Elder Dallin's letter (Fresno, CA)
His release date is June 17!!!!!!! I can't tell you how much we appreciate your support and love and prayers. My heart is full of gratitude to each of you!
Love ya, Deanna
Dear Family,
Wow our family is just awesome!! You guys are always working hard and staying busy and anxiously engaged in a good cause!! I think of the 2 Nephi 2 in verse 27 footnote how is says "initiative." Our family has plenty of that!!! Thank you all for being so caring in writing me a letter and telling me how everything is going!! I truly appreciate it more than you might think!! thanks SO much!! :)
This week was pretty cool! I had to go on an exchange with the zone leaders and it was VERY helpful! I was with a Tongan! Elder Taufa! And he was really excited to be in a YSA ward, so I helped him have the full experience by going to the nearest college and talk to people! We split up, but stay sight and sound (because it's pretty scary for a YSA to have two people in shirts and ties come up to them), and teach!! It's pretty scary sometimes to walk up to people your age and try to teach them, but you just kinda get the hang of it. Him and I together taught 7 lessons!!! I was SO relieved!! When you're not teaching as a missionary, it feels like you're just constantly holding in a sneeze. Hahaha!! :)
This week was also interesting because we had a mini missionary with us for a few days!! It was a fun experience because it feels like training again, and Elder Berry said he felt like he learned a lot about how to be a better trainer if he was ever asked to train. But it was really sad because we have NO investigators. Not even one. I haven't found one in over 12 weeks in this area, despite all the work we have done. We have an updated, detailed record of all the members we teach and commitments that we leave with them. I love being a missionary more than anything guys. I just love to ponder principles and think about the truths of the Gospel. Sometimes Elder Berry thinks I'm mad at him because I'm always thinking hahah!! But I'm out of time!!! I have such a profound love for my Savior and for His teachings!!
Thank you guys so much for your awesome examples!!!! I love you guys SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a great week!!!! :)
-Elder Judy
Ps I will try to figure out the college thing today. Thanks so much mom!!! :)
Elder Tyler's letter April 13. 2015 (Safford, AZ)
Dear Family,
Yes mom, I finally got the Easter package!! It was so fabulous!! That Easter basket was such a nifty idea! I loved it, even if I'm probably not going to eat all of it! Partly because of my running, but mostly because I DO NOT wanna go to the dentist again! The most recent time I went, he numbed literally my whole jaw. He worked on both sides, and on the right side, he hit a vein, so my eye was numb, my whole cheek was numb, my ear was numb... yeah. Nothing on him or anything! He's just doing his job the best he can, but I of myself.. am good. I don't wanna go back. Like ever. hahah but my companion, and the District sure appreciate it! :) As far as the music goes, really the same type of stuff that was on there before is great! I just really love hymns. especially motab, and other arrangements of hymns! I've been doing my best at making my own arrangements while reading the hymns through the clear curtain of our shower, but It's difficult to read and sing while shampoo is in danger of running into my eyes and mouth haha so yeah! Temporal things :) I just need to be careful to not listen to music that "merely entertains" as is the commandment!
Dad, thank you for the compliment! I loved that experience you shared!! It helps me so much when you share those types of experiences, because I feel those so often on my mission, and occasionally I worry that they will end with my service! but you reaffirm to me that a mission is a spring-board, not a highlight to your spiritual life! I had a similar experience that was very sweet! Elder Houston is a great elder. Just great. But there were a few things that really bother me about his service! This week, I was finding it really difficult to love him because of those things! I was trying super hard to look past them, but it seemed like everything he would do would be a pet-peeve, or turn into one! haha that sounds messed up. But anyways, as I was praying fervently for a greater love for him, I had the strong impression to serve him! So I got off my knees, grabbed his shoes (this is 10:25 and he's already asleep) and shined them the best that I knew how to. They had become gray with wear, and were in dire need of a polish! The result has been incredible! I have come to have much greater ability to look past those things and say "You know what, I love him anyways." It seems as though he has stopped doing all those things that bothered me! He seems happier as the day goes on, and more willing to work, and more proactive in the service! As we keep serving each other, contention has no place in us, as we are more contrite, or yielding to each other's perspectives and opinions, and we are becoming knit together in love and unity! It was so great! :) I have a testimony that when we follow the example of Jesus Christ and serve those around us selflessly, love flows unrestrained into our hearts, and we become more at peace in our lives.
