This week was fantastic. We reached 20 lessons which is the first time for me since my first area which was really just Elder Jordan running the show since I didn't quite know what I was doing. We had amazing lessons with a ton of less actives. They sincerely wanted to make changes. The Spirit was definitely in those lessons. I apparently offended one less active lady and made her pretty angry when I told her that we needed to bring another person in order for us to continue to see her since we can't be alone with a woman. So that's too bad, but the Spirit will help her. She has social anxiety and is already going less active after being baptized for just a few months so it's really sad. We're learning to love and understand her. A ton of less actives said they would be at church but weren't so that was a bummer. But ONE did come so that's all that matters. We also had 2 investigators which was really sweet.
Tally is doing awesome. She's the 9 year old that is being adopted and wants to be baptized. We were afraid that she just wants to just because her friends are and her step sisters that want to be as well but this last lesson was really good and she genuinely wants to be.
Apparently the 2 Muslim girls are living in our area more than any other so we get to teach them!!! It's really exciting!! Their step grandma told us that after we taught them that they kept having questions and are reading a lot. It's so exciting how the Spirit is preparring so many people! We're seeing so many miracles as we just loose ourselves in the work! I fall in love more and more with this work every day.
We met a crazy that left the church at 7 but said he was an elder that wanted to be apart of a blessing we were giving but the person giving it was too nice to say no so that was fun.
An RM of 6 months is living in our ward for 3 weeks and coming out when he has time. He sounds like he was a boss missionary. He was definitly a leader with the way he talked, "ok elders, what went good, what could we do better?" "How was your elders planning last night?" Hahaha We're so excited to learn from him though. It's such a huge blessing to have him with us.
Elder Johnson and I get along really good. Time has flown but so that's a good sign that we're both getting focused. I'm trying to learn to work with members better and get them going to share the Gospel. That will be the best way to find the elect. People that already have fellowshippers.
I love you all. All I can say is that I feel so much more healthy and happy. I'm not free of mistakes or hard times but so much good is happening out here. Miracles are happening. So many people want to be taught. So many people have friends that want to be taught. The field is so white. Don't be afraid to share the Gospel with your friends. Don't hold the Gospel back from people. It is such a blessing. People are looking for it. You have it! So share it!
I love you all
Elder Edgel
Monday, March 31, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
Third area
Elder Edgel is in Jeff Crookstons ward in Colorado. It is the Foothills ward. The Golden Colorado Stake.
His new address is:
1700 Robb St. Building 15 Apartment 106
Lakewood, CO 80215
His new address is:
1700 Robb St. Building 15 Apartment 106
Lakewood, CO 80215
Our problems can be solved through work.
The ward is great. It was my first Sunday in normal church and it was great meeting everyone. We're going to be taking the young men out with us a ton more.
We found Tally, a 9 year old that wants to be baptized whose being adopted into an active family and the moms 7 grandkids aren't baptized and want to as well!!! Unfortunetly they live in another ward but we had a great lesson with 3 of them. 2 are adopted from Africa and are Muslim! Even if I remembered how to pronounce their names I could never spell them haha. They're so prepared. I'm so jealous. I've always wanted to baptize a muslim! And on top of that on exchanges with the elders we found a new investigator who was Muslim from Iraq! He was the first person to answer the door to us when we went tracting and invited us in. He used to be in the military but came here because it was too dangerous there. Apparently people killed his family. I asked if he had a wife and kids and all he said was I don't want to remember it. So sad. I really hope he reads the Book of Mormon and prays about it so that he can have the peace and assurance that he can be with them again forever.
We received a refferal for a guy from Haiti and he was really neat. He talked for the entire hour that we were there. And when we said we needed to leave, he talked to us for another 30 minutes. In the beginning I tried to teach him but realized that it was pointless. That he wasn't listening and just wanted to talk. I remembered Dad saying that he learned people learn more from a question being answered than a lecture. So he did ask us questions. He asked if we were rich and why we served a mission. We told him that we weren't but we gave our money to serve a mission to share the joy we have. He was blown away and said that he wanted to learn more and wanted to read the Book of Mormon. So Dad was right! We'll see how teaching him goes. It's hard to tell if he really wants to learn and come closer to the Savior, or just simply talk about it. Talk a LOT about it.
