December 31, 2012

Dear Family,
This week was awesome!!! well I guess these past few weeks! so Christmas was totally the best day ever!
So christmas eve we played basketball, cause its pday. and then we had diner at the Singletons, awesome family! then we went with our Zone Leaders over to one of their members, a Samoan family! it was really fun and very spiritual! they respect the missionaries like kings, its really cool to see. Then we went back to our appartment and did a white elephant gift exchange and then we dreamed of sugarplums and all of that jazz. Christmas day we woke up and Santa had come!!! at last at last we were able to open our long awaited presents! then we went to dennys and ate breakfast!! So good! then we finally got to talk to our families! it was funny with elder Golden cause he had just talked to his family like a month ago lol. then we went to dinner. oh and before dinner we got to meet a member of Neon Trees! the bassist! he's a member and was visiting his in-laws that live in our ward. I'll send a pic. so christmas was amazing!
This last sunday we got to speak and it was aweosme cause our investigators came to church to hear us speak! It seems like we've gained a lot of member trust and things are going to continue to pick up! I love these wards!!!
Well theres not much to write about... but the Bullmers, our investigators are doing well! I think I mentioned that we sang to them... or maybe I havent. so we went caroling sunday night, before Christmas, and we went to the Bullmers first... they were very touched and wanted to give us hugs... so we told them to hug the sister missionaries that were with us! she hugged them for like 5 minutes each! it was really cool... then we went to some other people... and this one guy we go to and after we sing he says 'I've seen this happen on tv but I never thought it would happen to me'. it turns our that we just went up to a random appartment and sang! so ya it was really cool to see peoples hearts soften.
Christmas was awesome and the members made it feel like we were with family. I love you all and have a great new year! talk to you in 2013!
Love,
Elder John
p.s. there is another Elder John in the mission so if you send me mail please address it to Elder Devin T. John

December 25, 2012

This family is a family that we were able to go to with the Zone Leaders after our dinner with the Singletons! the Singletons are awesome! and this family in the picture is a Samoan family! so cool!

Merry Christmas!!!

December 17, 2012

Dear Family,

This week was amazing!!! ok so... Monday we go to transfers and I have no Idea who my new missionary is going to be... no idea where our appartment is, no idea where our boundaries are... so we meet each other! awesome!!! we quote movies all of the time... well at least the appropriate time lol. so we go to our appartment after we drop some other misisonaries off... by this time we are late for dinner and we rush over and turns out these members are legit!!! the husband is this very awesome ward misisonary and he showed us around our area on tuesday. told us people to visit and a bunch of stuff! so now we kinda have a lay of the land. We met with this less active guy and after a while geneology came up so we are going to help him make a fan chart this tuesday! we then met with some investigators that the previousl missionaries dropped and they are totally awesome!!! then these investigators told us to visit this guy tjat is having some hard times, who is a member, so we visit him and it turns out he really needed it! Then the next day we visit with a less active family who told us that there are some nice people that live down the road... so we visit them and she answers the door and goes, "Elders!, we havent seen elders for a long time" so turns out their daughter is a member and they seem open to the Gospel! so we are going over there tomorrow!!!

Crazy week!!! 100% by the spirit! it was amazing!!! tracting in this area is so different! its not gated and there are way kinder people here! at least the non members are more kind than my previous area, not a diss on my last areas members lol. 

But there is a lot of work to be done here! and the bishop said that he see's something in us... we carry ourselves a lot better than previous missionaries!!! so memebr trust!!! lol

And we are giving talks in sacrament the week after christmas becasue our new investigators said they would come to church if we spoke... so we talked to the bishoprich and they said that will work!

WE are very fortunate to be in this area and cant wait to have things continue to grow!!!

Love you all!!!

Marry Christmas!

Love, Elder John

December 11, 2013

The Panter's, Pettet's, Farley's, and the Barney's

December 10, 2012

Dear Family,

This week was awesome!!! So Wednesday I got a call from President Black saying that I will be training a new missionary!!! and I found out saturday that I will be moving to the Highland Hills Zone, covering the North Star ysa ward and the San Migel ward. So ya that will be interesting. My first transfer and I have a new misisonary... so neither of us will know what is going on lol.

