week 59

Hahaha nope never a dull moment in the mission field!    I love President Rasmussen he is the man! He loves EVERYBODY!!! And he is just an example to me on how to have charity.  And how we find happiness and joy through love and charity. I was reading in Alma 43-44 today and I need to trust in god and do all I can to develop love.  So that is my goal.  We have a zone conference tomorrow so we will see him and Elder Donaldson of the Seventy come and speak to us.  

Well we are finding all day everyday and it's not going anywhere to be honest.  It's pretty dry at the moment.  We are trying our best and coming up with new ideas but it's difficult.  The members are amazing they are so supportive and willing to come out with us which is more difficult because we don't have anyone to teach so it's just stop by potentials and knock em out.  

I don't have any pictures really lol I'm sorry. I'll take more this week and send loads next week is that alright, plus I'm emailing from a members iPad because today is a bank holiday so the library is closed lol iPads are awesome!!!!  

Instead of pictures how about a testimony:

I know this church is true.  The gospel of Jesus Christ can bless our lives.  I have the strongest testimony of the amount of love God has for each and every one of us.  He really does love us and wants us to be happy.  The atonement of Jesus Christ can change lives and I've learnt that we can use the atonement for really anything that causes us pain or suffering.  It has a power behind to heal and cleanse from anything and everything.  I love our Saviour for the sacrifices he has made, is making and will make for me.  It is an unending line of me owing him everything I have but I love it, because It testifies of all the things Christ does for me.  I love this gospel, through it we can really come to know and love our Saviour which I feel I have come to do.  

week 58

Over the past couple of weeks our luck has taken a turn for the worse and anything and everything that could happen that is bad, has happened.  We constantly miss trains, the tracks flood so they dont even run, appointments flogg us, people dont even stop on the street to chat, and more.  I'll go into detail for this one.

So I'm on exchanges with the District Leader and we are coming back from Camarthen to Haverfordwest and we miss our train because we went to talk to someone. So the elders in Abberystwyth come pick us up, we detach the bikes and throw them in the boot and drive to Milford Haven to a dinner appointment.  The dinner appointment goes fine and we bike up to some potential investigators to stop by and do a bit of tracting.  None of the potentials are home and it's off and on rain all night with the strongest wind ever, I almost got knocked of my bike a couple of times.  So we get done knocking and we try to unlock the bike lock and it isn't working hahaha great!  So we get kind of frustrated, say a prayer, and continue knocking doors then come back, note our train leaves in about 45 minutes, we try again and nothing.  So we look around trying to find something and we look over and see oil sitting on the pathway so we run over grab it and pour it on the lock, try again nothing.  Then this man is walking by and we say,  "sir do you have any bolt cutters or a saw we are trying to get our lock off."   And he's like "don't you have a key?"  probably thinking we are dodgy chavs trying to knick these bikes haha.  But he says "hold on a second" and he comes out with a saw and 30 minutes later he has successfully sawed through my lock hahaha.  So we bike fast to the train station and miss it by minutes, so we are like wow! what more can happen, boom rain, haha.  Then we bike to the senior couples home and fortunately they were able to give us a lift home. Then the bad luck continued the next day when we were supposed to switch back but the tracks flooded so we were stuck hahaha oh man its been crazy. 

The Lord has been saying hey muppet did you forget about me, I can do anything!  Ask me for some help in finding people, because I can guide you to mine elect!  The Lord rebukes but shows his loving kindness through a man with a saw and the senior couple who was so willing to give us a lift home.  We are going to be more bold with the Lord in our prayers.  We are going to expect to see miracles and do our best and then tell the Lord we are going to work hard, speak to everybody and be dilligent and obedient.  I know we are going to see miracles this week in Milford Haven!  God is going to guide and lead us to his prepared children and we are going to see miracles. 

I know that Jesus is the Christ and through him we can gain salvation.  Through the atonement we can find peace and happiness.  Heavenly Father is our father and loves and cares for us enough to allow trials to happen so we can learn and grow.  i know this gospel is true because Satan is working hard to make sure it doesn't move forward.  We are at war and we need to stand up and say enough is enough, we need more than ever to be Captain Moronis and Ammons and Aarons and Amuleks and stand for the truth and rely upon God!  I know that God loves us and desires our happiness and all we have to do is simply follow his commandments and we will find hidden happiness we never thought was possible.  I know this church is true and that the gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and the plan of redemption is a pathway to happiness.  Just like jeffrey R Holland said,  "I testify we are all individually loved of God.  We are praised and prayed for by the leaders of this church we are the very reason there is a plan of redemption and exaltation." 

I feel I have learnt so much on my mission but a couple things I've learnt is to love the scriptures becuase as we read them we really can find answers and feel that God is speaking to us.  I learnt to trust in God and rely upon him for direction because im 20 years old, I have no idea what im doing or where I'm going, but he does so I need to turn to Him for help because I can't do it alone. 

We are having a zone meeting Wednesday and I'm way excited for that, we also have 5 DAs this week a record breaker! 

week 57

The new companion is happy, and I think he is adjusting.  He came out pre-trained, he knows a lot already.  I need to study charity and humility and patience and love because i have realised that I'm lacking in those things.  I don't really know how to explain it, training is difficult but it is a growing experience for sure.

We have one pretty good investigator we are hoping will progress.  I'm excited for her.  She is from Scotland and she has the two cutest kids in all the world haha.  We are seeing her on Tuesday. 

We are not just placed in our jobs or neighbourhoods, or friend groups or areas and companionships for no reason, we are here because we can influence someone or ourselves grow and learn.   I hope that I can make a difference in someone's life and I hope and pray that I can influence someone for the better 

I know that Satan is at work the hardest when you are close to where you need to be.  He knows that the work I'm in, and where I'm at is exactly where im supposed to be!  So he is going to work as hard as he can to slow down that work and to stop me.   I know the only way stop him is to get on our knees and earnestly plead with the Lord and then get up, change, and go and do, having faith that God will provide opportunities for us to get what we asked for. 

We are just busy trying to find people that will listen to what we have to say.  People that want to find happiness and to look into the church. 

week 56

I have loads of pictures because I wasn't sure if I was leaving:

Michael and the Williams family

Michael and the Prior family 

Michael and Alex Edge

Michael with the Prior and Edge families

Well transfers came and are gone.  We got the call Monday night and I am staying in Milford Haven.  Elder Brewer is leaving to Cheltenham to be a Zone Leader, and I am training a new missionary.  I'm excited for the chance I have to train, i just hope I don't mess up too badly.  I will do my best, because that's all anyone asks for.  So we got home around 10:30 last night and I was dead tired, and he was as well, he had gotten up at 4:30 that morning.  Poor kid.  But he really is the man and I'm glad I have the opportunity to serve with him. 

Michael and Elder Dutton

So my boy is Elder Dutton from Riverton, Utah near Draper.  He is the mans mans man.  He ran track and cross country in high school and went to UVU for a year before the mission.  He is excited to work and get going!  I'm excited for him as well, he is a good lad!  I am super nervous, but excited as well.  It will be a good experience that will definitely force me to stretch and grow.  I'm excited for the things that will happen in these upcoming transfers together. 

Sometimes we think we are not qualified enough or experienced enough, but the Lord knows exactly what we need, and maybe we are unqualified for most of the job, but one part we will be really good at and we will excell!  The Lord knows and loves us and wants our happiness!