Wassuppppp!!!! Matt's email from 7/25/2016

Wassupppp.

So this week we did service with some prisoners again. These guys were
super cool. We had a pull up competition with them. I'll send a video.
We ate some of the food they get and it wasn't that bad. My tongue got
numb though and that scared me... But I was ok. Haha.
It's been pretty hectic and time consuming driving back and forth
between somerset and Johnstown.

We had interviews with president this week. During my interview with
him we were talking about how great somerset is and he stops in the
middle of his sentence, looks at me very seriously, and says, "Elder
Segon, can we talk about something very serious now?" I said "oh yea
sure." I was scared.... Then he said "how are you still a kings fan? I
just don't understand." HAHAHA! I love president he is so funny. We
talked about basketball for a while. Then he got serious again and
said "Elder Segon (he pronounces it say-gin) in 50 years when I see
you, I hope to live that long, I can ask if you are still worthy of a
temple recommend, and you will pull your temple recommend out and say
'yes president, see.'" He then talked about how important temple
recommends are. He committed me to stay worthy of a temple recommend
for 50 years. I love President and sister Johnson. They are so cute,
and they truly emulate love for all us missionaries.

For Pioneer Day we had a picnic with the Bedford branch. It was super
fun. We played all kinds of games. Softball, football, stick pull, and
other sorts of fun things. I was so tired after that day haha.
That was my week. I read an awesome chapter in the Book of Mormon this
week about the Melchizedek preisthood in alma 13.
As always I just love the Book of Mormon. It's amazing. It is the key
to righteous habits, power, and a testimony. I know it's true!

Sup guys!

Sup guys!

So this week something crazy happened. An elder from Johnstown went
home. Elder draper from Johnstown is joining us in somerset. So we
will be in a Tri-panionship. We will be in charge of the areas
somerset AND Johnstown. We have two cars and two apartments. We will
be staying the night in Johnstown some nights and somerset some
nights. This is all until the end of the transfer. So it's kind of
crazy around here haha.

I have so many pictures and videos this week. Haha
My allergies started up this week so the beginning of the week was
miserable. But I bought Claritin and I'm doing way better.
Zone training was on Wednesday and I sprained my ankle super bad while
playing basketball. Haha but before that we were playing football (I
was the all time QB of course💪🏼 haha) and it was super hot and
humid. Some clouds came over us and it started pouring! Absolutely
pouring! So we all just stayed out there and kept playing. It was so
fun. All of us were 100% soaked. Haha. So fun.

I love when I follow a thought that comes into my head and it turns
out to be revelation or inspiration. There's a new Mormon message
called "like a broken vessel." It's about depression basically and off
a talk by elder holland. It's so good. But I saw it and I thought an
investigator would like it. So I showed it to him and he feared up
while we watched it and after he said that it was the best thing he's
seen in a long time and that he really liked it and it was comforting.
Stuff like that always happens. It's just and idea that comes into
your head and when you act on it you find out that it's from God.
We showed that video to a member and she was crying while watching it
too. It's such a powerful video. Everyone relates to it I think. I've
watched it probably every single day since it has come out about 3
weeks ago. (Maybe there are pretty girls in the video.) haha. But it
truly is an amazing video. If you haven't seen it- you need to!!


I love the Book of Mormon. I think I talk about it every week but my testimony grows stronger every single time I read it. I absolutely
believe with all my heart that this book is true. I know it is. Alma 7: 11&12 stood out to me this week. It basically says that Christ suffered what we have so He can know how to "succor" us. How amazing. He loves us so much that He is willing to suffer our pains and afflictions to be able to help us. To be able to get us through it. He knows how to help is but we have to do our part in asking for help and trying to be like Him. How beautiful. Oh how I love the Book of Mormon and our Savior. The Book of Mormon is true. Christ lives. Because He
atoned for our sins and pains we can over come them as we seek help
from Christ through His everlasting Atonement. Because He lives, we
will all live again after this life. And not only that but we can be
with our families, forever. I know this to be true from the
impressions I feel every day. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

What's Up Everyone!

What's up everyone?!

