Week 52 6/22/15

6.22.15

Hey everyone!

i just want to share a poem with yall that has really helped me a lot this week.

  HE'S BEEN THERE BEFORE                  BY ELDER TROY WHITTLE                  TEXAS HOUSTON MISSION  THE ALARM RINGS AT 6:30; I STUMBLE TO MY FEET. I GRAB MY COMPANION'S BEDDING AND PULL OFF HIS SHEETS. A GROAN FILLS THE ROOM, IS IT ALREADY TIME TO ARISE? IT SEEMS LIKE JUST A SECOND AGO I WAS ABLE TO SHUT MY EYES.  THE MORNING ACTIVITIES FOLLOW-STUDY, PRAYER AND SUCH. WHEN IT'S TIME TO LEAVE THE APARTMENT, YOU FEEL YOU HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED MUCH. "WE HAVE A SUPER DAY PLANNED," MY COMP SAYS WITH A GRIN. I LOWLY UTTER A FAITHLESS BREATH, "YEAH, IF ANYONE LETS US IN."  WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND MY FAITHFUL SCHWINN, WE RIDE OFF IN THE STREET PREPARED TO FACE ANOTHER DAY OF HUMIDITY AND HEAT. IT'S 9:30 IN THE EVENING, THE DAY IS ALMOST THROUGH. MY CHAMPION AND I ARE RIDING HOME NOT ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE THOUGHT TO DO.  WE RIDE UP TO THE MAILBOX, HOPING TO RECEIVE A LOT, ONLY TO LOOK INSIDE AND HEAR MY ECHO REVERBERATE "AIR BOX". WE GO UP TO OUR APARTMENT, THE DAY IS NOW COMPLETE, THE ONLY THING TO SHOW FOR OUR WORK IS A CASE OF BLISTERY FEET.  IT'S PAST 10:30 P.M., MY COMPANION IS FAST ASLEEP, SILENCE ENGULFS ME ALL ABOUT AND I BEGIN TO WEEP. IN THE MIDST OF SADNESS I KNEEL DOWN TO PRAY; I NEED TO TALK TO FATHER, BUT I"M NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY.  "OH, FATHER" I BEGIN, "WHAT HAPPENED TO US TODAY? I THOUGHT WE'D TEACH SOMEBODY, BUT EVERYONE WAS AWAY. MY HANDS, MY ACHING HANDS-WORN, HURT AND BEAT; IF OUR AREA WAS ANY SMALLER, WE'D HAVE KNOCKED EVERY STREET."  "WHY ON MISSIONS ARE THE DAYS SO MUCH ALIKE? THE ONLY DIFFERENCE ABOUT TODAY WAS THE FLAT TIRE ON MY BIKE WILL YOU SEND SOME COOLER WEATHER?  THE HEAT IS KILLING ME I SWEAT SO BAD, IT GETS IN MY EYES, IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE."  "WHY DO I HAVE TO WEAR A HELMET, ISN'T YOUR PROTECTION ENOUGH? PEOPLE ALWAYS LAUGH AT ME AND CALL ME STUPID STUFF. PLEASE SEND US INVESTIGATORS SO I MAY GIVE THEM WHAT THEY LACK; I WANT TO GIVE THEM BOOKS OF MORMON, THE WEIGHT OF THEM HURTS MY BACK."  "AND WHAT ABOUT MY FAMILY?  THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY, I'M SICK OF NOT HEARING FROM HOME DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY. OH FATHER, WHY AM I HERE AM I JUST WASTING TIME? SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO GO HOME, I'M SORRY BUT THAT'S ON MY MIND."  "MY COMPANION, HEAVENLY FATHER, WHAT ARE YOU GIVING ME? THE WAY HE RIDES HIS BICYCLE I DON'T THINK HE CAN SEE. NOW YOU HAVE IT, I CAN'T GO ON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO; THAT, MY FATHER IN HEAVEN, IS THE PRAYER I HAVE FOR YOU."  MY PRAYER NOW FINISHED I STAND UP, THEN JUMP RIGHT INTO BED. I NEED MY REST FOR TOMORROW; WE HAVE ANOTHER LONG DAY AHEAD. SLEEP STARTS TO OVERTAKE ME, I SEEM TO DRIFT AWAY, THEN IT SEEMS A VISION TAKES ME TO ANOTHER TIME IN ANOTHER DAY.  I'M STANDING ALONE ON THE HILL THE VIEW IS VERY NICE; A MAN WALKS TOWARDS ME AND SAYS, "MY NAME IS JESUS CHRIST." TEARS OF JOY WELL UP INSIDE, I FALL DOWN TO HIS FEET, "ARISE," HE STATES, "FOLLOW ME TO THE SHADE - YOU AND I NEED TO SPEAK."  MY ATTENTION'S TOWARDS MY SAVIOR, TOTAL AND COMPLETE. HE SAYS, "YOUR MISSION IS SIMILAR OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH; IN FACT, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY I'VE FELT THE SAME AS YOU."  "I EVEN KNOW HOW YOU FELT WHEN NO ONE LISTENED TO YOU, AT TIMES I FELT NOT QUITE SURE WHAT ELSE THAT I COULD DO. I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE TO RIDE A BICYCLE, FOR YOU A CAR WOULD BE SWEET; JUST REMEMBER THE DONKEY I RODE WASN'T EQUIPPED WITH 21 SPEEDS."  "I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T LIKE SWEATING, IN FACT IT'S SOMETHING YOU HATE; I REMEMBER WHEN I SWEAT BLOOD FROM EVERY PORE, OH THE AGONY WAS GREAT! I SEE YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR COMPANION - YOU'D RATHER HAVE SOMEONE ELSE - I ONCE HAD A COMPANION NAMED JUDAS WHO SOLD MY LIFE FOR WEALTH."  "IT'S HARD TO WEAR A HELMET AND HAVE PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF YOU, I REMEMBER WHEN THEY PUT THORNS ON MY HEAD AND CALLED ME KING OF THE JEWS. SO YOU FEEL BURDENED DOWN BY THE WEIGHT OF YOUR PACK, I RECALL HOW HEAVY THE CROSS WAS WHEN THEY SLAMMED IT ON MY BACK."  "YOUR HANDS HURT FROM TRACTING AND KNOCKING ON DOORS ALL DAY, I GUESS WHEN THEY POUNDED NAILS INTO MINE, I ACHED IN A SIMILAR WAY. IT'S HARD NOT TO HEAR FROM HOME WHEN YOUR FAMILY'S NOT THERE TO SEE, I LOST COMMUNICATION ON THE CROSS AND CRIED, 'FATHER, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?'"  "WE HAVE A LOT IN COMMON, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US YOU SEE, I ENDURED TO THE END AND FINISHED MY MISSION, SO FOLLOW AND DO LIKE ME." HE EMBRACED ME WITH HIS ARMS, AND HIS LIGHT FILLED ME WITH HIS LOVE, WITH TEARS IN MY EYES I WATCHED AS HE WENT BACK TO THE FATHER ABOVE.  I STOOD WITH AWE AND WONDER WHEN A BEEP RANG IN MY HEAD, I LISTENED AND HEARD THE ALARM, THEN REALIZED I WAS IN MY BED. MY COMPANION LET OUT A GROAN.  "6:30 ALREADY, NOW WAY!" I SAY UP AND SAID, "COM ON, I'LL EVEN CARRY YOUR SCRIPTURES TODAY!"  NO MATTER WHAT WE GO THROUGH, WHEN WE FEEL WE CAN'T TAKE MORE, JUST STOP AND THINK ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, HE'S BEEN THERE BEFORE.

