Happy Birthday Jesus

I was told by a member with missionaries out that the family likes reading long emails so here you go.

I have to start out with Christmas. Yesterday was such a blessing. Not only was it the day that we celebrate the Savior but I also got to talk to my family. My mom knows it but I just love spending quality time with those I love. So Christmas Day I woke up, said my prayers, and opened my presents. Thank you to all who made Christmas morning a delight! I loved getting all the goodies and the wonderful presents. I added up the gift cards and let's just say I will be good for the next couple of months. We went to church after studies and did our last practice for the choir (obviously I wasn't gonna pass up the opportunity to sing praises)! We then had to greet people at the door and hand out the program. Brother Newsham showed up this a Roudolgh tie and overalls. He always wears overalls. My favorite was brother Gonzales because he showed up in shorts, an un-tucked green dress shirt, a loose tie, and sunglasses. He said it was a south Florida Christmas because it was 73 degrees outside. During the ward business we had Jerry Evans get confirmed a member of the church. The bishop was the one who was giving the blessing and I had my hand on top of his and he was shaking like a freezing child. Either the Spirit was really coursing through him or he was cold. Poor Jerry probably almost got a concussion. We had the Christmas program and it felt so good singing for Jesus Christ and the Spirit was prominent!!  Afterword a great sacrament meeting we rushed to get a member to come with us to our dinner appointment at a sweet old ladies home. We got two of the young men in the ward and had a great time driving over to the ladies house. The food was wonderful and had a good conversation with her. She is like 90 years old and still kicking. She was a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher for most of her life so that make sense why she is so sweet. We had to rush back to the church so I could call my family. I was shaking trying to open the door to the church and when I was about to call, I was actually pretty nervous. I have no idea why I was so nervous but once I saw my mom answer the call I had to push back tears as the butterflies flew away. It felt like only an hour I talked to them but when I realized the time it had almost been 3 hours! I was so happy to see them and talk to them all. I love my family and I am so glad that Heavenly Father has put me in this one. I then got to talk to my dad and my brothers. I was shocked at both Zander's and Garrett's voices when they came on. They are getting lower and I still see them as my little bros. It is weird to realize Stocky is only 2 years of school behind me and Gman is almost as tall as me if not the same height. Their interactions with each other has not changed much! I am just so proud of them and honored to call them brothers. After all of that Elder Ledbetter and I were driving home and I just felt this weird feeling. It was a mixture of satisfaction, emptiness, longing, happy, love, and lost. I don't know why but then I started to read the book I was handed from brother Davis to do my talk on. It is titled "Believing Christ" by Stephen E Robinson. I have read it before but it didn't click or hit me as hard as it did last night. I am so grateful for Christ and his atonement. Mom, if you want to know how to really become "perfect" read that book and check out Moroni 10: 32-34. That is what the true meaning of perfection and whatever struggle we may have about not feeling "good enough" or I have sinned too horrible to be forgiven. Think again because that is exactly why we need a savior. He is a coach, cheerleader, advisor, teacher but he is mainly a Savior. Isaiah 1:18, he wants to help you and he can save you now not later. You can't just believe in him you had to believe him. Believe what he says can apply to you and all mankind. (Article of Faith 3)

Another great thing happened this week. Jerry was baptized and it was the first time I got to actually be there for an investigator to see be baptized!! As a missionary I was  running around and making sure things are going as planned. I was making sure everyone who has a part in the program is there. Making sure the water is just right. Making sure everyone is comfortable. Making sure I had the right people skyping in. Making sure I had the baptismal record filled out correctly. Making sure those speaking had their message ....  and so forth. It was a really good spiritual meeting and it was interesting seeing how everything works behind the scenes. Jerry is a super positive guy and really wants to do all he can to serve the Lord.

