Week 75- Grandma Overson, The most Christlike person I have met

Hello world!

I am going to say I love the Lord! I am grateful for His love that has been poured out on me. I am so grateful!

There have been a few miracles this week. I got sick on Tuesday. Like to the point where I couldn't move or I wanted to die! :P The worst part was that we had probably one of the busiest days of my life. But we had a little miracle where a few of our appointments canceled. And they stalled me enough to where I could finish the day with a couple lessons. So it was a miracle in that sense. So I guess thats the good thing to see in that.

We have alos had a couple of new investigators and we have a couple more that really are now progressing! Its amazing how The Lord is hastening the work. I am happy to be in it! :)

On Saturday I received a call from president while I was driving he asks if he could speak to me privately. So I pulled over the car and went out side on the road. He called to tell me some of the saddest news I have ever heard. He said that my dear sweet Grandma Overson has passed... I was heart broken, I was sad, crying, I couldn't believe it! President said I could talk to my family for a few mins. So I did just that.

I called my parents first and I could tell they were a little heart broken. But even through all the tears and all the sadness I was still at peace. I can say for sure that the Lord has been preparing me for this moment of my mission. I decided a long time ago that if this ever happen in my mission I would not get mad at God. And honestly President Monsons talk this past general Conference "I will not fail thee or forsake thee" has brought me so much peace. 

When I called my Grandpa the first thing he said was isn't the Gospel wonderful? We get to partake of the sacrament on sunday and renew our covenants and think of Christ...Grandpa you honestly are one of my greatest examples.

Even though I cried most of the time when I was on the phone with my family I can say this for sure that I felt the love of the Savior more powerfully than ever before. I love the Savior. I know for a fact that familys are together forever and that God is real. I know I will that she is watching over me right now and that I will see her again. Thank you Grandma for all that you have done. We have traveled the world together from California to Europe and other places. And your Christlike example is one of the greatest things I have looked up to. Especially Charity, the pure love of Christ. I love you Grandma! Rest well!

On Sunday I had the opportunity to give a talk in sacrament and I was able to share with them about what happened on saturday. And I have felt the spirit so strong as I shared that. I can feel how grandma is with me right now. I love this Church. I love this Gospel. I love my Heavenly Father fro all that he does! :) He is so good to me! :)

Week 73

Hello world! 

Its been a good week! We are seeing allot of miracles and things really happening in this area! 

The Leadership is really getting into the work of the Lord! Its amazing to see how things are coming!

Yesterday we had a Ward mission leader set up an appointment with a new investigator. What he did was he parked his car in front of the fellowshippers house and asked him what is the best approach to meet this guy and start teaching him? And we asked him then went to the investigator and approached him that way. Then we set up the appointment went back to the neighbor and got him to come to the lesson! All within 5 mins! This guy was amazing! And not only that we have 3 lessons on Wednesday in a row!... Crazy!

So we also visited a less active who has allot of instruments that are literally vintage! This is a picture of a banjo that is like from the 1920s! I don't even know how to play banjo! But it was allot of fun! I enjoyed it!

We have gotten allot of new people to teach this week! We are teaching 3 kids that age from 9 to 13. And we started teaching them and they committed to be baptized! Awesome! And On sunday we taught a guy that I met like a couple months ago and at the time he didn't seem interested in the church. Well we stopped by Bishop Dalton's house to see if he could come with us to a lesson and while we were there his son yelled "Hey Missionaries I need to talk to you!" He brought that same guy that I met a while ago and said "Want to set up a time cause he want to take the lessons and be baptized!" haha it was awesome to hear. 

We taught him for the first time yesterday. He was really nervous. You can tell. But we had a great lesson with him! He was a little concerned about Joseph Smith.  He said he believes that it is possible that Joseph Smith is a Prophet but has some concerns. But we managed to help him resolve that concern by asking him to pray about Joseph Smith. But he said everytimg he thinks of Baptism he feels at peace! And he loves the Feeling of it. SO that was nice to hear. He said he will be baptized! Its awesome!

It is awesome to be a missionary right now! I love the Lord! I love Him! I love Him! I love Him! He does live! He does love us! He wants us to have joy for our entire lives. I love you all and I am grateful to be here! I love you all! I will be getting transfer calls on Monday! I am excited to see what is going to happen next! Take care everyone! :)

Week 71-72

Well Hello everyone!

