Whats up Fam! Another week gone by.. It blows my mind. Anyways.. This week has been full of adventures and spiritual experiences and im excited to tell you about em!
We decided to go to Arlington and visit the only member there in town who is actually a less active member. We visited her with one of our ward missionaries who's name is Joanna and who has been a convert for a little over a year. We began to talk to her, the less active member, and get to know her and soon enough we had found out that she has given up literally everything to be apart of the church. Her job, her finance, her family, her kids, and everrything. They all abandoned her when she joined the church 13 years ago. She said she feels alone everyday and she wants to go back to her family who does all sorts of bad things! So we shared scriptures with her and the spirit began to grow. We gave her a priesthood blessing and that went great as well. The spirit was strong. Then my companion remembered a video that was shown in a zone conference a couple months back..
Its called "God's Chissel" by the skit guys. You can find it on Youtube.. This video talks about how in the book of Ephesians it says we are God's workmanship.. In essence His masterpiece. God has individually created us and we all have potential to be like him. If we humble ourselves and let him chisel away unwanted attributes that comes sin and the world.. Many great and amazing things are in store for us. I encourage you all to go on youtube and watch this video. It is amazing!! Its amazing enough that our mission president has approved it for us as missionaries to watch with members and investigators!
After we watched this video.. The spirit of the Lord had blown us away and we were all in tears.. We are God's children.. But also his masterpiece. He knows us and loves us and wants whats best for us. She went to church yesterday and it was great. She says that she knows why she is being put through these trials and she is going to rely on the church and God to help her out now instead of herself.
I have some really good news...! Shakari and Tyson Losee are going to be baptized on Sunday after church! I'm very excited! Shawnda(their mom) is finding so much happiness in the church and she feels like her life is turning around for the better. She knows the Lord has blessing in store for her when she is obedient to His commandments and she is excited for everything that's in store for her. This week will be a good week!
Hahaha so after one of our lessons with Shawnda and the kids.. We went out to the tramp and played some tramp basketball. I felt like my brothers Jed and BJ because i was playin these kids that were half my age in basketball and was thinkin i was pretty cool.. Then at the end of the game i felt even more like Jed and BJ because i had lost the game.. Haha i know what if feels like now my brothers! Love you guys!
hahah..
So one last cool experience.. Yesterday, Sunday, we headed up to a town called Decorah. Its about a 1 and 1/2 hour drive from where we live and there are A LOT of people up there who cant make it to church because they don't have the means to transport themselves. So we held a little sacrament meeting for them up there.. It was so much fun. We met in a little garage and there was about 15 people there and I had the opportunity to conduct the meeting! I felt like a Bishop!! hahaha!! Then me and my comp took turns blessing and passing the sacrament and also each gave a talk. I loved it. The people were so appreciative that they had the chance to take the sacrament. We will probably do this once every month or 2 so i am excited to keep doing it!
The people here are great. i love getting to know new people and new faces. The country up here is amazing!
I love this church and i'm so thankful for it and the chance i have to share it. I'm thankful to my family and friends too!
You all mean so much to me!
Week 21
Wow!! I have got a whole bunch of news to share with you all this week!
Starting with.. Last Wednesday!! We got to go to Nauvoo with Ross and Skyler.. And we're just walking down the street and all of the sudden the next thing i see is Riley Evans and his brothers and dad!! hahah it caught me soo off guard!! we talked for a few minutes.. and it was good to see my boy bubbs! hahha love you man!
Next.. I am in Fayette Iowa now! Haha.. And let me tell you its the smallest town ever...! But our area is HUGE! We basically have the northeastern corner of iowa to cover. All the way to the Minnesota and Wisconsin boarders! Its a sweet area and the country back here is amazing! So green.. And pretty! We drive on dirt roads everywhere and i love it! Its way different than Muscatine.. But its definately a great place! EVERYONE here is either Catholic, Lutheran, or Amish! haha.. We have had a few run in's with the Amish people.. Its pretty interesting! And mom i would have told you this last time i emailed but i didnt even know! haha they tell you the day of where you are going!
My companions name is Elder Girvin!! He's a cool guy.. He's from Weiser Idaho and he has grown up on a farm his whole life so this is like home for him.
I want to tell you guys a little about the Branch here in Fayette. People here travel up to 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to church and the people are great! Such strong testimonies! We have about 50 active members! Its pretty fun because i will get to know everyone pretty well! The whole Branch is basically made up of converts.. And i really enjoyed last Sunday!