So we were visiting this one less-active in the Branch, and it turns out that he was big into track, soccer, cross country, and things like that! So I was like, yes! This guy is for me! We began to talk about getting in shape for sports, and how it doesn't happen over night, and despite how hard and painful it is, we eventually do get in shape, and the work-outs don't become shorter, but we become stronger, thus they become easier. It was really cool to relate your spiritual health to sports in a way that he could understand! Spiritual shape doesn't come over night. We can have moments that increase our desire to come to church, live a Christ-like life, and be perfect (moments like general conference) This doesn't get us in shape, this is like the music that motivates us through a work-out. The hard work is yet to come, and it is through diligence in little things that we "get in shape." It was awesome!
Also, we were on exchanges, and this lady had a Mormon background, but fell away and became Christian (ironic, I know) but she had an LDS background, so she had some really well researched arguments and tough, tough questions! As we were coming to an end of another tangent, we began to talk about the Savior, and how she had an amazing experience in finding Jesus (when she left the church...ugh..). Well, I was turning to a scripture in Alma that was supposed to talk about how Alma received a witness, not of himself that these things were true, but only by the power of the Holy Ghost, but I turned to the story of Korihor, and began to explain this story (little did she know, SHE was korihor against the church, not Christ) Anyways, Korihor began to contend heavily with Alma about how man cannot know such things as there being a Christ that is to come. Then I, without thinking, turned to her and asked, "Based on your experience, what would you say to him?" and she bore a sweet testimony of Christ. I asked, "How did you come to this knowledge?" She said it was because she experienced Him! That opened the door for me to bear my testimony that by that same power and process, you can come to know of the truthfulness of our message. She was silent!!!! Holy cow, what a relief!! hahaha Things became soo much easier when I yielded to the spirit, and allowed HIM to teach, not me.
I love this work I'm involved in!! We have been so blessed with our success, and with our experiences, and I am filled with gratitude that the Lord has decided, so mercifully, to involve me in His work and glory. I love you family!! I love hearing your insights into the scriptures, life, or anything! Learning from you so far hasn't stopped from childhood, and I hope it never stops!
Love,
Elder Judy
Elder Tanner's letter 4/13/15 (Killeen Texas)
Dearly beloved,
This week was wonderful! I need to tell you about two experiences.
But first a little update on our investigators.
Dubois: moved. there outta here and didn't say goodbye. sad.
James: hasn't texted back or gotten back with us. We stopped by twice this week with no answer. We hope to get in contact with him soon, I was so excited to apply principles we learned from zone conference about persuasion and the sword of the spirit and we also had a member with us.
Rondre: so this was a cool thing that happened this week. His wife is a less active member and she is super pregnant and she had to go to the hospital for an emergency with the baby and her parents decided to fly in and needed a ride from the airport to the hospital so the first thing she did was call us to take care of it because Rondre was at work. We called our relief society president and she had some one over there and took care of it and it was all good! This sunday the sister who picked the parents up and our relief society pres. went over to their house to see how they were doing this Sunday and we're waiting to hear how it went!
That was really cool and we found a new investigator who wanted to come to church but wasn't able to make it his name is Charles and we have some high hopes for him! He recently has a brain tumor that is benign and impossible to remove and is not to dangerous yet but its still stressful with school and everything.
So a pretty good week with investigators!!
So we had one funny/cool experience so as we were biking we saw a recent convert on the street and talked with her for a while and had a good time. She wanted to give us water, and when she came back from the house she had poured some cereal into baggies for us, bless her heart, it was pretty random but we accepted graciously. Then just 5 mins later we were biking home and I noticed a man sitting pooped out on the curb. I asked how he was doing and he said really tired and asked me for water (I gave him the water I had just got). Upon further conversation I found out he was from Houston and hadn't had breakfast or lunch so I gave him the cereal I had just gotten. Pretty cool.
