Just Another Usual Week In McConnellsburg

Hello Everybody! I hope you have had a great week! The big birthday was as exciting as one on a mission can get! We went to church yesterday and had a branch council, so that was fun. I went home and opened cards and presents, then took a nap. Afterwards, we went and knocked on doors.  Later that night, I had a cupcake birthday candle thing. So, nothing super exciting. It was cool to see all that my family did for me!

My knee is doing better. I finally know what's going on with it. It's this patella pain or irritation under the knee cap that is causing my knee cap to rub against my leg wrong. The physical therapy is helping a lot.  Funny enough, the cure for it is to strengthen some leg muscles or in other words, exercise! I have to be more diligent in my exercises now. Ha! Ha! 

I helped on the farm this week. We worked on Elder Harvey's family history for a little bit and then we fed the animals and herded chickens. Trying to pick up a chicken while it's running away from you is really hard. I found a baby kitten out there too, so that was pretty cool. All in all, just another usual week in McConnellsburg.

Melony and Lucille had some more medical problems that came up this week, so we weren't able to see them.  They were unable to make it to church, but Melony said that she would read and pray! Hopefully, she did it when we try to stop by later this week! It's very crazy to think of everything that has happened to me in such a short time and how much time has already passed by. I have learned so much from the mission.  I know that I will continue to learn and grow, as I rely upon the Lord, not only for the duration of my time serving Him, but also when I return home. Thank you for all that you do! I'm very grateful for the love and support! I hope you have a great week!

Farm pictures with the baby kitten.

Me and Elder Harvey

Pictures of our district from this last transfer.

The Lord Qualifies Whom He Calls!

Hello Everybody! I hope you had a good week! I guess the biggest news for me is with transfers.  Elder Harvey and I are staying! So, that's pretty cool! We are getting along, so it's been nice. The biggest change happening, however, is that I was called to be a District Leader. This means that every Tuesday, when we have District Meeting, I will now be in charge of it.  I will also have to report different stuff and assign different topics to instruct the District on every week.  It’s responsibility. Yeah!!!! (sarcasm) I feel fairly inadequate for it, but I know the Lord qualifies whom He calls, so hopefully I will be ok at it.

Melony and Lucille are doing great! They are such awesome investigators! They have had a lot of medical stuff come up, so they haven't been able to make it church, but they really want to come. I'm hoping that they make it next week!

Here is the update on my knee:  I mixed up the times for my appointment on Thursday, so they rescheduled it for this morning. They are going to have me start doing physical therapy and see if I need anything else after 6 weeks. That's going to be fun to start.

We also had some more experience on the farm! We helped Sister Cejka build chicken fences and I held a baby goat. It was pretty cool! They are very appreciative of the help that we give them.

On Friday, I saw all of my companions, except for the ones that have went home.  I also heard from Elder Brent H. Nielsen and his wife. He is the director over missionary work, along with Elder Oaks and Elder Bednar. He shared some really cool experiences about the apostles and also how the work is hastening with the advancement of technology. It was a very cool meeting! I definitely needed it. I hope you have a good week! Stay cool out there!

We found this turtle while we were out tracting. Super cool!

Me with all of my companions, except for Elder Coumbs and Elder Gray.

Super weird to think I saw all of them again!

Baby goat pictures!

Of course, for my birthday week,

I had to buy a 2 pound bag of Sour Patch Kids!

I have been meaning to try to tackle this for some time now!

Stay Cool!

Hello Everybody! I hope you had a great first week of summer! We did not get a chance to serve on the farm this week, due to my knee. A few days ago, on the day we were supposed to go and help them, my knee started hurting to the point that I couldn't walk on it. So that day we ended up staying in the apartment. I have an appointment with an orthopedist specialist this Thursday, so hopefully we can figure out what is wrong.

On Friday, I will be going to a mission tour! Half of the mission will be with Elder Nielsen of the Seventy and he will talk with us. It will be fun to see some of my old district and companions!

We had a super cool miracle with finding another investigator! On Tuesday, I was on exchanges with an Elder from Chambersburg.  We started knocking doors down this road called Pumpstation Road and found an older lady and her daughter, Melony and Lucille! Lucille is well into her years and has on and off days.  That day she was super funny to be around and was excited to learn more! Her daughter, Melony, was very interested in the message and on Saturday we taught them. They are so cool! The spirit was so strong! We also found another investigator on that same road and a potential that said we could come back this Wednesday! I'm just struck at the inspiration Elder Harvey and I had with trying this road and I also saw the symbolism in it.  Jesus Christ is the living water and water is important for sustaining life. The people that we have met have sustained the "thirst" in our area by finding new investigators.

I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father and the love that He has for each one of us. Everything comes to pass in His time and works out perfectly for our benefit! I hope you enjoy your week! Stay cool!

These cats were following us and then we found like 10 more cats! So many cats!!!

While we were out and about, we saw a fancy duck pen.

The front of our church.

I'm Not Complaining...

Hello Everybody! This week has been a good week! At least weather wise. It's been in the 70's for the most part and it has been raining a ton.  But compared to last year, where I was dying of heat stroke by this time, I'm not complaining about the rain! The farm has been fun this week. I witnessed the after math of a lamb being born. It was pretty cool! We helped to strip the Cejka's house of insulating brick, which was hard work. Lots of service over here.

We did get to see Mike this week, but he was too busy for a lesson. His daughter is having a baby this week, so we aren't too sure when we will be able to get back in with him. We did find another investigator, though! Kate! She is an elderly woman who is a fairly devout Methodist. We have had 2 lessons with her so far and we aren't sure on her interest level, but we are hoping that she progresses! I hope you have a great week!

Service at a food basket.  This place helps those who can't afford food on their own.

An orchard near a different family farm.

Stripping the house of the brick.

New baby lamb!