Lots of Miracles this week

Hey there! How goes it?

 

Over here in good ol' Searcy things are rockin and rollin! This last week was all really good except for saturday. Saturday was not fun. But ill tell ya more about that later.

 

Last tuesday after specialized training we went on exchanges with the Batesville elders. Elder Hoggan stayed in Searcy with me. It was pretty sweet. At the beginning of the exchange we were going to visit some investigators when I had a very subtle prompting to go to this former investigators house across town. So we did, his name is Justin, he is a baptist music minister and a hard core steelers fan. Despite that he is pretty cool! He took us back into his studio for the lesson and before we could get started he hopped on his keyboard and started singing some  "soul power" tunes to us. It was kind of awkward but funny at the same time. We had a throw down lesson with him about the BOM. He was not keeping his commitments to read. So we got a little bold with him and helped him understand the importance of it. He committed to read the Book of Mormon in 30 days! It was sweet. The exchange was great.  I love being able to work with missionaries in my zone.

 

So we were planning on having a baptism this Saturday. President Petersen drove down sat. morning to interview them. The interview went well and they both passed! We just need to get them married first So we ended up having to cancel the baptism. It was depressing stuff. They are getting married this next week though so we resheduled the baptism for next friday.

 

We are also having a baptism for our investigator Cassie for next sunday. Cassie is legit! So one of my favorite things about missionary life is the whole setting goals deal. In a mission we set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. Its fun getting competitive with it! Elder Soelberg and I set a zone baptismal goal this month that we have been working like crazy to achieve. Things were looking rough at first but some crazy miracles have happened that have helped this past week in our zone! I will tell you one. A guy named John just moved into an area in our zone. He had already been to church once and wants to be baptized! He is very elect and prepared! He moved from Arizona and he was introduced to the Gospel by Monty Sherwood! I dont know who that is but thats pretty awesome! The Sherwoods were an answer to my prayers once again!

 

Other crazy miracles have been happening in the areas of the zone and things are looking great! One last story: Last night Elder Soelberg and I had an hour left on the day and we had no idea what to do. We tried everything in our planner and we were out of ideas. So we decided to do that whole praying thing thats such a fad in missionary work. After we said a prayer I opened the planner and looked at our weekly goals. We were one short of reaching our member present lesson goal for the week! So we tried to think of a part member family we could see. One came to my mind that we have tried to contact before but it never worked. So we went over there at 8 30 pm and they let us in! Its one of the nicest families I have ever met. The mom is a member is is the ward mission leaders daughter and she has not been to church in years. The dad is not a member. We talked and taught and had a great lesson! We told them that we were prompted by the spirit of the Lord to come to their house. The spirit was so evident! We are now going to teach them again next tuesday night! Prayer works! I have learned and can testify that in my experience its always the smallest most subtle promptings that bring mighty miracles.

 

 Anyways I love you family. Thanks for all your support. Thanks trevor and truse for the jerky and letters and the sexy pen. Thanks grandma and grandpa for your awesome letters. They meant a lot! Let me know how Kylie is doing! 



The gospel of Jesus Christ is comforting during trying times.

Hey family! Sorry I am so late to email today. Elder Soelberg and I went up to North Little Rock and played basketball with President Petersen and 10 other missionaries. It was sweet!

So I don't have that much time to write. If I was going to talk about all the tender mercies Elder Soelberg and i have experienced this letter would be to long anyway. I have seen miracles this week.

On tuesday we had zone meeting and it went well. We have 40 missionaries in our zone! Its twice as big as the last zone I was over. It goes from Searcy all the way up to the Missouri line! So we had some traveling to do this week.

On tuesday we went on exchanges with the Assistants on tuesday and it was awesome. Elder Armstrong stayed in Searcy with me and we had some fun! We had a lesson with a girl where we read 2 Nephi 31 and invited her to be baptized. She said she has been waiting to for a long time and she was ready! The only problem was she was living with her boyfriend who is a member but they are getting marrried by Bishop this thursday now and getting baptized on the 25th!!

