My Purpose

What a week, a really exciting week actually!!!! So earlier this week we had and Activity Zone Conference in Wilmington. It was a lot of fun. We got to play a lot of activities with half the mission!!! There was a couple of different Zones there other than us!!! This Zone Conference really focused on our purpose and man was it great for me to hear all that I heard. I have been really selfish this last 5 months. I need to do more for the people. I need to stop making up excuses for my companion and myself. I need to become what the Savior wants me to become!!! I really learned about my purpose and have been trying to apply it more in my missionary work. I have seen a huge difference in doing that. The Lord really blesses us for trying to do his work with exactness. I have been so grateful for the added strength the Lord has given me because I just asked him. He gives us help and whatever we need if we just ask and sincerely want to change! My companion has been sick this week which really is terrible!!! I have been studying like crazy though. I love the Book of Mormon so much!!!! It is definitely an amazing and the most correct book on the earth! It is pretty incredible to see the change that I have had even just this past week. There is so much more I have to do but the Lord will help me. We have really been blessed this week. We met with Astevia and Katherine this week and man was the Spirit so strong when we met with them!!! They are closer to baptism than ever. Kim has a boyfriend now and we probably won't see her to much in our lessons, but Astevia and Katherine want to keep on meeting with us. They even came to Church. We have a dinner appointment with them and a member this Thursday. Lauren Delauney is doing really well!! She is accepting all that we're giving her and really interested in learning. Her boyfriend is back from BYU so it will be great to have him come and be in the lessons with us!! Things are going great here though. The weather is beautiful and the ward is so awesome. I am nervous that I might be transferred this next transfer. We find out on Saturday. I am really getting along with my companion. I have been pushing him really hard and I don't know if he is tired of me but I just tell him we need to tract and go find people and he does it. I am grateful for this time I have to serve. This next week is going to be wonderful. We have a lot of appointments Scheduled!! Brother Leech is doing so great btw. We meet with him often and he is learning really fast!!! He met with the Bishop and everything is great!!! He continues to inspire me and my love for him and his wife continue to grow!!! What a great family!!! I am grateful for you all! Thank you for your support and love for me. This gospel is true. Joseph Smith is a true Prophet. The Book of Mormon is the most correct book upon the face of the Earth.The Savior loves each one of us and is the only way we can get back to live with our Father in Heaven. I know that I am called here to serve the people in North Carolina.

Honor and Exactness

This week has been a really weird week for me. I have been having a lot of internal battles with myself this week and man its been a tough one. I am grateful to have the scriptures and prayers to comfort me. I want to work so bad and go tracting and contacting and teach and just be a missionary but my companion has a hard time with that. He doesn't like tracting at all and just wants to sit at home all the time. I have been really just praying and studying trying not to say something I would regret. He is a really great guy but has a hard time with being motivated to work, no matter what I ask or say. I will put my trust in the Lord and keep doing my best! We have had some really great lessons this week. We got to visit with our new investigator, Elizabeth and she really likes what we are teaching her. She has alot of questions that we were able to answer. Its been really great. BROTHER LEECH IS HOME!!!! I cant tell you how excited I was for him to get back. He is doing so good. He read like half of the Book of Mormon while he was out in the middle of no where. Man it was good to feel of his spirit again and see how the gospel really changes lives. I love him so much. I don't know why I am so attached to him but its awesome!!! Katherine gave us a call last night and wants us to come on over again this week. I am really excited about that. I sent Mindy my CD's this past week so I hope my companion sends his home. I really want to try and be as obedient as I can. I have been studying alot in Preach My Gospel this past week about my purpose and am excited to have a whole Zone Conference about it tomorrow. We get to go to the beach, Willmington, for Zone Conference. This Zone Conference is a special one. It's an activity one!!! I am really excited about it. Mostly to be chastised by the spirit. I need it. I need to change alot of things but realize I can only do it by small steps. I am really excited. Its all about changing our attitudes to help us become more in line with the Savior's teachings and example. I am grateful to be a missionary at this time. I am grateful for the trials I do have. I am grateful for my companion. He has alot of great qualities. He is a great pianist and a great singer. He has a solid testimony of the gospel. He is a great teacher and a great conduit of the spirit. I am grateful for the temple. What a wonderful time I had going to the temple and really reflecting on what was important in life and why I need to attend regularly. I am grateful for the spirit that is felt there and how it tells me how I can be better. I am going to really focus my week on two words, Honor and exactness. I am going to try and apply these to words to myself!!! Well I hope you have a great week. Its kinda weird that my Birthday is this week but I don't feel like it is. I am actually going to be on exchanges with the District Leader for part of it.

