Life Saver

Playing with the Sugar Gliders

Our New District

Our Trio saying goodbye

Saturday Party

Charline, my study journal and wet pants-I spilled water

Elder Giatris

Week 36 June 25th 2019

      It has been a pretty good week, Elder Giatras left and we now have Elder Foutz! Monday was a boring P-day, we planned on hanging out with the District but we got stuck at Firestone for most of the day. We first had to go get the tire swapped out. They took the wheel and said they could get it fixed within a couple hours. While it was getting worked on, we went to the store and Elder Kilpack got a haircut. We then had to go fill out an incident report at the mission office. After we were able to come back to Firestone to get the tire put on, we also got a safety inspection it was estimated at about 30-45 minutes and it took over 2 hours, so our P-day was spent doing nothing really fun. We did go out to Chick-fil-A for a shake with the District but then had to go to dinner. The rest of the night we spent with the Roger's. While we were there we did our laundry.
     Tuesday morning we started our final exchanges with the Spanish elders. Elder Kilpack and I were with Elder Woods in the Spanish program for the day. We did some extra studies so both Elder Woods could practice his Spanish and Elder Kilpack practiced his ASL. While they did their language studies I started to catch up on my letter writing. We then had some lunch and we were off to the work! We first dropped off a large Bible to a member, we then started to do a lot of stop-byes. Not too much luck but we did a lot of work! For dinner we ate at "Kentucky Bell" (KFC and Taco Bell). After we did a few more stop byes In Beaver Park before going home. While we were there a car drove by while recording us and shouted "Get out of here Feds", we were so confused. Oh well I guess cops must be there a lot.
     Wednesday morning we finished up exchanges around 9am. While we were waiting we did exchange inventory, and I was challenged to practice some Spanish for missionary work. After we swapped back we did a little bit of our studies then we left for the day. We met up with Tacia and had a good lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, She really did enjoy it! After Elder Giatras said his last good byes. We then had a lesson with Francis, and we talked about the Priesthood and the Prophets. He had many questions and we did the best we could to help him and he did enjoy the answers. We then had dinner with the Buchmans at Pho Dakoa a Vietnamese place that is sooo good! I once again got Mongolian Beef. To end the night we had a Book of Mormon study with the Rogers.
     Thursday morning we got up early to go out to J and M Diner with Charline, after that we had interviews with our Mission President, President Mavromatis.
We had to be there earlier for a training with the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. It was on how to more effectively daily plan. Then while waiting for our interview time we did our own daily planning. We talked about the story of "what lack I yet" and one thing I am doing to be more consecrated to the work is to have a deeper studies in the Bible. I also found out I am able to help teach my little Sister Kaylee to help prepare her for Baptism in October! I can't wait to help her on this journey to make covenants with God! After we left to have a lesson with Kyle and he wanted to talk about the Priesthood. He really just wanted to know more about the Priesthood and he found peace in it. After we did a few more stop byes then went to dinner at the Roger's, while in the middle of dinner and a lesson, we were doing last minute laundry. To end the night we stopped by Charlines place for Elder Giatras to say his last good-byes. She bought us all presents; I got a really cool journal so I am going to use it for my studies! We then came home and I passed out. Elder Giatras was up doing his last minute packing to prepare for the morning.
     Friday we left pretty early to be at the Cambridge Chapel to drop off Elder Giatras for his new area that is coming to our mission. We expected heavy traffic but there wasn’t really any so with the extra time we ate breakfast at McDonald's. After we got to the Chapel, I got my flag signed by a lot of the missionaries there. We also picked up Elder Foutz for are continuation of the trio. Right after we made a one hour journey to Franklin to be at District Council. We met our new District. We have four sisters, Kiki, Tueler, Mendoza, and Tychingo. Then the three of us. We have a pretty cool District though. We had a lesson on the Atonement for us and other missionaries, then a role-play about the Atonement for the ones we teach. After we left back to our area and had an early dinner because we were really hungry. We once again ate at Kentucky Bell. After we had a lesson with Merrilees, we have taught her a couple times and her husband has never participated, but today he did! It was awesome to have his input. We did a “how to begin teaching” and asked what they knew and what they personally believe. They have a desire to learn more and at this point it is having the spirit testify of the truth of our message. After them we were able to meet with Campos a less active member who is also a recent Convert. We shared with him a short message of love and teaching about Christ to the ones around us. He wasn't doing the best spiritually so we helped him with a blessing. After him we did a few more stop-byes in hope to set up a few lessons but we had no luck.
