January 31, 2016
Hey, sorry this will be a short email. This week has been busy. I spent most of the week helping the new, and the departing missionaries. We also had transfer week. That also took a lot of preparation. My testimony still continues to grow. It has been growing rapidly the last few weeks. This week we had a great lesson with Rose. Rose is from Liberia. She is great. She is looking for truth. She has been taught before in the past. She was confused about Joseph Smith and the need for a prophet. We taught her about it, and she still didn't understand. We ended up showing her a talk by President Monson. After we showed her the talk everything clicked. She finally understood. She thought we worshiped the prophet and she had a few misconceptions about the church. At the end she said the most sincere prayer. She thanked God for sending the Prophet, and she also said " I need to do what I have never done, and that is to get baptized." She continued to pray for strength and guidance. I truly know that it is not my words, or my companions words that change people, but it is the spirit that touches there hearts! I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel! I know this is Christ's church! I love you all!
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Im back in Des Moines!
January 24, 2016
Hey Everyone! I am now back in Des Moines. For future reference I will now email every Sunday. My Preparation Day is now Saturday, but we will email on Sunday. Things are going well. I got to see, and teach a few of the people that I taught from when I served here in the past. I will now serve in the Easter Lake ward for 12 months of my mission. I love it here. We had a very busy week. On Thursday I went with the Departing Missionaries to the temple. The temple trip was postponed from Tuesday due to weather. The temple was great. This week has been super busy.
Today Eunice, the Liberian lady I taught before came to church her children are still unbaptized. They came to Church as well. It was great to see them. The work is really going well. We taught a ton of people from Africa. Mostly Liberians. I love the people of Liberia. They are so humble, and sincere. They truly have real intent. (Moroni 10:3-5) Next week will be very busy as well. We will spend Monday preparing for the upcoming week of transfers. We will not be having a transfer meeting anymore. We will just meet in Iowa City or Des Moines and go to the new areas we are assigned to serve in. We also will be picking up the new missionaries on Wednesday at the Airport. We will spend the day introducing them to the mission, and planning who they will be trained by. Then Thursday we will arrange all the missionaries being transferred. Friday we will take 16 missionaries to the Airport to fly home.
I enjoyed seeing people that I taught while I was here. This week we also had a Worldwide broadcast for all the missionaries. The titel of the Broadcast was "Teach Repentance, and Baptize Converts". We are going to work on teaching people to repent so they can gain a testimony of the restored gospel. It was a great broadcast. I love the fact that we get the oppurtunity to be instructed by Prophets of God. We truly are blessed to be part of Christs' Church. The work is great. I love the Lord. I love you all! Have a great week!
-Elder Lords
P.S the picture is of President and Sister Jensen, my new companion, Elder Banta on the left of me, and Elder Zabriskie.
Im getting transferred
January 18, 2016
Hey everyone,
We had a pretty crazy week. On Tuesday we drove one and a half hours to Iowa City to MLC. MLC lasted from 9:30 to 4:00 p.m. We then went to Dinner at Texas Road House. We drove home and arrived in Burlington at about 7:45. We taught Miguel, and had a super good lesson with him. The spirit was there teaching Miguel. He cried most of the lesson. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation. We then gave him a blessing of comfort, and council. We got back to the apartment at about 9:15 p.m.( we have to be in at 9, unless we are teaching we can be out tell 9:30 p.m). We had barely parked the car when we got a call from the keokuk Sisters. The Burlington Sisters were supposed to be to Keokuk at 9 p.m to start exchanges, but there car broke down, and they took a wrong turn, and got lost. It was in the negatives that night so we drove 40 minutes to try to find them. We found them at about 9:50. There car had overheated. Someone had taken the cap off of the Radiator Fluid Reservoir and all there Radiator Coolant had come out. We talked with President Jensen, he had us get Coolant and drive the car back to Keokuk. We ended up getting home at about 11:45. It was a very eventful day with a lot of sitting, and driving.
Things are going well. I am loving the mission. I am sad/excited to be transferred. I know that the Lord has a plan for me though. I have come to learn that Heavenly Father has a plan. I hope that I can just be an instrument in his hands, and do the things that I should. Have a good week! Love you!