Sacrifice Brings Forth the Blessings of Heaven

Well my week has been very humbling!!! We had interviews this week so its always great to meet with President. He really helped me this time with things I need to change and helped me to stop worrying about things that I have repented for. It was really a great experience. I love him so much and am really grateful for his calling and the inspiration/revelation he receives. So my companion got told to read the missionary hand book with me and read it all the way through. He also told Elder Cline that we need to go through our music and anything that isn't inline with what the Missionary Handbook says we need to send home. So I will be sending Mindy my CD's. It's really hard but sacrifice is part of being a missionary and I want those blessings. Well we got a phone call from our investigators on Thursday and they dropped us. Astevia talked to me and told me that they weren't ready to follow all the rules. They didn't want to be baptized because then they would feel bad because they would be sinning. She also told us that he daughters wanted to live there lives. It was really sad and heart breaking but they have their own agency!! We will be still contacting them every once and a while!! We have a new investigator though. One of our less-actives fiances wants to take the lessons so we are going to try and reactivate him and hopefully help her enter into the waters of Baptism. We also set a baptismal date with Kelly Green as well. Things are going really good with her. I really love her so much. I love everybody I meet actually. Its something that has been really growing in me, is the ability to love everyone I talk to know matter what they say. Well things have been going good though. Elder Cline is really great. I love him a lot. We are going to be working out a lot this week because he wants to lose some weight so that should be a lot of fun. I love working out!!! This week hasn't been to exciting but I feel like I have grown a lot. I have been reading the scriptures more and trying to pray harder and more specific. I am grateful for all that I have.

General Conference

At General Conference we sustain our Prophet as Prophet because we know that he has been called of God and will follow whatever he says. If we raise our arm to the square to sustain President Monson as a Prophet then we also sustain everything he teaches and all that the past Prophet taught. It is a requirement for baptism. Its a requirement to get a temple recommend.
Well a little bit about my week. Its been really different not having Elder Birrell as my companion but I am learning alot. Elder Cline is really great. We have alot in common. I have been trying to be as obedient as I can be and find this task very hard when you are junior companion. I am trying though. I am also helping my companion lose some weight as well. We have been running alot lately and I am really sore but its great. He is losing some weight. I have lost about 10 pounds!!! I am around 165 lbs! I eat a ton though so its a bit wierd. I love our members. I really do. Its so different being in this ward down here but I love it. I am so grateful for my ward back home. I really love getting letters from the High Council every month. They are truly inspiring. There are things that I need to hear!!! Things with investigators have been going pretty good but I'm getting a little nervous. Astevia, Kim and Katherine haven't called us since Thursday and that was to cancel our appointment. They haven't returned any of our phone calls but we have been praying for them. I hope to be finding out whats going on soon though! Lauren Delauney is doing great. She is elite! She came to conference and loved it! We are meeting with her sometime this week. Kelly is also doing great. She has softened up her heart quite a bit. I am feeling really good about her and will be setting a baptismal date soon. Things are going great here though. It is rediculously hot here (94) and there is pollen everywhere. But it is extremely beautiful!!! I love it here so much. I have interviews with President tommorow so that should be exciting!! I have been trying really hard to be obedient and repent of my mistakes which I make daily! Well thats really all thats happened this week!!! We have a new investigator that moved into our ward so we are going to be seeing her this week along with a potential that we found at Walmart but I will tell you how that goes next week. It seems like time goes by so fast. Days are long but weeks are short and transfers just fly by!!! I haven't missed a day of my journal yet and you can tell Mindy that I have been keeping a picture journal as well ( the one that she gave me) I am becoming but it has been tough. Gerneral Conference was one of the best experiences of my life. It really changed who I am going to become! I have made some goals that will be great. I will be working harder because "two men can do anything if one of them is the Savior" and "after the Savior had endured so much pain and sorrow during the Atonement and his Crucifixion, he didn't rest for a moment, he went to work in the spirit world" I can always try to do better and become better. Studying the scriptures has helped me so much and kneeling before my Heavenly Father has been a blessing.

