Week #80--January 30, 2017

Hey! It's been a good week!

Sad news, Elder Prestwich and I have parted ways. :(

I'll miss him a lot, but that' just the life of a missionary I guess. 

My new Companion is Elder Barnes! He came out with Elder Prestwich and is hilarious! He's just the ultimate homie. Super down to earth, super down to work hard, super funny, super nice. But the weird thing is he's 6'6 and about my build so he makes me look kind of like a little guy. But if nothing else, we can just intimidate people into taking the lessons, haha! (I'm staying in Barstow, btw)

So we had the worldwide broadcast this week, and that was really cool. I think the craziest part was that Elder Oaks said "Umm", haha. For those who don't understand that, Elder Oaks ALWAYS speaks so smoothly and never mistakes, so when he all of a sudden he stopped in the middle of his sentence and said "Umm..." Elder Prestwich and I looked at eachother absolutely shocked!

But on a more serious note, I really like the changes. I also loved the doctrine shared. They talked about our need to have a bedrock understanding of the Doctrine of Christ. That really stuck with me. The Doctrine of Christ is a very simple 5 step process of Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end. That's a pretty simple concept and we teach it quite often, so in the back of my quite prideful mind, I guess I thought I'd learned everything I've needed to know.

Holy cow was I wrong! All week I've been focusing my studies on just the doctrine of Christ, more specifically just Faith and Repentance. I've learned so much. 

One cool story that comes to mind is we felt prompted to drop by this house that we knew was empty, because we knew where the Less Active who used to live there had moved. We knew he was gone, but for some reason we just went and knocked on it, and he was there! He was cleaning up some stuff. After a brief chat, we shared this scripture:

And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. (Mosiah 24:15)

After we shared that, he told us about how he'd been going through a lot at the time and how he had come back to clean up some stuff from his old house, but was just overwhelmed and stressed and kind of called out mentally to God for help, when all of a sudden he heard a knock at the door. We talked about how we can all do better at "[Submitting] cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." That's something I've been pondering a lot. Our willingness to endure that which the Lord throws at us. 

Linked with that, one of the things that has really been on my mind is a story that a member told us. He told it as a joke, but it really hit me hard!

A man was walking near a ledge, when all of sudden a huge wind came and blew him off the ledge and he began to plummet to his doom. In this chaos he reached out and grabbed a branch that was sticking out and began to hold on for dear life. In fear, and seeing his impending death below him, he cried out to God. 

In that instant, he (We'll call him John) heard a voice. "John, I am your Father. Do you believe in me?"

John cried out hastily: "Yes Lord, I believe!"

"Do you believe that I control the wind, the very wind that blew you off that ledge?

"Yes Lord! I believe!"

"John, do you believe that I am He who caused that branch to grow many years ago, knowing that someday you would fall and need something to save you?"

"Yes Lord! I believe!"

"John, do you believe that I have the power to control that wind and have it blow you back up to safety?"

"Yes Lord! I believe all these things!"

"Then let go."

When he told that last line, it hit me like a brick wall! I think there are many lessons we can learn from this small parable, but something that I've thought about is why? Why would God allow that to happen if he was just going to bring him to safety again? Why would he allow similar things to happen to any of us? We have all experienced being blown out of our comfort zones into trials full of fear. Why? 

At first, the thought came that God wanted to test John's faith. He wanted to see if John would let go in faith. But isn't God All Knowing? Doesn't he know John perfectly? 

Perhaps God wasn't trying to learn a lesson about John, but rather he was trying to help John learn a lesson about John. 

So, when you feel discouraged about all the trials that seem pointless and you feel like you're just running around in circles, rather than being frustrated with God and holding onto our branches that seemingly "Save us", have the Faith to let go, have the humility to learn the lesson, and have the courage to keep walking by ledges. 

Well, sorry this was so long! There's so much I wish I could fit into this, but If you ever want to burn an hour, just ask me after my mission "Hey, what's a cool story from your mission?" 

Missions are great!

I love you all!

Church is true!

Week #79--January 23, 2017

Hey!

This week was pretty good. Also pretty rough, but that happens. 

Edmund is doing well since his baptism! He's started getting his friends to take lessons, so we started teaching 3 of his friends. At the end of the first lesson, one of them said "So when can I get baptized?" Which is easily the best question you can get asked as a missionary.