It's so neat that when we really want to find people that God sends us the most prepared. Like Kirk, Nichole, Matt and Tally. They're from barley anything on my part. Mostly just the Spirit. But the Lord blessed me and prepared people for me teach. The great thing about a mission is learning the humility and selflessness. That it's not me at all that teaching or finding these people. I'm so happy to be apart of their conversions in the smallest ways though.
A mission is tough but An apostle said, 95% of all problems as a missionary can be solved through work. Or something like that.
So we're doing really good out here in Foothills. I might ask president if I can switch over to spanish, apparently we can do that. But we'll see how that goes. I like preaching that gospel without a language barrier. I love you all.
Los amo a todos!
-Elder Edgel
We found Tally, a 9 year old that wants to be baptized whose being adopted into an active family and the moms 7 grandkids aren't baptized and want to as well!!! Unfortunetly they live in another ward but we had a great lesson with 3 of them. 2 are adopted from Africa and are Muslim! Even if I remembered how to pronounce their names I could never spell them haha. They're so prepared. I'm so jealous. I've always wanted to baptize a muslim! And on top of that on exchanges with the elders we found a new investigator who was Muslim from Iraq! He was the first person to answer the door to us when we went tracting and invited us in. He used to be in the military but came here because it was too dangerous there. Apparently people killed his family. I asked if he had a wife and kids and all he said was I don't want to remember it. So sad. I really hope he reads the Book of Mormon and prays about it so that he can have the peace and assurance that he can be with them again forever.
We received a refferal for a guy from Haiti and he was really neat. He talked for the entire hour that we were there. And when we said we needed to leave, he talked to us for another 30 minutes. In the beginning I tried to teach him but realized that it was pointless. That he wasn't listening and just wanted to talk. I remembered Dad saying that he learned people learn more from a question being answered than a lecture. So he did ask us questions. He asked if we were rich and why we served a mission. We told him that we weren't but we gave our money to serve a mission to share the joy we have. He was blown away and said that he wanted to learn more and wanted to read the Book of Mormon. So Dad was right! We'll see how teaching him goes. It's hard to tell if he really wants to learn and come closer to the Savior, or just simply talk about it. Talk a LOT about it.
It's so neat that when we really want to find people that God sends us the most prepared. Like Kirk, Nichole, Matt and Tally. They're from barley anything on my part. Mostly just the Spirit. But the Lord blessed me and prepared people for me teach. The great thing about a mission is learning the humility and selflessness. That it's not me at all that teaching or finding these people. I'm so happy to be apart of their conversions in the smallest ways though.
A mission is tough but An apostle said, 95% of all problems as a missionary can be solved through work. Or something like that.
So we're doing really good out here in Foothills. I might ask president if I can switch over to spanish, apparently we can do that. But we'll see how that goes. I like preaching that gospel without a language barrier. I love you all.
Los amo a todos!
-Elder Edgel
Monday, March 17, 2014
As I loose myself and become swallowed up in the joy of Christ I know that everything is ok.
Oh ya, I'm in the Denver! It's weird thinking about the concept that this city doesn't ever stop. I'm so used to small towns. Like yesterday I saw people waiting for the bus and thought, "oh ya the other side of town is like 6 miles away, they'll need the bus" then realized, "wait a second... the city has no limit! It never ends it's so huge!" I haven't had a panic attack yet so that's good. Needless to say, I love me my small towns. The drive down is so beautiful and so dangerous. It's the gorge the whole way. But so beautiful. We drove down when it was snowing and they close the highway for a little bit it's that bad. All these warning signs for truckers and what not. One that said, "truckers, you're not done, more turns and steep slopes." intense but beautiful. I drove one of the cars and I think I made enemies with other missionaries in other cars because of my driving haha.
It's great being here though because we have a temple. That is so cool. We get to go to it the first Wednesday of every month so I'm really looking forward to being able to go to that again. Also President is here so that's really cool. We had Stake Conference and I got to see him and his wife. Man I love those two so much. They have such strong powerful testimonies. So it's really good being able to see them casually. And seeing other missionaries! I'm not used to that. Whenever you see another missionary it's exciting and you run up and hug each other(talking about ELDERS). But now it's just like, oh hey whats up again. When I got here to the mission home I saw my MTC companion that I hadn't seen since so that was really neat. He's on fire. I also found out as I arrived and was about to leave to my new area that I was district leader again without being told but I'm excited to continue being filled with love for my district. I learn so much from them.
Jeff Crookston is in this ward! He's a ward missionary. That was absolutely crazy. He called up Jared on speaker in front of me and almost drove me crazy haha.
