Weekly Post - 10/24/2011

Well well well.

Shannon [last name removed] was baptized this week! That was so sweet. Not just because he was baptized, but Shannon is Lori [last name removed]'s nephew...and is Randy [last name removed]'s wife. So Randy I guess is Shannon's uncle, and Randy is a recent convert. But since Randy has the Aaronic Priesthood as a Priest, he got the opportunity to baptize Shannon. That was awesome. It was a POWER DUNK! Like you saw the lights when he put Shannon under the water and the LEVEL UP signs right above Randy and Shannon. They definately are LEVELing Up spiritually speaking.

It was cool too because Kim [last name removed], one of our investigators with a baptismal date, came to the service as well. She loved it. It was funny too, because Randy practiced baptizing on me, and the first time he tried to dip me down, he did it just slightly wrong, and we both fell down to the ground. We ate it pretty good. We were on the ground laughing, and I looked over and there was Kim leaning against the wall, holding herself up, because she was just dying of laughter. She came around the corner just in time to see us fall. It was a moment where you just wish someone had a camera. I wonder if in Heaven, there will be a "Best of" reel, thing. Showing some of the funniest moments in HISTORY. There'd be too much. Maybe just Heavenly Father's TOP ONE HUNDRED?

We had another solid week though. We taught Kim the Restoration through a really sweet Church tour, and she cried the whole time. She cries alot. But it's ok. Emotion is a good thing. We are super excited about her! Everyone in the Branch keeps getting shocked when they meet her, because they're like "you're not a member???" No, she's just that solid of an investigator!

It was funny when the Zone Leaders came to interview Shannon too, because they did that, and then once they left Elder Wilson and I were Weekly Planning, when Elder Wilson just felt like looking at Shannon's baptismal record. We realized Elder Evans didn't sign the record, and Shannon couldn't be baptized the next day unless Elder Evans signed that record! So we had to take an emergency drive up to Iowa City to get that record signed. That shot 3 hours out of our day. It was pretty funny. Spanish Zone Leaders, ha, who hired them? (the Lord) Oh yeah! That's right, my bad. Way to be humble!

Anyways, that was our good week.

I hope everyone had as good a week as I did!

Love ya!

Elder Prows

3 Nephi 27- The Doctrine of Christ

Mormon.org

good bye

Weekly Post - 10/17/2011

This week has been big. We did not have a baptism this week, but that is ok. Because we had 2 recently. Within the 4 and a half months Elder Wilson and I have been here together we've seen 4 baptisms together. That's so sweet! :) But what is the best part is when you sincerely see the change in people the Gospel of Jesus Christ has. I love it! There is nothing more sweet that that!

Monday was Pday as usual and Tuesday a day of service. We spent both days walking since our car was off being fixed from that lady that hit us, like 2 months ago. So that was cool I guess, getting that fixed. Wednesday was a great day! We had the Elders serving in Washington, IA come over to Fairfield for exchanges. I went with Elder Moser, and Elder Wilson went with Elder Webb. That morning I took the time Elder Moser and I had for companionship study to direct it in a bit of a different way- the way I was trained to by Elder Sonderegger, with a little mix of Elder Unsicker's influence in there. We planned out a lesson for a woman we were going to teach the first lesson to. We switched it up and chose to teach Kim [last name removed] about the Doctrine of Christ before we teach the Restoration, because that gives her a foundation to work with on the Restoration. We planned out tons of stuff for her, studied the scriptures for her, role played, and prayed for a baptismal date. As we did this criteria we felt a very strong confirmation for a date. We invited a member who is her friend to the lesson, and he accepted, and we taught Kim. Kim is an amazing woman. I will just say that. She has an amazing story! She's currently engaged to a man who she's known from her childhood, and he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and is very very active. She describes him as that kind of guy who if he sees LDS missionaries at a Wal-Mart he will stop them and get those missionaries donuts (sign me up). But at any rate we had this amazingly spiritual lesson grounded from her background with the church and her fiancee's influence all the way up the inspiration Elder Moser and I recieved as we taught this lesson, VERY BY THE SPIRIT. We were directed, and she was directed, and we set a date for her to be baptized on November 19, 2011. She has no doubt that that is the day for her, and her fiancee has already bought a plane ticket. Woot woot.

Thursday was a big day for the Fairfield branch. On Thursday October 13, 2011 we welcomed Elder and Sister Hawes to the area. That's right, the Fairfield Branch not only has full-time elders now, but a full-time Senior Missionary couple. Fairfield currently is the leading area in the mission (according the the APs) and that is mind boggling! But very reassuring, due to some info in my patriarchal blessing I remembered the other day. The Church is true! So we help the Hawes get settled, and talked to them for a bit, and worked with them. We are very excited for them, and so is President Jergensen (Sister Hawes is his older sister, literally).

