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?
Elder Davis
Still haven't smoked a cigarette and man do we miss you Elder Q!!! This is not good bye....but a see you later!!! Thanks for changing my life...or maybe I should say saving my life!!
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