I can't believe that it is almost the end of August. Time has been flying by so quickly. I was thinking the other day about it and I have almost been out a year! Man that is a crazy thought but I will continue to press forward with faith. Well this week was a lot better! Still some improvement can be made but I am not complaining. I am just grateful to have such a wonderful Mission President who loves and cares about us individually!
So on Monday after I email y'all we went to Raleigh. We kinda got lost but made it there in pretty good time. Its about a 1 1/2 hour drive. The whole way there I tried to talk to Elder Jones but he was really quiet and didn't really want to talk. So when we got there of course President made fun of me for getting lost and then took Elder Jones into the office. He was there for almost 2 1/2 hours. I just sat in the front room for a while and wrote letters and talked to Sister Cotterell. I love her so much. She really is so wonderful and so genuine.
Well I was fasting for Elder Jones and President that they could figure this all out and I was grateful for the outcome. After President was done talking to Elder Jones he pulled me in for a few minutes and told me that he wasn't going to tell me what he had talked about with Elder Jones but that he was going to be ok. He asked if I had been fasting for them both and I told him I was. It’s amazing how fasting and prayer is noticeable if we are in-tune with the spirit. He said he could tell! I am grateful to have a mission president so in-tune with the spirit. Well we left the mission home and went and ate and then we started back for home.
Well we got lost! We pretty much drove around Raleigh on the freeway like for 2 hours and made 2 loops around the city. We then prayed and asked for directions and made it home on time. It was silly but it really was a good experience. Elder Jones was talking a lot more on the way back and it was great. Tuesday was a lot better. Elder Jones was more excited about the work and willing to work. Went on exchanges with the District Leaders. So fun!! I love Elder Casper. We had so much fun. We stayed up to late but we talked a lot. I love making so many new friends on the mission! We went and stopped by a lot of people and got a few appointments. We are trying a lot to work with the part members. There are so many of them!
On Wednesday we had a wonderful district meeting. I love our District Leader Elder Casper! He really teaches by the spirit and is very organized. I had to say goodbye to Elder Hervey! He is going home this week. He is a Spanish Elder but he was one of the first missionaries I met! I love him so much. He is such a great example to me of what kind of missionary I want to become! We went out with Brother Hull for like 6 hours after District meeting. It was wonderful. He is a great man. He likes to tell stories and its really funny! We taught Jessica this week. She is a new investigator. She doesn't really have a Church but is really interested in what we have to say. Her husband is really against religion but allows us to talk to her. She has a lot of wonderful questions that only the true gospel of Jesus Christ can answer. Studying for her has really been incredible! David has been falling off the map. He has started school again and been blowing us off. He says that he is still reading out of the Book of Mormon so we will see how that goes.
We had a wonderful Thursday. We had a lot of appointments. We went and saw Kevin who is a guy we tracted into. He is amazing. He has a family of 4 (2 daughters). We taught him the restoration and he seemed to be really interested in it. He has a lot of questions but is willing to learn from us and by the spirit. He has trouble with getting answers to him prayers but I am very excited about him. Hopefully we can teach his whole family. I have never taught a family before. We also met with Jimmy. He is doing well. He is very open to talking with us and is honest and hasn't read much. He has a lot of potential but we will have to discover how committed he really is. I am hoping that he will be able to reactivate him wife by learning and taking the lessons. He is wonderful though.
Friday was a hard day. We spent most of it at the Doctor trying to figure out what was wrong with Elder Jones. Everything is coming back negative. It is hard for me to see how all of these results are coming back negative and he is still in pain. All I can do is comfort him and encourage him to pray but we have to work. I think it has something to do with him not staying hydrated. I have been reminding him all the time to drink water but he's a little stubborn. I am learning a lot about patience and humility. I have been relying a lot on the Lord this week.
