tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18569152588112870112024-03-12T19:34:04.717-07:00Elder SpurlinTHE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTSUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-83365965818850846532012-10-01T07:31:00.001-07:002012-10-01T07:31:07.898-07:00Sept 24, 2012<br />
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<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13490920220333398" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13490920220333397" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Yep, we got to go to the temple as a mission on thursday. It was awesome of course. I've been studying the Law of sacrifice this week since then. Pretty interesting stuff. The temple pres. talked to us in the chapel session about some stuff that really piqued my interest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> We had another baptism this weekend of another polygamist back ground girl. She packed the chapel as well. It was a great service.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> You nailed it right on the head with my companion ha It's been difficult going from VERY experienced to no experience. It's been tough to get people to take the necessary steps but the Lord is blessing us. And he's blessing ME with patience. Yep, Ben is about to change a whooooollleeee lot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Give melissa a big hug for me and tell her i love her. And everyone else too but especially her. I'll definitely fast and pray for andy and kayla still too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I really hope it all works out that we can all go to the temple. That'll be so awesome.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well sorry this is so short. Life is great and we're tearin it up my last couple weeks. Tell dad i love him and thanks for his email, i printed it out. Love you! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder spurlin </span></span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-81463886532964629112012-10-01T07:29:00.001-07:002012-10-01T07:29:12.929-07:00Aug 23, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom, thanks for your email :) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So at church on sunday this girl stopped us in the hallway and said, "Hey! I saw your sister the other day!" Baha she worked at the "Malt shop" <span style="color: black;">Where Chris & her friend </span>stopped for lunch after the temple. It was so funny. I'm glad i'm not the only one who loves the manti temple so much. That really is my favorite place on earth i think. It just has a different feel than anywhere else i've ever been, including temples. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Things here are still going great though. We're still finding like crazy. It was hard to meet with people last week cause school started but this week things <span style="color: black;">sh</span>ould settle down. Oh! We did have a baptism this past weekend though, not sure if i mentioned that. I'll have to send you pictures next week though cause i forgot my memory card adapter today. Sorry! We've seen lots of miracles this week as well though. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I know i've talked about fasting before but ah! I have such a testimony of it! I've been fasting once a week for the past several weeks for Heavenly Fathers help developing some personal things but also to help us be more spiritualy sensitive as a companionship and to help me teach that to Elder Larsen and Oh my goodness! What a difference. countless times this week we diverted from our plans because somewhere else just seemed like the place to be and if not there, then as a result of that we were lead to someone to talk to or a non-member. It's been quite the amazing experience. There's power in fasting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We're gonna go change out our laundry, Love ya!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin </span></span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-1414650958952645382012-10-01T07:18:00.001-07:002012-10-01T07:18:23.810-07:00Sept 3, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-size: small;"> The past week has been good. We have 8 people with a baptismal date now and several new investigators we should pick up this week. There's still tons of potentials here. All 15 bishops in the stake were asked by our amazing stake president to know and meet every single person in their ward. In effect to have every bed accounted for, and to compile a list of every non-member in each ward. They'll be giving that to us in the next week or two. That is going to help an </span><span style="color: #454545;">immeasurable</span><span style="color: #454545; font-size: small;"> amount. We're really excited about that and it's doable because of the size of the college. Lots to do. We're finally gonna get to go fishing next monday. I really love this area a lot, i'm gonna miss it like crazy. We know everyone and that makes it loads of fun. I'm trying to teach Elder Larsen how to best work with the members cause that's where the true strength and success comes from in our mission and there's always a certain level of fun that comes from that. The biggest challenge for missionaries is knowing when you're engaged in a productive activity verses wasting time. If you're being a disciple or a dude. Like going to ward family home evenings on monday nights. Alot of missionaries would say that's a waste of time or that it's just hanging out but i'm trying to teach elder Larsen that there's a fine line between the two. You can go and build confidence in the members but you have to recognize what activities are appropriate there and how long to stay and such. Anyways, he's picking it up and has alot of common sense and i'm really happy about that :)</span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-24924769336233303302012-10-01T06:57:00.002-07:002012-10-01T06:57:47.924-07:00Aug 20, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well things here have been very eventful. All the students got back on saturday. We talked to SO many people. We probly made over a hundred trips up and down stairs with boxes helping people move in, we gave ut over a hundred <a href="http://mormon.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">mormon.org</a> cards with our phone number on it and we got lots of referrals. But then on sunday, yesterday, that's when all the miracles started happening. We're finally being blessed for all those hours knocking doors when there was nothing else to do. We found people like crazy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The entire stake met for the first time in a brand new building here in Ephraim. It's the new YSA stake center. It's a 4 1/2 millon dollar building. HUGE. That sucker has 11 bathrooms, 8 bishops offices, 2 chapels and a massive cultral hall. It's pretty big. There were roughly 1000 students there. We have a really good relationship with the stake President, President Bailey. He pulled us both up to the pulpit at the end of the meeting and asked everyone in the congregatin who was willing to help us in the missionary effort to raise there hand. Of course everyone did. But it was neat to look out and see how many people were there. Then after that meeting the whole rest of the day we went to a few different housing complexes and met tons more people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> We found a girl who had just finished all the missionary lessons right before she moved here for school and wants to be baptized. That was one where we weren't planning to knock on her door but something said we should so we went out of our way and did and there she was. Then we found another guy who has lived in Salt Lake all his life but never met with missionaries or learned about the church and really wants to be taught, etc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> He was a neat one. We were riding out of of a different set of apartments and from the top floor of the apartments directly across the streets a room full of people shouted "Missionaries!" so we rode over to the building, found their door and knocked on it and met all of them. They were all members so we shared a message with them, ate a piece of cake and left. (we ate SSOO much junk yesterday.) The neat part though was that the door directly across the hallway from them when we knocked on it had the guy wanting the lessons. He doesn't live in that one, he just happened to be there. So if those people wouldn't have yelled and us not have gone and then knocked on the neighbors door like we've been taught to do, we wouldn't have found him. Neat how those things work!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> We moved into a new house this past week too. We're not living with the other elders anymore. It's an older house but we have the whole thing to ourselves. It's really nice cause we can actually ride our bikes home and eat lunch there instead of living 2 miles outside of town up a massive hill. We basically live on campus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> We had a training with President Leonard on tuesday. When all the new missionaries come into the mission President is supposed to train them on afew basics but they're usually really overwhelmed so he's started coming a few weeks later and training all the new missionaries and their trainers on those things. I've been quizing Elder Larsen on random things while we ride our bikes around lately and teaching him things and he never complains but i can kinda tell e gets annoyed with me. President though in his training brought up and asked about EVERY single one of the things i've been teaching and quizing him on. It did alot to validate to him the things i've been trying to teach him cause he knew all the answers when alot of the other new missionaries didn't. He thanked me later for teaching him those things and he's alot more eager and patient with me now so i'm really grateful for that. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well that's about all that's going on here, I hope everyone has a great week. Enjoy having the youngins there, give them a hug and kiss for me :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin</span></span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-90140794642551701992012-10-01T06:56:00.001-07:002012-10-01T06:56:17.552-07:00Aug 13, 2012<br />