We got the opportunity to celebrate Chanukah (Hanukkah) on Christmas Eve. In a part member family the man of the house is Jewish. He read the Hebrew prayers and wore the yamikka and everything. He made us some potato pancakes which is mashed potatoes fried in oil. Anything cooked in oil during Chanukah symbolizes the miracles that god performed. They do not believe that Jesus has come yet so therefore they don't believe in the New Testament. I felt like that is how things were celebrated around Moses's time. It was pretty cool!

That is most of what I can remember of the week besides the normal missionary stuff. I love y'all and I hope you had a very merry Christmas! Have a blessed 2017!

Love, Elder Q

 

 

'Twas the week before Christmas

''Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the mission not a missionary was homesick not even the president. I don't really remember the rest but hopefully y'all can come up with your own lines ... haha!

This week was awesome! We are getting our baptismal candidate ready and he is doing well. He has his interview and he passed with flying colors! Yesterday we went and taught this other guy and now we have another date for January 14! Whoot! He is already being a member missionary and is talking about what he learns with his family. Over here in Linden the family all live either really close to each other or at least in the same county. There is ups and downs to this but so far it has been an up for us! We are gonna be teaching his whole family!

We got the task from the ward council to deliver fruit baskets to less active members in the word. Mind you we have about 350 members in this ward but only about 120 are active. So we go to this one lady's house to deliver a fruit basket. She lets us come in and we get to talking. I have come to be much more bold in my conversations. I straight out asked what keeps her from church and she all of a sudden asked us for a blessing. Apparently she has been going through a lot of tough emotional problems and other things. I was the one who gave the blessing and again I just love the priesthood so much! The spirit was strong and I don't even remember what I was saying but scriptures kept popping up in my head so that was awesome!

I hit my 6 month mark this last week and now my mission begins! Elders have that 6 month grace period to catch up with the sisters haha! I now have 18 months and the time is going by! My mom has raised me to be huge with traditions and celebrations so obviously I burned a tie. Don't worry, it wasn't a tie that anyone got me. I found an ugly one for free.

Thank you so much for everyone who has sent me a gift! I am feeling very blessed and so thankful for all the family members who are support my me. I love all of you!

Some random tidbits of info. I am now the driver, which is awesome! I also built shelf stopper things for the library.

That about sums up the week. Have a blessed week and remember the Lord is always there for you. I see my family in 6ish days! Whoot!

Love, Elder Q

 

Hope you Brought Sunscreen

The call came in and I am staying with Elder Ledbetter in Linden. Our whole district stayed the same except for Sister Orchard is going home. Sister Allred (came out with me) will be training. That also means that we can do exchanges with Elder Doman and Elder K again! This transfer will be for 7 weeks .... so get your popcorn ready!

We had a mission tour by Elder Klebingat this week. He is one of the 70 and totally awesome! He taught us so much that I had like no time to write anything down. We would get off into gospel tangents because the spirit was going that way. I think he has all the scriptures memorized because he was pulling them out left and right. When he talked, the spirit would testify so strongly of everything he taught us. I think he had to be a baptist minister or a Pentecostal preacher by how much he just told us how it is. He did not hold anything back and reminded me of Elder Holland when he talks. He literally called us to repentance and talked about the second coming and the gathering of Israel. I learned from Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5: 1-4 that we need to lay it all on he alter and hold nothing back. He challenged us that if there is something we are holding back from the lord we need to give it up. He also said that silence is a sin. Now I have to talk to everyone I meet but it has to be out of love not fear. I am now trying to do everything out of love not fear. It is so hard! But I know that the lord gives us things so we can be tested and strengthened.

The teaching this week has been with the same people but they are all progressing so that is good. Oh! We taught this dude who is super funny and very interested. He has only one leg and one eye. He served in the military and has crazy stories. The reason I mention him is because we taught him and all he had on was pretty much a loin cloth... got to love the southerners!

