" No, we are not Jahovas" (said every missionary ever)

Two Previous Companions - Elder Martineau and Elder Bai

Well, we thought the remodeling was over but we were mistaken. 

They are now painting up a storm. Sometimes late when we get home, and sometimes even letter than that - 2:00 in the morning for instance. So we have taken necessary precautions, not only against the nightly remodeling, but also against the snoring.... We have some interesting sleeping habits in our apartment. 

We had another Sacrifice Saturday. Not many people are very enthusiastic about Sacrifice Saturday. It is a day where we all meet together talk about training and doctrine we need to learn/practice. Then we all break up and blitz an area in the zone (a blitz is when all the different missionaries go to another area to tract).

We were lucky enough to tract in our own area, and even more lucky to find three people with interest to learn more.

The most prominent of the bunch is Christy. We walked up to her home and there was a guy smoking on her lawn. We told him that we are missionaries and we help bring people closer to Christ. Before we could say more he told us he was not interested, so we asked him if he knew anybody in the area who could use an uplifting message or service and he said that the lady inside would like to talk to us. Right then she comes out and she seems happy to see us, but she asked if we are Jahova's Witnesses (we get this a lot, the people up here don't like them). To her remark we say no, and much like other people who ask us the same question, she invited us in and wanted to know more about what we had to share.

Me and My New Companion - Elder Wang

She was thankful that we were going around spreading the love of God. She told us that the knowledge of God helped change her life and guided her to her to where she is at today.

She expressed her distress about how her children were falling away from having faith in Christ and asked what made us want to come on a mission and we told her that we were able to obtain a knowledge and testimony of what we teach at our church. (I just realized that I may have been writing a little bit more than I originally planed sorry). This lead us to talk about how we have 2 hours at church: the first being Sacrament the most important part of church where we remember our Savior, Christ. The second is dedicated to us learning the Gospel among others things that we can take and apply to our lives. Then we explained how we now study at home as a family so that we may have a strong connection with those we love. To make this long story kinda short, she loved what we told her about our church and wanted to meet with us again.

Being a companion with Elder Wang has been a blast. He is sharp and witty and is surprisingly good at speaking English. Speaking of which we have already found several families who speak Mandarin Chinese and Elder Wang was able to make an awkward contact turn into a promising potential. He is on fire. 

1 Nephi 17:8

And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.

Nephi was asked to build a boat, even though he has never seen the sea. He did not fear that he would not be able to do this. In fact he was ready and willing to do the will of the lord. 

Much like when Nephi was commanded to build a boat, I have been asked to do something that I previously thought impossible, but as I work and see the progress I have made in my grand adventure I can see that I have done many great and amazing through the power of Christ "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philipians 4:13)

Sometimes when we start to do what the Lord asks of us we may not see the point or even the progress of his plan, but when we look back and see we have done something grand (like building a boat without knowing what a boat looks like) we can see that with the Lord on our side we are exactly where we need to be.

Thank you for all that you do, I am glad that you read about my experience and I hope it helps you grow your testimony. 

Uh oh, it's that time again!

Temple Pictures in the Rain with the Elders

TRANSFERS! WHOOOO! 

I have had a great time in Moscow, and I'm going to keep having those good times. The only thing that is changing is my companion. 

Elder Martineau stayed up in Spokane after Zone Conference a few days ago, so the last few days I have been in a trio and I tell ya it's been a blast!

My new companion is from China. His name is Elder Wang, and I have heard strange things about him, but I can assure you all that we will do great things here in Moscow.

The District

So the fist thing I ought to talk about is how sick I have been for the past few days. At first it started with sore tonsils. Then my stomach was constantly upset and it hurt to speak. Then the next day I did not get any sleep the entire night and I was bed ridden for the entirety of that day, just trying to sleep but unable to do anything of the kind. The next day was Zone Conference, I was actually able to get some sleep that night and was feeling astronomically better than before, but I was still sick.

For Zone Conference we had to pack for the night, and Elder Martineau had to take all of his stuff because he would not be coming back. Our car was stuffed for the 2 hour drive to CDL.

