October 29, 2012

Hello!

Sounds good that the missionaries spoke in your ward. I bet they're good Elders.

Yeah, this morning at 6:30am when I rolled out of bed, my body was exhausted.  But the Lord does sustain, and through diligence and dedication we perservere and have made it.  P day is going good today. 

This past week we taught the most lessons of any week so far together. I was our best week in number of lessons. We met with and taught a bunch of great people and felt the spirit, during our lessons and otherwise also.  We were guided to find certain families and individuals as we went about our work.  Tonight we are going to Bro. Park's house, and we're going to teach him the Stop Smoking Program. The same one we taught to another lady, Sis. Davis,  who is smoke free and working towards getting her Temple Recommend!!  It's awesome.  Robin, an investigator we're teaching has been on Date for Dec. 1. And she is doing pretty well. Her friend Vicki, a less Active member, or has been less active, is coming back to church and also she has committed to living the Word of Wisdom and quit smoking and coffee!   We're going to teach her the program too, that will really help her make the switch. 

One cool experience we had last week was we were going to an appt. when we were going to the apartment, and we saw two ladies moving stuff from a Moving Truck and into the bldg.  We told them(3 of us, one young man that was teaching with us) we could carry the heaviest item they had up the stairs but we had an appt.  So we carried up the big wood table they had, and went to our appointment.   The people we were going to see lived next door to the ones moving in, and they actually weren't able to meet with us, So we hurried and started helping the ladies again. We came to find out that it was a young couple from Oregon who were moving in, and the girls mom lives here in Casper and was helping.  The husband was just getting off work at Wal Mart and he showed up as we were helping, but they are both members!  So it was perfect, like Heavenly Father wanted us to be there at that time to help some of his children get settled into their new home and have a welcoming hand from us Elders.  We were able to give them the Church meeting times and location and everything and we expect that we'll be seeing them more soon -- A great family.

We have been blessed to meet with a man named Chris.  We actually met Chris as we were searching for a less active member who lives in some other Apartments in our ward.  And He had a huge moving vehicle full of his stuff---tons of hunting stuff.  We were able to help him move in and got another couple of Elders to help too.  After a few weeks we went back and visited him, we shared the first lesson with him and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon.  He accepted to read and learn more about it. The spirit was strong there, it was a good lesson and he was pretty receptive and open. He is a great guy we hope to see him soon.  We know for sure the Gospel will bless his life.

Much other good has been going on.  We are going to be working with our Ward Council even more to help them get involved and the ward find those who are ready and that the Lord's prepared to accept the Gospel.

Congrats to Robyn and Dallin!!! That is great!

We might go to a member's Halloween Party, but it depends on exactly what the party will be like.  If it will help us be missionaries and fellowship and meet non-members and help the work then we'll go there. But if not, then we'll just be home taking it easy/having some fun.  So it'll be good either way. 

Preparation is so important. I know that's true. I know that Heavenly Father has many blessings ready for us, he is just waiting for us to think about, and ask and they shall be obtained. 

Love You all.

God Bless, thanks for the letters and love!!!

Happy Halloween

Elder Ensign

October 22, 2012

Hellooo!! Howdy Momma.  I sent you a card but was bummed out that it got sent so late!!! It should be there by now.

I had a really cool experience yesterday. We had Stake Conference, and as we were walking to the Stake Center, an older Gentleman named Alfred (Ned) Price stopped and picked us up.  He said, "He(talking about Heavenly Father) said  Stop and pick up those young men!"  So he did. He was headed to the same place. He is apart of 5th ward here.  He taught us some really good lessons and we talked for about 25 minutes before Conference.  One of the coolest things about meeting with him is that he was from Huntsville, and a farmer, and he owns land there still.  But he know Grandpa Tom and company, and he knew that Uncle Tom was the last dairy farmer in the valley.  Cool huh!!?   One question he asked Elder Steiner and I was, "Who do you want to meet in the next life?"  It was right after we talked about Grandpa Tom, and of course I thought my Grandpa Shupe.      Ned said he wanted to meet Paul.  I liked his idea too.  Then I got to thinking more and many others have come to mind.   But I do love to think of my grandparents and to feel and imagine what they were like.  Thanks for reminding me that it is Grandpa Shupe's Bday on the 20th also. That is so cool.  Lanae emailed me today or yesterday and told me that they talked to Ned Price's wife, and she asked Lanae if she knew me. She said yes. Now I find out that this Ned Price is related to Lanae and her husbands family.  Sweet huh.

