I wanted to start this weeks email out by restating what President Nelson said in his incredible message of HOPE on Friday. He said, "Let us be counting our blessings, instead of recounting our problems." I absolutely was so overcome when he said that. I believe that as we focus not on what we have been through (because we ALL have been through some rough stuff in this place we call life.) But instead be focusing on the good and the things we are grateful for, just like social media has started doing with the #givethanks. I know as we do this, we truly will be blessed and we truly will follow after what President Nelson says, "The JOY of our lives has little to do with the circumstances, and everything to do with the focus of our lives."
Jamie Krueger: He messaged us last night and said that he wants to be baptized on December 26th! He said it is his birthday that day and so it would make it even more special for him if he could be baptized that day. We told him in order to have that work we will need to meet with him 2 to 3 times a week. He said he does think he will need a live proxy baptism, and so we told President Horgesheimer that and hopefully can let Salt Lake know soon and we can keep working solid with him. Keep him in your prayers, he is doing good and needs all the support he can get.
Braxton Ward: Braxton is an 8 year old little boy and his mom is a member here in the ward. His dad is not a member. Braxton told us last night that he really wants to be baptized and we had a pretty powerful lesson with him over zoom last night and taught the principle of baptism by fire and how he can be making a pretty cool promise with Heavenly Father as he is baptized. He said he wants to be baptized around January 1 or 2, so we are going to be working with him on that. He said he wants his uncle to baptize him here in Chillicothe, and so keep Braxton in your prayers as we keep meeting with him each Sunday that he will continue to grow and strengthen his testimony to be baptized in a short 6 weeks.
Can I just say . . . I LOVE talking with people! Whether it be over the phone, through a text message or messenger, over video call, or in person . . . It doesn't matter, I love it. We had some sweet occasions on Friday this week where we were calling people just at the church building. 2 people picked up and said that they had originally not been interested with past missionaries, but when they heard who we were they said they immediately wanted to hear more. We have lessons set up with both of them this week. Then we were out walking on the street on Friday night in the city part of Chillicothe, and I had a pretty overwhelming feeling to go down a street that we hadn't been down before. We walked down it and part way down I turned and saw a lady sitting by herself on the bench by the crosswalk. We started talking to her (her name is Missy). She said she lives on the streets and very much appreciated our message of hope we shared with her. AH I love running into people everywhere I go, and honestly just being able to talk with them. I have realized that that is a gift that Heavenly Father has given to me, is to be able to walk up to people or call them or text them, and have a conversation with them. I. LOVE. IT. :)
Saturday was a delicious day! ;) Haha I will say why in just a second, but so in the morning we did another facebook live and this time we did it on the importance of missionary work and why the Lord needs His missionaries NOW, more than ever. We then called a guy named Wesley who has been a do not contact for many years now because of hardship he has had with missionaries in the past. We talked to him and he is in a tricky situation with his wife right now and is trying to have a life with his son in the future, and so we talked for a good 20 or so minutes about how God is aware of Him and how he must hold out with faith in Jesus Christ, and that we will be his guides as he takes those steps. Very amazing man! Okay, now onto the delicious part of the day. We went to a mexican restaurant called, Las Mariachis. Bishop Brower and his wife met us there along with Brother Cain (ward mission leader), and we all ate lunch together and talked about how we can be helping the people out in the ward and getting the people back to church. They are amazing people! They just have I think forgotten the blessing of coming to church IN Person now that we can have it in person, and then they don't hop on the zoom call sacrament meeting, and so then they get deemed as less active. Pray for Chillicothe to have A SPARK in them. Maybe that's just what they need, is Spark! ;) I think I am the only one in the whole state of Ohio though that likes the taste of it . . .😉 I also gave the district devotional training on Saturday night. I did it on the atonement of Christ. I had everyone do a race to find a scripture on the atonement. Sister Gossling was the first one to find it, and so for every person on the messenger call, I asked them if they wanted an "imaginary snickerdoodle" cookie (since it was over messenger of course :). Whether they said yes or no, Sister Gossling had to do the 5 pushups. I then at the end reverted it over to how the Savior did the atonement for each of us, and sometimes we forget that and think we can't repent and have to do it on our own. I invite each of you guys this week to focus on what you can do to strengthen your testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Also on Saturday night we had a super cool lesson at the Winfield home in North North Chillicothe, like almost an hour away. We watched the Christchild video with them and talked about Christmas traditions that they like to do and how they remember Christ each year.
Sunday was a very inspiring and wonderful day. We had the North America North East broadcast and President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Soares were the speakers for it. They both spoke on the power of Letting God Prevail in our Lives. President Eyring stated what was stated by our Prophet just over a month ago in conference, about how when we embrace a new normal, we truly gain a sense of urgency and love to do the Lord's work in the way He needs us to, and in the energy that even a 96 yr old man such as President Nelson himself, can still do and maintain daily. After that, we were able to have 2 super cool phone lessons with Sister Wolf and with Sister Zufelt. We shared Ether 12:6 with both of them and invited them to do what President Nelson stated on Friday of embracing the future with HOPE, and with a firm trust in God. We then had the super awesome lesson with Braxton and his mom. And then finished the night and the week off with the mission wide devotional over zoom with one of President and Sister Horgesheimer's good friends from where they live in Bountiful, Utah.
So we have some new and exciting news about Thanksgiving this week! We are allowed to have a District Thanksgiving with the other members in our district. And so we are having Thanksgiving dinner here at the Chillicothe church bldg with the other 4 elders and 4 sisters in our district. Basically we all just decided to bring what the members in each of our wards give us, and then we can all eat together. So we can only eat for 2 hours is the quota cap, and then we are having district council right afterwards. I am so thankful that prayers have been heard and answered and that we can meet together this week. I have missed the in person feel with other missionaries, and I am so happy we can this week.
Things to look for this week:
- We are leaving the apartment tomorrow morning around 7 am to drive an hour and a half east to the city of Athens, for a training visit with Elders Watts and Hutchason (DL and comp). So it'll be a fun road trip and I get to drive too.
- We have a sweet service project lined up on Friday morning with a guy named Martin Suber. He told us yesterday that he needs us to help him hook up 2 computers and a fax machine at his house. I hope Rob can send me his "good vibes" to know how to do it.
I love this Gospel with all of my heart. I know it is true, because of the happiness it has brought me in my life. I have been brought to the lowest of lows throughout my life, in order to see how mighty and powerful God truly is and how He wants to guide and influence my life for the better. I am grateful to know that we truly can Hear Him in our life as we seek understanding through dilligent prayer and scripture study, but also acting on what we read and doing as Moroni says which is to pray to know the truth of what we have read. The Gospel is true, Christ is our Savior, and we are His sheep and are being gathered in these the last days. Of this I testify with all of my heart, and say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. (sorry I know that was kind of essay worded 😂).
How are you all doing? How is Salem Hills doing these days, are they allowed to start doing Winter sports yet? I hope they can soon! It would be so good for them to be able to do something fun during the school year to keep their minds off of things :):) What is your guys plan for Thanksgiving?! THE BEST DAY EVER :) It has been raining here this whole week, which has been good moisture for the area. :)
I am so eternally grateful for all of you guys. I know I say this every week, but I really do love and care about you guys with all of my heart. And just like was stated in General Conference last month, "We can trust His heart, with ALL of ours"❤ Keep Hoping everyday, keep smiling and being happy, because the Lord is about to do wonders among us.
I love you all forever and always!
Elder Dylan
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