Week 80 - only four more transfers :(

Just a short letter this week. I only have 4 transfers left, and I don't have time to waste writing letters! I hope everyone is doing well back home though ;)

Here is a picture with one of my favorite families from the ward: the Otas. They cook us delicious japanese food on saturdays! And it just so happens that they are good friends with the Dee Fuhirman (I have no idea how to spell that) and his family that used to live in melba. So when I told them that I was from melba they were quite excited to see that I knew them!  

This week has been full of miracles. At home and here in the mission. Life is incredible when the gospel is in your life :) my only regret is that it took me this long to figure that out.

Also, the church has put together a pretty awesome series of bible videos that are great for learning and teaching. If you haven't at least watched them I encourage you to do it.

Go share the gospel! there are people waiting!

I love you guys, have a great week!

Week 79 - Lots of Pictures. A baptism, Temple week, and a really big sandwich.

Life is well. I cannot express how incredible this week has been. Between the baptism of Tuck, going to the temple, the new investigators we have found this week, and the size of the quadruple decker sandwich I watched my companion eat, I am just speechless.

Haha. no seriously though it was huge. Look:

Elder Mortimer eating a huge sandwich!

But more importantly, life is well. The mission goes well. There is no where else I would rather be then here. I know for the first time in my life that I am where god needs me to be :) 

Pictures from temple week!

Super excited about the new temple video!

these are the days

The District

Leavitt and Mortimer with recent converts Maria Valbuena and Taylor Bumbach!

Yes my tie is backwards. My bad

Baptism pictures of recent convert Charlie "Tuck" Grider.

It was my companion, Elder Mortimer's first baptism, so I was super happy for him!

Tuck is such a champ!

I was a little scared to be standing so close to a sister, so I panicked.

Sad to think I'll be back in six months. It's scary to think about. 

BUT, I know the lord will take care of me.

Thank you for all that you do. I love you guys.

The church is true. It changes lives.

If you don't know it, find out.

If you already know, don't forget.

Have an incredible week! Go find the people God has for you to find this week. I know they are out there!

Week 78 - Social Media

Hey everyone, I only have a few moments, but I just wanted to share a short video that lds.org/Mormon.org have put up over the past couple months. It is incredible to see the changes that the church is making to adapt to the world around us. It is truly a testimony that this is the lords work.




God has the incredible planned for us and everyone out there, If we can but stand where he needs us to stand and do what he needs us to do.  

 

The church is true. The gospel is incredible

 

If you don't know it's true, find out.

If you already know, don't forget.

 

The moments we feel the spirit are precious gifts from our heavenly father. I think we have to treat them as such :) otherwise we might not get anymore.

 

God lives. Jesus is our savior.

 

This much I do know.

 

 

I'll see ya'll in a few short months. 6 In fact.   :(

 

Thank you so much for the letters/packages. It means a lot. I love you all!

 

 

 

Week 77 - Miracles

 

It has been another incredible week. Elder Mortimer and I have seen many incredible miracles.

 

We took tuck to the Houston Temple this week:

 

 

And we had a most incredible experience. The spirit was so strong.

 

 

Helaman 5:30 - "And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul"

 

From that lesson, and the other things he has learned from the scriptures and through the spirit, as we have been teaching him, he has completely changed from the Tuck that we found a few weeks ago. He is a new man, and you can see the light in his eyes. The light of happiness. He has finally found what he has been looking for...

 

This sunday we asked him in Gospel Principles to say the closing prayer, and all he could utter was the simple phrase, "Dear father, thank you for finally leading me back home", before everyone in the room began to cry due to the incredible spirit that was present..

 

I think much of the confusion in the world comes from just simply not understanding: who we are,  who we have always been, and who we will always be.

 

We have always been a part of God's family. We are his children. We are brothers and sisters of God's family. If we could but better grasp that concept, I am convinced that we could be one hundred times the disciple, friend, and person that we are today...



 

 Throughout my mission, I have received a powerful testimony of the way that God will change  hearts if we will but let him. Tuck is a perfect example of that.

 

In two weeks I have seen a man change from being a swearing, drinking, dark person to a spirit filled, humble hearted, Son of God.

 

Is there any more powerful miracle than that?

 

I know that there are people in the world, waiting for you to make the difference in their life. Don't get caught up and miss the opportunity to be where God needs you to be and doing what God needs you to do. Go today and share with others the most incredible message in the world.

 

That God is our father. The our Savior, Jesus Christ, lives. That they both love us. And that their church has been restored to the earth today.

 

That is my testimony.

 

 

Here are some fun pictures from the week.

Expect more soon, for the upcoming baptisms!

 

 

 

The district goes to old town spring

Sister Montierth and I got some wooden shoes. She's from Meridian.

Curtis and I having some good times

Old Town Spring

Mortimer and Sister King

 Good times

 

 

 

Pray for Tuck. Pray for me. Pray for miracles and missionary opportunities in your lives. They will bring you closer to your father in heaven than any other experience could.

 

Have an incredible week. I love you all

Missionary Work