There are so many miracles that happen that I forget to write about some. Well he is one, so we just got done with a member teaching some peeps, we decide to go to eat. We go to Prater's Taters (because a less active works there) and when we got there another member was struggling with some bags. We helped him out and he insisted on buying us food. Yay, a free meal! While ordering an investigator came in and was super happy to see us! Plus, the whole family was there! Then after we just got done eating, the less active came out and wanted our help
with teaching her family. Oh, and it doesn't stop there. Then the husband of the less active walked in and we taught him! They are so down with us coming over and teaching (the husband is not a member). This all happened with in an hour. It was absolutely nuts!

As missionaries we are encouraged to participate in Light the World! I love those things we can do everyday to spread The Light. I would
like to share just a little bit about what I have learned from my parents. First I am going to start off with my dad. He has been the ultimate guide in my life. He has taught me about what to do and what not to do to have a successful life. The one teaching I fall back on is this simple phrase "Fortune Favors the Bold!" This phrase has helped me in all aspects of life. Niel has taught me all the things that are necessary for a happy life like fishing, driving, cooking, shooting, and the best way to make a fire is with a flair. My mom has taught me the most by example and instruction. I have been with her all my life and I can say I am super lucky for that. She has ultimately taught me how to work hard and to never give up. She has the task of raising four boys, in a world of sin, to men. I think she is doing a great job! I would put her among the moms mentioned with the 2,000 stripping warriors.

That is all folks and we will see ya next week! Have a blessed week!

Elder Conner Quiring

Bull Manure

So this week I had a lot of firsts. I saw my first Amish dude with a horse drawn buggy. I am now in possession of rebel flag. I ate sorghum (tastes like baby food). Also, had this amazing pumpkin role thing and much more interesting desserts. We went to a parade, which is weird being December and all. This week was a long one but also went by fast.

We have this amazing couple in our word that are both in there late 80's but are still moving around and talking like they are 50. They are so funny! If I could make a reality tv show, I would hire them and the Newsham's and through them in a house and see what happens. I think I would make millions! They are just so funny and straight southern. The cute old couple's name is the Alleys and sister alley makes us bread every week. Not only that but she likes to make us so much sweets! I don't think I can eat dessert the same now if I don't have her sweets.

The work here is going pretty well. We still have the "white wash fire" so that has been nice. We get a lot of new investigators and are
now weeding them out to progressing investigators. Meaning, they are reading the BoM and repenting. Repenting means a fresh view of god and
ones self. So repentance is a change. You can look it up in the Bible dictionary. The people here are so nice! Well, like 95% of them are.

We have been doing most of our service hours in libraries. I really know how straighten and dust books ha! I would have never thought that
books would be a temptation for me. There are times where I just so badly want to read a book but I know if I am exact obedient to the mission rules, I will be blessed.

Well sorry that this week was very jumbled but I would like to close with the Christmas devotional in mind. If you didn't watch it, watch
it. It gets you so excited for Christmas! Christmas is a time to remember Jesus Christ and his earthly ministry. We are trying everyday
to become like him and as we pursue this course, we will find peace in this life. I will echo President Eyrings message and the scripture he used. John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I would just like to leave my testimony that only the Lord can bring real peace to your heart. He can heal any wound and save any soul.

That is it folks! I love y'all and I am down to like 20 days until I can call family! Whoot! Have a blessed week!

Love, Elder Q

 

I will Walk 500 Miles

This week we have gotten super close to going over our car miles so we have been walking a ton! I am sore everyday from walking!!

Something awesome happened this week.....we got a baptismal date!! We have been better at being bold and not afraid to ask if they would be baptized in the first lesson. He will be baptized on December 24 and then confirmed on Christmas! We are so excited!! Oh and he asked us if and how does he go on a mission!! This dude is super prepared! We are dreaming of a white Christmas!

For Thanksgiving I ate two meals.  I ate way to much the first one and when it came time for our second meal I felt like man vs. food. Our first dinner was at a less actives house so that was good that we got in. He had a couple of his non member friends over and we played this really cool dice and marble game. I haven't had more adrenaline pumping through my veins my whole mission. The game is almost exactly like the game Sorry. It came down to just rolling a three and I win. But if anyone passes you then you have to go back home. I had a dude right on my tale about 4 spaces away. He roles a 2 so now he is only 2 spaces from me. I role and 1 so now I need a two. It's his turn again and I think God was showing me mercy. He rolled a 2 and was right on my rear. I do the old blow in your hands before you role and the dice fell out of my hands. The room went silent waiting to see what I got. It lands face up this a 2!! I win! Whoot! Haha we are now invited over every Thursday for dinner.