Saturday was wonderful. We had an appointment in the morning with Suzzana (Hallie's daughter - Jimmy's less active wife) Apparently Suzzana hasn't been baptized yet and she is turning 9 in December. So technically its not our responsibility but she had some questions and we made sure it was ok to see her. She is smart. I love children! She had a lot of questions on baptism and prayer. It was perfect. We brought the Harpers with us. I love the Harpers. They are both returned missionaries and are just wonderful. They loved their missions. So they have been teaching me a lot. I am going to start making a lot of visual aids for children and adults. I am really excited about doing that.
We had a wonderful Sabbath Day. We went out to Wilson (which isn't in our area) with a member to give his boss a blessing. He isn't a member and has opened his heart and truly humbled himself with all that he is going through. He has a lot of medical problems. We met up with the Wilson Elders, Elder Wilson and Elder Barbono (Spanish) and talked to him for about an hour. It was probably one of the most amazing experiences I have had out here. The power of a missionary’s testimony is incredible but when you have 4 missionaries bearing the testimony to testify of what the other missionary has said, AMAZING!!! The spirit was so strong there. I am grateful to have had that opportunity to truly feel the love of our Savior and the convincing power of the Holy Ghost. Really neat experience. Well Elder Jones kinda crashed after lunch. He was having a hard time staying awake and had no energy. We went over to the Harpers for dinner to follow up on the faith to invite plan and they are wonderful. They are trying so hard to find people and have a few names. The members here are awesome. Elder Jones ate one bite of food and that was it. I think I am gaining a bit of weight. I try and eat for the both of us! I am going to stop doing that so I don't gain weight but the food is so good. I LOVE SOUTHERN FOOD!!!
Well that was pretty much my week. I have been learning a lot and can't write it all down but am really excited about the work. It is amazing. I can't believe that I have been here almost a transfer. Time truly flies when you are serving the Lord!!! Talk to all y'all next week.
Love Elder Butler
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
It's great to feel a part of a family no matter where you go in the world.
Family is so important. I have really learned that this past week. I sure want to be closer with mine. This week has been really hard for me. Probably my hardest week in the mission. Elder Jones doesn't really want to be here anymore. His sickness has gotten worse and he is always in pain. I don't no how bad it really is but he is making it a big deal. Its hard for us to work because he just wants to sleep all the time. I try not to complain at all and keep my frustrations to myself and my journal. I have learned alot of patience this past week and what its like to be a father almost. I am really grateful for the opportunity to handle this responsibility. Its taxing but worth all the experience. I have been talking alot to President and he has helped me a ton. I sure love him alot. I know that he is called of God and truly loves me as missionary but more as a child of God! We are going up to the mission home today so he can talk to President face to face. So we will see what happens.
This ward deserves so much better right now. I just want to work so hard because of all the work that they put into missionary work. I hope things will figure themselves out. I really do. I am doing a fast today for Elder Jones. I feel like Alma and King Mosiah. I have never prayed so hard and so fervently for anyone in my life. Its a great feeling to love someone so much and to worry so much about their Salvation but I feel the sorrow and pain that they felt with their sons. It won't get me down though. Satan won't take me down with him. I will help him as much as I can but in the end its all about agency.
Our investigators are doing great though. We had 2 lessons this past week with David and he is doing well. He has a problem with organized religion but we help him overcome that so he can come to Church. We also met with Jimmy Wiggin's who just married a Less-active Hallie Mauldin. He seems really interested. He is Pentecostal but is open to learning. I hope that he truly prays about it. We have lessons with them both this week!
The members have given us referrals like crazy this past week. I am excited to go and see them. There was lady in our ward who actually had a dream about a family joining the Church so we will see how that goes! I love the members here so much! Its great to feel part of a family no matter where you go in the world. I hope you can feel my love through our Savior.
