Transfers: I Hate/Love Them

One of the things that I really hated as a missionary were transfers. Every six weeks in the mission field I would spend an entire Saturday morning waiting for a call to see what was going to happen during the next six weeks of my mission. Would I get a call telling me that I was staying in an area that was struggling? Was my good companion going to be leaving? Was I going to have to get used to a new guy with all kinds of weird habits? Was I going to find out that I was leaving a good area and a good companion to head off to some far off area? Would I need to spend time packing up my suitcases that Saturday night and prepare to hop on a van to my next destination on Monday?

As these questions rushed through my head I would stress out. I just wanted to find out what was going to be happening with my life and whether I would like this change or not. Every time the cellphone rang or we received a text I would ask my companion whether it was the Zone Leaders letting us know what was going on with the upcoming transfer. Most of the time it was only other missionaries in the mission asking us if we knew where we were going yet.

A nervous transfer day in Eugene.

Finally the call would arrive from the Zone Leaders. At times the call came very early in the morning, but usually the call didn't come until sometime in the afternoon. The hours waiting for the call were way too long for me. When the call would finally come my stress didn't usually end, most of the time the stress was made worse as I listened to the news of my future. If I was leaving the area I usually stressed out about having to go learn how to work in a new area. If I was staying and getting a new companion then I started stressing about how I was going to get along with the new guy. The only time I ever felt really happy about a transfer call was when I found out that I was staying with my companion in my area, but that wasn't always so great either.

The next few days after the call were always stressful. Saying good bye to people that I had come to love, packing up my few possessions, and not getting much sleep as I stressed too much. Finally the transfer would come. Nervous and sweaty I would get in the van the mission used for transfers and head off to my next destination. Once in my new home I would spent the next two weeks getting used to all the new things. Finally at the end of the second week my fears would be assuaged and the stress would be mostly gone.

Now transfers did have some perks to them. Sometimes I wanted to get a new companion or head to a new area and a transfer would give me that. If I was getting transferred then I figured that I had completed the job that I had been called to do in the area that I was currently serving in. But the best thing that a transfer could bring was the chance to learn more. Every time I was transferred to a new area or received a new companion I learned something new from my new area or my new companion. From my companion Elder Bradley I learned the value of working hard, from Elder Michelsen I learned how to plan effectively. In Lakeview I learned how to work with people from small towns and in Junction City I learned to treat everyone that I worked with as a Child of God. Even though transfers were hard I learned to appreciate them as times to learn and to grow. 

Saying good bye to some of our friends.

Now at this time in my life I am going through another change, another transfer. As I prepare to go back to school there is the same nervousness that accompanied every transfer on my mission. How will I get along with my roommates? Will things be any better at college than they were at home? Will I make new friends? How will I be able to do all of this? I know that the answers are out there somewhere along with a couple of important lessons to learn about myself. 

Transfers and changes come into all of our lives. Some will be welcomed and others will be downright miserable. But no matter what the change might be we can always learn something. For we cannot learn something new without experiencing something new.

The Return

It's strange to think that it has been almost five weeks since I came home from my mission in Oregon. For two years my entire life had been dedicated to getting up at six thirty in the morning, studying my scriptures for two hours, and then spending the entire day talking to everyone that I could. Then at the end of that day it was back to my apartment to get some rest so that I could go out and repeat the day over and over. Now I'm not living on that same schedule. Most mornings I wake up at around eight o'clock (which is only a half hour later than waking up at 6:30 in Oregon), studying my scriptures has gone from two hours a day to about half an hour, and instead of teaching random people about the Gospel anymore I spend most of my time talking to my friends.

My family at the airport.

As a missionary I would often hear church members comment about how weird missionaries were when they got home. The members would talk about how these return missionaries didn't know how to interact with people of the opposite sex, couldn't tolerate mainstream music, or acted as if the whole world was weird. As a missionary comments like these seemed strange to me. Even though I was living with rules that seemed pretty "strict" for two years it didn't seem to me that a transition to home would be difficult. I was already socially awkward before I had left on my mission and I figured that when I got home that there was no way that I would be able to be more "weird" than when I left. Life after my mission was not going to be difficult or hard for me.

