Monday, September 19, 2011

The Sting of Loss

Well first off to address the game this weekend a thought came to me while sitting in priesthood meeting. I've attached a picture to share this thought with you. The sting of a loss truly is swallowed up in the service of Christ. It's amazing how things from the world don't effect you as much when you are busy serving God. Probably because one I didn't see it and two there were other things occupying my mind this weekend. I'm of course disappointed in the loss but it's not so bad as it once was when I was at home.haha Any way hopefully next week is a better week for the Cougs. Maybe Ether 12:27 could apply well to this team.

What a week here in the great MBM. It sure started out rough but improved over time. We had 8 lessons cancel the first two days of the week. So things really dragged but it started to come around. The big things of the week have to be D. He called us on Tues. and told us how much he can feel the Holy Ghost guide him. He was also asked to speak in church on the Holy Ghost this next Sunday so this will really help him to be able to talk about how it's already effecting him. We talked to him Sunday afternoon and he said he was going to the bon fire. We weren't quite sure what he meant by that. We just figured someone must have invited him over to their house or something. Later he called about the lesson we had set up with him and Brother Z, one of his fellowshippers, and he said that Brother Z had laughed at him because he asked if it was going to be safe to have the fireside with the dry weather we've had and the high winds. Brother Z had to explain what a fireside was to him and then after he told us that we realized he had been talking about the stake fireside. hahaha. Dale had told Brother Z he was also worried because we had told him he could wear his suit to the fireside and he didn't want to get it smokey. haha New members, you sure do have to be careful with the terms you throw out to them without explaining it all. He's doing great though. He loved the fireside and we're excited for his talk this Sunday.

The D's, who I'm not sure if I mentioned last week. They are a young part member couple we have started teaching. We taught them Wed. night and had a really good lesson about the Book of Mormon and then we ate at their place Sunday and taught Sister D again. They are such a fun young couple. I really want to see her get baptized and see them get to the temple. That would be so Awesome! It's just great to get to teach them. I look forward to this Sunday when we teach her again.

Sat. was a long and adventurous day. We didn't have the car and we had an appointment at 10 a ways away. It was raining so we started to walk and try to talk to people along the way. We had our umbrellas and jackets on. It was kind of fun. By the end of the day we were beat though. We definitely walked more Sat. than any other day on my mission. When we told the Garfields how much we had walked they were amazed.

Wed. we had a lesson at the Ps' house with A. She's the one on date for the 8th of Oct. Things are still going good with her. She's fun to teach because she's pretty smart and picks up on things really quick and easy. She wasn't at church though so hopefully she'll make it the next two weeks so that she can stay on date.

We also had a good lesson with Brother W. He had some set backs this week and smoked a little. He got frustrated when he did that which was good because in the past it didn't effect him that much. You can really tell the Holy Ghost is working on him.

Well I better get running. Hope everyone has a good week. Only a couple of weeks before fall break so just keep pushing though it girls. And good luck with the the new job mom.

I love you all. Talk to you later.

-Elder Davis

Monday, September 12, 2011

A Baptism and a Handshake for the Journal

Good Day to everybody!

What a week! Where do I even start? Let's start with our leadership meetings Tues. in Billings and then Wed. in Helena. We had a football coach based presentation talking about getting the members more involved and coaching them up in how to get more involved with online missionary work. Similar things to what dad presented in our ward. It went pretty good. I think everyone really liked it. The drive to Helena with President Gardner was yet again a highlight. It's just really neat to be able to hear him tell stories. He's friends with Elder Holland because they are both from the St.George area and they worked on different church things together. He told of a story where Elder Holland had stopped in to president's seminary class one day shortly after an apostle had passed. President said to him you know who I'd make a member of the 12 if I could? Jeff Holland. Well it didn't happen that time but the next time a spot was open Elder Holland was called. President must be really in tune with the spirit.

After arriving home late Wed. it was back to work and get ready for our baptism. D was baptized Sat. night by his boss who had introduced him to the church. It was a small but great service. Brother W who is an investigator was there. It was so good to see D get baptized. He's been very excited and wants to start participating in callings and family history as soon as possible. His boss Brother Z is a great example of what member missionary work can do.

I had mentioned Brother W. We had a really good lesson with him and we are getting ready to set a date with him. He has almost read the whole gospel principles book which has taught him quite a bit. He really learns a lot from it.

We contacted a part member young couple who blessed their baby a few weeks ago. They are really funny. She asked a lot of questions about missionaries and kind of church culture. It was funny to hear their story of going to Utah and some things that happened. He's from Lovell and is a big Wyoming football fan. They quickly learned from Elder Garcia that I was a big BYU fan and we poked fun at each other a little. We are excited to start teaching them this week. She really has very little gospel knowledge so I have great faith that if we can get in there and bring the spirit great things will happen.

Good to hear a lot of you liked my Sept. 11th blog. Afterward I found an article from President Monson about Sept. 11th and the 10 year anniversary and he said pretty much the same thing I did. Here's a link to what he said http://lds.org/church/news/president-monson-reflects-on-nations-spirituality?lang=eng . Also go check out Elder Garcia's blog http://greetthedawn.blogspot.com/2011/09/cancer-and-priesthood-blessings.html . He had a really neat story about his dad. Oh and what do you all think of the new blog background?

