Brad's email 6-15-2015

Hey Guys! So this week has been a pretty good solid week! This week we had a couple of district meetings that we had to attend and it was a really nice meeting. 

This past Saturday was full of more service. At first we had to move a part member family out of their house because they are moving to Virginia and it was one of the most unorganized moves that I have ever been apart of. We literally had to pack the boxes with stuff and then take it to the trailer. It was not fun, but we got them all moved and on their merry little way.  We then went and mowed about 2 acres of brush with a push brush cutter and that took a very long time! We started that at 10:30 and ended at 1:30 and it was by that time 95 degrees. Right when we finished that we got a call from some elders in our zone asking if we could help them buck some hay. So I told them yes and we drove to their area and when we pulled up we see this huge field that has hay bales all over. So we met up with the elders and  we were talking to the owner of the field and he said there are about 400 bales and each bale weighed about 60 LBS and the other elders that we were doing it with one of them has a bad back so he couldn't help and the other has a mental illness and couldn't even be around the hay and the third was able to help but he only weighs about 160 lbs and that's what my comp weighs as well so I was the one on the bottom throwing the bales onto the truck and they stacked them. We started that at about 2 pm and we didn't finish til about 9:30pm and I was so tired and congested and itchy and all kinds of sore, but it was good that we helped this man because he would of had to do it all by himself. It felt really good to be able to help somebody that really needed it. 

This past week we have been really trying to look for the miracles in our area and we have fasted and prayed and really been seeking for the Lords hand. So in our area of Middleton we have been visiting this part member family. He is about 65 years old and his kids have served missions and his wife is a really active member of the church. This guys name is David. He is a really nice guy. I have asked him if he wants to take the missionary discussions and he said no. He said he wants us to leave a message and a prayer but he doesn't want the lessons. So we agreed with that and have been sneaking the lessons in one at a time. We will take a topic out of one of the lessons and we would work it into our message so this Non member was getting the lessons without even knowing it. Oh and did I mention that he comes to church with his wife every Sunday. He doesn't participate but he comes. This Sunday he wanted to meet with the bishop of his ward and he told the bishop that he thinks that it's time that he takes the missionary discussions. He called us and told us that he would like to start taking the discussions and it was really a miracle in our eyes because he is so ready to hear the gospel. Now we get the chance to teach him the lessons and we are way pumped!! 

Well that's really all about it.

Love,

Elder Riley

Brad's Email (Three months to go!) 5-18-15

Hi Everyone!!

So  this past week has been a pretty good week! Every week we have to call the Assistants to the President and talk to them about our zone. We have to do this weekly. I really enjoy these call ins with the APs Its really nice to be able to talk about the concerns and the positive things that make our zone better. And as they we asking me some questions I was asked "what does this mission need to become better?" now its not very often when you get to tell something like this to the assistants and your say actually will go somewhere. So I took the opportunity to give some of my input so what I personally think would help our mission better is that the missionaries need to know that they are all entitled to divine revelation and inspiration. that when the missionaries learn that they are all entitled to this and they know that they can receive inspiration for there area and improve the work. So we talked a little about as leaders how can we implement that in our own areas to show that it is possible to do. So the past week I have been doing my studies on revelations and inspiration. I am amazed at the simplicity of gaining inspiration for really anything that you need. But it is only if you allow yourself to either be humbled and allow God to work through you. But prayer is always the first thing that needs to happen when you seek for inspiration. And with prayer comes faith. because really without faith there is nothing. But when you receive and answer to your prayer or inspiration then comes the action. when we put our faith in God and pray to him asking for guidance he will give it to us. but its what we do with those answers that will determine our love for our God to show that we are willing to act with what he gives to us. 

So this is what we as leaders have to portray to our missionaries to let them know how simple it is to help the area out! 

But this doesnt just apply for missionaries as many of you may already know. but as a people. living a normal life or what ever life you are living! we can all receive inspiration. But are we all willing to humble ourselves and let the lord show us the proper way to gain achievement for the desires of our hearts? 

I love the way that the Lord works. I know that the Lord is willing to give us the answers that we need and or desire. but we must First ask. and Second listen. And Third action upon the things and answers given.

So I hope all of that made sense. Its hard for me to put all of my thoughts and write them down in a summarized version. if it doesn't let me know and I will try a better way of explaining it.

Something kinda cool happened this week, as we were driving to an appointment we saw a bunch of little animals running around in a field and I thought that they we just baby coyotes. and I pulled out my camera and zoomed in and got some pictures. it turns out they we a bunch of baby foxes! they were so cute I wanted to take one! 

And also there was a huge burn pile in front of our house and they people burning it didn't think to move our trash can so now we have a very sad looking trash can

WELL that's it for this week! Love you guys!!