Love Elder Butler
This ward deserves so much better right now. I just want to work so hard because of all the work that they put into missionary work. I hope things will figure themselves out. I really do. I am doing a fast today for Elder Jones. I feel like Alma and King Mosiah. I have never prayed so hard and so fervently for anyone in my life. Its a great feeling to love someone so much and to worry so much about their Salvation but I feel the sorrow and pain that they felt with their sons. It won't get me down though. Satan won't take me down with him. I will help him as much as I can but in the end its all about agency.
Our investigators are doing great though. We had 2 lessons this past week with David and he is doing well. He has a problem with organized religion but we help him overcome that so he can come to Church. We also met with Jimmy Wiggin's who just married a Less-active Hallie Mauldin. He seems really interested. He is Pentecostal but is open to learning. I hope that he truly prays about it. We have lessons with them both this week!
The members have given us referrals like crazy this past week. I am excited to go and see them. There was lady in our ward who actually had a dream about a family joining the Church so we will see how that goes! I love the members here so much! Its great to feel part of a family no matter where you go in the world. I hope you can feel my love through our Savior.
Love Elder Butler
Monday, August 9, 2010
Born of Goodly Parents
I truly have been thinking alot about my parents this past week just because in a way I am raising Elder Jones. I am thankful for all that they have done and continue to do for me. I have been born of Goodly Parents!
Well this week was really interesting. We got a new investigator named David. He is really solid. We tracted into him on Monday night and he told us to come over and teach him. He is Methodist and doesn't really believe in organized religion. Well when we got there the next day he was all researched up about the Book of Mormon and about Joseph Smith. It was absolutely amazing. He had some questions and we answered them and it was great. We called him to come to church but he wasn't in the city but he told us that he was reading so were really excited to see him this next week!
We have been working alot with the less actives and part member families. It really is crazy how many Part Member Families we have. I think there are like 10-20. So we have seen some success from that. We have scheduled alot of appointments for the upcoming weeks. We have been doing alot of tracting and getting sun burnt!!! Even though I put on sunscreen. Its wonderful. We have been also doing alot of biking. Elder Jones seems to keep up with me even though sometimes I think I am pushing him to hard.
Well Elder Jones got really sick. I told him to keep hydrated and drink lots of water and I constantly reminded him but I don't know. He started having pains in his abdomen and they think it might be a slow blood leak from his intestines or a hernia. So we will see what happens with that. That dilemma has slowed us down quite a bit. He had to go to the hospital yesterday so we gave him a blessing and I hope everything will be ok! I love him so much and it has been really weird for me to see what strengths I have in teaching him and what weaknesses I have! I am trying to improve. He has alot of great qualities. I have started noticing little things that are starting to bother me which is so unlike me. So I have been praying really hard.
Well that was pretty much my week. I have been learning alot from the scriptures this week on prayer and the importance of members. I truly love studying the gospel so much. What a blessing it is to know what we know. Well I sure love all y'all so much (trying to talk my language!! Yes there is a plural to y'all) and know that you are always in my prayers. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve and truly love it so much! May that Lord continue to bless you!
Love Elder Butler
Well this week was really interesting. We got a new investigator named David. He is really solid. We tracted into him on Monday night and he told us to come over and teach him. He is Methodist and doesn't really believe in organized religion. Well when we got there the next day he was all researched up about the Book of Mormon and about Joseph Smith. It was absolutely amazing. He had some questions and we answered them and it was great. We called him to come to church but he wasn't in the city but he told us that he was reading so were really excited to see him this next week!
We have been working alot with the less actives and part member families. It really is crazy how many Part Member Families we have. I think there are like 10-20. So we have seen some success from that. We have scheduled alot of appointments for the upcoming weeks. We have been doing alot of tracting and getting sun burnt!!! Even though I put on sunscreen. Its wonderful. We have been also doing alot of biking. Elder Jones seems to keep up with me even though sometimes I think I am pushing him to hard.
