into letting me do it ;). I'll know tomorrow morning. I'll have someone give you guys a call. I'm sure Travis's parents will want to know where he is and who he's with and if he's safe. You guys should get a call from a member tomorrow.
Things are good. We picked up a few new people to teach. Whether I have Elder Lunt or someone else, we have two new investigators to teach this week. It's going to be awesome teaching with a greenie. I'm going to wear them out the first day lol.
I'm jealous you guys went back to the grove. That's something I want to do when I get home. Very bad. I want to go to the grove and pray. It's something I've always imagined doing.
It's going to be good getting a new comp I think. I think Elder Nichols and I have helped each other as much as we can. We had the Youth Spectacular this week. It was sweet. Like 4000 youth preforming at Weber State Stadium. We were in it too. It was awesome. The kids did a really sweet. They did the war in heaven and coming down to earth. It was sweet, it talked about the sons and daughters of God shouting for joy and then to see a field covered with kids dressed as angels shout for joy for the chance to come to earth just sent shivers through my spine. They did a cool thing where they all came running out of the veil and one second you see white and the next second all these kids are in colors just coming out from the veil. I video recorded it so I'll show you guys when I get home.
Anti's are dumb. They don't even know what they are talking about. I've probably been to conference at least 6 times. Whenever I'm around the protesters, I just feel sick inside. I go to hear the words of the prophets and apostles and feel peace..... Hmmm.... never heard that the fruits of the spirit are anger, contention, hatred, unhappiness, chaos. Oh well, they'll figure it out eventually, even if it's not till the next life.
Things are good. We should have a lot of baptisms coming up. I'm excited for how well our area is doing. We have had to push a lot of baptisms to next month but that is ok. I'm going back to baptize Tahnee and Victor in South Ogden with Elder Jeffery. They are getting baptized next week. That's one of the coolest experiences of my mission finding them. I feel kinda bad for the new Elders there because all these people getting baptized are asking for us to come back and do it. Oh well.
Things are great. This church is true. I'm having a member try to get me 30 sweet polyester ties off ebay. The big wide, thick, colorful ones. That's what's in. Dad you should start wearing them if you're cool. Take care you guys are the best. Hurrah for Israel!
Elder Norton1
July 27, 2010
Hello Family!!!!
So I'm now serving with Elder Lunt. Pretty funny huh? 2nd time I've trained someone I knew back home. Small world.
Things are going pretty good. We've picked up some new families to teach. A lot of our baptisms in July have been pushed to August. Some because of church, others because the Father wants to baptize there child. Just a little bit of everything. Just how it goes. Hopefully we'll be having 2 baptisms on the 14th, and 3/4 on the 21st. That's what we are looking at right now. I'm going to South Ogden this weekend for more baptisms of people I taught.
So there isn't going to be more lessons. The church just has 8 points of emphasis for the missionaries. Pretty much better teaching skills. Missionaries don't use and study PMG like they should, so they are emphasizing things we should be doing but aren't.
I laughed my head off reading the story about Joseph and Jeff. Idiots.... lol. Hey here are some names to pray for. Savannah, Koina, Sierrah, Krezlyn, Ben, Brandon, Jagger, Tanner, Josh. They are the main people progressing towards baptism at this point that can be baptized. Each have there different concerns. We just have to help them develop the faith to overcome them so they can be baptized.
Not much left to talk about really. The youth spectacular was just some random celebration. It was sweet though. Well I'm going to let you guys go. Take care and Hurrah for Israel!
Elder Norton1
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