Sunday, February 22, 2015
Email received February 17, 2015
So ... long story short. A lot of things have changed since yesterday. I just got a new companion today and will be staying in bear creek the next 7 weeks. With all the craziness my new companion wasn't able to email yesterday so that's why I'm on. My new companion is Elder Strickland. We served in the Melbourne ward together but just weren't companions. Anyway, we'll be together for the last 7 weeks of his mission. Same address and all :)
Email received February 16, 2015
Hello All,
We had another pretty slow week but there were a couple of exciting things that happened. Both of them happened yesterday. First off, yesterday there was a "special meeting" that all members of the Cypress and Katy stakes were invited to. Well, they have announced the creation of the new Houston Texas Bear Creek Stake. They are taking some wards from the Katy stake and some from the Cypress stake to make the new Bear Creek Stake. Included is the Bear Creek ward. It was also cool because I got to finally see who President Allen is. He's Taylor Gammon's uncle so that was pretty sweet. He gave an awesome testimony at the end because he is part of the new stake so he will no longer be the Katy stake president. We watched it over a broadcast so unfortunately I still haven't been able to meet him.
Ok, so we were finally able to get back in contact with someone we taught a few weeks ago. Well, we were finally able to meet with him again yesterday. It was so cool to see how things all fell into place. To start off, we were supposed to see him on Friday or Saturday but we couldn't get a hold of him. We decided to go over on Sunday even though we couldn't reach him over the phone. So we go over on Sunday and he lets us in and tells us how he's been going through a lot. He has been having trouble with his marriage and his wife had walked out on him. We were able to testify of the savior and about trials. It was going well. Then suddenly the door bell rings. It's his wife who came to pick up some things, but she brought a police officer with her. Everything was peaceful and everything but after she left he was really upset about it. Especially that she brought a police officer. It was crazy how we were there at the right time, and were there when the police came so that he could have someone to talk to. We ended up finishing our discussion, reading a couple of powerful scriptures and at the end the member offered to give him a blessing. We gave him one of the most powerful priesthood blessing ever. It was awesome. I really hope we can continue meeting with him because I know that this is the path the Lord wants him to take, and the Lord is preparing that path for him. Anyways, there's the updates for the week. I love you all! Take care.
love,
Elder Steed
We had another pretty slow week but there were a couple of exciting things that happened. Both of them happened yesterday. First off, yesterday there was a "special meeting" that all members of the Cypress and Katy stakes were invited to. Well, they have announced the creation of the new Houston Texas Bear Creek Stake. They are taking some wards from the Katy stake and some from the Cypress stake to make the new Bear Creek Stake. Included is the Bear Creek ward. It was also cool because I got to finally see who President Allen is. He's Taylor Gammon's uncle so that was pretty sweet. He gave an awesome testimony at the end because he is part of the new stake so he will no longer be the Katy stake president. We watched it over a broadcast so unfortunately I still haven't been able to meet him.
Ok, so we were finally able to get back in contact with someone we taught a few weeks ago. Well, we were finally able to meet with him again yesterday. It was so cool to see how things all fell into place. To start off, we were supposed to see him on Friday or Saturday but we couldn't get a hold of him. We decided to go over on Sunday even though we couldn't reach him over the phone. So we go over on Sunday and he lets us in and tells us how he's been going through a lot. He has been having trouble with his marriage and his wife had walked out on him. We were able to testify of the savior and about trials. It was going well. Then suddenly the door bell rings. It's his wife who came to pick up some things, but she brought a police officer with her. Everything was peaceful and everything but after she left he was really upset about it. Especially that she brought a police officer. It was crazy how we were there at the right time, and were there when the police came so that he could have someone to talk to. We ended up finishing our discussion, reading a couple of powerful scriptures and at the end the member offered to give him a blessing. We gave him one of the most powerful priesthood blessing ever. It was awesome. I really hope we can continue meeting with him because I know that this is the path the Lord wants him to take, and the Lord is preparing that path for him. Anyways, there's the updates for the week. I love you all! Take care.
love,
Elder Steed
We were visiting a member and they have a hairless cat. He has a hole in his heart and has major respiratory issues. He sounds like an 80 year old man snoring. Literally, first thing that came to mind was: Voldemort. haha!
