November 25, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

This was a good stinkin week! I had so much fun and got to learn even more about patience! Everyone is always talking about time, and how fast it goes. It really seems like Yesterday me and Will were falling asleep on the couch or better yet when Will was born. Everything seems so recent! Yet it was a year ago that I was going snowboarding for the first time of the season and we were getting ready for the holidays and doing all the Family fun activities that the holidays bring. I'm gonna miss those but at the same time it will all just fly by and I will be back there in no time at all! Can't believe I have already been gone 4 months!

Well enough of that!! What a week we had here. It all started with wednesday at district meeting we talked about Christ like attributes. We Listened to a talk that Sister Dalton gave on Virtue. What she said is so true, "Through the strength of the Lord I can do all things". That is about as true as they come! I know we can do all things through the Lord. She made so many great comments on virtue and how one virtuous person can change the whole world. They also mentioned that the word Virtue comes from the latin word "strength" that is about as true as it gets too, if we are virtuous we become unstoppable and satan will have no power over our thoughts. Thought I would just share that with y'all! 

There are so many missionary experiences to share and not enough time to do it! But let me just start with how awesome Saturday was! Saturday morning we have an amazing lesson with a girl named Jessica, we found her at an Eagle court of honor a few weeks back. We were suppose to meet with her last weekend but her sister passed away, so this weekend we met up with her and really just tried to comfort her. We talked about the plan of salvation and she loved it. She wants to do whatever she can to come closer to Christ and be with him again. We felt the spirit so strongly and we could tell she was feeling it to so we invited her to baptism and she accepted! Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. She has been around the gospel before but never wanted to know what it was all about, then we met her and her sister passed away. As sad as that is the gospel can really comfort people in times of trouble. I know that Heavenly Father put us in her path at this time for a reason. After that amazing lesson we have the chance to go to a Hawaiian/Asian Luau. It was so much fun. The luau was on the beach so yet again we have to get permission from the president and he let us go. He is all for letting us do fun thing if we have a purpose and are working diligently. The luau was a blast, so much good food and tons of people there to contact and find. We came out of there with two pretty solid potential investigators. It was definitely worth our time. Then right after that we got to continue our fun! Fidel being the most humble man in the universe invited us to go with him and the family to a Hockey game. Once again we have to get permission but they still let us go. It was one of the most fun things I have been able to do so far. Spending time with Fidel is wonderful, he is an incredible man and is trying so hard to overcome so much. This past week he went free from all his worldly things and addictions. It is incredible what he has done and I can't believe how much of a changed man he has become! I love this man with all my heart I just hope he continues on the right path and will eventually enter in to the straight and narrow gate! Saturday was a super good day and I am so grateful that I got to have the experiences that I did. 

Being the week of Thanksgiving I am sure everyone is getting ready for there parties they will be having. I know I am we have so many members that want us to come over and have dinner with them. Everytime I think of thanksgiving I always remember going to Grandma Beus house, sleeping, watching football and then going to the gym after! I am definitely going to miss that this year but it alright there are other things to be done. I guess I had better say a few things I am thankful for... Mom I loved your first one, we all need to be thankful for the small things in life such as taste and smell!  Although there are millions I will just say a few! I am thankful for thanksgiving, I always knew it was a day to think of thinks to be thankful for but never completely realized the meaning, now I am so thankful that we have it so we can look back at all the thing Heavenly Father has given us! I am thankful for this mission I am on, I thought I was a mature person back home but I was so wrong I am thankful that I have this time to realize who I want to be and what I really want in this short time we have. I am also thankful for the plan of salvation, I teach it everyday but it is amazing to know that I will be able to be with my family forever! I guess in General I am thankful for this gospel and how true it is. I have a super strong testimony of how it is the root of all happiness and with out it we wouldn't know what true happiness is. And last but not least I am so thankful for my family and all the support you guys give to me! I couldn't do this without you guy being there for me 110% of the way, you all have played a significant role in who I am today and I can never thank you enough. 

Well as of right now that is all I have time for so we will see you soon and have a wonderful thanksgiving! When you all go to grandmas house remember I am still there celebrating with you guys. Dont forget to make sure you tell grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles and cousins that I am grateful for all they have done for me. Especially tell Levi Thanks for me! 

Love you all so much!!!!!,

Elder Williams 

October 21

To everyone I love,

Who would have guessed?? I really am an eagle scout huh?? Hard to believe that it really did happen but I guess pictures are worth a million words! Mom how does it feel to know that both your boys pulled off a last minute eagle scout!! HAHA at least we both got them! But really I am excited to know that I got it and everything went well and I actually have an award to look at when I get home!

