May 14, 2012

It was so good to talk to you guys yesterday. I hope you had a great Mothers Day. I love you all. Thanks for the advice, and I will keep doing good and my best!

I went on a mile jog today. That was good. And my companion will not even desire to sing in Sacrament meeting. So, that won't be happening this week. haha

I did get a letter from Dad today. That was good.

I am stronger now that I've ever been, that is true. Tell Dennis Hi for me. The Lord will help me, and you, He will help us! I will continue to be humble and teachable and powerful and mighty. :)

Ever since the start of the mission I have tried to find and reach out for youth. The younger people have soft hearts but the catch nowadays is all the adversity around them. That's why we're strong and can do it!

Thanks for your love. I'll continue pressing on and doing our Father's will. Thanks I love you.

--Elder Ensign

We took his picture on Skype.

May 7, 2012

Hi. Being on a mission is so full of ups and downs, then you have to step back and wonder 'What am I doing that is contributing to my surroundings'. The more selfless I can think and be, the better everything around me seems to go. The natural man is an enemy to God and has been from the beginning, since Adam.

Tell every other family member hi for me and I love them, like Leigh and everyone.

 Hugs and kisses!
--Love Elder Ensign

April 30, 2012

Dear Mom and Family, friends too,

This has been an amazing week. Many wonderful things happened. Elder Barney, who is from Paroguna(Spelled something like that, by Parowan), and I had a wonderful opportunity to give two people Priesthood blessings. There is a couple that lives here in New Town, a fellow named Cody and his girlfriend Sasha, that we know. Cody is a member working out here in the Oil fields. He is a member who is really looking towards becoming active in the church and having the Spirit in his life more. She is living here also and he has been sharing the gospel with her, and together they are working to progress and have the Lords blessings in their lives. So we each were able to give a blessing for them before they made a trip back to Idaho where Cody is from. It was a great experience which I felt inspired and guided in their behalf.

Another wonderful thing was that we're working with Virginia and her husband Trajen. We visit them at least twice a week and Virginia has a date for her baptism on June 2nd! We're so happy for her! They are a special couple of people and family. Trajen is a member and he is getting ready to baptize her. We had some good lessons with them, and they were at church yesterday for the whole thing! It was great.

We have other great things happening like we're planning to hold a Bible study group in a trailer park/man-camp outside of Stanley which is north of New Town a ways. With the oil boom a lot of men and people are living in actual man-camps of 5th wheel Trailer type homes. So this will be a good opportunity to help many people who are away from home, and not too close to a church or family for strength and support. We hope that it will lead to many people feeling and knowing Heavenly Father more in their lives.

I am glad to say that Jesus Christ lives. It means everything.

Thanks for the updates on the Temple. That sounds so amazing about the big event that is taking place. WOW! Tell Bro. Barton hi for me. Minot eh? What was his mission again?? That is cool. Tell Sarah that my District Leader is Elder Hanson, and he used to work in the boot dept. at Smith and Edwards! Cool huh. I was talking to him and about how we went to Smith and Edwards when I bought my boots for the Meat Shop and I'm almost certain that I saw him at that day. Haha. Then I showed him a picture of Sarah and he knew her. Sweet huh.

Love You guys, Love you dad, I got your letter just today and thank you so much.
Yeah, Mother's Day -- coming up quick!

Love Elder Ensign

April 23, 2012

My comp. is Elder Barney like the big purple Dinosaur. ;) 'I love you, you love me' That one.

This morning is beautiful here. It's nice. When I left Marshall Mn everything was growing and green and super springy, then up here it's still quite brown and it's been cloudy and windy the past week(for the majority). But today is supposed to be up to about 80 so I'm happy!! The grass is getter greener and the trees are showing life.

Our investigator that has a date for baptism didn't make it to church yesterday but we still believe she'll make it and keep growing. We have met others who want to be baptized including a 10 or 11 year old young fellow.

There is a huge growing bunch of dandy buggers right outside our trailer house. Dad would flip. I think about taking care of them but then I think about it and stop caring. Well I hope you guys are doing great.

Lately for some personal reading and study I've hit the Old Testament. I read all of Deut. and am going to finish Joshua in the next day or so. The Lord proved his might, and his strength and power in these books. We need to keep the commandments so that He'll help us fight our battles. Without Him we lose.

I love reading the Bible. I have done more and more of it lately. It's wonderful. But I must say that the Spirit comes so strongly from reading the Book of Mormon and reading the talks and words of the LatterDay Prophets and Apostles. It's profound. We're blessed.

So we cover New Town here, and South of New Town, also to the east and west quite a distance. But Our area goes all the way to the Canadian Border. There is a city up there called Portal that is half in the USA and half Canada. It's like 2 hrs away!!

But this oil work up here is no joke. It's a huge deal going on.

My Allergies haven't been too bad the last couple weeks. I do feel it a bit. I'm trying to get eating healthier again and adjust to the different living up here.

Love you. You're so great. Are you working to help the missionaries there? They always need your help. They need referrals and people who are prepared by the members and people who know the area. Keep your eyes open. I met a Don Collet who is from Brigham City. Also I met a relative of Patriarch Hillam out here. :)

Love ya.

Elder Ensign