Email received February 9, 2015
Hello Everyone,
We kinda got our butts kicked this week. We taught the Restoration lesson to a new investigator this week but she has pretty much dropped us already. Then during the rest of the week pretty much all of our investigators and potentials dropped us. It was a hard week, however, now we have a clean slate. The highlight of the week happened on Saturday. We had our first Pot Luck dinner. An activity that the ward mission put on for members to invite people to and for the members to get to know each other better. Well, it started at 6 and at 5:58 there was 2 families there, a bucket of chicken, and 3 little caesar's pizzas. haha. We were flipping out but of course everyone was on Mormon Standard Time and arrived late. We ended up having about 120 people there, including 3 non members.
So there's this lady named Stephanie that the sisters in the area used to teach. She's way cool. Her husband isn't really interested at all so we haven't been able to teach but we go over and help her around the house and such. Anyway, she came to the pot luck and brought frog eye salad cuz i told her how mom used to make it. It was pretty sweet. Anyway, there's not much else to report on. Sorry. I hope you all have a great week! Love you!
-Elder Steed
We kinda got our butts kicked this week. We taught the Restoration lesson to a new investigator this week but she has pretty much dropped us already. Then during the rest of the week pretty much all of our investigators and potentials dropped us. It was a hard week, however, now we have a clean slate. The highlight of the week happened on Saturday. We had our first Pot Luck dinner. An activity that the ward mission put on for members to invite people to and for the members to get to know each other better. Well, it started at 6 and at 5:58 there was 2 families there, a bucket of chicken, and 3 little caesar's pizzas. haha. We were flipping out but of course everyone was on Mormon Standard Time and arrived late. We ended up having about 120 people there, including 3 non members.
So there's this lady named Stephanie that the sisters in the area used to teach. She's way cool. Her husband isn't really interested at all so we haven't been able to teach but we go over and help her around the house and such. Anyway, she came to the pot luck and brought frog eye salad cuz i told her how mom used to make it. It was pretty sweet. Anyway, there's not much else to report on. Sorry. I hope you all have a great week! Love you!
-Elder Steed
So I got a package from a friend this week and this was the box it came in. hahaha!
2 of my favorite things.
Email received February 2, 2015
Hello All,
I don’t have much time but I wanted to let you know about some of the happenings this week. We found a new investigator this week. His name is Grant. We met him while tracting one night. He told us how he used to be religious but isn’t really anymore because he just "lost faith in religion". We told him about the great apostasy and how the original truths of the gospel have been lost. We went over a few days later for the lesson. We taught it on his doorstep. It went ok. He has a hard time with believing the miracles that Jesus performed but he said he still believes there is a God. He said he would read The Book of Mormon and pray about it so we shall see.
On Sunday we decided to bear our testimony to the brethren in Priesthood opening exercises about missionary work and pass out a member availability sheet. It was really cool and when we got the sheet back it was completely full. As opposed to last time we sent it around and like 3 people signed it.
Elder Beck and I have been trying our best to find new investigators and teach when we find. We’ve taught a lot of people who haven’t become investigators. Planting seeds. Everything’s going good here. I finished the book of mormon today and was really taken by Moroni 10:32-33. Being perfect is a commandment. That has never seemed to make much sense to me, but we CAN be perfect through Christ through His grace and by "denying ourselves of all ungodliness". How cool a message. A truth that has been restored. That we can change. We can overcome the things that bind us and we can put off our natural man. I love you all. Have a great week!
-Elder Steed
I don’t have much time but I wanted to let you know about some of the happenings this week. We found a new investigator this week. His name is Grant. We met him while tracting one night. He told us how he used to be religious but isn’t really anymore because he just "lost faith in religion". We told him about the great apostasy and how the original truths of the gospel have been lost. We went over a few days later for the lesson. We taught it on his doorstep. It went ok. He has a hard time with believing the miracles that Jesus performed but he said he still believes there is a God. He said he would read The Book of Mormon and pray about it so we shall see.
On Sunday we decided to bear our testimony to the brethren in Priesthood opening exercises about missionary work and pass out a member availability sheet. It was really cool and when we got the sheet back it was completely full. As opposed to last time we sent it around and like 3 people signed it.
Elder Beck and I have been trying our best to find new investigators and teach when we find. We’ve taught a lot of people who haven’t become investigators. Planting seeds. Everything’s going good here. I finished the book of mormon today and was really taken by Moroni 10:32-33. Being perfect is a commandment. That has never seemed to make much sense to me, but we CAN be perfect through Christ through His grace and by "denying ourselves of all ungodliness". How cool a message. A truth that has been restored. That we can change. We can overcome the things that bind us and we can put off our natural man. I love you all. Have a great week!