We got to go up to the military fort on tuesday because the senior couple has some baptisms and needed an interview. That was pretty cool! It's a night and day difference to leave Barstow and go... Well... Anywhere! Barstow is kind of dirty and really run down. But the fort was neat and clean and full of responsible people.... It was awesome! I'm sure Utah is going to be quite the culture shock when I go home. 

Went on exchanges with Elder Taylor in the district. That went really well! His personality is kind of like Kawika (one of my friends from high school who is a grade A stud), so that was a good throwback. We even listened to 'New life' off the EFY CD that Kawika sings, and I said "Hearken! 'Tis your Polynesian brother"

Had a devotional this last week about Christ. That was really good. Then Elder Parry (aka Calvin Klein, the one I exchanged with) told this story by C. Scott Grow of the 70:

Recently, a member in Monterrey, Mexico, told me how the Book of Mormon changed his life. As a teenager, Jesús Santos was impressed by the LDS missionaries he saw walking down the dusty streets. He wanted to talk to them about their church but was told by a friend that you have to wait for them to contact you.

Many times he would go to the Church building and look through the iron fence at the missionaries and the Mutual youth playing games. They seemed to be so wholesome, and he wanted to be part of them. He would lean his chin on the fence, hoping that they would notice him and invite him to participate with them. It never happened.

He moved to Monterrey, Mexico. Nine years later he was visiting a friend across town when the missionaries knocked at the door. His friend wanted to send them away. Jesús begged him to let the missionaries talk to them for just two minutes. His friend consented.

The missionaries talked about the Book of Mormon, how Lehi’s family traveled from Jerusalem to the Americas, and how the resurrected Jesus Christ visited Lehi’s descendants in America.

Jesús wanted to know more. He was especially intrigued by the picture depicting Christ’s appearance in America. He gave the missionaries his address. He waited for months, but they never made contact with him.

Three more years passed. Some friends invited his family to a family home evening. They gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon.

As soon as he began to read it, he knew the Book of Mormon was true. Finally, 12 years after he first became aware of the Church, he and his wife were baptized. So many years had been lost. If missionaries had just talked to him, if the Mutual youth had just noticed a lonely teenager looking over the fence, if the missionaries in Monterrey had found him at home, his life would have been different during those 12 years. Gratefully, member neighbors invited him for a family home evening and shared with him that book which has such great converting power, the Book of Mormon.

Today Jesús Santos serves as the president of the Monterrey Mexico Temple.

This story sounds like a great story, right? About how God's purposes will always roll on?

Well Elder Parry then told us the title of the story. "I could've served a mission." 

Talk about a slap to the face as a missionary. That hit home hard. 

I think we often get in a rut as missionaries, either full time or part time or member missionaries. We realize eventually the prepared will be brought to the gospel, so we shouldn't worry too much. While it's true that we shouldn't WORRY and we shouldn't feel GUILT, we should feel some sort of DRIVE to find those who are prepared, and to find them NOW! Otherwise, we'll have another President Santos constantly saying "I could've served a mission". 

Well, that's it for this week!

I love you all!

Church is true!

Week #78--January 17, 2017

Yo

It's been yet another good week here in Barstow! We've been super busy. 

Edmund got baptized! So that's probably the biggest news. Really happy for him. 

Got to go to president interviews, that was fun. Got to see Dan on the way there, and that is always a joyous occasion. 

We went to the Nevada border. That was tight. I was closer to my family in  Vegas than I was to my home! And WAY closer than I was to the mission home. 

This week definitely had some ups and downs. We met with a guy named Omar. He was referred by his mother in law, and was super interested at first. Came to church, was reading and praying, etc. Then he got busy and we weren't able to meet with him last week, and when we met with him yesterday he said he'd been going to a non-denominational Christian Church and was just focusing on the bible for now. Luckily we had a super cool lesson where we read from the Book of Mormon and helped him understand it better and he has recommitted to reading and praying about it. 

My main spiritual thought is this quote by Henry B. Eyring:

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNASHAMED

I am a part of the fellowship of the unasamed. the dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line.

The Decision has been made.

I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST.

I won't look back. let up, slow down. or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded . I now live by Faith, lean on HIS presence, walk with patience. I am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power . My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And when He returns for His Own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My Banner will be clear.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of GOD unto Salvation to ever one that believeth... " Romans 1:16.

Author :- Elder Henry B. Eyring

Isn't that good? I loved that a lot. 

Don't be ashamed of what you believe in! Don't turn back on a good thing just because times get hard. 

I love you all!

Church is true!

Week #77--January 9, 2017

Hello Everyone!