For zone conference Elder Pearson (of the Seventy - over all the missionaries in the North West) and his wife came to visit us. The only way I could describe Elder Pearson

Most of the Zone

is a bulldog. He was fearless in his attitude and didn't flinch when he would admonish us. He also gave us 4 new things to start practicing while on the mission. 

First, we need to pray for Charity and Love, the most important of all the Christ like attributes.

Second, read Joseph Smith history so that we may be experts and increases our testimonies.

Third, give your companion 3 compliments each day.

Fourth, NEVER NEVER NEVER forget to ask for referrals, ask members and people being taught. They promised us that if we do those things, we will double the amount of baptisms in our areas.

The next day we were able to go to the temple. It was a great experience, I would have to say that I understood more this time.

Last Zone P-Day:
My Carved Pumpkin I promised in the Last Email

I had to say goodbye to my companion. He is leaving the mission on Wednesday, right now I am in a trio with Elders Schelenberg and Iund, we are so busy. Between the 3 of us we cover 3 ward's: Palouse River, Paradise Ridge, Rolling Hills and the Moscow YSA ward. We went to the first hour of one ward then we went to the second hour of another, then we went to the first hour of another ward and stayed for the second. We even had a baptism right after church yesterday. There were lots of non-members there and they all loved it, then there was two more baptisms after the first later in the day.

We had invited all the people we are teaching to the baptism, only one of them came, but it was steller. It was Ashkan. He wants to learn more about our church. All throughout the baptism he was either asking me questions or sitting back going, "hmmm" or "that makes sense". After we asked him if he would like a tour of the church and he said he would love it! After a very successful tour he said he would like to come to church with us next week!

I have loved the time I have spent on my mission! When I talk to people about what it means to be a missionary they are shocked because I give up TV, social media and things some people can't live without. Although some of the people I meet might make fun of what I believe, or say that I am wasting my time out here, or even say God is not real and I can do whatever I want, to them I say; " I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Roman's 1:16).

I know that God lives, that he loves us, that he has a plan for us and if we simply do the things he has asked of us we will have eternal life, even after death. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

There and Back Again

Squashing Apples:
It's Depressing if You're an Apple

Welp things have been on the spectrum of good and bad this week.

We moved back into our original apartment. WHOOOO! But the the guys doing remodeling work are moving lots of heavy stuff on the floor above us at 3:00 in the morning. BOOO! 

Its' P-Day and we can do our shopping. YEEEAA! But our mission cards (that it the money we use to buy food for the week) wont be refilled until after our P-day (the only day we can buy food) is over. Stomach grumbling *

Its okay though, we are going to pull through this week easy, we have tons of members support as well as others helping us.

This week we were able to find 3 new people this week!

The Season: 
The Results Will Be in the Next Email

The first is Ashkan. He is not from around here and he is on a personal mission to learn more about the Church. He is one of the most pleasant people I have met on my mission who is not a member. We walked in and expected Anti, because he was being so nice (people who don't like the church like to lure missionaries in their home and then lecture them about why they are wrong. It's what we call Anti). It turns out that he had met with missionaries a few months before we met him. They had left a Book of Mormon with him,. He had told them not to come back for a few months so he could read as much as he could. Well when we found him he had read clear through to the Words of Mormon (that's kinda far, especially for someone who has English as his second language). He wants to know more and we are meeting with him tonight at 7:30!

The Palouse is gorgeous.
One of the only dry crop farming for wheat in the world

We also met a young couple: Angelita and Chris. They are super nice and love the message of the Gospel. They have had questions for a long time concerning the doctrine of the trinity (not our doctrine). They said that they read in the new Testament and found a place where it talked about Jesus Christ being on the right hand of God, which doesn't make sense if you believe in the trinity. They had asked many of their Catholic friends, but they were shunned for asking questions. Once we explained that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost were separate beings they felt relieved. We have yet to set up another lesson with them, but soon we will teach them more, and I have a great feeling about how they will receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

His Nose Would Not Fit

My companions mission is nearing its end, with our trip up to CDL for zone conference as well as a temple trip to Spokane. He will be staying up there and I will be coming back down to Moscow (I, however, do not yet know if I will stay in Moscow. Transfers are next week). For the time I am away from my companion, I will be in a trio with: Elder Schelenberg and Elder Lund. It will be a blast.