I'm sure you all got a laugh at my dads email that he sent out...
This week was super hard. Sad and frustrating week.
Monday we played some baseball for pday! Woot. I won the home run
derby against Gideon who was talking a bunch of smack. Haha. Brother
dively said he wasn't going to see me again because he has to leave
for his job, so that was sad. He was probably my in my top 2 favorite
members in this branch!

We went on exchanges this week with the ZLs. Our new ZL, elder Kap, is
pretty cool. We attended a ASL class that the Altoona walk elders
taught. Now I know how to pray in ASL!:) but the exchange was good. We
just tried to find some people.

Thursday some lady ran us down on the street and asked to see our
licenses. So we showed her out ministering licenses and she says
"nope, that's not real. Doesn't work. You can't be here." What? Haha
we also played some soccer on Thursday as some finding. Haha I was
pushing all these kids down and playing hard haha. They were good so I
had to push them over so I could kick the ball. Haha just kidding. But
soccer was fun.

The hard part. I dropped someone for my first time. It was sad. You
don't want to give up but you have to use your time the best you can.
So we dropped one person and two people dropped us. We went to go see
Noni Farber, old lady, and someone answered the door and said "hey we
appreciate everything you do. I love that you come and visit with her,
but she doesn't want to be visiting with you guys anymore. All the
neighbors and church members are really worried about it." SSOOOO
FUSTRATING! I was so mad. Everyone here is anti Mormon and it's so
hard. Then we went to go see Mike and he closed the door as we were
walking up to his apart,eat and then never answered his door or texts
or calls. I was so sad. And mad. And confused. It was super hard. I
was so down. I had to pray it out. Pray pray pray. That's all I could
do when you're like that. So discouraged, mad, and sad. But I got
through it.

That was my week in a nutshell.

Love you all.

Oh yea. Brother Snyder almost stood up in church and said "we have a
code red. Elder Segon is going back down," when I told him my weight
gain is starting to go down a little bit. Haha I laughed so hard!

Hola! Como Estas?

Hola. Como estas?

This week was good as always.
Elder Montgomery is so smart. He is asked anti questions and he
totally destroys them like it was nothing. Haha I hope I learn how to
confound people like that.
We had a lesson with this lady, Monica, and showed her the stick of
Joseph and Judah scripture and explained that to her and it blew her
mind. She was so interested in that.
Haha a little old lady walk towards us and she was standing in the
middle of the street. So we went over and talked to her and asked us
to pray for her son. Haha her son is going through a lot. And we were
about to have a lesson so we were at someone's door and she kept
following us around after we said bye. Haha crazy. We ended up
visiting her later in the week and talked to her son.
Testimony meeting this week was awesome. All the youth went up to bear
their testimonies. I love the youth in this branch. I love them to
death. They are all so different and awesome in their own ways. Haha
they're great. Then some other members testimonies were awesome, then
I bore my testimony about changing lives which I think was inspired. I
don't know if they could hear me because I was sobbing but they felt
what I was saying haha. I love this branch.
I never thought I would love this branch. When I first got here I
thought, "are you kidding me? A branch? 30 people? What?" Haha but I
1000% love this branch!!! I wish I could spend my whole mission here.
I love them!
I just love them.

My testimony of the Book of Mormon always gets stronger every single
day. There is no way someone could have made this all up. I learned my
most important lesson yesterday in Mosiah chapter 19 verses 13 and 14.
Nephite women charmed the lamanites to not slay their fathers. If
women have the power to charm the most vicious people to not kill.....
Oh boy what could they not do!? Haha just kidding-not really. But I
did ponder a lot on the scripture Mosiah 18. Alma and his followers
are baptized in waters infested with wild beasts. What faith they had
and desire to be baptized, to go into a water infested with beasts!!
Also they more than doubled their church population in a short amount
of time. Keep in mind that they were hiding their church from the king
and his servants, and they had to go to a water with wild beasts, and
being led by one man who once worked for a wicked King. While doing
missionary work they must have said, while hiding and keeping in
secret, " hey do you want to follow God? There's this guy alma that's
baptizing people in this water infested by wild beasts. Yea it's alma
that worked for our wicked King. Our church only has about 200 people
in it but it's cool! Also just one more thing. Don't let the king find
out because he is mad about all of this and is trying to find alma and
his people.."

