The Eiffel Tower

Dear Family & Friends,

Here we are. It's yet another week in the Texas Dallas Mission serving
in Gilmer, Texas. I miss and love every single one of you! I hope each
of you know that. This week was, well, stressful! It was a good week,
but the stress of handling 13 baptism dates has gotten insanely crazy
and difficult. We're doing our best, though, and trusting that these
will happen how and when the Lord wants them to happen. This week I
hit 18 months on my mission! I never thought I'd get to the day where
I could say "I've been on my mission for 18 months." It's crazy! My
mission has been flying by recently. Soon enough, I'll get to see all
of you again! That'll be one of the happiest days of my life!

So on Monday this last week (after I emailed) we spent the rest of our
Preparation Day getting ready for Zone Conference the next day. At
Zone Conference, there are "break outs" in which the Zone Leaders go
to different rooms to train, and all of the Missionaries go from room
to room to receive the training. We were tasked with training on
"finding" and how to get at least 1 Gold Member Referral every single
day! We came up with a pretty fun training. Because of the new
Hallelujah Video the Church recently released for Easter, we had
everyone shout "Hallelujah" any time we said "Hashtag." So throughout
the day we would shout "Hashtag!" And it would be followed by a group
of voices shouting "Hallelujah!" It was pretty fun, haha! The Zone
Conference was great, and President Taylor is amazing! He trained on
repentance and it gave Elder Westover and me a lot of ideas pertaining
to the people we are currently teaching.

Wednesday was scheduled for Jessica, Brandon, and Edwin's baptism
interviews. We were scared Edwin wasn't quite ready so we had a
discussion with him that afternoon. We taught completely on repentance
with him. We used a lot of what President Taylor had taught us at Zone
Conference and Edwin just completely understood it. He said, "I've
made my decision. I'm for sure getting baptized!" We were so happy! It
was definitely one of the most memorable lessons I've ever had on my
mission. That night Edwin came to his interview and passed it! We were
so excited for him! Jessica and Brandon were late and so we called
them and Jessica was freaking out. She was so nervous for the
interview and she was trying to fix her water heater that of course
broke on the day of her interview. Luckily, we had two extra elders
(Elder Brown & Elder Whiteley). Elder Whiteley is the District Leader
so we needed him to give the interviews. So Elder Westover and Elder
Brown ran to Jessica's house. Elder Brown luckily knew a little bit
about water heaters and was able to calm her down enough to get her
and Brandon to the church. They came and they passed their interviews!
It was so crazy stressful!

Thursday was fun, because if the District Leader has a person who
needs to be interviewed for baptism, then the Zone Leaders do the
interview. Well, the Elders in Hugo, Oklahoma needed an interview so
we were able to go to Oklahoma that day! We were able to pass through
Paris, Texas! Paris has a Texas Eiffel Tower! We found it on the way
and took a picture with it, because if you go to Paris you HAVE to see
The Eiffel Tower! ;) we got up to Hugo and the Family we met was so
awesome! It's a single mother with five kids. And let me tell you,
those kids have swag! They wanted to show us their talent. We said of
course and the next thing we know the whole family is dancing the Whip
and Nae Nae. It was hilarious! And the kids were so good at it! That
made my week!

Friday and Saturday were slower days for some reason. Nobody was home
or could meet so we did a lot of finding. We couldn't get a hold of
Jessica and Brandon which scared us, because they needed to come to
church one more time in order to be baptized on the 26th of March.
Well, they didn't come. :( It was very sad for us, because we've been
working so hard with them to help them get to this point! The
adversary has just been working SO hard in Gilmer it's unreal! We
haven't heard from Edwin either and he didn't come to church, and Aber
told us yesterday she doesn't think she wants to be baptized anymore.
She doesn't want to be labeled "Mormon." So she wants to be baptized
but not be a member of the church. It has all been heart breaking for
us. On the bright side, Meagan is doing really well. We're almost
positive she will be baptized on April 9th. And, Tanner and Austin
should be baptized this Saturday! So things are going fine! Also, a
guy named Randay came and found our church. He found us and asked for
a blessing because he is sick, then asked if he could learn more and
if he could be baptized! Wow! That was a huge blessing. We are
starting to teach him now!