My companion is pretty great. It's crazy how alike we are actually. He's from Boulder City. We talked a lot the first day and he said that he's told me more knowing me less than 24 hours than any of his companions that he's been with for months. So I hope we can continue to get along and work hard together.
It's confusing sometimes finding the balance of a mission and life. Because a mission is already naturally hard and figuring out if you're making it too hard or if it is just like that for everyone as well is a tough one. But as I loose myself and become swallowed up in the joy of Christ I know that everything is ok.
We do a lot of work with less actives. Pretty much just have health problems or anxiety and don't like church. It feels like most of the time it's a cop out so we'll see how it goes. I love teaching my non members but I also hope some of these people can make it to the temple and stay there. Our ward mission leader is way cool. He's already come out with us.
Our address is
1700 Robb St. Building 15 Apartment 106
Lakewood, CO 80215
Our number is
720-PSYCH
I'm excited to find people that want to accept the gospel in this area. Stake conference was all about missionary work and temple work and hastening those works. The temple president and his wife spoke and our mission president and his wife spoke. About simply inviting everyone. Even youth spoke about their friends that were converted simply because they invited.
I love you all!
It's great being here though because we have a temple. That is so cool. We get to go to it the first Wednesday of every month so I'm really looking forward to being able to go to that again. Also President is here so that's really cool. We had Stake Conference and I got to see him and his wife. Man I love those two so much. They have such strong powerful testimonies. So it's really good being able to see them casually. And seeing other missionaries! I'm not used to that. Whenever you see another missionary it's exciting and you run up and hug each other(talking about ELDERS). But now it's just like, oh hey whats up again. When I got here to the mission home I saw my MTC companion that I hadn't seen since so that was really neat. He's on fire. I also found out as I arrived and was about to leave to my new area that I was district leader again without being told but I'm excited to continue being filled with love for my district. I learn so much from them.
Jeff Crookston is in this ward! He's a ward missionary. That was absolutely crazy. He called up Jared on speaker in front of me and almost drove me crazy haha.
My companion is pretty great. It's crazy how alike we are actually. He's from Boulder City. We talked a lot the first day and he said that he's told me more knowing me less than 24 hours than any of his companions that he's been with for months. So I hope we can continue to get along and work hard together.
It's confusing sometimes finding the balance of a mission and life. Because a mission is already naturally hard and figuring out if you're making it too hard or if it is just like that for everyone as well is a tough one. But as I loose myself and become swallowed up in the joy of Christ I know that everything is ok.
We do a lot of work with less actives. Pretty much just have health problems or anxiety and don't like church. It feels like most of the time it's a cop out so we'll see how it goes. I love teaching my non members but I also hope some of these people can make it to the temple and stay there. Our ward mission leader is way cool. He's already come out with us.
Our address is
1700 Robb St. Building 15 Apartment 106
Lakewood, CO 80215
Our number is
720-PSYCH
I'm excited to find people that want to accept the gospel in this area. Stake conference was all about missionary work and temple work and hastening those works. The temple president and his wife spoke and our mission president and his wife spoke. About simply inviting everyone. Even youth spoke about their friends that were converted simply because they invited.
I love you all!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Transferred
It's nice seeing the big picture of my mission. That just because I don't master myself in my mission doesn't mean I won't be able to continue after. I still have my whole life ahead of me. We as missionaries just want to do the best we can NOW and get them people in the water! I do get so hard on myself at times. And then that's just too selfish thinking about myself too much like that. Thank you for loving me so much mommy.
This has been an exciting week too. We had dinner with a less active family that we met while going through the ward list. Things lined up in a really cool way for us to meet them. Only the husband is a member and he left the church at 13. So their plumber was outside and saw us and said, "Hey! It's the mormons! Hey you know who would be interested in talking to you guys? These guys. Their mormon too! Here I'll introduce you to them!" and previously they wouldn't answer their door. Whether they were home or not. So they didn't really want to talk to us and were stand offish. We went by a few days later and found them trying to set up a ping pong table. They saw us and went, "ohhh...." like they didn't want to see us but then we offered to help and they got excited and were grateful. We found out he joined the church at 10 because his parents were, they were never really active and then he fell away at 13 so he never cared much for it. The wife you could tell was really uncomfortable with us and didn't really want us around. But we got them to feed us dinner in a few days and we talked about their religious beliefs and were able shared with them the proclamation to the family. The wife, still, didn't really want us around. Later in the week we got a text from her saying she and her husband only planned on us coming by once so that was a bummer but we were really glad we atleast got in and brought the Spirit into their home. We loved how awesome their kids were and hope they find the Gospel as they get older.
