WOW What a week!

Hello,

This week was really good for us, we talked to more people than we did last week and we found a couple of really good investigators that have a lot of potential. We are super excited to work with them and help them come closer to Christ. Last night we were stopped by to see if we could talk with them for a few minutes and we ended up listening to stories of events that happened in their life that has prepared them to receive the gospel. We didn't have to say much but what was said was exactly what they needed and we could feel the trust that they have towards us now. The Lord is preparing people in a number of different ways, we just have to be sensitive to the spirit to know how to help.

This week we also did some service as part of Make a difference day. It was mostly helping people that had their homes burnt or their property burnt and helping them with the things that would take too long for them to do on their own. My companion and I helped dig out wooden fence posts that were left in the ground and then we put in new ones so they could rebuild their riding arena. It was pretty neat to see the community get together to help others. There were about 200 people there as part of the relief effort.

Thanks for all that you do and hope you have a great week!

--Elder Young--

Miracles come after lots of training

Hey everybody!

This week was pretty good for us. We had a couple of training meetings and then we also had interviews with our mission president. It really helped us to focus on the basics and talking with everyone. After all of our training meetings we were able to find 2 new investigators and they seem like they have really good potential because they actually do what they commit themselves to do. In the mission that is a rarity and a huge blessing. We hope to see great things come from them in these coming weeks as we continue to work with them towards the commitment of baptism. 

At our interviews president talked a lot about our desire and how that affects our work. It made me realize that we can't just say that we have a desire to do the work but we actually have to do it and do it with everything that we have. It made me think about how it would be the same for the celetial kingdom. We can't just say that we have been good but we actually have to do it and do it with full purpose of heart. I love the examples in the scriptures because of the missionaries in the scriptures do everything with such energy and zeal that its a great example for us to do our very best each and every day.

Sorry the letters are getting shorter. I'm kind of getting burnt out on writing letters. Its still hard to believe that I'm coming up on my last transfer. October is almost over already which is insane! Hope you have a great week!

--Elder Young--

New Greenie in Brewster with many adventures

Hey everyone!

This week was pretty hectic with transfers and all that but we are starting to get settled in. Elder Turley is the name of my new companion. He is from Mesa Arizona and is an only child but a super hard worker. He just wants to be a great missionary and that is an awesome attitude to have in the mission.

This week was pretty slow for teaching but we have been doing a lot more finding to try and find the people that are really looking for the gospel. We have started to see some progress in a couple of our investigators and we are hoping that over the next couple of weeks that we will be able to see them come closer to baptism. We were able to find a couple of good potentials the last couple of days and we are hoping that they become great investigators for us this week. On sunday we had the confirmation for Junior and it went really well. His cousin did a really good job following the spirit as he gave the blessing. Our branch president commented afterwards that it didn't sound like him speaking but you could really tell that the spirit was telling him what Junior needed to hear at that time.

Having a new missionary with me reminds me when I started my mission. I remember asking my trainer lots of questions all the time and thats the same thing that my greenie does. I don't mind the questions because I know he just wants to do well and not be too surprised by things. As we have been doing role-plays together I realized just how much I learned from doing them with my trainer. It really helped me to understand and to practice what needed to be said to help the investigators. It's even helping me now to remember to use simple and clear wording so the spirit can testify even better to the hearts of the people.

This last transfer brought a lot of changes to the zone and its crazy to see missionaries that I've served around in the past and then a whole bunch of missionaries that I have never met before. Change is a good thing because it brings opportunities to learn and grow. The other companionship in our area got a new person as well and he is definitely different than we are used to but he is a great missionary and the combination of the two elders is a pretty funny combination but they are good for each other.

Hope you all have a great week and that you see many miracles from the hand of the Lord.

--Elder Young--

A long but fast week.. how does that work?

Hey everyone!

This week was pretty good. The week was slow but at the same time it went really fast. I'm not sure how that is really possible but it happened.

 We got transfer calls sunday morning before the first session but we had gotten a call from President the night before. I will be training a new missionary and Elder Fraser is going to Kennewick to serve with one of my former companions that will be finishing his mission after this transfer. It's crazy how time just keeps flying by. The last 6 months have gone by so fast that I can hardly believe that general conference has already come and gone. 

Teaching for us was little slower this week but we were still able to have some good lessons with investigators that seem to have really good potential. Something that I'm really beginning to realize is how much is available at our fingertips both as members and missionaries, not only material wise but spiritually as well. It is such a blessing to have a prophet and apostles on the earth today that receive revelation for the church as a whole and the scriptures to help us receive personal revelation. I'm so grateful for a Father in heaven that loves us and wants us to be happy but is still willing to allow us to be tried and tested so that we can learn and grow for ourselves

Hope you all have a great week!

--Elder Young--