I love each one of you so much. You are all great examples to me and your friends. Keep the commandments and be obedient. I love that I am a part of this family. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to wear my Saviors name on my chest along with my family name!!! I love you all so much!!!

Example and Testimony

Sometimes its just by our examples that someone will be converted to the gospel and also by bearing our testimonies. Everyone has a testimony of Christ or they wouldn't be on Earth. It is our job to bare our testimonies and help them recall some feeling they have had in the past (pre-mortal life). I was thinking of Sam. Even though his big brother Nephi was the one talked about alot Sam was just as righteous.

Well my week has been pretty eventful. Elder Birrell left this week which was really hard and I think about him alot. He really taught me alot but I need to take what I have learned and just move on. My new companion is Elder John Andrew Cline II. He is from West Jordan, Utah. He has been out 6 months, so it is a great feeling knowing that he wont be leaving me!! He is the oldest of three. He has a 17 year old brother and 7 year old sister. He is really awesome. I love him already. He is really into music and plays the piano so we have been having alot of fun with that. He is the Senior Companion and I am the Junior. It has been a bit wierd leading the area just because I know it. Its surprising how the Lord helps me out with the area. I have been sick with the flu this week so we have been home a couple days this week but I am better now almost. We set a baptismal date with Astevia, Kim and Katherine for April 24th. We are really excited about that. They asked if they could pray about it but didn't find a problem with the date. We told them they should pray about it. I am really excited for them. We dropped James this week. It made my heart sad and it was really hard. His mother told us that he didn't want to meet with us and that he wasn't going to join our church. It was really sad. We have 2 new investigators though. It is a real adventure teaching them. They like to talk alot but we got in a lesson and the spirit was felt. I really love our ward so much. They are so great!!!! Well that was pretty much my week. We have interviews with the president coming up next week and we have a temple trip on April 14 which I am really excited about. Well know that I love you all and pray for each one of you!!! I know the Church is true and it was restored by a Prophet that was Called of God. I know that this week is going to be great because we get to hear from our General Authorities. I am way stoked about it. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and know that he suffered for me. Keep on doing what your doing and remember to take the time to read your scriptures and talk with your Heavenly Father Daily.

