Monroe-Week 2

 Justin is still serving in Monroe, Georgia.  He said this week that they have had a lot of opportunities to serve others and he loves it, well he loves anything where he can wear normal clothes.  They had found a couple of new people to teach and he says they have been blessed in that area, so far.  He is finding it hard to be obedient in this area since the members are not always obedient to the mission rules but he is doing his best.  He shared his small miracle for the week......"Elder Stevens and I went to visit a family yesterday, so we started walking there and I told him that we wouldn't have enough time to get there and back in time so we go anyway, next thing we know we are walking and turn around and see this guy running at us, he stops and asks us if we are mormon missionaries, we tell him yes, of course so we sit down and talk to him.  He is a youth pastor in the local church, he is like 21 years old and knows the bible, like the back of his hand.  He was super cool and had some great questions.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and set up an appointment for another time.  I haven't had anyone chase us down before, we are usually chasing others down."

It is great to see the growth in Justin and know that he is enjoying his time in service to his Heavenly Father.  He is being blessed and I know that we being blessed because of his willingness to serve the Lord.

Monroe-Week 1

Justin has been transferred to Monroe, Georgia, which is a small town east of Atlanta.  The ward that he has been assigned to covers Walton County.  The sister missionaries in the area cover Loganville and the Elders cover Monroe.  The church is in Between, the city name is actually Between.  He is living in a loft apartment above a frame shop called "The Guilded Lily".  He says it is an old building.  Monroe is very much like downtown Magna.  He is serving with Elder Stevens from Spokane, Washington.  He will only be with Elder Stevens for a while since he will be going home in about six weeks.  He is doing service once a week at a thrift store called, "The Fish".  He is once again in a tough area of the mission and this is what he had to say about that......"there is alot of work to be done here.  There hasn't been alot of success but I know that I am in Monroe for a reason so I am just going to roll up my sleeves and get to work and work my butt off to find those elect who are ready to hear our message."


He included his small miracle for the week though..."we visited some former investigators and we had one that invited us back so we have a new investigator now!"   He was excited about that.  He included some new pictures this week that I thought I would share.  Here they are.....




Elder....Can I just go in for a minute???




Hmmm.....That's sketchy...




Homemade Pizza




The water tower in Monroe



Elder Stevens walking down a super long road, ruined  my perfectly good Sunday.

Our apartment is the top floor.



I want to buy this home and live here after my mission. Just kidding!






Roswell-Week 17

So we heard from Justin this week and I guess the big news for the week is...Justin is being transferred on Wednesday (November 9th) to Monroe, Georgia,  a small town East  of Atlanta.  He will be serving with Elder Stevens.  I don't have a lot of information but I am sure he will update in his email this week.  He says he is going to miss serving with Elder King and serving in Roswell.  He feels like he is leaving home again, I guess that is a good thing, it is the only area he has known but he knows he is going to Monroe for a reason.

He included his small miracle for the week...here it is in his words...."So this week I drove a car for the first time in four months.  It was a mailbu.  I was on exchanges with the zone leaders, don't worry I didn't wreck it, but it was when a nasty rain storm rolled in of course.  I couldn't see anything on the road because it was late at night, Elder Nataren, who goes home this week thought he was going to be killed by a greenie just before he got home...it was scary/fun.  But I know that God protected us on the narrow roads of Georgia during that storm.

I am so grateful that Justin is learning to recoginze the small miracles that our Heavenly Father blesses us with everyday.  It was will be exciting to hear all about his transfer this coming week.

Roswell-Week 16

Justin spent Halloween in Roswell.  As a family we sent him a Halloween package and he had a great time with it. He included some pictures this week.  I happen to mention to Justin that I was struggling at the moment and he gave me this advice and insight....."Mom, we all struggle sometimes.  I've learned out here that sometimes god has to break us down, before he builds us up.  He has done that for me a couple of times, where I just feel like I'm at my lowest possible point and then he lifts me up out of the dark.  He is aware of us, he knows us, he feels our pain, he feels our happiness, and if we lean on him and continue following him everything will work out.  Sometimes he test our faith...but if we endure it, we come out stronger because of it.  Like when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail and god told him that everything that he has been going through will be for his good.  I know this gospel is true, and I know that Joseph Smith was called of god, he went through so  much for this gospel....because he knew it was true."  What profound words of wisdom!!  I see such incredible growth in Justin. 

He said the work is really progressing here and the woman that he baptized on the 23rd is doing great.  He believes that they are going to be strong members.  He mentioned that transfer meetings will be on Wednesday (November 2nd).  He included his small miracle for the week....."On Saturday we helped two different people move, it was a ton of work.  But the second person was not a member, the spanish elders were actually helping her move and they called us, so we went over and she was so grateful for us helping her and so while we were moving her, I was talking to her a little bit and starting teaching her on my own.  And it was so powerful, she said that we could come back and that she would try to make it to church next week."  Here are the pictures he sent this week. 

Not really sure what this is....

Justin's pumpkin we sent him

Justin and his pumpkin

A great use for the gel clings we sent him for Halloween!!

You said they would stick anywhere....LOL!!

Happy Halloween!!

A ping pong table in their apartment, I guess??