Farewell to Madison Ward, 100 days in the Mission

Madison Ward Young Men 

Kelly & Isabella

Brother Ramagli

Brother Gil Dionisio

Cambells Bishops Family

Madison Ward 

Elder Pikes Horse

Elder Pike & Horse & Elder Pulu

Having Fun with the Elders

Walking on the Frozen Lake

Josephs Family

Kelly & Dimingo

Elder Pulu and Lars

Sister Nazari and Brother Gill Dionisio

Palastros Family

Ward Mission Leader Brother Proetau

Stephans Family

Young Family, a wrestling family 

Yale University

Week 15 Jan 27th 2019

     What a sad but wonderful week it has been! We found 2 new friends who are ready to hear the gospel, A few of our other friends are also just so close to a baptismal date! I have loved this area so much and I have learned so much in these past 12 weeks in the field. As of Wednesday I will be in my new area, sadly both Elder Pulu and I are getting shot gunned (white washed) out of our area. The Madison area is now going to be a sister area. My new area is going to be Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Now I will be able to say I've served on an island!
   A few fun things this week, we went to visit Yale University it’s only 25 minutes away from our home! We had a great lesson on family history in district counsel and we saw Hammonasset Beach one last time. Finally we saw Elder Pike (a service missionary in the stake) and he wanted to show us his horses!
       Tuesday we went to see Elder and Sister Weismen to help discuss on how to best bring the ward together to help find others to teach, it went really well. I hope this will be an easy transition in the weeks to come. Wednesday was Elder Pulu’s 28th birthday and we had a great time! For lunch Brother Proteau took us out to lunch and we then helped in service. While we were waiting for a friend Elder Pulu and I found the frozen lake and had a fun time walking on it. Later that day we taught our new friend and on the first visit she is ready for a baptismal date! She is excited for our lessons to come.
Day 100 on the mission came this week! It was a great day. My mom sent me a package with 100 items for my 100 day in the field. It contained glow sticks, candy, suckers and fruit roll ups all with a scripture attached. This will be fun as I study the scriptures. I'm going to start with the word Light (form the glow sticks), Eyes (Chocolate Eyeballs), feet (foot long fruit rollups) and mouth(suckers). This will be fun and a different way to study the scriptures and learn of Jesus Christ.

We visited the Martins and I learned an amazing way Jesus taught. We cannot carry the cross ourselves, not even Jesus carried his own cross walking to Golgotha, This is an example on how we have to ask of him to Help us carry our crosses and to lighten the load. This is the lesson he taught us with never speaking. My last Sunday in Madison was definitely a hard one. The area is amazing and the people are even better. We had the opportunity to share our testimonies one last time to the ward. As the day went on, many members asked us to come over to say their last goodbyes, and we still have many to see.
I sure will miss the Madison ward but I am excited to meet the Members in Martha's Vineyard!
   
     This weeks scripture is Alma 30:40-41

   "40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.
  41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true?"

    As the world distracts us from the truth, and the advisory is distracting us in all things we should remember the faith we have and bare our testimonies often and never forget of our wonderful Father who is in Heaven, I promise you He is their and He knows each and everyone of you by name, all he asks is to try and never forget your Faith in Him, Amen.

Broken Glasses

Beausalei Family

With Elder Hodgkinson and others

An old cabin home

An Old Cabin Home

Mexican Taco-Yummy

Week 13 Jan 21st 2019   
What a great week it has been! Can you believe it's already been 3 whole months since I have left? That's so crazy, time sure does fly when you're in the Lords errand. I forgot this in my last email but, one night I had a pretty vivid dream that I just got home from my mission, and I was in the store with my family. I still had my name tag on and this guy noticed it, he soon talked to me about wanting to know more about the "Plan of Happiness". Then I proceeded to walk with him and tell him more about it. I woke up and didn't think about it too much, but I got a lovely letter from home. My mom had a full page on thoughts from President Nelson, all about the Plan of Happiness! I know that is not a coincidence.     

