Elder Samuel Ward: Missouri Independence Mission: Ropin' the Nations! -Week 32

Hello family!! This has been a crazy week!!

We had some really great things happen!! Earlier this week we went on team ups with Bro. Parkin our Branch Mission leader. It was super great! We went to go try some less active members and invite them to stake conference. We went to try somebody we had never met before to give them an invitation. Turns out that they don't live there anymore. But we met a new guy named Santiago, and we got a return appointment for him tomorrow!!! We mainly just went around teaching some of the regulars and finding new people.

We had weekly planning on Thursday and were discussing a person named Karrin, Elder Taylor and one of the assistants found last December. We have tried her a whole bunch cause she lives just outside of Richmond. But every time her house helper just says she's sleeping. So we said we would knock on the door one last time and if it doesn't work we would finally drop her. Well, we were on team ups with the High Priest Group leader and we decided to her place with him. Well..... holy cow, BEST LESSON EVER!! We finally met with her and talked on the porch!! We only got to meet with her for like 10 minutes. But we talked all about the first principle of "God is our loving Heavenly Father" She cried like 3 times. She has some pretty intense medical conditions, and she has never looked at the trials in her life from the angle we do. It was super powerful. And. We have. A RETURN. APPOINTMENT with her!!!!!!

Alsoooooo.. I GOT A TRAINING CALL!! So that is way cool! So it is definite that I will have a new companion this week. Odds are that I will stay here with my son. But you never know. I opened my first area with my trainer, so it's been done before. But I'm sooo excited! And am so grateful that the Lord has trusted me with this call.

Also, we had a marvelous stake conference this weekend!! It was way up in Gallatin about an hour away. We were even invited to the priesthood leadership session on Saturday which was way awesome!!! The Saturday evening session Pres. and Sis. Vest Spoke. As well as a previously released Mission president that now lives in the Gallatin ward. It was so awesome!! All about preparing missionaries!! So spiritual. I definitely cried.

Spirit: Well, the next day. We rode up to stake conference with the Conners. It was super great!! There were sooooo many people there! The chapel was completely full. The rooms televising it were completely full as well. There was only standing room. People had to set up chairs in the foyers and the hallways. It was waaaayyy cool!!

But best part of the week....ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN!!! The Conners took us there for a picnic!! It is so beautiful!!! A consecrated and Holy choice land indeed. I could feel the spirit SO STRONG!! The events that have taken place there and will take place there are just incredible. I love this land so much and am so grateful to be serving here!! I love this gospel and know it's true!!!

Also, we went roping today at the Dunlaps!!! It was Soo sick!!!! Elder Crawford bought me a rope haha. So I gotta bake him a cake or something. But it was super fun!! I was pretty bad a it. But the cow finally decided to stand still so I got her!! Hahahaa Fun Days!

Anyways, love you all!!!

- Elder Samuel LaVar Ward