Palatka - Homeward Bound

  

April 14, 2015 

Love you mom, thank you for everything. I can't wait to see you in a couple days. This past week has been great, went to the temple, biked in the rain, got a flat tire on the bike, got a flat tire on the car, just been having an awesome week. See you soon

The Palatka District

 The Gourleys are a family that was in a wars that I was in over a year
ago, when I came to palatka. They just had moved here, they would have
us over for dinner twice a week.

 

 

Homeward Bound

 

 

 

 

Betty and Heather, Betty is a recent convert and Heather we have been teaching

 

The Taylor's are a family I served around over a year ago, yesterday
they cam down and took us out to eat for one last goodbye

 

 

 

A Story to Share  

 

Marks of a Man   (unknown author)

As I jumped on board my flight from Miami to Salt Lake City, I paused for a moment to catch my breath. Seated near the front of the plane was an excited young man, probably 19, sitting with his parents. His hair was short, his clothes new and sharp. His suit was fitted perfectly; his black shoes still retained that store bought shine. His body was in good shape, his face and hands were clean. In his eyes, I could see a nervous look; his movements were that of an actor on opening night.

He was obviously flying to Utah to become a missionary for the LDS church. I smiled as I walked by, and took pride in belonging to the same church where these young men and women voluntarily serve the Savior for two years. With this special feeling, I continued back to where my seat was located.

As I sat down in my seat, I looked to the right and to my surprise saw another missionary, sleeping in the window seat. His hair was also short, but that was the only similarity between the two. This one was obviously returning home, and I could tell at a glance what type of missionary he had been.

The fact that he was already asleep told me a lot. His entire body seemed to let out a big sigh. It looked as if this was the first time in two years that he had even slept, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.

As I looked at his face I could see the heavy bags under his eyes, the chapped lips, the scarred and sunburned face caused by the fierce Florida sun.

His suit was tattered and worn. A few of the seams were coming apart, and I noticed that there were a couple of tears that had been hand sewn with a very sloppy stitch. I saw the nametag, crooked, scratched, and bearing the name of the church he represented, the engraving of which was almost all worn away.

I saw the knee of his pants, worn, and white, the result of many hours of humble prayer. A tear came to my eye as I saw the things that really told me what kind of missionary he had been. I saw the marks that made this boy a man.

His feet, the two that had carried him from house to house now lay there swollen and tired. They were covered by a pair of worn out shoes. Many of the large scrapes and gouges had been filled in by countless polishing.

His books—laying across his lap—were his scriptures-the word of God. Once new these books which testify of Jesus Christ and his mission were now torn, bent, and ragged from use.

His hands, those big, strong hands which had been used to bless and teach, were now scarred and cut from knocking on doors.

Those were indeed the marks of a man. And, as I looked at him, I saw the marks of another man, the Savior, as he was hanging on the cross for the sins of the world.

His feet, those that had once carried him throughout the land during his ministry, were now nailed to the cross.

His side, now pierced with a spear, sealing his testimony with his life.

His hands, the hands that had been used to ordain his servants and to bless the sick were also scarred with the nails that were pounded to hang him on the cross.

Those were the marks of a great man.

As my mind returned to the missionary, my whole body seemed to swell with pride and joy because I knew, by looking at him, that he had served his Master well.

My joy was so great that I felt like running to the front of the plane, grabbing the new missionary, and bringing him back to see what he could become, what he could do.

But, would he see the things I saw? Could anyone? Or, would he see just the outward appearance of that mighty elder, tired and worn out, almost dead?

As we landed, I reached over and tapped the returning missionary to wake him up. As he awoke, it seemed like new life poured into his body. His whole frame seemed to fill as he stood up, tall and proud. As he turned his face toward mine, I saw a light that I had never seen before. I looked into his eyes. Those eyes. I will never forget those eyes. They were the eyes of a prophet, a leader, a follower, a servant. They were the eyes of the Savior. No words were spoken. No words were needed.

As we unloaded, I stepped aside to let him go first. I watched as he walked, slow but steady, tired but strong. I followed him, and found myself walking the way he did.

When I came through the doors, I saw the returning missionary in the arms of his parents, and I couldn’t hold it any longer. With tears streaming down my face, I watched these loving parents greet their son, who had been away for such a long time, and I wondered if our parents in heaven would greet us in the same manner. Will they wrap their arms around us and welcome us home from our journey on earth? I believe they will. I just hope that I will be worthy enough to receive such praise, as I’m sure this missionary will. I said a silent prayer, thanking the Lord for missionaries like this young man. I don’t think I will ever forget the joy and happiness he brought to me that day.

 

Conversion Story

 Last week Jeremy sent me a beautiful email, a story, a conversion story, his conversion story.  I asked him if it was alright to share it on his mission blog, his reply was, it was up to me.  I had Dad read it and he agreed that it would be nice to share it with others.  Thank You Jeremy for sharing your Conversion Story, your Testimony, it is powerful and beautiful.  What a wonderful gift you have given your mother.  I love you.

March 30, 2015

So about five months ago we had a zone conference, now I don't remember much from it but during it it I felt an impression to write down somewhat of a conversion story, it took me about a month to finally to do it and once done I wasn't sure who to send it to so I sent it to Sister Craig, the mission presidents wife, I at first didn't want to send it to you since there was some things in there that I never shared with y'all, but I suppose now you might like to read it, so here it is. I love you more than you love me!!!!!

