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