The second experience was more sacred. So this is on a Wednesday and we had planned to see James who is 15 mins directly north from our apartment at 3:30. So we were trying to figure out something to do from 1 till then... when I looked at our map there was an area that just kinda caught my eye the way the spirit prompts something to catch your eye. I had just given a training about finding by the spirit the day before so it was a fresh principle on my mind, but this area was 30 to 45 mins directly west from us. So I thought well if the Lord needs us to seek out save it be one soul over there, for that's all we had time for, it shall be done. Long story short after 3 houses this lady opens the door and doesn't seem interested. Then, I feel like I needed to ask "Have you been searching for more fulfillment in your relationship to God?" She stopped and said yes. She had been praying for months while in Iraq for guidance from God. She had gotten back from Iraq the day before. We read to her a few beautiful scriptures and she started crying and said "This is so amazing I can't believe this. You guys just don't understand". To which we could bear sweet testimony about how yes, we didn't understand but we understood when God tells us to go somewhere to talk to someone and he hears your prayers, so he sent us. It was pretty amazing.
I love you all and I hope I didn't bore you do death with 3 experiences haha but they were pretty sacred to me so I had to share all of them this week. I love you. Remember spiritual CPR, church, pray, and read!
Hurrah For Israel!!
Elder Judy
But first a little update on our investigators.
Dubois: moved. there outta here and didn't say goodbye. sad.
James: hasn't texted back or gotten back with us. We stopped by twice this week with no answer. We hope to get in contact with him soon, I was so excited to apply principles we learned from zone conference about persuasion and the sword of the spirit and we also had a member with us.
Rondre: so this was a cool thing that happened this week. His wife is a less active member and she is super pregnant and she had to go to the hospital for an emergency with the baby and her parents decided to fly in and needed a ride from the airport to the hospital so the first thing she did was call us to take care of it because Rondre was at work. We called our relief society president and she had some one over there and took care of it and it was all good! This sunday the sister who picked the parents up and our relief society pres. went over to their house to see how they were doing this Sunday and we're waiting to hear how it went!
That was really cool and we found a new investigator who wanted to come to church but wasn't able to make it his name is Charles and we have some high hopes for him! He recently has a brain tumor that is benign and impossible to remove and is not to dangerous yet but its still stressful with school and everything.
So a pretty good week with investigators!!
So we had one funny/cool experience so as we were biking we saw a recent convert on the street and talked with her for a while and had a good time. She wanted to give us water, and when she came back from the house she had poured some cereal into baggies for us, bless her heart, it was pretty random but we accepted graciously. Then just 5 mins later we were biking home and I noticed a man sitting pooped out on the curb. I asked how he was doing and he said really tired and asked me for water (I gave him the water I had just got). Upon further conversation I found out he was from Houston and hadn't had breakfast or lunch so I gave him the cereal I had just gotten. Pretty cool.
The second experience was more sacred. So this is on a Wednesday and we had planned to see James who is 15 mins directly north from our apartment at 3:30. So we were trying to figure out something to do from 1 till then... when I looked at our map there was an area that just kinda caught my eye the way the spirit prompts something to catch your eye. I had just given a training about finding by the spirit the day before so it was a fresh principle on my mind, but this area was 30 to 45 mins directly west from us. So I thought well if the Lord needs us to seek out save it be one soul over there, for that's all we had time for, it shall be done. Long story short after 3 houses this lady opens the door and doesn't seem interested. Then, I feel like I needed to ask "Have you been searching for more fulfillment in your relationship to God?" She stopped and said yes. She had been praying for months while in Iraq for guidance from God. She had gotten back from Iraq the day before. We read to her a few beautiful scriptures and she started crying and said "This is so amazing I can't believe this. You guys just don't understand". To which we could bear sweet testimony about how yes, we didn't understand but we understood when God tells us to go somewhere to talk to someone and he hears your prayers, so he sent us. It was pretty amazing.
Way cool week this week!! We had another experience the next day where we were out with this one member and our 3 appointments punched... Then I opened up my planner to the potentials page and one name just stuck out in the same way yet, 20 mins away... We went over there and he said all about how he felt like his church was just empty and he is yearning for "something more" and we gave him a BOM and said, "This is something more from God" Ok, not exactly that but you know how it goes when your feeling the spirit you don't know exactly what you say but your pretty sure it's right lol.
I love you all and I hope I didn't bore you do death with 3 experiences haha but they were pretty sacred to me so I had to share all of them this week. I love you. Remember spiritual CPR, church, pray, and read!
Hurrah For Israel!!
Elder Judy