Matt is doing great! Elder Dean and I started fasting from flour, wheat and sugars since Matt is trying to stop using tobacco. The lesson with Nichole went great and we get to see her again tonight! The Hatches are on fire. I love them so much. They feed us lunch when we go down since that's the only time Bo isn't at work. He also came to a lesson with us to a less active. It's so cool to see the change that's he's had about church and how he loves it now. Nahkia, a potential that we have from Jamaica said he would read the Book of Mormon! He kept saying he wouldn't read until we convinced him to read and sold it to him but finally he said, "you boys can't convince me But I'll read the Book anyway just so we can have better conversations." hahaha. He's pretty funny, he reminds me a lot of Fred.
And the big news!!!! I'm getting transferred tomorrow morning (Tuesday)... I'm heart broken I can't see all these awesome people progress and get baptized but I know the Lord is preparing people wherever I go. I am excited to begin a new adventure in another ward. No ward will ever be like casual, all converts, small numbers but big testimonies Steamboat First. These people are the coolest. I feel so loved by them as well. So many people came up to me after church thanking me for the effect I've had and the work I've done. They all tell me what a change I've gone through and how I'm so much more confident and capable. Steamboat itself apparently has changed so much as well. I wouldn't mind serving all two years here, but change is necessary. Dallas bore his testimony about how he found out I was leaving and starting tearing up about how missionaries have always had such an impact on him since the beginning. Kirk came up to me after church and everyone was gone and said with his eyes a little watery, "Elder Edgel, thank you for all you've done for me. Thank you for making me a member." Man my heart swelled up with so much love. It's all about the one. If the only person I've influenced as a missionary was Kirk, then it's been well spent. To see the change in him when we first met him as a homeless guy has been amazing. I feel so loved by these people. I keep saying I feel like Ammon, "I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die."
Elder Hamblin and I went on exchanges for the last time for at least a while. We both knew we were most likely leaving this transfer and ended on a great note together. Talking to everyone and meeting cool people. We met a guy who looked a little rough on the outside and acted like it too who called himself anarchy Adam when we asked his name. I asked if it would be alright if I gave him a pamphlet and he asked if it'd alright if he threw it away. But he had a real soft inside after we talked about our families and the trials he was going through. He really opened up to us and said he'd love to talk to us some more. I wish I took a picture with him or could continue to teach him. For dinner Elder Hamblin was dying to go to a steak house in Steamboat haha. So we went to 8th street steak house where you cook it yourself. For lunch we had McDonalds and me not being able to eat flour ate the nastiest meal yet on my mission of just patty. So the Steak made up for it.
I'm excited to go to a new area and fall in love with new people. I love you all. The Church is true and the book is blue.
-Elder Edgel
This has been an exciting week too. We had dinner with a less active family that we met while going through the ward list. Things lined up in a really cool way for us to meet them. Only the husband is a member and he left the church at 13. So their plumber was outside and saw us and said, "Hey! It's the mormons! Hey you know who would be interested in talking to you guys? These guys. Their mormon too! Here I'll introduce you to them!" and previously they wouldn't answer their door. Whether they were home or not. So they didn't really want to talk to us and were stand offish. We went by a few days later and found them trying to set up a ping pong table. They saw us and went, "ohhh...." like they didn't want to see us but then we offered to help and they got excited and were grateful. We found out he joined the church at 10 because his parents were, they were never really active and then he fell away at 13 so he never cared much for it. The wife you could tell was really uncomfortable with us and didn't really want us around. But we got them to feed us dinner in a few days and we talked about their religious beliefs and were able shared with them the proclamation to the family. The wife, still, didn't really want us around. Later in the week we got a text from her saying she and her husband only planned on us coming by once so that was a bummer but we were really glad we atleast got in and brought the Spirit into their home. We loved how awesome their kids were and hope they find the Gospel as they get older.
Matt is doing great! Elder Dean and I started fasting from flour, wheat and sugars since Matt is trying to stop using tobacco. The lesson with Nichole went great and we get to see her again tonight! The Hatches are on fire. I love them so much. They feed us lunch when we go down since that's the only time Bo isn't at work. He also came to a lesson with us to a less active. It's so cool to see the change that's he's had about church and how he loves it now. Nahkia, a potential that we have from Jamaica said he would read the Book of Mormon! He kept saying he wouldn't read until we convinced him to read and sold it to him but finally he said, "you boys can't convince me But I'll read the Book anyway just so we can have better conversations." hahaha. He's pretty funny, he reminds me a lot of Fred.
