N's pictures from Transfer #3 - Kingwood / Noall - 2/16/2015 to 3/31/2015

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward, Kingwood Texas Stake

zone: Kingwood

companion: Elder Noall

entering THE Mission 2/16/2015

leaving THE Mission 2/18/2015

Elder Noall

Elder Combrink and Elder Noall

Kingwood Zone 3/17/2014

(all the other Zones in the Texas Houston East Mission) 

Beaumont Zone

Elder Combrink and Elder Noall

Elder Noall and Elder Combrink

Elder Combrink with the Crofts

Elder Noall and Elder Combrink

(These were taken by a couple in the ward -

thank you Brother and Sister Dobson!)

entering THE Mission 03/30/2015

leaving THE Mission 04/01/2015

N's email 3/30/2015

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward (Texas)
zone: Kingwood
companion: Elder Noall

This week has been fantastic once again. We've seen so many miracles and blessings come as we've gone out and worked. My exchange with Elder Henrie was a real learning experience, I always look forward to exchanges with the leaders I have. They have such good insights and so much experience it really helps me understand what more I can do. We've been teaching a scripture study class on Thursday nights going through the Bible Videos, it hasn't been a good finding tool yet but it really helps our recent converts understand the gospel. We taught about the Last Supper this week and I didn't think we would be able to get enough information to talk about for the 45 minute class from the scriptures about this one meal, but we had awesome class participation and it worked out awesome. The Swanks always attend and really help us with their input.

One miracle from this week was we taught our investigator, Jonathan, but forgot to invite him to church at the lesson, but on Saturday we were up in that area finding potentials and he saw us outside and invited us in for lunch. We were then able to invite him to church and we had no idea how we were going to do it because he doesn't have a phone and we were supposed to be crammed busy that day with service projects but one got cancelled and he happened to see us outside. He came to church and loved the testimony meeting. I love being a missionary!

It has been such a blessing to get to know the people here and serve with the wonderful leaders this ward has. I have learned a lot here and will miss it, but I know that transfers are inspired and that where I go now will be where the Lord wants me.

I bore my testimony yesterday in church and the Spirit taught me something very profound. Brother Baer (2nd counselor in the Bishopric) said sometimes his boys try to take the easy way out of things. Brother Crofts (just an awesome member, I think he teaches a primary class) talked about having a perspective of the future, like "if I knew something bad would happen in 3 months, how would I change how I live now to be more ready?" And I was pondering those two things and got up and bore my testimony something along the lines of "What is the easy way out now, is near never the easy way out for the future. In the morning the easy way out is to sleep for an extra hour, but the easy way out for the rest of the day is to read your scriptures because it makes your day so much easier. The easy way out of peer pressure, like come party and drink with us, is to follow your friends, but the easy way out for tomorrow, or next week is to hold to your standards. The easy way out after high school graduation is to follow your friends to college, or even easier sit at home playing video games and living off of your parents, but the easy way out in 2 years, or 10 years, or your lifetime is to serve a mission. The Gospel of Jesus Christ may not be easy right now, but it makes tomorrow, and next week, and next year, and a lifetime easier.

I love being a missionary and I love the Holy Ghost.

I love all of you. But I love the Lord more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

N's email 3/23/2015

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward (Texas)
zone: Kingwood
companion: Elder Noall

We had a very interesting week. I was sick on Monday (food poisoning I think) and couldn't work after dinner. I was feeling a bit better Tuesday during Zone Conference, which was absolutely wonderful and I learned so much. We had dinner that night with a family where the husband had lost his job that morning, and it was a great experience to be able to have a spiritual conversation with them talking about blessings. He also asked us for a blessing. A man in his 40's asking two 19-year-old boys to give him a blessing of comfort and guidance. I felt super humbled! I love being a missionary.

Miracle Story: we went to find a member on the ward list at an apartment complex. He ended up having moved but right when we were getting in the car, a lady brought out her garbage so we went over and talked to her and she took a Book of Mormon and we made an appointment to go back and teach her. It was an awesome lesson and we found out that she has 6 kids! She's so open and ready to receive the Gospel. I love being a missionary.

We also have a recent convert who hasn't been paying tithing, which keeps her from attending the temple, but at our scripture study class we talked about the umbrella keeping us from getting blessings and we could just see the Spirit working on her. It was awesome to see her just staring at the picture we drew on the board with that look of, "I need to repent." I love being a missionary!

We also had dinner with a family on Saturday night and she was officially reactivated this week! I love being a missionary.

It also felt great to have 70 contacts again this week! I love being a missionary!!

There is nothing better in the world than to give all your heart, might, mind, and strength, and time to our Savior. And all he asks us to do with all that is serve other people. He could ask us (His 88,000 full-time representatives) to build more temples, or churches, or clean all of them, or make signs that say "Jesus" across East Texas that would be visible from space, but no. Our Savior is super selfless. He asks for our all, including our will, our desires, our thoughts, and then He tells us He just wanted them so we can give them our brothers and sisters around the world. Jesus is really cool, isn't He. I hope that as I continue to learn and grow and overcome my weaknesses that when people look at me, or hear me talk, they will think of Him. I've got a long way to go but I think it's a good goal.