When I got off of the plane at the Salt Lake International Airport I was excited, I was about to go back to life as it had been before I left on my mission. When I came down the escalator and approached my family I came to see that things were not going to be the same as when I had left. The first couple of weeks after I got home I kept waking up at 6:30 am. This ruined my plan about sleeping in all the time when I got home. I was so tired of getting up early, but now I wasn't able to even sleep past the magical time of 6:30. That was very disappointing to me.

Plus on top of the sleeping in problem I found myself trying to listen to music that I had listened to before my mission. About two songs into an old playlist I found myself skipping through certain songs that I had listened to a lot. I asked myself the question, "Wow how did I listen to this stuff?" Soon I had a list of songs that I was no longer willing to listen to. As a missionary I had never thought that I would have said that about my music. I had been so excited to get home and listen to songs by Kesha and Pitbull. Now they weren't as exciting to me anymore.

Returning home for me has been hard. Finding things to do has been really hard as I've waited for the school year to start. Hugging girls has also been a little awkward for me, because I haven't been allowed to hug girls for the last two years. Certain things that I had found fairly easy to do have become hard for me and I never thought that they would be hard. The stories that I had heard from members were true, post-mission life is awkward.

Even though the transition has been tough I've come to see that the transition is necessary. I can't go out and do all of the things that I did as a missionary anymore. I can't go out knocking on doors, wear a white shirt and tie all the time, or go about not interacting with females anymore. It just can't happen anymore and to be honest I'm glad not to have to deal with those things. 

Of course there are certain things that I miss like all my scripture study. But I know that life has to go on and that the Lord has more things required of me in my life. Things that I can't do as a full-time missionary. Things like getting an education, getting married, having a family, and getting a job. Those are things that I can't do as a missionary. Plus many other things await me in my life and I will have to seek them out as I continue to live my life and strive to put the Gospel first.

Just like the transition to being a missionary was tough going back to normal life will always be hard, but it's alright. The Lord requires hard things from us and those hard things help to build us into what we need to be. Right now I'm starting to see what I can become, but the end is still along way off. But for now I'll be thankful with the hard things I had to do as a missionary and what my mission has already helped me to become.

Me and my Dad after two years.

My "Little" Brother

My best friend in the whole world is my "little" brother Mitchell. From the earliest age the two of us were inseparable. My parents had the two of us share a room from the time that we were very little. At first I am sure that I was a little irked by the new arrival that showed up in my bedroom and took my crib, but slowly I warmed up to the little guy. One of my first memories is of my brother being rushed to the hospital. At the time I wasn't sure what was happening, but  I knew it had to do with Mitchell and I hoped that he would be alright. Luckily he was.

Me and my brother when we were little.

As the two of us grew together we found ourselves playing together often. The two of us would climb the apricot tree together seeing who could climb the highest. I always found pride in the fact that I could climb higher than my brother. Then when our parents would call us into the house from the tree where we were playing my brother and I would race to see who could get there first. Once again I took pride in the fact that I was faster than my little brother.

When the two of us entered elementary school I can remember thinking how cool it was to have my brother in the same school as me. Once again I showed my physical prowess over my brother by being the best in all the sports and by being a head taller than him. But when the school day was over I forgot everything I thought I was better at than him and the two of us would walk home. We would imagine that we were on an adventure together trying to save the world from space invaders. While I was the main hero against our extraterrestrial foes my brother was always there playing an important role. Then when we got home the two of us would play some more.

As we got older the two of us stopped playing so much pretend together. But we still made time for each other. We would go on hikes, talk about music, and talk about the things that happened in our lives. As the time started to go past my brother started to grow taller. Eventually the brother I had once stood over a head taller than was several inches taller than me. Along with growing taller than me my brother also became a much faster runner me. 

When I left for my mission my brother was no longer my little brother. He stood taller than me. He was a better athlete than me and he was working thirty plus hours a week as he finished high school and prepared to go to college. As my brother grew up there was one thing that I didn't notice and that was the growth of my brother's testimony of the Gospel.

My brother always made sure to fulfill all of his duties within the Aaronic Priesthood. While I had hated collecting fast offerings my brother always made sure he did his route, and he always collected fast offerings with a smile on his face. When an extra Priesthood holder was needed to pass the Sacrament my brother always volunteered. Now as it has come time for my brother to leave on his mission he hasn't turned away from the opportunity. Mitchell knows that he needs to go on a mission and he knows why he is going. He knows that he is leaving to serve his Savior. My brother Mitchell is my "little" brother and I'm thankful that my Heavenly Father let me have him as a brother.