And the big news!!!! I'm getting transferred tomorrow morning (Tuesday)... I'm heart broken I can't see all these awesome people progress and get baptized but I know the Lord is preparing people wherever I go. I am excited to begin a new adventure in another ward. No ward will ever be like casual, all converts, small numbers but big testimonies Steamboat First. These people are the coolest. I feel so loved by them as well. So many people came up to me after church thanking me for the effect I've had and the work I've done. They all tell me what a change I've gone through and how I'm so much more confident and capable. Steamboat itself apparently has changed so much as well. I wouldn't mind serving all two years here, but change is necessary. Dallas bore his testimony about how he found out I was leaving and starting tearing up about how missionaries have always had such an impact on him since the beginning. Kirk came up to me after church and everyone was gone and said with his eyes a little watery, "Elder Edgel, thank you for all you've done for me. Thank you for making me a member." Man my heart swelled up with so much love. It's all about the one. If the only person I've influenced as a missionary was Kirk, then it's been well spent. To see the change in him when we first met him as a homeless guy has been amazing. I feel so loved by these people. I keep saying I feel like Ammon, "I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die."
Elder Hamblin and I went on exchanges for the last time for at least a while. We both knew we were most likely leaving this transfer and ended on a great note together. Talking to everyone and meeting cool people. We met a guy who looked a little rough on the outside and acted like it too who called himself anarchy Adam when we asked his name. I asked if it would be alright if I gave him a pamphlet and he asked if it'd alright if he threw it away. But he had a real soft inside after we talked about our families and the trials he was going through. He really opened up to us and said he'd love to talk to us some more. I wish I took a picture with him or could continue to teach him. For dinner Elder Hamblin was dying to go to a steak house in Steamboat haha. So we went to 8th street steak house where you cook it yourself. For lunch we had McDonalds and me not being able to eat flour ate the nastiest meal yet on my mission of just patty. So the Steak made up for it.
I'm excited to go to a new area and fall in love with new people. I love you all. The Church is true and the book is blue.
-Elder Edgel
Friday, March 7, 2014
Ya, I hula
Momma,
So last weeks during emailing some elder came up to us that had been with the zone leaders and asked Elder Dean and I if he could come with us to our area for a day. I thought his companion got ET'd and he didn't really have anywhere else to go so was going around to all the different areas in the zone. So I was pretty excited to have someone new come along with us. I felt at that moment that this was an answer to my prayers on how to become more effective. Long story short, I ended up loving this elder so much that I gave him permission to marry my sister after their missions.
I felt so much like Amulek that was blessed so much because he took in some sketchy guy looking for food. I thought this elder might be a little sketch honestly. He's a traveling missionary and was going around to all the companionships in the west side of the mission. We were his 12th. He was so himself. He was a smart mouth to people when they were smart mouths to us and he was just himself and was such a great missionary. He kept apologizing for eating our food but I told him, you have no idea how much you've fed us.
We went to see Nichole Tucker and he got really bold and loving and she agreed to take the lessons again. A miracle! He apparently had been told by president 3 months ago that he would be the next AP but he hadn't told anyone but since we were the last companionship and he was getting shipped to Denver the next day he didn't care to tell us. So that was a huge highlight for this week. (I, mom, called the mission office to see if this guy is legit & he was. I thought the mission office should have called to tell Elder Edgel)
We watched the Restoration with Jeremy and Hauns, the less active guy we found and his friend Jeremy. Their such good guys. I felt the Spirit so strong watching it with them. I'm so excited to see Jeremy eventually get baptized.
The ward also had a Luau Friday! It was a huge success even though not that many people came. The sisters taught us to hula and it was a blast. The whole ward was cracking up with Brother Christenson, Fransisco, us, and some others.
