Sweet Week - from 06/19/2017

This week was awesome!
We worked so hard. We talked to everyone! It was great. It's pretty
funny how the week we worked hardest we didn't really pick up any new
investigators or anything but we did what we were supposed to do.
We saw Cathy and Slader, the broken finger lady and her son. We began
to teach the plan of salvation and then both of them just started
asking a bunch of questions about life and death and stuff and they
were all questions that go into the plan of salvation so we told the,
we would come back and talk about it more in depth. Cathy said "oh
good! This was fun!! I'm excited." And then Slader talked about how he
has been reading the Book of Mormon and how he likes it a bunch.
We helped out with a parade in Milton that was celebrating its 200th
birthday! It was pretty fun! We also then helped in primary by eating
baby food. However well the kids sang a song they got to feed us more
and more spoons of baby food! Haha so that was fun!
This week I read about Dan Jones. Dan jones is the coolest missionary
story I've ever heard of! If you haven't heard about him look him up!!
This week I had almost all my dreams were almost the same. It was this:
I got home from my mission and I go see my family and hug my mom and
stuff. And then the rest of my dream is me just crying the whole time
because I just miss the mission.
Every morning I wake up and I am so grateful for that dream, I know
that it was inspired from god, because it makes me work so hard
because I know how much I'll miss this.
Last night we set a goal to get 15 people's contact info this week. We
also just were pumped and screaming that "we fear no man! We have no
fear!" We we're just jumping around pumping each other up. It was
pretty funny. We also set a goal to do some soap box preaching! And we
practiced it! So we are going to try it! It's going to be awesome!
Literally right after that I began to just lose it super fast while
studying. But I then just started to open the bom in random spots and
every time it was a scripture about serving God to our best. Then my
discouragement went away. Satan is crazy. He tries so quickly to
discourage us when we make a good decision!
And then we started practicing soap box preaching and then "booom!!!"
Thunder and lighting and rain just started coming so fast! It was
insane! Every time we would get pumped and talk about sharing the
gospel there was then a huge lighting and huge thunder! It was so
weird... I took a 20 minute long video of it. The streets were like
flooding, the street lights went out, and water started getting into
our apartment through the AC. It was so weird. It was awesome though!
We were so pumped!
Love the mission. I truly do. Whenever I think about 9 months left it
makes me a little emotional because I know that 9 months is nothing
and it's going to go by so quick!
I love this work. It is the greatest thing anyone could be engaged in.
It is true. It is the work of the Almighty. In the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
Love you all! Miss yous!


The field is white already to harvest baby!!!!

I love Pa!!'

This week was good - from 06/12/2017

Hello Familia,

This week was so good!

We had Zone Conference this week and it was the best Zone Conference of my mission for sure. It was President and Sister Johnsons farewell Conference. So it was a very emotional Zone Conference for everyone.

I got to hug sister Johnson!!!:) ha ha man. I love the Johnson's. They have helped me out so much and i will NEVER forget them.

Zone Conference was about "developing the faith to find people to teach." It was so good! I got so pumped to just go out and find!!! The Zone Leaders gave us a commitment to do some activities from Preach My Gospel chapter 9.

I did one and i learned so much about my purpose as a missionary!! Like i am called to share the gospel with everyone, period. I feel like i have been prideful in a way that i didn't want to come off as prideful pushy or nosy so i have refrained from sharing the gospel sometimes and focused on just being a friend, which isn't a bad thing but that isn't what i was called to do. so this week has been great!

So nothing really to report this week other than that i have learned so much about why i am out here and felt the great importance in just working sooo much harder and sharing light!
like i only have 9 months left now and i feel i haven't worked hard enough or made the most of my mission experience so far so these next 9 months i am just going to work so hard! i am going to share the gospel with everyone!!!! I'm just so motivated now!

something i wrote in my studies is:
I am a Farmer, i am a steward. I am a laborer, i am a servant. I am a sower, i am a reaper. I am a warrior, i am a representative. i am a fisher of men. i have been called to do hard things. I can do hard things. i am a missionary.


and that's my testimony. I know that the cause i am engaged in is great. it is most important. and so now i am going to just work so hard! i am going to make this the hardest thing ive loved to do!
 love you all! miss you!!!