This week was crazy!

We taught 20 lessons this week which is my mission high!

Half the mission went down the hill for a meeting, and while I didn't get invited (they literally were SUPER random) Elder Prestwich did and the Zone Leaders both went and we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders so I got the gist of it. 

Basically here's the recap:

1) We're getting IPads pretty soon

2) The Book of Mormon is so cool.

3) We've been doing missionary work wrong this whole time!

It was a big wig from Salt Lake and the head of the Missionary Department at the MTC who came and they re-taught us how to do missionary work. Hard to describe over e-mail, but basically it's all about focusing on just the 3 commitments of church prayer and reading, simplifying things A TON and making people's 1st experiences with the Book of Mormon a lot more meaningful. So that's going through the mission like crazy and has changed a lot with how we teach! And we're already seeing huge results!

Also, went on exchanges with Elder Parry. He's from St. George and looks like Calvin Klein. I'm not even joking. He is just a good looking guy. 

We had a referral from Church HQ's that lived out in Hinkley which is in the middle of nowhere, but we found out she actually lived about 8 miles north of Hinkley on some unlabeled dirt road, so we spent 2 1/2 hours driving around the desert trying to find it. Also it was raining so the road was legit mud. 

It was so much fun. We finally found it, but as we drove up to it 5 HUGE dogs ran out and surrounded to car and tried to attack it. Obviously in a Dog vs. Car matchup, Dog's don't win so we escaped unharmed. 

This time we decided to sneak in the back way. 

But to no avail. The dogs saw us and came at us. Surrounded the car. Mission failed. We were about to pack up and call it a day, but we thought "NAH" We'd made it all the way out there and we were not going home that easily!

So we drove very quietly until we were somewhat close to the house and parked. We both looked at each other and Elder Parry was like "If god shut the mouth's of the lions for Daniel, he can help us see this referral."

I would be lying if I said I was anything but scared out of my wits. So we got out and started the long walk! We called it "The Brown Mile". It was SO INTENSE. 

And the crazy thing? NO DOGS! They had all gone to the back door and the owners let them inside for a bit with no knowledge that we were out there and that happened to be the time that we walked up. 

She wasn't that interested and just wanted a free bible. 

BUT STILL! It was super awesome. 

So that pretty much wraps up this e-mail. I love hearing from you guys! Let me know how you're all doing. 

Love you all!

Church is true!

Week #76--January 3, 2017

Good morning America!

Another good week flying by in the grand city of Barstow. 

New Years was quiet, although I will say we tried wine for the first time!

It was non-alcoholic, but wine nonetheless! It was disgusting. Absolutely vile. Martinelli's wins again. I'll send the video of us trying it, it's pretty funny. 

I made the wise decision of not wearing a coat one evening. #ShortSleeves4Days We dropped by this less active who was not willing to let us into his house, so we stood outside in the FREEZING cold wind while he imitated instrument sounds for us. It was pretty funny. He was good though! 4 1/2 stars for sure!

Played a classic round of Bean Boozled which is a game that Satan invented. There's a little spinner that lands on an assortment of beans. Each bean can have one of two flavors. One flavor is gross, (Barf, Dog food, Grass clippings, Baby Wipes, etc.) and the other potential flavor is good (Peach, chocolate, etc.)

If you spit it out or choose not to eat the bean the spinner lands on, you lose. 

I won. 

Of course. 

I got really sick.

Of course. 

I have no regrets.

Teaching wise, this week was pretty rough. We had quite a few lessons, but a lot of our investigators either moved, dropped us, died (Rest in Peace Granny Barbara) or stopped progressing. So now we're pounding hard to find. The goal is to find 20 new investigators this week. #Faith #BaptizeBarstow #GetSwole

Now on a spiritual note, this week I've been really studying the core doctrines as they're taught in the scripture. It's something I did a lot when I first came out, but I guess I thought I 'grew out of it' or some prideful garbage. Anyway, the point is that I'll pick a topic from the Preach My Gospel Lessons and just study every scripture I can find on the matter. Highly productive. 

The scripture that really hit me hard this week was this scripture from Ezekiel 36: 26-27  

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.​

I was really struck by the simplicity of it. As we turn to God he truly helps us become new creatures. Our disposition to do evil diminishes and our natural man slowly dissapears. Doesn't mean we have no disposition to do evil... At least not yet. But we have a new heart. 

This takes place at our baptism. We turn our old heart in and receive a new one. He pours his spirit on us when we receive the Holy Ghost, and each weekwe receive that new heart again. 