-Elder Steed
We are the coolest district. ever.
My District Leader.
So this is the road we were biking on when the police chase came zooming by us. This is the turn he was coming up to going about 70 mph.
That's where he hit the fence.
Email received January 26, 2015
Hello everyone!
We had a good and not so good week. I got sick and have been a zombie for the past few days. haha. So we had interviews and training with President Mortensen on Tuesday. He introduced a new idea that we were all pretty skeptical about. He asked us what we do doing during the day. We all kind of looked at each other as to say. Hmm what do we do during the day? Truth is, there’s just not much to do. So he introduced the idea of "church tracting". So we’ve been going around to different churches during the day and offering service. It’s been a good experience.
On Friday we went to a mosque! We watched an entire Muslim service and got to talk to the imam (equivalent of a pastor) for about an hour afterward. We shared our conversion stories (his from catholicism to islam and ours to the church of Jesus Christ) It was an amazing experience. We were treated as celebrities and I can’t say enough about how amazing all the people were. We’re going to try to work together to set up ways that we can serve the community.
Last night we went out with Bro Martin in the ward and got to visit some of his friends that used to investigate and 2 of them said we could come back and teach them again. So we’ll see where that goes.
I’m sad I have to miss Brighton’s baptism, love that little guy! As far as Andrew’s baptism goes, I hope I’ll be home in time to be there! Anyway, I gotta go but I love and miss you all! Have a great week! :)
-Elder Steed
Add-on: I get home on September 23. Unless something changes, but I doubt it will.
We had a good and not so good week. I got sick and have been a zombie for the past few days. haha. So we had interviews and training with President Mortensen on Tuesday. He introduced a new idea that we were all pretty skeptical about. He asked us what we do doing during the day. We all kind of looked at each other as to say. Hmm what do we do during the day? Truth is, there’s just not much to do. So he introduced the idea of "church tracting". So we’ve been going around to different churches during the day and offering service. It’s been a good experience.
On Friday we went to a mosque! We watched an entire Muslim service and got to talk to the imam (equivalent of a pastor) for about an hour afterward. We shared our conversion stories (his from catholicism to islam and ours to the church of Jesus Christ) It was an amazing experience. We were treated as celebrities and I can’t say enough about how amazing all the people were. We’re going to try to work together to set up ways that we can serve the community.
Last night we went out with Bro Martin in the ward and got to visit some of his friends that used to investigate and 2 of them said we could come back and teach them again. So we’ll see where that goes.
I’m sad I have to miss Brighton’s baptism, love that little guy! As far as Andrew’s baptism goes, I hope I’ll be home in time to be there! Anyway, I gotta go but I love and miss you all! Have a great week! :)
-Elder Steed
Add-on: I get home on September 23. Unless something changes, but I doubt it will.
Elder Harris! haha.
preparing for our pday nerf war.
our heart attack on a bun lunch today.
aftermath.
Email received January 20, 2015
Hello everyone,
We had a great week! We found 3 new investigators this week. One is named Ashley and the other Jeffrey. We met Ashley at the beginning of December and were finally able to teach her. The lesson went well. We just met on her doorstep and challenged her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Elder Beck and I have recently changed how we teach and find. We are trying our hardest to teach when we find. Rather than try and set up another time to come back and have a whole long process that takes a month before we ever see them again. If we see them again. Anyway, we are teaching more simply and being more conversational and personal rather than formal about everything. Not sure how interested Ashley is but I guess we will see.
We had a lesson with Jeffrey on Sunday. We found him tracting one night and were able to share quite a bit about the Restoration on his doorstep and he invited us back. We brought one of the priests with us, Seth Martin. The lesson went great. He seemed really open and understood pretty much everything. We should be going back sometime this week and following up on if he's read and prayed.
The last new investigator happened last night as we were tracting. We knocked on her door and we ended up teaching the Restoration right then and there. She seemed really prepared and really open. We left her a Book of Mormon and challenged her to read and pray about it. She said if she got an answer that it's true she would be baptized. We are going back next Monday. It's been amazing the miracles we have seen as we have started to find during the hours we've been asked to. Even if it is tracting for 2 hours. Every day I don't want to do it, but we see a miracle each time. It's awesome.