Crazy!

Anyways. The mission is awesome. The Book of Mormon is true. I know
that with all my heart. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Awesome Week!

Hello,

So this week has been awesome. Nothing exactly happened this week
other than getting a new companion. Elder Montgomery. He is awesome!
He was just a ZL in the Williamsport zone.

Speaking of zones... I guess this is big news... 2 zones from the PPM
are changing missions to the Baltimore Maryland mission. The two zones
are... Lancaster and Chambersburg. Not us. But elder Vu, who I came
out with, is changing missions:/. I'm sad about that. But he is
excited so that will be good for him.

Elder Montgomery is super smart and a great missionary! Haha. He's
like my best friend now. I love him! I'm so happy for this transfer.
Hopefully I can stay here another!

So this kid, Seth, is a referal from Sharon after coming to watch meet
the Mormons he wanted to learn more about the gospel. So we taught him
the restoration and committed him to be baptized. He accepted. So we
will see how that goes. As long as Sharon continues to friend him and
invite him, he will be dunked!;)

We did service for the Weyands and we cut down a true. It was awesome
because when we cut it down we had to put it in one exact place
because there was bushes all around. Elder Montgomery and I pulled the
tree as brother Weyand cut it. It fell right into the spot we wanted.
The Weyands were so ecstatic about how perfect it went.
Saturday we walked around so much! We walked to both ends of Somerset
trying less actives and potential investigators.

Oh yea!!! During branch correlation elder Montgomery leg wrestled
brother Snyder to practice for Mike.  Mike said he will come to church
if elder Montgomery beats him in leg wrestling. Haha. Brother Snyder
destroyed him.

Weekly planning, which takes about 3 hours a week, took about 6 hours
this week because elder Montgomery wanted to know everything. And now
he does. He caught on to everything super quick! Which is amazing
because this branch is really confusing to know who is related to who
and all that stuff. Basically everyone is related in this branch. It's
basically like 3 families.

Anyways, being a missionary is great. This week my prayers have become
more meaningful along with study and role plays and everything. Elder
Montgomery and I are going to make Somerset explode with missionary
work!

Straight outta Pittsburgh!!!

Well everyone,

Transfer boards came.... And I am going to........ Stay here in
somerset:)! Elder cook is gonzo beans. He is being transferred to
beaver valley. My new comps name is elder Montgomery. He was just the
ZL for the Williamsport zone. Haha I've heard he is exactly obedient.
So I'm super excited! I have a feeling I'm going to learn so much from
him and that it's going to be an amazing transfer! Couldn't be more
excited. Half of our district is different now too! Indiana got
doubled out so I think this districts work is going to really pick up!
After three months of fasting and prayer, hard work, diligence, and
obedience the member missionary work is finally starting to pick up.
This week it blew up.

1. Sharon, a recent convert, talked about how she babysits for a lady.
The lady asked her questions about our church. We invited her to pray
to find a way to invite her to the fireside we had on Saturday. She
said "ok!" Like it was nothing. She invited her straight up
apparently. The lady wasn't able to make it but she is interested.

2.Sharon brought someone else to the fireside. He is a young guy.
Might be her Boyfriend I'm not sure but he is super shy. Sharon texted
us this morning and gave us his number and said that he wants to learn
more about our church after watching meet the Mormons at the fireside!
BOOM!

3. Then Sister D... gave us a referal. She had us over for dinner
and said, "I think I'm giving you a referal." Haha. She did. Talked
about how this woman just had a daughter pass away and she feels like
she needs to tell us to go meet this woman.

4. Then the B.. Family  (they used to live in fair oaks so they know
exactly where I'm from) invited us to do some service at a library
Sister B.. works at and they told us about their friends that were
going to be there as well. We met their friends and they were so nice
and funny! I love them and I think they liked us... Well... Haha they
loved us, let's be honest. So I have a feeling that we could meet with
them and give them lessons.

5. Linda B.. (an investigator) is now having her parents over to the
lessons whenever we have them.

All these things have happened in the passed week. It's amazing. It
goes to show that prayers are answered and that not all blessings come
immediately. I'm sure He was working on that answer the whole time and
it just took a little bit for hearts to be softened and to place those
people in the right places. It was in the process of happening the
whole time.