-Elder Lords
He also didn't say in his letter, but he is now AP (assistant to the president)! We are really happy for him!!
Zone Conference
January 11, 2016
Hello Everyone,
Hello Everyone,
This week we had Zone Conference in Nauvoo. It was a good meeting. We usually have a Christmas Zone Conference, but with Elder Martino coming we had to move it.Christmas Zone conference is not as serious as the others. We have trainings in the mornings, but after lunch each district performed a skit, and then we watched a movie. We got to watch Ephraim's Rescue. I really enjoy that movie.
We had a good week. We stayed busy. We taught a lot of people this week. We stayed very busy which is a blessing. It got a little colder this week. Marie was not at Church, but neither was Chelsie. We had Miguel at Church for the first time.He is a cool guy. He was born in Mexico then he moved to Texas. He is one of my favorite people to teach. I will be sad if I get transferred soon. Shane Means was also at Church. He is a super cool guy. He is the step-father of Caitlyn, and Cristen. He is planning to be baptized on the February13th. The work is going well.
The weather was the coldest it has been so far this winter. It was zero degrees on Sunday. It is such a blessing to have good weather. It moves the missionary work along. The Nauvoo Zone is doing super well. We have 21 people on date to be baptized in the next 2 months. We have been blessed. I know that this Church is Jesus Christ true Chruch. I love this work. I am grateful to be a missionary. Have a great week! Love you all!
-Elder Lords
Happy New Year!
January 4, 2016
Wow, where did 2015 go? It went by fast it seems, but as I reflect it seems like 2014 was about a thousand years ago!! We had a good week. We have been working really hard. I am working the hardest that I have my whole mission. We really want to find solid people to teach. We teach about 12 to 15 lessons a week, but we just keep teaching people who are flaky. I love the people we are teaching, but I want to find someone who really wants to be taught. So we are working hard to find the elect.
Wow, where did 2015 go? It went by fast it seems, but as I reflect it seems like 2014 was about a thousand years ago!! We had a good week. We have been working really hard. I am working the hardest that I have my whole mission. We really want to find solid people to teach. We teach about 12 to 15 lessons a week, but we just keep teaching people who are flaky. I love the people we are teaching, but I want to find someone who really wants to be taught. So we are working hard to find the elect.
Marie came to Church this Sunday, and is doing well. We are trying to help Marie to prepare for baptism on February 13th, and Chelsie for January 23rd. We are trying to find more people who want to be baptized. The work is going well. We have been blessed with people to teach.
I have been thinking about the purpose of the Gospel lately. My thoughts come from 3 Nephi 27. I believe the Gospel is supposed to change us. "Then and now, as President David O. McKay so consistently taught, the gospel of Jesus Christ can make bad men good and good men better, can alter human nature and change human lives." In 3 Nephi 27:19 it says 19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. My goal is to allow the atonement of Jesus Christ to change me into a person who is worthy to return to the presence of God. I Love you all have a great week!
December
December 28, 2015
Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! We had a great week, and Christmas. I can't believe we only have 3 days left in 2015. Time is flying by. We had a great week. We were able to find 6 new investigators this week. It was great, because we thought it might be a slow week with Christmas, but it wasn't.
Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! We had a great week, and Christmas. I can't believe we only have 3 days left in 2015. Time is flying by. We had a great week. We were able to find 6 new investigators this week. It was great, because we thought it might be a slow week with Christmas, but it wasn't.
Chelsie was able to come to church. It was a huge blessing. We have been teaching her for a few weeks. She is an awesome lady. She wasn't able to come to church because of work for the last month. She got her shift changed so now she can come! She came this Sunday, and all 3 of the talks answered questions or concerns that she had. It was super cool! We are excited for the week ahead. I hope all is well for everyone. I love you all!
-Elder Lords
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Life of a Missionary
December 28, 2015
Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! We had a great week, and Christmas. I can't believe we only have 3 days left in 2015. Time is flying by. We had a great week. We were able to find 6 new investigators this week. It was great, because we thought it might be a slow week with Christmas, but it wasn't.
Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! We had a great week, and Christmas. I can't believe we only have 3 days left in 2015. Time is flying by. We had a great week. We were able to find 6 new investigators this week. It was great, because we thought it might be a slow week with Christmas, but it wasn't.
Chelsie was able to come to church. It was a huge blessing. We have been teaching her for a few weeks. She is an awesome lady. She wasn't able to come to church because of work for the last month. She got her shift changed so now she can come! She came this Sunday, and all 3 of the talks answered questions or concerns that she had. It was super cool! We are excited for the week ahead. I hope all is well for everyone. I love you all!
-Elder Lords
New/Old Companion
December 21, 2015
Hey!
Hey!
I have a new/old companion. Elder Gowers is my companion. We served together in Cedar Rapids over a year ago. He is super hard working, and is a great missionary. That is all I can ask for in a companion. We are working to find new investigators. We have been finding 3 or 4 new investigators each week. We are trying to find someone who will be baptized. We are currently working with a lady named Marie. She is on date to be baptized in February. All she has to do is quit smoking. She is very humble. She has a great desire to be baptized.
I am super excited for Christmas. 1) it is when we celebrate the Birth of Christ. 2) I get to Skype with my family. I am super excited for that. I love family. The family is so important. We can learn so much, and support one another in living righteous lives. Have a great week! Merry Christmas! I love you all!
-Elder Lords
Transfer Week!
December 14, 2015
Hello Everyone,
We received a phone call from President Jensen this morning, Elder Todd will be getting transferred. I will stay in Burlington, and will get a new companion on Thursday.
This week was a great week! Cristen was baptized! We were trained by Elder James B. Martino of the 70. Just a great week. Elder Martino gave us a lot of great advice. He is a very powerful speaker. He helped motivate the mission to rise, and be more obedient and diligent. He talked on working with the Members better(which is a huge struggle on both the members and missionaries end), being diligent, and purifying or sanctifying ourselves. We were in Iowa City for 2 days. I got to go to Cedar Rapids the night after Zone Conference because we had a meeting in Iowa City the next morning. I got to see a few people I taught while I was there. I got to see Walid he is someone that got baptized while I was in Cedar Rapids.
Then on Saturday Cristen Pope was baptized. It was a great service. Her family is doing well. The mom is becoming more and more active, and she was just called to be the Secretary in the Relief Society Presidency. They are doing great. Now Shane( the Step-Dad) just needs to quit smoking so he can be baptized, and the family can eventually be sealed!
The weather has been relatively nice as well. On Saturday it was 61 degrees! It was super nice. It was in the 50's on Sunday which was nice, but it rained super hard most of the day. The work is going well. It is always interesting getting a new companion. I know this is Christs' Church. I love you all! Have a great week!
-Elder Lords
I attached two pictures. One from Cristens baptism. The other is a picture from a members house. They have a pet pig. She is 225 pounds and lives inside their house. Haha! I am standing inside there kitchen.
Merry Christmas!
December 7, 2015
Hey! I hope that your all doing well. We had a good week this week! Nothing to crazy! We taught a good amount of people. Cristen will be baptized this week! I am really excited for that. Cristen is the Sister of Caitlyn, who was baptized in October. The work is going well. We are just trying to help the missionaries in the Zone to work a little harder,and to give it there all.
This week we will travel about 2 hours to Iowa City. Wednesday we will have Zone Conference with Elder Martino of the 70. Then we will get to go to Cedar Rapids for a few hours on an exchange. Then we will stay the night in Iowa City. Wednesday we will have Mission Leadership Council with Elder Martino. I am really looking forward to that.
We are teaching a really cool guy named Charles. He is from Mississippi. He is doing well. He is very humble we are just struggling to get him to church. Chelsie is another girl we are teaching. She is doing very well also. We are struggling to get her to church as well. I hope you have a great week! Did you check out the new Video? A Savior is Born. Christmas.Mormon.org. Check it out! Love you all!
