Hello Everyone, This is Elder Record and today is November 7th and this is my weekly update. This week was kind of different (haha), it was pretty cool. First off, this is the last week of the transfer, and we knew that Elder Hartman would have been leaving – and he is – and we knew that one other person would be leaving. They had already said that Elder Bowes was going to be able to stay, so it was assumed it was going to be either me or Elder Johnson to leave. But, we both kind of thought that it was going to be me to leave. We were at dinner with the Hirsch family, and we got a call from President Beesley, so Elder Johnson took that. President Beesley basically told Elder Johnson everything that was going on, but he didn't tell us until he and I were in the car leaving. He told me where the other elders were going. Elder Bowes is going to be staying like we expected, and he is going to be having Elder Duncan as a companion. Elder Johnson said that I was going to be leaving (haha), but he wouldn't tell me where, and he wouldn't – which was good – until the next morning when President Beesley was going to call us officially with our transfer calls. Elder Hartman is going to Anchorage to be in the Klatt Ward. I think that's South Anchorage, I'm not sure. That is where Elder Bowes used to serve and that is where Elder Hartman's old companion was serving for this last transfer, but he is going to be switched out and Elder Hartman is going to be in there. That was so exciting, it was like Christmas (haha). We were all anxious to see where we were going.
I found out I'm going to the Northern Lights Ward or the Northern Lights/Chester Valley area. It's a Samoan
ward in the Denali District of the Anchorage North Zone. Elder
Johnson wouldn't tell me where I was going, but he just laughed
and laughed, because he said that I was going to laugh when I found
out where I was going. We would always joke, because I would kind of
whine a little bit when we eat too much (haha), just because it's not
fun to eat a ton if you're not using what you eat. We would always
joke about how I would struggle to eat the food if I was sent to a
Tongan or Samoan ward (haha). So that was so funny when I found out I
was going to be going to a Samoan ward because they feed the
missionaries like craazy. So, I'm really going to have to
exercise a lot to be able to eat that much or find some way to not
eat that much. That's just part of the culture. If you are going to go
over there, they are going to make you food, so I'll be prepared.
Yeah, I will probably exercise like crazy in the mornings and
probably even at night. It will be fun. I'm excited. I will probably
be learning a little Samoan, that will be pretty cool. That was on
Friday. We did get our calls on Saturday morning where we were going.
It was kind of neat because President Beesley told me, when he was
telling me where I was going, he said, “Elder Record, the Lord
wants you in the Northern Lights Ward.” I thought that was kind of
neat too that it's not just where I'm going, but it's where the Lord
wants me to go. So, I know that if I do my part and do my best, and
work my hardest, that the Lord will be with me and He will provide
the way for what needs to be done there. He will give me the help
that I need, because He really has called me there.
Last Monday we went to the Thompson's
for our last visit there. We'll probably be there again on Tuesday.
We had a pretty competitive game of Monopoly (haha). It was very fun.
It was unique. We love making deals. Whenever we play Monopoly with
Brother Thompson or Elder
Johnson, we always make a ton of deals.
We have been visiting with an investigator. We
were able to give her a chapel tour. She's reading the Book of Mormon
a lot, which is good. I expect at the rate she's learning
and reading the Book of Mormon, she will get a testimony of it
eventually, just by how sincere she is searching. I mean, how could
she not? The Book
of Mormon is very powerful. I will read every morning in it for
about thirty minutes. Every time I read in the Book of Mormon, the
simple truths really help focus your thoughts and help you feel the
Spirit.
This week we get to go on the branch
temple trip, and they are going down to Anchorage. That is how Elder
Hartman and I are going to get to Anchorage – and the other
missionaries too. So we get to go on the temple trip, and I am going
to be doing some of our family names on Grandpa Record's side. I am
going to do the work for Daniel Owen, and any other people I find.
That will be pretty neat. I'm excited to go back to the temple. It's
weird being out here where the temple is kind of far away. Where
we're from, we will be having three temples within like fifteen
minutes of our house. We are very lucky. The more I'm out here, the
more I realize how much I love Utah (haha). I'm kind of bias. I love
having the temples there.
This week has been really fun. It's
been a weird week because we have had to do a lot of preparation for
the new transfer – like updating our area book, and polishing that
off for the new missionaries that come in. Elder
Johnson is going to be having a companion, Elder Norris from
Fairbanks. Elder Duncan, Elder Bowes companion, is also from
Fairbanks. They are serving in Fairbanks, I don't know if there are
from Fairbanks – I doubt it.
Last Sunday, the one before yesterday,
a less active member came to church. We had never seen
him before. That Sunday we gave the 5th Sunday lesson for the 3rd
hour on Family History. It went really well, and apparently he was talking with brother Hirsch about family
history just a little while before. Anyway, he called us and
wanted to come to the Family History Center so we told him when it
was open. He came, and I was able to help him find between 10 and 20
people that he could do the temple work for. It was so much fun to
see his face light up. He was so excited. He couldn't wait to tell
his friends and family about the family history center. It was so
much fun to see how the spirit of Elijah rekindled the fire of his
testimony. We saw him again yesterday in church and, oddly enough,
the lesson was on Temple
and Family History work. He enjoyed it a lot and had plenty to
say now. =)
The gospel
is true. I am so thankful that we have a loving Heavenly Father and
that he ensures that none of us are forgotten. Everyone has the
opportunity to hear and accept the gospel. I know the Book
of Mormon is true. It was written for our day, and can give us
answers to life's problems. I love my Savior.
I know that his church was restored to the earth through the prophet
Joseph Smith.
I am thankful that we have a prophet today.
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