Speaking Assignments

Elder Record will be speaking this Sunday, July 28 at 11:00am at the Spanish Highlands Ward building at 2188 E 100 S, Spanish Fork, Utah. He will also be speaking with his sister, Sister Lorielle Record on Aug 25 at 1:00pm at the Canyon Ridge Ward building at 2162 East Canyon Road, Spanish Fork, Utah.

Welcome Home, Elder Record!

Elder Record made it safely home today. He was very tired having had only about an hour of sleep, but he is in good spirits and doing great.

Coming down the escalators with the five other missionaries from his same mission.

Elder Record on the left coming down the esclator

So good to see Elder Record again!

Yes, Mom is very happy!

Mom gets the first hug

Elder Record on the left and Chris on the right. Chris is Elder Record's "little brother."

Family and friends to greet him

President Ross Baadsgaard of the Maple Mountain Stake released Elder Record officially at 10:00am this morning.

Coming Home Soon!

Elder Record is really busy with a group of new missionaries that entered the mission field today. We look forward to seeing him on Wednesday. We will post home coming pictures later this week.

Inspiration and Prayer

Helloooo!! So yesterday was pretty cool, because of a few things. We got to speak in Church. My topic was “How we can find peace in this tumultuous world through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Elder Yde's topic was “How we can find personal freedom through living the gospel.” They tied in really well. He gave his talk first, then I gave mine. Then a sister leaving on her mission spoke after us. It was really fun. We prayed really hard, and it went well. I think a lot of people were able to be touched and reminded of those things that are really important.

(If there is white noise, I have the window rolled down because it's super hot.)

We also got to teach sharing time. That was interesting. For July we did the week 2 sharing time. It went well. There are a lot of cool kids there.

We were able to teach more people yesterday than we really have any other single day during our time with each other. It seemed that we were really able to get in with people. I guess it being the richer area, people are often gone. So it's kind of tricky. Then you have the problem where sometimes people don't answer their phones. So (haha), it makes things interesting. It was really good because we were able to see a lot of people. I am convinced through prayer and fasting miracles happen. I think it is because we really wanted it. We really wanted to help everybody in the area, and I think the Lord helped us.

Also, this week we have been starting transfers. It has been a crazy schedule getting things ready for the mix up of the missionaries and having new missionaries come in. Today we are going to pick up two elders that are going to be coming in a little early. The rest of the 10 to 12 missionaries are coming in next Monday.

We taught a guy who is the son of a recent convert in the ward. We were going to teach him the restoration so we could invite him to read the Book of Mormon so he would know what it was about and how it came about. We just really felt like we needed to talk to him about prayer and help him understand his relationship with his Heavenly Father. He needed to know so he would feel and be able to ask Him if [the Book of Mormon] was true. We focused on that and it went really well. It was probably the most specific that I've helped anyone on my mission to understand prayer and how we can receive answers. It was really good, and I think he really understood how. I think now when he prays, it's going to be a lot more meaningful. So we are excited to see how he progresses. He's a good kid. He's like 15 and has a heart of gold. So he is really fun to teach.

I look forward to seeing you all soon. I hope you have a really great day. I appreciate the letter dad. That was pretty awesome. That is one thing I really like is that all of you helping Sister Record and I to stay really focused as far as what you write to us. Hearing from or about other missionaries sometimes they can get pretty distracted when their families start talking to them about things they don't need to. So, I'm glad you guys have really helped us out there. It's definitely a blessing.

See you all later. Have a great day! Bye!

Love, Elder Record

The Score was Fun to Fun!

So, this week I will try to make an attempt at a more detailed description of spiritual events that have happened. So, let me get out my planner because my memory only works for like the last three hours. Yesterday we were going to eat dinner with a family. Their neighbors just barely moved in from Norway. We got to talk with the kids in the family for a little bit and get to know them. Hopefully we will get to go back and teach them more. They have never really heard anything about the Church. It was fun, and the food was delicious.

It is tricky in our area. There are a lot of people who are comfortable where they are at. A lot of people have heard about the Church, have seen missionaries or something. It is more effective for one of the members to go up and invite them to learn more, verses us asking them. There just seems to be a wall that is immediately up – a feeling that “I'm good and don't need anything extra.”

Oh, hey!!! There's a former mission president walking down the street! He was the mission president for some mission in India. He and his wife walk every morning down the streets – this morning on De Armoun Road.

We went to Fairbanks. I am really happy because there is a really good missionary in my old ward, Fairbanks 3^rd Ward, and he's really doing well. I found out that one of our investigators who we struggled to meet with, but was super solid, wanting to learn more and find out, the missionaries were able to continue teaching her. She is progressing really well; she is coming to Church, and reading the Book of Mormon. She is already in Heleman. So it is just super awesome to see how positive things are going in that area. All the missionaries seem to be doing really well in Fairbanks. For the most part there is a lot more unity with the missionaries. It seems like there is a lot more mind set to just work and share the gospel with everybody.

We got to play soccer on Monday for the first time in my mission. I guess I kind of did it once before, but it was for a morning exercise. It wasn't much of a game, but we actually got to play a soccer game. We whomped them, the score was fun to fun!

We were also able to do some service by mowing some people's lawn.

We found [Name withheld] that wants to be taught. We are teaching him, and he is excited. He has a really big desire to come closer to Jesus Christ. So we are able to help him, and we will see how things go.

I may or may not have a ton of time to email in the future because next Monday we are bringing in new missionaries, and the next Monday we are bringing in new missionaries. Anyway, please keep writing. I will probably be able to read it.

Love, Elder Record

Fairbanks and Family History

So, don't have too much time to email home and I didn't get an audio recorded. I'm on exchanges right now up in Fairbanks again. We are exchanging with the companionships that have the new missionaries to see how they are doing and how their training is going. Life is good. We're working hard. We had about 3 or 4 full days to work in our area. It was a blast! Although, everyone is fishing so we had to work extra hard and be creative since everyone was gone. =)

I was also able to teach about Family History in the Brayton ward combined 3rd hour youth meeting. It went well, I thought, and the spirit was there. It was really directed at helping them focus on the temple and a role they can play in the work of salvation especially with how capable they all are. The next 2 Mondays after this coming Monday will be pretty busy because we have new missionaries coming in. That is my favorite thing, welcoming in the new missionaries.

I love the gospel. It just makes sense. I love the Savior. I love helping people feel that.

Love, Elder Record