Alamosa 2nd Ward (Week 85 In The Field)

Sorry I don't have much time, so I have to keep this really short. I got to my new area in safety and so far I love it here! My companion is awesome and the ward is on fire with missionary work. We have 4 investigators, but I have not met them yet. I will be meeting them this week though. :) 

My new district is awesome as well. There are a set of sisters who cover the YSA, Spanish Elders, and our Zone Leaders. I taught my very first district meeting on Friday, and it went really well! I taught on effective studies, and the spirit was definitely there and it was a great discussion! I am still trying to get to know the area, so I don't know a whole lot of what's going on, so I will have a better report for you all next week. 

I got my trunky letter the other day, we call it that as a joke. So basically what happens when you get to the point where you just have 3 months left on your mission, you get a letter from the mission office with a talk entitled "Finishers Wanted" by President Monson. And in the letter it just says something along the lines of, you have just become our most senior missionary, as such you have a great deal of knowledge working with the spirit to bless others. Continue to be an example for the newer missionaries and finish strong and continue to work hard. We just call it the trunky letter as a joke haha. 

I got to see 2 people from when I served in La Jara a year ago! Brother Tibbits, the best ward mission leader I have ever had on my mission! :) He's serving in the high council now over my ward haha. So it was great to see him. And a less active that I worked with who moved to Alamosa in the ward I am in now. They are more less active now, but we met with them and they were excited to see me again, so its gonna be great to work with them again and help them come back to Church. But so far I love it! 

I got to go now though, I love you all and hope your week goes fantastic!

Elder Greer

Members in Rye. The kids in that pic are 19 and 17 hahaha they are huge!

A member bought us gifts before we left

A journal, a cup, and a card

Sister gallegos and I! She works at the mission office so I dropped in to say hi before transfers :)

Elder zaugg does not know how to smile sorry hahaha but we got a couple more pics together before we left

Elder Barron and I, my zl

Elder Madsen and I

Elder Zaugg's new companion, former assistant to the president haha

Service project, crushing soda cans haha

Look who I found!!!! Brother Tibbits from my second area in la jara. Hes a high council man now over my ward hahahaha

We played fill or bust with some Elder's in my district. Closest game I have ever played!!

Garner Family!

Elder Holland and Transfers! (Week 84 In The Field)

So the end of this past week has been crazy!

So, I found out Saturday night, that Elder Zaugg and I will both be getting transferred out of Rye to a different area. Yes, they are flushing us out, and 2 new Elders are getting flushed in to Rye. I am kinda sad that both of us are going. I kind of figured I would leave, but I wasn't expecting my companion to leave also. He really wanted to stay, but it is what it is, and is what the Lord wants.

The Baptism with Scott did not go through last week, because he is still trying to fight some Word of Wisdom issues, but I know that he will be able to quit, and I know he will get baptized very soon, along with Ethan and Ivy Hill. It has been an amazing experience serving here in Rye, I love the people, and I will definitely be coming back to visit here after my mission.

Well, Elder Zaugg is getting transferred to Castle Rock, I heard it's an awesome area. I was hoping to end my mission there, because I have served everywhere but the North End of the mission. But that's okay.

And I will be getting transferred to Alamosa, back to the valley I go! Haha, I was not expecting it. President called me Saturday night and told me that I will be serving as a district leader down there. Guess we will see how this goes. :p But I am really excited for my new assignment! I know that this is what the Lord wants. So guess I will be finishing my mission, or as how we missionaries like to put it, "Dying" in Alamosa haha! So I will send you all my new address next week. Don't send any letters to the Rye address anymore.

The Highlight of this week was, without a doubt, Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, coming to visit our entire mission. That was the coolest experience I have ever had on my mission. You think he's good in general conference? Just wait until you see him in person! He's even better, and he is soooo much funnier, and more personable in person than I ever thought he was. I got to sit second row, so I was really close to him, it was super cool and we all got to shake his hand! They said that this happening is super rare, so I'm going to treasure this moment forever. :)

The song I got to sing with 3 other missionaries went really well! Elder Holland told president that we all did amazing and that the spirit was very strong during it. As I was walking away from the pulpit, Elder Holland Whispered, good job Elder's and Sister's, it was beautiful! I was thankful it went well, and that he enjoyed it.