-Elder Lords
Happy Late Thanksgiving!
November 30, 2015
Hey! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Things are going well. We had a nice Thanksgiving! We got fed a lot! It was a good day! We helped out at a community lunch. Burlington fed right around 2,000 people on Thanksgiving at the High School here. We helped volunteer from 12 to 1:30. It was a great to help serve people. Then we had dinner at a members with Chelsie, one of the ladies we are teaching. It went well. We have been working with Cristen, Caitlyns sister. Caitlyn was baptized in October and now we are working with Cristen. She is 9 years old and is on date to be baptized December 12! We are really excited for her!
This week on Saturday we had interviews. President Jensen interviewed all the missionaries in the Nauvoo Zone. Interviews are always uplifting and inspiring. President will interview a missionary from the companionship, and Sister Jensen talks with the other missionary while the companion is with President Jensen.
This week we will be in Nauvoo on Tuesday for Stake Coordination with President Jensen and President Church, the stake president. Then we will get to go to the temple on Tuesday night. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve as a missionary! The Church released a new Christmas video yesterday! I would encourage everyone to check out the video at christmas.mormon.org. It is a great video. I would also encourage you to share it with everyone. Non-members, Less active members, and even members. I hope you all have a great week! I love you all!
The picture is myself and Dawuan. Dawaun is the ward mission leader in the ward.
Mackenzie was baptized!!
November 23, 2015
What a week! Mackenzie was baptized which was great. It snowed on Friday night and Saturday morning. The snow has already pretty much melted. The work is going good! We are staying busy. Which is great. We will be serving lunch on Thursday to the community. They do a community Thanksgiving dinner at the high school. We will be helping with that and seeing a few investigators on Thanksgiving. A few members have invited us over as well.
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
Destiny and her two children were supposed to get baptized this Saturday. Sadly that will not happen. They will be moving to Texas. It was really sad, but Destiny received a job offer and had to take it. We will refer them to the missionaries in Texas.
Today we will be in Nauvoo for a Zone Preparation day. The missionaries are to far away to all be together on Pday. This week we get special permission, because our zone has been asked to sing a song at Christmas Zone conference for Elder Martino of the 70. Why did they ask us? Haha, I have no idea. So we will practice the song and play some basketball. The temple isn't open on Monday anymore. So we will not attend the temple! All is well! I love you all!
I ,like Captain Moroni in the verse, am very Thankful for a lot of things. To name a few the Gospel. I love being a member of Christs church. I love reading the Book of Mormon, and other scripture. I am grateful for my family! I am grateful for all that they do for me, and have taught me!
Super busy Week!
November 16, 2015
Hello Everyone,
Hello Everyone,
This week was awesome. We taught a few really awesome people. Mackenzie passed her Baptismal interview and will be baptized this week. We are also helping to preparing Destiny, Kourtney, and Amareon to be interviewed this week. They should be baptized this coming Saturday, November 28th. We have been greatly blessed. We are also working hard with Caitlyns step farther and Sister. They are on date to be baptized December 12th. The work is great. On Tuesday we left Burlington at 7 a.m so we could be in Iowa City by 9 a.m for a MLC. MLC was good. We were trained on the new changes to Handbook 1 so that we will be in the loop on whats going on. We then took the information back to the missionaries in the Nauvoo Zone. We had Zone Training Meeting on Wednesday in Nauvoo. After Zone Training meeting we went on Exchanges with the Assistants, Elder Zabriskie and Elder Banta. We saw some cool miracles. We got soaked at one point. It rained hard for a little in Burlington. Wednesday there were high wind warning and storm warnings. We were careful, but we were able to work through the weather. We did get drenched running about a block to the car in a crazy downpour. Ill attach a picture.
We taught a few new people this week. We taught a man named Charles. He is 65 years old. He is and African-American from Mississippi. He is a very humble man. He left the Jehovah Witness church about a year ago. We taught him on Friday night and then again on Saturday. He has a strong desire to do what is right. He is retired and watches a lot of Football haha! He is a great man! We also taught a lady in her 20's. Her name is Chelsie. She is very humble. She desires to do what is right. Her mom got baptized in Davenport, Iowa about a year ago. We are excited to teach her as well. The work is going great here. We stay busy. Its awesome! We are in Macomb, Illinois today for exchanges and Pday. We are planning to go golfing. I am really excited for that.
