Hello wonderful friends and family. This week was beautiful!

Last Sunday we had branch conference and it was a powerful meeting. The focus was on a scripture in D&C which speaks about "be not weary in well doing" and how we must keep doing the simple things such as reading, praying, church attendance, family home evening on a regular basis and how when we do, miracles happen. It was a great meeting. Very insightful and also a great one for our investigators, Amanda and Chris, to come to. They are doing superb!

This past week in zone conference we spoke about many great things. All of which are very relevant. We spoke little to nothing about Christlike attributes that I can remember, but the spirit spoke clearly to me that I must be more Christlike. Becoming Christlike is the quest of a lifetime. People may become Christlike in many aspects, but until we are like Jesus Christ himself, there is much work to do. So for the next while, I am going to be studying and applying heavily Preach My Gospel chapter 6 "Christlike Attributes" and I will be focusing on humility, charity, love and virtue. I would also challenge each of you to find a Christlike attribute or two you feel could be strengthened in yourself and I hope you all have a great week. Thank you for all of your prayers, love and support.

Well, I am now here in New Castle, Indiana with the one and only Elder Smith! Our address is:
914 West Colonial Street
New Castle, IN 
47362 

We received a warm welcome here. Let me tell you about it.

Elder Smith and I (doubled in) were going to contact a potential investigator and we knocked on the door and nobody answered. So we got outside the gate and closed it and a kid says, "my mom is in the back." So we say okay. As we walk on the outside of the fence this dog bolts around the corner (inside of fence) and jumps up barking and snarling with a ferocious growl. Took us by surprise. Well, we begin walking towards the back, and this dog, (pit bull/boxer mix) jumps up over the fence so I bolt (wrong thing to do). This beast chases me into the street where (cuz I didn't look) I almost got hit by a car that had to suddenly stop. So I hurry and turn, as this dog is viciously attacking me. I pull back my arm with my scriptures and am about to whop him if he gets any closer, when a man yells out, "Don't run!" Choosing to trust this guy, I stop dead on and he calls for the dog to come back so he does. All the while, my companion had his bag up and ready to swing! Hahaha! What a terrifying experience. Adrenaline was shooting through both of us and we were a bit shaky. Haha. One of the few thoughts, as I was being chased was "I've heard many stories but I never thought this would happen to me!" Well, as the owner got his dog, we spoke to him and his girlfriend. While we were hoping they would feel bad and let us share a message, they denied us. Wah wah wah.... Maybe next time.

Anyways, to tie this into the gospel. In life you will have moments where you do not know what to do. You might be quite terrified, as I was, but when you choose to listen to the Saviors guidance and "stop" or do what he asks, you will be protected and brought home safe. I know this is true and I love Jesus Christ, I wish you all a great week.

My first week was a blast. We are loving the area and we get along real well despite our differences. Learning to work with companions and communicate is easily one of my favorite things I have learned on the mission. Though it has not been easy and I still need much more practice.  Our apt is really nice. It's a 2 story apartment. It used to be a senior couples apt, then sisters and then us. It has 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms and was nearly spotless when we got there. I have had to clean so many disgusting apartments I was extremely grateful! We split a car with the other Elders in our branch but we took it in this morning for 1-2 weeks of repairs from body damage the sisters had left on it. But that's okay. The weather is beautiful and makes biking enjoyable. I hope my bike pulls through these last 2 transfers.

Good afternoon my beautiful friends and family! :D I am happy to say that Raegan and Isaiah were successfully baptized and confirmed this past Saturday and Sunday. It was phenomenal. I know their lives will be forever impacted and blessed for their choice to follow and serve the Lord, Jesus Christ. 

This past week in Zone Meeting we learned about personal prayer. They shared a clip from Elder Eyring and Hollands face to face a month or so ago when they spoke about prayer. We were also invited to read a talk about prayer called, "Improving your personal prayer by Elder K. Pearson" and it was powerful. I realized that while I have good revelatory prayers, they could be much better, more sacred and personal and powerful as well. This week I have been studying prayer more and applying the things I have learned. I would say that my prayers are already improving a great bit. I would challenge you to read the talk and do the same. I promise that if you do, your relationship with your Father in Heaven will grow more than you could hope for.

I hope you all have a great week. Love you all. :D

Easter weekend here was great. The speakers in sacrament were guests from the Ball State Institute and they did an incredible job. I loved their talks. I am grateful for our Saviors atoning sacrifice and Resurrection and for the work he did so he may heal us if we make the choice to turn to him. I love Jesus Christ.

Well, I am getting transferred to a new area. Elder Fuller is going home and I will be getting transferred to New Castle, Indiana with Elder Smith. I can't wait! :D I will let you all know my address next week.

