This week was sweet!

This week was sweet.
We have begun to do a service every night for this man that is
bedridden. It's amazing how you can come to have the love of God so
quickly for someone that you serve. We have also been teaching his
wife the restored gospel after we help him. We sit down and talk about
the church. So it's pretty cool. It's been so exciting. This all
happened because a member introduced us to do service! Awesome!
It got up to 78 degrees this week but has gone down. Apparently there
were some tornados down south and up north. But it was sweet.
Transfers came and my companion is getting transferred. That's sad
because elder Cowan has been my best friend. He has helped me out a
lot with everything. He is great. But he's pretty ugly so I'm also
happy. Just kidding. We always call each other ugly and stuff. We are
literally like brothers. We annoy each other we get mad at each other
but at the same time we never seriously accually get mad at each
other. It's just like we are brothers. So he is leaving. My new
companions name is elder wood. So we will see how this goes.
Mosiah 23: 20 And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper
exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which they
called the city of Helam. 21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to
chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. 22
Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be
lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
I loved this scripture because it shows that even though we may be
righteous we will still see afflictions and the afflictions aren't
because anything you did wrong. It's because the Lord knows your
strength and knows you can pass this test with an A+.
Also mosiah 23: 25 For behold, it came to pass that while they were in
the land of Helam, yea, in the city of Helam, while tilling the land
round about, behold an army of the Lamanites was in the borders of the
land.
26 Now it came to pass that the brethren of Alma fled from their
fields, and gathered themselves together in the city of Helam; and
they were much frightened because of the appearance of the Lamanites.
27 But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that
they should not be frightened, but that they should remember the Lord
their God and he would deliver them. 28 Therefore they hushed their
fears, and began to cry unto the Lord that he would soften the hearts
of the Lamanites, that they would spare them, and their wives, and
their children.
Therefore they hushed their fears. It's ok to fear but what's
important is that you don't let them control you but you control them.
Hush them! I love those scriptures.
I love the Book of Mormon. Nothing has taught me so much. I have
learned who I am and who the Savior is and who He wants me to be.
Love you all. I love the emails my parents sent today!:)

This week was good! - From 2/20/17

Everyone,
This week was good. We had some cool things happen.
I read mosiah 4 and I really pondered the phrase "are we not all beggars?"
I love that. It's so true. We truly are all beggars in every single way.
So a couple weeks ago my companion and I saw this lady struggling
carrying her groceries. So we went over there and helped her to her
bus stop. Elder Cowan taught her about the Book of Mormon then we
talked about church. She said she has tried a bunch of churches
already but was willing to try ours. So we had an appointment set with
her and we checked to see where she lived and we found out she is in
the other elders area. I was sad about that. But since then she has
stopped smoking, come to church every week, bought a bunch of church
clothes, asked to be baptized and so much more. She is awesome. I'm so
glad I listened to the prompting to go talk to her. If we didn't she
would have never been making this change in her life. It's so cool!
Even though we aren't the ones teaching her I find so much joy to see
and hear her progress because we talked to her and introduced her to
the church. So cool.

This week I interviewed someone to be baptized for the first time.
It's so cool that the Lord trusts me enough to be this judge to see if
they qualify for baptism. It was a cool experience too. I was so
nervous. Probably more nervous than her. But it turned out great and
she was baptized on Saturday.
Something cool to is that I just have really seen God's hand in my
life a lot lately. It is such a tender mercy. I love it.
We also had interviews with president and that is always great to see them.

Jesus is the Mediator, Savior, Redeemer, and King. And if we ask Him
for something he will freely give. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1. I just adore Lori k.
2&3. At the birthplace of little league.
4&5. Signing the baptismal form.
6. President and everyone laughing at my hand motions.
7 interviews.

Email from February 13, 2017

Man I feel like I haven't written an email for a long time! Haha.
So this week was a week full of trials and moments of joy. It goes to show that even though you have trials in life you can still find joy, you just have to focus on the joyful moments.

