Last one

Well this is it. It still doesnt feel real but this is the last email home. First ill give a run down of my last full week as a missionary...

Wednesday we grinded all day long. Nobody was home. We saw these 3 surfer guys playing basketball at a park so ofcourse we went and played them on 3 on 3. They were complete surf bums so we won like 11 to 2 but it was super fun. Later that day we went and finished transfer planning then President Thomas took us out to dinner.

Thursday we took the new missionaries down to Mormon Battalion. It gets old after the 5th time haha but still a good experience. I got to see a lot of missionaries that ive served around so that was fun. Thursday evening we taught a less active who is returning and he is super cool. He has a goal to get to the temple ASAP though and we talked a lot about that during our lesson. It was fun and im gonna miss teaching him!

Friday was one of the most spiritual days of my entire mission. We started it off with a meeting for all of the new leaders in the mission. Afterwards President Thomas gave me my exit interview. He gave me some great advice and counsel for the next part of my life. What made the interview great is because we have gotten so close the past 6 months. He gave me a Priesthood blessing at the end and it was an emotional moment for both of us. (First time ive cried on my mission). Later that day we joined President and Sister Thomas on date night. We went to road kill (Texas Road House). Afterwards the young men from a stake in southern utah came to high adventure over here and asked President Thomas if he could do a fireside for them. Usually he would of said no but he said yes to them and then he invited me and my companions to join. There was about 70-80 young men and their leaders. A bunch of small town hicks haha.  Each on of us talked to them for a couple of minutes about what we wish we would of known before our mission. Then we had a question and answer portion where the youth asked anything they wanted about our missions. It was a cool time to reflect on everything ive done. To finish the meeting me, Elder Horton, and Elder Higginson taught all of them the Restoration in 4 minutes. The Spirit was strong and undeniable. Everyone in the room felt it. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness. 

Saturday we did some paperwork and wrapped up the logistics of transfer then got out and after it again. We had dinner with the Norriss that night. It was a sad goodbye! Ive been having dinner with them for almost every week for a year. I love those guys. 

Sunday we went to Edson Range in the morning and they had me bear my testimony cause im going home soon. I love that place. Ive had some great experiences and learned so much out there. We then went to Carlsbad YSA and had church there. I said by to the Ballifs, Wallaces, and Morenos Sunday evening. Some great families that i have gotten close to. 

Overall it was a pretty great week. I cant believe my mission is coming to an end. I know most of you probably dont think i wrote this email because its the longest email i have written my entire mission. I have loved my mission. It has taught me so much. I have met so many people that i love and appreciate. I am so thankful for the experiences that i have had. I cant ever give back what my mission has given me. 

See you soon

Palmyra...Never going back

 Hey fam, this week has been pretty crazy. Here is the run down.

We had 3 zone conferences Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all over the mission. Each meeting went really well and we focused on the Book of Mormon (teaching using the Book of Mormon, the converting power of the Book of Mormon, etc.), you cant go wrong with the Book of Mormon.  In all three meetings i gave my "dying" testimony. It was pretty sad and a little emotional. It was cool to be with all the missionaries and reflect on my mission though. 

Friday after Zone Conferences we rolled up to this one house looking for a kid and we didnt find him there, but we talked to his moms boyfriend who told us that the kid we were looking for had moved to a neighborhood across town down a road called Palmyra. So we went to Palmyra. As we got closer the neighborhoods were becoming  more ghetto by the block. Palmyra was no exception. In fact when we pulled up to the culdesac that we were supposed to be at all we could see were several run down townhouses with bare dirt in the front yard and a few people sitting on lawn chairs doing nothing. We stepped out of our car and a lady came across the street to us and said something to the effect of, "I don't know why you are here, but you probably don't want to be on this street. These homes are homes for the mentally insane." Well by the time she told us the whole street knew we were there and it was beginning to feel like an episode of the Walking Dead. Doors and windows were opening and everyone was staring at us. One guy came up to us that had kinda snuck up and asked us some questions, but he heard something (in his head) that distracted him long enough for us to get back in our car to leave. Of course the one time you need your car to start it doesnt start. "This is how it ends" we were all thinking. We were sure that we were dead right then and there. We locked the doors and tried everything we could (the problem with the car was with the key-less start we have a tracking sensor in the car that sometimes interferes with the signals and makes it so that our car won't start). The only thing that we knew for sure would work is if someone were to get out of the car, run outside of the distance that the key can work from and then come back and try to start it then. Elder Horton took that bullet and grabbed the key and ran away from the car to where he was out of the distance, ran back, started the car and we got out of there! It was pretty crazy but fun. Welcome to Vista. So now whenever you refer to Palmyra you will think of the little cute town in New York where the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored and I will think of the street of insane people in Vista, California..