     Saturday was a pretty fun day it ended with a party at the Chapel. To start the day we had our studies. After studies we called all of the referrals we had to try to set up an appointment, sadly someone said that they weren't interested anymore so we had to stop trying with him. After we did some daily contacting and had lunch. We got a call of help from the Roger's because their downstairs flooded a little bit, luckily they caught it in time. We ran over and helped them take out all the items in the room to the outside to dry out. After we came home to change back into proselyting clothes to share a message with a family in the ward. Their oldest son is going on a mission on a couple weeks to Salt Lake City Central mission. We talked on being a member missionary and preparing for a mission. At the beginning it was hard to feel the spirit but by the end it was there! They all really opened up and shared a lot of insights! After we had an awesome time with them we left to have a lesson with Evan's. It had been a little bit since we met with him last. While we were there we had a lesson on Tithing and Fast Offerings. He found a lot of peace in it. He couldn't come to church tomorrow but plans on it next week! We then had to hurry to another lesson. When we got there he wasn’t there, we even called a couple times. With the lesson being cancelled we went to try to drop off a Book of Mormon but she was sleeping. To end the night we went to the Chapel for the party. It was really fun, we had a few members and a friend we were teaching there, They really enjoyed it!
     Sunday was a pretty good day, it was by far one of my favorite Sunday Services I've been to. We had three amazing talks and both Kyle and Francis were there. One on growing a testimony, one of adversity and the last one on preparing for a mission. In the second one something really stood out to me. "How can we avoid sorrow in adversity. We can't, well at least not in the moment. In times like these we should learn to laugh". As we learn to laugh it will truly makes us happier even in hard times! In Elders Quorum today we talked on the Priesthood and Priesthood responsibilities. Kyle ended up taking a few notes. I am excited to learn what he thought and what he learned this upcoming week! We talked to Sister Billeter about introducing Kyle to the YSA ward. She has two kids that go there. We also talked to Sister Rogers and she asked if we could go over to her house to help Mark bring back in all the boxes so they could stay dry. When we got there he was mowing the lawn, and we talked to see what we could do to help. He needed to get new boxes so we ended up not bringing in the boxes. We then just talked to them to see how best we could help. We were already in service cloths so why not. While we were all their, Neveah (the Roger's daughter) was swimming in the pool. She tried to swim with out a life jacket. She jumped in the deep end and got as far as she could. She could see and was near the middle, she was freaking out, asking for help and on the edge of drowning. I was the closest and with out hesitation I jumped in after her. She was super happy that she didn’t drown. So were the Rogers! She then had to stay in the shallow end or use a life jacket. Later on while we were doing some studies she wanted to go back swimming but she also wanted her "life saver" to be out as well. It gave me a little chuckle and joy in my heart. We then had some dinner with them. After dinner we had "tent time" aka we got in a tent with three sugar gliders, they were so cute! We had some studies with Sister Roger's from the Doctrine and Covenants, to help her have a better understanding. To end the night we came home and called other members of the District to show our support and to see if we could help them out with anything.

     Doctrine and Covenants 112:10

     "10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."

      God can grant us the desires of our hearts. He wants to do it, but it requires an act of faith. One way we can act on faith is through prayer. So when you have a desire, be humble, be patient, and with a heart with love kneel down in prayer and ask God for yourself. The Lord thy God will help guild you to the path you have set out for you to better yourself spiritually. I promise it will be the best thing you can do for yourself. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.