6 month mark

   Nephiting (He didn't explain) :)

Heyo!

Another fantastic week!

Thanksgiving was nice. Dinner was excellent. The Pecan pie was my favorite. They eat a lot of pecans around here. Today I learned how to crack them with my bare hands. Like this!
Also on thanksgiving, We got to play football with the ward! Normally we aren't allowed to play football with members or nonmembers. But just for Thanksgiving we were allowed to. We also were allowed to watch football, except the game we watched was super boring (Dallas vs. Carolina). Only watched the 4th quarter. Football really isn't all that important I have come to realize. But it sure excites me though!

I'm glad my cougars are doing pretty good! Way to blow out Utah State! That's how it should be.

Brother Barfield received the Aaronic priesthood yesterday! Ordained a priest. When he got to church he told me that he had been writing down the sacrament prayers to get familiar with them. He was really committed to receive the priesthood. His grandfather played a key role in his conversion. Growing up, his grandfather would take him to church sometimes. Over the years he fell away (not really sure why) but he always admired his grandfather. He wanted to get the priesthood to make him proud. He's quit drinking, and he also finished the entire Book of Mormon in 2 months is all. He already has started reading the Doctrine of Covenants. I love that guy! I teared up during his ordination.

We found out that one of our investigators who we've met with a few times is homeless somewhere! He sent us a text saying he had a horrible thanksgiving, he contracted pneumonia. His girlfriend kicked him out! Poor dude. I was really looking forward to teaching him. Beau was a nice guy. Actually....just 10 minutes ago Beau ran into us at the Library. I had prayed that we'd be able to still meet with him. God answered my prayer! Pretty cool. We talked with him outside of the library just now. He's in a bad place, you can just see it all over his face. He is looking for work but hasn't found any yet. Doesn't help that he has a criminal record. He is a little disappointed in God right now because he doesn't realize that the choices he's made have led him to where he is now.  He still wants to try to meet with us though so we will see what happens. He's still homeless.

Also this week, Mike Frost got on date for baptism December 26! Had a great lesson with him at the Rhiner's home. He and Jose are both set for the day after Christmas! Mike's been kind of flaky lately. So we'll see if he progresses and COMES TO CHURCH! He rarely comes. He's afraid of what his dad thinks.

Yesterday in church Lehland and I did a special musical number: "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." Before we started he came up to me while I was sitting on the piano bench and said "may the spirit be in your fingers." Haha I got a kick out of that! I changed a few notes here and there of the song to jazz it up a little bit. Turned out magnifico! Lehland really wanted to oooooh at the end but he said the spirit constrained him. That guy is so funny! He wants to get sealed so bad to Sister Fisher but she won't marry him until he finds a good job. He's been looking really hard too but no one is hiring him. He wants to be a police officer.

Anywyas, this week is transfers. I'm staying here and Elder McMullin is replacing Elder Lovik. I think Elder McMullin has been out for a while. Elder Lovik and I had some good times together.

As always I will try to end with something spiritual. I was reading this week a talk called "The Fourth Missionary" by Elder Lawrence E. Colbridge. I haven't read it all the way through, but from I have read it's definitely one that makes you self-evaluate yourself. You'll have to find the talk online. I can't find it on lds.org. It breaks down four different missionaries. The first missionary is super disobedient and ends up going home. The second, is pretty disobedient but manages to complete his mission. The third missionary is obedient, faithful, enjoys the spirit, surrenders his might and strength, but withholds his heart and mind, does what the lord wants to do, but does what he wants to do as well. Though the third missionary does many great things, yet surprisingly he is NOT changed by his mission. Elder Corbridge quotes 1 corinthians 13 and Moroni 7 which say:

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.

 7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.

 8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.

 9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such.

These truths are an eye-opener. You can be doing all of the right things. Going to church, saying your prayers, reading your scriptures, fasting, being a missionary, and yet if you are doing them for the wrong reasons then it doesn't do you any good. "Good will be done, the poor will be fed, the truth defended, but the good that you do will do you no good unless your heart is right and you have charity." It's so easy to go through the motions, but even doing the right things will do you no good if you have not charity. Ponder that one. 

So how do we have charity then?
"Charity, like faith, leads to action. You will develop charity as you look for opportunities to serve others and give of yourself." (Preach My Gospel)

"The Savior wants you to receive His love, and He also wants you to share it with others. He declared to His disciples: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34–35). In your relationships with family members and others, look to the Savior as your example. Strive to love as He loves, with unfailing compassion, patience, and mercy."

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure”

It takes a lot of prayer in order to increase in charity, that's for sure. I invite you all to evaluate the things you do. Are you doing them just to check them off of a list, or are you doing it out of love.

So will you all commit to have charity? 

YES!

Well I know the Lord will help you out as you forget about yourself and focus more on others.

