Friday August 31, 2012

today was great! we read with sister white and she is so solid! we're going to bring her to a baptism tomorrow!

the ending of the day was also great! we went by Michael's and dropped off some food that a member gave us for him and when we got there he wasn't at his house so we called and called him. then he came out of his neighbors house and said he had just drank a beer. so elder Wong and I were just like "what the crap"! but we talked for a bit and asked if we could give him a blessing, cause he's been going through a really hard time, and he said yes. Which is surprising because he didn't want one before. so we explained a little more about the blessing and I was able to give him the blessing. It was crazy because, after, I felt like my spirit was just totally drained and it felt like the evil in him went inside of me... it sucked! but I hope he feels good! haha

August 29, 2012

hey! so I am soooooo!!!!! jealous that elder Holland is coming!!! you'll have to tell dad to do everything in his power to record it for me... just an explanation of it wont be enough :) but ya 97 degrees sounds amazing!!! haha we were walking down the street around 6:30 and I said 'oh it feels so nice' and we found out it was 100 degrees and
i never thought I would say 100 degrees feels nice... but ya we haven't been able to get in touch with Michael since last Wednesday and then we finally saw him yesterday and he said he's been going through some rough times and started smoking again so hopefully he'll start progressing again. We finally met with the Whites, i don't know if you've heard about them, but we've been trying to meet with them and they have a date set for baptism but we haven't been able to meet with them. but the wife called and set up reading appointments with us and we taught her some things and then we finally met with the husband and they are still solid! we also set Zion Jones with a date, a 13 year old kid who has member friends and things are going great with him! hes getting baptized on the 17 of September!

that's awesome about the preschool thing!!! sound fun, just glad I'm not there to enjoy it haha, actually I'd rather be babysitting than argue with people all day... but whatever haha well thank you so much for the package!!!! with the seminary book and the life of the savior and the gospel pictures! I really needed them! and also all of the treats! love you guys!

Love Elder John

Saturday August 25, 2012

Today is month 2 in the mission field! It's crazy! So I haven't written at all for a while but I'm trying to do better. Its been a great week! went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I went to their area with Elder Lopez and it was awesome! they are Spanish speaking elders so in one lesson we go in and they are talking for like 10 minutes, then Elder Lopez turns to me and says 'so can you give the blessing?' and I went like, 'WHAT?' It was pretty funny, luckily I just had to anoint but ya it was out of the blue! at least for me... but things are going really well in our area and our wards are great! we had an awesome experience today! we visited a less active family and they were really nice, then as we were walking out this guy said, 'so that's who's car that is" so we got talking with him and he's very nice, his name is Henry, and he was talking about how hard things are so we offered to give a blessing on his home and he seemed very open to it! so we set up a time to come back cause it was getting late that night. so ya! Love you all!

Saturday August 18, 2012

Hey everyone! sorry I haven't written in so long. this last week has gone great! we've picked up 2 new investigators and probably another next week. both these new investigators are like around 13 and they want to be baptized so that's great!

Little update on me... I've gained 20 pounds since my first day here, not counting the mtc haha but don't worry I'll try not to gain anymore...

Elder Wong and my goal is to bench 180 by the end of this transfer so we're slowly working on it! I can finally remember who people are and where they live! everything is going well and I can definitely see myself changing! I I am A LOT more patient! I can see more of the big picture, at least more than before, and I am starting to not be as self critical as before be mission. And I don't care what people think about me, like almost at all! before I used to try to think, "now what is the worst thing they could be thinking of me right now" but now I'm not doing that! Well I have to run so Love You!!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

today we had some great lessons! first we had zone training meeting, of which I played piano and we learned so much! oh and our Zone is so small now!

Anyway, we taught the Neil kids and a kid who is going to get baptized soon. then we went on exchanges so we can teach Scott and also Zion, a new 13 year old investigator. I went with Justic Conner to Zions and it went great! he wants to be baptized!

I don't have much time so love you all! also we went over to brother Larson's after to meet up with Elder Wong. and I shared a spiritual thought on when Nephi broke his bow... anyway brother larson is great! his knowledge of the gospel and the way he presents it is very appealing to me and I look up to him so much!