Love Elder Butler

Thoughts of Home

I have been thinking alot about home this week! I really do miss it sometimes but I am trying not to focus to much on it. It has been a really tough week this week. Elder Birrell leaves for transfer meeting tommorow where he will be going home on Wednesday. I have really seen him grow this past little bit and have noticed how strong his testimony is. It has been a bit hard though because he has become "trunkie!" I love him though. We have been talking alot about home though. But I passed off another lesson with him this week and will be passing off another one before he leaves tommorow with him. I have had to memorize so many scriptures but have truly loved doing it. This week has been pretty good though. We have been tracting alot and having little success but its been good trying to find people. I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders this week and take over our area. I know the area better than I thought which gives me comfort. I need to stop stressing out about alot of things but put all that energy that goes into stressing, into the Lord. We haven't really had much sucess teaching our investigators but we have been using the Book of Mormon in our teaching more. There has been a drastic difference when we have used The Book of Mormon. It is tangible evidence that our Church is true, without it we would just be another Church. I have made some new goals for this new transfer that will help me stretch and grow. I am excited to get a new companion as well even though it will be different I am really excited. Elder Farrer, who is serving in Cammeron and is in our district, is being transferred as well. So half of our District will be new. My new companion will be the District Leader so that will be good! Things have been going really good here though. It has definately been a real growing experience for me thats for sure. I can see myself changing to what the Lord wants me to be. We had Stake Conference this weekend which was great. We had a broadcast from Salt Lake. Elder Sitati, Sister Thompson and President Packer spoke. It was really great. I love how the spirit works. Its not only a comforter but it also is a corrector. It has chastized me so many times this week which means that I have alot of changing but that the Lord cares enough about me to push me in the right direction. I also have the FLU!!!! It has been terrible but I have been trying to work as much as I can. Its getting worse but I know and have faith that if I keep working hard the Lord will help me. I hate being sick but it happens. It has started to get really beautiful here. It got up to 90 the other day. Man its going to be a hot summer. Well I am glad to hear that everything is going well. I hope you know that I love you all and am so proud of each one of you. May the Lord bless you as you continue to do those daily things to bring you closer to him. Like it says in the Book of Mormon Introduction: "A man/women will grow closer to God if he reads the Book of Mormon"

Love Elder Butler

Working out Salvation

Well my week has been pretty good. We went golfing again on Monday so it was pretty fun. I am getting better at it but its a hard sport. So this past week Astevia, Kim and Katherine have been sick so we haven't been able to teach them at all which has been a real bummer! We have been doing alot of tracting but haven't had anyone be responsive about our message. I had the opportunity to sing in Church on Sunday and it went really well. I messed up a bit but thats ok. The spirit was definitely there testifying of the message I was singing about. Elder Birrell was asked to speak for a bit on the Sunday morning. He did a wonderful job for being asked right on the spot. He has really been converted to the gospel through this experience being a missionary. "A testimony is what we know and feel but conversion is what we do and become." We have been meeting with Brother Leech again but he leaves again this Friday for a month of training. He is "becoming" and I really love him so much. I dont know why but I feel a special connection with him! Elder Birrell has been letting me do alot of things, like plan what were doing, weekly planning, phoning everybody, passing off the lessons, just getting ready for him to leave. Its crazy that he only has 7 days left. It seems like I just got here yesterday. We have stake conference this weekend which will be awesome. Its starting to get really warm outside. I was on exchanges yesterday and we biked 20 miles. It was a good bike ride. We got to see Mrs. Torrez. She is a minister at another Church but has come to Relief Society and felt a spirit there that she loved. So we will continue trying to get ahold of her. We are going to try and be setting dates this week if the spirit prompts us to. I am still trying to learn the lessons better. I am starting to get comfortable with teaching people. I am starting to know what the spirit is and how it feels and how I can recognize it. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!! It is truly helping me change to become a better follower/disciple of Christ. Well this week is going to be really wierd for me but I am going to try my best to focus and help Elder Birrell focus. He is so great and I love him so much. We have been trying to share the first vision as much as we can because there is a special spirit when a missionary shares that first vision. I have almost got it down but the spirit is still strong even though i don't say it word for word but I'm working at it. I have also been trying to memorize a scripture for each principle of every lesson. I will be passing of Lesson 2 and 4 this week and then I will be done passing them off!!! Well things are going really well here. I am glad things are going good at home! I love you all so much and if there is anything I can ever do for you let me know.
Love Elder Butler

P.S. - What is Nicholas Perona's MTC Address or where can I write him?!?!?!?And could you possibly find out Patrick Laing's new address as well!!! Oh sorry, and is anybody gettting married???? I have heard of a few already but just curious!