Anyways.. When i got here.. There wasnt much work going on so we spent the majority of the days finding people to teach.. And it was rough! Haha.. We usually spend a whole day in a different town finding people.. then come back to sleep. I was getting dissapointed for a while.. Because NOBODY will listen to us! But i know the Lord has blessings in store for me here in this area, and im excited to find out what they are no matter how hard i have to search for them!
We got a refferral from church headquarters the other day and it was for a woman named Shawnda Losee. She is a awesome lady and was baptized when she was younger but fell away from the church.. We went up and visited her in Ridgeway IA, which is about an hour drive away.. And the lesson went great. She wants to get back into church and get her kids baptized. We are going up later today to teach her family the Restoration. I love that lesson. It brings in the spirit so strongly! She might be moving to Utah in a couple weeks or so.. So we'll see what happens! haha..
I love being a missionary! Its the best! I hope you all had a goood 4th of July! Mine went well! It was P-Day and we spent the day at a members farm! It was really fun..
I love you momma! Thanks for the email! I hope you get a chance to meet with Sis Stone this week! She is so great.. haa!
Hope all is well with Kleen Kans! You guys are the best!
Love Elder Russell
Love Elder Russell
Week 20
Hello Family!! :)
This week has been the greatest but roughest week of my mission.
On Saturday.. We get our transfer calls! And i honestly thought i was going to stay here in Muscatine for 6 more weeks! But to my suprise... President called and said i was being transferred! I've spent the last few days saying goodbye to my new friends here in Muscatine.. And its been rough..! I said goodbye to Mary Hadassah and family that was so hard for me to do! I've become such good friends with them... And i really didnt want to have to say goodbye! Karsyn and Bella, the 6 and 4 year old girls wouldn't let me go! I started to cry and so did they and it was just a big mess.. Saying goodbye to people is so hard! It was like leaving home again!! I will say my last goodbye's tonight to all the members at Mutual activities! Its gonna be rough!
Anyways.. Sad news about Hadassah.. Once again.. Something happened and she couldnt get baptized!! Ugh.. I have tried so hard these last 4 and 1/2 months.. But the poor girl always has something weighing her down and unfortunately its not her decision, its her parents, and things just didnt work out! But i still love her with all my heart and we'll be friends forever!
Last saturday.. Was a very very special day!! Skyler Ketelsen was baptized!! And it was a wonderful service! Elder Clarke baptized him and everything went perfectly! I had the opportunity to speak about baptism at the service and i told myself that i would write down a few quotes.. And a bullet point or 2 but i was going to be totally guided and directed by the spirit! I stood up.. And started talking.. And i dont really remember what i said.. But i felt great inside. And others told me they did too after i spoke. I am so grateful for the spirit and what it can do for us! it is truly amazing!
Haha.. Oh man.. I have got to tell you guys a way funny story! So we have this investigator and her name is Lenora! And i mean this in the nicest way possible when i say she's a little crazy! She has claimed that i am her favorite missionary that she's ever had visit her in the last 10 years and all this stuff and when we went to say goodbye to her she had written a song for me! It was the funniest visit i've ever had! And then as a going away present she gave me a "lock of her hair"!! hahahah oh man.. i am really going to miss the people here in Muscatine! I have memories in this area that i will NEVER forget!
Anyways.. Today is a very special day because today.. I get to go to Nauvoo again! :) We asked president if we could go and take our 2 newest converts, Ross and Skyler, to do baptisms for the dead and he said we could go! :) im so excited! i love Nauvoo. Its a wonderful place and the spirit is so strong! In the baptismal font area.. They have a stain glass picture of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ and when you see it you get the chills. ITs one of the most amazing places to be in the world! So many amazing things happened right there in that town!
On a spiritual note.. I want to talk to you about the power of prayer.. This week.. Has been SO hard for me saying goodbye and everything.. I have prayed soo hard, everyday, that the Lord would ease my mind, and help this pit in my stomache go away! And as i am writing you i feel that everything will be ok.. And that my new area.. Wherever it may be.. Will be great! My testimony to you all is that God hears and answers every single prayer we give. He loves and wants whats best for us. It is truly up to us if we are going to be worthy and ready to recieve those blessings he has in store for us! And thats what people dont understand.. People will always tell us they dont believe in God because they prayed and didnt recieve help or get an answer.. But further down the conversation we figure that they were doing things that wouldnt let the spirit be in their lives!! We must be worthy, ready, and willing to recieve whatever answer that comes our way!
I love this Church.. And i love the Book of Mormon.. I know its true with all my heart! It couldnt be more true to me if God came down and told me that himself. It brings me so much peace and happiness. I love you all very much! Read the Book of Mormon everyday!! It will change your life as it has mine!
I love you all
Elder Russell
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