But we must come to Sacrament Meeting, willing to lay that Natural Man, and that stony heart on the Altar.  As our good buddy Elder Maxwell put it: "So it is that real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed! Such is the “sacrifice unto the Lord … of a broken heart and a contrite spirit,” (D&C 59:8), a prerequisite to taking up the cross, while giving “away all [our] sins” in order to “know God” (Alma 22:18) for the denial of self precedes the full acceptance of Him."

So let's all work on accepting that new heart into our lives!

I love you all! Church is true! 

Week #75--December 27, 2016

Well Merry Christmas! 

Christmas was good. Phone call home was nice. We found 3 new investigators from tracting on Christmas night, which was an awesome blessing. Life is just good! Loving life.

Paul is still doing really well. He's super hyped on the church which is awesome. We're working on bringing him to some lessons. 

Also his neice made me a German Chocolate Cake for christmas and it was literally perfect. I just about started crying right there in their living room. Totally from scratch, totally heavenly. 

Also, I need to remind you that wickedness never was happiness. Trying to find joy in sin is contrary to the nature of God. I know that probably seems a little harsh, but I promise it's because I love you all so much! And sometimes we need that reminder. Everyone makes mistakes, and it IS true that God will always love us, but we must also remember that God doesn't tolerate sin. And he always wants us to improve. We often times see God as the perfect Cheerleader, because he's always there for us and always cheering us on. Even when we're down 70 to nothing a cheerleader will still cheer us and tell us how great we are.

In many ways that is true, but while listening to a talk by Hank Smith, he pointed out that perhaps it would be more accurate to describe God as a Coach. A perfect Coach. It's true, he's always on our side, but he is far more concerned with our progression than he is with our personal comfort, and therefore is going to push us. He's going to make us uncomfortable to make us better. And it doesn't matter how much a coach loves his players, an interception is an interception. A fumble is a fumble. A penalty is a penalty. When we sin we open our selves up to injury, regret, guilt, and punishments beyond our own comprehension. 

That is why God pushes so heavily for Obedience. He does not ask for our Obedience IN SPITE of loving us, rarther he asks for obedience BECAUSE he loves us. Neal A Maxell once said "Consecration [The act of conforming our will to God's] is the only surrender that is also a victory."

Well, I love you all! Church is true!

Week #74--December 19, 2016

Hello! Happy Hanukkah everybody! Hope you have great plans involving Menorah's and other fun holiday festivities!

This week was a lot of fun! 

We have some pretty funny stories, but IDK if I can remember them all. One took place with our investigator Robert. He's awesome. He's only like 70-80% crazy, which is about 20-30% less crazy than the average Barstow resident. 

During our lesson we asked why it was important to read the Book of Mormon and he said "So I can learn the mormon way! Like stocking up on canned goods in the garage." we had no idea where that came from, so we started to suppress laughter and he pointed at me and said "BROWN KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" I honestly didn't, but that's besides the point. 

We also helped him dig a mine shaft in his back yard this week. 

Yep.

You read that right. 

A mine shaft. 

He asked us to come help with some yard work, so we showed up and he directed us to this area where some trees had created a little shack, and it kind of looked like the entrance to a mine shaft. So he wants to dig a ten foot hole with stairs. 

Just for fun. 

This is the same investigator who when we were watching the Restoration movie in the quiet of his home and feeling the spirit asked OUT OF NOWHERE "You guys ever seen eggs in a basket?" to which we said "Yes" and he just went back to watching the movie. 

I love barstow. 

Spiritual moment: Paul got baptized! That was a super cool experience. He has a lot of members in his extended family and they all came down for it. Also last week he went up to Utah for his nephews farewell and his family took him to temple square for his first time and Paul told us he just couldn't describe how strongly he felt the spirit there. 

Then right after the confirmation when he was shaking hands and hugging everyone, when he got to me we hugged so hard that it made a resounding clap sound throughout the chapel and an old lady said "that was loud" and everyone laughed.

We also found 3 new investigators this week! One of them was a guy named Omar who is at a low point and wants to turn his life around. His mother in law is a member, so he was accepting and then he came to church and really enjoyed it! So that was super cool.