Its funny how many things are already changing back at home! I can't believe Jill is married and Kristen is getting married! Wish them both the best of luck for me! Also I miss my nephews, they are growing up so fast. Last I can remember is will was fat, he sat around all day, and ate as much as mom would let him! Roger on the other hand doesn't surprise me. When I left he was still a crazy little kid! I love hearing about them and all the growing up they will be doing over the next two years! Don't worry about me being skinny fat! It seriously is all muscle ;) I think this is the first time in my life you can tell that I have muscle and you can't be skinny fat and have a 6-pack! yeah first time I have had one of those. The working out... Should have done that a long time ago!

Fidel and the Family Halloween Party

What a week it has been! Its hard to think of anything to say when the time is going as fast as it is. I feel like I just told you guys what is going on down here but yet another week has come and gone. I seriously don't know what to say. I'm looking back in my journal and come to find out this was the week of misery, our air conditioning broke... Right now in Utah that might not be a big deal, but in Florida where is it still 90 degress everyday it sucks to have not a/c! On Tuesday night we came home and our thermostat said 95 in our house... that was the worst night of sleep I have ever had! But enough with that we made it as fun as we could and thankfully our a/c is back up and running!

The highlight of the week was definitely Thursday night! We went on splits with the ward members, usually when we do this it is just stressful and people don't show up. But this week was different, we went to a members home where we taught two investigators, Nate and Lisa, and the lesson was incredible. I basically started the lesson and let the members relate to the investigators and they just hit it off! It was difficult to get much of the lesson in but I know they felt the spirit and that is all that matters! The good thing is Nate and Lisa read over all the pamphlets and Book of Morman so they already knew EVERTHING!! That was such a good lesson and I am so happy they got to feel the spirit they way they did! They are awesome and hopefully everything goes so well with them! 

Fidel, at the Naples Pier

As for Fidel and his family, they are solid! He had problems with word of wisdom but we are working on them know and he is doing so good with it! I can tell that it is hard for him to deal with that, he has had a lot less energy this week and had seemed really down. But I am happy that he is doing it! Also this morning we went and cleaned a house with him, I think that he wants to move into that house sometime in the future and thats why they are cleaning it. And sense we are getting kicked out of our apartment next week and have no where to go he wants us to go move in with him. We will see what happens there. I am not sure if we are really getting kicked out or if they just want us to move as soon as possible. Anyways Fidel is the Man he really is! He took us to the beach last week and he is taking us again this week! oh man the beach is so beautiful I wish I could actually get into the water but I know that can't happen. 

I really had an incredible week this week and can't wait to start the new adventure that is in front of me (this coming week) but before you know it, it will all be over with and I will be writing you another email having no idea what to say! I hope everything back home is going super and you are all enjoying this time you have away from me, because I can promise it will be short! Have a wonderful week and remember that you can do all things through the Lord! I love you all!

Love,

Elder Williams!

November 4, 2013

Hey Ya'll

Holy Cow it snowed!!!!! That absolutely blows my mind!! The weather here is starting to cool off. Now it only feels like 90 degrees instead of 100! HAHAH cold right? I have to keep telling myself that its November other wise I think I am still in August! Makes the time fly by, I guess! 

This week was one of those learning weeks that everyone has to have! Our week started out so good between Monday and Tuesday we had taught 8 lessons and had seen 3 less actives! We thought it was going to be a bomb week and we were just going to tear it up. Well then the Lord had to humble us. Like always! Thursday and Friday were not such great days. Our numbers were just the same as usual but for some reason the days just seemed long and nothing was going the way we wanted it too. So what does a missionary do? He gets on his knees and pleads and wonders what is going on. and what he needs to learn. On Saturday me and my comp both started talking about this and what we could do so that we could finish out the week strong, we came to the conclusion that it is all about the attitude! Saturday and Sunday our numbers were the same, only one thing changed and that was the attitude. Yesterday I was so spiritually fed and I know it was because I had that change. I have decided that the whole rest of the week and for my mission I am going to do my best to put forth a good attitude. No one wants to be around someone with a crappy attitude and if I have a bad attitude then this will be near impossible to do! I am so happy that I was able to have that experience this week. I felt like the Lords investigator and it was definitely a learning and growing week. Its so wonderful to see how Heavenly Father will put us through trials and hard time so we can learn and grow, during the trial we never realize why it is happening but once it is all done and over with we see how much we have changed and how we have become someone who Heavenly Father can be proud of.

