There is not a whole ton I can think of to speak about this week but I'll do what I can. The other Elders were doubled out of New Castle so it is just Elder Smith and I now. So we chose to move to their house since it is more central. So our new address is 1202 Webster, New Castle, IN   47362. If you have sent a letter already, no worries, we can still check our other apt. for mail.

Larry came to church this week!!! We were so excited. He is progressing well and is trying his best and is putting a lot of trust and faith in God. Thank you everybody for your prayers on Larry's behalf. I know each prayer makes a difference. 

I hope you all have a great week. Love you all!

Good morning everybody. It's good to write to all of you. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there and other wonderful women. Hope yesterday was great for each of you and that all of you received the love, respect and praise you each deserve. In sacrament there was a talk focused on the divinity of women and their righteous roles in God's plan. I am so grateful for all of the women out there and the great work that they do and for their love and support. Keep it up. :D

This week we got to see one of our investigators, Ann, who is doing great! It has been a little while since we have met with her due to schedule complications. As we reviewed and spoke about the restoration of the gospel she expressed that she feels that this is the right path. She feels that this is where God is leading her and that she was meant to meet the missionaries when she did. She has expressed how she has been praying and pondering the message we share and reading the Book of Mormon and is going to continue to do so unless told otherwise. I am grateful for those who try their best to put forth their effort and show Christ and Heavenly Father they are trying. Ann, to me, is a great example of a diligent seeker of truth.

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

Before I forget Sister Welch wanted me to let you know that I am great and that she is so proud of me and that I am doing a great job. :) Also the other day our apartment was inspected and the Elderly couple said, "Wow! We should call your parents this is so good." He said it was the best and most clean apartment they had seen out of 8 and that we made the Sisters look bad. Haha. Thank you Mother for teaching me the importance of cleanliness. Then our investigator, Larry, also said that we are amazing and he is proud of who we are. That we give him hope of a brighter future generation and that you and Father should be proud of the boy you raised. (Said it for me and Elder Smith). I want you to always remember Mom, that you are an exceedingly great Mother.  I would not be who I am today without you. I love you.

Good afternoon everybody!

This week was a good one. We had a cool finding/teaching experience. We met a lady named Alisha a couple of weeks ago, who lives about 17 miles out of town. We finally got a time set up to teach her and had a ride over there. As we shared the restoration, she was leaning forward in her chair and was engaged. It sparked in her and she was excited! After we shared the message, she says to us, "Do y'all ever work after 3? I want to you to come teach my kids!" So, of course, we set something up. So we will be going there this Tuesday which we are excited for. :D

This area is great and the branch is real supportive and loving. Elder Smith is a great companion. We get along well. :) This could be my last area... I will find out Wednesday or Saturday I guess. This week we have interviews with President and Sister Welch, which I am excited for. They are always nice to have. The Welches are great and so kind.

Other than that nothing real big happened. Hope you all have a great week!

Good morning. This week has been a good one and I hope that is the same for all of you. This past week my testimony of the power of sharing testimony has grown. ;) During a dinner, after sharing a message, I felt prompted to ask if all 4 of us Elders may bear our testimonies and they said yes. As we bore our testimonies it turned to a specific Elder, who when he bore his testimony, everyone was full attention on him. The sincerity and power of his genuine testimony filled the room with a great spirit which all of recognized.   My second experience; testimony meeting was incredible! So many great testimonies, but one in particular touched my heart. A little girl about, 9 years old, gets up to bear her testimony (parents aren't even in chapel) and says, "I got up because I feel like I should." Then shares about how someone asked her how she knew God was real and her Mom invited to her to watch the restoration video so she said, "I watched the video and I felt the spirit so strong. I knew that God was real." Then closed her testimony. A minute or two later her Mother walked back in. This next generation of children has power!  Then a scripture I read this morning just topped it off which is Alma 4:19.   I personally know that the power of testimony is incredible. It is difficult for somebody to deny a sincere testimony, or to refute it, because that personal witness is so strong!

We also got to go and do service for a lady whose husband is out serving on military leave and that was a great experience. Elder Smith got to ride a big mans toy. He couldn't stop smiling. ;)
This week we got to meet so many new wonderful people and had some good opportunities to teach the gospel and serve. Some of our investigators have really been reading the Book of Mormon and progressing well. It is so nice to see. Often people will not read the Book of Mormon. It's like pulling teeth getting them to read even a few pages. Sometimes it's the same even for members. I can understand why the brethren focus on it so much. But we also get to see the side of things where you go into homes where they read the Book of Mormon nightly and have a powerful spirit in their home. It's really neat. :)

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. :)