(That's what we do as missionaries. Leave commitments). Maybe I'll start doing that every week.

Have a good week!

Share the Gospel

Afternoon, family,

It's been yet another challenging but good week. I have gained lots of weight since I have left. Just kidding, I have actually gained zero weight which is good. I'm very suprised about that though, since Lehland always brings home cake for us to eat. Yesterday I had icecream after we broke our fast. Neopolitan. Very good. We eat pretty good for the most part here. Haven't had any baby back ribs though.

I'm having a hard time thinking of anything interesting that happened this week. Let's see...

Well this past week Elder Lovik put me in charge of most things. I got to lead out in planning sessions and lessons and such. I also I got to drive around for a couple days this week because he had pink eye or something and also because it was exchanges.

This week has been cold! It's only like 35 degrees but it feels like 10 because of the humidity. I  have to wear my white shirt, a sweater, a jacket, and my new coat or else it will go right through me. I also need to buy a beenie that keeps the cold out. I bought some long johns though which kept me pretty warm. This is a bone chillin place though!

Our investigators are doing pretty good. Had a good lesson with Mike F. He had stopped reading the book of mormon as much as he used to and so we shared "Faith is not by Chance but by Choice" with him. He now says he is going to read the book of mormon from cover to cover like we invited him to. He says he has been in a lot of confusion for a while, and that's because he hasn't been reading the book of mormon. So if you are reading this and are confused about something, read the book of mormon. It will help.

Mike Y. is doing pretty good too. We met with him 4 times this week. He came with us one of the times to another lesson we had with a less active guy named Hunter. He is an interesting fellow. He loves God and will go to a lot of YSA activities and church functions. He is willing to help people with their home teaching too. He feels like the book of mormon is probably true, but wants to read it all the way through before deciding on baptism. He needs to read more then or it's going to be a while.

Jose injured his eye while at work this week. He got some kind of chemical in it so we weren't able to meet with him. He came to church though. Jose is the best. Such a humble guy. I've had to work on my spanish a little so we can communicate a little better. Good thing we have Fransisco. There is a special place in the Celestial Kingdom for people like fransisco. He'll drop everything to help us out. And he is a convert of only a few years. He fed us Talapia tacos with his homemade guacamole. He is the best. I learned yesterday that he is the middle of 18 other siblings from the same mom!

Brother Barfield is doing oustanding! He is in 3 Nephi! It's only been almost 2 months since he started reading it! Granted, he is retired. But still. Also he said he is done drinking beer. The bishop said that this week he could have 3 more beers (last week was 6), but Brother Barfield said he is just going to quit now! I wish we could be there while he drinks his last beer. We could drink root beer while he drinks his last one! It would be so funny. He accepted a call as a ward missionary which is going to help us out a great deal.
His faith is so amazing! He doesn't question anything, he just does it! I'm so happy that we found him. Meeting with him is like the highlight of the week. I always have so much joy seeing his progression!

The more I'm out here, the more I realize how much time I wasted back home. I could have spent a lot more time serving and trying to share the gospel with other people. I hardly ever did. I didn't think that people could change. Sharing the gospel bring more joy than anything. Said President Eyring: 

"Few joys in life are sweeter and longer lasting than knowing that you have helped others take the restored gospel of Jesus Christ into their hearts. Having that joy is the opportunity of every member of the Church. When we were baptized, we made a promise that we would “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death, that [we] may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that [we] may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:9).

All members accept part of the charge given to the Church to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, wherever and as long as they live. The Lord said it clearly: “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” (D&C 88:81). Full-time missionaries are to have the power to teach those who are not yet members of the Church. Members of the Church are to have the power to find those the Lord has prepared for the missionaries to teach.

We need to exercise our faith that the Lord has prepared people around us to be taught. He knows who they are and when they are ready, and He can guide us to them by the power of the Holy Ghost and give us words to invite them to be taught. The promise the Lord gave to a missionary in 1832 is also the promise He gives to us in our charge to find people ready for teaching by the missionaries: “I will send upon him the Comforter, which shall teach him the truth and the way whither he shall go; and inasmuch as he is faithful, I will crown him again with sheaves” (D&C 79:2–3).

And the promise of great joy for the faithful missionary is also ours as faithful members who give our hearts to missionary work:

“And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

“Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.

“Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men” (D&C 18:16–18).

In addition to the Holy Ghost to help us recognize and invite those ready to be taught, the Lord has called and trained leaders to guide us. In a letter dated February 28, 2002, the First Presidency placed increased responsibility for missionary work on bishops and wards. ¹ With the help of the ward or branch council, the priesthood executive committee develops a missionary plan for the unit. In that plan are suggestions on how members can find those ready to be taught by the missionaries. There is a person called as the ward or branch mission leader. That mission leader has close contact with the full-time missionaries and their investigators.

