So the following are exerts from my emails that I have sent to my family and friends during my mission!! Hope you enjoy! :)
8-17-10
It's been a heck of a week. The spirit is ever so strong here and the other elders and sisters here are so in tune with the spirit its amazing!! i love it so so much. It's sad to think that i will be in Tennessee this time next week. three weeks has flown by all to fast! I leave at 4:00 A.M on Monday. I will try to call... SO HAVE THE PHONES ON:) That night we taught this young lady who was wanting to know more about how we believe that families are forever... She told me how her grandpa was close to dying and how she needed some comfort. I could relate to her so much. We taught her the second lesson about the plan of salvation. It was the most amazing experience i've had to this date. I was able to teach so closely with the spirit and so simply!!! She might of been an LDS Volunteer. . but she felt the spirit so strongly that she too could not stop the tears.
9-6-10
Wow what a week. I'm doing awesome. Although like the say the first six months are hard... It is hard!!! I will get through it. I got good people in my district, and I have a good trainer. Elder McMillan is going home in October so its hard for me to see him getting ready, especially when I'm trying to adjust to all of this. My cold has somewhat passed! So that's always good:) I didn't get one letter last week though. It was pretty depressing!! but i hope to this next week! We committed a lady to be baptized!! Her name is Liz Brymer and she is amazing!
9-13-10
We continue to teach Liz and her kids. We also got a referral on Saturday and we went to give her the Restoration DVD. We ended up talking to her for 2 hours and basically taught her the first and second lessons. It was amazing! I don't think i've ever in my life born a more powerful testimony of prophets, prayer and family! I know the lord was speaking through me.
9-20-10
Liz is getting baptized this Saturday at 4 o'clock! She has asked me to baptize her. I fill very honored and wow what joy i have. I don't think that anything in life can replace this amazing opportunity.I went on exchanges this week with Elder Hansen, and Tonight till Wednesday (District Meeting) with Elder Swensen. I really like doin these, because I get to know other missionaries and get a fill of how they like to do missionary work. The work is definitely progressing!! I'm adjusting still to being away from home, but it is coming. Before I know it, I will be an expert at this mission stuff!! haha But it is nice to hear from everyone and to be able to get letters and packages letting me know how everyone is doin back home!:)
9-27-10
This week was so amazing. I was so happy to baptize Liz and to bring her closer to her father in heaven!!! Her son is preparing to get baptized as well. This little family is coming together and it's so astounding! I'm so grateful for my mission, and to be able to see miracles happening. I love my area so much and I'm starting to grow a great love for our members and the people in our area.
10-4-10
I've had a great week, and I'm so excited for Derrick's baptism tonight! I'm glad that we could do it before both Elder McMillian leave.. I was so grateful to listen to General Conference and the lessons that i was able to learn from it. I'm excited to implement these things into my life and grow from them. What a blessing it is to have a Prophet. don't know how to fill about this transfer... haha I was just getting used to the area, but I know Gallatin will be much the same. I'm grateful to be here either way!
10-11-10
haha by the way.. my bike sucks... the pedal keeps falling off. but i will make it work. it's funny. just another thing Satan is tryin to get me discouraged with. :) but i'm good and lovin it. This week was interesting. It was difficult to adjust to all the new changes.. (once again) but it went by quick. it's nice to see time passing!! I have struggled this week thinking to much about home. I miss yall way to much sometimes. Your so great and special to me.!
10-18-10
Gladys Knight came to town with her choir and they sang and she also bore a powerful testimony! It was amazing. It was so cool! It was in the stake center here, and i think we seated over 3,000 people (between the 3 firesides)! There are challenges after challenges, and it builds my confidence as I see myself overcome each one!
10-25-10
the teaching is great. it's alot better than it's been. if we could just get the people to church it would make things better.
