My new address is:
1845 Old Moultrie Rd #43
St. Augustine, FL 32084
I have been transferred
to St. Augustine, FL. It is beautiful and has many historic
buildings. We drove by the old Fort one time. They have a Ripley's
believe it or not, an alligator farm, and a beautiful Flagler college that
looks a lot like a university in Spain, like Salamanca. My first
night here, we contacted for 30 minutes around the college and talked to some
guys going to Trivia night....his forte was geography....we talked for a bit
and connected, but not much beyond that. Most of the street
names here have something to do with Spanish. I love it. About half
of the city just looks like a classic beach city, but the other half is
historic and really neat. The Bridge of Lyons is really pretty at night.
The ward is the largest
I have had on my mission. At least 200 people were there yesterday.
The missionary work has been going well here. There are many part member
families that have been baptized. Everyone is so nice. The Jax
South Zone goes from Jullington Creek in the north, to St. Augistine in the
East, to Crescent City in south (below that is Orlando) and Interlachen in the
West. We will be driving all over it this transfer.
The mission president recently called 36 more Online missionaries in the mission and my companion and I
are included! So I have a facebook now to keep with touch with the
ward and investigators and also to teach! We cannot directly communicate
with family on it, but we can be friends and you can even help out in the
missionary work. We don't really know what that means yet, but I will
update you as we learn more!
My Zone Leader trainer
is Elder Snow. He has been a zone leader since I came out on my mission. I enjoy his depth of knowledge, experience,
and obedience. I love being pushed to a higher level of obedience.
We are working with a great couple. They are a part
member, and the husband has been reading and taking great notes from the Book
of Mormon. He is finishing first Nephi and loving it. He will be
baptized soon! I feel the Spirit much stronger as I am more exactly
obedient and focus on our investigators.
2/13/12
ST. AUGUSTINE! MIRACLE CITY!
It has been a fantastic
week. I learned from many experiences about the workings and necessity of
the Spirit. To start it off, I read today a letter from my uncle!
I received it on Wednesday. It was wonderful and I enjoyed his commentary
on life in Gridley and some missionary small talk. Turns out, his wife's
Dad lives in St. Augustine! Unbeknown to my uncle, the day after he
wrote the letter, his nephew was being transferred there! I am writing
him back and asking if I might be able to meet my Uncle's father in law.
We have a great family!
In response to
some of your letters: I'm glad it finally snowed in the
West. It has been chilly the last 3 days, but I'm sure that will only
last a month at the longest. There are some members from St. Aug that just moved to
Montrose. Great job in solo and ensemble. I have
complete faith in GJHS academic team. My senior year, we were losing
after the first day of state, because we were trying to force things and were
so afraid of losing. The next day, we had composure and won the state
tournament by 40 points. Lift where you stand.
I am thrilled to
hear about the Steele's mission calls! That is a lot like Lain and Gina
Geest. I had secretly been hoping that Dallin or Ben would come to the
FJM and be my companion but I guess not!
We had a tradeoff with the assistants on
Friday. I was really nervous and stumbled around our area, but had a good
night. We taught a lesson on the Word of Wisdom and learned a
lot. Just after the tradeoff ended, we taught some of our neighbors, and they came to church
yesterday! It actually worked out best to have the Sister missionaries in
St. Augustine teach them, but it was a great miracle nonetheless. One of the families we are doing some service for on Wednesday and the other we were
prompted yesterday to go visit and ended up having a lesson and
setting a return dinner appointmentt for some homemade famous Southern fried Chicken and
a spiritual feast! I have a great love for this family
after only meeting them once. The best part the lesson was having the new
investigator say the closing prayer. He had been quiet and
reserved before then, but getting up from the prayer, he had a big smile and
a new found light in his eyes.
We
are seeing so many blessings from the Lord in the Florida Jacksonville Mission! This the best
thing I have ever done. I am grateful for where I have come from in life,
in my family roots, and my premortal beginnings. I am forever grateful
that Jesus Christ has given all hope in where they are going through life and
into the eternities.
2/20/12
SNOW IN COLORADO; ME AND ELDER SNOW
IN FLORIDA. BEAT THAT!