Other than that it's been normal missionary week full of the spirit.
President sent an email out with a quote from Gordon B Hinckley that
says "stop seeking out the storms, and enjoy more fully the sunlight."
I believe 100% that PJ was inspired to send that out for me. I had
been looking for things to get upset about and not focusing on the
things that were going well. When we look for the storms our live
become dark dark dark! But when we turn around to the sunlight we have
joy and light. And if you look for light, darkness will have not place
in you because "light always overcomes darkness."

I love my father. I know that fathers are there to show us a little
bit of what our Heavenly Father is like. I love you dad. I know that
the Book of Mormon is true, that prophets lived in the Americas and
Christ showed himself to those in the ancient Americas. We have
prophets and apostles today who hold the priesthood. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.

One More Week

Rejoice everyone,

One more week until transfers!!

I can't believe that. It's gone by so fast. It's crazy to think about.
Am already 1/8th of the way done with my mission. Haha. Only 7 more of
these to go. I'm ready for transfers though. I'm so excited.
We got a free breakfast this week. We went out to breakfast and the
waiter called us elders and we were like wait how does this guy know
who we are. We never asked. But we were waiting for our bill and he
came shook all of our hands and said "well, your good to go elders,
the bill is taken care of." That was super cool. And I've gained 5
more pounds!! 20 pounds total that I've gained:)
So we had a lesson with an investigator and he was kind of doubting.
He was asking us tough questions...... but not tough enough for
missionaries. As a missionary we receive such insight. Literally the
thing we study that morning is an answer to an investigators "stump
ya" questions. As a missionary I've learned so much that I would not
have learned if I had not the power that comes from missionary work.
So he asked us "why doesn't it say that Christ would visit America in
the bible?" So we said "well, it actually it does." He said "oh
really?" So we pulled up John 10:16. Then he asked "well I'm just
having a hard time because it doesn't mention the Book of Mormon" and
then we were about to say something. He realized and kind of said
".... Or does it...." In a "are you kidding me" kind of voice. So we
pulled up Ezekiel 37:16-17 and explained how the stick of Joseph was
the Book of Mormon because Lehi was a decadent of Joseph. Haha it was
cool to see how the Lords puts words in your mouth and brings up
scriptures to your remembrance like that. Hopefully though our
investigator is able to overcome the doubts that satin gives him. He
is progressing and satin is realllllly working to stop him.
This week we had zone conference and stake conference.
At zone conference we had our zone (Altoona zone) and the Williamsport
zone. Elder Holdaway and Elder Holbrook are in that zone so I got to
see them. The AP's (assistants to president- Elder Ord and Elder
Liston), President and Sister Johnson, and other people from our
mission presidency were there. It was awesome. It took up literally
all day. Haha. Zone conference was such a picker upper! Made me pumped
up to go do work haha.

Stake conference was cool. It was at a Jr. High school auditorium
because we all wouldn't be able to fit into the Altoona building. The
Altoona building is smaller than our building back home. And it's a
stake building. Shows how small the church is here. President and
Sister Johnson gave talks about Sister Wells and the accident that
happened 4 months ago and all the miracles that took place through
that tragedy. Pretty much everyone was crying.  It was amazing to see
how The Lord works. President said "David A. Bed and talked at Sadies
service. He said 'alot of people 'why does God let such horrible
things happen to missionaries, His solders' and I said 'I don't know
why. But God does."  It's true. We don't see the big plan but God does
have a plan bigger than anyone could imagine. From that tragedy 4
people were baptized in a result to it.

Other than that not a lot happened this week. We went on exchanges in
Indiana and I was with Elder Draper. We pretty much did nothing. He's
going home in a transfer. So he's trunky (trunky means you just think
about home and you don't want to do any work).

Let me say though. I love our Zone Leaders and AP's. They inspire me
to be better. They are awesome.

And also let me say that this gospel is beautiful. It's true. I love
it. I feel such joy and love from it and I pray every night that you
may too. This church is lead by Christ through prophets and apostles
that hold the authority to lead this church. I have a simple testimony
that the church is true. It's beautiful and it is joy. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.