I am going to add a snippet from my email to President Welch.

This transfer has been a great one and I have thoroughly loved and enjoyed working and being companions with Elder Fuller. I have learned a lot this week. A big thing I learned is it's not about me. One of the struggles I had, it wasn't anything big but it was very consistently a small thing, Elder Fuller LOVES to sing. ALL THE TIME! I love music and he has a great voice, but it was a lot. At first it really got on my nerves, but I prayed for charity, I prayed and begged God to help change me. To help me to see and love him as he does. It took a couple weeks before I got to where it didn't bother me a lot and now I am to the point where I enjoy listening to him sing all the time. I join him in singing all the time and we sing together a lot, and have a great time doing it. My testimony of music and the power it has to invite the spirit has grown tenfold. Now while this may seem a small thing, I know God heard my prayers and blessed me over time to see him more as he does. This makes me happy because I love Elder Fuller and want to enjoy the things he enjoys and find joy in seeing him happy because I know that singing makes him happy. I am happy that I found that. That God heard my prayers. There were many other things I learned, but that was one thing I felt impressed to share.

Each transfer we learn many knew things. All are of great importance. But one thing I know is it is not about us in this work or in our lives. It is about Jesus Christ and his work. That is when we see the miracles, the change, and the "exceedingly great joy" spoken of in the Book of Mormon. It is hard to put off the natural man, but as we do, our lives are greatly blessed and filled with light. I would encourage each of you to find something, some way you can change and serve Jesus Christ and I promise he will bless you with great joy. Even if it is hard. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Conference was amazing!!! I loved it so so so much. :D In listening to Elder Ballards talk about goals/plans are there any goals or plans you have made since then, or before then, that you are working towards? Any ways you are wanting to change? I know I am wanting to change in many ways, but I think 2 big things for me is being more diligent in 1) Always looking to Christ. Doubt not and fear not. 2) Acting on first promptings every time. Those are more of plans. And as for goals I am trying to find my voice. To really find and become who I and God want me to become. And become firm in that. I want to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ. :)

Good morning my beautiful friends! I hope you are all doing great. :) This week was an excellent one. We found a super cool family of 4!!! Their names are Sam, Lisa, Samoan and Serenity. If you could all pray for them that would be amazing. Also pray for Samoan as she has sickle cell disease which causes a lot of pain. We are also working with another family of Cortez and Kesha. Kesha, in the past few weeks, had a son get killed. We are working on helping them overcome but they have a hard time letting us in with everything going on. But I know the message of the plan of salvation will bring them great comfort. Please pray for Kesha, Cortez and their family to receive comfort and feel of Gods love.

I hope you all have a great week, I love you all! :D

We had a great week here in Fairfield, Ohio! We are continuing to have a blast as we do the Lord's work. There are many times in missionary work where great things are happening and many times where everything falls through but as you align yourself with fulfilling your purpose of Teaching Repentance and Baptizing Converts or Teaching progressing investigators and finding new investigators you find exceedingly great joy in the work and in knowing your assisting in doing God's work.

We had zone conference this last week where we were "chastened". It was excellent. We learned a lot about chastening and how is it part of the divine attribute of humility. Well, being able to be chastened is a part of humility. It is how we may grow and repent to become new souls in Christ. Learning about this and the Doctrine of Christ is knowledge to treasure in our hearts because the impact is everlasting as we live it. There must be a sense of congruety between what we learn, teach, and live or our lives and teaching will have no light and power. But as we align ourselves with the will of God we find great joy and light in this life and in the future to come. We received an invitation to find 10 things to work on to further motivate and improve ourselves. I would give the invitation for each of you to find 2 things to work on.

Hope you have a great week, love you all!

Good afternoon my friends and family! It is a beautiful 65 degrees and sunny here in Fairfield, Ohio! :D I hope Utah is just as good.

This week was a lot of fun. We went on exchanges 3x this week, which is quite a bit. We did exchanges with the other Fairfield Elders, the Assistants, and the Spanish Elders. All of which were a blast and I learned lots from each of them. I wish I had more pictures to show.

Rasheen and Anna could use some prayers. They are doing better at keeping commitments but have missed church 3x in a row now. If you could pray for them to have the desire to go to church and also to read together and be able to see a desirable light in each other that would be much appreciated. :)

We also began teaching a lady, Collett, 2 weeks ago, who is super great! She accepted to be baptized on April 22nd but needs to show forth some repentance. So if you could pray for her to overcome sin and temptation and desire to attend church that would be beautiful!

You are all so good. I testify that your Father in Heaven loves and cares about each of you and he has provided a way for each of you to overcome and become like him. Have a great week! Love you all. :)