I'M LEAVING ST. JOSEPH

"If today you are a little better than you were yesterday, then that's enough."  David A, Bendar

Yes the time has finally come... I am leaving St Joseph this week and I'm so sad. It's going to be hard leaving all these amazing people that I have met and taught. I feel so lucky being able to serve in this area for 6 months, it's going to be really really hard to leave it.  It'll be super exciting getting to know new people. This week was more tornado warnings and thunder storm warnings. Of course that had to be the night of soccer. So that really sucked because nobody came to soccer, but it was a very cool storm, and it only opened up our door once from the wind hahah. All of this week I've been having dinners with all my favorite people and it's sad thinking about it. It's super weird because I feel like I'm in 2 wards because we eat with the St Joseph 1st ward, and go to church in Cameron. I've been having to say goodbye to both wards. Basketball in the morning is coming to an end. But that means I need to start one in the next area. Saturday we had a crazy busy day! We went to hectors all morning helping him build a new fence for his cows. And I've never enjoyed digging a hole more in my life. Service as a missionary is literally the best thing you can do!.This sunday was kinda lame nobody came to church and we tried so hard. Not even one youth showed up, and it was my last week. Volleyball night was good. We had 10 people show up and it was fun.  I'm going to miss that so much, it's cool seeing the progress it had from when we started it to now.  The last thing I want to talk about is Petrona! We got Petrona on Date tonight, and Petrona is Diego's sister, Diego is going to baptize her.  It was funny because Diego's wife doesn't speak spanish, but she told Petrona that she'll throw her in the water if she has too, they were all laughing! It's actually so cool to see how much the Holy Ghost helps you, and how helpful new converts are! They literally have the best testimonies ever!

- Thank you Swazy for the letter, I'm glad you still remember me...

- last time eating tacos with Hector!

- hectors farm

BROUGHT ME BACK

"If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest, as well as the easiest times in life, can be a blessing."       President. Henry B. Eyring 

 I was really excited for this week and it was super good, but we had some really rough things happen that were very unexpected..  started with Carlos, he was on Date for the 29th and we went over to do the commandments, and before we started he started telling us that he's starting to have doubts and that he needs more time until baptism... but he said that he still wants us to keep coming over and continuing the lessons, but it was pretty tough to take him off date, he will get there soon. The other disappointing thing that happened was Diego's daughter got really sick the day of the temple. So Diego couldn't go, and I was a little frustrated but it was alright because he said he really wants to go,  Hector told me that he will get him there the day the temple re-opens! (because they're closing it for 2 months or more...) but even with Diego not going, the temple was amazing and w got to do baptisms for the dead.  It was amazing to do them again, and in spanish... that was a little hard but I got it down after the 15th time hahaha. It was so awesome because I got to do baptisms with 2 kids from the branch that have never done it before. They don't speak any English so explaining it to them was very difficult, but it was awesome!! One of them is named Logan and the other is Ethan! They both loved it so much, and it brought me back to when I did baptisms for the dead for the first time. I got to see one of our new converts Victor in the temple. Victor is taught by the sisters, but him& I are super tight because I've been there for forever, and I'm the only missionary left that saw him get baptized.  The last thing I want to talk about is Soccer night of course, if any of you are wondering if soccer night works it does.  We had 30 people show up this week! We posted so many flyers and adds on Facebook, and it was the craziest and coolest thing ever.  It's going to be very sad leaving this area after starting all these fun activities.  All the latinos call me Haaland from the Norway soccer team.  Kinda a crazy eventful week with lots of ups and downs.

I SAW THE LIGHT OF CHRIST IN HIM

"By helping others come unto Him you will find you have come unto him yourself."  Henry B. Eyeing

 It's been a good week. This week we had a wild storm to start it out, tornado warnings and a huge thunder storm, it was cool to watch, and then I went to sleep and didn't wake up to any of the tornado alarms hahaha but nothing happened so it's all good. We also got our friend Carlos on Date for the 22nd.  He's literally the funniest guy to talk to and reminds me of hanging out with the boys. He always texts me and asks me what we're doing that night.  We had Soccer and volleyball night, and like usual it was the best! And the highlight of the week we had 8 people show up to church this week which was amazing. Two of them were new members, and they got their temple recomend.  We get to go to the temple with Diego and Miceala on Saturday, that is going to be one of the coolest things ever.  To see them get baptized, then to go to the temple.  We also saw him pay his tithing which was a really cool experience, because he doesn't have a ton of money and he was excited to give it to the church! I saw the light of christ in him.  He also tried paying his tithing to us, which was really funny, but I only took half of it... just kidding, we just told him we don't cost money, and that you give the money to the church, (Branch President). But it was a super humbling experience and really taught me a lot! We had Easter dinner at hectors which was so good. 

Pictures:

- coloring eggs

- soccer

- volleyball

- Easter Sunday

 

 GOD IS TRULY REAL

"Each day holds the possibility of a miracle."

This has been such a busy and crazy week.  We had so many miracles and so many blessings that God put in our path. But to start it off we had an exchange and I got to go up to Maryville again for the 3rd time. It was super fun and I loved it a lot, I was with Elder Daynes and he is such a stud.  We got to go to the college campus for a little bit which was fun but also really weird. Felt like I was back at home going around campus talking with the bros again.  Then the next day we had Soccer night! Wow what a turn out, God knew that we needed a soccer night, because we had 17 people show up first week. We had so many more people interested that didn't have rides this week, it was literally insane!  I got to play soccer so it was the best of both worlds.  We met  many awesome people, but the one that stuck out the most was Carlos and Diego.  Carlos and Diego are brothers and they moved to St Joseph not to long ago they both have incredible stories on how they quit smoking! Carlos said that he's been trying to find Christian friends since he moved and hasn't found anyone till we came on his Facebook out of nowhere. God is so real and he put Carlos in our path.  Ever since that night Carlos has been texting me on Facebook asking about activities and church things going on. But the craziest miracle we saw was on Friday. Friday evening we were driving around knocking on people's doors when we randomly ran into Diego, Diego said let me go get Carlos and went inside. Carlos came out and said for us to come in and talk to him for a bit.  Now this is the craziest part.  Carlos told us he was praying to God to show him a sign that he was real, when 5 seconds after he prayed we randomly showed up to his house on accident having no idea where he even lived, and were able to help him know that God is truly real! It was one of the coolest experiences of my life! There is no explanation for that other than God is real and he has a plan for all of us.  Since that day Carlos has read all of 3 Nephi and is now starting from the front of El Libro De Mormón, and he has watched general conference.  I knew God was going to bless me for starting up soccer night, but I didn't know how much hahaha. With Confrence this weekend my brain kinda hurts and we received so much inspiration that I'm so exhausted but it was such a good way to end the week and can't wait to see what happens next week.  Loved the central message of conference this weekend of finding rest and truth in Jesus Christ.

Pictures:

• Futbol
• Carlos my man
• another Hair cut.  Im getting good at this.  My mom better watch out
• conference
• Feeding Hanky
• Futbol
• Exchange with Elder Daynes