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<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13490920220331519" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13490920220331518" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Things are good. It soudns like things are pretty good there. We've actually been getting some rain here too. I enjoy riding our bikes in the rain, it's alot of fun. I'm glad work is getting back to normal. It's nice for me having a normal schedule too. I'm reeeaaaalllyyy enjoying having a normal study schedule. It's nice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I'm really excited to be speaking with you in sacrament :) That's gonna be a lot of fun. there's nothing in particular i want you to speak on. I don't even know what i'm gonna speak bout yet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> You know i've been thinking aLOT about why guys back home don't get very excited about serving missions or don't plan to. I've thought about it my whole mission actually. It bugs me. I think i've figured a few ideas out though. Maybe somewhere down the line we'll be able to get that changed around.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I actually don't have any idea about the "gift of Aaron". I don't know exactly what that means. I'de love to hear what you learn though.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I'm happy. Things here are great. The days are long and hot and all we do is knock doors all day till the students get back in a week but we don't care :) It's still fun. Elder Larsen isn't a whiner so we get along just fine. We were able to double the size of our teaching pool and investigators with a baptismal date this week and i think we won the respect of the stakes and a few of the High Councilmen over missionary work and ward mission leaders. Hopefully we can get them rallied up and make some great things happen in the next 2 1/2 months.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Love ya dad,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Larsen is doing great. He's a trooper. All we've done aaallll week was knocked doors but he hasn't complained or whined one bit. It's really fun being a district leader and trainer again. Yeah i travel inside the district to other elders areas. We go on exchanges where one companion swaps places with a companion from another area for 24 hours. It's fun and it's a great training and learning opportunity. Then i also report all the numbers from my district to the zone leaders of course.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Thanks for sharing your experiences with prayer you've had lately. Elder Larsen and i are studying revelation through prayer and that's the subject of our district training meetings this month so that's really fitting. I really appreciated your thoughts and experiences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nope, we didn't get to go fishing today cause it's raining. We're gonna try to go next week though. I'll </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">definitely</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> send </span>pictures<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I kinda reported on the week in dad's email so i'll let you read that. Life is good though.I can't remember a time i've ever been happier. Love ya mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin</span></span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-59734353934622598492012-10-01T06:51:00.001-07:002012-10-01T06:51:29.141-07:00Aug 6, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Whewy. What a week. I feel like i've spent the week tumbling around in the dryer ha I don't know where to start so i reckon i'll just start from the beginning. We got all our departing missionaries sent of on wed. That was pretty sad. It was really really sad to see elder Brown go especially. I'm gonna miss him like crazy. There wasn't too much time to be sad though cause as soon as they left the new ones arrived. We got them all to the stake center and fed and the office staff debriefed them on a bunch of stuff for a couple hours while president interviewed each of them one by one and while we trained the trainers. It was weird to train the trainers this time knowing that i was really training myself too. But finally the time came when we got to meet our trainees. We all go into the same room and President has the new missionaries stand up one by one and introduce themselves, then he calls the trainer up and he meets his new companion yada yada. Of course i was the very last one ha But i already knew which one i was getting so it was ok. So then we got all loaded up on the transfer van and were taken up to our new areas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My new comps name is Elder Larsen from Washington state. He's coming straight from the MTC and he's really, really good. I'm very happy with him. I love being in Ephraim. I'm suprised it's only 3 1/2 squar miles too ha it seems alot bigger. But maybe that's cause we are walking. I love being in a walk/biking area :) You can talk to sso many more people and you just feel like a missionary. Our house is 2 miles outside of town up a 1 1/2 mile hill so that's no fun, but usually the elders we live with give us a ride home. Our house right now is only temporary for us until they find us something in town. We're living with elder pedersen and his new trainee. We both were in st. george until we came here and he was one of our zone leaders so i know him really well. I was his zone leader when he came into the mission actually.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our area right now is really rough. We cover just the college, so both the YSA stakes in town, and there is no one here because it's still summer break. The work is gonna explode in two weeks though when everyone comes back. Someone told us there will be 800 more people when they move in for school, 200-300 of which will be non-members. I like those numbers. My goal is to have atleast 10 baptisms before i go home but we'll see how that goes. Elder Larsen is a good asset already. The only problems he has come from not knowing enoughyet but other than that he's willing to talk to everyone and doesn't get nervous and is just really really good. I'm really grateful for that because the knowledge he'll learn but those instincts are alot harder to teach.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It is pretty weird not being an assistant anymore but not as weird as i thought it'd be. I have no idea what's going on in the mission and i really miss st. george but i'm happy where i'm at too. The Lord is helping me focuse on what i'm to do to build up snow college and i realize that i've had my time to be an assistant and learn from that calling and now my calling is to train elder larsen the best i can and learn here. So i'm happy. :) very very happy.</span></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, not too much more to report on my end. Lots of fun and exciting things ahead. Ha ok one more thing, last night somehow we ended up in the common room of the dorms where the football players are staying right now and taught a group of about 10 big burly non- member players from all over the east,the restoration. It was so stinkin fun. I don't think i've ever had so much fun teaching. We were able to quell alot of the common things they'd learned about mormons. Typical stuff from the east like we believe in aliens, horns, etc. Sooooo fun.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Love you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh! we also got to go to the castle valley pageant this last week. Kinda random but you should look it up. Elder zwick from the 70 was there and long story short i got to co-teach a non-member with him afterwards. It was AWESOME. If i could bear testimony like that...</span></span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-31218337998754347632012-10-01T06:48:00.004-07:002012-10-01T06:48:58.051-07:00July 30, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I'm gonna be kinda quick tonight. To answer some of your questions, i'm fairly excited to leave. I'm just kinda mellow about it because i love where i'm at but i will love training a new missionary in Ephraim also. I'm gonna go up there to cover all the YSA work at snow college. It should be really really fun. You're right though, i'm excited to have a set bed time again. My new companion and i are never going to bed late that's for sure ha. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I'm kinda nervous about the training aspect of training. Last time i trained my problem was that i hated to take time to explain things, i just wanted to get them done and be successful. I've changed alot since then so we'll see how that goes. My goal is to work in such a way that for every transfer after our two together, he'll look back to his first two as the bar that needs to be matched. I've developed some endurance for missionary work being an assistant and i want to help him develop that too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We had 3 baptisms this weekend. I got to baptize a south carolinian :) Who would have thought in Utah of all places. Totally random. Then another girl elder Hawkins and i actually met when we were together 9 months ago named kenzie was baptized, then kasey from Florida was baptized tonight. It was a great weekend. We are really good friends with all three of them and it's gonna be really sad to leave them all. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That's about all i can think of to say tonight, we're gonna go home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Love ya,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin </span></span></div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-35906389722001375432012-10-01T06:45:00.002-07:002012-10-01T06:45:56.389-07:00July 24, 2012<br />
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Hey mom,</div>
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Well, this past week has been nuts. We've gotten aLOT done. We taught over 40 lessons this week. We didn't have any bapisms but we have 3 next weekend so that's alright. One of the ones getting baptized is the girl from <span style="color: black;">Lancaster, </span>South Carolina :) This week I also got to go on exchanges up in Richfield which was alot of fun. <span style="color: black;">LOVE the members there </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="color: black;"> </span>We drove up early friday morning, exchanged, elder hawkins and elder dallon drove back down to st. George straight away and proselyted there all day while elder Chadsey and I stayed in richfield. Saturday morning they drove back up real early and we re exchanged and came back down. Lots of driving but it was alot of fun. I got to see some recent converts and old investigators i really care about. Most of them are doing really well. There were a few really interesting things that happened in the mission too but none of them are things i'm supposed to tell anyone about ha i reeeaaallyyyyyy wish i could though cause they were crazy.</div>
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We got to speak in a sac. meeting today. We talked about modern pioneers. I included you and dad in mine of course, talking about that type of pioneer but also since almost everyone there were already members and wont get the opportunity to be that type of pioneer i talked about how they can be pioneers themselves in their every day life. It was a really fun topic to speak on.</div>
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Oh, one other thing. I learned again this week how greatful i am for you and dad and your example. You are amazing people. If we're going by elder bednar's standards, you two live the Lord's standard to a T. He syas that success in life and missionary work comes "when we give everything, and expect nothing". Thinking of your example helped me alot because my companion had a kind of weak day where satan just pounded on him with doubts about his abilities and living up to what's expected of him and such and so he was crying expressing all that while it seemed like everyone else in the world was calling doing the same and for a time i really got frustrated. I had the attitude of, " I have my own worries and insecurities! Who am i supposed to go to?? How am i supposed to carry your burdens, and mine? Or, maybe if you forgot yourself and actually got to work, these problems of yours would go away.." I dunno, weird thoughts and feelings like that ha But i said a prayer and thought about you and dad and how growing up, you've always "given everything, expecting nothing" and instantly i knew i needed to repent and quit that foolish thinking. Why shouldn't i help everyone else? Who says i can't help with their burdens and my own at the same time? That's what Christ does right? So i decided to quit being selfish and looking for something for myself and "give everything, expecting nothing". Once i apologized to Heavenly Father and set in again with that attitude, things actually got alot better really quick. So thank you very very much for yours and dad's examples.</div>
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Love y<span style="color: black;">ou</span>,</div>
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Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-4262997575374976852012-07-12T10:19:00.003-07:002012-07-12T10:19:34.150-07:00July 9, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This past week was pretty good. We had a good fourth of July. We had Zone Leader Council that day so all the zone leaders came into town and we had our monthly 6 hour long training meeting. It was crazy, President pretty much gave me and Elder Hawkins the whole thing and let us train everyone. He only took 45 mins for himself. We did the majority of the training on studies (personal and comp), having more frequent but shorter lessons and something i came up with called WPM (Words per minute). That one has had the biggest impact so far. We have SO many young and even old missioanries who have a 50 minute lesson in which they just talk and talk and talk and tell and tell and tell. Several months ago when i was a zone leader i watched President do a role play in ZLC that was amazing! then right after, a zone leader did one that was.... just ok. I thought to myself, what's the difference? They taught the same thing but one felt like true teaching and one just felt like explaining.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It clicked that alot of it was the speed with which they spoke. The actual speed at which words came out of their mouths. And the quality. President never uses any filler words like "um" or "Like" or "you know what i mean?". It's like the prophet speaking at general conference or the scriptures. Every word means something. The very way you allow words to come out, accompanied with how much you pause and think can have SUCH a huge impact on the spirit in the lesson. You go from being an average person explaining something to a whole lot more. It was that and the questions asked. Since i had that epiphany months ago i've striven to teach like that and it has sure allowed the spirit to do alot more with my teaching. I brought it up to elder Hawkins when we got to be companions again and he slowed down his speach and what a difference it has made. We notice it everywhere now ha in Sacrament talks, in testimonies, in other peoples teaching etc. There's power in speaking like the apostles and prophets. So we did the majority of our training in ZLC on that. It's something so small but turns out if you want an easy way to take any 6 foot missionary and help him become an 8 foot missionary, is by teaching him how to control his WPM and how to ask better questions. It's already had a real good impact.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Besides that, we just taught the rest of the 4th. Then thursday and friday we were up in Mt. Pleasant , then Price on exchanges with the zone leaders up there. That was a very fun productive trip. Then saturday we had a baptism of a girl named Audrie. She is really neat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Well, we still have a bunch more stuff to do tonight for Zone Conferences coming up this week so i'm gonna go. I love you!</span></span></div>