Life is just crazy and full of ups and downs. I'm learning to not
stress over things I can't control and to trust that whatever happens
is a part of God's plan. He knows what He's doing! All things have
been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things. I love Jesus.
He is really the only important thing in life. My eye is on Him. I'm
seeking Him. I'm anxiously awaiting the day that I will meet Him face
to face.

I love each of you. Sometimes we fall. Sometimes we lose. Sometimes
things don't go our way or like we planned. But because of Jesus we
can get up. We can win the important battle. And we can trust that
when things don't go our way, well, it's just a part of the plan.

Have an incredible week,

Elder Joshua Needles

Eternal Memories

Dear Family & Friends,

How was your week? I love and miss each of you so much! I'm so glad I

get to say that I have each of you in my life! Makes me so happy!

This week was so great! The week flew by because we were so incredibly

busy! We were blessed to be able to teach 31 lessons this week! That's

so awesome! I feel so blessed. We also were able to set another

baptism date! So we have 13 people we are helping get baptized right

now! It's been so much fun!

On Monday, we were able to do some fun stuff for P-DAY! We were able

to go to a member in the Gilmer 3 Ward with Sister Thompson & Sister

Howell to feed some cows and go on a hay ride! It was a blast! Except

for there was no hay on the hay ride! Haha! It was still fun and we're

so grateful for those members for making our Preparation Day fun! On

Tuesday, we had one of the most memorable lessons I've ever had on my

mission. It was heart breaking. It was with our Investigator, Aber,

who has a baptism date for April 1st. We taught the Word of Wisdom and

she just kept saying she could not give up coffee. We knew it wasn't a

huge thing and that she could do it. She eventually stopped everyone

(The Bishop and his wife were there, her best friend Brenna was there,

and our Investigator Edwin was there) and she said this: "I've read,

I've prayed, and I got my answer. It's not true." Everyone was silent

for a good 30 seconds. I didn't know what to say. It was seriously

heart breaking because she had been doing so well and we have loved

teaching her. It ended and I just wanted to throw myself against a

wall. I was so sad! Well, we didn't want to give up on her. The

Sisters were having a baptism this week, so we last minute invited

Aber to go. The Bishop's Wife, Sister Sullivan, picked her up and she

came! That night we called her and she told us that she felt something

at the baptism and that she wants to be baptized! I COULDN'T BREATHE I

WAS SO HAPPY! Elder Westover and I were jumping and dancing and

yelling we were so happy! It was one of those unforgettable memories!

Thursday was an important day for us. We had a lot of important

lessons to help people progress. We had a lesson with Meagan. We are

currently planning a wedding for her and her husband so she can be

married before her baptism on April 9th! The lesson went great! Meagan

has been one of my very favorite people to teach on my mission. She

really is progressing so well and she doesn't make me feel stressed

about it! So awesome! Later, we split up so Elder Westover could go

teach Edwin and I could got teach Brandon & Jessica. We both had plans

to go over the baptism interview questions with them. Jessica &

Brandon are totally ready! I'm so excited about it. They just need to

come to church one more time before their baptism on the 26th! Edwin

went well as well! We still need to work through some things with him,

but we're so excited for him to be baptized on the 26th too!

Saturday was a pretty special day! One of Elder Westover's past

companions was getting married in the Dallas Temple and we got

permission to go! Well, we got their a bit early so we were able to go

to another sealing with some members in the 3rd Ward. It was my first

time seeing a sealing happen. The kids were there and it was

incredibly special. There were a lot of tears! Then, we got to go to

Elder Westover's companion's sealing! President Taylor came as well

and it was just as special! I really loved seeing the power of

Godliness manifest in the ordinances. We were able to eat Panda

Express in Dallas that day as well so I was overjoyed, haha.

The weather was really bad this week, so one of the days we went to

this place we had never been before in this area. Well, the roads were

awful! So awful to the point of tons of mud! We were so scared we were

going to get stuck... And well, we did. But only for about 20 seconds!

I was scared out of my mind! I DID NOT want to get stuck in the mud!

We luckily got out of there and survived, haha.

Church was great on Sunday! 7 of our investigators came! We also were

able to teach a new investigator Sunday night. Her name is Jessi and

her baptism date is April 30! We're excited for her and excited to

help her get to that point!