There's a surprise coming your way. So if you want to send a package for free, get it ready swiftly. I'm not worried about it though. Just no sweets or junk food! I'm all about that healthy filling substance
We had a great lesson with Matt and his best friend Cam and Cam's wife. Wife and Cam quit drugs together. Cam suffered with drugs for a long long time. He had been best friends with Matt and the Bishop since they were kids. It was only when Matt slipped into drugs and Cam saw it and how he remained such a good person that he said he would actually quit if Matt quit. And so he did. They both quit the hardest of drugs together. It's amazing to see how there is purpose to everything. Matt is beating himself up for not being the dad he needed to and doing such terrible things. But that was how Cam finally quit drugs. They're such good guys and have such great understanding. Cam is a member and is Don Ella's nephew. He just needs to kick his butt in gear! We felt the Spirit so strongly with them. Matt officially quit tobacco too and we gave him a blessing.
It breaks my heart when people say that his Gospel is made up and is just a bunch of lies. It's so sad that they have no idea the blessings that can come from it. Respecting people's agency has been a climb.
I've learned though to accept where I am. Accept I'm not going to go out and be the best missionary and everything is going to be peachy perfect. That I'm going to leave this library and sometime this week get discouraged. I'm going to loose motivation a time or two. I'm going to fail in sharing the gospel with random people I come across and not do as good a job as I should. But being hopeful that I can influence some of the people around me. Some of these less actives and non members and eventually learn how to influence them all. That's been reassuring.
I love this Gospel and what it does. Saying it blesses my life doesn't do justice for what it's done for me. It breaks my heart when people assume it won't help them. But I know that this is what God has established for us. The person who knows us perfectly, who is not measurable in love and wisdom, gave us a simple church and simple guidelines to follow to help us to be most happy. I'm imperfect, I say and do imperfect things. It's the full example I should be, but I do know that very simply put, it can bless anyone's life. "Come unto me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
I love you all! Los amo a todos!
-Elder Edgel
So last weeks during emailing some elder came up to us that had been with the zone leaders and asked Elder Dean and I if he could come with us to our area for a day. I thought his companion got ET'd and he didn't really have anywhere else to go so was going around to all the different areas in the zone. So I was pretty excited to have someone new come along with us. I felt at that moment that this was an answer to my prayers on how to become more effective. Long story short, I ended up loving this elder so much that I gave him permission to marry my sister after their missions.
I felt so much like Amulek that was blessed so much because he took in some sketchy guy looking for food. I thought this elder might be a little sketch honestly. He's a traveling missionary and was going around to all the companionships in the west side of the mission. We were his 12th. He was so himself. He was a smart mouth to people when they were smart mouths to us and he was just himself and was such a great missionary. He kept apologizing for eating our food but I told him, you have no idea how much you've fed us.
We went to see Nichole Tucker and he got really bold and loving and she agreed to take the lessons again. A miracle! He apparently had been told by president 3 months ago that he would be the next AP but he hadn't told anyone but since we were the last companionship and he was getting shipped to Denver the next day he didn't care to tell us. So that was a huge highlight for this week. (I, mom, called the mission office to see if this guy is legit & he was. I thought the mission office should have called to tell Elder Edgel)
We watched the Restoration with Jeremy and Hauns, the less active guy we found and his friend Jeremy. Their such good guys. I felt the Spirit so strong watching it with them. I'm so excited to see Jeremy eventually get baptized.
The ward also had a Luau Friday! It was a huge success even though not that many people came. The sisters taught us to hula and it was a blast. The whole ward was cracking up with Brother Christenson, Fransisco, us, and some others.
There's a surprise coming your way. So if you want to send a package for free, get it ready swiftly. I'm not worried about it though. Just no sweets or junk food! I'm all about that healthy filling substance
We had a great lesson with Matt and his best friend Cam and Cam's wife. Wife and Cam quit drugs together. Cam suffered with drugs for a long long time. He had been best friends with Matt and the Bishop since they were kids. It was only when Matt slipped into drugs and Cam saw it and how he remained such a good person that he said he would actually quit if Matt quit. And so he did. They both quit the hardest of drugs together. It's amazing to see how there is purpose to everything. Matt is beating himself up for not being the dad he needed to and doing such terrible things. But that was how Cam finally quit drugs. They're such good guys and have such great understanding. Cam is a member and is Don Ella's nephew. He just needs to kick his butt in gear! We felt the Spirit so strongly with them. Matt officially quit tobacco too and we gave him a blessing.
It breaks my heart when people say that his Gospel is made up and is just a bunch of lies. It's so sad that they have no idea the blessings that can come from it. Respecting people's agency has been a climb.
