Elder Samuel Ward: Missouri Independence Mission: Far West Wranglers- Week 31

Hello hello!!

This has been a really good and super busy week!!

We had dinner at the Offields again last Monday. We have been teaching their 7 yr. old son Mason the lessons in preparation for his baptism next month. They are a really awesome family. We have gone over every Monday night for F.H.E for the past couple months. He is Super excited for his baptism which is awesome!

I also went on an Exchange with Elder Pope to his area. It was pretty interesting. The Kearny 1st Area hasn't had a teaching pool for a while. They definitely try hard. But it's just that nobody has been interested there!...Luckily, Elder Pope and I found 3 new investigators in 1 day!!! Hahaha it was way super awesome! It was a little rough in the morning time. But we went back to the apartment to get his jacket or something, and I suggested that we have a prayer. So we did. We asked in faith to have people placed in our path, and the Lord Provided!! It was way awesome! So they have return appointments with all those investigators this week, and hopefully all goes well!!

Later that night, we were invited to judge the youth cake decorating competition at mutual. It was pretty cool!! They had to decorate based on passages from scripture, one had Noah's Ark, there was the Savior's sepulcher, and my personal favorite was the vision of the tree of life!! They all looked cool, but tasted TERRIBLE haha. But it was fun!!

We had an amazing zone training on Friday. Brother Pratt from the Far West Stake high council over missionary work came and gave a training on HandBook 2 Chapter 5...one of the most important sections in that church handbook. It's all about the work of salvation, and how the ward council plays one of the most critical roles in that. It was really good. He is going to talk to all the bishops this week at stake conference about it, and we have already implemented some of his training and suggestions at Branch council yesterday. So hooray!

We did some way awesome service at the Dunlaps on Saturday. We built a shoot for his cattle to go through. Post hole digging is fun. But tamping the soil is even more "Fun" haha. I was pretty dang sore. But the day was all worth it when his nephew brought a new 3 day old calf for them. She was so cute and waaaayyy cool!! I got to pet and hug on her. I am going to borrow one of the Zone leaders ropes so I can rope all the cattle sometime this week hopefully. We have been practicing hard on our roping the past few P- days. Not ashamed to say I'm getting pretty good at roping the chair and bail of hay! Time to move on to bigger and better things though...#RealCows. I think they named the calf "little Leta" cause it was Leta, Bruce's wife who ultimately wanted the cow.

We also had dinner with the Conners a few times this week (got Ruben sandwiches) and then we visited a lot of less active and part member families!! We hopefully have a few new investigators out of them. So that will rock!!

#Spirit:I read in the book of 3rd Nephi this week about the Gadianton robbers and the Nephites. At this point the Nephites haven't really been too good at keeping the commandments and have been threatened by the Gadianton robbers that the robbers are going to come down and destroy their people and take their stuff. I saw the imprint of Satan in Giddianhi's (the Gadianton Robbers governor) epistle to Lachoneus (the Nephite Govenor). He used flattery, feigned concern, and made false promises to accomplish his evil designs. All he had to offer was bondage and a promise to share possessions that were not even his to share. Much Like Satan in the premortal life, and his temptations here on the earth today. The only thing he can offer is bondage and misery, and lie about sharing happiness. Later on, the robbers eventually come down to battle, but the Nephites repent and are strengthened by the Lord, and gained victory. When the Nephites praise the Lord for their victory over the Gadianton Robbers they say: "And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction." (3rd Nephi 4: 33). I love that set of scripture, it teaches us on what conditions it takes to be delivered from bondage. We must have repentance, and humility. Repentance meaning 'Change' to be cleansed by the blood of Christ and to change our old ways and to become more in line with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And being humble meaning to realize that such blessings can only come from the Lord, and that we must always rely on, and follow him. This is essential for everyone to do. I know that it is possible though. I know that Christ lives, has gone through and paid the price for our heart aches, pains, sorrows, and sins. He is the only way to return back to he Presence of Father in Heaven. And I desire to share this message with everyone Because It is AMAZING!!!!!!

I love you all soooooo much!! Thanks for being awesome!! Please have a marvelous week! Transfers are the 21st. So beware. Love you!!

~Elder Samuel LaVar Ward