My "little" brother.

You Served Where?

Lakeview, Grants Pass, Junction City, Winston, and Newport. Those are all of the towns that I have served in as a missionary here in Oregon. It's funny for me to see the reactions on people's faces when I tell them the areas that I have served in. The comments that I hear a lot are, "Where is that?", "I've never heard of that town", "Wow you served there?" or "Well at least you're in a better place now."

There have been times on my mission where I have agreed with the negative comments that have been made about my areas. Every time that I would get transferred to a new area in Oregon I would hear stories about how terrible the place was. When I went to Lakeview all I heard about the area was how small it was and that it was two hours away from the nearest Walmart. I remember that I was terrified of this small town and scared that I was going to go crazy talking to the same people over and over again. It turns out that in the four and a half months I spent in Lakeview that I always found new people to talk to everyday. I also found the friendliest people on earth and made lots of good friends.

Lakeview

When I left Lakeview to go to Grants Pass, I was nervous and depressed. I had heard stories about how crime rates were high in the town. I heard that I was likely to meet a lot of people, who could use some change in their lives, but wouldn't be willing to make those changes at all. It seemed like I was going to be in for a lot of challenges. I honestly don't think that I have ever been happier in my life than the during the time I spent in Grants Pass. It seemed that everyone I talked to was willing to learn about the Gospel, learning to try something out, and willing to change for the better. I saw lots of people grow closer to the Savior and I felt so good about myself and the work that I was doing for Jesus. 

Grants Pass

After a wonderful seven and a half months in Grants Pass I moved onto Junction City. I found out once again that I was going to another small town in Oregon. Several people told me that there wasn't going to be a single person to talk to and that I would want out of town by the end of six weeks. But once again things turned out to be a lot better than I expected them to be. Even though I could walk from one side of the town to the other in twenty minutes I was able to go out into the countryside and enjoy the beauty of nature, plus on top of that I had an awesome companion and found lots of people to teach. Lots of people who got baptized too. It was a fun couple of transfers.

A Baptism in Junction City.

At the time I transferred from Junction City I learned I was going to yet another small town that was a distance from the closest city. The town I was going to was Winston. When I asked the people in Junction City what they knew about Winston all they could tell me was that it was near Roseburg and that there was an animal safari. The missionaries I talked to said that there wasn't that much potential for the area and that I would want out after six weeks. But with past experience I decided that I would try to make the best of Winston and Winston turned into my favorite area of my whole mission. I met one of my best friends in the whole world in Winston. Enjoyed talking to friendly polite people. And even saw a baptism.

The farmland of Winston

When I left Winston I was sad to go I loved the area and the people so much and I was afraid of my next area. I was headed off to the dreadful coast for a probable couple of months. I didn't want to go to the coast. I wasn't excited for cold winter storms with howling rains. I didn't want to meet lots of tourists, who didn't live anywhere near Newport. And on top of all of that I felt like the ocean was going to be a wall that would stop me from going to the edges of the earth. But once again the area has turned out to be a lot better than I expected it to be. I love seeing the coast everyday, listening to the wind come in off the coast, and I get to meet people from all over the United States. I wouldn't have been able to experience any of these things in any of my other areas.

Newport Coast

Despite all of the negative things that I have heard about my areas I have loved every single one of them. Some of them have been more successful than others, but there was always something to enjoy, something to love. Whatever it was that I loved it showed me that the area wasn't bad like people had told me. The same thing is true about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lots of people can say all kinds of  mean and hurtful things about the Church and about the Gospel. But they are emphasizing the negatives instead of the positive. There are so many positives about the Gospel and all it takes to find out about those positives is to go and to find out about them for ourselves. Because people will say all kinds of things, but until we find out for ourselves we will never know if they're telling the truth. So check out the Church and the Gospel and find out for yourself if it's good or bad.

Links to learn more about the Church and the Gospel

Find a local LDS Chapel

Basic Mormon beliefs

Visit with Mormon Missionaries

Order a free Book of Mormon

Small Growth

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Alma 37:6

My favorite place in the world is the Grand Canyon. It is a place that I love to visit and hike. I have vivid memories of the many trips I have made to the canyon. From the rims I have seen miles of side canyons and the mighty Colorado. Within the walls of the canyon I have dipped my feet into the water of falls and creeks that run through the desert environment. But the most impressive thing to me was standing on the edge of the Colorado River and staring up at the South Rim and realizing how far down I was, the entire thing was amazing.