Church - from 06/05/2017

So Cathy and her son came to church. Cathy is the lady that broke her
finger because her dog. We stopped by one day and her son said he
checked out the Book of Mormon and that he thought it was cool. When
they came to church he was holding the Book of Mormon in his hand,
looking all excited. So cool!
One of the members we visit finally got on the role for not smoking.
She has tried again and again and again to go cold turkey and would
last only a day or two. Today she in on day 10 I think! So exciting.
Never give up!!
Then we, with another member couple we visit, talked about a program
we can do to help them overcome the urge they get.so they said they
wanted to do it and so the next day we began the program. In the
program you have to get all their Tabasco and have them give it to
you. So he gave us a huge bag of tobacco. It's really cool because the
day before we started the program he told us that his wife is
expecting a baby!!!!!! And that he is super motivated to quit now! So
exciting! So they have been clean for 2 days!:) soooo exciting! I love
it!
It is so exciting! Agh I love these Pennsylvanians.
On Wednesday we went to a funeral for a member that passed away. It's
crazy how you can come to love someone so quickly. It's weird because
we met this member at a Mcdonalds right after he got out of a nursing
home and he like bore his testimony to us. Then he bore his same
testimony that he shared with us at church a week or two later and
then that week he asked us to give him a blessing and I remember the
blessing was a spirit filled one. Then he passed away only 2 or so
weeks later. I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to meet
this man and hear his final 2 humble touching testimonies. His
testimonies that he shared was that his wife was very sick and was in
a lot of pain. He said a prayer and told God He could have her back
that he was ok with Him taking her back now. Then she passed away very
very shortly after he said that prayer. And that was his testimony.
That she is in a better place and that God has her now. That was only
6 months ago and now this member is with her in the spirit world.
I love this gospel. I love the Lord. Whenever I give my thanks for
Jesus Christ and his Atoning sacrifice I am always filled with Gods
love. I cannot help but be overcome with swelling emotions or joy when
I truly express my gratitude for the savior. Jesus is the Christ. He
is my redeemer. He has redeemed me from my mistakes. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.

This is Joseph. I love this buddy of mine! He always comes up to me
and grabs my arm, and looks at my watch.

Service on top of Service - from 5/29/17

It was crazy this week. We did service 75% of the time. It was insane.
There were days that we literally spent all day going from service to
service. It was the best!!
We still see miracles happening all the time too.
We went over to a house to help them move some couches. And our
investigator was outside talking to someone and he introduces us to
who he is talking to. Then he says "I'm a Mormon" (he's only an
investigator). We talk a little bit then we said we were going to grab
something from the car for the person, and our investigator says, as
we are walking to the car, "it's the Book of Mormon. They are grabbing
a Book of Mormon." And he started to explain what it was. Haha I love
that 1 he isn't even a member and he considers himself as a Mormon and
2 that he knew exactly what we were going to the car for. So we talked
to his friend for a little and she said that she was interested in
learning more.
Yesterday after giving someone the sacrament we got a call from a
member. What happened was:
He saw a women on the side of the road pushing a kart in the rain. So
he pulled over and helped her to the store. Then he bought her
groceries for her without her knowing. Then he drove her groceries to
her house. On the way there he called us and that's were this call
came into point.
So he was asking us what he should do and stuff. She shows up and he
just puts her on the phone and so we talked to her on the phone gave
us her number and address and said to come teach her! That is how
missionary work is meant to be. It was perfect. Sharing the gospel is
NOT reserved for your close friends only! No not at all. It is for
everyone! It is for strangers and all! We should be talking with
strangers at gas stations and sharing the gospel.
I love it! Elder bednar gave a talk and said that the members of the
church are full time finders and the missionaries are full time
teachers! So find. It means that. Go out and find! Don't wait for the
person to be ready but to go and find the prepared!!!
I love the old testament! There is so much to learn! If you have not
read it then do it. It is a commandment to read all of Gods word.
The work of the Lord will not be hindered no matter what! That is my
testimony from this week. No matter what activity, as long as it is
helping others, then the Lord will help you in your efforts. In the
name of Jesus Christ, amen.