Well Elder Jones got really sick. I told him to keep hydrated and drink lots of water and I constantly reminded him but I don't know. He started having pains in his abdomen and they think it might be a slow blood leak from his intestines or a hernia. So we will see what happens with that. That dilemma has slowed us down quite a bit. He had to go to the hospital yesterday so we gave him a blessing and I hope everything will be ok! I love him so much and it has been really weird for me to see what strengths I have in teaching him and what weaknesses I have! I am trying to improve. He has alot of great qualities. I have started noticing little things that are starting to bother me which is so unlike me. So I have been praying really hard.
Well that was pretty much my week. I have been learning alot from the scriptures this week on prayer and the importance of members. I truly love studying the gospel so much. What a blessing it is to know what we know. Well I sure love all y'all so much (trying to talk my language!! Yes there is a plural to y'all) and know that you are always in my prayers. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve and truly love it so much! May that Lord continue to bless you!
Love Elder Butler
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Farewell Pinehurst Hello GOLDSBORO
Well this week has definitely been amazing! I am so excited to share with you all the blessing and miracles that have been happening. Monday was great because I had the opportunity to have a great last meal with the Gilmores. They are so wonderful. Brother Gilmore is deployed but his grandfather is living with them right now. He isn’t a member of the Church and has a lot of great questions. We had a really productive gospel conversation. We are going to come over and explain authority more on Thursday because that’s what he is having trouble with. We then had a family home evening with one of the sweetest ladies I know. Sister Mooney has never had family home evening before so Brother Andrews, her home teacher, came and we had a wonderful lesson on the Saviors mercy. Her grandson was there and had a lot of great questions about the gospel. He isn’t a member and is about 10 years old. He is so intelligent!! He asked some really great questions like: What is the difference between grace and mercy? How do we know that it’s talking about God the Father or Jesus Christ when it refers to Christ as God? Well those were questions that I needed to look up myself. I was grateful for Elder Cline who is smarter than me.
I had a really great last night in Pinehurst. Elder Cline was really tired and I had to pack still so he went to bed. I stayed up way too late packing and cleaning the apartment for Elder Cline's new boy! I had a lot of time to reflect on my time in Pinehurst and there were some things I could have done better and there are things that I did good. I am so grateful for my Savior who makes up for my inadequacies.
Tuesday morning finally came. I was excited and nervous. I found out that I had a lot more stuff than when I came out. Trainer's meeting was great. President Cotterell is called of God and gave us some really great things to think about. I decided then and there that I wanted the best for my boy and I wanted him to be the best missionary HE could be. It was a weird feeling when he walked in the room. He just looked at me and started walking towards me as we sang “Praise to the Man!” He then gave me a hug and I knew that we were supposed to be companions. His name is Elder Clinton Jones. He is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. I thought that was really funny! He likes theatre and he likes to write. He went to a year of College at Utah State in Logan before he came out . He is shorter than me by about 5 inches. He is the youngest of 6. He is going to be a great missionary. I found out that he left a girl behind as well whose name is Mindi. I thought that was really weird. So he told me that we are going to be serving in the Goldsboro 1st Ward. Apparently what had happened was that there were missionaries in the 1st ward 6 weeks ago but President took them out and had the 2nd ward Elders cover it, so now we are covering it. This area is so great. It is kind of a country area. I love it. We are going to be on bikes the whole time as well which I am really excited about.
We have worked really hard getting everything under control and figured out. We saw a couple Part Member Families and are going to be teaching them. We have given 5 blessings already, two have been non members. We have been really blessed! We also had Zone Conference this week. Man it was amazing. We learned about how the spirit was the key in conversion. It definitely taught me many new things. I had the opportunity to role play with President as well and that was incredible. The questions he asked were exactly what our investigators needed. I am grateful for the Lord and him calling such an amazing Mission President. I truly love him so much and love listening to him.