11-1-10
My mom sent me a quote and I'll share it with you. It says "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change" It's so very true! We as missionaries must always stay positive. It's something I've learned this past week!! Also, No one ever said it would be easy, they just say it's worth it. I have to agree completely with that. It's the best 2 years because its the hardest 2 years. You find yourself, and you find out what your made of. This week was just pretty normal. One lady (a referral from a member) even asked to be baptized! She is in a nursing home with a broken femur! She has also experienced alot of death in her family. I felt so bad for her, but we taught her the plan of salvation and she is willing to do whatever she has to in order to return to live with her father in heaven and with her family. It was such a neat experience!! I pray that she might stay strong and the feelings she had that day will continue with her in the weeks to come!
11-8-10
I'm so excited for our baptism this next weekend!! I'm praying for some miracles! I had a ton of fun with Elder Boyack and hope to possible serve with him one of these transfers!! The exchange taught me so much! I have learned so much in my short time of being in the field and I'm so grateful for the opportunity!
11-15-10
Monday after we emailed we once again went down to Madison for some BBALL!:) haha i love it. Instead of playing Basketball though Elder Boyack, Marston and I as well as the Spanish Sisters played a game. it was pretty fun. We also started teaching the Huntsman's daughter this week, and boy do I love that family! After that we went to 1st Baptist on Winchester. It was really interesting, it was a bible study on Prayer. I really did like it though. The people were so kind and they welcomed us in. After that we went to Shirley's. She considers us part of her family. Friday we woke up early to go to Clarksville for Zone Conference. It was actually a tri zone, zone conference. but it was really good. Elder C. Scott Grow was there and he talked to us and gave us a bunch of council on becoming better missionaries and people. It was an awesome meeting! Sunday we had or were suppose to have Nettie's baptism. We went to pick her up and she was having some major health problems. We had given her a blessing the night before, but she just keeps getting sicker. It's so sad to see!
11-22-10
The members of the ward are awesome and the people we are teaching are rockin. I'm so excited to see where this coming week takes us. I've tried really hard to find joy in the journey as President Monsen has counseled. It has made things a lot better when i focus on the positive and the things that my father in heaven has blessed me with. I'm so grateful for my life and all that I've been blessed with.
11-29-10
It was truly astonishing to see Nettie before she was baptized and then after. I hadn't seen such a difference in my previous baptisms. With her she was hurting physically before, and her spirit was low, but after she was filled. She was on such a spiritual "high" her pains and aching were unnoticed. It was incredible. We have seen so many miracles with her, and we've been so blessed to be a part of her life. How great is this work. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well, It's alot different than being home and it made me realize all the wonderful things I am grateful for, as well as my purpose more fully and what I have been called here to do. Elder McDurmott taught me so much in the short 2 days that we were together. It's those true friends (as you mentioned) that matter most. He's a great missionary and I hope that maybe one day I might have the same effect and help a young missionary in need.
12-6-10
Well to start off... IT'S SNOWING!! :) haha It is nothing compared to Utah snow, but hey we are getting somewhere right?? :) It's been so cold this past weekend and it's really made it fill like Christmas. It is so different during the holidays here (on a mission) than it is home and doing the usual holiday things. We went down to Franklin to the temple.. The spirit and feelings you leave the house of the Lord with are incomparable to anything. You that have gone to the temple know what i mean. I loved it and I was walking on clouds that day. :) the boost was exactly what I needed. But I love you all so much and I love my savior. What a blessing it is to have the Gospel in our lives. We must never take advantage of it.
12-13-10
Well Monday was amazing. After emailing we went down to Hendersonville and went shopping. Well KINDA. This was the point that I realized I didn't have my wallet and hadn't since I don't know when. The last time I used it was the Thursday before. We called Sister Hathaway to see if her and Sara wanted to go and teach with us on Wednesday. They said they'd love to!! After that Sara called back and said "How does me getting baptized next weekend sound!?" O MAN!!!!!!! haha i was so excited.We alos had a really cool fireside on Wednesday. It was the 4 Great Granddaughter of Joesph Smith and her son. It was very informative and it strengthened my testimony so much. Joesph did see God the Father, and his Son. What an amazing thing that happened to that young boy!! I KNOW that this is true, before I just knew.