So Long - from 5/22/17

These past two weeks have been crazy! Lots of good things have happened.
1st highlight: SKYPING MY FAMILY!
It was so nice to Skype my family. Not only mom and dad but brothers and sister and aunt and cousins and friends!! Oh what a great day! I love my family!
2nd highlight: PHILADELPHIA!
This last week I went on exchanges with the Berwick elders and elder Aitken and I got to go to Philadelphia. We went there to attend the temple! While there we visited the city and checked out the cool history that's there. The temple is beautiful! It is right there in the middle of the city for everyone to see! It's so cool! I love the temple. It is so peaceful! So grateful I was able to go! While driving to philly we drove through a town called freeland which is where grandpa was born! It is a nice little town right in between two big hills! Really cool!
3rd highlight: we had the most insane experience of my mission!!!
My family asked me if I had any like really crazy experiences of my mission yet and I didn't really have any, but now I do!!! We were out doing some finding one day. I see this lady with a dog and we are walking towards her and all of a sudden her dog sees us and absolutely lunges for us!!! Leaped, jumped, whatever. The dog was on a leash and a lady was holding the leash.. well the leash was tied around her hand... now you might see where this is going. When the dog jumped at us it yanked this ladies hand and she practically fell to the ground, her mail went flying in the air (just like the movies!!), and the dog was still pulling her. She immediately grabs her hand and says ow a lot. I grabbed the dog and they she says, "I just broke my finger. I just broke my finger!!!" And then she started crying, not because of the physical but spiritual pain. She then explains as she starts crying how lately it has been so hard for her, and how her son was suspended for a lame reason, and on and on and on this lady went. And then the next thing she says is, "and you are going to tell me why God can help" as she snuck out a pain filled chuckle. So I'm in shock. This lady just broke her finger because her dog jumped at us. I'm looking at her finger and it is absolutely completely sideways. Complete shock. Elder Walker doesn't even think about her finger but listened to her spiritual pain and then started to teach her about God and stuff. She cried as elder Walker was teaching her, because of the pain or the Holy Ghost I know not. I'm still here holding on to the dog looking at her finger in shock. I had no clue what to say. Then he dog jumped again a little bit later and almost broke her leg as the leash was tied around her leg. So I grabbed the dog and took it from her because she was just in no shape to be holding the dog. So we then walked her to her home and gave her a Book of Mormon and told her that we were going to come help her and her son out. So then she said thanks and said "well I better go to the ER now." Her finger was completely sideways.... haha. So insane.
I thought in my head "well, that don't look right." (Family joke!)
While I went to the temple elder Walker went back to see her and she was super excited to see the missionaries again and we found out she didn't like her past church because they weren't too friendly and is looking for a new one to attend! So we will be teaching her now after that crazy insane experience.
The Lord works in very mysterious ways!
We had interviews with president Johnson, our last one with him before we get out new mission president. He told me that the only team that I can like is the Houston rockets.... so I am now a rockets fan!!
He had me share my testimony and the two things that I spoke about was the Atonement and the Book of Mormon. Jesus is the Christ. He did suffer for us. We can be freed from sin and guilt. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and can bless you in all aspects of your life! I have experienced it in my life! I don't know how the Atonement works but it is real. It is simply true. Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He is my Master and my Savior.

Good Week - from 5/8/2017

This week was cool.
Love my mommy. Happy early Mother's Day to my mommy and all the other
moms in my life!:) love you all!!
We went on exchanges with the zone leaders. We have a bit of Spanish
speaking investigators in our area and elder story, who speaks
Spanish, went and tried them all in one day. So I really didn't do any
of the talking. It was great. A lot of them were super cool and nice
and interested.
Elder story and I started driving away after talking to someone. As we
were driving off I saw someone working on their car and immediately I
knew they talked Spanish. So we got out after parking the car and went
to talk to him. I started talking to him and he looked so worried or
confused haha. I was talking in English. Then elder story started
talking in Spanish to him and he totally had a change in mood. Elder
story then taught him the restoration in Spanish.
So I can remember a little bit of Spanish from high school so I was
able to follow along with what he was saying.
So he started talking about the prophet Joseph smith, and even though
I didn't understand all of what was being said, I could feel the
spirit so strongly. It was so neat of an experience. And I noticed he
was feeling the spirit and I was hoping elder story would ask him how
he felt. And then I had Spanish come into my mind, "como siente." Now
I don't know if that is proper Spanish? But I was like what in the
world does that mean? And then I remembered it means how do you feel.
But then eventually I heard the investigator say "tranquilidad" after
elder story asked him a question so I knew he asked him! It was way
cool! We set up a return appointment!
After being with elder story all day and hearing Spanish all day,
whenever I was about to say something it was going to be Spanish,
something that I remembered from Spanish. It was weird to be in the
Spanish mindset. It was cool. I got the "foreign experience" of a
different language I always wanted;).
It's been good. I love this ward.
We had a special stake conference yesterday and elder oaks talked
about member missionary work and how the members are the ones that are
supposed to find. The missionaries are teachers not finders. I love
elder oaks.
You are missionaries!!! You are missionaries. You are disciples of
Jesus Christ and it is a commandment to share the gospel. So go and
do. Help the missionaries!! Do your work in finding.