I had a very cool experience this week. When we taught Charles I just kept feeling the love that our Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ have for Charles and all of us. A scripture kept coming to my mind.
44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity. Moroni 7:44. The greatest commandment is to love God and to love our fellowmen. Charity never faileth. I love you all!
-Elder Lords
Picture of Elder Zabriskie and myself after we got soaked. We were wet to the bone! haha!
Preview attachment Zabriskie and Myself.jp
November 9, 2015
November 9, 2015
Hello Everyone!
Hello Everyone!
Things are going well. We had a good week this week. We have a few people that are progressing towards baptism. We have a family on Date for November 28th; Destiny(Mother), Kourtney(13 year old), and Amareon(10 year old). They are a great family. There biggest hold back is some Word of Wisdom issues. We taught Destiny the Stop Smoking Workshop. She has been doing really good. Her 3rd day of the stop smoking workshop she texted and said "I took one drag of a cigarette, it tasted horrible, and I felt even worse for smoking." She recommitted to keep going with the stop smoking workshop. They are a sweet family.
Mackenzie is doing very well. She is on Date to be baptized November 21st. She is a really smart, and humble 15 year old. She just finished the ENTIRE Book of Mormon. She read it cover to cover in like 34 days! We are really excited for her to be baptized. She was introduced to the Gospel online. She become friends with a boy from Logan, UT who is a member. He talked to her about the church and invited her to read the Book of Mormon. She read Nephi to Mosiah and then got on Mormon.org and referred herself to us. She is really cool. We have been teaching her since between sessions of General Conference.
I love the work here in Burlington. It is one of my busier areas. We have a lot of work to do still. I love it. The ward is smaller, but the work is great. I love to see how the spirit can change people. We met a guy who said that he was angry with God, because he lost his child. He said he was not interested in talking. We testified of the Plan of Salvation and he changed and said "Okay, come back on Sunday". We went back and taught the plan of Salvation to him and his fiancee. They were both in tears the whole time. We set a return appointment for the next Sunday. We went back and they weren't home. Dakota works as a Mechanic and is very busy. We ran into him at his Mothers(she will hopefully be an investigator as well soon) house and he said "Ive been thinking about you guys come back by sometime." We went back and he said that he kept feeling like we should come back, and that he kept being reminded of us. The spirit worked on him and he completely changed! It was super cool to see. The Holy Ghost is so important in missionary work. I hope you all have a great week. I love you all!
-Elder Lords
Caitlyn was Baptized!!
November 2, 2015
Hey Everyone,
Hope that you all had a good week. We had a great week! Caitlyn was baptized on Halloween so that was fun. We had to be in early Friday night and Saturday night. I hate being stuck in the apartment. We did some deep cleaning and I cut my hair so it wasn't to bad. Caitlyns parents are divorced and we had to get permission from her Dad for her to be baptized. She took the permission slip to him and he said "Why do you want to get baptized? That is weird!"Caitlyn responded and said "So I can come closer to God, and return to live with him in the Celestial Kingdom." Her Dad couldn't argue that so he gave her permission.
We received our transfer calls on Saturday. Elder Todd and myself will be staying here in Burlington for another 6 weeks! It should be good. We have a few of people who are preparing to be baptized. Heavenly Father is defiantly helping us to find people to teach! On Friday we got to go to the temple because someone Elder Todd taught was going through to recieve her endowments. It was nice to be in the temple twice this week. We can't always do that, but we are so close and President Jensen always approves people to go to the temple if it is for someone that we have taught.
2 Nephi 31:20 Press forward feasting upon the words of Christ, and we can have eternal life. That is paraphrased of course, but I really like that scripture. Heavenly Father promises blessings as we obey. If we endure then we will return to live with God. Love you all!