I've learned though to accept where I am. Accept I'm not going to go out and be the best missionary and everything is going to be peachy perfect. That I'm going to leave this library and sometime this week get discouraged. I'm going to loose motivation a time or two. I'm going to fail in sharing the gospel with random people I come across and not do as good a job as I should. But being hopeful that I can influence some of the people around me. Some of these less actives and non members and eventually learn how to influence them all. That's been reassuring.
I love this Gospel and what it does. Saying it blesses my life doesn't do justice for what it's done for me. It breaks my heart when people assume it won't help them. But I know that this is what God has established for us. The person who knows us perfectly, who is not measurable in love and wisdom, gave us a simple church and simple guidelines to follow to help us to be most happy. I'm imperfect, I say and do imperfect things. It's the full example I should be, but I do know that very simply put, it can bless anyone's life. "Come unto me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
I love you all! Los amo a todos!
-Elder Edgel
We can be so blessed if we just get over what we want
Dear Momma,
That sounds like a ton of fun running and biking walking! There's a former/potential/eternigator that has lost 30 pounds in a few months. Almost how much her youngest son weighs haha. That reminded me of when you had us carry potatoes to show off how much weight you lost.
A mission is definitely more than I ever anticipated or expected. I was so secretly prideful thinking I was going to be an all star. I had no idea I was that prideful haha. I've been humbled not by hard things, but just seeing I'm not all that great. Which is funny how realizing that then makes you great... But stay humble!
Something really standing out to me this week is how when we loose ourselves in the work, we find ourselves. When we seek to enrich others, we become enriched. When Ammon and his brothers were so humble and faithful that they were willing to go through every kind of affliction with their lives being literally threatened in the bloodiest part of the world, all to just save ONE person. And because of that they were able to be instruments to help convert THOUSANDS.
I told you in a last letter that a Sister Leader Trainer was moved to my district. She's an amazing missionary but so many things have been keeping them back from working. She started training and opened a spanish area in Craig. I had her give a training in the district meeting about being consecrated (something she's famous for). She told us how there was a stake president that never taught a single lesson during his whole mission but knew that he atleast converted himself. She's been that optimistic as well. It's been a great example to us all.
Matt is doing awesome! He'll be baptized sometime in March now so he can't get over tobacco. Elder Dean and I went on splits TWICE this week! It's so awesome going on splits when we have the appointments. Going twice in a week has been our goal for a long time!
Sometimes when we're not getting a whole lot done I get discouraged at myself for not being motivated enough or wise enough to know where to go. Saturdays have been difficult and they're suposed to be one of the most succesful days of week so when they're not I get mad at myself because SURELY I must be doing something wrong. But even that is too much of me in the equation. Taking myself completely OUT of the equation so I am no longer anywhere in it whatsoever. There is so much power in that. Not even worried in the least bit about "am I doing enough?". But always having your mind and heart focused on others.
A return missionary that served in Steamboat 14 years ago came and visited the ward. He even came to waffles afterward. He fell in love for just the 6 weeks he was here. Steamboat has always had trouble with bad elders so he put in the idea to the President to send him and his best friend in since they have been there before for exchanges and love the area. They completely changed the area, although they didnt' get a baptism they were very succesful and changed the name for missionaries. He says Steamboat is the best city in the world and always does some form of missionary work while he's here. He even gave a refferal for the sisters after talking to a lady!
He gave really good advice of just having fun with the work. Being yourself, letting people see yourself and not being some religious nut job. He was a very dedicated missionary and loved the work and was a very good instrument for the Lord. He got rebuked at times for the way that he was doing it, only to have Preach My Gospel now teach those same principles that he adapted, namely working with members and not tracting. They rode the bus everywhere, made good friends with the bus drivers, and people saw them everywhere and would ask THEM questions. So it was very helpful to talk with him. There's so much to learn, often it's stressful but I try to focus on the good and take it a little at a time. I don't need to be amazing all at once.
We also had an amazing specialzed training with President Murdock (our mission president), President Elgen (counselor in stake) and the assistants, and zone leaders. They talked about working with members more and being focused on the work.
Fred is gone to California for work for a few months. He goes every winter. Usually he leaves before the snow but this is the longest he's ever stayed. He even said that he doesn't want to leave but knows he needs to. That's the first in the history of Fred. When we went to say goodbye we walked in and he happily goes, "look who it is! Well wouldn't this just blow your dress up?" heh heh. That's Fred.
Gabby, the convert is also moving along with Milagros. So now we only have 2 spanish speakers. One who work a lot. But there are other spanish speakers we are working with that are progressing well!
