Hello everyone!!! How are you all doing? Thank you Haley for the wonderful card you sent me I loved it! Well, I still haven't run into any alligators.....darn......but I have seen Cranes out here and even huge squirrels! It's cool to see them run along the power lines, they make them droop and sway a little! One of our investigators, Harley, stopped by the roadside one day because he saw a deer in the road. He said it was hit by a car. He told us: "Well, he was pretty busted up, but he was still twitchin so I picked 'em up an' put em in muh truck!" (If you thought Hillbillie you'd be pretty darn close.) The people here are amazing! So many come from different ways of life and have so many stories to tell! It's incredible who you will run into! Why just the other day a guy told me about how he was on Extreme Makeover and Unsolved Mysteries. The latter is pretty interesting. Billy (that was his name) told us that he believed in god, but only because of one event in his life. Billy told us a story of how his mom was divorced and moved from Redwood, Cali. to LA. Once there, she married and had 15 children. For about 40 years she and her family lived there in LA and then moved back to Redwood. All the while, telling her children of 4 missing daughters she had left behind all those years ago. 20 years later, she got sick from old age and was laying on her deathbed, when her husband came in with a woman. It was one of her lost daughters from 60 years ago. The father explained that he was bored one day, sitting in the barn when he saw an old piece of newspaper that had turned dark brown from old age, sitting under the hay and dirt. Picked it up and started reading (it was the ads section) and he came across an article about a girl looking desperately for her mom. He then proceeded to call this girl from an expired ad from years ago, remembering the story his wife had told him. She picked up and told her story of how 4 little girls, alone in the world, had to find places to stay. Three adopted, and the other still searching for her mother. Had finally been able to find the mother she was so desperately yearning to find.Years after she had abandoned the ad. Day after day of praying. And finnally being able to see her mother, 3 months before she died, had the faith that she would find her again.
I can testify to you, that the Lord works in mysterious ways. And that he loves us and protects us from the dangers of the world. Even Billy, a near homeless man, who rides his bike around trying to find work, knows in his heart that Heavenly Father loves his children and will do anything for them that ask him in good faith.
Now, for some more mission advice...
To anyone within the words of this page or the sound of the voice reading it. DON'T GOSSIP.
We have a very small ward here. probably 2 priests, deacons, and a priest here. This ward is struggling to keep it's head alfoat with people who do not fellowship, come to church, or talk with friends all because someone said a rumor about another person. I have some rules of thumb for people (yes even adults).
1. If you hear something through another person about someone. Don't speak of it.
2.Every thing you hear, that doesn't come directly from the sources' (the person who did it) mouth. It's only partially true. Rumors do start with some amount of truth to them, but everything else gets twisted. If you want to know if something is true, talk to the people involved. And once again. Don't speak of it.
3. If you must speak of it. Keep in mind the consequences. Certain things should only be said if you have a certain calling or jurisdiction attatched to you. (For instance, you wouldn't tell a really bad sin to an enemy to repent. You would go to a Bishop or someone you trust. Which brings me to my last subject.)
4. FRIENDS TRUST YOU! If you wouldn't want someone speaking the same thing of you, DONT SPEAK OF IT. If you feel you WILL speak of it, ask the people involved first if it would be alright, but again, think of the consequences.
There is no better way to destroy trust and friendships and gossip. Trust is everything. Is so important that it's given as a rule in the mission. "Don't destroy trust!"
Anyway, I'm out of time so I'll write to you all next week. Ponder these things in your hearts PLEASE! I know you are all great friends, but I know no one's perfect and some people struggle with this. But it can happen! Don't let your friendships be destroyed while im gone. I love you all and wish you the best!
Elder, Nessen
PS Happy Birthdays:
Sidney Lamb
Corey Wilson
Azilee Moore
Toni Labato
and Nicole Suarez
I can testify to you, that the Lord works in mysterious ways. And that he loves us and protects us from the dangers of the world. Even Billy, a near homeless man, who rides his bike around trying to find work, knows in his heart that Heavenly Father loves his children and will do anything for them that ask him in good faith.
Now, for some more mission advice...
To anyone within the words of this page or the sound of the voice reading it. DON'T GOSSIP.
We have a very small ward here. probably 2 priests, deacons, and a priest here. This ward is struggling to keep it's head alfoat with people who do not fellowship, come to church, or talk with friends all because someone said a rumor about another person. I have some rules of thumb for people (yes even adults).
1. If you hear something through another person about someone. Don't speak of it.
2.Every thing you hear, that doesn't come directly from the sources' (the person who did it) mouth. It's only partially true. Rumors do start with some amount of truth to them, but everything else gets twisted. If you want to know if something is true, talk to the people involved. And once again. Don't speak of it.
3. If you must speak of it. Keep in mind the consequences. Certain things should only be said if you have a certain calling or jurisdiction attatched to you. (For instance, you wouldn't tell a really bad sin to an enemy to repent. You would go to a Bishop or someone you trust. Which brings me to my last subject.)
4. FRIENDS TRUST YOU! If you wouldn't want someone speaking the same thing of you, DONT SPEAK OF IT. If you feel you WILL speak of it, ask the people involved first if it would be alright, but again, think of the consequences.
There is no better way to destroy trust and friendships and gossip. Trust is everything. Is so important that it's given as a rule in the mission. "Don't destroy trust!"
Anyway, I'm out of time so I'll write to you all next week. Ponder these things in your hearts PLEASE! I know you are all great friends, but I know no one's perfect and some people struggle with this. But it can happen! Don't let your friendships be destroyed while im gone. I love you all and wish you the best!
Elder, Nessen
PS Happy Birthdays:
Sidney Lamb
Corey Wilson
Azilee Moore
Toni Labato
and Nicole Suarez
And yes, I did receive those 50 letters. Whatever address you sent them to, they are still making their way to me. Thank you for all that you do! And it must be pretty rough on stamps! If you need to just toss everything in a box and send it to me at the end of the month or so. I think I have enough letters now to last me that long! lol Thank you so much I miss you and love you all!!! Tell Mike May and Em hi for me!
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