For the second Thanksgiving dinner we went over to an investigators house and she invited her family and neighbor. We got to talking and her daughter and her neighbor both moved to Nashville to get in the music industry. Both didn't make it but they are super talented! Her daughter can play the harmonica so well! She showed me how to "bend the note" so I should be a blues player in no time! Her neighbor has an amazing voice and a really talented song writer. I don't know how she didn't make it. We taught all that were there and even some are now going to come to FHE! I love to see the Lord put people in our paths who are ready to hear the word.

Those are the highlights this week. I hope y'all had a blessed Thanksgiving and now on to Christmas! If you haven't seen the new Christmas video the church put out called #LighttheWorld I encourage you to watch it! It is 25 service opportunities in 25 days starting December 1! Have a blessed week and stay cool!

 

 

Equitment

Howdy folks! The subject to this email is just one of the many funny spellings we see when we travel around the area. I can't spell very well so this place makes me feel good. There are a a lot of illiterate people over here in Tennessee but they are some of the most genuine people I know.

Just a little bit about this week....

The best part of the week was going on an Exchange with Elder Doman! Elder Doman is from Pleasant Grove, Utah!! Him and I have played football against each other for many years.  Getting to spend some time with him has probably been one of my most favorite days on the mission. We got like 5 new investigators and have had so much fun walking around Hohenwald. We talked about each others lives before the mission and man, him and I are very similar and have had very similar lives. We have decided we should room together when we go to college at Utah State! He is just a super solid dude and I wish we had hung out before the mission. He came out with me and he actually taught me so much in one day. I am very grateful that he is my district leader!

The other best part of the week was watching Ashley Ball be baptized! She was the investigator I was talking about in my previous letters. She is so solid and I was so happy for her decision to be baptized! Even though I could only watch over Skype, I still felt the Spirit very strongly when her husband baptized here. It has been a huge journey for her and she has truly changed her heart to follow the lord. I am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to be apart of all of this.

I am getting so excited for the holidays! First off, I would like my family to know that I am practicing for the annual Thanksgiving speed tournament and they should be worried for 2018 event!! For Thanksgiving this year we are to do as much service as possible and can have up to 3 dinners.... We actually already have 2 so I will be stuffed on Thursday. There hasn't been any word on if the ward is having a Turkey Bowl so I am a lot bummed about that. And before you know it Christmas will be here!! I have already started the countdown to when I can talk to my family.

I love y'all and keep up the good work. Hopefully I make it to next week with only gaining a few poundage. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!

Love,

Elder Quiring

Straight outta Paducah

Linden is straight stix. It is so different from Paducah. Like, we drive to one town and back and we have gone 45 miles! So we have to go to one town a day and we cover like 6 towns. This area is huge! The people are way different too. I absolutely love this culture down here! It reminds me so much of Troy Montana it isn't even funny. The people we teach are so nice but it is hard for them to change. They were born and raised in a certain religion and trying to teach a restored gospel doesn't work as well. One thing good though is that we hit the ground running and have all ready gotten three new investigators! Tracting is easier here than in Paducah. The people, like I said, are nice but getting to the receptive part is hard. Especially old people! Haha! We have a lady in the ward who baked us two loves of bread, muffins, brownies and some rice rice krispie treats!