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</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-35345233148443959332012-07-12T10:16:00.004-07:002012-07-12T10:18:14.284-07:00July 3, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIKKI!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It sounds like everyone has been having fun in the heat. I'll take st. George thanks. Atleast this is fake-ish easy heat. I'd MUCH rather be 110 in the dry than 100 in the humid.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I haven't been back up to the manti pageant. We just went the one night. We haven't had any fires in st. George yet either. There were some bad ones up towards ephraim and 1 set of elders got evacuated but that's it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> That sounds like a pretty awesome program the mission is trying. That's really a fantastic idea. If you can get people to read the Book of Mormon they'll get baptized, then stay active.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The work is going good. We are still being so so blessed in our area. We taught almost as many lessons this week as we did in the week there were three of us here. We WORKED this week. It felt so good. As we did so the Lord blessed us with 4 new investigators that we did not have to look for at all. Two neat experiences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Did i tell you we were teaching someone from SC? She's from lancaster . We were seeing someone in one apartment but they weren't home so we were walking back to the car when i saw a window that said " Tennessee " and without even thinking about it we just went and knocked on it. The conversation went like this, "Hi there, what's your name?" "_____", "Awesome it's nice to meet you, i'm Elder Spurlin. Where ya from?", " South Carolina ", " Noo wwaaaayyyyy (disbelieving voice ha) what part?", " Lancaster ", "Whaaattttt?? Do you know where Rock Hill is?" and so on and so forth ha She's not a member, but we're teaching her and she's progressing fantasticaly. She came to church today and wants to be baptized.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then another one, we were walking back to our car at like 9:15 to get home before 9:30 and halfway across the road out of the corner of our eye we see someone sitting on the curb. Again, without even thinking ha I, ( I know i keep saying I but both of these particular instances involved me acting first for some reason. It's not always like that, Elder Hawkins acts first too. ) literally <u>ran</u> back across the way we came to shake his hand and talk to him. He wasn't a member and we're now teaching him and helping him prepare for baptism also. SO many miracles! Then the other two new investigators came to us wanting to meet. One is even from Tampa and grew up going to Ft. Myers all the time. What a testimony of the Lord preparing people and putting them in your path when you're striving to make yourself ready for them. Especially when you go the extra mile at 9:15 at night ha Neat stuff.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Anyways, we're gonna go home. Lots of fun stuff happening in the mission and lots to do! Happy July 4th again, Love ya! Elder Spurlin </span></span><br />
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</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-17308740953746482082012-07-12T10:15:00.003-07:002012-07-12T10:15:37.891-07:00June 25, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It has been quite a week ha We haven't stopped runnin of course. I'll tell ya, i'm grateful for this experience though. It's a whole lot different being an assistant coming into the area with Elder Brown<span style="color: navy;"> </span>than it is leading the area and being the one "in charge" (only because elder Hawkins doesn't know all the responsibilities).I've definately learned more <span style="color: black;">about</span> how to cope and act (not react) under extreme stress. When the only person who has more responsibility than you is the mission President and something you're in charge of goes wrong, it's stressful. Haha And that seemed to happen more than once this weekend. But that's all the whining i'll do. It went well. And on the bright side, we welcomed 12 of the finest, most prepared, best looking Elders i've ever seen into the mission. This group is the future of the mission. It was absolutely incredible the spirit their whole group had with them. It hit me what a force the army of helaman must have been. Physically and spiritually. That's how these were, fit spiritually and physically. Ready to work. It was awesome. We also saw 4 Elders and 1 sister off who went home. The Manti pageant was alot of fun. It was neat being able to organize it all then go and participate too. We got to do a short training inthecastfireside before hand again like last year. There was no one of "significance" there this year like there was last year but still a neat experience. It was really warm up there this year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It's been pretty warm here this week too. I think it hit 110 today. Atleast it's dry though.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That's neat that laura got to take a trip like that. I bet she had fun.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I know this isn't too much but we're gonna go home. Oh, we had two great baptisms this weekend. I'll send pictures next week. Elder Hawkins and i are doing great and we're getting work done. Tell dad thanks for his email and the pictures. I'm gonna use some of the quotes he sent in our weekly communicator</span></span></div>
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</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-58483175999341186792012-07-12T10:13:00.001-07:002012-07-12T10:13:41.655-07:00June 18, 2012<br />
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Happy Father's day dad! Hope you had a great day :)</div>
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Well this week has been pretty eventful. We've worked on transfers all week with President and finally got them done and the calls made today. On tuesday my new/old companion got snuck down here to our area so elder brown and i could show him the ropes before elder brown leaves on tuesday. My new comp is Elder Hawkins :) We were together like 9 months ago here in a different part of st. George. I'm so stinkin excited to be companions with him again. He's the one from australia. I'm super sad to see elder Brown go though. I don't have a better friend anywhere in the world. It's been a blast serving with him. I've never had so much fun and satisfaction in my life. It's ok though. He's only got 6 weeks left, then he goes home and comes back to BYU. I feel like after i get a job i may or may not make a trip or two out to stay with Christy for a while ha We had two baptisms this weekend, that was exciting. Then we should have atleast 1 a week for the next long while. We'll see how it goes. I'm excited for school to get back in :) If we're having this kind of success during the summer, i can't WAIT for there to actually be lots of people here. Like i said before we were in a threesome this week and we were able to teach 50 lessons (the mission average is like 16), find a few new investigators and have two baptisms. It has been by far the most productive week on my mission as far as lessons and such. Lots and lots of fun. I have no idea how to train someone to be an assistant but we'll see how it goes i reckon. I'll have to write more next week, it's super late and we're ready to go home. I love you all very very much,</div>
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Elder Spurlin</div>
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</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-8569608216111897422012-07-12T10:11:00.004-07:002012-07-12T10:11:31.395-07:00June 4, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I'm glad everything is good. Hooray new nephew! I'm glad the zone conference went well! and that they liked the alfredo. If you see elder Brown again tell him i said hi and so does his mom. I told her before i left richfield i'd tell him if i ever saw or talked to him. That's neat that he's in Rock Hill . Yeah i don't know who the other elder was. I don't have much to report on tonight. We were out of our area on exchanges up to price and richfield for two solid days this week but we were still able to make the best out of the time we did have here. There's lots goin on with transfers coming up again soon and stuff. We've already started figuring those out, plus elder Brown and I get to make all the arrangements and organize the missionary side of the manti pageant (talk about a headache)... Yaaayyyy.... haha Other than that, we're going to the temple tomorrow for our p-day! That's about the most exciting thing.. Huh. Yeah, well, that's about it. we're gonna go home and go to bed. I love you! I'm definately going to go ahead and start praying for aunt mindy and uncle jim and grandma and papa to come to the home coming. And tell Tyler congratulations! That's awesome. Love you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I'll write more next week i promise</span></span></div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-18022314608900794232012-07-12T10:10:00.000-07:002012-07-12T10:10:44.191-07:00May 28, 2012<br />
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Hey mom,</div>
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Oh man i wish i could have seen <span style="color: black;">T</span>yler and <span style="color: black;">B</span>en sing! Haha i bet that was awesome. Tell tyler congrats for me when he gets his call. That's super exciting.</div>
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This week was a pretty darn good week. Nothing quite as hillarious as last week happened but it was alot of fun and really productive. We didn't have a baptism this week but will have several coming up soon. We saw the hand of the Lord alot as we taught and found new investigators.</div>