Conversion story

I once thought that a conversions story had to be something big, powerful, awesome, exciting. I doubted if I even had a conversion, but I believed everything I was taught, I knew it to be true, there was no doubt in my mind that the gospel was true, that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet, it just all made since to me. So why didn't I have some miraculous story to tell? I pondered on that one for a long time, years and years, until it finally dawned on me, I didn't need some one time experience to make me believe, I was blessed at a young age to have the understanding needed. And all throughout my life I had these little experience that strengthened my faith. It didn't really start until my high school years when my parents sent me to a catholic high school for better educations, for most of the time I was the only Mormon there. and yes my faith was tried on multiple occasions, but I was proud to be a Mormon and others could see it, soon they respected that and strong friendships were built. 

As the years went by my desire to serve a mission started to decrease. I still knew the gospel was true I was just not wanting to serve a mission. I kept this a secret, knowing that if I told people they would start to harass me about it. My plan was to graduate high school, work for a year saving up money and then take off for college. But a road block came to those plans, while I was working saving money, I decided that it was finally time to receive my patriarchal blessing. So in mid November I went to the patriarch and received my blessing, which became a major turning event in my plans, things were said and such a strong spirit surged through me, saying go on a mission. I knew better than to ignore those feeling, so still not wanting to go on a mission I decided to anyways cause I now knew that, that is what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. Paper work was put in and a call was received to leave in a month for the Florida Jacksonville Mission. Excitement and fear ran through my body, uncertain what to expect I enter the MTC, and that is where I started to grow like no other.

Before I left home my father had encourage me to search out Jesus Christ and make him my best friend, which became my biggest goal for my mission. He also challenged me to truly have heart felt prayers, staying on your knees praying until you finally feel his presence there with you. So my first night in the MTC I decided to try it, I had never prayed like this before, but low and behold I did feel something, I knew he was there and was listening to every word, a testimony of prayer was strengthened that night. Now as the days flew by in the MTC my prayers became stronger and stronger but I soon learned that I knew nothing about the gospel, which was a real humbling experience, seeing as how before I came out I thought I knew it all and now realizing that I was far from prepared to be a missionary let alone a representative of Jesus Christ. But I continued to press forward relying more and more upon the lord for strength.

Now here is where the story gets interesting, I finally enter the Florida Jacksonville Mission and get put with my trainer, whom I'm sure got frustrated with me so fast, being this new missionary that literally knew nothing about teaching the gospel. But as time went by things started to improve until one day I just broke down crying in front of my trainer. I was about ready to give up, I was saddened for I thought that I wasn't feeling the Holy Ghost, and as a missionary you kinda need that companion, but as I talked with my trainer my eyes were opened to how the Holy Ghost gives you guidance and I soon began to recognize it and fall in love with it, gaining a testimony of how the Holy Ghost touches our lives.

These were the first of many experience that tied into my conversion, soon I gained a testimony of repentance after having to clear some thing up with my mission presidents and went on to receive a greater understanding and love for the sacrament. All of this which took place in the first couple months of my mission, was shaping me into the missionary that I have become today. I have seen the Lords hand in my life as he's put me through the refiners fire, molding me Into what and who he needs me to be. My testimony of this gospel and all that it includes is now stronger than ever before. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, he suffer something that only a perfect man could suffer. He took upon himself the sins of the entire world, he has become a light in my life, an example to me, he has become my best friend. I know that this church, the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his kingdom once again established on the earth and that the fullness of the gospel is found within it. I know it, I live it, I love it. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Wow!!!!!

One Full Week Left
Wow, to think this is my last full week as a missionary, my last week of doing missionary work too. Crazy...

Well, you want to hear how my week went, hmm probably not but you get to anyway. Not much to exciting happened. We did find quite a few new people to teach this week, we've been going through all the former investigators that were taught over a year ago and we've started teaching some of them as well as others we've been finding along the way. Lots of seeds being planted. One lady who was a former investigator we went by to go see, as we walked up to the door she came out and said she was crazy, in a joking manner. She was loading some things into her car so we volunteered to help which she greatly accepted, she wasn't to interested in being taughtn though, but the best part was when she gave us a call a couple days latter and wanted to come by and drop off a cake to us for helping, she's a pretty awesome lady, just for doing that. Then this week we did more service, these past 6 weeks we've seemed to be doing a lot of it, this week we helped a couple in the ward move furniture around in their house, then for another couple we painter their shed out back. Then this weekend was just wonderful. Conference was amazing. My favorite was probably the priesthood session, there was some really good talks in there, but when the Sunday afternoon session came around I was so spiritually drained that I just couldn't keep focus anymore, but I did enjoy it. Then for the rest of Easter our ward mission leader had us over for a nice turkey dinner, and boy was it good. Hmm I don't know what else there is. Well I do love you all and hope you have a fantastic week.

(Jeremy's Birthday is the day after he gets home, April 18th, I had asked him what he wanted or needed.)

Birthday Dinner(you shouldn't even had to ask 😃)

Main Dish - chicken wings of course!!!

Salad - Caesar salad 

Side Dish - funeral potatoes

Other - some kind of veggie, corn or carrots

Drink - Hawaiian fruit drink

Dessert - normal birthday cake, white frosting

If you choose ice-cream, what flavor? Tin roof, or moose tracks

Gifts, hmm the only birthday gift that really matters to me is being with my family!!! But there is a couple of things that I do need

GARMENTS(I need all new ones): large mesh tops, cotton/polyester bottoms(size 36)

Drivers license- mine expires on my birthday

Deodorant( old spice-wolfthorn)

Lufa(shower sponge)

T-shirts(large)

Oh and here is a pic of my companion, don't think I ever sent one

Mommy, 

I love getting you letters, each one is different and unique. Tell everyone that I am so thankful and grateful for all y'all working so hard with my new room. As for the color I really can't say, it's hard to imagine it, I trust your decision. As for my birthday I really am just looking forward to spending time with y'all, hope you know we will be playing lots of "settlers of catan". 

                                Love You