I am so sorry for not writing last week! It slipped my mind. But I will do better next time :)

During Christmas we had three meals! One at 1pm then 3pm then 5pm... I was stuffed! I could barely make the 3rd meal. It was crazy! But I got to talk to my familyfor a bit. That was cool :) We got to use facetime for 45 mins. It was awesome I had allot of fun seeing my house and seeing everyone on Christmas morning. It was  pretty cool. I can't believe how big my niece and nephew are getting! Cute to hear them say Hi Dallin! :) Life is good.

SO yeah that was our Christmas. got allot of candy and chocolate that I believe is giving me allot of breakouts... we still have allot that is from 2 weeks ago. So we just have allot! haha. But Everyone was so kind and generous this Christmas. I could defiantly feel the Spirit of Christ :) And we got allot of good gifts like ties! :) (And I hope you all like my ugly Sweater :) )

So on new years eve was a normal proselyting day. But new years day we got to sleep in till 7:30 and then organize a district activity for the morning. It was fun! We played volleyball and this other game that was like dodge ball with those exercise  balls that are huge! haha it was allot of fun.

Then after that we went on exchanges. I had allot of fun! Elder Lewandowski went into our area not knowing much and I went into Saratoga Springs with Elder Stephans. He was awesome I learn allot for being with him.

So this week we had a couple of good things happen.We are teaching a less active guy who really want to change his life. He has gotten involved in all the bad life like drugs, alcohol, all that bad stuff that makes people miserable. But he wants to change. He said I had a craving for a beer and I just knelt down and prayed and read the scriptures and I didn't have the craving anymore! He said that beer is in the fridge its the last one. Then I said at the beginning of the lesson if I could throw it away. He laughed and then said Its something I have to do for myself. Then We taught the lesson and after the closing prayer he said, so one of you want to throw away my beer? Haha I was so excited! It was awesome! And so we did! Awesome night!

We also are teaching a less active guy from south Africa who knows all the doctrine knows what he has to do to go to church and knows everything. But on Saturday night we basically asked him why are we here? And I don't know how it worked out but we made a goal for him to go to the temple in 3 months and he will go to Church in 2 weeks all 3 hours... How did that happen I don't remember. But it worked out. So now we are making progress! Awesome!

SO yeah I love life. I Love being a missionary. I hate how short it really is. Time is going faster and faster. I can't stand it! I am praying to be a successful missionary. I will continue to work hard and love The Lord. Its great to be out at this time.

I know God lives and he loves us! I know the Book Of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of the Restoration of the Fullness of truth. I love my Savior. I am grateful for this Christmas season. its my last on but its going to be a great on! I am loving the Lord and happy for His hand in my life. I love you all and I hope you have a great week! till next time! 

--Elder Gleed

Week 67

Hello world!

So its been a great week! We have had allot of food on thanksgiving. We 

SO I had  had about 3 or 4 meals... We had an appointment at 12 then 2 then 4 then 6... The one at 6 we just had some desert... But we learned this the hard way. Turkey makes us really really tired. At our 2nd dinner we had a turkey and I was just struggling to stay up. It was no fun. But I survived! I just had to eat a little bit at a time... we were tire and sore from all the food and football we played yesterday. It was crazy!

Now Christmas is around the corner. and you know what that means? Christmas!

We helped our landlord with their Christmas tree. It was allot of fun! Plus I love Christmas music.

I had a cool experience this weekend! I got a text friday night about an excommunicated lady I taught in my first area. And I was told that the baptism was at 12 pm. But the problem was I had some appointments at that time so we weren't able to go...Or so I thought! the appointments fell through! So I called Jeff Law and told him to meet me in American Fork and lets go to Pleasent Grove! So we did. And she wasn't expecting me at all. But her face when she saw me come in was priceless. She was so happy. At the end of her baptism and confirmation she beared a  very powerful testimony! She talked about how she see the Lord hand in her life and how she know that God And Jesus Christ live. It was so powerful! I was happy. I had to hold back the tears as I was giving the closing prayer. I realized that if I didn't make it her testimony may not have been strengthen on how Heavenly Father really loves her 

I am so proud of her! She is awesome!

I realized that the Lords had is really in everything. if those appointments canceled I wouldn't have seen how much she has changed and came unto Christ! It awsome! 

I know the Church is true and Christy Lives. i know his hand is in Everything I do! He loves all of us and he has a big plan for us. i love you all and I hope you all have a great week! :)

--Elder Gleed

Week 63

Hello world! 

Its a beautiful day in Eagle mountain!  