On that day when I stood and stared up at the horizon I remembered a principle that I had been taught in every geology class that I had ever taken, that principle was erosion. Erosion is the process of wearing away the landscape by forces of nature such as wind or water. It was through the process of erosion that the Grand Canyon was formed. For millions and millions and millions of years the Colorado River made its course through Northern Arizona and cut through the landscape. As the years passed the river had carried away bits and pieces of the rocks that it flowed through. At first the sediment that was carried away wasn't all that impressive, but as the years went by the Canyon was slowly formed, until it became the most impressive canyon on the planet.

In my life I have had experiences that have changed me dramatically, but those changes have sometimes taken months and even years before I have seen the end result. A lot of those changes have taken place here on my mission. But the interesting thing about most of those changes is that it has taken me a long time to even notice that they have happened. But looking back on where I've come from to where I am now I am better able to put into perspective the changes that have been made in my life. All of those changes have resulted in me being a better person than when I left on my mission.

Me at the beginning of my mission.

For instance when I left on my mission I felt pretty confident about the challenges that laid ahead of me. I had just finished a year of college and felt as if I could handle anything that came at me. Within one week of being at the Missionary Training Center I realized just how wrong I was. I found myself incompetent at studying. Not very observant of those around me. And most importantly I shrunk from social interactions. I honestly felt that there was no way that I could survive a mission at all at that point in my life. If I didn't know the Gospel very well, couldn't listen to people very well, and couldn't even get the courage to talk to people how was I expected to go and be a missionary?

When I got into the mission field none of those things were resolved. I still felt like I was a bad missionary, but I decided to trek onward. So for eight months I trudged through my mission just trying to make it from one day to the next. At the end of each day I would comeback to my apartment and review what had happened that day. Most days felt about the same and at the end of most days I really didn't feel all that different from the way I had felt before.  

The interesting thing to me was that the longer I stayed out on my mission the more I was able to get a better perspective of myself. Though at the end of each day I still felt like the same person and still felt like nothing had changed there was a large change happening inside of me. By the time that I had been out for eight months I wasn't as depressed about my prospects of the mission, I felt confident and I felt like I was finally able to listen to people and help them. Then by the time I hit my yearmark I felt a lot more confident in my knowledge of the Gospel and I felt as if every time I studied something from the Scriptures that I was learning something new and uplifting. Then at around eighteen months I thought back on my mission and realized that I now wasn't too afraid to talk to people anymore. 

All of these changes that have happened to me have been amazing to me. But the most amazing thing about these changes is how they came about. I didn't become a good listener during one lesson, it took many lessons and many times of talking to people. Being confident in my Gospel knowledge didn't come from one major study session in the MTC or one morning on my mission, it came from constant study of the scriptures. Being able to talk to people didn't come from just one conversation, but from many awkward conversations, that eventually weren't as awkward as they had been before. All of these changes had come through time lots of time and lots of practice.

When it comes to seeing changes in our lives the principle is the same as it was for me. Oftentimes we get discouraged when it seems that we are not changing, if we don't have the testimony we want, or aren't the person we want to be. All of those things are understandable, but they shouldn't get us down. Building a testimony and changing into a better person takes time. So let us press forward, let us study the scriptures, let us try every day to be a little bit better and let us all rely on our Savior. Eventually we will be able to look back on our lives and see changes that are just as visible as the Grand Canyon.

Me now.

Easter Sunday: A Day of New Life

It has been awhile since I last made a post, but with the Easter season upon us I return with a new post about the special meaning of this time of the year. I hope that each of you will enjoy and be able to remember everything that is special about this holiday.

Several years ago my family made the long drive from Utah to visit my sister in Colorado. The drive was a long and tedious one, involving hours of drive on the high plains of Wyoming and eventually culminated with us arriving late at night in Denver. My family was tired from our trip and we were ready to crawl onto the air mattresses and the futon that would be our beds for the next several days. My family didn't complain about the sleeping conditions and my sister and her husband didn't complain either about the extra six people that were staying in their home.

