Monday, May 1, 2017

Get in, sit down, hold on, shut up!

Hello there! Get in, sit down, hold on, shut up! I have transfer news! I am staying in Lawrence (no surprise here), but Elder Daly is leaving me! The Lord has called him to Junction City and is sending an Elder Heckel in his stead. Elder Wood has served with him and tells me good things. I'm very excited. Elders Candland and Christensen are both staying close as well and I'm happy for that.

It's been a loaded week! Interviews, zone conference, stake conference, Topeka day trips, door slams, crazy people, placing copies of the Book of Mormon, teaching Jesus, and all those lovely missionary things we do.






Zone Conference


Something the Lord is trying to teach me more about is the character of Alma the Younger. His story came to my heart in so many ways! President and I talked about Alma's true change of heart in interviews, for starters. Stake conference right after that taught me Alma's conversion comes not from the appearance of the angel but teaches us, "I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me" (Alma 5:46). Finally, we teach an Alma 36 lesson with the Cullimore's, the sisters, and a few members to this special lady:






This is Nasrin (naz-reen). She is Persian! All the way from Iran Nasrin began working with the Cullimore's, Elder Daly and I, then finally the sisters. She's looking forward to being baptized this Saturday! I made her show off her Book of Mormon that is written in Persian. It's amazing to see her life change so much through studying that book, the very word of God!


Things with TJ are a little disheartening. TJ has many things he needs to let go. Not as of yet has he seen with an eye of faith the happiness from the gospel of Jesus Christ will outweigh things of the world. Recently, TJ's girlfriend broke up with him after they were together only a few days. Elder Heckel and I will be seeing Austin this week. I've brushed up my knowledge of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I'm ready to tackle some serious questions with a LOT of prayer that the Spirit will be present.


Elder Daly and I met a most astounding individual. This young man, Tai Claw, is a Navajo native to North-East Arizona. Tai has learned from missionaries near Wichita and would like to continue to meet to learn about the church. Elder Daly and I meet him at the institute building, cocked and loaded to teach the plan of salvation. Gears switch very rapidly when we begin to talk about forgiving those that have wronged you, a trial Tai is experiencing in life now. From there we testify of the atonement of Christ, He is the master of empathy! This leads to a challenge to baptism, promises of being clean and worthy with no obstacle to stand in the stream of blessings. We leave Tai with the thirteenth chapter of Alma to help him further understand priesthood authority. Amazing lesson. Very, very encouraging.



In other news I saw a life-size statue of my hero, so I took a picture.











Here is a picture of us goons. Notice each personality - 

Daly: goofball

Candland: playing it cool

Christensen: thinking 'those fools' 

LaMont: has become one with the computer








On the Cullimore porch right after a lovely dinner. Go Cullimore's!




Ladies and gentlemen, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is indeed the church of Jesus Christ. It has been restored for the happiness of you and me! I'm not perfect, but I've never been happier when I follow my Savior the best I can. Jesus Christ lives and He loves you and me with a perfect love. If you have to lean on that testimony for two or three or five days, do so. But I implore you 'with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would' receive your very own testimony of these things by asking God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if these things are true! Enter into His rest. I love each and every one of you. Go live for Jesus!