Pushing Through the Setbacks

Well alot of people are at the Library so I guess I will just keep it short this week. Things are going really good here. I had my Interview with President this past week and he told me that I will be transferred at the end of this transfer. I am really sad to leave but I know that it will be ok. The Lord truly directs the work here and I will go where he wants me to go. I am really nervous about the transfer since it will be my first one and Pinehurst is all I know but it will be great. I love the excitement of getting to know new people. The work here in Pinehurst is going great. We have been doing alot of knocking!! Justice has pushed back his Baptism to August 1 which means I wont be here. That is totally ok though. His friend from Oklahoma is coming the end of July and Justice's parents want him to there for it. I know that I had nothing to do with his conversion at all. It has all been the spirit. I know that we will be friends forever and that's really all that matters. So it hasn't been to hard for me to grasp that I won't be here for it but we haven't told Justice yet. Twain was doing good until yesterday. We have been getting a member to pick him up for Church since he doesn't have a vehicle. So he called us Saturday night and told us that he was bringing a buddy to church so he wouldn't need a ride. That got Elder Cline and I really excited. So we went to Church and didn't see him at all. We wondered what was going on? Brother Chipman ( the member who has been picking him up and been in the lessons with him) decided that he was going to go and check up on him. So he went over to his house and he wasn't home but his father was home. Brother Chipman started asking him some questions seeing if he was living the Word of Wisdom. Well it looks like we have another problem. The father said that he "shacks with a girl alot" He also told him "that he has been drinking coffee and alcohol this week" Well that was definitely a bummer to hear about. Apparently is hes not keeping his commitments and we will have to get him to tell us about them. So needless to say, we will be moving Twain's Baptismal date back. I hope that things will start to look better in the upcoming weeks as we teach him. His dad also told Brother Chipman that he likes to lie alot so we will definitely be going by the spirit on this one like we always try to do. It saddens my heart to find out about all of these things but I hope that we can get past all of these road blocks, repent and then move on. He can do it. He truly is elect!!! On the other hand we got a phone call from Lisa Black this past week and she said that she was really excited to meet with us again and would give us a call to set up an appointment. She said that she has been reading alot and believes it to be true. The Lord truly is blessing us!! I am grateful to be in this area. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I love being a missionary. I love being able to talk to everyone and to share the gospel before I even start speaking. I love being able to wear Christ's name on my chest all the time and be a FULL-time representative for him. It is hard and I still have a long way to go and lots to learn and re learn but I know that I can do anything through the Saviors help. This past week has been a real special week for me. I finished reading through the Book of Mormon for my first time out here!! Heavenly Father truly blessed me with a feeling of comfort and peace about the book as I read and when I finished. The Book of Mormon is true. I love it with all my heart and can never deny it. It truly has brought me closer to God and will bless anyone's life who reads it. What a blessing it is to be here. I love it so much and time keeps getting faster.

Who Can Argue With Truth?

Well things here have been alot slower. This past week I have been really sick. I have been throwing up alot and have no idea why. But I am trying to keep on working. I hope to get over it. I have been reading out of the Book of Mormon alot lately. I love that Book so much. I am almost done. I should be done by the end of next week! I feel that my testimony is growing in it and that when I bear my testimony about the Book of Mormon it's more powerful and bold. We have been biking alot this past week. It has been cooler this week which has been a real blessing! We haven't had really any success in finding anybody knocking but we have had some really great conversations that have made me think about alot of things. Justice didn't get baptized this week because he went Camping with his family this weekend for the July 4th Weekend. He will for sure be baptized this week! His friend, Hawk will be baptizing him! I am really excited about it. He is a really good kid and will be a great member of the Church. We had probably one of the most spiritual experiences this past week with Twain. He is truly elect and ready to be baptized. On Sunday we had Brother Chipman pick him up for Church because he lives about 15 minutes away. He loved Church and we asked if we could teach him another lesson at about 4. Well we went over to Brother Chipmans around 4 and taught him part of the Plan of Salvation. It makes sense to him. He is so bold and stubborn in his own ways and tells ya how it is but has been really receptive and has asked alot of questions that we have been able to answer and he hasn't argued about. He told us that this was different. He said that everything that we have talked about and he has heard while he has been going to church he felt to be true and hasn't needed to argue. He knows that there is something different about this Church. We had many opportunities to just have silence and let the spirit really open his heart and teach him. We set a Baptismal Date for Him for July 25, 2010. He accepted!!! I am so excited for him. He is going to be giving up coffee and smoking. He is going to do great. The members love him and have been really trying to help him. He got some phone numbers for possible employment and I hope and pray that everything works out and he will get a job. He isn't going to Church for a job, hes going for his personal salvation! It brought me to tears to see the change in him. To see how the Lord really does answer prayers if we are obedient. I am grateful to be in Pinehurst. I truly love this area and could stay here my whole mission. I am grateful for my companion. He has truly started to step up in his leadership skills. He is starting to lead the lessons and take charge. Its hard for me but it brings me joy to see him soar. I talk too much anyways. I am learning to only say what the spirit has told me to say. Its really hard but I am trying it out. It has been really successful so far. So our week was pretty good even though I was sick. We are still trying to find people but I know that the Lord will help us and put them in our path. We have interviews with President this week and I love meeting with him. He is a great man and I sure love him.