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You know what one of my favorite things about college work is? Every now and again you'll come across an apartment where a party is goin on with the doors open and music playin and people in and out smoking and drinkin and Heaven knows someone always has to make some sort of comment about offering the missionaries a drink ha "Hey, someone ask the mormon guys if they want a shot!" It never fails haha But i love being able to go over with a bold smile on your face, look everyone in the eye while you shake hands and ask their name, make a whitty comment here or there and eventually having everyone stop for a minute or two while you share a thought. They're completely thrown off at first that you even came over and sometimes they wont let you share a thought but you just have to own the situation. The most thrilling part is when you get the music turned down and explain what we do as missionaries and explain why we're on a mission. Then you testify boldly of the consequences and feelings of sin and the sweet peace of forgiveness you've felt in your life and that they can feel too . If the spirit is there strong enough you could hear a pin drop while you talk. Then as soon as you finish the music goes back up and everyone gets back to drinking but to feel the spirit testify to a group of people like that is awesome. I've noticed too that you can turn the burliest hard criminal looking person into a softy if you mention something about his momma haha :p It's just super super neat. Pretty soon you get to know all the homies and Gs in their neighborhoods and when they see you they yell "Heeeyyyy! Elders! Hows it goin??" </div>
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We had to move out of our house this week. Our landlord's son was moving back home so they needed the downstairs back of their house. We had the full downstaris to ourselves. It was basicaly an entire house, fully furnished etc. We moved into an upstairs of someones house more towards the middle of town. It's a nice place but i really miss our old place ha</div>
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I'm really struggling for things to say :p I don't know what to talk about... <span style="color: black;">too tired! </span>Well, that's about all i got. <span style="color: black;">Going home & to bed finally. </span>Love you!</div>
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Elder Spurlin</div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-13257238307720651632012-07-12T10:08:00.002-07:002012-07-12T10:08:45.320-07:00May 21, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It sounds like you're having alot of fun :) I'm pretty jealous even if it is chilly and windy. I'm glad Melissa and Glenn got to come too. I loved the pictures dad sent of them fishing. It's funny, i could tell exactly where they were on the pond in each picture. Can't wait to go (but really i can :p) 19 months today. Crazy crazy. We had a really good baptism yesterday. I'm really enjoying this transfer. Elder Brown and I are finding so much joy in the work. It's like we don't even care about anything else ha All we care about is working. Since we're both in the fourth quarter it's like something snapped and every waking thought we have is about finding new investigators and teaching. It's almost comical lol We talk to everyone we see. We dropped every reservation and fear we had and just don't care anymore. We ran down the street in front of the visitor center to catch up to a guy we thought might be a ysa the other day. He wasn't ha Then elder brown started talking gospel with the worker at a McDonalds drive through window bahaha There was a line so we were stuck in front of the window so naturally he got her to open the window and brought up the gospel and she sloooowwwlllyyyy closed the window on him. It was hillarious. Have you ever been so tired that you don't even care about what's going on and you just think everything is the most funny thing you've ever seen? That kinda sums up our transfers so far ha Everything being funny and deliriously happy ^_^ Someone slams the door and one of us makes a little joke, we both laugh way too hard and we go to the next door. It's great.. It's a great frame of mind to be in. I've got to write in my journal tonight that i started falling asleep WHILE i was singing the closing hymn at church today! Can you believe that? That's gotta be a new record. Falling asleep while sound is coming out of your mouth. I have no idea if i was even singing the right words. So embarrassing. I felt like one of those funny pictures of the kids who fall asleep sitting on the toilet or something.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Anyways, we're gonna go home. I love you all!<span style="color: navy;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Elder Spurlin</span></span></div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-38405287811493086152012-07-12T10:07:00.001-07:002012-07-12T10:07:13.339-07:00May 7, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey mom,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> This ones gonna be short, we did transfer calls tonight and some of the other stuff we have to do surrounding transfers and i am beat. I'm glad things are going good though. This past week was really good. We had two baptisms which was exciting. We'll exceed our goal this month by 2. Doing transfers was an amazing experience. We came into the office at 9am most days this past week and met with president in front of the big transfer board until either 11am or 1pm each day. It wsa neat seeing revelation happen. We'd get everything figured out with this missionary there, this one training over here, a whitewash here, sisters go there and so on, President would take it all home, pray and ponder about it and come back the next day with a bunch of changes to be made. I think we redid the whole thing maybe 4 times. There's so much that goes into it. It was really really neat and i wont forget the things i learned from watching him do that for a long time. Then getting to call each missionary in the mission and extend their transfer call was neat too. We have 17 new missionaies coming in on wednesday, with only 4 going home, so lots of people are training. 7 sisters and 10 elders. That is a LOT of new missionaries. We almost had to break their "incoming training" and "meet your trainer" etc, up into two days worth. Luckily we can fit it all in. One of the sisters coming in is from Richmond , VA. I'm excited to talk with her. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wellp we're gonna go home. Maybe i'll be able to write a letter tomorrow telling about some of the neat spiritual experiences i've had lately. I know i've changed alot on my mission and had a lot of neat experiences but i feel like the Lord has quit messing around ha He's blessing me with so many consentrated opportunities to learn and grow It seems like a refiners fire and sometimes it gets really hot, but then i think about things like Glenn earning that award, or papa building a deck with one arm or you and dad raising us kids in the way you did in the midst of all our struggles and it reminds me of the stock i come from and that i can do anything the Lord wants me to do. Only he knows our limits. Love ya,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin </span></span></div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-38289719331336787772012-07-12T10:05:00.001-07:002012-07-12T10:05:28.724-07:00April 30, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey dad/everyone,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Thanks for your thoughts about the atonement dad, i really enjoyed them. We're helping a less active guy understand the atonement better so of course i've been studyin it too. Yesterday i posed the question for him to ponder over, "what's the difference between Christ being our savior and our redeemer?" (if i already shared this idea i apologize) We're gonna follow up on it next time we seem him. But if we go to Moroni ten we find out. It fits right along with grace i think. Verse 33 says, "33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye <span style="color: black;">sanctified</span> in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the <span style="color: #333333;">blood</span> of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your <span style="color: black;">sins</span>, that ye become <span style="color: black;">holy</span>, without spot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Pay attention to the phrase "remission of your sins" and "that ye become holy". Christ is our savior because he remits our sins, and he's our redeemer because he can make us holy. If the atonement was only the remit sins part, it wouldn't work. What good would it do to come here from heaven and have our sins remitted and then go back the same as how we left? It wouldn't do any good. We need that redeeming aspect because it's the power to change or "Make Holy". Christ can change our heart in ways we can't, and that happens through his grace i suppose. Kinda neat :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Anyways, we had a really good baptism yesterday of Kevin :) It waaaassss amazing. One of my very favorites for sure. Him and his roomate joey are so awesome. Joey's gonna be baptized as soon as he's off probation. I got to confirm kevin in sacrament meeting today which was awesome of course. Then him and joey both spoke at a recent convert fireside we had this evening. That's a fireside where only recent converts speak and missionaries bring investigators to hear the testimonies of those who were just how they were, and made the step of baptism. It was neat. Even though joey isn't baptized yet he still spoke. Solid solid testimony. We also got to speak twice today about being a witness of Christ. That's gotta be one of my favorite things to speak about. Lets see, what else...