Fantastic Investigator! (Week # 76)

June 1, 2020

Things are going pretty good. I'm doing well. I only have six months left, and I want to work harder than ever before. I feel more confident now. 

We have two people we're teaching that do not have a baptismal date but they are very close to having one. One of the guys we're teaching, a referral from our mission president, is just fantastic. He actually asks us for things to do so that he can become member of the church. He's very proactive and he's kept almost all of the commitments we've given him including coming to a Sacrament meeting which was one that we planned at our ward mission leader's house. When we've taught him, he brings a notebook and he even takes notes. I have never had experiences with anyone that does that. We've only taught him three lessons though so far so we'll see how long he lasts. 

Sightseeing and Haircut (Week # 73)

May 11, 2020

Individual Family Mission Plans (Week # 75)

May 25, 2020

Is there a hurricane in the gulf? I have been hearing that there is a hurricane called Arthur.  Is it affecting you? I have been pretty busy. The pandemic doesn't really slow anything down in Arkansas. Sacrament meetings are projected to resume in the next two weeks in Arkansas according to our mission president. I'm actually pretty excited about this because my companion and I are getting a good rythym going finally. Yesterday, I was wiped out. We're trying to encourage ward members to develop their own individual family mission plans but we're not sure how to do that effectively. Our ward mission leader thinks that it is a good idea, but as we've been trying to figure how to help the members to this end, we're discovering that this idea rests very largely on the desire and initiative of the families and in addition each family is very different. The thing is that we have a good ward mission plan, but it doesn't really have any action items on it that families can do to do missionary work, so that is why we're trying to encourage the family mission plans. We have another really cool person that we are teaching now. He is actually very promising. We shall see! Love you all!

Teaching the Gospel to Brayden (Week # 74)

May 18, 2020

Keep Me in Your Prayers (Week # 71)

May 4, 2020

I am doing as great as I can be. This transfer is off to a good start. We will continue to pray hard for missionary opportunities. My companion is awesome. What I like about him is that he wants to work and be exactly obedient. Please keep me in your prayers. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission. I love you all!

Alma, Arkansas (Week # 70)

April 27 2020

While in the Pandemic... (Week # 69)

April 20, 2020

I am faring well through the virus epidemic. It is not so much the epidemic itself as missing opportunities that come with it that discourage me at times. But with what good that I can see and do, I have seen progress and the support of God in my life. I have also seen changes within myself to a certain extent though they have been minute and gradual. Most of the growth that takes place in me is unnoticeable, and it will probably be like that for several years even after I finish my mission. It is by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass 

I am looking forward to receiving a new companion. I think this will be my ninth or tenth companion. I'm getting close to double digits now. For areas though, that's a different story. That's fine with me because I do not like being in big cities and Arkansas has not cracked down on staying home- yet. Hopefully the peak of the virus will come soon. 

We are getting several outdoor service opportunities though, so I am looking forward to that. We are starting up various different tech methods to do missionary work. In my opinion, using the tech might actually allow us to teach more people than before. I think that it would be fantastic to do several short 15 to 20 minute lessons every day with people being taught and families or really anyone in the pool. It might be easier to get in contact with certain people too. There is opportunity for sure. I am afraid of missing opportunities or forgetting about what is possible. I just want to choose the right no matter what and be comfortable with myself too. This will be a time to actually do constructive, useful introspection versus simply turning inward and shutting down like I usually do. I know everything is going to be okay.

Serving Others (Week # 68)

April 13, 2020

I am doing good. The virus has made things a little stressful for missionary work some days, but we've always been able to find something meaningful to do everyday so far. As long as we keep doing our best, I think that more opportunities will arise even with the virus limiting us from going outside as much. Luckily, Arkansas is one of the few states that hasn't put a stay at home order, so we're still able to do service outside for others such as lawn work and washing cars. We can still teach using digital means such as facebook messenger. We are trying to do a mission Prep class, Come Follow Me lessons, and we are calling members in the ward every night to stay in touch with them and to offer our services. As long as we don't lose sight of our purpose, and maintain our hope in Christ, I think that we'll do okay. I am grateful for the opportunities that have come, I am grateful to the Lord that I can still serve Him as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints which is His church. Love you all!