The food down here is also super amazing! We had dinner at the bishops the other night and they had baked potato and amazing grilled chicken. I just couldn't stop eating! I see why people can gain weight on their mission.  We drive a car because of the distance which means no more biking to burn off these extra delicious calories! The bishop also showed us how to dip a gun! That was pretty cool!! I am gonna get a country accent before long because I get stuck in it when we are talking to people and members. I am super stoked about that! Oh, and the people here LOVE to talk. They are all so funny and talkative. I have yet to meet someone who is quiet. When teaching I have to find a time to cut in and I really have to backup what I teach with scripture. They prefer scripture from the Bible but if we back that up with the Book of Mormon then we can show them that the two books work together. We have multiple Jehovah Witnesses (JW) to teach so I know a lot about their beliefs now!

My new companion, Elder Ledbetter, is a pretty chill dude. He doesn't complain about the work or really about anything. He likes to work but sometimes his driving scares me!! He is my first Utah companion! Whoot! He is from Magna, Utah. I have been blessed with working companions! One thing we are working on together is switching off more in teaching. I tend to talk more than my companion. It is just so hard especially when I feel like I am on a role. He has been out for 10 months and he just got done training Elder Benich (Connor Benich)!! I haven't gotten to meet Elder Benich yet, but he is a friend of a friend back home.  I have heard a lot about him and hope one day our paths cross.  He sounds like a fun guy!

We had Zone meeting this week and I just love seeing all the missionaries! We learned a good deal how to change our culture to "Teach repentance and Baptize converts," it all starts with our attitude. Then, how to be better listeners. (I needed that). We will be interviewing with president every transfer now so that is cool. He is having me memorize a scripture every week and the one I chose this last week was Mosiah 4:9 (Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend). With this new assignment, I know that the Lord has a plan for me to grow in this new area. Also, with Jayden's birthday this week I have felt a super closeness with her. I believe she is having a real good time in heaven helping people out in the Spirit World and here. I love her so much!

Some house keeping items, my new address is:
122 Riverside Drive
Linden, TN 37096

Also, this transfer is only 5 week because of Christmas week. I just can't believe the holiday is almost here! This last week we had our first frost so it is getting cold. (Mom I need a coat soon)

Until next time! Have a blessed week!

PS - Megan, that sweet van pic is just for you!

Elder Quiring
conner.quiring@myldsmail.net

 

 

One of Those Days

I went on exchanges this week with Elder Craig (the new District leader) and I had a blast! Monday was the best Monday yet! We carved pumpkins, emailed and played Packi ball (free for all dodgeball mingled with ultimate frisbee)! That night went really well and the person that is being baptize is doing really well. Please pray for them as they commit to quit smoking. They are only down to the nicotine patches... that is great news!

Tuesday was one of those days. I hope that I only have those kind of days once in a blue moon. Nothing happened. We had like 5 set appointments (that is a record) and all of them fell through. First off we set the church up and everything for a church tour and our appointment kept pushing it back. We where there for 3 hours waiting and then she stopped responding to us. It was rough because we had another appointment that a member was gonna take us too and then his tire blew! It doesn't stop there. After dinner the other member who was going to take us out had a really bad day at work so he had to cancel. The advisory was wrecking havoc over here in Paducah because the sisters here also had very bad day! I learned a lot though from Elder Craig through all of this. He shared a talk with me by Brad Wilcox that has totally changed my view on the atonement. I have been discussing with my mom how we can use the atonement more in our lives and I would urge all to read it. The talk is, "His Grace is Sufficient" from the 2013 September Ensign. Funny enough the next day I was assigned to speak in Sacrament meeting on baptism. I used this talk and experience in my talk on Sunday.

That talk was the first time that I used bulletin points and it actually went really well. The Spirit helped me so much in the talk that I scarcely remember what I said. Also, I felt like I took like 5 minutes but when I was done it was like 15-20! It is a wonderful thing being a missionary and I have seen so much growth already. I just want to know what it will be like in a year from now.

Some sad news also this week. Elder Tuckett, one of the guys from the MTC district, had to go home because of medical issues. He is such a cool guy and send extra prayers his way. He plans on returning in 6ish months and I so hope he does. He is like a brother in arms and I cried when I got the email he was leaving. He shared this scripture with us before he left it was Alma 17: 2 Man it was a good one.

