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.

N's email 2/23/2015

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

companion: Elder Noall

This week has been absolutely incredible! We've seen so many miracles I lost count. Saying goodbye to Elder Six was a little hard but I'm so grateful that I have Elder Noall. He's a great teacher and a hard worker. I think we get along very well and we have so much fun going about doing the work. He's only been out 6 weeks longer than I have and we hadn't met until the transfer meeting. He's from Logan, Utah and has a strong testimony of the Gospel and Jesus Christ. I'm so excited to get to work with him.

Let me tell you about a couple miracles we experienced.

The first was Friday night, we got our investigator, Mitchel, to commit to be baptized on March 28! He's only a junior in high school but he has a strong desire to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I know that as long as he puts in the work he'll be ready on that day. I am so blessed to be able to have met him and get to be the first one to teach him about prophets in the Book of Mormon.

The second miracle was that same night. It was 8:45 and we realized that we didn't have a single contact for the day so we pulled over and asked for forgiveness, as well as just one person to talk to. It was dark and lightly raining, but Heavenly Father gave us 5 people to talk to in those 15 minutes. A couple sitting outside their garage even accepted a Book of Mormon.

"Have miracles ceased? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."

Moroni 7:29

I can never say this enough, I love being a missionary and I love T.H.E. Mission.

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 pictures from Transfer #2 - Kingwood / Six - 1/5/2015 to 2/17/2015

area: Kingwood 2nd Ward, Kingwood Texas Stake

zone: Kingwood

companion: Elder Six

entering THE Mission 1/5/2015

leaving THE Mission 2/7/2015

(read Elder Combrink's email from 1/12/2015)

"heart attacking" the AP's apartment door

AP = Assistant to the (Mission) President

check out this picture

The only hill...

actually there's 2 more.

1. you can stand on, it's in a park, and it's about 7 feet high.

2. the dump, about 100 feet hill, surrounded by a very tall fence, and illegal to stand on.

yup, there's 3 hills in Kingwood...

three...

that's it...

The Book of Mormon actually talks about Houston area

Ether 12:30

For the Brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, "Remove"

-and it was removed.

sad, sad, sad, sad, sad...

but I love my mission

This house is in the middle of nowhere.

And it's surrounded by trailers.

Texas is crazy!

Elder Mitchell, Elder Huhane, Sister Thornton

Kingwood Zone P-day

Elder Six, Chris, Elder Combrink

entering THE Mission 2/16/2015

leaving THE Mission 2/18/2015

N's email 2/16/2015

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

This week was incredible. Although we didn't get in with any of our investigators and we couldn't find any new ones in our finding efforts, we had a great week of serving our recent converts. Elder Mitchel was on exchanges with me on Tuesday and we helped Harriet dig a trench in her front yard. Elder Mitchel actually dug that same trench almost a year ago when he served in this ward. Those two are best friends! I have a goal to become like that with all my investigators and recent converts.

Wednesday we helped the Crofts family sand and repaint a door which we thought would only take a couple hours but ended up taking about 5. We were going to try to see a few potential investigators with Chris but he ended us just coming and helping us sand this door.

Thursday we were able to take Chris to the temple for baptisms, Elder/Brother Thomas drove us. Chris had such a wonderful experience, especially because he was doing family names. He was so incredibly happy!

Then on Saturday Elder Six was feeling very dehydrated while we were tracting and then as we were walking away from a house he found a water bottle on the way out that WAS NOT there when we walked up.

Sunday was amazing, the Stake Patriarch spoke and gave great advise on raising an eternal family. Our ward is also getting super excited about missionary work since President Fronk instructed the ward council last week on inviting.

I love this ward, and I love Elder Six. I will miss him so much but I'm also glad that I was able to be his "son" and learn from him before he left. I'm his only "son" as you know and he had been praying for me for a long time. I consider any and all answers to prayers miracles, so this makes me Elder Six's miracle. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to be that.

This has been a wonderful 12 weeks. I get a new companion tomorrow. I don't know who yet. I do get to stay in this area though, which I'm super happy about!

I love all of you. But I love Jesus Christ more (Matthew 22:37). And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

N's email 2/9/2015

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

This week was awesome! Elder Martinez needed each companionship to get 13 contacts per day to reach our district goal, and we didn't get any on Monday so our goal was 26 on Tuesday and on the 25th contact we got 2 new investigators! Dayne and Kendall, a young couple who just want to know what is true. I'm so excited to continue teaching them!

Then we were blessed for striving to be obedient by being able to see a mormon.org referral who we've been trying to see for over a month. He's a junior in high school and wanted to understand our basic doctrine before he saw the play the Book of Mormon to make sure he knew what was and what was not accurate. He's a great young man, he'd make a good missionary too.

My exchange on Saturday with Elder Martinez was awesome!

Recently, because Elder Six and I haven't had anyone wanting to "come unto Christ" I was wondering if there could've been something in my past dealing with worthiness that I forgot about, and those thoughts got really strong Friday night. But then we got 3 new investigators Saturday and all but 1 of our plans worked out and were super spiritual. Heavenly Father answered my prayers that day and I'm so grateful for that.

I love my mission so much. I wouldn't trade these 3 months, that have felt like 3 minutes, for anything.

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 2/2/2015

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

We've had a great week this week. With a higher pressure and motivation from Elder Martinez and the district to get 10 contacts each and every day we've really been working hard to get that done. We've also had much more success because of it and have experienced miracles. One such miracle was a lady with 2 children listening to a 10 minute pamphlet restoration lesson. She accepted it really well but has a super busy life and told us we could try dropping by now and then but she couldn't be sure about a return appointment. She took a Book of Mormon though. She was the only person that listened to us all day. Her kids were super excited about what we said too.

We've also had prayers answered and have seen greater missionary excitement and efforts from the members. President Fronk asked for missionary experiences in Priesthood meeting and we had 4 or 5 of them. Really great ones too!

Elder Six is doing really well for how fast his departure is coming up. I love my dad.

I love my mission so much. The only thing I really need or want right now is more letters. Treats are good too. Cookies and brownies and stuff like that cuz candy is too sweet. I'm giving most of it away to kids at church.

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.

I have a binder now so please start sending copies of my letters to you!