Friday was interviews, awesome day. Yeah! I love President Jergensen by the way. He's such an awesome man, and a spiritual giant. He really like Chemistry I found out. It made me laugh when he tried to talk to me about chemistry and it was like "President, I have no idea what you are saying, I never took Chemistry, and never will." President Jergensen is a pharmacist for profession by the way- hence Chemistry!

Another amazing experience that I had this past week was that we got to go to the temple on Friday morning with the youth of the Fairfield Branch, and our Recent Converts, Amanda McGuire and Randy Farmer. That was an amazing experience! I am so happy to see them making appropriate decisions in the Gospel. They are growing immensly!

That was basically the highlights of the week! I can' think of anything else that was awesome.

But yeah. Everyone should read the October 2011 ENSIGN. It's way awesome, especially the article by Elder David A. Bednar. Very good.

Love ya

Bye!

ELDER PROWSSSSS

Weekly Post - 10/10/2011

This week was crazy.

So first off our numbers were low again. But that's ok, because we're busy. We've been out of our area alot lately, because of events such as Zone Conferences and Leadership meetings. And when we're in our area we're often at meetings like District Meeting or General Conference- or filling up a font. :)

This last week we had yet another baptism! I know, isn't that sweet! Randy [Last Name removed] was baptized. The unique story about Randy, is way cool. He's never been to religious and his wife is really active in the Church. What was interesting to Elder Wilson and I is that Randy always appeared as a rough neck guy, and just like to everyone else, nobody expected him to be interested. We had dinner with the Farmers one day, and we had a little chit chat with Randy and we really seemed to hit it off. We talked and talked and talked, and just seemed to get along. Sister Farmer looked pretty shocked about it haha. But that night when we were planning, Elder Wilson and I knew- we needed to ask Randy if he'd take the discussions. So the next day we were walking by to go get some lunch stuff, and we saw Randy outside. Elder Wilson being as bold as he is, walked right on up to him and asked- "Hey, Randy, have you ever wondered what it is your family believes in?" Randy paused for a second, and answered; "Yeah, I guess I have." "Oh! Well would you like to learn?" "sure, why not." "Ok, well do you want us to teach you?" "Yes." And now he's a member.

When we told Sister Farmer she should invite her husband to church, she said he wouldn't come. We asked him right after that, and he was there every Sunday since. The day we asked him to live the Word of Wisdom, he said he'd try to quit smoking (he was a very heavy smoker). The next time we saw him, he'd thrown out all the coffee, tea and smokes. He's free of tobacco.

Randy Farmer is a miracle in itself. I am astonished at what happened here. This last sunday not only was he confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but he recieved the Aaronic Priesthood and was ordained as a Priest, and stood in the circle as we ordained his step-son a Priest as well. That was too cool to behold.

I am grateful that when we show our faith the Lord will bless us with many miracles. If only the World in itself could know how the Gospel of Jesus Christ changes people, as how it has changed Randy. I mentioned how when I first met Randy he seemed like a rough neck kind of guy. Now he's like a teddy bear. He's always sitting by his wife, he's always with family. He reads scriptures, he prays sincerely. He's become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yes, the Gospel does heal the broken hearted, and yes it does bring families closer together. I have a testimony of that now, as I have seen the Farmer family united through the love of Christ.

In other news, Elder Wilson was at leadership for a whole day, so I spent a day in Iowa City with Elder England. It was fun. We ate at Buffalo Wild Wings. Yum.

Also we're without a car for the next 3 days, because it's getting fixed from the car wreck we got in like 2 months ago. Finally! It wasn't that bad of a wreck by the way. Nobody was hurt. Don't worry about it. Long story.

That was basically our week.

Oh I got a letter from my cousin Sarah, this last week. That was cool. Hi Sarah. Yes, I have been out a whole year! And that was the first letter you've sent me! Isn't that crazy?!

I joke.

Love ya all!

Elder Prows

Don't forget, Mormon.org still exists- if you don't have a profile, then GET ONE! I will be checking for it :3

Also I would encourage you all to read 1 Nephi 8- Sister Jergensen pointed out that this is an awesome chapter. So read it. Cause it is.

Ok bye

Weekly Post - 10-3-2011

Man, this last week we didn't have the best numbers. But that don't matter, because it was a great week. I love great weeks, and I am grateful I had one. I just makes everything go by easier, and with the flow of the Spirit. If there is any way you should go by the flow it is by following the Spirit, and heading the words of Christ. :)

So I'll break this week down in what happened:

Monday- PDAY. That just explains it, it is what it is. We emailed, and we did laundry and shopped. And then we went to the apartment and cleaned. Wrote letters to those who wrote us (if anyone did that is) and then we... did stuff. But it was a very good and fulfilling PDAY.