Another big thing that happened this week happened on Saturday when we went into a meeting with our Mission President. By the end of the meeting we added a whole other YSA ward into our proselyting area because of an emergency transfer that happened on Saturday. So now the three of us are covering the Vista YSA and the Carlsbad YSA. We were pretty excited when we heard about the change.

Love you all, hope you have a great week!

Here are some pics of zone conferences

Another week May 8

UHey guys, another great week over here in Southern California. To start the week off we went on all kinds of exchanges. We were all over the place working with missionaries. It was a good time. I got to go work with a spanish companionship for a day. It was so cool to be with those people again. Its a change of pace and was really nice. I was pretty rusty with my spanish but it came back after awhile. We taught this older guy the Plan of Salvation. I love teaching that lesson. It answers such tough questions that everyone has but is so simple. After exchanges we prepped for MLC. A lot of changes happened in this MLC but it is always a good meeting. On Saturday i was able to be companions with Elder Ruhl again and we went to a baptism together. It was someone that we didnt teach but we helped her and her boyfriend out a lot in her process of being taught. Hope you all have a great week and im excited to talk to you soon! Love you all.

Transfer week April 27

Hey guys, well its been a busy time. It was a successful transfer and we got everything done! 

Here is the week in pictures!

Not sure what else to tell you guys haha love you all

talk to you in a couple.

ZCM week April 18

Hey guys it was a successful week. A lot went on. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we had Zone Conferences. It was cool to be in the same meeting all 3 days but learn something new each time. 

Easter Sunday was great. It was nice to be at two sacrament meetings that day and hear all of the talks about the atonement and resurrection. 

Have a great week love you all! here are some pics

The 3 witnesses

Zone Conference Day 1

Tech crew

Week 28384937

Week Hey fam, the weeks are going by faster than ever. Ill just give you the run down of what i remember.

On Monday we went to Carter McEwans mission call opening. It was cool to watch it and remember when i opened mine. He had a lot of his friends and family there and asked us to share a brief restoration with everyone and let them all know what he would be sharing with people for the next two years. It was a powerful message. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we were at training meetings every morning all over the mission and on exchanges with other missionaries. Super busy couple of days but we got tons done and it was fun. Saturday and Sunday we have been prepping for zone conferences for this week. So we will be giving trainings to all of the missionaries and be all over the mission again. Big week ahead of us!

Cool experience though. Sunday morning we went to the marine base to teach the recruits. I was talking to this one recruit about the week and we were talking alot about prayer. He told me he prays like 1000 times a day and feels that he is annoying God because he prays so much haha. Anyways these guys go through the ringer every day and this guy has been having knee problems. They were on one of their long hikes and he said right when he started his knee was killing him and he didnt think he was going to be able to do it. He kept praying through the hike. He said at one point he was going up a steep slope and felt someone distinctly push him and lift his pack. He turned around and there was nobody close to him at all. He thought about that the rest of the hike. He knew that it was help from God and that his prayer was answered. Its powerful and humbling being able to talk with these recruits that are going through so much and turn to God through it all. I know that Heavenly Father is looking out for us and does answer our prayers.

Love you all have a great week!

Our boy Elvis

Carters opening

Conference week

Hey fam, another great week! Just a quick run down of the week..

Tuesday we dropped of Horton so me and Higgy held down the fort in the Vista YSA. We taught and picked up a new investigator. Solid dude. We picked Horton up Tuesday night and the trio was reuinited.

Wednesday we met with the San Diego Assistants for a meeting. We talked about the military base that we work on cause we have to relay information back and forth. It was cool getting to talk to other missionaries in a different mission. The rest of the day we prepped for MLC on Friday.

Thursday was a day full of planning and meetings. We had a meeting with all of the new missionaries. Its fun to see how young and ready to work missionaries are. We ate with the Morenos on Thursday too.

Friday we had MLC. Me, Horton and Higgy gave two trainings. It was fun with them. That took up most of the day but was a successful meeting.

Saturday we watched the morning session then had a planning meeting/lunch at President and Sister Thomass house and then watched the Saturday afternoonSession. Uncle Matt came down to Vista for the Priesthood session. Its just regular seeing him now haha. 

Sunday was awesome. We went to Edson Range and had a baptism. Recruit Eisom from Texas. Such a good guy. Then we had sacrament meeting there (we took the sacrament on conference weekend i felt special) and taught some more recruits. We caught the afternoon session of conference and then caught up on the morning session that evening.

Overall a pretty great week. Conference is always great. When you go with questions and have your heart open to the Spirit you will get answers! I got plenty this weekend. I learned so much on the importance and role of the Holy Ghost in my life. Its such a cool and special gift that we all have as members of the church. 

Love you all have a great week!

You got all of Sister Thomass pics already but here is one from this morning. Fishing with the buddies! We didnt catch anything though but it was still a good time