I know he has been there before. He loves each and every one of us! Dont forget he know how you feel and he wont ever forget you! Love you!

Week 51 6/15/15

6/15/15

Hey Everyone!

This has been yet another awesome week! We've been putting extra focus on the Book of Mormon this month as a mission, trying to really flood the earth with the book. So, weve been going around and using it to teach people right when we meet them! It actually has been a blast! For example, last night Elder Wilson and I only had 1 hour of time left to proselyte, we had been in church for 7 and a half hours (English ward, Spanish branch, then a baptism) and then with driving time and dinner at a members house, we decided to use the time we had left to go and share the Book of Mormon! So, we walked for a while and ended up walking up to this house where a group of Hispanic people where outside having dinner. We just started chatting with them and ended up having a great discussion about the book of Mormon! We only had 3 Spanish ones on us but we gave each family one in Spanish and some of the kids and those that could speak English their own English copies. This family said they would love if we came back and talked to them more again. It was awesome! It just goes to show that if we are doing what we are supposed to, the lord will bless us. now, we just pray that the books of Mormon we give away will be read! that they can help change peoples lives!

That was just one of many amazing experiences this week though! Keven and Stacy are doing awesome, they have accepted and are living all of the commandments that weve talked about so far and are really excited for their baptism! They are reading their scriptures and we are very excited for the 27th!

Nancy is doing great as well. weve been able to teach her a couple times this week and she came to church and to the baptism of a couple in the Spanish branch this sunday! It was awesome! I know she felt the spirit strongly, hopefully she will receive her own answer that the BOM is true soon!

We also met this awesome family this week! Its a single mom named Rhonda, she has a daughter named Josie that lives with her and then another younger daughter who is severly handicapped. We met her while out contacting and sharing the BOM. It was really funny because when we first met her she was like "no, I don't wanna hear anything from the BOM" but then we shared a scripture from the bible and she kind of opened up, followed by a scripture in the BOM about Christ. She really opened up to us and toled us all sorts of craziness that's going on in her life. We shared a few scriptures to help and then a few days later we shared the restoration, she loved it! she wants to learn more as well.