12-20-10
This time of year is so different on a mission, In mostly good ways!! :) You're able to focus more on the Savior and the True Reason for the Season. It's been tough being a way from the family, but hey, i only have to go through one more on my mission :) haha It's great we had a wonderful Zone Conference and then a awesome District Meeting today. I sure do love the missionaries in our area!! Saturday was so so awesome. We had the baptisms in the morning. Pete (Got home on Thursday from the SLC Mission Bro Stafford's son) and Bro. Stafford came and got us and we went and got everything ready! It was great. Both of the services were incredible. and they had the biggest smiles on there faces. The joy, overwhelming happiness this brings to me is something that only comes by helping someone achieve something greater. And knowing you had a part in it! IT's Priceless.
12-27-10
What a awesome week it has been!! It was a great Holiday for us here in Gallatin and I enjoyed so much talking to my family! They are all doing wonderful! The members here took care of us and it was a joy to be in there homes and be a part of there family traditions!! I was... Excited, Nervous, Anxious, Sad... all the above, about The Transfer Call. I know that this will stretch me and in reality will be the best thing. It keeps my mind at peace knowing that this call is from my Heavenly Father. I am hoping I will do all that he expects of me and that the people in Murfreesburo will be receptive to our teachings. It will be good. I look forward to serving with Elder Donoue. I hope that our district is awesome. .
1-3-11
Well to start off, I finally have my first District Meeting over with!! YAY!! haha I guess it wasn't terrible, but I felt I hadn't had the adequate time to prepare. This week's will definitely be better. :) I have really enjoyed my calling so far. It's been wonderful to be in the Boro. I guess it really isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The work is going really well!! :) It's exciting. One person in particular is Mary. She is a really good friend of a member in the ward. The Elders taught her once before i got here. But anyways, When we knocked on her door she told us that she hungered for truth. That she wants to know more, and that she is so excited to do more studying. She came to church yesterday and wants us over for dinner and a lesson.
1-10-11
I really love when members invite us over, It's always fun to fill like I'm home in a way. We had dinner with the Philburns last night, there daughter from BYU is home for the holidays. And they wanted to all get together. It was fun. They are a neat family. Well like the second or third day I was here we went to see Mary and she cried.... I couldn't help but ask why and she just said, I know you here for a reason. The Spirit was so strong. Mary has came to church twice now, and she loves it. She is getting baptized on the 29th of January. We connected from day one and it's been incredible. Tiffney also will be baptized on the 5th of February. She surprised us yesterday and made it to church!! I turned around looking to see who all was there and sure enough there she was.
1-20-11
I have always had family or close friends to go to when I need to talk, and here.. I don't really have that luxury. I've had kinda a tough week. The Holy Ghost and with different events that have happened I have been humbled big time! Last week I went on an exchange with Elder Gilbert in the Blackman Area. It was fun. We were on bikes though and holy cow I don't think i have ever been so cold in my whole life!! We had meeting from 9 to 4, Monday thru Wednesday. I really enjoyed learning more about our purpose. And how I can become a better missionary. I love to learn and find ways of improvement! :)
1-24-11
Elder Donohue and myself are just working Super hard to find the wonderful people who need to hear our message of this awesome gospel!! I personally have had such a wonderful week! I learned so much from different experiences and then also from my studies!! :) I know that this is the restored gospel! It's not just some church.. It's Christ's Church!! And we are the blessed people to have received the knowledge of it! :)
1-31-11
I must say this about the last six months though, It has been the greatest thing I've ever chosen to do. It has definitely been the hardest time in my life by far, but so worth it. The joy that the work brings is greatest thing in the world!! I've really enjoyed my time so far here in Tennessee! I continue to look for ways to improve and come closer to my Heavenly Father. It was really nice to finish the week with a visit from my wonderful Hathaway family! I love them so much!
2-7-11
I guess the missionaries are going to be on Facebook now?? The sisters are starting this and getting trained by the brethren, but eventually we will all get to do this! :) It should be really interesting. Sister Parks has been really sick and we have gotten really close to their family. She is really good with Tiffney (the one who got baptized yesterday) and we've all grown a love for one another. Anyways we were at her house, because they asked if we could give them blessings. Hopefully she'll start feeling better!
O DID I MENTION!! I"M TRAINING NEXT TRANSFER!!