Friday August 10, 2012

Today was amazing! WE decided to go tract a street on the way to visit a potential investigator.. and the first person we met came out, 18 yr old, and started to talk and said 'i don't like standing so can we sit?' so we sat on the cement in 111 degree weather and taught an hour and a half lesson! and he said he might come to church Sunday! then we had a lesson with Michael tonight and it went well. we have to regn him in and we're doing better at it. the spirit was working so well through us. I talked about how I see him as a person worthy for the temple and we talked about the temple and how baptism is the first step , not the last. theres a lot more and we got him so close to setting a date for baptism! But it was great!

So lately my anxiety about just everything has totally gone away. Its like a weight has been lifted from my back! literally! Read mosiah 24! its literally like that! Its going so great!!! whoever is reading this, if you are just starting your mission or having a hard time.. things will get better. "some blessings come soon, some come late, and some didn't come til heaven" but I know they will come. take each moment as each moment. "moments are the molecules that make up eternity"

Don't be afraid of yourself. don't be afraid of your potential.

Elder John

Wednesday August 8 2012

Hey! these last few days have been going well. We've had a lesson with Scott Macey and he said he has no evidence that the church isn't true but he doesn't understand the need for the Book of Mormon... So we're working on that! WE have been teaching a lot of lessons and we are working on Scott licht, bishops friend. he was very thankful for the service we did and he asked if he could feed us a spaghetti dinner with his kids. so later we asked if we could share our message and he said that would be fine if we weren't trying to convert him haha so that will be great!

Sunday August 5, 2012

So sorry I haven't written that much down for this week. but its been pretty crazy. Transfers are tomorrow and Elder Wong and I are staying in our area so that's great! but they created 3 new zones, which I've heard is pretty crazy! this week has been great! Friday, Michael called us right before we went to dinner so we invited him to dinner and we then read Alma 31 with him and the family (Avery's) and they basically taught the lesson and the spirit was so strong! we then asked him to get baptized again and he said that he would but he needs to know that we have that authority for sure.

Then today in testimony meeting, he got up and bore his testimony and then bishop came up and said if we could all fast for Michael and said some other great things and the spirit was so strong! Michael caw crying! it was great!  then sister Avery went up and spoke some to Michael and so many people went up!it really energized the war to have Michael there! so ya! this week was great! I'm starting to become less and less stressed so ya that's about it! Love ya

Friday July 27, 2012

today we had interviews with the mission president and it went well! most of my anxiety about stupid stuff is going away, slowly. then we finished studies, after the assistants came over and cooked us lunch, they're in our district. then we did mormon.org and the "I'm a mormon' things are so cool!

then we went and helped Scott  pull weeds and taught him about the Word of wisdom and the afterlife.

I've started to study the area book very hard and get to know it better. talking with sister Black today, she told me not to worry and not be too critical or down on myself.. cause i  do my best everyday and that's all I can give, I guess haha. Well Love ya!Love Elder John

  

 

Wednesday July 25, 2012

Month mark in the mission field! these past few days have been great!It's crazy how fast pday comes up! all of the sudden I get to play basketball! but this next pday we are going to Mt. Charlestaon so that should be fun.
But today was the first day I didn't feel anxious about every second of the day! this morning I was studying patience in the Christlike attributes section in preach my gospel. and i just need to stop being anxious about everything. this is the first time that i know for sure that I'm going to enjoy my mission the way i've always wanted tol today we went over to the  Niels and asked the 8 yr old what we taught him last lesson about the plan of salvation and he remembered a lot! Then we read Enos and talked about repentance and it went well. then we talked to Micheal and had a great discussion! the spirit is really working  in his life! then we brought a priest, Shane, out with us and taught a lesson in mutual to the priests about preparing to receive the priesthood and taught the restoration, basically, to a less active kid so we're doing well with teaching!

 

July President Interviews

Tule Springs Zone 

Elders Koncurat, John, Wong, Gidewall