Yea life is good as a missionary. It's hard but good!!
I just love the mission. It has been the greatest thing in my life.
This is truly a mission sent from heaven. This work is so much more
than me. It is so much more than talking to people. It is saving
souls. I love the Lord with all my heart. I love Him. He is my
everything. He is my Rock, my Strength, my Light, my Bread, and all. I
physically cannot say enough, nor repeat, nor use any specific type of
word, no matter how big or extravagant it is, to correctly or
completely explain my testimony, love, and awe for the Savior. I know
He knows me. I know He loves me. I know He died for me. And that while
He was suffering He found strength in seeing me being baptized as a
boy, repenting, going to the temple, going on a mission and whatever
else is in store for me. He knew that His sacrifice would enable me to
accomplish all those things, and so he willingly laid down His ice for
me. He loves me. I also know that this is not specific for me. He
knows and loves each and every single one of you. And that He suffered
for you too! He lives, He lives who once was dead, The King, Jesus
Christ. In His mighty name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Been messing around all day on the piano. Here's a song I made a while
ago that I just put onto the piano.

I love PA - from 5/1/2017

Hey!
I love Pennsylvania. It gets more and more and more beautiful every
day. I can't believe how much I love it now. When I first got here I
never thought I would love it. But I love it so much. It is such a
beautiful land. I love Pennsylvania. I love the hills. I love all the
crops. I love the sunsets. I love all the old houses. I love it all.
The rolling hills and the sights that go for miles. Or the sight of
all the farmers fields in the sunsets. I never want to leave Pa!
This week was good! Not much to report!
We worked hard. Had fun and it was good!
Glenn is doing awesome! He will be getting the priesthood next week.
In our last lesson with him he gave me a card that says, "thanks for
saving my bacon," with the word saved underlined! Haha so funny.
Things are going well. We will be doing some finding the next little
while.
We also have been doing quite a bit of service.
Yesterday we had a neat experience. We had nothing really to do so we
decided to go finding. Elder Walker and I decided to pray to know
where to go. While elder Walker was praying I cleared my mind and
something kept coming into my head, "li....ice cream?- no....
li...ft?-I don't know." Then a I could slightly see a number appear in
my head, "639." So I wrote "639 lift?" On my notebook. Then I again
tried to clear my head and then I saw a map that started from our
house and then a road going away our house, then down another street
then into a street in the midst of a little community. So when elder
Walker finished the prayer I quickly turned on my apps map on my iPad
and followed where the map took me too when elder Walker was praying.
Go down this street, then down that one, and turn. I followed and I
looked at the street name and there was a "liberty st." So I told
elder Walker and we decided to go there. When we arrived to liberty
st, I looked to my house and I saw a house with the address with
"639." I thought that number was familiar so I opened up my notebook
to check the number and yup.... it matched. So elder Walker and I went
over there and we then realized it was vacant. So we had faith the
Lord brought us there for a reason so we knocked on the house next to
it, 637. A guy opened the door and I asked him how he was doing, he
looked both of us down and up and said, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" I
proceeded to do our missionary thing and he yelled at us and shut the
door. I was so confused. I saw the map, I had the beginning of the
street name, and I had an address that was right there, and all three
of them went together! Why did I get that? I wondered if it could have
been a coincidence. We kept walking down liberty st and people kept
going inside as they saw us. We got to the end of the st and talked to
this one lady that was super nice. She said we could come by. Then we
knocked on a couple doors and then we talked to this Puerto Rican guy.
He said we could come back. So sometimes when we receive answers and
it doesn't go like you thought, just keep working, because you are
close. The Lord got you into the right area and He wants you to do the
work to find the reason why he sent you there. I defiantly came to the
conclusion that I could not have seen those things, and had those
letters of "li" come into my head, and having all three different
event ALL GO TOGETHER PERFECTLY. The letters "li". The map leading me
to where to go which was then a street by the name of "liberty".
Having the numbers 639 put into my head that is right there at the
head of liberty street, right where the map lead me. That was
definitely specific directions we received from on high.
Elder Walker and I have been trying so hard to be like perfectly
obedient to the t. It is super hard. And I am not even close to being
decent at it, but I believe that if we were not making those efforts
we would not have received that direction.
This truly is the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing can stop this
work from progressing. Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies
may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth
boldy, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent,
visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear,
till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah
shall say, "the work is done." In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Hooray for Israel. Praise the King.
Miss yinz. Love yous.

Love Elder Segon