It was really tuff to say goodbye to the Elk Ridge and Cedar Springs Wards... our ward mission leader in Cedar Springs was almost crying in ward council when he said I was leaving. Its nice to feel apreciated. I almost cried in the sacrament meetings lol. but I am excited for a new ward! The last missionary that was in that area got sent home  and I guess didnt do anthing in those wards so it will be nice to get the members to trust us again! Tongiht I meet my new missionary and then its off to work!! even though I have no idea where I am or what is going on... but it will be good!

This week we met with this awesome member that we have been going over  for a while.  They hit a really low point in their life and are just having a hard time... We were able to give her a blessing and discuss some of her hardships. I was able to tell her about how the sacrament can help us in our lives... and is one of the few outward expressions of our faith in this church.  Our minds really need that outward expression and it is very important to take the sacrament. The sacrament has taken on a new meaning to me and I am very grateful to be able to do that.

Not much else to report on from this last week but I hope everyithing is going well in your lives in this Christmas season.

Iove,

Elder John

December 3, 2012

Dear Family,

This week was pretty cool! we finally got a new investigator in one of our wards, Elk Ridge. That ward has been really slow with work, but thankfully, michael is in that ward lol.  Michael was doing relaly great this week until saturday night at about 9:30 he texted and said that hehad been drinking and smoking and stuff... and just thinking about all of the bad things in his life.  so I texted and told him to come to church and take the sacrament and look to the Savior. I promised him that the speakers and the lessons would be exactly what he would need and they would solve his concerns, reguarding his self worth and everything.  So he didnt show up and I was getting mad.  Then during the opening prayer he came in and sat by me.  I was so happy I cried through the prayer! He was the first person to bear his testimony and it really brought the spirit. He thanked us for all of the love we show him and for the love that the ward has shown him. Then the ward came through and did their part to keep the spirit going.  Then the lesson in Gospel Principles was on sharing our talents... so we each wentaround and told about a talent we have ( I spoke of my great humility, haha jk).  Then the teacher asked Michael to share his talent of his wonderful singing voice... so michael sand this baptist gospel song and had us all clap along with the beat. it was pretty awesome! and hilarious!

The new investogator we have in Eld Ridge ward referred himself on mormon.org. He is 14 years old and seems pretty mature. He has been going to one of the other buildings with his friends and is wondering what we believe. So we gave him a Restoration pamphlet and a Book of Mormon. He siad he would read the restoration pamphlet and then we gave him Moroni 10 for the Book of Mormon. Seems pretty legit!

So ya this week has been great! this next week is the las week of the transfer so it will be exciting to see if I stay or go! I love these wards and I really dont want to leave... but we will see!!!

I  love you all and for your support!

Love,

Elder John

November 28, 2012

Dear Family,

Sorry I didnt email monday! we went to the temple today so our pday was switched! The temple was awesome! It's so great to go as a missionary!

Well Michael didnt think he was ready to be baptized so we will continue to work with him.  We taught a less active part memebr family this week! it went really well... the husband and 2 of the kids are not baptized so that will be awesome to teach them! We were finally able to get into some less active homes in both wards this week! we have the usual less active people that let us in and have a lesson but this week we were able to get in to people that have been anti and kinda sketchy. so ya things are going great! Elder Smith and I are getting along well, I have to sensor him sometimes but other than that its pretty good. Elder Smith has taught me to get out and work hard.  he is always willing to work and to do whatever we need to.

THanksgiving was great! we went to our stake presidents house, President Waite.  THen we went to teh Whites, recent converts. So it was pretty fun! oh and we had Turkey Bowl that morning! the whole mission gets together and we play football! two pools and 5 games... best of the two pools plays each other and guess who won.... Tule Springs Zone!!! (which is my zone lol) so ya there's some pictures attached of me holding the Turkey bowl trophy! haha I love it. pride is the only thing you have on a mission haha jk. well not much else is going on this week but I will keep you updated! I love the work and love the lord.

Love,

Elder John

P.s. read a talk given by Elder Holland, 'the Inconvenient Messiah' it does a fantastic job of explaining how things need to be done the Lords way!

and we also put up christmas lights!!! awesome! turns out I dont have to miss out after all!