An Apple Press:  Made Some Great Apple Cider

Nerf darts and General Conference

You Can't Tell, but This is a Fat Dog

We have been so excited for General Conference this past week. It was like Christmas the morning of General Conference.  We all woke up at the crack of dawn and got ready for the rest day. It was worth it! 

For now I will tell you of the progress of the Moscow Poluse River and Paradise Ridge Ward's.

We have received a few referrals, but they have all been very busy and unable to meet with us, but that will change soon. We already have some great lessons planned for these individuals, and I need to mention how blessed these people are since we have been since we have been meeting with them. One of them was able to obtain a much needed car after so much walking to her job and with her kids, but they were able to get exactly what she needed and is now able to make more time for us because she is not walking everywhere.

A Bunch of Lady Bugs

The Six Man apartment adventure is coming to an end tomorrow. Our apartment remodeling is finally done and we can now move in starting tomorrow. We have had a good share of fun, but in all honesty we will probably be able to get more work done without the many distractions of the other elders in a small space. One major distraction was some Elders learning to throw nerf darts (the darts that you should normally put into a gun, but there are not enough guns for everyone so many just resort to throwing) we have darts often flying one way or another and it's a little hectic. 

We were able to get some people to think about baptism! They told us they are seriously considering it, but they need to know more before we put them on date, which is alright! That is the whole purpose of missionaries, to teach people about the covenants we can make with God! 

I loved General Conference Sunday and Saturday. One of my favorite talks was from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the one where he talked about the Hobbit. How we are all on a grand adventure. On this adventure we have been promised treasure at the end, and we will grow as we move forward on this adventure. We may face hardships and disappointment, but the prize at the end is worth the travail.

I know that as we embark on this grand journey, we will find that at times when it gets rough we will find a heavenly hand lifting us up, guiding us to where we want to be, and to who we want to become.

The Six Man Melatonin Adventures

The Throne That Was
Prepared for Me Ahead of Time

We have been having a blast this past week. 

Because my apartment is still under a MAJOR remodeling, the four of us are currently staying in a small two man apartment. Trying to get use to the new living conditions has been the thing to cause the most problems (pranks) in the apartment, most of which involve Melatonin.

We all sleep in the same room on the floor with the mattresses we brought and a few of the Elders like to go to bed early, but that's hard to do with the rest of us milling around the apartment getting ready for the night. So the Elders who go to bed early take Melatonin and just pass out in their beds.

One night we took it upon ourselves to see how much we could stick on one of the sleeping elders before they woke up...... We got pretty far, this Elder can sleep like a rock and we were about to put a mattress on him, but one of us tripped and fell on him and ruined the delicate operation.

We also have little nerf guns that were left behind by the previous Elders, so every once in a while there will be darts flying around in our apartment. We sometimes have a some difficulties getting work done every once in a while.

Well I said last week that this area was dead. We now have received 4 promising referrals that we are going to get lessons with this week. Not only that but we have been working hard to set up lots of appointments with some of the people we used to teach all the time. This area is coming back to life! Now all we need is a to get a few people on date for baptism. 

Brrr, it's cold in Moscow right now. Just in the past week we have gone from 80s-60s and from 60s- low 40s, it's like fall is taking a break this year and winter is stepping up to take the mantle. I don't know how long it will take till it starts snowing sideways but I will be ready with both of my awesome coats that survived my dad's mission.

I don't know what much else I can talk about so I'm just going to share a scripture.

James 1:22-25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

More Nice Sunsets

We live in a town where many different people try to "Anti" us on the doctrine we believe, one of which being that we believe that Faith in Jesus Christ and acting on our faith (Works). We can't take the help we have been given for granted, we need to act on what the lord has promised us in the scriptures so that we may be able to receive the blessings he has in store for us. I know he has blessings in store for those who keep the commandments and take what is revealed to us to heart. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.