Dear Family & Friends,
It's June 6th 2016! Happy Preparation Day AND Happy Birthday to my
incredible younger sister, Megan! Hope you have the best birthday
today, Megan! Love your guts! Congrats on Graduation! It's also the
most amazing mother in the world's birthday this week! MOM I LOVE YOU
HAVE THE BEST BIRTHDAY OF YOUR LIFE!
I'm so happy I get to email you all today. I always am happy to email!
I hope your life is treating you well and I hope each of you are
living in the moment and not wasting a day! I'm attempting to do the
same! This week was loads of fun! It was filled with so much! We
hardly had any time to even think! Monday turned out to be a great
night for my birthday. The Johnson's fed us burgers and ice cream and
then Wendy, Little John, & Mary wished me a good happy birthday at
their place. I'm so happy to be serving in Gilmer during my birthday.
It was a good kick start to my week.
The next day was super exciting! Everyone on the mission was going on
two day exchanges! All of the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders,
and Assistants went with separate companionships in their area for two
days in order to help our mission move more toward the most unified
work between members and missionaries. So that meant we wouldn't be in
our area for two whole days. But we were excited regardless. I was
able to go to Sulphur Springs & Quitman with Elder Lazenby & Elder
Whiteley! IT WAS A BLAST! We opened the two day exchange up with a
meeting and we were off. Elder Alkonis went up to DeQueen Arkansas! It
was a lot of fun serving with the Sulphur Springs & Quitman Elders. We
went to Sulphur Springs first. In Sulphur Springs, they have these
public bathrooms in the middle of the square that are mirrors on the
outside, but on the inside you can see everyone outside! I went and
stood in one and I don't know how people even use it because it's like
you are using the restroom in public! Haha! We stayed in Quitman that
night and they live in a beauty salon! So we slept there, haha! It was
so weird, but it was an unforgettable experience.
The next morning we did service for this nice old man and he took us
out to eat. We were able to teach a lesson with a few people and it
turned out to be really good. Elder Lazenby & Elder Whiteley are
really amazing teachers, and it ended with us setting a baptism date
with all three of them! We were all super happy afterward! That night
we drove back to Gilmer for exciting reasons! Elder Whiteley is the
District Leader so he gives our investigators baptism interviews.
Well, it was time for Justice and Lily's interview! They both did
great and they are both ready for baptism this Saturday! Justice asked
that I confirm him and Lily asked that I baptize her! I'm so pumped!
They both have grown so much and I'm so honored to have been able to
teach them.
The next morning was the end of exchanges. It was good to finally get
back to our area and it was good to have Elder Alkonis back too! He's
such an awesome companion. I genuinely love serving with him! We
always have a blast! That day we had some incredible lessons. We
taught Meagan and Cara! Cara committed to baptism and Meagan is going
to the Temple next week to do baptisms for the dead! We then went and
taught Zack which was awesome! He has such a good heart and is
hilarious! We also moved his baptism date closer! Then we taught Lily
which was great. She's just ready to be baptized this Saturday. Then
we taught Jan. Jan is seriously so amazing. I love teaching her! She
came to church the Sunday before and she told us it was so bright and
that she was finding hope again. She is really preparing for her
baptism on the 25th of June.
The next day consisted of us hashing out Stake President Report. This
is a report that the Zone Leaders do every month for the Stake
President in their Stake. It is a LONG report and takes days to do! We
got so much done on Friday though, so I was really happy we got
through so much. We taught Wayne that night and set a baptism date
with him for July 16! Then we taught Ron! Ron is a new investigator we
have and he committed to baptism on July 16 as well! We are being so
incredibly blessed here in Gilmer! I love serving here and I love the
people we are teaching. The next day we were able to teach one of our
investigators (Michael) and invite him to church. His girlfriend told
us we would never get him to step foot in a church.... BUT HE CAME! It
was so awesome to see him there! Sunday ended well, because we
finished Stake President Report and taught Lily another lesson. I just
am so happy I'm serving here. I can't believe this transfer is already
halfway over. Elder Alkonis goes home in three weeks! It's crazy how
fast time has been flying lately!
I love the Gospel and Jesus Christ! I love my mission and my life. I'm
excited for the day I get to see you all again. I seriously miss you
so much and can't wait to reunite. You all mean so much to me. Please
have an amazing week! I love you all so much!
Elder Joshua Needles
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