-Elder Lords
Pictures: The home made egg rolls I made on Friday when we had to be in at 6:30 and Caitlyn's baptism.
Im in Nauvoo!!
October 26, 2015
Hello Everyone,
Hello Everyone,
Things are going great! We had a fantastic week! The work is going well. Caitlyn is scheduled to be baptized this Saturday! She is doing well. She has her baptismal interview tonight and she will be baptized on Saturday! Just some back ground. She is 15 years old and she is a part member family. Her Mom is a member. We had the craziest week haha. I can't even explain it.... We met a lot of crazy people, and saw a lot of success. It was a good week.
Today we woke up at 5:45 so we could make it to the 8 a.m temple session here in Nauvoo. I love the temple. I have been studying a few things religiously in my studies this week! I could not find an answer. I was siting in the temple and a thought came to my mind to read chapter 42 of alma. I found the answer to a question I had had for a week or more. It was a cool experience. Take your questions to the temple. Whether they are doctrinal, personal, or whatever! You will receive help and guidance.
We conducted a baptismal interview in Macomb, Illinois this Thursday. On the way back from Macomb we recieved permission from President Jensen to stop in Carthage, Illinois to see Carthage jail. It was a very cool experience. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that through him Jesus Christ restored his church.
I hope you all are doing well. We have been running to a lot of people who believe they can continue in sin that grace will abound. I really enjoyed this scripture.
22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth thelaw, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:22
I love you all!
-Elder Lords
What a Week!
October 19, 2015
Hey Everyone,
Hey Everyone,
This week has been a good week! We had stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday! The stake building is in Nauvoo so I was in Nauvoo again on Saturday. We went to the broadcast at our building here in Burlington on Sunday so we could welcome members and investigators. Mackenzie came to church and is doing pretty well. Her baptismal date is November 21st. We also started teaching a family of 3. Destiny(Mother), Courtney(13 year old daughter), and Amareon(10 year old son). Amareon was the only person in his family to come to church. It was cool to see him setting the example when he could have stayed home and hung out or been out with friends. Next week the rest of the family is planning to come to church.
Caitlyn is on date to be baptized October 31st. She is great! We will be seeing her tomorrow! The missionary life can have its ups and downs, but all in all things are going great! This week we will be interviewing someone for baptism in Macomb, Illinois. Macomb is about an hour from Burlington. We have to drive a lot in this zone because the missionaries are all pretty far away. Hope all is well. The church is true. Remember to do the little things. C-P-R(Church.Pray.Read) IF you do the little things life goes more smooth. It is not perfect, but we have Heavenly Fathers help through the spirit during our trials. I know Heavenly Father is there for us! I love you all! have a good week!
-Elder Lords
Nashville Tribute to Jesus Christ
October 12, 2015
Hey Everyone. this week was a great week. So many cool things happened. We taught a lot of people which was great. This week flew by. I am currently in Macomb, Illinois. Its about an hour from Burlington. We are here on exchanges with the missionaries here. We get to go golfing today for free because a member owns a golf course here in there ward. We are super excited.
On Thursday President Jensen went out with us teaching. It is called Specialized Training. It is super fun when he comes out with us. We had a really good lesson with a sweet Part-Member family. They are great! Caitlyn is the daughters name. She will be getting baptized on November 1st. We are really excited for her. Her step Dad and Sister will hopefully follow in her steps. They enjoy meeting with us, but are supper busy.
On Saturday we got to go to the Nauvoo temple and to the Nashville Tribute Band concert in Nauvoo. It was a great experience. The band had some really cool songs. The Album was called Redeemer. You should all check it out. We were sitting by President Jensen. I am not sure if he liked there music to much haha. All in all we had a great week. We were blessed to see a lot of success this week. Probably one of the best weeks Ive had on my mission. I will attach some pictures from the temple and other activities this week. I want to share the scripture I have been ponderizing.
60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will notsupport his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.
Alma 30:60
I hope that you all have a great week! I love you!
-Elder Lords
Conference was a treat!