Also, to shift focus on the investigators who have a date (now that Paul is baptized) Edmund is a 13 year old in a PM family who comes super consistently and due to some complications was waiting for his mom to get baptized, but asked if he could baptized sooner. So he's on date for January 14th! Then we have Granny Barbara, a 78 year old Black Lady who really wants to get baptized on January 21st and Robert (mine shaft guy) is planning on getting baptized January 28th! So if all goes well, that'll be three baptisms 3 weeks in a row! It'll feel like Santa Fe all over again. 

Well, as a spiritual Thought I've been reading from President Kimball and he talks about how our thoughts play a significant role in who we become. He quotes the scripture from Proverbs "For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he". He then quotes James Allen:

"A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of mere external force; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself. No such conditions can exist as descending into vice and its attendant sufferings apart from vicious inclinations, or ascending into virtue and its pure happiness without the continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations, and man, therefore, as the lord and master of his thoughts is the maker of himself, the shaper and author of environment...

Let a man radically alter his thoughts and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit and habit solidifies into circumstance... He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. Columbus cherished a vision of another world, and he discovered it; Copernicus fostered the vision of a multiplicity of worlds and a wider universe, and he revealed it; Buddha beheld the vision of a spiritual world of stainless beauty and perfect peace, and he entered into it."

I don't know if there's too much more to be said, but aim high! Don't allow poor thoughts to enter into your mind. Your mind is like an empty lot (as President Packer once said). If you leave it maintained, slowly trash and garbage will pile up until it's a junkyard. so do any necessary cleaning out right now and hang signs that say "No Dumping" and "No trespassing" and keep your thoughts clean and aspirations high!

I love you all! Church is true!

Week #73--December 5, 2016

Good morning America!

Real quick, I have to share a pretty funny quote. Last night we were planning Paul's baptism and his nephews and neices and siblings were all there and contributing ideas, and Paul was starting to get impatient because everyone was talking over him and stuff was getting rowdy and finally after a little bit of that, one of his nieces asked "Uncle! What are we going to do after the baptism?" And he turned and said so impatiently "WE'RE GOING TO COME HOME AND PLAY SKIPBO! WHAT ODO YOU THINK WE'RE GONNA DO?" And he was serious! The dude loves skipbo! I lost it. I was laughing so hard. It probably wasn't even that funny, but seeing this large Samoan man get so serious about skipbo... It was classic. 

So on that note, Paul is getting baptized in 2 weeks! So we're very excited about that. His family is also very excited. There's just lots of excitement. Just so dang excited!

Elder Prestwich got SUPER sick, so that was rough. R.I.P. Misionary work for a few days, haha. Happens to the best of us though. 

We had a big multi faith christmas program at the church... It was really nice... and then a very baptist choir performed and things got pretty irreverent. The had a drum set and a key board and were performing very loudly and people were jumping up and down.... yeah... A little strange. I would've been a lot cooler with it, had it been anywhere but the chapel haha. But it was fun other than that! We sang in a community choir... And let's just say it was no OHS chamber choir!

Not gonna lie, there were some pretty discouraging moments this week. Not so much with the work, just kind of frustrating things... Hard to explain. But I learn more and more each week that a mission is really hard. I know I keep saying that, haha, but it's because it's true! I wish I would've realized just how hard it would be, just how lonely I would feel at times, just how exhausting/tedious/frustrating it would be, so that maybe I would've been a little more prepared. 

That being said, I don't think anyone can be FULLY prepared for what the mission has to throw at you, but a strong testimony and a readiness to work hard definitely helps. 

But amidst those trials, we listened to a talk in the car called 'Healing=Courage+Action+Grace' that left a really big impact on me. 

Here's just one of the many quotes that stuck with me:

"As we consider the key components for healing, let us remember that, in the end, healing is a gift from our Savior that will likely require effort and suffering on our part so that we can grow and develop through our struggles. The gift is often the refinement we experience in the process.

Let me give you one example from one of my heroes. When the relatively young Nelson Mandela first entered prison, he was described by his peers as too “emotional” (meaning he lacked self-control), “passionate” (meaning he had a temper), and “quickly stung” (easily offended), but when he left prison twenty-seven years later, the words he would use to describe himself were “balanced,” “measured,” and “controlled.” 7 As Richard Stengel noted in his excellent book on lessons learned from Mandela, “Nelson Mandela had many teachers in his life, but the greatest of them all was prison.”8 When he was pestered about how prison had changed him, Mandela simply said, “I came out mature.” 9

Was prison a healing experience for Mandela? It depends on how you describe healing. As described in Elder Oaks’ words, Mandela developed in prison the strength, understanding, and patience necessary to bear the burdens that were placed on him. What were those burdens? In the midst of decades of violent and hate-filled conflict, Mandela left prison to lead two groups into the miraculously peaceful development of a democracy, preventing the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives in a bloody civil war. Is that healing? I would say yes. Mandela’s personal healing fostered nationwide healing. His life is an example of how courage, action, and grace lead to healing."