One thing he told us was: Mormon's are like belly buttons.  Some are in and some are out."  What he was saying that sometimes we aren't the best people toward each other and don't treat other members and people the way we should.  I believe that if we truly are friends and use our hearts to love other people, especially when it comes to people inside of our faith and wards, then there will be more activity and more members of the church - - especially of those that have fallen away into inactivity.

Oh and that is so cool that it's Uncle Bill's bday too.  I love that man.  He's so awesome.  Sometimes I feel like they are so close to us.  Even as I think about Grandpa Tom and Uncle Bill.  I can feel their love.

Happy Birthday!!!  I love you.  You are so sweet and have been so sweet to me. Thank You.  I have been getting your letters and packages and you help me out a ton.  I love you mom.  Thanks for being so supportive and awesome.  I still haven't gotten a camera.  I don't really miss having one to be real with ya.  It would be nice, and I should get one.  That will be good. But I don't know what I'll do yet. k. 

So it sounds like the Ukelele guy was good! That's cool.  There is a guy called 'Uke Man' I believe and he plays LDS music and sings. You should really check him out. He is good and he has a really good testimony. Check him  :)   Maybe Youtube or something.

I need to write Katie, she wrote me not too long ago, and Tammy.  Then like I said Lanae emailed me today. That was so cool.  I love those gals.

Thanks mom, I wished you a Happy Birthday and Elder Steiner did too out loud on Oct. 20! I hope you heard it

Oh yeah, Stake Conference was so good. It was regional, a broadcast covering Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana. Elder Nelson spoke and some others. It was so powerful and uplifting.  Some of the things we learned about were keeping the quality of our prayers really good.  The amount of energy we put into our prayers will be about the same amount we get back. Kinda like if you hit a raquetball with a racket into the wall softly, it will return with less speed and less momentum, on the contrary if we hit the ball fast, with energy, and momentum, it will return in a like manner.

Elder Steiner and I are having a pretty good time.  He is a good young man!  We work hard. We bike a lot and walk sometimes. We work with the members as often as we can. We are truly blessed here.  Some really cool things have been happening lately -- Every so often we are amazed at the goodness of the Lord and his blessings.   :)

You're awesome mommee.  Happy Halloween coming up.  Can't you send some better pics of Pops than that!!!?   Cute kitties. I like that cream one...It has some pretty crazy eyes.  And the one you were holding is really cute too.  How's stumpy?  Love ya

October 8, 2012: Howdy!

Hello Mom!

General Conference was really good!  I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's and Pres. Eyring's talks a lot. Also Pres. Monsons was good. I love to hear from those brethren.

That was quite the announcement.  People are pretty excited here too. Pretty crazy, I guess they want more people out there serving. I'm sure that it will be good. 

It snowed here last week!! It's been chilly, I've been wearing my thermals.  Sheesh.  But it's warming up again, today it's pretty nice.  I'm sweating as we speak because of the thermals I have on!

There are a ton of Bertagnole's here. I know Leland and his wife, they're in the 60's ish.  Then there is Dixie Bertagnole  who is older, and her husband passed away some years ago.  Do you know them at all?  They are both in our Ward.

The Buskers I don't know much at all about. I asked someone and then they started going off on a tangent trying to remember who was a Busker and who wasn't. I didn't really get any leads on them.  Anyone in Particular you want me to look up that might remember you?

We haven't yet healed the blind, or parted any red seas lately, but we are doing pretty good and working with people and helping them make great changes in their lives.  One lady quit smoking this past week using the Program that we teach and support her with. She is awesome and doing good. We're teaching a few groups of people, one which is making some great changes in her life and repenting and being more Jesus Christ-like.

Tell Dad I say hi and that I need his prayers for me morning, noon, and night.  Breakfast lunch and dinner, and that anything less than that needs more.  :)   Pray that I can inspire the Elders in my district and be a good person as to lead them with love and happiness.

Pet Stumpy for me and have a good day and week. I love you guys, and look forward to seeing you again soon. 

Christ is true and real, and he Lives. May we tap into the power within us and feel the love and joy of God and life and live each day with Happiness!!

hugs and kisses and kisses and kisses and hugs.   :)  bye