So here's an interesting story that happened Wednesday morning. We had just left our apartment and were biking on a road right next to our complex. It's just a little 2-lane road that has a really sharp right turn toward the end of it. So were biking down this road, coming close to the turn and in the background we have been hearing sirens. They are getting louder and louder and all of a sudden a Dodge Charger comes zooming by us going about 70 mph. I look behind us and see 5 cop cars! Then I look forward and the car goes straight at the turn, jumps the ditch by the side of the road, nails into someone's fence to their back yard, gets out and starts running through the back yard he just made a hole in. It was pretty epic, we decided we should probably get away from all of it. So as we're biking away we see 3 more cop cars come by and a helicopter. It was pretty epic. haha. Well there is our past week for you. I love you all. Have a great week!
-Elder Steed
We had a great week! We found 3 new investigators this week. One is named Ashley and the other Jeffrey. We met Ashley at the beginning of December and were finally able to teach her. The lesson went well. We just met on her doorstep and challenged her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Elder Beck and I have recently changed how we teach and find. We are trying our hardest to teach when we find. Rather than try and set up another time to come back and have a whole long process that takes a month before we ever see them again. If we see them again. Anyway, we are teaching more simply and being more conversational and personal rather than formal about everything. Not sure how interested Ashley is but I guess we will see.
We had a lesson with Jeffrey on Sunday. We found him tracting one night and were able to share quite a bit about the Restoration on his doorstep and he invited us back. We brought one of the priests with us, Seth Martin. The lesson went great. He seemed really open and understood pretty much everything. We should be going back sometime this week and following up on if he's read and prayed.
The last new investigator happened last night as we were tracting. We knocked on her door and we ended up teaching the Restoration right then and there. She seemed really prepared and really open. We left her a Book of Mormon and challenged her to read and pray about it. She said if she got an answer that it's true she would be baptized. We are going back next Monday. It's been amazing the miracles we have seen as we have started to find during the hours we've been asked to. Even if it is tracting for 2 hours. Every day I don't want to do it, but we see a miracle each time. It's awesome.
So here's an interesting story that happened Wednesday morning. We had just left our apartment and were biking on a road right next to our complex. It's just a little 2-lane road that has a really sharp right turn toward the end of it. So were biking down this road, coming close to the turn and in the background we have been hearing sirens. They are getting louder and louder and all of a sudden a Dodge Charger comes zooming by us going about 70 mph. I look behind us and see 5 cop cars! Then I look forward and the car goes straight at the turn, jumps the ditch by the side of the road, nails into someone's fence to their back yard, gets out and starts running through the back yard he just made a hole in. It was pretty epic, we decided we should probably get away from all of it. So as we're biking away we see 3 more cop cars come by and a helicopter. It was pretty epic. haha. Well there is our past week for you. I love you all. Have a great week!
-Elder Steed
Email received January 12, 2015
hello everyone!
So, I am not getting transferred! I am staying in Bear Creek another transfer! woo! I really don’t have much time. I am emailing at a display computer at a best buy. haha! Long story. Missionaries are horrible at planning stuff out. haha.
So this week Mark was still sick. We ended up giving him a priesthood blessing and he really enjoyed it. I really hope he gets better soon so we can teach him. We found a couple of other solid potential investigators, including one from last night that has a lot of potential. This area is doing great, especially considering where it was a few months ago. I know that as long as we do our best to do what is asked of us, we will be blessed. We have been asked to go tracting every night. It doesn’t exactly bring the results we’d like but we are blessed in other ways. One thing I’ve noticed is that if I talk to everyone I see, even if no one is interested, I FEEL like a missionary. It’s a great feeling.
Anyway, I love you all and I hope you have a great week! Sorry again for such a wimpy email, but the workers are giving us weird looks. Til next time!
-Elder Steed
So, I am not getting transferred! I am staying in Bear Creek another transfer! woo! I really don’t have much time. I am emailing at a display computer at a best buy. haha! Long story. Missionaries are horrible at planning stuff out. haha.
So this week Mark was still sick. We ended up giving him a priesthood blessing and he really enjoyed it. I really hope he gets better soon so we can teach him. We found a couple of other solid potential investigators, including one from last night that has a lot of potential. This area is doing great, especially considering where it was a few months ago. I know that as long as we do our best to do what is asked of us, we will be blessed. We have been asked to go tracting every night. It doesn’t exactly bring the results we’d like but we are blessed in other ways. One thing I’ve noticed is that if I talk to everyone I see, even if no one is interested, I FEEL like a missionary. It’s a great feeling.
Anyway, I love you all and I hope you have a great week! Sorry again for such a wimpy email, but the workers are giving us weird looks. Til next time!
-Elder Steed
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