So for those of us who are experiencing our own prisons, please remember that healing is sometimes painful. It's different than being cured. It requires a process. The process of overcoming oneself is not always fun, but always worth it. As we allow our will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father, we come to realize that (As Elder Maxwell once put it) Consecration is the only surrender that is also a victory. 

I love you all so much! Church is true!

Week #72--November 28, 2016

Hey! This week was great! 

Thanksgiving can be rough, and I thought it would be tougher leading up to it, but it was surprisingly good! Mostly, I don't remember much because we had 4 thanksgiving dinners, and the first one was really good but I don't remember the rest of the day #FoodComa. 

Paul is still excited to get baptized! We're really pumped for him as well. 

Also, I'd be perfectly fine to stay in Barstow for the rest of my mission. It's a little unlikely, because that'd be 7 transfers/10 months but it could happen!!

Also, our Sacrament meeting on sunday was packed with people from Utah, haha. We had 3 BYU athletes and a member of the seventy all passing through on their way back to Utah, haha. But I guess when the Bishop excused the Aaronic Priesthood to sit with their families after the sacrament, everyone else thought they had the aaronic priesthood and got up and left! 

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! 

Church is true!

Week #71--November 21, 2016

Okay! Hold up. Life is so good. Barstow is the best

Also, fun fact. I bought some shoes here this week. 

So I guess you could say

I got my kicks

on route 66

hehe

Nah, but for reals this week has been one of the best. Ever. 

I'll just start with the coolest story. So Paul? (For those of you who have been following, he's the Super cool Samoan investigator that got on date.) We had a lesson with him on Friday. To kind of give some background to the story, he set the date mid January but we were all skeptical as to wether or not he'd be able to make it. He kept refusing to pray and come to church, so there was this un-seeable wall that was preventing him from progressing any further. 

So for the lesson we just dropped the question. "What is keeping you from coming to church?"

He skirted around the actual concern for a little bit, but after some discussion he came out with the actual concern, which was that he didn't want to fail. He didn't want to fall short of what was expected and break these commandments and when he went to church he wanted it to be the first day of the rest of his life.  He didn't want to come short. 

We've tried addressing this concern before, and have talked about how Church is a hospital for those who are struggling, not a museum for people to show off their good works before men. We've talked about how we go into the waters of baptism dirty, and come out clean, we don't go in clean. We've tried talking about all of that before, but it's never hit home. But this time, we sat in silence for a while, and then the spirit kicked in on overdrive. I can honestly say it was one the most spiritual moments on the mission. I think in part because both Elder Prestwich and I needed to hear it just as much as Paul did. 

We explained how, when it comes down to it, there's three reasons we make mistakes. Ignorance, Rebellion and Weakness. Obviously, for those who know of the gospel and the commandments, ignorance falls by the way side and becomes irrelevant. So that leaves rebellion and weakness. When God speaks of unrepented rebellion, it is not good. It just flat out is not good. But when he speaks of Mercy, it is always with mercy, and love and compassion. We shared the well known Ether 12:27 'And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.' and explained that while there are multiple differences between rebellion and weakness, one of the most important is our humility. If we are trapped by 'the sin which doth so easily beset us' and feel overwhelmed by the multiple mistakes we make, we must remember not to confuse our rebellion with weakness. If we remain humble and teachable then God not only CAN work with us, but God WILL work with us. 

Now President Uchtdorf reminds us that "Some suppose that humility is about beating ourselves up. Humility does not mean convincing ourselves that we are worthless, meaningless, or of little value. Nor does it mean denying or withholding the talents God has given us. We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. It comes as we go about our work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman."

So, if you feel like Paul, that you will never live up to the standards the church has set, that is okay. To rebel is of the devil, but remember that weakness is of God. As Neal A. Maxwell put it: "Now may I speak . . . to those buffeted by false insecurity, who, though laboring devotedly in the Kingdom, have recurring feelings of falling forever short. . . .

. . . This feeling of inadequacy is . . . normal. There is no way the Church can honestly describe where we must yet go and what we must yet do without creating a sense of immense distance. . . .