I love all of you. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

N's email 3/16/2015

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward (Texas)
zone: Kingwood
companion: Elder Noall

This week was full of service! We pulled a nice old lady's weeds out of her flower bed after we tracted into her and then went back the next day to finish the job. We raked 2 yards on Saturday and cleaned up a big pile of junk in someone's front yard on Saturday as well. Actually, we kind of just made it a more organized pile since they don't have trash cans or a dumpster (a lot of people here seem to be like that) so we weren't able to actually get rid of any of it... But it does look better now than it did before.

We had half of our investigators drop us over this past week. But each day someone dropped us we got at least 2 referrals. I'm still not sure if God is sifting through the wheat and the tares or if we're just horrible missionaries, but I pray it's the first! So far only one of those investigators turned out to be a new investigator, his name is Jonathan. I think over half of his extended family is investigating the church right now, so he decided to see what it was about this church. We had an awesome spiritual lesson, and his niece sat next to him the whole time. Her eyes lit up so big when we told them that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph Smith. That made me really understand what Christ meant when he said "become as little children." They're so ready to believe!

We have a lesson with another one of the referrals tomorrow and we're super excited about that.

This is also the first week I've passed 70 contacts! We got 73 and we've seen miracles work around us as we did that!

I've also gained a testimony of fasting this week. I've been struggling for the last few weeks with just thinking. Usually I'm able to ponder for hours about a single subject and discover incredible personal revelations from it. My mom can attest that I've had the gift of discernment (or being able to know how others feel and what they need) since I was born. But I've lost those, both being gifts of the Spirit. as well as the gift of weeping, which I'd be ok with if it didn't take all emotional feelings with it. I became a robot for 3 weeks and I didn't understand why. I was constantly confused, so confused in fact that I was confused about feeling confused. I didn't even know what was wrong with me until we talked in our scripture study class about gifts of the Spirit and I realized I had lost all of mine except my testimony. Once I figured out what was missing I still had no idea how to get them back. I think they were taken because of my pride (cuz I prayed for humility, I highly advise not doing that unless you're in a very comfortable position in life, patience is along those same lines) so I acknowledged that they were gifts from God and that I literally am nothing without Him (Alma 26:12). Then I fasted for a day, begging my Heavenly Father to give them back to me or help/show me how to be humble asap so I could overcome that trial and get them back. Over that day they all came back. each and every gift. i know fasting works miracles!

I love all of you. But I love our Savior more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

N's email 3/9/2014

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward (Texas)
zone: Kingwood
companion: Elder Noall

Another great week in Kingwood 2!

We have seen many of our specific prayers answered. We prayed for a young couple with a baby, and we were led to them. We prayed for a young man looking for more knowledge about God, and we were led to him. We prayed for a family with 4 children who will be prepared to be baptized April 4, and we were led to them. I love prayers and asking my Heavenly Father to perform miracles and witnessing them happen before my eyes. None are investigators yet but the Spirit and us will get them there.

Our investigator with a baptismal date, Mitchell, dropped us and that was really hard. He is such a great young man, but he got clouded with a bunch of doctrinal points that people should gradually learn. We don't give babies steaks and we don't give investigators mountains of doctrine. Line upon line, precept upon precept. He'll join the church one day though.

We also got a referral from the Hermanas for a young lady who wants to be baptized! Just 2 days after Mitchell dropped us. Tender Mercies!

Quick story! Sunday morning we were riding our bikes in a rain storm, my first time riding in the rain. We were soaking wet and our potential investigators kept dropping us, so we decided to go tracting. We knocked on one door, waited a minute and started knocking again when the door opened. A very tall man opened the door and said, "you just don't get it, do you? You're biking in the pouring rain, you knock on my door, wait 10 minutes"(it was not 10 minutes)"and then knock on my door again? You guys are crazy! But you know what? I've got 5 minutes so teach me something." We talked about prophets and read Moroni's promise to him and he said we could come back occasionally and share other scriptures with him. That's it.

I think I've gained 20ish pounds... I love Texans and their food, I hate the side effects... But at least I'm not starving!

I love all of you. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

N's email 3/2/2015

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward (Texas)
zone: Kingwood

companion: Elder Noall

This week was going great up to Friday, then it started to be fantastic! Assistant Brewer came with us and showed us so many ways we can improve. It was such a great opportunity!

Earlier that week we had already decided to start thinking about specific people we can pray for (like the other miracle stories happening in T.H.E. Mission) and that we would pray for it on Thursday. Elder Brewer was planning with us and we prayed for a family of 5 who we could teach the Gospel to and that they'd be receptive. Then on Friday we had several amazing contacts but none of them ended up being interested. We ended up having 16 contacts that day, and none wanted to have lessons. Elder Brewer had to go back early so we dropped him off and we had a little time before dinner so we tried a member. we told them who we had prayed for and she said "I don't know a family of 5, but I know one of 3. Let me text them." She texted her right there and set up an appointment for us on Monday! Then we ended up having dinner with those members Sunday and we learned that she meant 3 children, IT WAS A FAMILY OF FIVE!!!!!

Heavenly Father answers prayers! He does want this work to succeed, because it's His work! I'm so glad I'm a missionary!

We also had 2 investigators, Dayne & Kendle (a young couple), at Sacrament Meeting! This was the first time an investigator has come for two and a half months.

I love this area, it's become my home. I think I can start to understand that picture book about the boy who grows to be a missionary. I don't remember what it's titled, but the boy says "you don't swim on a mission because you go to the empty sea."

I love all of you. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.