Tuesday- what a day full of service. We did our regular Library Service thing from 10 AM to 12 PM and just did all that stuff. Matching books with others, labeling boxes, and moving things around. It was typical stuff. I love watching the Librarians try to make sense, but they don't. Iowans. :) I love my Iowans.

Wednesday, we spent Wednesday visiting investigators who are getting ready for baptism soon, and talked about what we needed to for that. Then we visited Bro. Fitzgerald, a Less-Active we've been working with ever since I got here. He's very open to us coming over, and all that stuff, but it was interesting when we were visiting this last time. When we left clarity just hit us. We realized, that we've spent 12 weeks on this guy, and not much is happening. We're not too sure if he's gonna progress. This guy has been worked on by Missionaries for YEARS AND YEARS and no progress has been made. As we walked and talked about him, and felt the spirit, we came to a conclusion with him. We're going to give him 6 weeks, and we're going to work hard on him, and completely rely on the spirit for him. Then we did service for a sister, and drove to Washington to spend the night, before we head to Iowa City the next day.

Thursday- This was Zone Conference Day! I was so excited. It was very much a spiritual feast! :) You gotta love hearing from the Mission President, Assistants to the President, and the Zone Leaders and everyone who is training. It was way good. We learned alot on having Charity and finding, because the mission is doing very well and finding through members, but they are beginning to be lazy on going out to tract or OYM or anything. So the Mission is making a push to balance out, and see miracles for 500.

Thursday also marked a big day. It was September 29th. 1 year ago on September 29th, I entered the MTC. I have been on my mission for an entire YEAR! AH! I dislike that thought with great intensity! October 5th marks 1 year until I fly home... Time is going by to fast, and I don't like it. I just want to work and work and work and work!

Friday- we weekly planned.

Saturday- We spent approximately 12 hours at the Church this day. We arrived at 9 AM to well, fill up the baptismal font!

At 11 AM General Conference started, and that was AMAZING. Amanda McGuire showed up and watched the first session with us, and it was so good. I was very excited to hear the news about the Provo Tabrnacle. I will talk more about it later.

After the Morning Session Amanda [Last Name Removed] was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That was amazing, and indeed a privilege to witness. President Titus the Branch President here in Fairfield baptized her.

Then we watched the rest of Conference for the day, that was again a spiritual feast. Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Twelve Apostles spoke in Priesthood and I laughed cause most of the girls back home I know adore him. So they have to wait until later to read or watch his address online. I got to watch it LIVE. The Priesthood rocks.

D. Todd tore it up, I love D Todd.

Sunday- More Conference and Spiritual Feasting. President Eyring was a total stud when he opened the Sunday Morning Session with his talk, and Elder Quentin L. Cook was a great closer about the Atonement, and eduring trials. I loved this conference, and now I have to wait another 6 months to hear from the Prophet and Apostles. But think about it. This last weekend, I DID!

So the whole concept of Provo having a second temple has weighed on my mind greatly this last weekend. I didn't ever expect that to happen. When I heard that the Provo Tabernacle burnt down I was crushed. I remembered the several concerts I had sung in as a teenager in the PHS choir, and in the Mapleton Chorale. Those concerts are very sacred to me, and will always be cherished- because they played a key role in my conversion. I also remember several years worth of Stake Conferences at that Tabernacle. Memories gone up in flames, and I wondered; how could something so tragic happen to that Tabernacle.

This brings up thoughts as I type- even Temples of our Lord burn down on occasion. It's very rare. But it's been known to happen. The Nauvoo Temple itself was destroyed once. But look at it now. It has been restored and the work roles forth like the stone cut out of the mountain!

That is what has come to mind for me and I contemplated the Provo Tabernacle Temple. While yes, a sweet, and amazing and memorable building has been destroyed, the Lords work is not. The Lord has caused that from the ashes of the deep, His work will role forward. The Tabernacle will be a Temple of our Lord, and the work in the Temple will continue to role forward. Think of how busy the current Provo Temple already is, a second temple will spread that work around, and further it.

I know that the Lord works in mysterious ways, and He has a plan for us. He loves us, and I testify of that. I know Jesus Christ lives, and He guides and directs this work, for it is His that roles forth. We have a prophet on the earth today, that leads and guides His church today. We have Twelve Apostles who head this Church as well, and we were blessed to hear from them. I testify that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, as well as the Holy Bible, and the other Standard Works. It is through the Book of Mormon however, that we are able to know the truth of this message, and that Christ's Church is once again on the earth, the same as it was before, now and forever more.

May we turn to our Heavenly Father in times of trial, and have our relationships with Him strengthened, through constant and furvent prayer.

I love you all so much.

Mormon.org it up!

2 Nephi 31

3 Nephi 11

3 Nephi 27

The Book of Mormon

Elder Prows was here

ciao