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Will you tell Ben and Tyler and Seth that i'm proud of them? They're making it happen and setting themselves up for fanTASTIC missions. If they'll keep doing what they're doing, and go into it <u>wanting</u> to follow every rule and be an example to everyone, including other missionaries, Heavenly Father wont be able to restrain the blessings. I would take them into our mission ANY day. I love them a whole whole lot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well i can't really think of anything else to say.. We're being blessed. Elder Brown and I are seeing alot of success in our area. Summer hits next week though so we'll see what that brick wall does. That's tough serving on a college campus. Heavenly father will provide though.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin </span></span></div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-44779971357178087242012-04-27T16:50:00.001-07:002012-04-27T16:50:11.098-07:00April 23, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Thanks for thinkin about me so much :) I can always count on you thinking and praying for me. You know i'm actually really enjoying myself. It's tough at times but I am loving it. It's causing me to adapt but that's a good thing. I really feel like it's an answer to a prayer. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> We're mostly only in the office at night like from 9 till 11 30ish and for office meetings on tuesday and random other stuff so that's not too bad. We get to proselyte the rest of the time unless we're doing trainings or something. The paperwork Is a killer but believe it or not, i actually find myself enjoying it. It IS preparing me for those long nights of studying/working/having a life and i love that. If i can do this, i can do anything. Besides i pride myself on my mental toughness (knock on wood) and this DEFINATELY exercises mental toughness. Will i ever be able to have a job where i make a living this way? Heck no. In fact I firmly believe there will be no paperwork in the millenium, because there will be no opposision and paperwork directly opposes my very being.<span style="color: navy;"> </span><span style="color: black;">Ha ha!</span> But, for now i'm learning from it and i'm grateful for that :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So today Elder Rasband (as in Ronald A. Rasband, the general authority) came to one of our sacrament meetings and spoke. Definately wasn't expecting that. We got to meet him and everything but in his talk to gave some exciting info that i quickly jotted down. The first stakes have recently been organized in:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">indonesia</span></span> (largest muslim population in the world) <br />and india .</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> And even more exciting, the first branch has been established in bethlehem ! Can you believe it? In bethlehem , there's a branch with people who hold God's only true and functioning priesthood.. That's really really exciting. He told about how him and his wife went to the holy land a few weeks ago and attended the service. It was awesome.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Also, with kevin, He's SUPER solid. Once he got his answer it's all been so good. He was telling us tonight that he's been happier the last few days then he's ever been in his whole life. "Yeah, i'm happier then i ever was getting girls, doin drugs, drinking... I feel good on the inside because i know i'm doin what God wants me to do." Huh, imagine that, happier with the gospel then you were getting girls and drinking. Now there's a novel idea :p He's awesome. His baptism is next saturday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Oh yeah we had our zone conferences this week. We did two in st. george wednesday and thursday then one in richfield on friday. We were basicaly in charge of everything. Literaly. We went late tuesday night and set everything up from tables and chairs to audio equiptment, then took it all down, then set it all up, then took it all down. We conducted them, made all the assignments, etc. Then, thursday night we drove to richfield, got there about 12:30am, got up at 6, set it all up, had a full day of trainings, then at 4pm, took it all down. ha Then drove home and taught the rest of the night. As tiring and crazy as it was it was SO FUN! I LOVED it. I love love love being in the middle of everything so much. I've never felt so spiritualy fed in my entire life either. Getting to see all the missionaries in the mission, being trained by president three days in a row, and then being able to train other missionaries three days in a row was incredible. We did two trainings each day. One on goals and such and then one on being a "dude vs. Disciple". That one was way fun. We acted out being dudes and it was rediculous. We had everyone laughing so hard. then we talked about things we do and don't do in our mission and about giving your heart yada yada. Uh-mazing. I know i talk about being tired alot, but i wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. This is what i always imagined my mission to be :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Kinda bummed the summer hits in two weeks because everyone goes home and our teaching pool is gonna be destroyed, but we'll see how that goes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I</span></span> Love you!</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Elder Spurlin</span></span></div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-86151788745689243052012-04-27T16:46:00.001-07:002012-04-27T16:46:46.275-07:00April 16, 2012<br />
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There's so much i want to tell you! I gotta be selective though cause i don't think what i'll say is gonna make much sense in a few mins. I'm goin downhill ha BUT,</div>
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Tonight we had a lesson at the visitor center with a guy named kevin. Kevin is 20, from Boston, your typical college kid. He's really cool. we've literaly watched his life change over the last week. He's gone from doing drugs cause they were fun, to quitting cold turkey and not even having the desire to do them, in a weeks time. We've been helping him gain a testimony of the book of mormon so tonight we met at the visitor center in a teaching room and read a chapter from the bom with him. Before we left we told kevin he was gonna get his answer and that he was gonna pray and ask right then and we were all gonna just sit there and listen, and then he'd get his answer. Well, that's exactly what happened. ..........!! It was the most awesome thing! We kneeled down, he prayed and asked, then we just sat there. And sat. And sat a little bit more. I was pleeeaaaaddiinngggg with Heavenly Father to please please please let him feel the spirit and then he said, "whoa. ... The words that just popped into my head were, "read the book, my words are true"........ I think i just got my answer..." !!!! I feel like i've waited my whole mission for something like that to happen! It was awesome. We got to watch someone get an answer. He expounded on his feelings right then, then we asked him, "So what does that mean?" And he said, "That the book of mormon is true." So we asked, "And what does THAT mean?" And he said, " That joseph smith was a prophet." and then we said, "Yes! So what does that mean?" and he said, "That i should probly be baptized.." And we confirmed that yes, that was the correct assumption. ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ Man oh man. And the lesson right before his we put a girl on date for baptism also. Elder Brown and i both feel like this whole week went right along with Elder Holland's talk about how we shouldn't get upset if the Lord doesn't bless us at 9am, because he can very well bless us at 6pm. This week has been really, really rough, but those 2 hours tonight made up for every bit of it. I'd go through the whole week again just to witness the blessings tonight :)</div>
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Oh, another exciting side note, we met this guy named kris. He's a BIG ole black boy from mississippi, not a member of the church, plays football at the college yada yada, but he has a frydaddy in his apartment! :D We hit it off with them really well. I'm gonna buy some chicken tomorrow and we're gonna go fry up some chicken and have a lesson with him and his roomate this week. I wish you could get good catfish out here. He's been goin to church with his girlfriend lately, he actually came to a ward with us today, elder brown taught and baptized his cousin right before i got here.. It's just all lined up for a good conversion. Fellowshippers, church attendance and fried food. :)</div>