Bikes=Miracles

Well there have been many miracles this week!!! We have had an exchange almost everyday this week to come out with us even if it is to go and stop by some former investigators or some less actives. I really love our ward so much. It is growing so big. We just had 3 new families move in this past month with 6 children each!!! I love being able to learn all of their names!!! I love our ward so much. They are really supportive of us and they want to help us out as much as they can with missionary work. We are going to start taking the young men out with us on exchanges to help them prepare for missions. Scott Whitcar is back this week so we will be phoning him alot to come out and help us. We got two new investigators this week. Twain is a miracle. He was a friend of one of the members in the ward and came to church one day and absolutely loved it. We taught him the restoration and he loved it and believed it all. He will be baptised at the end of July!! We met with a referral from Sanford whose mother was a member. She had some questions that we were able to answer and then we taught her the restoration as well. She has had some experiences with the Holy Ghost directing her and she has acted upon those promptings. The Lord is really blessing us for our diligence to bike and not complain!! He has given us investigators that are really elect and have alot of potential. I am really excited on what this week has to bring. We just had Zone Conference on Friday and man was it wonderful. I really learned how Christ feels about our investigators. He loves them so much and I got to feel that love. It brought me to tears how powerful the feeling was. I am grateful for my Heavenly Father and the small miracles he gives me each day. He is so generous and merciful. We also learned a new pattern of teaching as well. Its REALLY HARD!!! We are to ask our investigators, before we teach anything, questions that the spirit wants us to ask to figure out their concerns so we can teach them the way the Lord wants. We did some role plays with it and man was it hard. It's hard to just open you mouth and get out of the way and let the Spirit teach. I am going to try harder to do this. The spirit is the teacher I am not. If it is taught by some other way it isn't of God (D+C 50:9-22) It was definately a wonderful Zone Conference. Justice is getting Baptized this week. We are really excited about him. In our last visit with him he told us that ever since he has made the decision to be baptized he can't stop smiling. He is prepared and ready!! He will be baptized his friend Hawk who just turned 16 yesterday! Its going to be a great experience. Things have been really going great here. Elder Cline and I have been making goals to be more obedient. It has been great to see the Lord bless us for being obedient. We cannot receive blessings if we aren't being obedient (D+C 130:20) I am excited to keep on going. There are lots of people here who need the gospel!!!

Elizabeth's Baptism (definitely)

It is comforting to know that we have the spirit with us all the time and that other people can hear it. I had actually a really cool experience with that. The night that we were supposed to find out if we were being transferred, the spirit impressed upon me that I was staying but there was going to be a condition. We got the phone call and there you have it, we are a biking area. I love having the spirit to be with me all the time and constantly be receiving revelation. What a privilege.

I have learned so much out here and I have taught a lot of people. If it wasn't for my parents I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be serving the Lord in this capacity. Thank you for helping me find my testimony and teaching me in righteousness. I love you both so much and am grateful that I have you both there whenever I need you and whenever I think I don't. I will always need you both in my life. I love you!!

Well this week has been a really different week. Biking is really hard. It is hard to get motivated to go outside in this crazy hot weather and after being outside for 2 minutes were already soaking wet. We haven't had a lot of success this past week. We have been doing a lot of knocking doors and talking to people as we see them on the street. How I am grateful to have this privilege to bike and serve the lord in this new capacity. We have seen a lot of miracles from talking to people. Everyone needs this gospel and it is our job not to judge who gets the message. They have their agency to decline our message but we have to give them that opportunity to accept it.