. . . This is a gospel of grand expectations, but God’s grace is sufficient for each of us. "

The love and Grace of God is sufficient for you. Don't ever forget that you are enough! I don't mean that you WILL be enough when you grow up a bit more. I don't mean you COULD be enough if you were more obedient. I mean you ARE enough. You're exactly what God needs right now. Keep improving and working to become, but find encouragement in the knowledge that you're doing well.

Well, sorry this was so long. But I love you all!

Church is true!

Week #70--November 14, 2016

Hello! 

Hope you all had a good week. Just want to point out that scriptural prophecy was fulfilled this week: "For a trump shall sound both long and loud, even as upon Mount Sinai, and all the earth shall quake, and they shall come forth..." (D&C 29:13). Haha, funny stuff. (Don't take that as having a view, because for the next 8 months, I honestly don't have much of an opinion. Just funny wording.)

This week was really good. I can't really make a summary of our good lessons, because we had a lot of good lessons! We were super blessed! We taught 19 lessons, and had so many names on our progress record that we had to staple 2 together for ward council! That's a first for me, so we were very grateful that we were able to see so many people. 

That being said, due to lack of commitment we have to drop quite a few of them, but that's okay! The one's we are working with are doing great! 

Also Paul Paopao set a date for baptism! January 21st! His family (who are members) are all really excited and were very pumped to talk to Elder Prestiwch and me at the ward party on Saturday. 

Also a woman named Sally set a date, and she's been investigating for about 2 years, so if that happens a lot of missionaries will be very happy!

Also, we had a super cool experience! We saw some teenagers skateboarding in the church parking lot as we were driving away. This bothered me, because... Well... I don't know why! But my first instinct was to tell them to leave... But I decided to try doing it in a nicer way. So Elder Prestwich and I parked and walked out and starting contacting them and then offered to give them a church tour. 2 were super bugged by it and wanted to leave, but one got super excited because he had a friend that was mormon who had brought him to mutual one time. We did a church tour and used the art work to explain our beliefs. The final picture was a big one of the first vision, where we recited the first vision. The spirit was SO STRONG! It was incredible. Right then and there, Aaron (the one who was open from the beginning) agreed to start coming to church and taking the lessons.  

That was an awesome experience!

So all in all, it's been a great week!

Kind of a short spiritual thought, is just that god is the author of peace! also, I was informed that 'Fear Not' appears more times than any other commandment in the whole Bible! I thought that was really interesting and also realized that to 'fear not' is a commandment of God! God casts out all fear, and is the author of peace. No matter where we are or what we're doing, God's life is a peaceful life and he can help us overcome our fears and live in peace. 

Also, an interesting point from Ether 6 that was pointed out to me, is that even though (while the brother of Jared and his Family were crossing the ocean) the winds and waves never ceased, and they were swallowed up in the depths of the sea may times, and trial after trial took place, it was the winds that drove them to the promised land. Still waters don't make great sailors, and motionless boats don't do much sailing! The comforting thing we can take is that those winds "did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind."

So don't give up when the pressure mounts! Take a deep breath and remember that God is God. He's more powerful than anything and he loves you and all of this is for your good. Change and progression are uncomfortable, just like crossing the ocean in those boats was uncomfortable, but it is all worth it in the long run. 

Love you all! Church is true!

Week #69--November 7, 2016

Hello! 

This week was good. We had transfers, but Elder Prestwich and I are staying, and so are the other Barstow Elders and we're exiled from the rest of the mission so that's pretty much the only news that effects us, haha! 

Going into this week, I didn't really expect it to be as hard as it was, but it was still good! I've learned that missions are always hard! They don't get easy as soon as you first 6 months are done, or as soon as you get past your year mark. It's always difficult. You never  REALLY get used to the emotional/spiritual/mental/physical strain that comes from a mission. I think in the book of mormon we talk way too much about the thousands of convert, and not enough time about the times their hearts were depressed, the times they were about to turn back, the times they were bound in chords, spit on, smote upon, beaten, scourged, stoned, etc....Like it's very hard. But it's so worth it. I really do enjoy it. My testimony as grown so strong, it's incredible. Like, the church is so true. I love how much the church has changed me. 

So if you remember E.J., the 13 year old boy who had a ton of good questions and knew his bible really well? Well we saw him and asked him if he had read the book of mormon and he said "No, I'm sorry, I'm only in Mosiah." LIKE WHAT THE HECK????? He thought we were asking if he'd read it all and HE READ ALL THE WAY TO MOSIAH IN ABOUT 4 DAYS LIKE WHAT ON EARTH. He's pretty awesome. His parents gave him permission to investigate, so we'll continue to teach him and even if he doesn't get baptized now, I have no doubt that he'll eventually get baptized, because it's all making sense to him. 