For a couple of days my family was united on the edge of the Rocky Mountains. We spent time to go and visit interesting sites, go on runs, and spend time together catching up. Most of all we spent time with my sister's youngest child a newly born baby girl. At the time she was only several months old and for most of my family it was our first time to see the newest addition to the family. We all took turns holding the little girl and then would switch to playing with her older brother, who was just as cute.

On Sunday my family went to the local LDS chapel and watched as my brother-in-laws and my dad gave this baby girl a blessing to help start off her life right. It was amazing to hear my sister's husband give the blessing. To feel that power and to realize that this little pure girl was just starting off her life was amazing. The entire family was so happy to be present for the blessing of my sister's little girl.

When the blessing was finished my family returned to my Sister's house to celebrate the Easter Sunday and the baby blessing. That night I sat and thought about what had happened that day.My thoughts were drawn from the baby blessing and how pure my little niece was and how amazing her life was. I thought of how special it was that she was able to start her new life and how I wished for that same thing in my life.

The more I pondered though the more I realized that I too could be made clean like my little niece and how I would be able to have a fresh start like her. I remembered the reason for that Sunday I was spending in Colorado. Two thousand years before Christ had risen from the tomb. By doing such He had signaled that we all could become pure through His Atonement and that all of us could have fresh starts and someday live with our Heavenly Father. I realized that all of those blessings were available to all of God's children no matter who they are.

As I now look back on that day several years ago I remember several things. A pure little girl, an empty tomb, and a chance to change. The memories from that day will not be forgotten in my life. I'm thankful for the blessings of Easter. For the blessings of new life. May we take time this Easter Sunday to think and ponder on the meaning of this day and see what it means for us. May we read the scriptures and find those things that will point us to our Savior.

My Family that Easter morning.

Links

Alma 7       3 Nephi 11      John 20

#BecauseHeLives

Equality

Oftentimes in life it can seem as if things just aren't fair. All of us at one point or another have wondered, "Why is that person blessed with that gift and not me?" We might even say, "If God is a loving God and if He is a fair and Just God, why is He letting that person have it easy, while I'm having such a hard time?" It may appear to us mortals that God plays favorites with His children. In all actuality God loves all of His children equally and doesn't favor one over another.

In a world where there are very poor people and very rich people, people with incurable diseases, and people being treated cruelly and unfairly it can seem as if God doesn't care. But there is nothing farther from the truth,

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Moses 1:39

Everything that our Heavenly Father does is centered around us and about making us better. Just like earthly parents should want the best for their children our Heavenly Father wants what is best for us. And what's best for us is having eternal life and being able to live with Him for forever.

The way that God had made it possible for us to receive eternal life is through the gift of His Son.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:16-17

God gave us the gift of Jesus Christ, a gift that allows all of us to be able to live again and to receive all of the blessings that our Heavenly Father has promised us. 

The gift of Christ is greater than anything else that we could receive and as said before allows us to receive all of our Heavenly Father's blessings. Riches, good health, and popularity as important as they may seem are nothing when compared to the happiness provided through Christ when we live His Gospel. What does it gain us if we own the whole world, but do not live the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Does anything matter if we don't have faith in Christ, if we don't repent, if we aren't baptized, and if we don't endure to the end? Nothing matters if we don't have the Gospel. For the Gospel is eternal while everything in this life ends.

Now I can't say why bad things happen to good people and I don't know why it seems as if some people are more blessed than others. But I do know that:

...the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is...

1 Nephi 9:6

So I know  that whatever happens in this life that it will be for my best interest. I also know that all that is unfair about this life will be made up in the next. For remember the greatest gift of God is that of His Son and that gift is available to each everybody. All it takes is to find out more and to live the Gospel. By studying from the Bible and the Book of Mormon we can learn more about this gift and realize how true the words of the prophet Nephi are when He says:

...for [Christ] doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

2 Nephi 26:33

I testify that this is true in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Not Forsaken in Lakeview

On my mission there are a lot of things that I have learned to go without. Two of those things are friends and family. For two years I don't get to see them or really talk to them. Of course there is the weekly email home and the occasional letter. But mostly there is very little contact with the people I knew before my mission. At the beginning of my mission there were times where I felt lonely and sometimes even abandoned.