We are being so blessed
over here in St. Augustine. My companion is the greatest, the ward is
incredible, and the weather is divine (70s).
I did receive
your Valentine's package. I loved the Paper Alligators with M&Ms
inside. My companion and I ate those raspberry bars
promptly and shared just two bars with the Sister missionaries in the
ward. I am actually eating right now one of the Gluten-Free Sunkist gummy
snack delights right now! I loved the chocolate cinnamon
bears. You are the best
family! I'm so spoiled.
This week my companion and I did trade offs with the St. John's district leader. He is so perky and positive, it's contagious! I got to go to St. Johns and serve with my former companion for the
day. We reminisced on good times in Timuquana and the converts we
love. He has been keeping in touch with some of our families as well. We
get along even better now and have more of an appreciation for each
other. It is a beautiful thing.
We are working with a young family. The husband is a less
active member and the wife is a nonmember. They have an 8 yr old son,
who wants to be baptized, a 7 yr old daughter, and a 2 week old son. They are
a beautiful family. We had a lesson last Monday and committed them to read
from the Book of Mormon and pray as a family every night. They did
it! We went over Friday for 15 minutes and talked about the blessings
they had seen so far from doing that. The gospel truly blesses
families. My favorite quote,
Elder:"We really
appreciate the opportunity to play a small part in bringing you this
happiness."
Son (8):
"I think you're a big part."
Most of the family came to
church yesterday, and calling them last night, we found out they were playing
with another active family and the sons were spending the night. It just
warmed my heart so see them so readily accepted and befriended.
We went over to another family's home, but their son ended up in the hospital earlier
that morning so we didn't get to teach them. But we had amazing fried
chicken, potatoes smothered in onions, and corn. I ate too much chicken.
Thank you for being such a great
family! I hope all is well on your side of the Continental Divide!
2/27/12
ST. AUGUSTINE WARD
SPLIT
Hello family!
Today I received another letter from my uncle and his family! I was pleasantly surprised to see him respond so quickly. We hope to visit his father-in-law soon. He painted a beautiful picture
of Gridley life. We have a great family.
This week held many miracles and big
events, which is becoming common now in St. Augustine.
I'll start with the least
pleasant one lol. After finishing a trade off, I noticed I kept itching
my lower back. To my dismay, my whole back side (and only my backside)
was covered in raised, yellowish red rashes that kind of looked like
blisters. It freaked me out! After moisterizing lotion
and some time, they disappeared but appeared in various parts of
my body! It lasted about two days. A surprise lay in
store every hour. "I wonder where it will be this
time?". At the advice of the mission president's wife, I took a Benadryl, and I
don't have any of them today. Phewf! I think I had Atopic Dermititis,
and it may be a result of allergies to something. I'll keep my
eye out for it again. It inspired me to possibly name my new blog
(Atopid Sermon-itis). eh eh? like it? We'll see if I choose
it.
Church was historic and
momentous. The St. Augustine Ward split in two! My companion and I
are still serving in the St. Augustine Ward which is the North half of
what it used to be. The sister missionaries are serving in the new St. Augustine Shores Ward.
It was so exciting to witness the growth of the church! They had the
members of each ward stand and sustain their new leadership. I was grateful not to be a ward member who
will be missing long time friends, but rather being a missionary who will
be transferred on eventually. The ward used to have some 700 members on
the roster, but now that is pretty much exactly half. Our ward has less
of the active members and will be calling tons of new leadership positions. The split really
didn't affect our missionary work. All of the people we are teaching live in
the North area.
One miracle I want to share with you
was on Wednesday night. At 8:30 on a rainy night, we knocked on doors with a
member and found a man who said "Sure, I can spare 5 minutes for
Jesus." This was also a special night because it was my first time
going to Anastasia Island. This man is a Mayan, and as we unfolded
our message to him, there was a light in his
eyes. He had been questioning his religious beliefs (a Cathli-baptist),
and he felt some truth to our message. He said that several times. We hope we can follow up with him this week.
I mentioned teaching a kid last Monday. We taught him twice. He has come to church
for the last two months with his friend. He is loving the Book
of Mormon and wants to join the church.
I love being a missionary! We
get to feel like an apostle for two years. Doing nothing else but being a
witness for Jesus Christ!