Well enough of that you guys want to know how the work is going. Mom I guess I do make it sound like we commit people to baptism every week. We try to! I have One actually baptism! But its not staying like that for long, on Friday we are baptizing a young girl named Megan. She is awesome and I am so excited for her. She is so smart. At first we had a hard time with her processing things and understanding and we could tell that something was wrong or something wasn't happening. Then one time we went there for a lesson and she was completely changed. After that lesson Elder Halford and I talked about it and we both agreed that it was she finally read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it. Its crazy awesome how much a simple 10 minutes of reading and a 30 second pray can change someones life. I love it. Nothing else I would rather do than see how a simple act of faith can change the life of someone forever. So yeah Megan is super soild and so excited to get baptized on Friday. And then there is Rocky!!! I can't brag about him enough! First off he is getting baptized on Sunday so thats way cool! But listen to this.. His first fast Sunday ever, what does he do? Well during testimony meeting he says if you go up there I will go up there! Oh my goodness the kid is awesome, so I went up. Right when I get done he stands up and goes in front of everyone and just pours his heart out! It was amazing. The kids makes me speechless. To think that two months ago we thought he was some thug who would never listen to us. And then all the sudden you have this kid who has the biggest heart and is just awesome. I will forever remember my time in Golden Gate. When I first got here I was told that this was one of the harder areas and less successful areas of the mission. Well in three months we have three baptisms and so many more who right there ready to enter into the kingdom of God. This work can be done, it all starts with a good attitude and obedience to the Lord! 

Fidel is the mystery man. We thought he was going to be super positive and willing to obey the commandments. Ever sense we started talking about the Word of Wisdom and trying to help him he really doesn't want anything to do with us anymore. He still comes to church every week and knows it is true but doesn't want to take that leap of faith and give up the coffee. We asked him if we could just come over and have a short lesson with him and the family, he just turned us down and didn't want any of that. We hope we can keep a relationship with him and keep him coming to church, that way he can feel the spirit and hopefully one day in the future give up those worldly things and come unto the gospel. It makes me sad to just talk about it because I love and care for him so much and I want him to enter into this awesome gospel. But we think we know why he won't do it, because he won't read and pray everyday like he needs to. He needs all the help he can get spiritually and that is where it will come from but he doesn't recognize that yet. Maybe one day he will see how much happiness this gospel can bring.  

Well this letter has been long enough and you have heard about all the excitement that happens in the Golden Gate Estates! Before I go I want you all to know that it is all about inviting. I know in Utah most people have heard about Mormons before but as the prophet has said we need to invite everyone. If we are inviting we are doing our part and Heavenly Father will bless us and be proud of us. I hope this week you will try to find someone that you can invite to go to church or to read the Book of Mormon. We may invite 100 people and they all may say no. But if we are inviting then we are giving people there agency and the Lord will take care of the rest! I love you all so much! I hope you have a fantastic week and remember attitude is everything!

Love, 

Elder Williams 

November 12, 2013

Hey Y'all!!!

 

Just so you all know I am not dead. We had our PDay today because our Mission Pres. likes us to be out on Holidays. So we got to teach all day yesterday and today we have our pday. I expect that whenever there is a holiday on a monday we will have pday the next day!

 

I don't even know where to start and what to tell you guys! Well I guess I could start by telling you guys that it was an awesome week. We had a baptism on Friday and on Sunday. Friday we had a baptism for Megan. It was super awesome, she is so awesome and I am so grateful that I had the chance to change her life forever. If you think about it there is no greater work than this. Every single day I get to go out and help people realize how happy they can become and much there lives can change. When we first met Megan we were not planning on teaching her, the main focus was on the Mom. Over time the Lord showed us that we were teaching the mom to get to Megan who was the one that was being prepared to recieve the Gospel. I love how much the Lord helps us find those who are ready. If we are looking we WILL find! 

 

After the Baptism on Friday we got to have a super exciting thing happen. The whole time this event happened I was thinking my Family could be watching the same thing I am. Yup that's right on Friday night our Mission Pres. let us watch the BYU basketball game against Weber St. this was so fun! He let us watch it because my compainon brother is on the team. Its not going to happen all the time but I think we are going to be able to watch the BYU vs Utah St game on the 30th. It was way fun to just sit back and enjoy a game. Our Mission Pres told us to call him and ask for permission to do it and he said the only reason I am letting you do it is becasue you Elders are obedient and working hard. Our Pres is all about having fun and doing awesome things if we are obedient and working our hardest. 