One of the times when I felt almost completely helpless was a gloomy September day in the town of Lakeview. I had just received my second missionary companion and the two of us were at very low lows. We had spent most of the previous week trying to talk with and visit people. Unfortunately we did not see very much success during that time. I can remember feeling frustrated and upset. Because of how upset I was I missed my home and my friends. I knew that if I could just see some of my friends that everything would be better. But being in Lakeview, Oregon I knew that there was no way I could see my friends.

So my companion and I trudged along through the day just trying to make the best of our situation. That night we went to some ward members' house for dinner. When we showed up my companion and I were greeted by the members who were watching the Women's session of General Conference.The wife apologized for having the TV on, but said that since she couldn't make it into Klamath Falls to watch the session with the stake that the only way she could watch it was on TV. She asked us if it was okay to leave the TV running and my companion and I consented.

So the four of us sat down to dinner while the session of General Conference played. As the session progressed we listened to some very good speakers. Then the choir arose to sing and I paid special attention to the choir as it was announced that the choir was made up of Sister missionaries from the Missionary Training Center. To my great joy I saw one of my best friends in the choir. It had been several months since I had seen her. I was so excited because I had missed her a lot and here I was watching her on TV. All of the depression and sadness I had been feeling that day just melted away. I felt good and at the moment I felt as if I could make it through the rest of my mission.

I soon wrote my friend and told her of this experience. She wrote back and shared with me that she had felt as if getting into the choir had been a small miracle. She had been an alternate in the choir and hadn't expected to be able to go and participate in the session. But at the last minute a seat had opened up and my friend had been allowed to go. I was amazed when she told me this and I began to see how much of a miracle my whole experience was.

I thought to myself how could all of these things have fallen into place so perfectly? What were the chances that a member from Lakeview would not be able to make it to Klamath, especially on the night the missionaries were coming over for dinner? Then what were the chances that out of the thousands of Sister missionaries at the MTC that my friend would make the choir? Then what were the chances that even as an alternate that she would make it? The chance of all these things happening all on the same day in such a short span of time isn't very good. Yet they all happened and that is because they were all orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father.

From this experience I really came to see that God is mindful of His children. That even with all of His concerns and problems He has He took the time to help out one of His sons who was in Lakeview, Oregon. I now know that God will move Heaven and Earth to make us happy and to show His love to us. So if times are dark remember your Father and keep strong in your faith in Him. He will not forsake you, but will deliver you from your trials.

Me and my companion.

God's Love Conquers all Distance

On my mission I have met a lot of fantastic people. I've met people who own cars worth over a quarter of a million dollars, people who own restaurants, people who live in small trailers, and people who barely make it by. In this huge range of of people I've met I have made many friends, friends that I've come to love dearly. Friends who in the end have changed my life and shaped me into who I am now.

Unfortunately as a missionary my time with all the people I meet isn't very long. Sometimes I may be able to spend as long as six or seven months working in an area or I might spend only six weeks. As a missionary though you come to learn that the time spent with these people is always pretty short and ends pretty unexpectedly. I know from personal experience that it can be hard leaving, but every time I'm moved I promise my new friends that I will be back.

Even though all of these good byes are hard for me to say I know it has to be done. I know that I have work to do in a new area. An area where I will make new friends and come to love even more people. But before I leave I always promise those I've come in contact with that  I will be back to see them again someday. I don't know when this reuniting will happen, but I know that someday at the conclusion of my mission I will come back to Oregon and visit it with all the people that I have come to know so well.

And this promise that I make to those I meet applies to more than just them. It also applies to all of my loved ones who have passed on to the other side. One of the things that being on a mission has helped me to see is that separation is not an end, but merely a short time away from loved ones. Because during my life I have lost family members and friends. In fact out here on my mission I lost my Grandma and that loss hit me pretty hard and I still miss my Grandma.

Yet I know that I will see my Grandma again. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who has created a plan for all of His children. This plan called the Plan of Salvation shows God's love to each and everyone of us.Central to this plan is the family. God has taught us that families are important in this life and that they will continue on in the next life. There is no way to hear that families are forever and not know how valid this is because love does not end and Christ Himself said, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Mark 10:9)

So just like I know that I'll be able to return and visit all the special people I've met in Oregon I also know I will see all of my family members again and all of my loved ones. I know this is true for everyone. I know that if anyone is to take the time and learn more about God's plan for us that they will come know that families our forever, that God loves us, and that He has provided hope for us through His Son Jesus Christ. I know this all in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rules

When it has come to rules I have always been one who has followed the rules, but there have been many times that I have done so grudgingly.In school there were many rules to follow and I often found myself thinking, "Why can't I do that?" or "That's a dumb rule." Despite these thoughts though I still followed the rules because that was what I had been taught to do by my parents.