There's still trials and still struggles. I'm still learning to be more motivated. I am no way a superman. I've been so humbled here. I do love the Lord and His work. I love being apart of these times. Learning to focus on the peace and happiness has been one of the most beneficial things though. The Power of the Atonement is real. We can be so blessed if we just get over what we want to do no matter how seemingly innocent and look to see if God's will really will bless us so much more.
Los amo a todos!!!
-Elder Edgel
That sounds like a ton of fun running and biking walking! There's a former/potential/eternigator that has lost 30 pounds in a few months. Almost how much her youngest son weighs haha. That reminded me of when you had us carry potatoes to show off how much weight you lost.
A mission is definitely more than I ever anticipated or expected. I was so secretly prideful thinking I was going to be an all star. I had no idea I was that prideful haha. I've been humbled not by hard things, but just seeing I'm not all that great. Which is funny how realizing that then makes you great... But stay humble!
Something really standing out to me this week is how when we loose ourselves in the work, we find ourselves. When we seek to enrich others, we become enriched. When Ammon and his brothers were so humble and faithful that they were willing to go through every kind of affliction with their lives being literally threatened in the bloodiest part of the world, all to just save ONE person. And because of that they were able to be instruments to help convert THOUSANDS.
I told you in a last letter that a Sister Leader Trainer was moved to my district. She's an amazing missionary but so many things have been keeping them back from working. She started training and opened a spanish area in Craig. I had her give a training in the district meeting about being consecrated (something she's famous for). She told us how there was a stake president that never taught a single lesson during his whole mission but knew that he atleast converted himself. She's been that optimistic as well. It's been a great example to us all.
Matt is doing awesome! He'll be baptized sometime in March now so he can't get over tobacco. Elder Dean and I went on splits TWICE this week! It's so awesome going on splits when we have the appointments. Going twice in a week has been our goal for a long time!
Sometimes when we're not getting a whole lot done I get discouraged at myself for not being motivated enough or wise enough to know where to go. Saturdays have been difficult and they're suposed to be one of the most succesful days of week so when they're not I get mad at myself because SURELY I must be doing something wrong. But even that is too much of me in the equation. Taking myself completely OUT of the equation so I am no longer anywhere in it whatsoever. There is so much power in that. Not even worried in the least bit about "am I doing enough?". But always having your mind and heart focused on others.
A return missionary that served in Steamboat 14 years ago came and visited the ward. He even came to waffles afterward. He fell in love for just the 6 weeks he was here. Steamboat has always had trouble with bad elders so he put in the idea to the President to send him and his best friend in since they have been there before for exchanges and love the area. They completely changed the area, although they didnt' get a baptism they were very succesful and changed the name for missionaries. He says Steamboat is the best city in the world and always does some form of missionary work while he's here. He even gave a refferal for the sisters after talking to a lady!
He gave really good advice of just having fun with the work. Being yourself, letting people see yourself and not being some religious nut job. He was a very dedicated missionary and loved the work and was a very good instrument for the Lord. He got rebuked at times for the way that he was doing it, only to have Preach My Gospel now teach those same principles that he adapted, namely working with members and not tracting. They rode the bus everywhere, made good friends with the bus drivers, and people saw them everywhere and would ask THEM questions. So it was very helpful to talk with him. There's so much to learn, often it's stressful but I try to focus on the good and take it a little at a time. I don't need to be amazing all at once.
We also had an amazing specialzed training with President Murdock (our mission president), President Elgen (counselor in stake) and the assistants, and zone leaders. They talked about working with members more and being focused on the work.
Fred is gone to California for work for a few months. He goes every winter. Usually he leaves before the snow but this is the longest he's ever stayed. He even said that he doesn't want to leave but knows he needs to. That's the first in the history of Fred. When we went to say goodbye we walked in and he happily goes, "look who it is! Well wouldn't this just blow your dress up?" heh heh. That's Fred.
Gabby, the convert is also moving along with Milagros. So now we only have 2 spanish speakers. One who work a lot. But there are other spanish speakers we are working with that are progressing well!
There's still trials and still struggles. I'm still learning to be more motivated. I am no way a superman. I've been so humbled here. I do love the Lord and His work. I love being apart of these times. Learning to focus on the peace and happiness has been one of the most beneficial things though. The Power of the Atonement is real. We can be so blessed if we just get over what we want to do no matter how seemingly innocent and look to see if God's will really will bless us so much more.
Los amo a todos!!!
-Elder Edgel
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