There are many ways you can better meet your personal obligation to help find people for the missionaries to teach. The simplest way will be the best.

Pray to be guided by the Holy Ghost. Talk with local leaders and missionaries, asking for their suggestions and promising them your help. Encourage those involved with you in this work. And be a witness at all times in what you say and do that Jesus is the Christ and that God answers prayers.

I testify that the Holy Ghost will direct you to those who seek truth as you pray and work for that guidance. And I know from experience that your joy will be lasting with those who choose to take the gospel into their hearts and then endure in faith."

I hope that you all realize that life isn't about being entertained everyday but reaching out to others. Share the gospel at least by example, and "if necessary with words." 

Love you all!

Have a good week! Enjoy your thanksgiving. I will. I get to play football and actually watch football just fort thanksgiving. Can you believe it?

Elder Soutas

Brother and Sister McAdoo who Elder Soutas lives with

Fan your flame of faith

We had a really good week. We are continuing to make progress with Jose. He is committed to living the word of wisdom. He was already keeping it in fact. Mike is doing pretty good except he was out of town for the weekend do go to some Lutheran witnessing camp. He still says he wants to be baptized thankfully. He needs to exercise more faith though since he got his answer. This week, we are thinking it will be a good idea to have dinner with him at our bishop's house and have a testimony meeting afterwards. This kid needs to get baptized so bad! The timing needs to be right though. As for our other investigator named Mike, he found out that he will be able to get Sundays off for the next month so he can come to church! We are excited about that. We also found a new investigator this week named William. We had a great member present lesson with him. He had a kidney transplant recently and so he has been humbled. We knocked on their door during exchanges. They were a potential last transfer but never answered their door. But we felt we should knock on their door again and this time we talked with William's significant other named Brittany. We shared with her how the gospel blesses families and now she is willing to come by and teach her, William, and their two daughters. I remember praying a few weeks ago that we would be able to find a family to teach and I feel that this will be the family. Last night, we found a young single mother named Kaitlyn while tracting in Carlyle. She recently got separated from her significant other and she is left with a newborn of 3 months. We ran into her while she was at her families house. We were actually looking for her brother Thomas that we ran into a couple days ago, but he moved. Since she actually lives in Centralia, we referred her to the sisters. Kaitlyn was very receptive and eager to know more about the gospel. I wish we got to teach her, but it will work out better with the sisters since she is single.
As for our less actives, Brother Barfield came to church for the 5th week in a row! During sunday school the Bishop pulled him aside and extended a calling to be a ward missionary! He accepted. We  think he will be instrumental in helping us in the work in the Nashville and Okawville areas. Another less active member named Jennifer  came to church for the 3rd week in a row. She is getting ready to go to the temple. From what we've talked to her about, she sounds worthy to go to the temple, but she thinks that she isn't for really small reasons like drinking caffeine and watching shows like Vampire Diaries. She recently got a calling as a family history consultant which she loves. That will keep her coming to church.
The Centralia Ward is doing awesome! 

As you are aware, I was in a doubting mind set on Monday. I'm not sure where it all came from. But I'm doing much better now. This week I ended up reading a lot of good talks about believing and faith. Also, for sacrament meeting, I accompanied the Sisters in I Believe in Christ. I think the Lord is trying to tell me something about believing.  We finally got a copy of this month's ensign to finally read all of the conference talks! The first talk I read was "Lord I Believe" by Elder Holland. I like how he said that it's okay to have questions  as long as we don't lead with our unbelief. We should all say to ourselves "Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief." I also read Neil L. Andersen's talk "Faith is not by Chance, but by Choice." This one was cool because it explained how faith is an actual "substance" of light to our spirits that we obtain by our obedience. Our faith never remains stagnant, but is either increasing our decreasing. He said that "Faith never demands an answer to every question but seeks the assurance and courage to move forward, sometimes acknowledging, 'I don’t know everything, but I do know enough to continue on the path of discipleship.^'"

^{Our faith is like a fire. It can become extinguished if we allow doubt to take hold of us. The fire of our faith needs to grow because  "} The difficulties of mortality blow against [us], and evil forces lurk in the darkness, hoping to extinguish our faith" 

The other talk I read was by Whitney L. Clayton "Choose to Believe". He said: "We will not accidentally come to believe in the Savior and His gospel any more than we will accidentally pray or pay tithing. We actively choose to believe, just like we choose to keep other commandments.Sometimes progress in spiritual things can seem slow or intermittent. Sometimes we may feel that we have lost ground, that we have made mistakes, or that our best efforts to find the Savior are not working. If you feel this way, please do not give up—ever. Go right on believing in Him and in His gospel and His Church. Align your actions with that belief. In those moments when the light of your faith has dimmed, let your hope for the Savior’s love and grace, found in His gospel and His Church, overcome your doubt. I promise that He stands ready to receive you. Over time you will come to see that you have made the best choice you could possibly have made. Your courageous decision to believe in Him will bless you immeasurably and forever." 