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We've gotta be up at 6 in the mornin so we're goin home and goin to bed. I love you very very very very much!</div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-2472200857035684082012-04-27T16:43:00.001-07:002012-04-27T16:43:33.701-07:00April 9, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hey <span style="color: black;">everyone,</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="color: navy;">T</span>his week was good.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> Thanks for sharing about the experience you had mom. It's like we read though, whatever we ask in faith, nothing doubting we'll receive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I apologize if my spelling isn't the best. I'm so tired when i look at a word i honestly can't think if it's spelled right or not. They all look funny.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Elder Brown and I got to go do a special Zone conference with president Leonard this week for all the "Daily Dose" missionaries in the mission. They're senior couple missionaries who teach hispanics english as a way to introduce them to the gospel and refer them to regular missionaries. It was neat to be one of the only two full time elders there, with president and about 15 senior couples, having the opportunity to help train them on the doctrine of Christ. I was helping train 70 year old members of the church who have been bishops and councilors and so on, on the doctrine of Christ...! I'm only 21! What do i know?? ha whew. It was pretty neat. It becomes a whole new ball game i reckon when you add missionary work into doctrine. We helped demonstrate inviting them to learn more and how to tie in their english lessons with gospel principles, etc. I don't know it was just neat. I'm learning so much from being around president. I feel like a sponge, jst trying to soak it all up. My journal keeping suddenly changed. I'm not writing as much because i don't have the time but the things i do write each day are rich with tender experiences and lessons learned. I think looking back this is gonna be my favorite time to reflect upon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Oh, also, i did get my lisence stuff sent off. It'll probly take a while to get back but it all worked. There was an eye doctor who did my exam for free. Turns out i didn't need to get one after all if you read the fine print, but he gave us a referal so i think we were meant to go there even though i didnt need to.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I love you all very very much. Thanks for your thoughts about the atonement dad. You should look up a book called "the continuous atonement" by brad wilcox. That book changed my perspective of the atonement completely in the way you're talking about. Please please look it up if you get the chance. Love ya!</span></span></div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-53935967822816862322012-04-27T16:40:00.000-07:002012-04-27T16:41:10.945-07:00April 3, 2012There were a couple of weeks where Jeremy didn't write much or wrote only for family, so here is the next one to be shared:<br />
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Yeah i basicaly don't even know what to say.. I'm so tried.. In this past week i've gotten the least ammount of sleep i think i ever have consecutively, conducted meetings i didn't even know existed, taught college kids spicificaly about why we need to not smoke marijuana, and been happier then i've ever been. Boy howdy there's alot of work to be done. Most of it is still going over my head but i'll get it all eventually. More falls into place every day.</div>
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I'm glad you loved conference so much mom. Living my dream :) It was such a good conference though. I'de share some thoughts but i'm not even gonna try. I'm WAY to tired to think deeply.</div>
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We're gonna go look at suits tomorrow. I'll get a good one. I'm gonna get fitted first and see what sizes i need and everything cause its changed. Thank you thank you thank you.</div>
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I've already experienced this past week how the Lord qualifies whom he calls. I was shocked how quickly that happened in small ways. Lots of little things happened that shouldn't have necessarily happened and i knew it was the Lord helping me. Pretty neat. If i didn't know before i know now, all will be well. I don't really have much else to say. I'm really tired and I love you all very much.</div>
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Elder Spurlin </div>
</blockquote>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-42680227594006469912012-04-27T16:34:00.001-07:002012-04-27T16:38:59.874-07:00March 12, 2012<br />
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So many great things happening! First of all, the thing i'm most excited for. SLC south is splitting :) We found out about that beCAUSE, they are the only mission in the english speaking world who baptises more people per missionary per year than us, and that's only by .1 percent. .1! We're so close! but after they split we'll be the highest baptizing mission :) :) Not that it's a competition, and not that i'm trying to be prideful but i'm ecited! There's so much hard work that goes into it! </div>
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Anywyas, gosh, so many good things. Our baptism this past week was great. It was another navaho dorm student and she asked me to baptize her. It was a fantastic service. I loved it because it was only a small group of her closest friends, 3 of which we baptized. And to see <u>them</u> give talks and stand up and bear their testimonies and talk about their future missions and experiences they've had with the spirit and so on.. I shed a few tears. I'm just so so grateful to be able to see such fruits of our labors. You don't usually get to see things like that. It's awesome. Our baptism for this week is still on target also. </div>
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I'm pretty excited about your utah trip, i'm not going to lie. I'm so so jealous that you get to see the prophet! That's my dream also.. Don't ask me how, but somehow i've found time to read and am almost done with his new biography and he is an amzing. Man. I would give just about anything just to see him..</div>
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I'm beyond excited for Christy too. I pray for her every single day and i can't wait to see what her life brings in the near future. As i was thinkin about her gettin married i realized how much i love her and how protective i feel over her ha I'll have to make sure my gun is cean and oiled as soon as i get home ^_^ </div>
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There's not really anyone i can think of you should come see while you're here. It wouldn't make me homesick or distracted or anything but i really can't think of anyone or anything. I know there's alot of people who would love to meet you but that can probly wait until after the mission :) So you're probly good. </div>
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So how much longer do you reckon you have as the stake relief society president? I was thinking about that yesterday. You've been in there a long time! While you're here, if you get to meet sister oaks, ask her if i can come meet her husband after my mission :-) That's another one of my dreams. Elder Oaks is my favorite apostle. </div>
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I don't think there's anything i need either. I'm doin pretty good. That's exciting about the carpet. What color? </div>
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Quick thought:</div>
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I've been reading 3 or so books at once lately and one of them is a book called "the continuous atonement" by brad wilcox. It's one of the very best books on the atonement i've ever read. (i'm gonna have quite the book collection to get when i get home :p) In the book he points out something i've never thought about. </div>
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He explains how there is a difference between Christ being our "savior" and "redeemer". I never noticed but we seem to think those are the same thing when in reality they're not. Christ is our savior because he makes it possible to overcome our sins. Alot of people say that that's all that matters, that Christ makes it possible to start over, to become as we were before we ever sinned, perfectly clean. While that cleansing is absolutely necessary, it's so much more than that. Why would Christ want to just make us the way we were? He is our "redeemer" beause he makes it possible for us to change. He can change our hearts to become holy.</div>
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In moroni 10 moroni expresses this. In verse 30 he exhorts us to, "come unto Christ" and in verse 33 he explains why. "Unto the remission of sins (savior), that ye <u>become holy </u>(redeemer). A remission of sins is one thing, but to become holy is something else. Neither of these things can be forced on us and both come from recognizing Christ is our Lord but without the redeeming, we would never be changed. Our heavenly father didn't send us here to live and to be made how we were through the atinement, The power of the atonement is the power and grace of Christ to change us to make us as he is. To change our very hearts, not just forgive us our sins. That's how we can use the atonement as the "steering wheel" rather than the "spare tire", And i know that to be true.</div>
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For example satan tries to use our thoughts against us alot. As a missionary if i see a girl walking down the street and i allow my mind to wander i lose the spirit and lose blessings. I promise Heavenly father everyday that i will do my best to controll what i can, my mind, etc. things in MY control, if he will influence and change the things that i can't. Like my heart. It's a neat thing to witness and one i'll forever stand in awe and grattitude of.</div>