Back to this past week we once again helped out with service this last P-day and it was super fun. That night we had a wonderful Family Home Evening with the Rodriguez, the LaRose and the Dionisio family. We had an awesome "share and tell" lesson, we all shared an amazing thing that we thought of another person in the group. The next day, was the first time I've ever had a Chipotle burrito, it was pretty dang good. Once again we had a wonderful companion study with Elder Hodgkinson, and did an awesome roleplay.   

We had dinner over at the Beausalei family, and they have 4 cute kids. They are members of the ward we are in but they live out of our area, so it took a little longer to get to there house then I Thought. The Kids loved the magic tricks I did with them! Thursday we planned on doing some service with a part member family but when we got there they were all sick. We were going to paint a playhouse they have and it was to cold to do so. On the way back we stopped by an old house and got a few awesome pictures.
   
This week’s district counsel I had the lesson, and it went great! I taught about our mission purpose and what it means to us personally. It went really well and it even helped me grow from what I knew about it and hearing from others how they feel and what it means to them. On Friday we met with Kelly and her brother, sadly Domingo was getting some rest before the snow came in that morning.  We had a great lesson and we now are teaching her brother Ronnie and even her son Brian! Ronny, we talked a lot on prayer and we should be thankful to God for all that we have. Sunday morning we woke up and the whole mission was on a "purple dot" that means that we couldn't even leave the house! It was mostly for the areas further north of us, they got hit with a storm. With the new study program in the church we had a wonderful discussion about the past 2 weeks, did you know that the 3 wise men didn't even see Jesus until he was about 2! It's crazy to think that, and that's why King Harod wanted all of the boys 2 and under killed. Later on that day we went to the Steven's for lunch and had an amazing lunch. We had Mexican style tacos and they were so good! Sadly no pictures. After that we went to the Rodriguez family and they were so happy to see us. Rebecca said that the story I shared truly touched her.  I shared the story of the adoption of my little sister and how when I get home she wants me to baptize her, I said even though I cannot wait to Baptize my little sister my focus is right now, the ones I'm teaching and the ward I am in. Finally the night came and we had dinner at the Campbell’s home, we had a wonderful beef stew, and we got to know them a little bit more and sister Campbell shared some experiences from her mission in Italy.
Sadly I snapped my glasses in half while trying to clean them, luckily I had an extra pair!
       
This weeks scripture is from Alma 30:41
“But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true.”

Is my testimony enough? This is what I asked myself as I read this. With today's age there is so much commotion and distractions from what is right. With the world making things normal it is harder to have faith. I know that as my testimony grows I cannot deny what I have felt and the things I have learned for myself by reading The Book of Mormon. I know with all my heart that this is the truest book there is, I know it testifies of Christ’s teachings of ancient America. I am so happy for the restoration so we can have all that we have now. I am even happier that we have a Prophet today, who has the authority to act and guide the true Church of Jesus Christ.  I am proud to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints-Amen                                                                                               