David got baptized this last saturday. It was so awesome. He even shaved his scruffly beard for the baptism! This is the guy I was telling you about that has a house full of guns and explosives. He is awesome though.

Thursday was a challenge but the Lord saw fit to bless us with a miracle. There has been a lot of challenges with getting some of our investigators baptized. We have been working with some them for a couple months now and obstacles/satan keeps rearing its ugly head. Thursday night though we went over for dinner and they told us they were going to get baptized on the 18th!! No matter what! The spirit confirmed their decision that night and they both looked so happy. she had tears in her eyes when she looked at me and asked if I would baptize her. Its unbelievable how involved the Lord is in our lives.

Wednesday night I was on exchanges with an Elder that was struggling and it was great. We talked for a long time that night about the power of the atonement. I know its infinite and all-encompassing. I know that the grace and mercy of our Savior is over all his children. I know that through it the plan of salvation is able to work its course. I have found so much comfort in the Book of Mormon this week as a I have studied the Plan of Salvation. I am so grateful for this gospel. I am grateful for the comfort it provides during trying time. I know and can testify of the Power of the Holy Ghost. It is the comforter (John 14:26) and is there to ease the pains of our soul when we call out to our father in humble prayer. I love Uncle Bobby and Aunt Marcie.  I am writing a letter to them today.  I am grateful for the family unit! Especially mine! I love you all. I pray for you by name daily. Thank you for everything you do.

Missionary life is so rewarding!



BUENOS DIAS MI FAMILIA!!

So little Behi is in the MTC eh? Thats crazy!! Let me know how she is doing!

Is Christie really having a boy?!! Awesome! Man I can't wait to be his favorite uncle. I can't believe Macy is coming down South. She is going to love it!

So anyways we had transfers this last week. Chris Cooksey came with us to the transfer meeting! He loved meeting all the new missionaries. Well Elder Spencer is off in Morrilton now. He is a good missionary. So I picked up Elder Soelberg!! He is the man. He is from Farmington Utah. He went to Snow college for a year. We are already pretty good friends. I know why too. He has the same personality as Shawn Lindsey! So ya he is hilarious. Speaking of which how is Shawn. I miss that guy so much. So ya Elder Soelberg was here for 7 months at the beginning of his mission. He trained my trainer. Now we are both here and I am really excited to see what happens this next transfer meeting.

So on thursday, the day after transfers, we had to go back to North Little Rock to go to Mission Council which is just like a leadership meeting. There we set our mission baptismal goal for the month and year.Those are always the best meetings. I could listen to President Petersen talk all day on the atonement. He is a boss!

But ya this week has been good. We set a date for David Carmichael to get baptized this saturday. The only thing that would keep him from doing this is his poor health. But we gave him a blessing and i'm confident that things will work out. We also are trying to get Brando and Sierra baptized this weekend! O ya! So we taught that family I was telling you about the Gomez's. I love those people. We taught them the restoration last night and it went well! i am excited to see how they progress.

Yesterday was probably the best fast and testimony meeting I have ever been too. It was awesome! Chris got up and bore his testimony!! It completely took me off guard. He bore such a powerful testimony of the power of the book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong.

So Bishop just barely told me how, since we have some general authorities coming to stake conference. So Chris He already has a calling as the guy who is in charge of cleaning the building, he has his own set of keys to the church, and we are already giving him families to hometeach! So he is pretty much a member. And Jessica is doing great too! She got a calling as a secretary in the Young womens! She loves it but she is really nervous about it all. Man things are going so good.

We have zone meeting this tuesday and then we are going to exchanges with the AP's. The next day we are doing exchanges with the Pocahontas elders. (yes that is the name of one of our areas) So ya I am excited! Anyways family I just want to let you know I love and miss ya! I pray for you by name daily and I know you do the same because I can feel it. Thank you for your prayers, patience, and packages!