Well, I hope each of you had an amazing week and have another amazing

one. I love each of you and pray for you daily. You help me keep

going. Remember Jesus. He's there.

Sincerely,

Elder Joshua Needles

A poor wayfaring man of grief

Dear Family & Friends,

I hope your week was great! I miss you all so much. I can't even begin to explain how much I love and miss every single one of you! It's Preparation Day again which means I get to email each of you which means I'm excited!

This week was a more difficult one for Elder Westover and me. We didn't have near as much happen as we had planned, but it's okay because Hard = Holy = Happiness. We are still keeping the faith and pushing forward! Regardless of not doing as well this week, we still had a lot of blessings from the Lord! We set two more baptism dates! That means we have 12 right now! It's a lot to juggle, but it's so much fun! Austin, Tanner, Jessica, Brandon, Edwin, Aber, Monty, Meagan, Cara, Lily, Blake, & Wayne all have committed to baptism! We are helping them get there the best that we can! It's been so cool to see them all progress. Cool story about Jessica and Brandon. Jessica is trying to quit smoking right now so she can be baptized (and she's doing amazing!) and we were thinking of how we could best help her move forward and keep progressing. I just kept thinking in my mind, "We need to teach her in a member's home." It was really pressing on my mind so I told Elder Westover and we thought of who's home we could teach her in and who would be good friends to her. We both thought of the Yates Family so we gave them a call! It was really cool, because Brother Yates was way willing and he turned to his wife and asked if she'd been praying for a missionary opportunity. She said no, but he replied with, "Well I have, and I've been specifically praying for an opportunity to teach someone in our home!" It was really awesome and just a confirmation that it was completely the right thing to do! I love seeing the spirit work through people and prayers answered! The lesson is set up for tomorrow night so we are very excited about that!

On Wednesday this week, we had Mission Leadership Council in Dallas! I love going into Dallas. It's always so exciting! Brother Spencers drove us so we were super grateful for that! Dallas is 2 and a half hours from Gilmer! So it pretty much was an all day trip. Mission Leadership Council was really good. Got to see a lot of missionaries and talk about how we can improve the mission. President & Sister Taylor are amazing people! At the end of the meeting, they just began to testify of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Their testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith pierced my heart to the center. We sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" and the spirit could be felt a mile away! The lyrics to this song really caught my attention and the spirit testified that Joseph Smith truly was a Prophet of God. He gave his life for the Book of Mormon and for Jesus Christ! He is the epitome of courage!

6.	In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
	To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
	The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
	And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
	My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
	He asked if I for him would die.
	The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
	But my free spirit cried, “I will!”
7.	Then in a moment to my view
	The stranger started from disguise.
	The tokens in his hands I knew;
	The Savior stood before mine eyes.
	He spake, and my poor name he named,
	“Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
	These deeds shall thy memorial be;
	Fear not, thou didst them unto me.”

It was truly a great meeting! The weirdest part of the meeting for me was when President & Sister Taylor acknowledged the Sisters who are going home at the end of this transfer. THOSE SISTERS ARE THE ONES WHO WERE IN MY MTC DISTRICT! They are going home! I can't believe it! It means I'm getting close to the end of my mission already! They bore their testimony and we finished the meeting. After the meeting we ate at "Raising Cane's." It's a Texas Staple and it's very good! It was a lot of fun to be able to eat somewhere, because Gilmer has hardly any options for food haha. 

This week we did a lot of service! We helped Brother Spencer with his yard, we burned wood for a lady in one of the Sister's Wards, we helped Brother Alldredge build parts of his home, and we helped our investigator (Monty) build part of a fence. It was a lot of service, but it was a lot of fun too! I'm glad we were able to do those things. It's good for the soul. (: 

We had some amazing lessons this week as well. That made us happy. We are working hard and pushing forward through the tough times! It's all we really can do! I just know Jesus is with us. I'm trying everyday to learn more and more and step closer and closer to Him. I believe with all my heart that I will one day meet Him face to face. I will be able to, as the Nephites of old, feel the prints in His hands and feet and know that He is my Savior and Redeemer. I love Christ! He truly gives me joy! And for that I'm forever grateful! 

I hope you all have an amazing week. Look unto Jesus in every thought! Doubt not! Fear not! 

I love each of you.

Elder Joshua Needles