We had an amazing experience yesterday!! Elizabeth Wilson is now the newest member of the Pinehurst ward!!! She got BAPTIZED!!!! It was definitely an amazing experience for everyone. The gospel really does mend families lives. The Baptismal Service was incredible. There was a really good turn out from the ward. The spirit was so strong there. Elizabeth was baptised by Elder Cline. I had the privilege to confirm her. That was the neatest and most spiritual experience I have every had. I felt the Holy Ghost work through me like I have never had before. Words were coming out of my mouth that I had not thought of. This truly is the Lord's work and the Lord's Church. It was definitely a testimony builder to me that I need to always be worthy to have the spirit to be with me.

Elder Cline and I got to teach Primary as well and that was definitely a treat. They know so much and I know so little. I need to learn to accept everything and just do it without question. I definitely look up to the Primary kids in our ward. I love them so much. They really have a special place in my heart!!!! Well I am definitely excited for this week. Its definitely going to be another hot week but we are excited to do a lot of tracting and finding. Justice will be getting baptised this Sunday by his friend Hawk and then Confirmed by Hawks Dad. We are excited about him. His parents are going to find a time for us to come over and talk with him as well. The young men and women in our ward are amazing. They love sharing the Gospel and helping people out. They are an example to me of what I need to continue to do when I get home.

Well I love you all so much. Keep on doing those small and simple things.

Love Elder Butler

One More Transfer with Elder Cline

Well as you saw by us teaching primary next week, Elder Cline and I are staying together another transfer. Its crazy that I have been here for 6 months now and by the end of this next transfer i will be here for 7 1/2. Its really unheard of but I am grateful. I really love this are so much. There is so much work to be done here! I love the ward as well. They are amazing. One of the members in our ward just passed out 5 Book of Mormons!!! Its wonderful. You know that President changed the mission around to either being a full time car area or a full time bike area! Well Elder Cline and I have had the Car full time last transfer and we are now a FULL TIME BIKE AREA!!! Its going to be wonderful. Elder Cline and I have made some really great goals for this next transfer. We are going to have to work our butts off. It has already been getting up to 98 and with the heat index 103!!! Its going to get really hot. Apparently its going to be one of the hottest summers they have had in a long time! I am really excited. Elder Cline wants to lose some weight so that is definitely going to happen. I am really pushing him to be more obedient. We are going to strive to be exactly obedient. I am going to help him out as much as I can. We only have one opportunity to give our all of the Lord in this capacity.

Last week was really great. We had some really great lessons with Elizabeth. They got married on Wednesday!!! It was a really neat and different experience. Elder Cline and I were the witnesses. It made me sad to hear till death do you part. That is why the gospel is so wonderful. Elizabeth will be able to be baptized and then a year later be sealed to Brother Wilson for time and all eternity. I know in the past I have said well it doesn't matter if I marry someone that is LDS or not. Well I want to get married in the temple. I am grateful for the Lord and mercy for me to continue to change me to what he wants me to be.

We met with Justice this week and it was great. We talked to him a lot about the Savior and helped him realize who he really is and why he is so important. He is going to be watching Finding Faith in Christ and writing a list down of all that Jesus Christ has done for him. We are excited for him. We have Elizabeth being baptized on Sunday and Justice next Sunday. I am so excited for them. The Lord has been very kind to us.

We will have to be doing a lot of finding over the next week. We don't have any other investigators that are progressing other than them. I am excited to be able to spent more time on bikes and outside. I am going to be learning how to be more patient and how to really endure. Its going to be hot!!! We will be getting a new District Leader this week! Elder Bigelow is going home. I love him so much and am so grateful for all that he has taught me. He is definitely a missionary I look up to. I can't believe I have been out for 6 months. They have really just flown by.

Oh Elder Cline and I got to sing on Sunday. It was really amazing to see how the Lord helps us if we are Humble. I really needed the help and I got the strength. We sounded really good. We sang "A Poor Way Faring Man of Grief. We got a lot of compliments. I love our ward so much. They are so kind to us.

I have really seen the power of the Lord this week. I have been studying the Book of Mormon alot! I have been studying by topic and I have been, in my spare time, reading it cover to cover. I haven't done that yet on my mission but am really learning alot. I want my testimony of the Book of Mormon to be stronger. I have really noticed a change in myself over the past week. I have seen how fasting every week, paying my fast offering every month, even though I have very little and praying all the time has really made me more humble and teachable. I am grateful for all that I have. I am excited to continue to do all those things and more. I need all the help I can get. The Saviors Lives! He love each one of us. The Book of Mormon is the TRUE word of God! I love being a missionary and I love repenting and changing to be who the Lord wants me to be!!!! May God Bless you all over this next week. Endure to the End!!!

