Constructing Zion! - Week 24

Hello Family and friends!!

This was a super duper good and busy week!! Lots of things happened!! We taught quite a few less active members, and committed them to come to church and some of them came! So that was cool!! It's also been a really nice week weather wise! 70 degrees or so most of the week! Which was good because most people were out and about doing stuff so we had more opportunity to talk to people!  We also had the chance to do some service a few times!

I went on exchanges again with Elder Pope to the Kearny 3rd area again. It was pretty fun! We tried some potentials there that I have actually met before on the last exchange, and one of them became a new investigator! So that was really exciting to see and be a part of. We went to a member of the Far West Stake Presidency's house, President Meyer. I also went there last time. They are such an awesome family. One thing that I really like about them is that they have such a clean house!! They are just as nice as nice can be. They remind me a lot of my old boss Dr. Cole and his family. And a lot of members from the Chapel Hill Ward and Victory View Ward back home. Just very very nice and friendly and Christ like! I met their son Cole both times. He has been going out with Elder Thompson and Elder Pope a few times. He is really cool. I outlined the Plan of Salvation for him and gave him some parts to talk about for the next lesson he goes with.  There aren't many families like that in the Wood heights Branch. And I'm certainly missing that a little bit haha. It may not seem like it to outsiders, but Missouri is definitely a huge culture shock, and I love it! Although, I'm dreading the summer humidity time coming up haha.

One other thing. WE GOT KYLIE ON DATE FOR BAPTISM!! It was so awesome! Kylie is super solid. Loves the gospel and just can't wait till the day she can be sealed to her husband. She wants her husband Rob to baptize her!! Rob is working towards that!! We don't know exactly how long it will take for him to get there. But we set a goal for them to baptize Kylie on March 26th!! I sneakily suggested that day because it is my Brother Ethan's Birthday and I just think that would be cool! Also, it's the same day as the Women's General Broadcast. So that will be a busy day for her! Just keep her in your prayers that all will go well and that that day can happen!

Also. We stopped by Cheryl and Stevens. That one referral. Last week we weren't able to set up another appointment because they were super busy. But we stopped by this last Friday. And Cheryl came to the door.
She said sorry she never called back haha. But she said that she has read HALF OF THE BOOK!! Not sure if she meant the whole book or first book of Nephi. But we are gonna call it the whole Book of Mormon until we hear otherwise! Haha. It's so amazing! Definitely an answer to prayers! She said she has a couple questions, but that she really liked it! So we have an appointment for Tuesday!! So exciting!!

On Saturday we helped a recent convert build a new deck for his porch. Brother Arnold is his name. He is really cool. And can build anything! So we helped him with that and nailed some new tin roofing onto his shed! So that was fun!

This week I was reading in the book of Alma. And came across Alma 36:30.  This chapter is Alma telling his son Helaman about his conversion after seeing an angel...towards the end of the chapter, after the story of the conversion he says: "But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word." I realized that the word "prosper" in there also refers to the spiritual meaning. Of course it may refer to material things as well. But I think namely things of the spirit. If we keep the commandments, we prosper. We are successful in obtaining the blessings of being close to the Lord. We are on the track to entering the Lords presence. And if we don't keep the commandments, of course the opposite effect happens, and we are "cut off from his presence." I love how simple the gospel really is.  And how wonderful the blessings are if we live it. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son Of God and that he is the only way for us to return. I Know the commandments are holy and truly are for our benefit. To keep us happy, have eternal families, and to return to Father in Heaven.

I love all of you so much!! Have a splendid week!!
~Elder Samuel LaVar Ward

Brother Arnold's deck! 

Far West is #FAR OUT! - Week 20

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

Elder Christensen, Me, and Elder Slesk!

Elder Kolacz and I saying goodbye

Me a T! Whoops! I accidentally put my arm around her... 

KIRBY VINCENT! And the owl he helped me carve 

Ron and Cheryl Pehrson

#AllTheService - Week 4

Helllooo!!! This week has been pretty grand. We have done so much service this week!! Holy cow! We helped 2 people move this week, I hate moving, but somehow, it's a lot easier with 15 missionaries helping! haha. So that was one of them, but another person we helped move was only Elder Kolacz and I, and the Sisters haha, so that was a little slower, but it was still awesome! Then, we went to paint a deck! It was me and Elder Kolacz, and the sisters again... we ended up doing it twice because I guess they didn't like the first color, so they changed it and had us come paint a new color on haha. It was a good time and they were a super nice family! Mainly this week, Elder Kolacz and I have been hunting down these potential investigators that were on our list... turns out they were ALL bum addresses! So lame! But at least we were able to clear up the list for the future missionaries going to serve here, and now we can focus more on finding people. We met one new guy named Jamek! He was a very nice guy and let us in, he was intrigued at the idea of missionaries in general; he let us in, we shared the video "choose this day" with him and talked about the restoration and where the Book of Mormon came from. He was very interested in it, and we have a return apportionment with him on Saturday! So i'll let you know how that goes! We have another appointment with our another investigator Derek, tomorrow. He has some issues with certain members of the ward, so we will try to clear that up. He commited with us last week to read 3 Nephi 11 and pray about it. The reasoning is that he didn't think Christ came to the Americas and ministered here, so that chapter talks about that, and what Christ did here. So we will talk this week about some more concerns he may have, and what his testimony of the Book of Mormon is right now. Elder Kolacz and I are still getting along well. It's been tough not really having any luck finding many people, but hopefully that will turn around this week. Also, what is the deal with people being jerks? So lame! But it's worth it, because every now and then we meet someone who is the nicest person as can be. Even though they may not be interested in the gospel, there is a pleasant conversation, and you can see the plain good in them, it's great. We had pizza 5 days in a row this week. Oooohhh my gosh haha. I thought I liked pizza, but that's beginning to change. It just ends up being the easiest thing people can feed us. But that's okay because we meet their awesome families, and generally walk most of it off. I. GOT. MY. IPAD!!!! It's so beautiful!! It's an Ipad mini 2, space grey, 32GB. I've got a sweet picture of Jesus in the background..on my retina display ;) Things are definitely going pretty swell here in Lenexa. The ward is humongous, but that definitely is a good thing, especially for investigators. Being able to have a few hours in the morning to read the Book of Mormon is definitely one of my FAVORITE THINGS. I'm in 3 Nephi right now. I love that book so much. It talks about Christs ministry here, and what his Character was. I hope someday to have the Character of Christ and to be like him. I love being out here in the Mission field. It's so cool to be meeting new people and finally getting some sort of routine. I love the Lord, and I love you!! Thanks so much for all the letters, emails, packages, etc. I'm not sure if you know how much, but it helps A LOT!! I love it, and am so thankful for it. So thanks again. Be sure to read your Book of Mormon this week, and to pray about it! You'll be glad you did! I know I am! and I know other people here soon will be as well; until next week!! love you all!

~Elder Samuel LaVar Ward

                                                              iPad of life!

                               I saw the Lunar Eclipse last night, so that was pretty cool!