Love Elder Riley

Our Mother's Day call!!

5/4/2015 Elder Hunter Jackman

Dear Family,

Is it really the end of the transfer already?? You bet it is... And moves calls have come. I'm staying as a Zone Leader in Poole and training another new Zone Leader. His named is Elder Rammell from Rexburg, Idaho. A farm boy! I haven't met him yet, but will on Wednesday. I just got done driving all the way across the south of England. Woke up at 5 to drop off some elders at the temple and now we just got back to Poole. So, it's been a pretty hectic/tiring day. But not too bad! 

Elder Trowbridge is off to Crawley and he will go home this transfer coming, it was so great to serve with him though! We killed it this transfer and taught some high numbers and saw a lot of miracles! Excited to see what next transfer brings!

P-Days here are fun. We play beach volleyball with some of the districts in Bournemouth and some other beach sports. Sooo fun! It reminds me of Oceanside, CA! Love hanging out with the missionaries over here!

We taught sooo many people this week. We have been teaching highest in the mission I believe so far. Our zone is on fire!! Great things are happening. This week, we found and taught our new investigator Ryan. He was found as we went knocking and met his brother Lee, who was super cool, but ended up not being all that into it. But days later, he texts us and says, ' Hey, my brother might be interested!' So we ended up seeing him! It was a great miracle.

We taught Ryan at his flat in Poole Town Centre and he lives in a ghetto kind of boarding school with some troubled chaps who are quite young. But we entered his flat and the Spirit was there. Ryan is a new Christian just trying to seek the good in all t things and be the best he can.

We taught him the Restoration of the gospel and the Spirit was swelling around in the room. It was amazing. The best part was looking into his eyes and that feeling you get when you just know they understand the message of truth. It clicks with their souls. They realise they found something they knew was missing all a long. Incredible experience kneeling down with him in his flat and hearing him ask if the Book of Mormon was the word of God and if the message was true, and then him opening his eyes and nodding yes and smiling from ear to ear.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched him and this is what missionary work is all about. Those are my favourite moments right there. Finding someone who has no concept really of truth or the purpose of life and unfolding it unto him in such a way that he knows undoubtedly that it is true.

Ah, I love missionary work with a passion! Though I'm not the best or perfect, I can tell when I'm nearly there, and that's when you can feel the Spirit the strongest.

So, our mission is getting iPads this coming week! Whoo! I am not too keen on them, but they should be great tools. Elder Patrick Kearon and Elder Nielsen came to our mission and trained us as a whole entire mission on how to use them righteously. I got a TON of insights from it on how when I return home, can continue to live with and return with honour. What powerul men of God they are!

So, our investigators all have baptismal dates Ryan the 23rd of May and Cindy the 30th of May - Please pray urgently for them to make these dates! I know they will. They are sooo Solid! Very prepared people.

We did a ton of knocking again this week, in the rain too. We are working in little villages where we have never really been before. Such an English area! It is proper British over here in Dorset, nothing like Peckham London (which I very dearly miss!!) 

I love eating the British dishes here: Shepherds pie, cottage pie, and tons of roast dinners with custard and truffles and other sorts! 

Well we have a busy busy week. Stake Correlation, zone planning. MLC, and moves in Staines. So tons of driving here and planning and all sorts of paperwork. Wish me luck!

I love you all so much. Thank you for all you do to help me.

Love,

Elder Jackman

Hi Everyone!!

Starting out in a new area always takes time so this week has been a very slow week! There isn't really any work in our area yet and also we are going to a lot of meetings.

So my companion is Elder Knighton. He is a nice guy but he doesn't have any experience with talking to people. When he does talk to people picture this - you know the way that Obama speaks? Well that's how Elder Knighton speaks but only in white guy voice and he isn't good at driving at all. He waits until the very last second to slow down so he can turn, luckily we switch driving everyday!  He is very offended by a lot of missionaries laughing at stupid things in district meetings and then he gets really serious and says we need to talk to them later about being mature... Me - they were just laughing, give em some slack. You don't need to be so uptight.  I guess I've got my work cut out for me!!

Other than that things are good! It's nice being back in Middleton, but I do miss Fruitland a lot!! 

This week we were trying to just introduce me to all the people in the ward, but we did meet this one guy, his name is Bobby Magee and he is a funny guy! We went to his house and he lives in a single wide that he is remodeling and so we knocked on his door and he just cracked it open and was asking us who we were and what we wanted. We told him who we were and then he slammed the door and in the back ground you could hear him yelling at his dog to sit. Then he opened the door and let us in. Well I could smell the beer on his breath pretty clearly and Elder Knighton never has been around beer at all. He doesn't know what it smells like so I told him this is going to be a visit that we are really going to enjoy. haha Bobby started showing us around his house and he took us to this one room that was just for his chickens. He calls them his girls. (Only in Idaho!!!) They live in the house and he also has a garden in his house that he is growing lots of peppers and all kinds of hot foods. He was all over the place and it was quite the experience. We even committed him to take the discussions! haha So we are going to start those next week sometime! 