Well, I'm excited to tell you all the rest of my adventures in Alamosa next week! I love and miss you all, and I am excited to see you all very soon! :)

Elder Greer

One of my favorite families!

 

All my planners I have acquired through out my mission haha

This is taken right after Elder Holland

At the sand dunes in Alamosa. Hiked 7 miles round trip. We hiked through a pass that lead here

Mother's Day! (Week 83 In The Field)

This past week has been amazing!

So many good things have happened. I got to Skype the best family in the whole world! I love you guys so much. Especially you Mom, I hope you had an awesome Mother's Day. You are the best Mom someone could ever ask for, and I am so thankful for everything that you do for me and the amazing example you are in my life. I learned so much from you, that I am going to try to keep for the rest of my life. Thank you Mom, for being example that you are to me and being so good to me, even though I was a stupid kid sometimes. I love you so much!

So this past week we were able to meet with our investigator Scott, and finish teaching him the commandments. He is doing super well, and I'm sure his baptism will go through Thursday. Ethan, however, will not be happening this week, because Friday won't work for his Dad, and he really wants his Dad to be there and support him on his special day. So please keep him in your prayers.

Vern dropped us. :/ He said he wants to stick to his own religion, because that's what he grew up on and what he feels is best. We were really sad, but I am glad he told us that finally, because we have been visiting with him and no progression was happening.

However, we did get a new investigator, Bob. He is a single, 50 year old man, and he is just the nicest guy. We went over there a couple days ago and we had a good discussion on the plan of salvation, and we bore powerful testimonies of the Book of Mormon. He said he really wants to change his life around, and figure out what God has in store for him. We will be meeting again with him soon.

We also met with our progressing less active Holly. She has been coming to church 3 weeks in a row now, and she is doing great. We think that she will eventually end up making it to the temple soon. We also met with a new less active that we will be working with named Maggie. She has a Word of Wisdom issue, but we are going to meet with her to help her get over her addiction. She is a very sweet lady, and really has a desire to go to the temple as well.

So, that's the news with everyone we are working with. In other news, this Saturday we will be meeting with Jeffery R. Holland, and I am super excited and nervous at the same time. I have been practicing my song, and I think I am ready to sing. :)

Anyways, I hope you all had an amazing Mother's Day! I love you all and hope you have a good week!

Elder Greer

Last Minute Decisions (Week 82 In The Field)

So as you all know, my companion and I were going to have a baptism this past Saturday. However, it had to be postponed again, but this time for a really good reason. So last minute, our investigator Ethan worked up the courage to finally tell his Dad that he has been taking the discussions and wants to get baptized. He was really scared to tell his Dad because he might get really mad. His parents are divorced, and his Mom knows about him taking the lessons, and is okay with everything that is going on. But still, it would be good for Dad to be included on these upcoming events. Se he told him Thursday night, and to Ethan's surprise, his Dad was okay with everything and actually wants to attend his baptism. He has been praying really hard that his Dad would take it okay, and his prayers were answered! His Dad however, left Friday for Texas and will be gone for 2 weeks. So Ethan decided he wants his Dad to be in attendance, so we will be postponing the baptism to May 15th. 

Our other investigator Scott, will be baptized the day before. They are both ready to be baptized. Seeing the changes in both of them are amazing! So keep praying that everything will work out. These 2 baptisms would be a great way to end the transfer! :) 

We also met with Holly, a less active returning to church. She is changing her life around 180 degrees as well. We taught the restoration yesterday, and it was a very spiritual lesson. We have been having a lot of success lately. The spirit is stronger in our lessons, and people are progressing more and more towards the Savior. 

We ran into a new less active that we will be teaching now. Her name is Judy and she is a recent convert over a couple years, but hasn't been to church in a while. She is super nice, and loves to have us over. We are going to be working with her to get her to come back to church so she can develop a relationship with her Savior more fully in her life. 

I love it here in Rye! The people are the best! ;) I love being a missionary and spreading the gospel to all those who don't have it. Being a member missionary when I get home is going to be easy! :) Haha
 
I love and miss you all! Hope you all have an amazing Mother's Day on Sunday, I know I will. ;) Oh and I would like to shout out my Dad, it was his birthday this past week. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD, I LOVE YOU! :)

Elder Greer

An autistic member of my ward