Elder Samuel Ward: Missouri Independence Mission: Far West is #FAR OUT!

Hello family!!!

Things are going pretty well! I got transferred :( it was pretty sad, but also expected. haha. I now live in good ol Excelsior Springs Missouri!! There are like 5 people that live here, we are totally in the boonies.

We now get 1800 miles on our Ford Fusion haha. My new companions name is Elder Taylor. He is 6'7" and pretty awesome. He is pretty quiet, but awesome, I'm excited to serve with him!

Missouri is super different, I kind of miss Kansas, where I was the past few months. haha. But it's cool being in Zion!! I've learned that a lot of people have a HUGE misunderstanding of Adam-Ondi-Ahman, even the members, so we've cleared that up a few times already.

But things are really good! I'm serving in the Wood Heights Branch in the Far West Zone. There was only about 30 people at church on Sunday, and we had to sit on the stand... I'm not quite sure why, but it was cool. The Branch is full of nice people!! We have not had a single dinner appointment since I've been here, which was an adjustment because in my last area we never NOT had a dinner appointment, but it turns out my preaching and begging for food at church on Sunday went well

because we are full for a week or so now, so YAY!!

There is mainly less active work going on here, we only 3 or so investigators, so we have a goal of finding more this week! It was super hard saying goodbye to a lot of people in the Chapel Hill Ward, I cried, a lot. haha Which is okay i guess.

But this area is super cool!! It's been snowing and we've taught some people! Not a lot has really happened this week because of transfers, but here is a spiritual thought! I was reading in the Book of Alma this week- chapter 31, who was just a super awesome prophet! I am definitely learning more and more about the atonement every day; what it has done for me and how happy it has

made me, this part really stuck out to me:

"34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we

may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our

brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we

may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee."

I just love these scriptures because it encompasses our purpose as missionaries, and shows that we MUST have the Lord's help in carrying out his work, we simply cannot do it on our own, just like we really can't do anything on our own without Him.

I'm so excited to be here in Zion, and to serve! I know that I am in this area for a reason, Just like I was in the Chapel Hill area for reason.

All is well!!!! Thanks so much for everything you all do!!

My new address is

209 Fine Street. Apartment #3

Excelsior Springs, Missouri

64024

I promise its the right address this time ;) ok i love you all!

Love, Elder Samuel LaVar Ward