For the past week I have kind of had a word of the week that I had to apply every day more than I normally would.  So my word was "Patience". I have really strived to be as patient as I can, but as the week got longer the patience got harder. Following a companion around that doesn't know how to drive or talk has been tough. Learning to work with him has been tough and I think it's also because I loved my last area so much! I never thought that on my mission I would have to start all over with having to learn how to adjust to a new area. So I guess you could say I forgot how get adjusted into an area that I am not all for, but It's has been a good experience because some of the things that I have forgotten have been brought up and relearned that have really helped me this week. What I am trying to say is that with starting all over for the first time in 8 months has been rough, but I get to relearn things and it will help me and teach me better ways to help others. Change is good as long as there is progression.  Although I don't particularly like the change that I had to make in coming to a new area, I will have new experiences. And even though I have learned some of the things before, I get to relearn them and the things that I learned I forgot how important they are. Another growing experience that has been helping me get through this first hard week!

Oh also another thing that has had to require patience, our dryer broke and so we are hang drying them! So I made some hang dry lines! haha

That's about it! love you guys!!

Love Elder Riley

Brad's email 3-30

Hey Everybody!! 

Another excellent week! We have been doing TONS of service this week, but we were doing it for members for the first part of the week... I mean we love to do it but we would be more successful if we did it with non members. So when I was at home one of the evenings for dinner I decided to pray for new ways to find investigators. After I had prayed I just laid on the floor and just closed my eyes and I cleared my mind and all of a sudden I got this AWESOME thought. My thoughts... " I love doing service but I would rather do it for a non member but we have tracted this area every other week and no success... so if our version of tracting doesn't work then we need a new plan.  We have a truck... how can we use it."  Then the super clear thought jumps into my MIND!! " Service tracting!! We can put lawn mowers in the back of our truck and a weed eater and we can go door to door and ask if we can mow and trim their lawn and we will take the trimmings!" So we decided to try it!  Elder Patterson and I are both stoked to try it. So on Saturday we got 2 push mowers and a weed eater and we went to 10 different houses and 4 of them let us do it and the rest didn't, but out of the 4 that let us do it we got 3 new investigators out of it and we are actually starting the discussions with one of them and their family tomorrow! So inspiration comes to those who seek for it.  Know that trusting in the Lord and knowing with fervent prayer and faith He will give it to whoever needs it and seeks for it. If I hadn't prayed for a new idea and way to help people we would not have had those 3 new investigators!  It works!! 

Elder Patterson and I had an appointment with a PMF (Part Member Family) and the wife isn't a member and we had committed her to baptism for Feb 28th, but it didn't happen. The husband got his name removed form the church and then re-baptized, so right now he doesn't have the priesthood and to regain that it would be about a year and a half process. He wanted to do the baptism and he couldn't so he said he doesn't want to proceed with it. But he still wanted is to go over the discussions with them. Yesterday we had a discussion with them and we have been praying that his heart would be softened and she would be able to be baptized. So yesterday he said to us... "I want her to be baptized as soon as she can cause if now is when she wants it then now is when we should do it".   We set a date for the weekend after gen. conference. SO that was a HUGE miracle! We have been praying for her to have an influence on her husband and she has! God knows how to change somebody's heart as quickly as he has too! 

So yah! its been a good week! Oh and there is a new video that the church has made! It's another Easter Video! So I invite and challenge everyone to watch and share it on facebook!  http://www.mormon.org/easter it is such a good video on Christ and that he still lives!!

Well that is about it! Have a great Easter!!

Love Elder Riley

Brad's Latest Email 3-16-15

Hi All!!

Okay! Well this week was a good week! We have been doing so much service!! I am actually getting TAN!!! Every day this past week has been in the high 60s and low 70s. We have been in our service clothes more than we have been in our proselyting clothes! haha It has been a busy week. A mission is an amazing thing. I now have such a wide variety of things that I can put on my resume. I have done so many different kinds of service!! It has been so nice and I have learned so many different techniques. Oh, but one thing happened last week that was the worst! So on Tuesday after District meeting we always go out to eat. So we decided to go to IPC (Idaho pizza company) and on Wednesday I woke up around 3 in the morning being extremely dizzy and having nausea. I threw up. So all day Wednesday I was puking and I literally didn't have any strength at all! I puked a total of 12 times!!! It was a rough day. I don't ever want to have food poisoning again and my entire district had it! It was bad! But thank goodness that was the only bad thing that really happened. 