October 5, 2015
Hello Everyone, Things are going great. It was fun to watch conference the weekend flew by. We had a great week. It was cool to see Elder Renlund being called because he is coming to our mission October 21st to do a mission tour. Just like Elder Cardon of the 70 came last year Elder Renlund was planning to come. Hopefully he will come still.
Hello Everyone, Things are going great. It was fun to watch conference the weekend flew by. We had a great week. It was cool to see Elder Renlund being called because he is coming to our mission October 21st to do a mission tour. Just like Elder Cardon of the 70 came last year Elder Renlund was planning to come. Hopefully he will come still.
This week we saw a really cool miracle. We got a media Referral that is actually interested. Often times we get referrals that aren't interested or they think its weird someone gave us there phone number and address. This week we got a referral for a 15 year old girl named Mackinzie she is super cool. We taught her Saturday afternoon and she watched the remaining 3 sessions of conference. One on her own and 2 on Sunday at the Church. She has also read 140 pages of the Book of Mormon in 6 days. She has a friend she met from Utah on a online video game. He sent her a Book of Mormon and had her refer herself to the missionaries. It was sweet! It was a huge blessing. We also have been working with a great Part Member family. We are hoping to help the Father Shane and the Two daughter, Caitlyn and Cristen get baptized this month.
All in all it has been a great week. This upcoming week will be great. We will have a lot of time to proselyte which will be good because last week we only had one full day in our area. We had meetings Tuesday, Thursday,Saturday, and Sunday. We only had one full day of work, but this week we will only be out of our area for a day on exchanges in Illinois. My favorite talk was Elder Hales talk from the Saturday Afternoon session. Have a good week! Love you all!
-Elder Lords
Getting Transferred!
September 21, 2015
Hello Everyone,
Hello Everyone,
I got the call this morning from President Jensen that I will be getting transferred. I am sad to go, but also excited for the things to come. I always like going to new areas. I kind of like the change of a new place. The worst part is packing haha. We will go to transfer meeting on Thursday, and I will find out my new companion and area.
This week was a pretty good week. We were able to teach a few people and talk to quite a few people. I really enjoy bearing my testimony to people when they are trying to tell us the church is false or other anti-Mormon literature. It is really cool to feel the spirit working through you. Preach My Gospel talks about "What is a successful missionary" in chapter one. It talks about how your successful when you invite someone or when you feel the spirit working through you. It says a few other things too, but I don't have time to quote it exactly haha! If you want to look it up its in chapter 1.
This week we had a really cool experience with Nancy and Claude. We were teaching Claude and Nancy the 3rd lesson, The Gospel of Jesus Christ. We always leave Claude a pamphlet and he reads it before we come back and has questions. Up to this point they were pretty skeptical of being baptized. About half way through the lesson Claude said to the translator, Brother Dawson a member of our ward who speaks french, that the other pamphlets didn't speak to him like this one did. He said the Gospel of Christ pamphlet really spoke to him and that he would pray more sincerely about getting baptized. It was a cool lesson. The spirit really softened his heart. Even in Africa where they are from, bad things are said about the Church. I shared this scripture from the Bible because I believe it is so true as to why people say bad things about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints: John 15:18-19
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
That scripture really summarizes to me why people often say bad things about the Church. Because we aren't of the world. I am so grateful that we get to listen to the Prophet and other General Authorities of the Church in 2 weeks. Have a great week! I love you all!
-Elder Lords
Good Week
September 14, 2015
Hey Everyone, This week was a good week. We were able to teach quite a few lessons which was good. We found a few new investigators. One of the highlights was Sarah and Josh our 2 of our new investigators. We had a few good lessons with our investigator Franck. Franck is a sweet 17 year old. He moved here from the Congo in Africa. He is very smart. His english is getting very good. He has only been here for about 10 months. He has taught me a few French phrases. He seems to be doing well. We just need to get him to church so he can be baptized. It has been pretty tough to get investigators to church. The church isn't extremely far, but its about 20 minutes from our area and so its been a little difficult to get people to church. We are still working hard to help them come to church so they can be baptized. Transfers are coming up this next week and ill find out next Monday in the morning if im getting transferred. I am super excited for General Conference here in a few weeks. I always love conference. I always hear or learn something that I need or someone that i am teaching needs. If you have questions, watch conference and your concern will be addressed. I know that this is Christs' Church. I am so grateful for the Church and the atonement of Christ. Each day of my mission I learn more of my flaws. Missions are very humbling and it really has helped me grow. The chruch is true. These scriptures are some of the verses I read this morning in my studies and its kind of the way I have felt. I just wish people all wanted to learn. Haha, but we all of the gift of agency. I love you all have a good week!