We went to a Ghost town last p-day and that was pretty cool. 

A lot of people have been sick this week, so we weren't able to meet with them, so that was rough. But because of that we were able to find some new investigators! 

There are some.... Interesting situations with a lot of the people we're teaching. I guess that's just the way it is in Barstow. That makes it hard for people to get baptized. Also, pretty much no one down here in married, they just live together and that's pretty much the worst. And they're usually too poor to afford a marriage license so R.I.P. 

As a spiritual thought, I want to share this scripture. (from 3 Nephi 8):

and then behold, there was darkness upon the face of the land.

And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness;

And there could be no light, because of the darkness, neither candles, neither torches; neither could there be fire kindled with their fine and exceedingly dry wood, so that there could not be any light at all;

And there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land.

And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.

When I read this scripture, I thought about how bleak out lives would be without the hope of the gospel. I thought about how bleak the day to day would be. Too many people just let their eyes adjust and live on in this darkness... And often we turn of our flashlights and lamps and allow ourselves to live in the spiritual darkness. 

So turn to Christ and find hope in his Atonement. Because of his sacrifice we have hope for a better tomorrow. We can find hope in being a better person tomorrow than we were today! 

I love you all! Church is true!

Week #68--October 31st

Alrighty, so I suppose I should start by just touching on an event that took place LAST transfer that I neglected to mention. I AM THE CHAMPION of a place called Apollo Burger. They have this huge eating challenge that is super difficult, basically it's an insane burger and a MOUNTAIN of fries and a large drink. Many missionaries have tried and failed. Only 2 people have ever been able to do it and their pictures are up on the wall. 

AND THEN THERE WERE 3!! 

It was probably the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life, but it happened. So now my picture is up on the wall. THE THIRD IN HISTORY TO COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE!

On to the week: It was awesome! Super busy. We taught more lessons than I have my whole mission, which is 15! While that may seem like a smallish/normal number to those of you in South America, that number is flipping awesome for us in California! So I'm pretty pumped. And we got 4 people on date for baptism!! The work is moving forward brothers and sisters!

We taught Gabriel and Izeta some more. Gabriel especially really opened up and we spent all of one lesson talking about Jesus Christ, is sacrifice and his love for us. It was a really cool experience. 

We also taught Paul Paopao. Not sure what it's going to take for him to come to church and set a date, but he's really getting close. 

No one came to church, so that was a bummer, but it was still a good day, and we were able to get 3 lessons in that evening!

We met and taught a kid named EJ who asked the toughest questions I've heard my whole mission (they were all genuine tho) and he knew his bible so well! He's read it so many times. So he's pumped to read the Book of Mormon and he said. "Oh, I'll read this. And I'll tell you if it's true or not!" 

Hopefully he can get permission from his parents to investigate

Also, can I just say that the Priesthood is cool? I am so grateful that God restored the Priesthood to the earth. It was pretty cool talking to E.J. because he said "The Prophets of old and the prophets in Jesus' time had power to heal the sick and cast out devils... Do your prophets have that power?" And I had the chance to testify "Yes! That same power has been brought back!" I then reminded him that Christ never said "Go to, I have made thee whole." But that he said "Go to, THY faith hath made thee whole." And that while the Priesthood Authority has been restored, the power is conditioned on our Faith. 

That Power is open to any who seek it! We read in Elders Quorum about the talk "Where are the keys?" And it compares the Car to the gospel, but without the keys it was useless. With the Keys, the car could start, the heater would be able to warm the cold bodies of him, his wife and children. I was reminded that it doesn't matter so much who holds the keys, so long as they are there. All the family benefited from the same heater, the same engine and all partook of the blessings of transportation. So it is with the Priesthood. 

So I suppose my invitation to you all is to find a way to access the powers of Heaven more in your life. Partaking worthily of the Sacrament, sincere prayer and studies, temple attendance, and seeking Priesthood Blessings are just a few of the ways you can do that. 

Bottom line, I love you all. God Loves you all and you're all doing better than you think you are. So keep your chin up. The world's not as bad as it seems, as much as the Devil would like to tell you it is. Don't let feelings of guilt, or shame or inadequacy bring you down. 

You guys are the best!

church is true!