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I could go on and on and explain it alot more in depth that would probly make more sense cause i just butchered that ha But maybe i'll do that next week, we gotta go to the dry cleaners.</div>
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</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-87721455839875062582012-04-27T16:32:00.001-07:002012-04-27T16:32:02.306-07:00March 5, 2012<br />
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Hey mom,</div>
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Thank you very very very much for your email. It's so so good to hear of all the blessings you and the family are receiving. It brings me more joy than almost anything else. I've been overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude for my family, for the people in my life, for the examples and opportunities i've been blessed with for alot of things but most of all for you and dad. I love you so so much and am so so grateful for the people you are. accompanying the feelings of gratitude and love is a feeling of almost guilt because i know that i'm not worthy of even half the blessings i've received ha I don't understand why Heavenly Father would bless me so much while there are so many others who's lives would be changed if they just had even 1 or 2 of my blessings. Why me..? It doesn't make sense. I'm just a carnal sinful man. It really strengthens my resolve to do the best i can and to BE the best i can throughout my entire life. I will never be able to repay Heavenly Father anything worth repayment but i can give him the only thing he can't take. The only REAL thing i can give him that hasn't come directly from him anyways is myself. I've thanked him and promised him so many times and expressed that if he would but give me strength and guidance to resist the evil one once i'm in the world again that'd i'd give him everything i can. MY time, my talents, my effort, my future family, everthing i possibly can to serve him. I'd do anything to uphold that covenant. That's what truly matters in this life i feel and you and dad have been amazing examples of that. I really don't think you'll ever know how much i look up to both of you (all of us kids do) and how often i refer to things that i learn from you. You are amazng individuals with SO MANY strengths that most don't have. Of course you have weaknesses but even those are a testimony to me because of the way you use them. Ether 12:27 Today is a perfect example. In both of your seperate emails you expressed the love you have for eachother. That's the greatest comfort to your children and the best example. Everything from that, to your leadership skills to your work ethic..</div>
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Greatest of all is my gratitude that you found the gospel and accepted it. Why are we as a famiy worthy of so great a blessing..? The least we can do is try our hardest to live worthy of that blessing and i'de commit each of us to figure out how we can be better and to do it. Quit our petty little vices, study the true doctrine, put on the armor of God and be better. It's the least we can do right? Gosh i love yall :-) Sigh my heart is full.</div>
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Anyways, things here are good. The work is progressing and things are moving along. We cover the two stakes of richfield: Richfield, and richfield east. The richfield stake incompasses all the litle surrounding towns and goes clear out about an hour away to koosharem but we don't really go out there. There's about 20 wards we cover, including a ysa college ward, a navaho dorm branch and a care center branch. Elder Richardson and I are over 7 companionships which isn't a whole lot but we have just about the biggest zone in the mission so we travel alot. We go to beaver every week which is about an hour away. Our zone encompasses a whole bunch of nothing ha There's alot of that in southern utah. It's a great place though.</div>
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We have another baptism planned for this week and one for the week after so thank you for all of your prayers! They make all the difference in the world.</div>
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Well we're gonna go eat lunch at a chinese buffet >:) We'll see if we can clean them out. Love you!</div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-40250877746545152672012-04-27T16:30:00.001-07:002012-04-27T16:30:48.575-07:00Feb 28, 2012<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">WHEW. </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">Whew. what i week! This past week was probly one of the most taxing weeks i've ever had in my life. Spiritually and physically. We taught a LOT of lessons this week getting everyone ready for their baptism this weekend. We had a total of 5. I'm not even gonna try to explain the ammount of running around that entailed ha Thinkin about it makes me ache. It was one of the most wonderful weekends i've ever had though. So so many great experiences. I'll send some pictures of a few of them. I'm glad sister graf sent you the picture from isaiahs baptism. That kid is awesome. He's one of the cutest kids i've ever met that's for sure. He's a little stud. He was only 8 but since neither of his biological parents are members he counted as a convert baptism. Very choice spirit. And his mom is right behind him. Gosh it was such a good weekend. Our zone exceeded our monthly goal even though we lost 3 companionships (our zone split) and we led the mission this week :) That's what we do!</span></span></div>
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So many good things going on. Something i was contimplating this week kind of goes along with something you said mom. I heard an explanation of the Atonement i've never heard before. It was liked to a spare tire on a car.</div>
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So often in our lifes journey in our lifes "car" we use the atonement as a spare tire. We use it when something goes wrong or we need help. A true study of Heavenly Fathers counsel though suggests that we use the Atonement as the steering wheel instead of the spare tire. What happiness that principle brings! Holy cow! I loved what you said mom because that's something ive seen and feel like i've partially learned also. When i came out i was always trying to fight my own battles and conquer everything and trying to be the best because i wanted to be the best. I didn't understand what the atonement could do. But i've tried to learn that i am NOTHING. </div>
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As a wise man said, I'm as low as dirt and all i deserve is hell. And that's very true. All i deserve is hell. And if i don't consistently use the atonement as the steering wheel i will never qualify for the critical "grace" Christ offers. The "stength and assistance to do what we otherwise could not do on our own" If you try to do it all yourself you get bent out of shape and eventually break under the stress it seems like. But with Christ's help you can find joy through your trials and stresses. Christs "yoke" (matthew 11:28-30) truly is light. </div>
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So how do we do that? Well, we keep our covenants and do the basics. We <u>search him out. </u>through study and prayer. We "take upon ourself the name of Christ and <u>always remember/acknowledge him . </u>We thank him for our successes as well as our failures. we involve him in everything we do. Whether through prayer or even just the thought, "what would Jesus do?" Whatever it might be, we include him. Because i am absolutely nothing, ALL my blessings come from God and without him i am and ever will be lost. </div>
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Anyways, that's my thought for the week. I'm excited to have time this weekto find. We only found 1 new investigator this past week but we wiped out almost half our teaching pool so we have time :) We're gonna go get haircuts and get to work! Love ya!</div>
</div>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1856915258811287011.post-38718754607425267452012-04-27T16:29:00.000-07:002012-04-27T16:29:28.898-07:00Email from a Member<br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Dear respective families,<br />Just wanted to share a beautiful photo of your fantastic boys & the Sharp family. Today, our Richfield Utah East Stake 8th Ward was incredibly blessed by your awesome missionaries. It was just wonderful. We are so thrilled to have this little special Isaiah become the newest member of our ward. We have BIG hopes for his mom, Liberti, to follow in his footsteps.<br />I haven'</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">t had a missionary yet, but I recognize the HUGE sacrifice this is for you to share them with all of us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We sure are grateful for the AMAZING men they are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><br />All of my love,<br />Colleen Graf</span></div>
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</tbody></table>Jenn, Adam, Evan, Christian and Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07671370078151264516noreply@blogger.com0