Love Elder Butler

Elder Bednar: an apostle of the Lord

This week was pretty amazing. Elizabeth Brown is getting Baptized on June 20th and Justice is getting baptized on June 27. I am really excited for them even though I don't know if I will still be in Pinehurst. I can't believe I have already been out for 6 months. Its really crazy!!! I find out this Saturday (Black Saturday) if I am getting transferred or if Elder Cline is getting transferred or if were both staying. Its kind of exciting. I will be happy with whatever the Lord wants me to do.
I have been so blessed this past week. We got to see Elder Bednar, Elder Snow and Elder Giddens in Chapel Hill on Saturday. Oh my goodness!!! It was so incredible. It was definitely the most spiritual experience I have had, other than in the temple. We had a 3 and a half our meeting with him. It went by so fast. He gave us two talks to read before hand which were written by him, Ask in Faith and Seek Learning By Faith!! We had an hour of follow up on that and then an hour of question and answer and then an hour on what kind of pattern we were seeing. It was a question and answer the whole three and a half ours though. AMAZING!!!! He is a Apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ. You could see it in his countenance and you could feel it in your heart. It was incredible. He gave us and Apostolic Promise to which was awesome. I am excited for it to come to pass through my obedience and my desire to serve. The whole mission was there (180 Missionaries) I knew hardly anybody but it was awesome to see my old district and my Canadian buddy!!! It definitely was incredible. I got to make a comment and talk to him for a bit. It was really an incredible experience. He loves us so much! He told me not to get trunkie but the pattern of asking questions and letting our future family be agents is the pattern that I need to raise my kids! It was really funny!!! He is a really down to Earth Man!! And he is short! But it was wonderful to see him. I will probably never have an opportunity like that again. Well Sorry this has been so short but things are going really well here. I hope everything goes well this next week. Know that I love you all so much and am so proud of you all.

Love Elder Butler

Blessings of being Diligent and Obedient

Well the work here is going great. We have been really seeing miracles this week. There have been a lot of canceled appointments this week but I have been pushing to go tracking everyday. It’s been slow and no success really came from it but we planted a lot of seeds. Our members are wonderful. We have seen the blessings of being diligent and obedient. There were 4 non-members at Church on Sunday because of the effort of our ward. There is a good chance that we will be teaching all of them. How exciting is that. Missionary work from the members is so important. We will be introducing a new missionary program that we are going to try with our ward. We will get families in our ward to live the missionary life style for a week. We will kick it off by having a family home evening with these families at the church. They will have to live the missionary lifestyle. No TV. No Internet. Have to read your scriptures every day. It’s going to be great. At the end of that week we will have another family home evening and they will bare their testimonies and write their testimonies in a Missionary Book of Mormon and give it to one of their friends. Elder Cline did it in his last ward and said it was great so were going to try it here. I am really excited about it. Our investigators are solid!! Elizabeth continues to shock me as she continues to learn about the gospel. She is on fire. We are committing her to Live the Word of Wisdom tonight and the Law of Chastity. I am so excited for her. Justice has been grounded this week so we haven't met up with him but hopefully this week. We have a lot of appointments scheduled this week so it will be kind of chaotic! I love it. It is always wonderful to hear that we are answers to someone’s prayers. Heavenly Father is so kind to us. We were inspired to go and see Joyce Tabacco this week. She saw our faces through the window and said: "OH NO" We were an answer to her prayer. She is going to start taking the lessons with us again. I am really excited for her! She is ready and prepared to fully accept the gospel. I have a good feeling about it. The Lord is so kind to us. We had interviews with President this week and it was wonderful. I didn't get chastised! I am living as a diligent missionary. It’s really exciting to look back on all that I have accomplished through the Lords help. All the repenting I have done to change! I am grateful for his love and patience. I need to make sure that I continue to obey with exactness. Well this week should be amazing! We get to see Elder Bednar on Saturday. The talks that we have been studying for it are incredible! “Ask in Faith” “Seek Learning By Faith” If you have a chance read them. So amazing!!!
Sorry this email is so short but we have an appointment soon. I love you all. May the Lord continue to bless you all for your righteous desires. Continue doing those small and simple things!!!!
Love Elder Butler