When I came on my mission I found out that there were a lot of rules for missionaries. Simple things like when to get up, when to go to bed, and what to wear were all things that were decided for me. Plus on top of those things there was a rule book that is 82 pages long and does nothing but tell us what to do as missionaries. I remember looking at this rule book and thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" Plus on top of that there were also tons of other rules that were given to us missionaries by our mission president. I personally thought that having this many rules was just insane.

There have been many days where I have rolled out of bed when the alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. and I am just not happy. I will often grumble during these times and wish that I wasn't on a mission. Because if I weren't on a mission I could sleep as long as I wanted to.

The longer I've been out though the more my attitude towards the rules has started to change. I realized at one point that I'm was going to have to live by these rules for two years of my life which at the age of twenty is a really long time. I was to going to have to learn to appreciate the rules or else I was in for a very long two years.

So I started looking at the rules and instead of thinking "What are these stopping me from doing? I began to ask "How are these helping me?" As I did this I began to see that the rules weren't there to make my life miserable they were there to help keep me safe. Sure the rules could seem a little extreme at times, but  they always had my safety and my happiness at heart. Once I started looking at the rules in this way it became easier to live them.

God also gives us rules to follow. These rules are called commandments. These commandments include reading our scriptures, praying, loving our neighbor, and loving God. Sometimes these commandments can seem restrictive and hard to follow. Studying the scriptures can be a time consuming process, loving our neighbor can be hard especially when we don't like them. But these commandments are not give to restrict us, but to make us happier.

God loves us and He knows what is best for us. So He provides us with commandments that keep us away from harm and that strengthen us and bring us joy. As Christ said:

If ye love me, keep my commandments

John 14:15

Let us show our love to God by being obedient to His commandments.

Five Friends

When I was attending my first year at Southern Utah University I had five friends. That is no lie I really only had five friends. I can remember joking with my family that I went off to college and only met five people.

I have just never been a social person so the group of friends that I had at school seemed pretty large to me. It was a miracle that I even met my friends at all. I met three of my friends on my first day of chemistry class. I can remember sitting down in a random spot and having three people come and sit down next to me and like always I didn't even think about talking to them. But luckily the girl who sat next just started talking and from that point I was friends with her and the two other kids that were sitting next to me.

I can remember how the friends that I met in chemistry class helped get me through the school year. Since I wasn't very good at chemistry they helped pull me through and tried to help me understand what was being taught. I still have no idea how to do any of the stuff from that chemistry class, but I did pass because of my friends.

As the school year went along I made two other friends that joined my group of friends and brought the number up to five.Those friends were always there for me no matter whether I was dealing with academic problems, girl problems, or if I just needed someone to hangout with. Those five friends were always there to hangout with me and to talk to me. They helped me to stay on the right path. I can remember one of my friends who every Sunday would text me and make sure that I made it to Church. Though sometimes I went grudgingly  I was thankful for her invitation. My friends just always helped me to remember the small things that I could do to grow closer to my Heavenly Father.

When I left on my mission I figured that there probably wouldn't be that much contact with those friends from school. But I was wrong about that. As I struggled through the first part of my mission my friends made sure to write me and to let me know that they would support me in anyway that was possible. Which I found on numerous occasions that they did even if they didn't realize it.

I would oftentimes find myself praying for something it would seem like there was no answer from God. So I would begin to doubt and to think that there was no God or that if there was He didn't care about me. It was at these times that letters from my friends would show up and those letters would always contain what I was looking for. I would never ask my friends for answers, but they always were inspired on what to write me or when they would write me.

Those five friends are some of the greatest gifts that my Heavenly Father has given me. I'm so thankful for them and the influence that they have been to me. The way that they lived their lives by attending church each week, by reading their scriptures, and by the fact that they never gave up on me no matter how many stupid things that I did.

I hope that we can all be good friends to those around us and help them out in anyway possible. Let us seek to remain worthy of divine guidance that helps us to help others. May we continue to read and study our scriptures and to go about doing good so that we can be one of those five friends to somebody.