November 19, 2012

Dear Family,
This week was awesome!!! Wednesday Elder Larry Echo Hawk came to our
mission to do a mission tour. (he recently spoke in general conference) and
our Zone was the hosting zone! so it was pretty cool! We made sure our
apartment was extra clean, just in case he wanted to look around lol. But
we received a full day training by him and it was awesome! he told of his
conversion story and it was very spiritual!
WE have a part member/ less active family in one of our wards that really
needs help. the home teachers randomly stopped by and saw that they were
in dire straits. their power is about to be shut off and they don't have
much food. so we went over and then got to the compassionate service
director and got some food over to them. the husband is a really nice guy
and we are going to start the lessons with them this week! its great to see
how the gospel can change people!
Also, Michael set a date for baptism!!! we were talking with him and he put
down his head for about thirty second and then he said, "I have no reason
not to be baptized" so we set him with the 30th of November! he is starting
to try to back out and stuff but we Will not let him! lol awesome stuff
this week!
A less active in one of our wards cant come to church because of her health
but this week one of her nurses came over and was asking a bunch of
questions about the church. So she answered them and she said that it felt
like it just came to her! the right answers just came and she was able to
feel the spirit. So she gave her some stuff to read about the church and
this nurse was very interested. that is how missionary work should go. all
that tracting does is show the members that we are outside and not in our
apartment lol. we might as well be because it just doesn't do anything.
Members are our primary source for investigators and referrals that come
from members are the ones that are going to stay strong after they are
baptized.
Well enough of my rant on how the wards need to work.. I love you all and I
cant believe that it is almost Christmas!!!
Love,
Elder John

November 12, 2012

Dear Family,

This week was great! we taught some good lessons to  our recent converts and everything is going well with all of them! Its so cool to see Zion Jones passing the sacrament and setting up chairs and stuff! 

anyway... I was kinda worrid because all of our investigators are baptized now so we have no new investigators to teach. but the Lord provides a way. He know that Elder Smith and I are here to work so He will give us work.  We got a new investigator this week. David, he was a referral a few months ago and we were finally able to meet with him.  Then we got another media refferal and she said she would be open to hearing our message, but she was sick this week so hopefully she is feeling better so we can meet with her.  Then we got a text friday night from one of our elder quorum presidents and said to stop by a certain house. so we went there and teh wife is a member but is very less active. and they are struggleing with everything: their power may get shut off anytime and food is scarce... (dont judge my spelling, my excuse  is that im on a mission haha) but her husband wants to meet with us and maybe to the discussions so that will be awesome!!! but on the down side, all of that work is in Cedar Springs  Ward. Elkridge has nothing going on lol. Michael Maclin, our black investigator was so close to setting a date for baptism this week!  he is definitely going to get baptized but we hope that it is soon! we met with Michael the day after the election and he was riding down the street on his scooter yelling Obama! to every car that passed by. lol its so funny! lol

Well thats about it for this week! Good stuff is coming up and I cant wait! I cant believe that in December I'll have been out 6 months! and it is all in the same area! anyway I love you all!

Love ,

Elder John

November 5, 2012

Dear Family,

This week was very hard!!! I was sick Tuesday thru Thursday.  Throwing up at members houses and stuff so ya haha.  But on a brighter note, Tiffany Shoemaker was baptized this week and I confirmed her on Sunday! She is awesome!!! So we have all of our investigators baptized but no new investigators so its kinda rough now, but im trying not to feel bad for myself since we've have like 5 baptisms! But our investigator Michael is still progressing, kinda... haha but our areas are doing well and the auxillaries are finally doing what they should and we are progressing that way.

sorry to be so boring but not a lot has happened this week, cause our entire appartment has been sick. Oh but wednesday we had a  talent show! it was pretty fun! then we had to be in by 6, bummer haha.

Our new elder in our appartment is awesome! he has been out 19 months and is hilarious!!! I attached a picture of him to this email and I'd like anyone who knows tommy boy to remember "tommy likie, tommy want wingie"

but anyway, I love this mission and love these people!!! our Recent converts are so cool! Zion Jones has been passing the sacrament for like a month and the Whites are still strong! And I am so excited for Rachael Farley because she has so much more to learn!!!

I love you,

Elder John

 

p.s. the pictures are, Elder Craft, And Tiffany Shoemaker