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Hello everyone!

One more amazing week in the Heartland! I arrived in Dodge Wednesday night and it only gets better from there. Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting and you could feel the spiritual power in the room as the members of the ward got up one by one and talked bout their conversions to the gospel and how it has changed their lives. There is a special spirit in Dodge City, this town has been prepared for the gospel. Yesterday the other Elders had a baptism and it was a special opportunity to reflect on the power of the gospel to change lives. The Atonement of Jesus Christ really can turn your weaknesses to strengths and make us into the servants He sees us becoming. This life is about serving Him and learning to listen to His voice. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Service with the Ruanos. This guy is 83 and from Guatemala. Some members asked him to fix their steps so they fed us lunch and then we worked on the steps. He's really cool. 
 

March 13, 2017

One more wonderful week in the Heartland! We had Zone Conference this week. I love opportunities to be taught by President McCuistion. We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and it's perfect purpose in our lives. As I sat and listened the Spirit spoke to me and testified of the role of living the gospel wholeheartedly as we seek to know our Father in Heaven more deeply. As we progress along the gospel path we will put ourselves in a position to understand exactly what it means to be a child of God. We are here because we are sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us and has a plan for us. As His children, we are given certain tools to help us come back to him. Namely the gospel and Atonement of Jesus Christ. Knowing that perfection would be an impossibility in this mortal life, our Father sent His son to pave the path back with His supreme and never ending sacrifice. This work is all around pretty great! Hope you have a tremendous week!

Mom,

We've done pretty good things from a lower seed. What year was it when we got to the final four on an eight seed? Our cats(Kentucky Wildcats) will be fine. Coach Cal will take good care of us. I'll pray you can make the final four! I have been sleeping better this week so hopefully, that trend continues. I really don't want this thing to be over. I am emailing a couple of friends I made out here that have finished their missions and every single one of them said leaving was the hardest part of their missions. I'm not looking forward to it. We had interviews with President McCuistion this week and he is starting to count down my time too! I don't like it! I look forward to a lot of things but I'm still scared. On the bright side President told me that he would trust me to go anywhere and make a positive impact. He also told me I am leaving Great Bend at transfers in a week. I have mixed feelings about that. 

March 6, 2017

Hello everyone!
Another wonderful week in the Heartland! This week has proven to be anything but regular. Some things were brought into stark focus Friday. After zone training, we went home through Lyons because we had made an appointment to eat dinner with the Enfield family who lived just outside Lyons. We worked for an hour or so before leaving town. We arrived at their home just a little after six. We had been there for only a few minutes when the house started filling with smoke. Brother Enfield ran outside to where the wood burning stove that heated the house was located. We all followed. The shed that housed the stove was completely engulfed in flames. We ran back into the house and grabbed anything that looked valuable and got out. Brother Enfield called the fire department but by the time they arrived it was too late. The house was too far gone to save. In all of the commotion, we were not able to leave until about eight. At that point, the entire house had burned to the ground. In a matter of two hours this family lost nearly every materiel possession they owned. And yet there was no "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" as you might expect. They gathered their family together and rejoiced in the fact that each one was present and accounted for. They were at church today and not a single plea for pity was extended. Why have I caused you suffer through is long monolog? I learned a powerful lesson that night. There was nothing in that house that was more important to that family than each other and their testimonies of the gospel. There is nothing on this earth that can be more valuable than this gospel. This I have come learn in a very powerful way. We have a chance to help someone else gain this perspective as missionaries. Now we must go do it.

Saturday we had our first real lesson with Orlando. We taught him the restoration with the pamphlet and he loved it! He told us he felt good as we taught him and he closed the lesson in one of the sweetest prayers I have ever heard. He is in Kansas City for the next couple days but we are going back Tuesday for another lesson. I can't wait to see where it goes from here!