Sad to hear BYU gave a game away. I guess you take one you give one unfortunately. The blessing of a mission if I didn't see it they didn't really lose right? haha I hope they can beat the Utes this week! We are eating with the bishop and his Ute lovin family tonight. Things could get interesting.

Elder Christofferson was in Bozeman this weekend for a stake conference. The elders over there were really excited to be able to go. President and Sister Gardner went over there and some how the assistants snuck their way over there for teamups too. Well we later learned that he was doing a fireside for temple workers here in Billings Sunday night. We talked to everyone we knew who was a temple worker including the G who we live with. We dropped hint after hint about how much we'd like to go. All of them shot us down and told us how it was for temple workers only. Well Sunday night we were walking by the church around 8:40 and we couldn't resist walking in. It looked like they had finished maybe 10 min prior and most were to the refreshments in the back by then. We looked up front and there he was. There was a short line by then to shake his hand so we booked it up there and got in line. He was trying to make his way out so he was coming down the stairs and we were pretty much the last people in line. He looked down at us and said elders! Where are you from? We told him and then he talked about how much he enjoyed spending time with President and Sister Gardner this weekend and our compadres in Bozeman. What a great experience to be able to shake his hand! I'll definitely never forget that!

Well I better get going. I hope you all have a great day and week! I love you and and enjoyed the emails today. Be safe and I'll talk to you next week.

-Elder Davis

PS. Oh I almost forgot! We went to that baseball game last week and had a great time! I'll have to send some pics!

Mom what do I need to fill out for school stuff. I want to get started but am still a little lost. I'm going to definitely get started this next week. And Dad if Bishop would like me to speak/testimonify on that Sunday I'd love to if we are still going to be there that Sunday.

Monday, September 5, 2011

E-Mail Before a Basball Game

Hello Everyone,

Hope you've all had a great week. I hear it's been pretty hot in AZ so I'm definelty glad to be here. The only thing that worries me though is the fact that it was 45 this morning when Elder Garcia and I went to play bball at the church. I could slightly see my breath. I think fall is coming which mean winter is coming which means ugg! Not good!

Any way this week was crazy, fun, exciting, tiring and quick. It's weird how I sit down to email and look back on my week and things from a week ago feel so far away but yet the week went so quick. Weird huh?

Tuesday we helped out with the new missionaries coming in. There were 17 of them so we got to go help pick them up from the airport and help out with their orientation. It was a lot of fun to be around them and feel their excitement. They had a lot of questions about the mission and Montana so it was fun to be able to tell them all about it. I remember the Elders who helped us out when we first came in and answered our questions so I was glad I could do that for them. We also were able to partake of some great cooking by SisterGardner. In the afternoon we took two groups at different times over to see the temple. It is always really neat to be over by the temple. You can definitely feel a special spirit there. It was neat to see the new missionarie's eyes light up when we pulled up there too.

Wed. we had the greeny breakfast where everyone around Billings and those here for transfers along with the new missionaries get together for a big breakfast. Then we headed over to an old folks home where we played bingo with them. haha Later we had a lesson with A. She is the one who's friend is on a mission and her friends family is fellowshipping her. We had a great lesson and ended up setting a baptism date with her for Oct. 8th. She really picks up on things quickly especially from 3 Nephi 11. And as if that wasn't a great way to end our night we went over to the departing missionaries testimony meeting. It was neat to see Elders Child, Wells, and Butler give their testimonies. I sure am going to miss them. It's then when it hit me that I need to stay all the way till the end no matter what others in my group are doing. It appears a lot of Elders in my group are going to try to go early but I'm staying. And I figure if I could get to speak in Grandma and Grandpa Gwynn's ward then there would be a lot more family there and elders I've served around in the mission so that wouldn't be too bad.

Alright now I keep forgetting to tell you about D. D is a guy who's a referral from a member in another ward. We've been teaching him a lot and he really wants to get baptized. He's been to so many different churches he has so many false ideas about things and it's been a bit of a struggle in one way to teach him but then again he's picked up on things really quick. We have a baptism date set for this coming Sat. but then he had his interview with President and it appears there might be a pending probation issue but the details have to be figured out so right now we are just waiting on President to find out more and get back to us. Hopefully it all works out for the best.

We've been in the office a lot this week getting ready for leadership this Tues in Billings and Wed. in Helena. I'm excited to take another road trip with President. It's always so neat to listen to him talk about different things mission and gospel related. Our presentation is kind of football based and talk about coaching the members on how to help with our online work. It sounds like Dad has a similar thing going down this week so hopefully all goes well for the both of us.

Glad to hear BYU won! It sure helps to have them on ESPN because Brother Garfield the brother we live with told me they had won. I doubt that would have happened last year with the old TV stuff. Glad to hear some more details about he game from Dad though. Hopefully they can get a win this week in Texas. I hope Brett's using this game as a good selling point. haha knock! knock! Hello we're missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the same church that owns BYU the school Texas is playing this week. Would you like to learn more about our beliefs before you play us this weekend? It could work.

Well I better get going. We are going to a Billings Mustangs minor league baseball game!!! I have always wanted to go to one but knew it'd never happen unless it was on a Monday during the day. I then checked the schedule and hey what do you know they have one today! So we got our tickets last week and our whole zone is going! It should be a lot of fun! I hope you all have a great week. Thanks for the emails. I love you all! Talk to you later.

-Elder Davis

Go Cougars! Beat Texas!