So I like these talks because it's okay if you don't know some things. I BELIEVE many of the things of the gospel and there are many things which I of course now KNOW. But you should always focus more on what you do know than what you don't know. If we desire our beliefs to work within us then as Elder Holland has said: "what was once a tiny seed of belief [can] grow into the tree of life. so if your faith is a little tested in this or any season, I invite you to lean on mine. I know this work is God’s very truth, and I know that only at our peril would we allow doubt or devils to sway us from its path. Hope on. Journey on. Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe. Never apologize for only believing. The Lord said "Fear not, only believe."

Love you all! I'm going lazer tagging again today. Yay

Elder Soutas

Hi Dad. Those are some really scenic pictures of California. At first I thought you were in South America. How come you are traveling so much? What's the deal? You should travel to southern illinois. Just kidding. There's nothing to do here except harvest corn and soybeans. There's no mountains that's for sure. The highest point around here is 500 feet above sea level. Lame. It's getting a little frio here. Good thing I ordered a coat from this catalog this guy gave me at Subway the other day. We went there the other day hoping to run into Brother Mills. He is an old man known as the "Mayor of Subway." He and his cronies go there like everyday and they heckle people.
Is there really a tornado coming this Wednesday?! Sweet! I'm not aware of any tornado shelters around here but I think we will figure out a way to be safe. I hope I get to see one so I can have some cool stories to tell. 

Hopefully BYU wins by forfeit because it sounds like they don't stand much of a chance against Mizzou. My companion always wears his mizzou shirt since he served in columbia. 

This week went pretty well.

Here's a quick rundown of all of the people we taught this week:

Jose- Met with him twice. We use Fransisco to translate for us. He is on date for baptism december 3. The challenge will be the word of wisdom. 

Mike F. - 18 years old. He's not progressing. He found out the book of mormon is true but having a hard time making the next step. His dad doesn't support him which doesn't help.

Mike Y. - 28 Came to church this week. Usually works sundays, but is trying not to. Hasn't been reading a whole lot from Book of Mormon. He comes to YSA activities a lot. Family is really important to him. He's pretty cool and looks like Bruce Springstein. His ex-girlfriend is in a coma. Has an 8 year old daughter. We're having dinner with him and a family tonight.

Bro. Barfield (LA)- Came to church for 4th week in a row! Trying to quit drinking and doing a great job at it! 

Hunter J. (LA)- didn't come to church. He's less active from church for 11months now. 

Jennifer S (LA).- came for 2nd week in a row! 

John M.- probably going to be dropped at some point. He's set in his baptist ways. He likes having "bible study" with us though.

Gene- new investigator. Seems promising. 

Beau- Has a lot of issues to work with but really respects us. A few poor decisions has led him to where he is now. He's really a cool guy though.

So that's basically a rundown.

Have a good week! 

Elder Soutas

HapPpy BIrthDaY Elder Soutas

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and packages! It was a really good birthday. The weather was perfect (71 degrees). Couldn't have asked for better weather. At church people sang me happy birthday, and when we got home later the family we live with fed us really good chicken and gave me a birthday cake.

It was a good week. We didn't get in with a whole lot of our investigators, but made some progress with some less actives. We helped a lady named Jennifer come to church this week. She is a single mom who works lots of hours and has to deal with really rambunctious kids so it is hard for her to make it to church. She has really been wanting to go to church so we were glad she was able to make it.

Brother Barfield is still going strong. He fed us dinner AGAIN. Lasagna. He is such a great guy! That's 3 weeks in a row that he's come to church. He is really appreciative of what we've done to help him.

This week was the ward's Fall Festival at the Mooth's farm. There was a corn maze, chili cookoff, and such. One of our investigators, Mike the older, (not to be confused with Mike the younger) brought his 8 year old daughter Aubrey to the party. He helped us mummify our car with toilet paper for the trunk or treat they had and we went through the corn maze with him. Apparently he looks like Bruce Springstein. I should know who that is, but I don't. We also had a good law of chastity lesson with Mike. He says he really wants to get married to a Mormon and doing so would solidify him being baptized Mormon. He kind of wants to set his own date to be baptized. Great guy.

That's pretty much it for this week. It went pretty well. Thanks again for all of the birthday wishes!

Scripture for the week:

I'm redoing the one from last week. Since I didn't do such a great job of ponderizing it.

Mosiah 24: 14

"And I will ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders,that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."

Thanks,

Elder Soutas

Made a fruit Boquet for Sis McAdoo

very creative :)

Love This one: 

Watch out Elder!

No, I am not piling out. We already finished planning and Elder Lovik was just bored and waiting for the zone leaders to call.