So, this week has been awesome! We just got called and we need to go give a blessing so we must be off, I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Week 50 6/8/15

6/8/15

Hello Everyone!

Well, i dont have as much time today and so i wont write a very long letter, but this last week has been yet another great one! Me and Elder Wilson have been working extremely hard and because of it we've seen an awesome blessing! Keven and Stacey, 2 of our investigators, have decided to get baptized the 27th of this month
!!! We are so excited for them. They have been progressing so well and they know the gospel is true. We even had a member invite them and us over to his house for dinner last night and it was such a blessing. they have friends in the ward. they are totally on fire, and we are definitely excited for the 27th haha.

Quick story, so when we invited them to be baptized, they both agreed immediately. Me and Elder Wilson had prayed about the date previously and felt very strongly about it. it was also the first times missionaries had ever been into his house. so when he told his parents that he was going to be baptized. they were a bit stand off ish. Keven is 20 and can make his own decisions, but its always great to have parental support. We started to just have a friendly conversation with his parents which led to them sharing what their real concerns were about our church. they didnt really know if we believed in christ. More pressingly, they beleived that mormons where polygamists. It was such a great teaching opportunity, because we sat back, listened, and were just friendly. We were able to explain that we did beleive in jesus christ and that we are not polygamists. that the church that does practice polygamy is not associated with ours and actually uses the term mormon wrongfully. Because of this, Kevens mom told us her heart was now at ease with his decision. she then insisted on feeding all of us tacos. It was a great moment! We are so excited for Keven!

Lets see.... Another highlight of this week was we went to a "Boda" which is basically a hispanic wedding party. Some of the members in Huntsville (which is about 20 minutes from Decatur) got sealed in the temple saturday. So, we and our investigator named Nancy were invited, and thus we went! It was a blast! Great people and good wholesome fun. it was awesome because Nancy got to meet so many more branch members and she had a blast dancing with everyone.

Im so incredibly grateful for the blessings that me and Elder Wilson have been receiving! We couldnt do any of it, without our heavenly fathers help. and i know so much of that support is coming from all of your prayers. Thank you all so much! I hope ya'll have a blessed week!

Week 49 6/1/15

6.1.15

Hello Everyone!

This has been just an awesome week! 

It started off on Wednesday when I receive my new companion, Elder Wilson, Im super stoked to be serving with him. He's been in the mission about 6 months but is super solid. He just has the best desires of anyone I know. He just wants to go and do. He is such a great example. Other things about him, he is from Detroit Michigan, he plays rugby, and he is a big kid. We decided we were going to work out mornings and nights in our free time as well as eat super healthy. No fast food, No soda, Just clean healthy stuff! Basically we are going super hard this transfer.

We aren't only going hard working out though. We decided day one that there is no rain, no wind, no excuse. That will keep us from doing the lords work. We are Working every second of every day. We are always having our line in the water. We are doing to leave nothing behind. For example, when we got into Decatur (after a great lunch at chipotle... which was before the healthy food decision was made) it was raining pretty hard. We still had a few appointments though. Now, most missionaries may have just thrown in the towel and rescheduled. We decided however that if these people we are teaching are really going to understand how important the gospel is to them. they need to see how important it is to us. So we biked. by the time we got home i was about as wet as i've ever been in my life. But we were able to see our investigators! Subsequently, we've been caught in crazy random rainstorms another 4 times in the last 5 days. Its been awesome! I know it sounds crazy, but the lord really does know how hard we work. and when we work our hardest, he really will bless us. 

I can strongly testify of that, because every time we were caught in the rain, our investigator was there and we had a great lesson with them. Then, an even greater blessing, 6 of our investigators came to church! They all told us how much they loved it as well! We both are just extremely excited for this up coming transfer. its going to be a great one! 

Now, I have a little story that I would love to share with all of you. So, When I was in Huntsville I had the chance to work with and Baptise a lady named Leonor. She is just the sweetest and kindest Hispanic woman ever! I also had the chance to work with a man named Ramiro who had been investigation the church for almost 2 years but had never been baptised. Well, After I left Huntsville, he too ended up getting baptised. So, This Sunday we had the opportunity to go with a lady we are teaching named Nancy, to the Spanish branch there in Huntsville. It was amazing for me, not only was I able to see how the spirit of the church took hold of Nancys heart, but I also was able to see Leonor, bubbling with joy while sitting in church. A full fledged and loved member. Then I looked over and saw Ramiro, he was passing the sacrament. i cannot describe the shear joy i felt. To be able to see how happy the gospel had made these 2 individuals. To see the difference in their continuances from before and afte

r. I know that this gospel is true. I know it changes lives. Im so grateful for it as well, ill never forget that experience. 

I love each and every one of you so much! Have a great week!