Letters From Home

As a missionary I have come to love mail. Before I left home I had always that getting a paper letter wasn't very exciting. If I did receive a letter in the mail I always wondered why hadn't the sender just sent me a text message, a message on Facebook, or at least an email? I mean they had so many options and they chose the slowest way to get a message to me. A method that sometimes took days if not weeks to get to me.

Now though I have developed a deep appreciation for paper letters. Because as a missionary I don't have the option to text my friends or my family. I get the chance once a week to write them and to email and I don't really know on which day I might receive a response back from them. So now whenever I get anything from my family I am super excited.

Out here on my mission I have developed this ritual that whenever mail arrives at our apartment I rush to the mailbox, with my companion of course, to see if I have any mail. Some days there isn't anything, but whenever there is a letter or a package for me I am always super excited. These letters meant to me that someone at home did care about me and wanted to know how I am doing. These letters have become a treasure that I keep with me at all times and whenever I need advice or just kind words I turn to these letters.

The receiving of these letters every week or so has brought a blessing into my life that I had never considered before. The letters helped me to see how vitally important the scriptures are to me.

Before my mission when I would pray to God I always did it with the hope that I would receive an immediate answer. I would ask a question and just sit at the foot of my bed hoping for a heavenly messenger or at least some kind of feeling. No messengers ever showed up, but I did get a few impressions, but not usually. I often wondered why I wasn't getting a fast response like I might get when texting a friend.

It wasn't until I got on my mission and I would have to wait for days to get a letter that I realized one of the ways that our Heavenly Father answers our prayers is through the scriptures. I realized that the scriptures are like God's letters to us here on this earth. They weren't received all at once and they do take time to read and to ponder. But when we take time to look through them we are able to find answers to the questions we have or find that peace and comfort that we are looking for.

So now whenever I have a question that I need help with I ask God in humble prayer and then I go and read and see if I can find my answer. I have found multiple times as I have read from the Bible and the Book of Mormon that my answer is contained within the pages of these sacred writings. This searching has brought me to a new understanding of God's love for us.

I encourage all to read the scriptures and to find the answers that they are looking for. They can be found as you read these sacred texts and see what God has provided for us. I promise that no time spent reading the scriptures is wasted.

Cat in a Trap

Shortly before my baptism my family got a new cat named Kissa. She was a calico cat who was super independent. She was pretty different from the cat we had before. The prior cat named Sammie loved the family, always came home at night and was just super friendly. Kissa was nothing like that cat.

But despite the differences between the two cats I still tried to love Kissa. I can remember trying to hold here like I had done with Sammie and how Kissa would struggle to escape from my grasp. At night I would try to get that cat to sleep in my bed and she wouldn't have any of that as she thought it was much better to go and explore the house. Kissa also had a problem with coming back to the house at nighttime. Sammie had always know to come back in when the sun went down. If we weren't at home to let Kissa in then she would disappear.

The night that I was baptized I cam home from my baptism excited that I had just received the gift of the Holy Ghost and was excited to take on anything that the world would throw at me. I remember coming home and not seeing Kissa anywhere. My Dad and I went and searched for her out in our dark backyard, but she was nowhere to be found.

But I didn't lose hope. Having just been baptized I knew of my Heavenly Father's love for me. I got down on my knew that night and prayed that we would find Kissa. It was a little bit strange for me to do this considering that I had never really asked for anything in my prayers before. But I knew that Kissa would be found soon.

The very next day Kissa still hadn't shown up at our house. When school ended that day the cat was still missing. But still I knew that she would come back. That night as we were getting ready for bed we got a call from our neighbor down the street. He said that he had caught our cat in his cat trap. I was so excited.

My Dad and I ran over to the neighbor's and found Kissa wandering back and forth in this little trap. Boy was she happy to see us! We took her back home and from that time on she made sure never to run away again.

That time I took extra time to thank my Heavenly Father that my prayer had been answered and that Kissa had come back.

This experience as simple as it may be became an anchor in my life. As I grew older I've had time where I really doubted if God existed and if He really cared about me. But I can always look back on a time where God answered the prayer of an eight year old boy and brought his cat back.

God loves all of us and will never forsake us. If we are looking for something whether it be a cat or an answer our Heavenly Father will hear our prayers and will help us out. Put this challenge to the test and don't doubt and God will answer. I can promise this from my own experiences in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.