Monday, March 26, 2018

We Were Snowed In!


Hello Everyone! I hope you have all stayed warm, because over here in Pennsylvania, we were snowed in! There was so much snow! We had our District Meeting on Tuesday, the day of the snow storm, and the roads were so bad that we ended up staying with two other sets of missionaries in the Gettysburg Elder’s apartment! We shoveled a crazy amount of snow around the blocks, near their apartment and the Downtown Square. It was all worth it though, because the six of us were singing hymns, as we shoveled.  There was a lot of gratitude from people, as well as them taking videos of us. That was a really fun night!
With us being down for two days in another area, it was tricky to think of what we could do for our investigators, as well as find people to teach, but the Lord magnified our efforts! We have three members that we are working with in bringing them back to church.  One of them that we found, wasn't even on our record! We were told from a lady, to try them by door.  We set up a return appointment for last night and when we got there, it turns out the mom of this family is a member, who didn't know the church was here in Chambersburg! A member in our ward also talked with a lady at Wal-Mart, who ended up coming church yesterday.  We will be teaching them this Wednesday!
It's been a real blessing and tender mercy to see so many miracles this month. This is truly the Lord's work and He guides His servants to those whom He has prepared. I'm grateful for all of the love and support! Have a great week! 

Stuck in Gettysburg for two days!


Eating at a Chinese restaurant with some other missionaries!

Snowy streets of Gettysburg

Look at how much snow was on the Rav!

Elder Tucker and I with our car surrounded by snow.


We tried Hogmaw this week from the Rock family. It is meat, potatoes and other things cooked inside the stomach of a pig. A Pennsylvania Dutch original! It was super good! 



A car was trapped between 3 Semi's.  It was pretty funny!

Horse and buggy warning signs in Pennsylvania! 


Monday, March 19, 2018

We Are Good Enough!


Hello Everyone! It's been a cold, yet also warm week in Chambersburg! We had a lot of meetings this week. One of the fun ones was Zone Conference. Our Zone was the last to receive smartphones, so now the entire mission has technology. It's very exciting! It's been amazing to hear the miracles that everyone has been having lately. The Lord is truly hastening His work. I had my final interview with President Christiansen that day, as well. I'm very blessed to have served with him. I have learned a lot from his leadership and counsel.
We had stake conference this week.  The neat thing about it was that I was able to see old members from Carlisle and McConnellsburg!!! It was awesome to catch up briefly and see how everyone was doing.  There was a thought I want to share that was given from the stake presidency.  It consisted of not comparing ourselves to others and not being envious or jealous of the good fortune that comes to someone else. I have felt this several times over the course of the mission, and it's been a long lesson to learn. What I love about it, is knowing that in the eyes of our Father in Heaven, as long as we are repenting and pressing forward, we are good enough! When we make an effort to include the Savior more in our lives, His power not only lifts and sustains us, but it saves us. Without Him, we truly wouldn't be able to return to Heavenly Father’s presence.  If He thinks I can make it, I should be able to think that of myself, as well.
Thank you again for the love and support! Have a great week!
One of our investigator's does stain glass for a hobby! It was really cool!





Missionaries receiving technology.  It was fun to see them all flip out about it. 


Hanging out after Zone Conference, waiting for interviews!



Monday, March 12, 2018

Finally...A Weird Missionary Food Story!


Hello Everybody! This week has been crazy! There have been a lot of miracles and surprisingly, we still have had some snow! Our investigator, Joe, who we have on date for baptism is doing really good. He was sick a few days ago, but other than that he has been doing really well!
The Lord has been leading us to some really neat people this week, as well. A cool miracle happened this week, while we were knocking doors.  We ran into a Hispanic family who let us in. No one in the home spoke English, except the younger brother, who ended up translating the whole conversation that we were having! It was really neat to feel the spirit in the home.  The older brother, Francisco, told us that he was searching for truth and really wants to hear more!
So, it took nearly 2 years, but I finally have a weird missionary food story! A Haitian family that we are teaching, had us over for dinner this week.  They fed us soup that had beef tongue, beef skin, and honey comb, as well as some other stuff. It was actually really good! It was neat though, because after the meal, we started a fast with them for some different trials that they are going through. I know that this gospel has healing power and that lives can change because of Jesus Christ. He has the power to take a person who has struggled and make them better than they ever thought they could be. His power is real, and it can change you. I hope all of you are staying warm! Have a great week! 
Pictures of the new apartment!






Haitain Cuisine with beef tongue, beef skin, honey comb and some other stuff!




Monday, March 5, 2018

A Huge Miracle We Had This Week!


Hello Everyone! It's been a crazy week here in Chambersburg! It feels like I always come back to this stake at one point or another during the mission. It was a crazy week, saying good bye to members and investigators. Dolphin and Alex have been amazing to work with and I know that as they continue to study the gospel, the joy that I have seen in them will continue to grow.
We had the opportunity this week to attend our monthly Missionary Leadership Council. It was crazy! We were planning, preparing, and counseling all together on how we can smoothly introduce technology to the rest of the mission. It's been great to see all of the input that was given. The Lord has made His hand ever present, as we have used this technology which He has given us. As a matter of fact, the mission, in the month of February, had 38 baptisms.  This is the most baptism's this mission has had for over 10 years or so! It's going be amazing to see what's going happen, once everyone else has phones.
A huge miracle we had this week was that I met with almost all of the investigators that Elder Tucker and the previous missionary have been teaching. They all have a desire to come unto Christ.  What made this week even better, happened one night when we were driving to an appointment.  The GPS (or gospel positioning system, as I like to call it- ha ha!) took us down a weird road, into a junkyard. We went in to see if there was a way through, but there wasn't, so we turned around to leave and a truck was blocking our exit! We got out and talked to this man, “Hi.” We had a brief chat with him and then left. Later that night, we visited with a returning member and we shared this cool miracle with her.  She said, "Oh, I know Hi!" It was crazy! We are hoping to see him later this week and start teaching him!
This experience has only been one of the many miracles that Elder Tucker and I have seen, as we have been serving these past few days. I'm very grateful to my Father in Heaven for the guidance which He has given us. I hope that we can continue to see Him, as I move through this last transfer in His service. Thank you again for your love and support!!!!! I hope you have a good week!!!
Bartles Family


Alex, our really awesome investigator.

The Muir Family.

Sister Muir bought us this really funny car freshener and told us that this is how we needed to be as missionaries!

On the day of transfers, a deer came to our apartment and was eating an orange!!!


Dolphin, our other really awesome investigator!


My shoes at the end of the mission.
(The hole in them has made it so I can't wear them anymore.)

Me and Elder Haynie before transfers. 


Really pretty sunset when we were coming home from MLC.


Me and Elder Tucker