We had the Fall Festival this weekend and I got to judge the chili. They were all so dang good! I have had chili the past 4 days but I am not complaining. My stomach is complaining though. We also got to play a little games especially this donut one and I so won! My companion totally cheated!

To leave on a positive note, I had Rocky Mountain oysters for the first time. Haha! Elder Ward (leaving this transfer) is a country guy from Utah up near Bear Lake and he got a ton of Rocky Mountain oysters for helping out a member and their cows. He tricked Elder Davis and the sisters into thinking it was chicken but I could tell something was up. He winked at me and from that point I knew it was not chicken. They taste like rubbery chicken. It was not that great of a taste but still I have to try everything before I can judge it!

That is it today folks! Have a Happy Halloween! Also, I have like a 50/50 chance getting transferred so if you send me something his week, send it to the mission office:  1646 Sunset Road Brentwood TN, 37027)

Elder Quiring

 

---Elder Davis:

Dear everyone,

Well, I guess I'll just start up by saying happy Halloween to everyone! It has been an adventure for me this week, full of sweets, chili, and of course Pumpkins! 

We started off the week with a district P-day! We had a ton of fun carving out pumpkins, and went and cooked all of the seeds for district meeting. :) I would have to say, it was one of the better ones I have done. You can actually tell it has an expression.

We had to leave P-day a little early so that I could drive up to Marion, Illinois so that I could go do an exchange with Elder Walters, one of my old scout camp buddies if you can believe that. We had a grand time rocking it in Illinois, working up a storm and then freezing our tags off that night at a service project because we can't use power tools like saws. Super fun! 

Man, we also ate a LOT of Chilli over the past few days. We ate it for lunch after a big service project at the Schneiders on Thursday, ate some more at the West's Halloween party on Friday, and then all four of us missionaries were chili cook off taste testers. So, let's just leave it at the fact that the tank was full and it sure wasn't diesel. I am all about chilied out for a while now. 

But enough about me, we have been having a lot of headway still with Ashley. I didn't know her to much before she started really taking the lessons for herself, but from what I hear Ashley has been changing so much as she has been applying the gospel to her life. It is so amazing to see someone change their life for the gospel's sake, and I am super stoked to see her baptized in the next few weeks. Keep her in your prayers, please!

My scripture for the week is Alma 26:27-28

27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world--not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

I'm not going to lie and say that missionary work is all fun and games. There are times of fun and enjoyment, but there will always also be times of strenuous physical, mental, and emotional trials. Oftimes they can be hard to bear, and some may want to turn back to a home where these very trials, for the most part, would not exist. In this scripture, we find a similar scene where Ammon expresses that even they, the sons of Mosiah, had hard times among a people who were set on destroying them if they could. It was only possible to overcome these trials because they relied upon the mercies of God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

I remember a time earlier on my mission when I had an extremely hard day with trying to teach people, and my heart was depressed. The lesson had completely backfired into a Bible bash, and my companion at the time said nothing through the whole thing. That night, as I sat down at my desk reflecting on it all and if I as even a good missionary or not, I remembered that I had received a letter earlier that from my dear sister who was still serving her mission. The letter had been written many months before, but as I read it I could feel the spirit enter into my heart at this very scripture was in it. It was exactly what I needed, and the Lord had prepared it to come in my time of need on the very day I would need it. We never know what mercies God is preparing for us to lean on in our trials, but the important thing to remember is that he IS preparing them. He loves you enough to do that for you. He loves you enough to send his Son to suffer all manner of afflictions, including the ones you may be having now, so that he could aid you along your path. I love this gospel, in all its simplicity and love. I know that God is our Heavenly Father, and that he does everything in our lives for our good.

Weekly challenge!

The talk for this week is, "Look to the Book, Look to the Lord" by Elder Gary E. Stevenson. It was given during the October 2016 General Conference.

Ponder questions:

How has the Book of Mormon made an impact on your life? 