Scripture learnings.
The past couple of weeks I have been studying the Old Testament like crazy. I have read the books: Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus.
So I have read over 100 chapters in a couple weeks in the Old Testament.
I haven't honestly really gotten too much out of it. I have learned a lot but my spiritual strength has not grown. I had been feeling weary when I was focusing on the Old Testament.
So on Tuesday and Wednesday I spent all of my studies reading the Book of Mormon. I felt so good on Tuesday when and after I had my studies in the Book of Mormon. Same story on Wednesday. I wrote in my "small plates" (revelation, inspiration) journal, "Light has filled my soul! The Book of Mormon teaches all men that they can be cleansed from their sins and that Jesus is the Christ. That we need to do our very best and we will be ok. I have learned more in 2 days from reading about 10 chapters in the Book of Mormon than I have from reading over 100 chapters for a couple weeks in the Old Testament. I have, also, had so much more spiritual nourishment from reading the Book of Mormon than the Old Testament."
When I read the Book of Mormon I learn so much. Infinite and wonderful are the this to be learned from the Book of Mormon.
I said I have been in the midst of trials. Jacob 2:8 says, "And it suppose that me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which health the wounded soul." I bear you my honest testimony that the Book of Mormon is the pleasing word of God which heals wounded souls. That is what it did to me in the midst of this trial. I have read the Book of Mormon a lot and I have found such strength and comfort in it. (Jacob 3:1-2)
The Book of Mormon always can be applied to you and the situation you are having in your life. For example I am weak and I often wonder how I'm going to keep going. So I read Jacob 1:17-18. So what I got from this is, "you have obtained your errand from the Lord Elder Segon (verse 17). So magnify your office unto the Lord, be diligent, and labor with your might (verse 19). Also while reading in Jacob 2 this stuck out to be from verse 10, "But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task. I must do according to the strict commandments of God." So this thing I face is hard but I just got to square my shoulders and tackle it.

Scriptures and Eye Witness.
So we went and helped this family who was going through a divorce move. The mom and the daughters were so kind and nice and great and amazing. I loved them so much. Charity is real. The father of the kids and husband of the wife however, wasn't nice or kind or anything to be frank. I wasn't happy with him. Agh. Anyways you get the point.... he was just ... mean. And I was so distraught all day thinking about that man and how he treated his kids and soon to be x wife. How could someone treat their family like that? Their own kids, and the person they have been married to for a long time?
So literally that night I read Jacob 2, which is Jacob telling the nephite men that they need to repent because they have been bad husbands and fathers. Verse 31-33 really show that the women are daughters of our King. And He loves them so much and He hears their cries and listens to their sorrows. Verse 35, "Behold he have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because the  of the strictness of the word of God, which comets down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds." This really shows the importance of husband and fatherhood to me. "Ye have done g
reater iniquities than the lamanites. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives and lost the confidence of your children."
I just want to be the best husband and father in the world after experiencing what I had and reading those scriptures. The role a father has in a family is so important. I just want to be the absolute best I possibly can be, which isn't that great so sorry future family;). But seriously. I'm going to treat my wife so well. She will have my heart. I will carry her heart with like bubble wrap wrapped around it a thousand times so I will never break it. Haha;). Seriously though. I'm going to love my children and nurture them. I want my family to be able to say they have the best husband or father just like I can. My dad is the best. I love him so much. He is a perfect example and he is seriously a hero in my eyes. Love you dad!

Cool experience.
So Elder Cowan received an impression to call this member that we have never met. So he called and set an appointment with the man. We went to the appointment and met him. We found out he hasn't attended church for a long time and hasn't had contact with the church for over 20 years because of an incident that happened. He was super mad at God and said God doesn't exist and if He did that the man had a few words to say to Him. We asked some inspired questions and now Elder Cowan and I know he still does believe in God deep down and does have a testimony of everything. So after a few gentle, unpushy questions to understand, we just talked to him and asked him if he likes board games and such. This touched me so deeply, let me explain.
1. I have been praying that the hearts of the people here would be softened and prepared to repent. And look what happened. Someone let us stop by that hasn't let any contact with the church happen in a long time.
2. Listen to small little promptings. If elder Cowan didn't listen we would have never met this man and gotten the opportunity to be his first contact with the church in such a long time.
3. Heavenly Father trusts us. I am so inadequate for this work. I don't do anything nearly as well as I should. But the lord used me as a tool to reach out to this man who has not wanted anything to do with God or church for a long time. How can it be that He would trust me, elder segon, to be the first contact the man has had in such a long time? I don't know. I don't understand. Maybe it's because my mood is light. A lot of missionaries are super serious and stiff but I'm a little loosy goosy. I don't quite know if that's a good thing but I like to keep the mood happy and fun. Maybe that's why. Maybe this man needs a friend not a preacher.
Honestly it makes me emotional thinking that the Lord allowed me to take that opportunity. The one visit this man has had in over 20 years with the church, seeing if he should even think about god again, and the Lord allowed me, elder segon, a weak, inadequate, speechless, young, kid to reach out to this man with love. I just don't understand but I am shocked, amazed, taken aback, touched, moved, and honored at the trust the Lord has for me.

Experiences like these get me through the hard times. These are the joyous moments found in the midst of a trial that can illuminate the way until you reach the next illuminating experience. God loves us all. I seriously know that. I know it with all.... all of my heart and mind. If you don't have this knowledge read the Book of Mormon, look at the experiences in your life and see His hand so clear. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.