Church was great. I love fasting and having testimony meeting. The ward is wonderful. It is a lot of older people. There are hardly any youth or younger families. Bishop Briggs is such a great Bishop. He is so humble. We are having dinner with him today. Our ward has a cupboard for us in the kitchen that they put food in for us. We always have fresh fruit as well. This ward is absolutely amazing. I am going to love it here. It definitely has been a great week. Hopefully our appointments will happen and we will find some new investigators. We are going to be working with the members a lot. Apparently we don’t have a lot of meals with members but we are going to try and change that. That is really the only time we get to interact with them. We need to build that trust! Trust is so important! They love missionary work and want to help us so much. It’s so wonderful.
I definitely got a piece of what raising a child is like. Training is hard work! I have matured a lot of these past 7 months. Its crazy to get a new missionary and see the things that you used to do and how they were so immature. I am grateful that the Lord continues to train me and mold me into what he wants me to become. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new capacity. What a blessing it is. Thank you for all the support you give me constantly!! I love you all so much and may the Lord continue to bless you!
Love Elder Butler
I had a really great last night in Pinehurst. Elder Cline was really tired and I had to pack still so he went to bed. I stayed up way too late packing and cleaning the apartment for Elder Cline's new boy! I had a lot of time to reflect on my time in Pinehurst and there were some things I could have done better and there are things that I did good. I am so grateful for my Savior who makes up for my inadequacies.
Tuesday morning finally came. I was excited and nervous. I found out that I had a lot more stuff than when I came out. Trainer's meeting was great. President Cotterell is called of God and gave us some really great things to think about. I decided then and there that I wanted the best for my boy and I wanted him to be the best missionary HE could be. It was a weird feeling when he walked in the room. He just looked at me and started walking towards me as we sang “Praise to the Man!” He then gave me a hug and I knew that we were supposed to be companions. His name is Elder Clinton Jones. He is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. I thought that was really funny! He likes theatre and he likes to write. He went to a year of College at Utah State in Logan before he came out . He is shorter than me by about 5 inches. He is the youngest of 6. He is going to be a great missionary. I found out that he left a girl behind as well whose name is Mindi. I thought that was really weird. So he told me that we are going to be serving in the Goldsboro 1st Ward. Apparently what had happened was that there were missionaries in the 1st ward 6 weeks ago but President took them out and had the 2nd ward Elders cover it, so now we are covering it. This area is so great. It is kind of a country area. I love it. We are going to be on bikes the whole time as well which I am really excited about.
We have worked really hard getting everything under control and figured out. We saw a couple Part Member Families and are going to be teaching them. We have given 5 blessings already, two have been non members. We have been really blessed! We also had Zone Conference this week. Man it was amazing. We learned about how the spirit was the key in conversion. It definitely taught me many new things. I had the opportunity to role play with President as well and that was incredible. The questions he asked were exactly what our investigators needed. I am grateful for the Lord and him calling such an amazing Mission President. I truly love him so much and love listening to him.
Church was great. I love fasting and having testimony meeting. The ward is wonderful. It is a lot of older people. There are hardly any youth or younger families. Bishop Briggs is such a great Bishop. He is so humble. We are having dinner with him today. Our ward has a cupboard for us in the kitchen that they put food in for us. We always have fresh fruit as well. This ward is absolutely amazing. I am going to love it here. It definitely has been a great week. Hopefully our appointments will happen and we will find some new investigators. We are going to be working with the members a lot. Apparently we don’t have a lot of meals with members but we are going to try and change that. That is really the only time we get to interact with them. We need to build that trust! Trust is so important! They love missionary work and want to help us so much. It’s so wonderful.
I definitely got a piece of what raising a child is like. Training is hard work! I have matured a lot of these past 7 months. Its crazy to get a new missionary and see the things that you used to do and how they were so immature. I am grateful that the Lord continues to train me and mold me into what he wants me to become. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new capacity. What a blessing it is. Thank you for all the support you give me constantly!! I love you all so much and may the Lord continue to bless you!
Love Elder Butler
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