How have you been able to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon? How has that drawn you closer to the Lord?

Who is someone that you see regularly that could use the message of the Book of Mormon in their lives? How are you going to help them find it?

Sorry this email was a big later, but President Stone had us get in our teaching this morning because of Halloween...But, that means I can email people up to about 9:00 tonight! I hope to hear from y'all soon!

 

Elder Davis 

 

 

I am the Coffee Man

Where to begin in this one? This might be a bit scattered brained but oh well.

The temperature is finally starting to cool down. I got to wear my sweater! Today it is pretty sunny but not to bad. We have started to get up every other day to go running. Well, I go running and Elder Davis walks. We run just a crossed the street from our apartments in a cemetery. It is pretty creepy because there are no lights and all these headstones are sticking up our of the ground. Plus, it is getting close to Halloween so it makes it that much worse. So much happened this week it is hard to get it down to only a couple of paragraphs.

District meeting was so fun this week! We had a training on how to teach more simply and intensely. He brought out the game, "Liar's Dice" (The one in Pirates of the Caribbean) and just started playing without telling me the rules. He related this to teaching an investigator and not laying down the basic doctrines first. It is so true! I really have to teach like I am teaching a child about the gospel.

I did a lot of studying in Matthew 17 and 18 this week. I have decided to read the Old and New Testament so I can better understand the people here in The South. What I didn't realize is just how awesome the Bible is (make sure you people in high school actually apply yourself in seminary)! The books aren't just awesome, but reading the Bible has made my testimony of the Book of Mormon much stronger. These books really go hand in hand to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. What really helped me this week in getting a better testimony of the Book of Mormon was the talk "Look to the Book, Look to the Lord" by Elder Gary Stevenson. I urge all of you to read it and look for all the blessing he promises you for reading the Book of Mormon (My brothers especially have to read this).

At the community kitchen this week I made and served coffee and tea. I felt so weird giving people things that would break the Word of Wisdom. Ha! Other random tidbits of info is I blew my first bike tire. Now it starts. Once one thing goes wrong, it is just down hill from there. Oh, another thing that happened is I had to teach the Law of Chasity to a family. That was so hard but the Lord was definitely there to help me out. It went well and I wasn't even awkward.... whoot! Last thing was that we had the primary program for sacrament meeting yesterday and I was so stoked! The kids are so pure and can teach us so many things if we all just listen to the spirit.

I love all of you and have a Blessed Day!

Elder Quiring

 

----

From Elder Davis:



Well, I can say that nothing super exciting or noteworthy happened. We just did missionary work, really. Just a week of biking around, talking with people, a little bit of store contacting, and teaching repentance so we can baptize converts.

We have been making headway with our baptismal date, Ashley Ball. They are such a nice family, and her life has been improving drastically as she has applied the message. It is so amazing to see the gospel in action in someone's life. She did relapse this week with smoking, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it reminded her why she wants to quit smoking and strengthened her resolve. You never know where blessings are going to come from. :)

My scripture for this week is Alma 42:29
29 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance. 

Life can be something that can be very simple, if we allow it. There are many things, however, that may seem to throw a wrench into our workings and make things seem so complicated. When we stress over the little details of things, it really makes life seem a lot harder. In chapter forty-two of Alma, Alma's son Corianton has been so worried and stressed about the little things that he seems to be missing a bigger picture. He is missing the most beautiful parts of the painting because he doesn't understand what something in the corner of it is. The picture that Alma is painting for his son is that of the gospel of peace, or the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we set our focus that, and about how we can repent and come closer to Christ, the rest of our worries and strifes will seem to melt away.

Weekly challenge!

The talk for this week is, "Joy and Spiritual Survival" by President Russell M. Nelson. It was given during the October 2016 general conference.

Ponder questions:
What do we need to do so that we can have "joy unceasing"?
How can turning to the Lord not only help us, but help those around us?
Who are you going to share the Joy of Christ with this week?

Sorry this was the much, but I sure love all of you. Keep the peace!