92 baptisms!

Hey Fam!

Sorry I didn't write on monday, its transfer week so it gets super busy. This last week was pretty packed with meetings and and long drives and all that stuff! So I have some great news! Remember when I told you about the goal we had in November of 100 baptisms and 100 reactivations? Well we ended the month with 92 baptisms and 234 reactivations! We didn't reach our goal for baptisms but we got 92! Thats a new mission record! The most we ever got in a month before that is 73. Its pretty exciting stuff. 

Tuesday morning we dropped all 21 departing missionaries off at the airport. It was weird because it was all the sisters that came out with me. Everytime we drop off missionaries at the airport it makes me appreciate the time I have left on my mission even more. The best part about transfer week is picking up the new missionaries though! We got an awesome group that just come out! They got the greenie fire in them like no other! The mission is doing great.

We had a few thanksgiving meals with members this last week and it was awesome! The Burrups in the Little Rock ward fed us and instead of dropping the pie this time I decided to eat it. 

I have realized, especially this last week how easy it is to be ungrateful or to take things for granted. I think sometimes all we can see with our natural eyes is all the things we don't have, or haven't gotten yet, or have lost. Something that I am terrible at is recognizing Gods hand in my life and being more grateful for it. When I make the effort to look at my life through spiritual eyes its a really humbling experience because its makes me realize how many tender mercies are in my life that I would be in a lot of trouble without. The longer I have been out on my mission the more I have realized the importance of a mother. Mom I am so grateful for all that you have done for me. I know I say that all the time but I know that I will never be able to repay you for all that you have done for me. And even if I tried too you would take the money and try to buy me something with it. I am just grateful for your selflessness and your faith. I love you mom! Have a good week!



Hey Mom and Dad!

 

So It has been a week for the ages here in the ALRM. Things are going really well! This last week has been really busy because we had the specialized training meetings in each of the zones. Elder Daley and I taught about the importance of the Book of Mormon and how we can more effectively get our investigators to read it on our own. As far as I can recollect, I have never been dropped by an investigator that was reading the Book of Mormon sincerely. Like PMG says its the springboard to testimony and personal revelation. We have an investigator family right now who  has been reading everyday and you can easily see the difference it makes in their family relationships! That family came to church last Sunday and they are on date for the 6th of December.

The reason I wrote so late today is because we took all the departing missionaries to the temple a week early since it was going to be closed on transfers. All the sisters that came out with me are going home which is pretty insane. Things are going great here! I love putting on the tag everyday and dread the day when I don't get to anymore. 

I hate to hear that Mom has to go through all of that. I don't think there is a lot of people that could with that kind of attitude. I am so grateful for her example. I am grateful to be able to say like the sons of Helaman that I do not doubt my mother knows it. I am grateful for the testimony she shares by her example. I hope y'all know you are in my prayers and I am really grateful for the package you sent! Kate thanks for writing me a letter. I will write you back soon. 

Elder Udall

lots of success!

Whats up Dad,

Sounds like Ryan hasn't changed much. He still has too much pain tolerance and not enough sense! That's pretty sweet what he did in the game though. That's funny that Kate gets into volleyball like that! She is a miniature Kylie. 

Things are going so good over here. Miracles have been happening all over this mission! Its great to see. Yesterday Elder Daley and I baptized Mark Green. He is awesome! We had been working with him for a while and he has come a long way. He had his family at the baptism so now we are working on them. We have been pretty blessed to find some honest and sincere people these last couple of weeks. We taught a couple just last night who were completely ready to accept the message of the restoration. One of the most important things to do as a missionary is answer peoples "question of the soul" through the Book of Mormon to help them gain a testimony of it and in that lesson we had that opportunity a few times!

This week is going to be crazy busy because we have specialized trainings in each zone, which means a lot of driving and public speaking and neither are really my cup of tea. But I'm pretty excited for this one because we are going to be focusing on The Book of Mormon and how we can use it more effectively. It should be a whale of a time!