Yesterday as we were in ward council, someone had to give a spiritual thought and in this video that he showed us there was a saying that stuck out at me. "You never know how strong you are... until being strong is all you have left." That really stuck out to me. This brothers spiritual thought was on courage. It was a great thought. It talked about how standing up for what we believe in, to have courage.  As a missionary I have the opportunity to lovingly correct them on something false that they have learned about our beliefs. 

For example: (and I am not bashing on ANYBODY), but we were sitting down in a 5 star restaurant.... ( Dennys ;) ) and this man came up to us and told us everything that we do wrong in our church.  Luckily he wasn't making a scene and before he had the chance, I Interrupted him and invited him to sit with us. He did. He was an older man and I asked him where he had learned what he knew about the LDS church. He didn't tell us what church he was a member of, but he said that they have a class at the church that preaches and teaches how to deal with "MORMONS".  So he told us some of the things that they teach the congregation. I began to ask this old man where it says to love they neighbor as thyself? and he told me it was in Mark. So we looked it up and we read it and I asked him who were his neighbors? He said anyone around him. So then I asked him what it meant to be a christian? He said to be Christlike and to lead by example. I told him I don't understand why Christian churches,  not all, but some preach against another. I asked him if it means to love they neighbor as thyself shouldn't we be united? So we continued to talk and it turns out that he wants to know more. He apologized for the way he presented himself and we took down his number and are going to call him and see when we can come and see him.

I could have just let him tell us what he believed, but instead I let him know in a loving way that the things he found out or learned were not completely true. So have courage to stand and be proud of what you believe. If we are all Christians we need to be united. We NEED to be Christlike! We need to be example of the believers! 

Well that is about it! 

Thanks all! 

Love Elder Riley  

Elder Allison

1. Hello Family.
2. This week was super awesome!! We are making a lot of progression with a lot of different investigatores. And we are focusing on still a lot with the young men. It is so much fun. Today we went to the meeting then hurried back to go and play basketball and soccer with the young men. We brought 8 young men investigatores to the activity!!!! ( It is a tiny bit easier to convince a young man to play soccer than to go to church on sunday :) But it all starts somewhere. jana. 
3. The good news is that Fernando is super excited for his baptism this saturday, and the ward is helping him out a whole bunch. We went and visited him with the bishop on thursday and it was so awesome!! The bishop is changing his excitement! :)  Also Sebastian is very excited for his baptism on the 28th. He has his white shirt and white pants all ready. And his family is all in, supporting him. We know that soon his mom will also make the choice. She is reading the Book of Mormon. And is in 2nd Nephi 12 right now!! She is enjoying it. Its just a matter of time. Also we have been working a lot with Brayan, Brandon, and Bruno a lot. Their mom and grandma arent giving the support that they should be. I dont know why, but the ward is also helping with them a lot also. It is funny because we usually walk the kids home after church, and there are like 10 young men, or kids walking home with us. 
4. Another cool thing this week was that we found a place that they call the "lost city" i dont remember if i told you about this the last week, but it is a little "neighborhood?" Its like 30 yards by 50 yards, more or less, with just one entrance that is hidden in the corner of our area. I didnt know about it until a few weeks ago. But it is a little place with about 40 or 50 houses, made of tin walls, They are by far the most humbling houses i have seen here in mexico. I have seen a lot of houses that were pretty difficult, but this one takes the cake. Well we went in there and contacted some people. We didnt really know how to, but i started playing soccer with some teenagers, and kids, and we kind of won their confidence, and we were able to enter into one of the houses and teach about 5 people. Everyone there knows each other. So we are pretty confident that if we can get a few people to start going to church we will be able to find a ton of people. One of the dads that we taught went to the english class, then the next day went to church. It was funny because i started to juggle the soccer ball, but then it fell into a little ditch like thing. I reached down to get it. And BAM, my pants ripped SUPER bad, everyone started laughing SO much. One of the kids was on the ground laughing so hard, It was one of the funnier experiences that has ever happened!! jaja :)
5. The young men won a thriller this week 13 to 9 jaja. They made me and my companion jerseys. They are pretty sweet. 
6. Today we are going over in like 2 hours to eat lunch with Fernando, his mom, his sister and two ward members for the birthday of Luz ( fernandos mom) We are pretty certain that in just a few weeks her, and her daughter will get baptized, they go every week and love church.
7. All in all everything is going great! I love these people more than you could EVER imagine! They are so special to me. I love being a missionary. Have a great week!!! 

1. Love Elder Allison