Referral madness

 

Classic Texas street contacting view

こんにちは皆さん！

Wow this week was totally bats. We had like 5 referrals in like 2 days! It was pretty cool, unfortunately a bunch of them didn't respond, but we have a good chance with a couple of them. 

We also got bashed, so... that was fun. The guy was a gentleman, but sometimes those are the worst ones haha.

Got to do tons of service at the temple this week, and it was super fun, it was all outside just doing flowerbeds, but still felt good to help the temple work move forward.

On Saturday morning we went to a small town called "Tahoka" and it was weird. Just this ghost town where we met some people and ate at a rundown little diner. Super tasty though!

Probably the most powerful experience I've had on my mission so far happened on Sunday afternoon. We were meeting with this member that has been through a lot in her life, and has felt her testimony shake quite a bit. It was probably the closest I've ever come to actually hearing the spirit. We gave her a blessing and I still can't believe that it all happened. Even a day later the power of the experience is kinda fading, and I think that's how spiritual experiences are. Write them down when you have them! It'll help ya later :)

Also if you haven't watched the Elder and Sister Bednar Face to Face thing, you should. It's really good!

じゃあまたね！

9/11 memorial in Tahoka

Elder Ballif's chicken head

You don't need a taser in Mr Rogers' neighborhood

 

Golfing with the zones

Hey!

This week was pretty packed, but I'm just sending this one to you guys.

It was a good week of going out and about doing missionary work, but the most exciting day was Sunday really.

We had to drive a friend to church so a young member here drove us to get him. Apparently the car had been in his family for generations, and President Hinckley rode in it once. So that's my claim to fame.

We got tased by a guy that lives next door! Missionaries have met with him for a while and we're pretty tight with them. They try to come to church every week. Anyway he tased us, so that was fun, then he took us to workout this morning and absolutely killed us haha. It was fun though, he's a wild guy.

Sunday night we got to meet with a member and his new wife in a  small town nearby. It was so fun. They're both old, but just got married and he reminds me of Mr Rogers, just the coolest guy. Anyway his wife is a Baptist but wants to get baptized! She made an awesome meal, then we taught her. A truly prepared woman, who was super grateful for us. 

Yeah those were the biggest things that happened this week, just staying busy here in Lubbock. Trioing is weird, but it's been fun. Hopefully I can get the chance to call and talk with you guys today!

Oh also there was an MTC devotional by Elder and Sister Bednar, and man it was soooooo good. Reminded me a lot of THE Bednar MTC devotional, "Character of Christ"

Try reading the beginning of Christ's ministry in the Americas and his last days before his death and try to make a list of the things he teaches! Pretty cool stuff.

Love you guys or... Y'all hahaha

Spooky spider

First pumpjack I've seen since Pecos

Bustling City

 

Hey, figured I'd just send another one to you guys this week, rather than the whole list.

It was a looong week, with lots going on. Whitewashing has been interesting haha. The Elders before really didn't give us much information to work with, but we've been making it work. We got to meet with and contact a ton of members, and there is a ton of "low hanging fruit" in this ward haha. That basically just means part-member families, and kids past 8 that need to be baptized. Lots to do here!

Being around so many missionaries is fun, I guess. I definitely know more about what's going on in the mission being around the office, so that's cool. It's been a good area so far, sounds like the Elder we are training isn't gonna be here very much longer, his visa should be here soon and he'll take off. That'll be fun, being in a trio is weird.

"After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel."

-Joseph Smith

See ya around!

Play Doh Fox

Cool little deck by a lake where we got bashed by a Jewish man

A cool park

Whitewashing

 

The beautiful Texas sky

皆さんヤッホ~

The time has come... I'm leaving Pecos! I'm heading up to Lubbock to train a new missionary along with an Elder I came into the field with! It's going to be wild in the big city. I don't really know what to expect, but it'll be fun!

I'm gonna miss it here a lot, it's such a great place. I think the thing I'll miss the most is the Branch President's family, they're all so cool! Especially his little daughter, shes so wild, she just cruises around like a little monkey haha. Ah man I'm gonna miss her, she's so funny.

This week was full of great experiences and miracles. The guy that walked up to us on Elder Wilie's first day accepted a date to be baptized and is now working his way towards it, we had 7 of our friends at church. Man it was just a good good week.

Good ol' Alpine

Smashing pennies

A members eagle project!

Most Texan meal I've had

Teeter Totter fun

Legooo

 This week was pretty alright, we had a lot of stuff to do with exchanges, apartment inspections, and service, but it was a good time. We got a bunch of rain again too, so that was awesome!

We saw lots of miracles, which helped to wash out the disappointments that came too. We did have a lot of great work with the members, including an awesome member lesson. You guys really are the key to the work! "There is... no substitute for a member oriented proselyting program. Tracting will not substitute for it. Golden questions will not substitute for it. A member oriented program is the key to success, and it works wherever we try it." Thomas S. Monson

じゃあね！

Cool book I saw at the store. Otters!!

Railroad where I briefly lost my Tag!

Toitle

Our first parents

バーテン長老とゾーン大会！

 

ヤッホー！

This week was most excellent! It was popping off down here in Pecos. Elder Wilie and I had so much going on with lessons, contacts, and service. Whew it was crazy! We also got asked to talk in sacrament meeting, and the youth asked me to speak at a district(stake) fireside they are doing soon!

Most importantly though, we had zone conference and... I saw Burton chourou again!!! It was a joyous reunion, now all we need is Iwaasa Chourou to come to The mighty Odessa zone ;)

We got the chance to do some family history work with a part member family this week and how my testimony of us all being a part of God's family has grown so much this week. We all have a place to belong! Just watching as this family got all excited getting back to 400 BC and sorting out their grandparents' information was so satisfying and worthwhile. I encourage you to do some family history this week!

愛していますよ！

またね！

Empty pens

Odessalation sunset

 (I'm just sending this to you guys since not much happened this week)

どうもジョーンズ長老です！

We got quite a bit of rain these last few days which was pretty nice to see. It really hasn't been super hot this year. I guess that's been a blessing for me haha.

This week we had some great experiences and I even got to go up to mighty Odessa on an exchange, so that was fun! Oh the goat farmer sold almost all his goats! What the heck? It was really quiet there this week... he still has a few, but it's pretty empty.

"Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They come as you use your agency righteously. Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you with these attributes; you cannot develop them without His help. With a desire to please God, recognize your weaknesses and be willing and anxious to improve." -PMG

またね

Look! The Tokyo skytree!!

the only forest in west texas

birbs 

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