November 18, 2013

Happy Birthday Elder Ward!

November 18, 2013

Hello Everyone! I have had a great week!  I am running low on time so I need to be quick.  So this week was good, we had a lot of opportunities to talk with people.  This week was the Primary Program in Church where all the kids got to sing. So they invited all of their friends/relatives to hear them so we were able to meet them all!  This is an exciting week, we will hopefully have the chance to invite 4 people to be Baptized.  It is so exciting to see them and their countenance literally brighten as they  read in the Book of Mormon everyday and grow closer to Christ.  

 Again I'm sorry it was so short this week but I will have a lot to talk about next week.  My spiritual thought comes from Mathew this week.  In chapter 4 of Mathew Christ is fasting to begin his ministry, and three times satan comes to tempt Christ and every time Christ combats him with scripture saying "It is written"  I know that the scriptures can protect us from satans grasp. If we are reading them everyday we are strengthened and protected.  In the Armor of God everything is to protect and defend us, but the Sword of Truth or the Scriptures is the only thing used for an offensive weapon.  I testify that as we read daily in the scriptures we can gain power over satan and better resist his petty and idiotic temptations.  

I love you all so much and hope you have another great week!!!!

 ~Elder Ward

Pictures from November 11, 2013

The Sheboygan Elders, November 2013

Transfer Day!

Sweet!  A TIE fighter...in a field...

20 degrees in Rhinelander, its balmy!

Rhinelander's legendary Hodag

November 11, 2013

Hello Everyone and Happy Veterans Day!  Thank you to all those who have served and are serving today!  It means so much to me to be able to live in a free country where the Gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored and I have the right to go forth and preach it. So thank you so much!  

I have transferred to the north woods of Wisconsin in Rhinelander, our area is huge! It would take us three hours to go from the west end of our area to the east end.  The ward in the area is smaller but the saints here are so diligent and faithful! Some members have to drive 72 miles just to get to church every Sunday.  Their temple is in a different state 4 Hours away.  They have such a desire to share the Book of Mormon with their friends!  I hope we all can have the same dedication to share the blessings of the gospel with our friends and families.  

So Rhinelander is cold, about a 20 degree difference from my last area, it is usually in the 20's but i've been able to stay warm and i haven't even whipped out my thermals and wool socks. I am excited to see 6 feet of snow, I haven't seen that since my sophomore year where it snowed 3 feet over night and then another foot while I was snowboarding.  My new companion and I don't have much to work with as far as investigators go so we will have to find our own. We have been tracting for about 3-4 hours each day to try and find those who are interested.  So far it is hard to find people home but we will keep at it.  

This week I want to talk about prayer and the amazing gift that it is!  We have a direct comunication to the ultimate source of power and comfort in existence. Our Father in Heaven is always there for us.  We can turn to Him any time and he will strengthen us. I have really felt that this past week, I'm in a new area, its cold, there aren't many people interested in the gospel, and I don't want to knock on doors.  But I have prayed for strength and desire and I testify that when we have faith that God can change us He does.  I found that I didn't notice the cold, that I was excited to talk to new people.  I know that that is not me, my attitude was changed and I was strengthened by the Lord through His Atonement. I am so grateful for the prayers of everyone, my family and friends and those all over the world, I can feel that love and power from everyone. I don't know how I could do it with out prayer.  Alma taught us to "let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually" alma 34;27 We can't do it without prayer!  

Have an amazing week everyone! Get ready for thanksgiving! I love you all!

Elder Ward

Sheboygan Ward "Trunk or Treat"

Sheboygan District, October 2013

November 4, 2013 Update

I'm Leaving Sheboygan! I'm very sad and excited at the same time. I have loved my time here!  The people are so amazing in the ward.  The families are always so kind and have us over for dinner all the time! We have a dinner appointment nearly 5/7 nights a week.

So I found out this past Saturday that I was leaving but I didn't know where.  Then Last night (Sunday) the mission president called my companion and I.  I'm going to Rhinelander Wisconsin, I have a huge area and my new companion and I get a truck. It is in the northern area of the state and I will get dumped on as far as snow is concerned. But I am excited! I miss snow. It hasn't been too cold this past week but now with day light savings time it is dark at 5:30, which makes it hard to go out and tract because it feels a lot later than it is and people get mad when you knock or ring their doorbells when they are trying to put kids to bed.  

Oh well. This week was pretty good! We had dinner every night with a member family and for Halloween we couldn't be outside after 5oclock so we were invited to a members house to carve pumpkins! It was a blast they have a huge family and it was a lot of fun.  

This week was a little sad because we had so many awesome lessons set up but the majority of them fell through.  But those lessons we did have were also amazing so I can't complain.  

I will share one of my favorite scriptures that I read this week in Alma 26:12  Ammon is rejoicing because of all the success that he and his brethren have had so much success teaching the lamanites.  One of his brothers Aaron said v10 "Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting"  and verse 12 is Ammons reply, "Yea, I know that i am nothing, as to my strength I am weak: therfore I will not boast of myself, but i will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things"  I love this because I know that the things that are happening are not because of me and the words I say.  I know that God has made all of this possible and places people in my path that are seeking this gospel.  I know that I weak, but I also know that I can do anything that God asks of me through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

I hope everyone had an amazing week!  I love hearing from everyone!  

But since i'm moving appartments please make sure to address everything to the mission office this is IMPORTANT!!!!! I don't want to lose any letters so please send them to 7111 W. Edgerton Ave. Ste. 100 Greenfield WI 53220.

Love Elder Ward

October 21st update

Hey everyone!  

I have had a great week!  It is pretty chilly in the morning and evenings, I have had to break out the coat a few times.  It rained pretty hard the other day and we are out of miles for the month with our car so we got to walk, which is alright.  It is so pretty here in Wisconsin, so many trees, so many colors!  Since there are no mountains you can see the sky in all directions and its pretty cool. 

This week was good, we talked to many new people and saw a lot of miracles.  Here's one, so my companion and I are pretty much out of miles so we were walking to a referrals house to set up an appointment, they were there and we set up a lesson for this week! We were walking back on a busy road but we felt we wouldn't really see anyone so we walked a few blocks in and headed up through the neighborhoods.  We started talking to this guy who was edging his lawn.  He has been so prepared by the Lord, He is married, lives the word of wisdom, he is looking for a new church, he has BYU tv and loves the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  We asked if we could tell him a little bit more about the church and he gladly set up a time for tomorrow.  At times I get down because I feel like no one wants to learn and no one keeps commitments, but I have learned that when I focus on the little blessings that God has given me I realize all the help and success that He gives me.  And I have all the more desire to serve him and do his will. 

My spiritual thought is one of my favorite scriptures for my mission but also for everyone on this earth.  It's in Moroni 9:6 And it talks about how we all have a duty while we are on this earth, we are commanded to labor diligently so that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness.  I really love this verse because it reminds me that when we are righteous we exercise power over satan.  When we are diligent then we do the things that please God. satan has no power over us, only the power that we give him over us.  So my challenge for everyone is to cast off those things that we do that give power to satan in little ways.  What ever it is when you rid yourself of it you grow closer to God and then he will bless you all the more fully.  

I will end with a quote that I love that helps me remember diligence to the Lord " Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory"  Neil A Maxwell 

When we dedicate ourselves to God we show Him our love for Him

I Love you all! Have an amazing week!

Elder Ward