 

Sunday was an awesome day! In church some exciting things happened. First off I had the chance to comfirm megan in sacrament meeting which was super awesome. Its was awesome to be there with her! That was just the begging to a wonderful day! Also in sacrament meeting it was the Primary Program... We all know how good of a singing voice I have! HAHA Well me and my comp along with the branch President got to sing a childs infront of everyone! Good thing I took that singing class back in 9th grade. I wish I remembered what they said haha. But it went really well and everyone said it sounded great! But people always say that, so who knows how it really sounded. Then Sunday night we had a baptism for Rocky!!!!! He is so stinkin awesome. I could sit here and brag about him all day, but that won't do justice! He had more people at his baptism then I have ever seen at anyones! It was crazy, it just goes to show how great the kid really is. He has the biggest heart I have ever seen. He is already getting involved in missionary work. He wants to be a missionary. But he is first working on him family. He committed them all to come to church and start learning about what we teach! Ahhhh this kid is super steller! Then after his baptism on sunday we went out and talk to some potential investigators... Well the lesson went extremely well and... we committed them to baptism! The dads name is Eddy and the mom Alexa, they have a 1 year old baby and they just love the gospel. They will have a hard time with the work schedule but I know that with the Lord they will be able to do it and he will make it possible for them to be able to fullfill there desires!

 

Sorry time is short and that is all I have time for but just know this was a super awesome week and I love the mission. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now!

 

Love,

Elder Williams

November 18, 2013

Hey Everybody,

 

Seems like it was not that long ago that I was emailing you guys!! Mom sounds like your trip to sunny Califonia was a blast! Just so everyone knows it is still way hot down here I can't tell a difference between November and August! Its crazy how close Christmas is, everyone keeps talking about it! Down here in Florida everyone basically skips thanksgiving and goes strait to Christmas. No one here has thanks haha... All the time I ask people what they are thankful for and it seems like no one can ever reply becasue they skip straight to Christmas. But thats okay I love the Christmas spirit and there is no better time to tell people about Christ then at Christmas time. I have always wondered how general authority's say that the best Chritmas they have are while they serve a mission. I think I am starting to realize why. Because for two Christmas's I really get to focus on the real meaning of Christmas and get to share it with other people. I hope we will be able to get the attention of people and share the wonderful message of Christ! Quick Question how is Levi doing?? I think about him a lot and always pray for him? Blake and Jana wrote me and I have been meaning to write them back but time is just so short on p-days!

 

Well the weekly report is going to be great! How could it not be great I get to serve the Lord all day everyday! Did you know that the muslums are crazy?? We were trying to find some lost members and a door that we knocked on has a muslum lady! She tried to preach to us and tell us we were all wrong and messed up, well then when it came time to leave she wouldn't even shake our hand! They are pretty weird. But she is a daughter of God so Heavenly Father loves us all the same. I just hope one day she will reconginze the truth. This week I realized why I was called to and English speaking mission. I cannot figure out how to speak spanish at all. I really want to learn but I don't think it will ever happen. I went on exchanges up to the spanish missionaries and tried to talk with some people in spanish... it was a disaster!! Therefore the Lord knows me best!! Lets go ahead to Friday! It was on of the best day I have had on the mission (it feels like I say that all the time) But it was super awesome! I feel we were just going from appointment to appointment and that is the best when you are a missionary! We got to teach so many people and that was sweet!

 

Saturday was just an average day! Until the night, Elder Halford and I figured if we are going to be successful we need to find more investigators, at the sametime we were wanting to have some fun so we made the best of both worlds! We aren't allowed to tract at all so we just have to street contact people and pray that someone will listen. We decided to go to the local store and sit in front of them and pass out card and help as many people as we saw. Well of course my comp wants to make a compition out of this so we each got 3 card and tried to see who could get them out first... I lost... Oh well I will do better next time! Up until about 10 minutes ago we haven't heard from anyone... As we sit here in the Library we get a call from someone we don't know... come to find out it was one of the people we handed out cards to so hopefully something will come from it and I will be able to tell one of those unbelieveable missionary stories!

 

Sunday was a whole day in itself! We were still trying to get Fidel coming to church even though we stopped teaching him. He decided to come and see what it had in store for him. It was the first time he stayed for all 3 hours, He loves sacrament meeting but usually leaves once that is done. Sunday he stayed and in sunday school our ward mission leader knew what he had been struggling with and just changed the whole lesson for him. It was incredible. He has been having problem with so many things and he has been getting really down on himself but we all helped cheer him up and showed him that it doesn't have to be like that! I think in that lesson he decided to change his ways. He road home with us and told us that for this entire week he is going to be clean from all the worldly things. I pray so hard that he will be able to do this and recongnize the change it will have on his life. I think that this could be the turning point for him. He has hit rock bottom and now the only way is up! Sunday night we stopped by and gave him a pie and he told us that sense he made the desion things have been going better already! I hope that we really can do this and he sees the blessings it bring. I love this man and his family so much!

 

Hopefully you guys all get my pictures that I sent! What a wonderful time it is to be a missionary and how blessed we are to be at the stage of life where we can spread the gospel to everyone! I hope everyone has a great week!

 

Love,

Elder Williams!!!!

 

 P.S the picture is of Rocky and his family at his baptism!