Ashtabula, Week 19

Hello Family!

so this week was kinda insane and kinda funny, so try not to laugh too hard at me, cause I did some idiotic stuff!

 This week started out pretty good! we were teaching around 6 lessons a day. On Friday we were supposed to go out with a member all day. He was take us to all the people that are in the outskirts of our area, and we had a good number of appointments set up. But the member called us at like 10 am and said he was sick and couldn't come out with us, so we had nothing planned all day till like 6 but lucky for us Elder Toolson (one of the elders in the apartment) was throwing up so we did an exchange I went with Elder Korn on a bike in his area and my companion stayed home and took care of Elder Toolson, so that was kinda a weird day... and here comes the funny part.....

 On Saturday we went out with a member to some appointments and we hadn't done any service this week so far, so we asked if we could help him with something. He said yeah and we help him with this structure thing he was making for a tarp cover for when he works on his van and we had to do some welding.. I volunteered to weld and he told me to grab a welding shield, but I was like nahhh i'll be fine, so he told me to close my eyes if i wasn't gonna use the shield buuuut since I wasn't thinking and was being an idiot I welded without a mask and open eyes and it wasn't that bad at the time.... but man did I feel it that night I was in so much pain, I only slept like 2 hours and I couldn't open my eyes, so I was pretty much blind.

 On Sunday I got up and went to church and the whole sacrament meeting I had my eyes closed and had to go home after sacrament and one of the members gave me some eyes drops and ointment for my eyes cause he had experienced the same thing so that helped a lot, so Sunday I pretty much slept all day and kept my eyes closed, so wouldn't go blind! then by yesterday they were so much better, but still sore. I rested till like 5 then we went out and taught some lessons! but wow it was the dumbest thing ever and I felt like such a idiot! but I am all good now! feeling much better! ha ha so that was my funny story for the week! you're welcome! 

so transfers are tomorrow that's why preparation day is today. I am staying here but Elder Korn is leaving, other than that not too much to report! thanks for all the support. I love and miss you all!

Love

Elder Howard

Ashtabula, Week 18

Hey Family!
 

So this week has been pretty fast as well ha ha, um not too may exciting things happened. 

It was kinda like that week where everything fell trough, so we ended up doing a bunch of service! but it was still super awesome to help the members in the ward and gain their trust! 

um, so I guess there was something cool that happened this week. We have been meeting with a less active single Brother in the ward for like a few months now, and he hasn't been to church since I have served here, so he has been pretty in-active for a good 6 months now, so over the time we have been visiting him he has really opened up to us and all that. On Saturday we had a super awesome lesson with him! and he said he would come to church, but he always said that and never came, so I got the brilliant idea on Saturday night to get him to take us to church the next day and he DID!!! he came and he loved it. Everyone was super happy to see him and he really enjoyed himself! so that was super awesome! Pretty much made my week. other than that this week has been pretty straight forward and stuff.

 I'm dong well. Training is still a challenge, but its getting easier!

 Well I love and miss you all!

Love 

Elder Howard

Astabula, Week 17

Hello Family

This week had been good! 

we had some awesome things happen and a lot of good work is going on! I am still learning so much! Training is hard, but it is going well.

On Saturday we had a trip to Kirtland with Justin(Investigator) and Chris(Recent Convert) it was a super cool experience. Like it's so amazing that where the Saint were first called to gather is literally 45 minuets away from me! so many amazing special things happened there! it was a really good experience for them too. We also watched Meet the Mormons, after we took the tour. and wow that movie is so awesome! 

um also this week we did some service splitting wood and wow that was tough! ha ha my Companion was feeling pretty sick, so I pretty much split a whole truck load of wood by myself! it was a solid work out!

um also i found out Yesterday that Elder Thomander my trainer/last comp just got engaged! it took him 22 days after he got home! ha ha that's so great!

 um but Something that I have learnt this week or something that has stuck out to me has been No matter how small or how big a commandment or a standard that has been given to us by the Lord or Church leaders are all equal and we should be obedient to all of them even if they seem dumb or don't really make sense they are give to us from God or our Church leaders who have the keys to make these standards and they are the ones who receive revelation for us to help us. So I think that is just something really important. I love what Nephi says in 2 Nephi 33:15 right at the end of the verse not only because of the message it teaches, but because it is the last thing Nephi writes in the scriptures. 

It says "for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey." and that is that attitude i think we all need and something that I want, and am striving for.

 I love and miss you all and hope you know that!

Love

Elder Howard   

 

Ashtabula, Week 16

Hello Family!

So this week has been good! I feel like the weeks now are just becoming a blur! its hard work but so rewarding!

 We have been having some success. Our investigator Justin is doing well. He believes everything and wants to be baptized, but he has a drinking problem! so please pray for him that he may over come that addiction soon! other than that he came to church yesterday and really liked it! so he is making good progress!

 My companion is doing well, he is doing good in lessons and things like that. I feel like he has a hard time keeping up with me in most things. I'm used to moving fast, but he is just kinda chillin, but I'm trying to do the best I can, but doing everything fast and being an example, but he just hasn't seem to catch on yet?... but it will come I guess, he isn't adjusting to missionary life as fast as I did. Other than that, all is going really well!

 um it was like 40s this week and the snow is finally melting! I was driving yesterday and the backish kind of roads are all ice and slush, so for like 2 miles on this road I was pretty much sliding and had no control, but it was so sweet! ha ha I'm a pro at driving in snow and ice and stuff! 

 anyways I love my mission. I am learning so much! its crazy! like I have studied for 3 hours pretty much everyday since I started ha ha!
its great I love it!

Elder Howard

p.s. I AM SO JEALOUS of your Holiday!! There is an Elder in my apartment that is from San Diego so that's cool! plus tell Zach his hair is good, but it needs to be shorter. Tell Luke, Joel and Jude, they need a cut too!

Ashtabula, Week 15

Hello Family

This week was better! we had some good success and not as stressed! It has been fun!

 um did a lot of service! and it was like in the 20s the past few days, so it was like a heat wave over here! the snow is still pileling up, so its not going away anytime soon! and I'm like the king of driving in the snow! ha ha.

 um we have had some trouble finding new people to teach, but yesterday a super neat thing happened. Our RC ken, his mum has shown a little interest and was gonna come to church, but it was cancelled because of the snow, but we went over last night and taught here the restoration and it was so sweet! the spirit was so strong and I invited her to be baptized and she said YES! 

it so great i love being able to help and bless peoples lives by inviting them to come closer to Christ! um other than that no other updates... except being a trainer is hard! ha ha. I love and miss you all!

Love Elder Howard    

Ashtabula, Week 14

Hello Family!

So this week has been and odd one! 

I said good by to my dad(trainer) and said hello to my son(trainee) ha ha. Wednesday was weird! but it has been good and so hard. It was very hard for me the first couple days, but I"m  adjusting! its hard being a trainer! like everything is relying on me! ha ha, but its good and I am learning a lot! a lot of stress, but I'm overcoming it, so that's good I guess!  other than that not much! 

My New Comp & trainee is Elder Durrant he is 19, so older than me and we are like polar opposites. He doesn't like sports or anything I like! He is a really interesting guy, with a crazy back story! I have a lot of respect for him! and even though we don't have anything in common we get along just fine! we don't have that much to talk about but its good and we're are doing great! I am becoming a better teacher everyday and study a lot better. This leadership calling is really helping me and I love it! anyway that's about it for this week!

I love and miss you all take care!

Elder Howard

New Companion

New Apartment Missionaries