Hey Everyone, This week was a good week. We were able to teach quite a few lessons which was good. We found a few new investigators. One of the highlights was Sarah and Josh our 2 of our new investigators. We had a few good lessons with our investigator Franck. Franck is a sweet 17 year old. He moved here from the Congo in Africa. He is very smart. His english is getting very good. He has only been here for about 10 months. He has taught me a few French phrases. He seems to be doing well. We just need to get him to church so he can be baptized. It has been pretty tough to get investigators to church. The church isn't extremely far, but its about 20 minutes from our area and so its been a little difficult to get people to church. We are still working hard to help them come to church so they can be baptized. Transfers are coming up this next week and ill find out next Monday in the morning if im getting transferred. I am super excited for General Conference here in a few weeks. I always love conference. I always hear or learn something that I need or someone that i am teaching needs. If you have questions, watch conference and your concern will be addressed. I know that this is Christs' Church. I am so grateful for the Church and the atonement of Christ. Each day of my mission I learn more of my flaws. Missions are very humbling and it really has helped me grow. The chruch is true. These scriptures are some of the verses I read this morning in my studies and its kind of the way I have felt. I just wish people all wanted to learn. Haha, but we all of the gift of agency. I love you all have a good week!
8 And it came to pass that when Alma (Elder Lords) had come to the city of Ammonihah (North Liberty) he began to preach the word of God unto them.
9 Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto the words of Alma.
10 Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit,wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.
11 Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him: Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art high priest over the church which thou hast established in many parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.
12 And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.
13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron.
14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:
15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.
-Elder Lords
Happy Labor Day!
September 8, 2015
Hello Everyone,
Hello Everyone,
We did not get to email yesterday because the library is closed for Labor Day. This week we had an okay week. The only investigator that came to church was Jamal. He brought a friend with him to church though so that was cool. Nancy and Claude were planing to come the church, but there lawyer called them Sunday morning and wanted them to meet and sign some papers. Nancy is having a baby in October and she is trying to get insurance before then. So they weren't able to come to church. Nancy and Claude are both from the Congo. They are some of my favorite people to teach! They are very smart. The hardest part is that Claude doesn't speak much English. I have tried learning little lines in french for him. He seems to like that.
Last night we had a cool experience. We met a young couple, Josh and Sarah. They have a 14 month old baby. They let us in because Sarah new a member of our Ward and he was a good example and nice to her in high school so she wanted to learn what makes him a good person. The example that we set is so important as members of Christs true chruch. I hope that I can be a better example and represent Jesus Christ and his Church better. I love you all! Have a good week!
-Elder Lords
Traveled back to Des Moines
August 31, 2015
Hey everyone,
Hey everyone,
I hope that all is going well. This week was a pretty good week. The high light was traveling to Des Moines for a baptism. Sylvia was baptized this Saturday. I taught her when she was first taught in Des Moines. She asked that I baptize her so I was able to travel to her baptism in Des Moines. She is a great lady. I will attach a picture.
This week we will be working with a few people. A few of my favorite our Nancy and Claude they are doctors from Congo. They went to China to do some of there schooling and now they are here in Iowa. They are some of my favorite people to teach they think very deeply and they will often come upon answers without relying on us. Which is great because then they can learn so much on there own. We are also working hard to help Jamal progress. We are not sure how to help him prepare to be baptized, but we trust that Heavenly Father will help us prepare him. Football session starts this week and man do Iowans love their football so this weekend could be tough proselyting with the Iowa Hawkeyes playing. I hope everyone has a great week. Love you all!
-Elder Lords
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