Moving the woodpile-Dad is so proud keeping the family tradition alive

Giant pancakes from DJ's Kitchen

Cromwell Elders and Elder Weismen

Stacking the woodpile- Dad is so proud you are keeping the family tradition

Elder Pulu and Elder Knowlden helping Lars

Help- I'm stuck

Yummy

We're being spoiled

WEEK 13
JAN-13TH 2019
    Monday is always great, this past Monday the 7th was a little different.  Mondays are usually our preparation day to get stuff done and prepare for the week. We decided to help out friend Lars out with collecting wood and bringing it to his woodpile. It was a fun experience. For lunch Lars took us out to "Fishtale" a great seafood place. I got a very delicious lobster, and even made my dad jealous. That night we met with the LaRose family and they invited a few other family's over for FHE. We now have 2 new friends we are starting to teach!
      Studies with Elder Hodgkinson are always fun. As we got to companion studies we did a role-play teaching the “Restoration discussion” to his sisters. It helped me after the role-playing to be more in tune with listening and asking insightful questions instead of just saying what I know.
     Friday was district counsel and this time we traveled down to Waterford with Elder Weisman (pops).  We had an amazing lesson and amusing questions and then testifying, it was great. The Role playing we did was; we all got a random word and as we were being taught, the one teaching us had to relate the Gospel to our word. It was super fun and got us all to think. Later on, we had a district Brunch at DJ's Kitchen. Elder Grimsman and I attempted the "Pops Pancake Challenge " and I failed horribly only eating 1 of the pancakes, they are HUGE!
     Sunday we had a few Great talks all about personal revelation. To simplify -"What is the difference between prayer and revelation?" Prayer is when we are talking to God and revelation is when God answers us back. Also Faith is different for everyone. How it starts for some it's a light switch it comes so fast, and for others it's the sunrise that starts out small but it grows to be so bright.
              This week’s scripture is:
                           Alma 34:39
         " Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he rewardeth you no good thing"
    With this being the last dispensation, Satan is trying so hard on the righteous ones of his church, as we continue in prayer and ask in strength Satan can not over power us. I pray and ask for help every day so I can continue to be in Gods light he has provided for each and every one of us. When you feel Satan is trying and tempting you just pray for that help to get through the day.

Elder Knowlden

Happy New Year 2019

Kelly, Domingo and Isabella

Old Saybrook Lighthouse

Games with the  Cromwell Elders on P-day

Paulie Foggleman with Elder Pulu and Elder Knowlden

The Foggleman Family

Lobster Lunch with Lars

Elder Knowlden with Elder Merrill on a morning run

Jan 7th 2019


   Welcome all to the New Year! I hope everyone had a great week and I hope everyone is still keeping there New Years goals! For those of you who don't know a "Blackout year" is the one full calendar year a missionary has while serving the Lord.  January 1st to December 31st, this year is MY Blackout year and I can't wait to do it with a smile each day!
      New Years Eve was fun, we hung out with the Cromwell Elders again and we met their bishop and his family, they are really cool. As it came to the next day we did exchanges I was with Elder Grimsman and it was a good experience. We helped a member with a blessing and I love every chance I get to help with blessings.  Wednesday came and it was Zone Conference, it was amazing.  It was about diligence and listening, even a little bit about body language. While waiting for interviews Elder Pulu and I had a great companion study, I felt complete love and I am so happy that I have an amazing trainer like him. I know he is who the Lord needed to train me.
    One thing I learned from conference and Elder Pulu was awesome, I put it in a way to help me with my journal writing and I invite all too do the same, 
1: How have I seen the hand of God in my life today?
2: Simplify to only use five.
   As we simplify we get to the core of what's needed to be taught and it will make teaching so much easier.  As I use it in my journal I sum up how I saw Gods hand in my life that day only using 5 words.
   Wednesday we visited Hammonasset Beach its only 5 minutes away from us and it is so beautiful there and is full of so many shells! I love that God put all the detail in all things even the little things matter. Friday we had exchanges with the Zone leaders and I had a great time with Elder Merrill we had a good time and taught a good lesson with a recent convert. The next morning we had a morning run and it was super fun we ended up going to the beach for the 2nd half of the run, while we were there we went out on a jetty. We switched back and Elder Pulu and I finished the day with service, helping our friends Kelly and Domingo. Sunday was great it was the first 2 hour block and it was definitely different getting out an hour earlier. In Sunday School we all discussed how we can receive personal revelation. That night we ended up having a great meal at the Fogglemans. For “Three Kings Day” we all went around and said one nice thing about everyone and then one thing we like about ourselves.

                           Alma 26:3
 "Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work"
 
      As we look for Gods hand in our own life, even when we may feel lost and astray from his light, look for his hand he will bring you back to his light for it has never died. As we recognize His Hand in all things and bear testimony of it we ARE instruments in his hand!
   This week has been amazing with my personal journal, as I have been noticing how Gods hand has been a way to help me be a better instrument in His hand.