I am really grateful for all that yall do for me. I am especially grateful to be born of goodly parents! On a mission you get the chance to do a lot of observing so you can see what makes a successful family. The formula is proven time after time! When families are focusing their lives on the Gospel they are happy even when the rains come down and the floods come up. In fact its through the rains and the floods that spiritual strength is obtained. One of my favorite quotes is from President Monson "Our purpose is to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and shadow." The family is the unit that makes that all possible and enjoyable. Thanks for all your support!

Mom

I bet you can pull of having no hair way better than dad can! ha ha Mom I seriously love you and am so grateful for you though. 

He will go before our face and be on our right hand and our left

Man that is crazy! I bet it killed Ryan to not be able to play in his game. Do you know how long it will take to heal?

This last week has been pretty crazy. Elder Daley and I have met with President Wakolo to go over the transfer board 3 times over the past week. We usually don't start on this stuff so early but this next transfer is going to be a nasa trip from outer space. We have over 20 missionaries going home on December 2nd and only 10 coming out and then we have about 17 more going home on December 16th, they are going home early for school and all that. So basically we have to close 12 areas next transfer. Its going to be a roller coaster so we are getting all strapped in now.

One thing that I have really tried to become better at lately is recognizing and following the promptings of the spirit. That has been one of the main focus's of my studies and prayers. The inspiration came from reading up on President Monson and all the stories about how he has received and acted on spiritual promptings that ended up being answers to peoples prayer. Anyways the other night Elder Daley and I were going to an appointment with an investigator and they were not home. It was pretty dark outside and the neighborhood we were in was not exactly the nicest part of town but we heard down the street someone sweeping their porch. The most subtle thought came to my mind that we should go talk to that person and so we did. It was actually 2 people, a married couple. The wife was sweeping the porch and so we went up and started talking to them and immediately began teaching. We told them we had a message and asked if we could come in and share it with them and they let us. They let us in and there is a whole batch of kids in the house! The mom told us she just had a baby a week ago! So we taught them the restoration and really focused on families throughout it all and it was awesome. They were an answer to our prayers because we have been praying to be led to a family that's ready for the message. There is no way I can ever deny how much Heavenly father is involved in our lives. He will go before our face and will be on our right hand and

on our left. Its our job though to remain worthy and ask, seek, and knock.

Last night we were at Presidents and we told him about the saltine cracker challenge. He said he could do it easy and so we put his Fijian confidence to the test. Elder Daley and I and the whole Wakolo family tried it, even Sister Wakolo. It was the most hilarious thing. I will send you the video! 

 



The temporary stumbling blocks of life are easily turned into stepping stones in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Hey Kinfolk!

I cant believe its already playoff time for Ryan! Man that is exciting! It sounds like Kate is tearing it up in volleyball too!

This week went just great. We had our mission leadership council meeting last thursday which is always a whale of a time. Those meetings are some of the most spiritual on the mission. Our mission has a goal of 100 baptisms and reactivations in this month of November and everyone is really excited about it. This last weekend we got 21 baptisms so we are right on track!

Last Tuesday Elder Daley and I went on exchanges with a trainer and a new missionary. I took the new missionary, Elder Heidinger, with me to Little Rock. He is from Canada! Anwyays he just came out 2 weeks ago and hadn't had the opportunity to invite someone to be baptized yet so that I wanted really bad to give him that chance on our exchange. I told him that before he switched back he has to invite someone to be baptized and he seemed pretty nervous about it. I didn't know who he was going to invite but before and after every appointment we would pray and ask for someone to be put in our path that we could invite. That night we went to go see a newly contacted investigator named Robert with a member.  We taught him the Plan of Salvation and towards the end of the lesson Elder Heidinger was able to invite him and he accepted! It was awesome. One thing I will never be able to deny is the Lords love for us and his desire to bless us. If you work for a miracles like it all depends on you and then pray for a miracle like at all depends on the Lord, they will come!

Elder Daley is doing really good! He is awesome to serve with and has taught me a lot.

Everything is going good over here. There has been some disappointments but the temporary stumbling blocks of life are easily turned into stepping stones in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "The trials that seem for a moment to overcome us with suffering, will be the very experiences in the end that suffer us to overcome." I know that to be true!

Mom I love you and am grateful for your example of Faith! When it comes to having faith you are the most athletic person I know! Thanks for all that you do for your children. 

See People as the can become!!

Hey Fam!

So I just wrote a couple of days ago and not a lot has changed but I did have some good experiences I would like to share! So like I said last letter transfers was this week and it was pretty hectic as always but everything ended up working out great! We have 202 missionaries in our mission right now. Which is a lot! Next transfer we are looking to decrease by 20 though.

 

Elder Daley and I got some time to spend in our area the last couple days of this week which was great! On Friday evening we went to the Phillips family home. They are some new investigators we found not too long ago. This was really the first time we have got to sit down and teach them though so we taught them the restoration! It was pretty insane how strongly the spirit was there. I really felt like I was given everything I needed to say. At the end of the lesson they were asking really good questions and then one of the older daughters named Carnesha asked the best question of them all, "Do yall do baptisms at your church." Well if that's not music to the ears I don't know what is! We were pretty quick to invite them all to be baptized and they all accepted a baptismal date for the 22nd of November! At the end of the lesson the Mom was just explain how for a long time she was feeling really frustrated and negative towards her life but that when we came into the home we brought with us positive vibes and she wanted to have that in her life. We explained that those positive vibes were the spirit!

I have talked about in the past how when you are teaching a lesson on a mission sometimes you will just feel an extreme anxiety and desire for the people you are teaching to know this is true! You just realize it would change their whole lives and make their lives meaningful. That's how I felt as I was teaching this family. One of the biggest blessing of being a missionary is that the Lord really allows you to see people as they can become. We would treat our family and friends and strangers so differently if we knew who they were destined to become. Heck we would treat ourselves so differently if we really knew our identity and our destiny.

 

Mom and Dad I just want to let you know how grateful I am for you treating me in this way.

Things are going good here in little Rock. I have been here for about 9 months now......still only 2 areas my whole mission! I like it that way though!

Thanks for all that yall do for me!



Busy Week!

Hey Mom!

It sounds like ryans team is really tearing it up! I bet he is excited for playoff time. 

This week was a  wild one but it was pretty fun. We had specialized training meeting tuesday through friday at all the zones around the mission. Elder Daley and I taught about the principle of sacrifice. At the beginning of out instruction we called all the district leaders to come up and I would explain to them their task which was to get the shoes of all the missionaries in their district and bring them up to me. The catch was they couldn't tell the missionaries why they were getting the shoes, all they could do is ask for them. Whoever got all their shoes and brought them back to me first won a piece of candy for their whole district. After that little game we would identify the principles of sacrifice from it and there was a lot to learn! I like teaching at these meetings because I end up learning a lot more. 

After the meeting we finished the transfer board items on Saturday. Monday started the transfer week! We drove to memphis for the departing missionary temple trip. We then picked up the new missionaries tuesday afternoon. Did you talk to Sister Garcias mom? We picked her up too. She is serving in Southaven Mississippi right now.

 

Anyways, the real doozie of this whole transfer week is that Elder Daley and I made the trip to Memphis and back (3 hour drive) 3 times in 3 days! Once on monday with the temple trip, then we went back to memphis tuesday night and stayed at President Floyds house, then at 6 in the morning we took missionaries getting transferred to Little Rock over there, then we took the missionaries going to Memphis back over there, and then we went back to Little Rock. Long day! Transfer week is always fun though because you get to see mission buddies you haven't seen in a minute.

Things are going really well over here. Its busy but its fulfilling. I am convinced the only way you can truly be happy in this life is when you are not trying to make yourself happy. True joy comes from serving others. On this mission I have never been more tired in my life and at times I have never felt so inadequate but its easy to find joy when your focus is on lifting another.  

Sorry I didn't have time to write on monday mom but I hope ya know I love ya! Thank you for all that you do!