Its a little colder than Provo. But its awesome! I love it here.

For starters I realize that I never did realize that I didn't talk about my companion.

Elder Poulima is from Samoa he has been out for 6 or 7 months. He is the oldest of 6 kids. he loves his family, very close to his Mom. He is allot like me where he didn't go on a mission till he was 20 years old. Wants to serve the Lord! Is a jokester, but most polys are to be honest :) its in the job description haha. but hes awesome! I love him. Hes a good missionary. Hope you love the picture of us and the buffulo :)  

Hope you love the picture of us and the buffulo :) We were contacting people and we came to this hunters house and we asked can we take a picture o with it? haha the guy said sure! So we did. haha 

We are teaching a lady name Peggy. She is this sweet 65 year old lady who has had no religious background at all. She is a sweet heart. She thinks that she has to be perfect to be baptized. But we taught about the talk about the Talk His Grace is Sufficient by Brad Wilcox. It really helped her allot!  Now she just is trying to get a testimony that these things are true. That's another stumbling block we are at. But She is awesome! I love her!

I also had a baptism for a lady in my last area. She left the church for a while. But then after a very long time she came back :) She is like another mother to me. She is awesome! I am very happy for her! :)

Well everyone I love you all! I am grateful to be here as a missionary! Its really the best! I am grateful for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for me. I love you all and hope you all have a great day! :)

--Elder Gleed

Week 62

Hello World! 

Its been a while I know. I apologize. Sometimes it gets hard to send emails as a missionary. But I will do better next time!

SO The past few weeks I have been training and doing my best to get Provo going so that in case I leave I can know for a fact that it will be a good area for the next missionary's. 

Last week I got my call for transfers... and I am moving! After 7 1/2 months I am moving areas. I am going to Eagle Mountain! And I will be serving with Elder Poulima from Samoa. Pretty unexpected. But I am excited! I can't wait till I see what the Lord has in store for me in Eagle Mountain!

So I came to eagle mountain. And its very different from Provo and Lindon. Its a newer community. Only 15 years old. Has been ranked one of the youngest area in the US or Utah. I saw that yesterday when I noticed that most of the ward has allot of kids. So I can see that. It has like 2 gas stations and a Wal Mart and about 50 church buildings. Thats what it is. I hear there some polygamy here... haven't ran into it yet. Its very wide spread too did I mention that?
For Halloween we had to stay inside for 4 hours and we had a movie that we could watch called Ephraims Rescue. It wasn't bad. It like the other part of 17 miracles. Then we played games and chilled. It was allot of fun. Btw did I mention to you that I am in a district of sisters?... Yep I am a District leader for sisters... which makes me Relief Society President basically...haha This will be fun!

So on Saturday I go t to witness a baptism back in my old area. This man has been taking the discussions for over 10 years. and finally he makes the leap of faith. The Baptism was beautiful. I really enjoyed the spirit that was there. I am proud of that man! :) He's the most Christlike person I have met in a long Time. Happy for him.

  

I love missionary work. The wife told me thank you for not giving up on him. You just kept trying and trying. And now hes here. I didn't think I had much of a part in his conversion. But then I thought about it. I kept on going and trying to help him. I knew I couldn't convert him. But I knew someone could. So thats why I kept going. So I guess I see how Heavenly Father really used me as an instrument in His hands to bring Travis unto Christ.

I know that the Lord has a plan. I know that I am in Eagle Mountain for a reason. I look ofrward to this adventure here and with my new companion! I know that the Church is true! I know Christ Lives! I know The Book Of Mormon is true! I know We have a Modern Day Prophet in these last days. I love you all! I can't believe I am on my down hill slope of my mission. But that doesn't stop me from working hard! I love you all! Have a great Week!

-Elder Gleed

Week 58

Well hello world! 

Wasn't general conference amazing! So many good things were said in those 5 sessions! I loved pretty much all of them. I loved 2 quotes from conference. One of them was by Edward Dube. I love it when he said " Never look back. Look at the work we have to do" I love that quote! I loved President Ucthdorfs quote " Doubt your doubt, Before you doubt your faith".  Any doubts that I have I will turn to those 2 quotes. Amazing!

Its been a good week over all. We have had a few good things happen. So one we were over at an investigators house last night. And he has been taking the missionary discussions for 10 years. Last night he wants to be baptized! The look on his wife and kids face was priceless! The spirit instantly filled the room! It was amazing! I was so happy! I couldn't believe it! Happiest day of my life. Well since Thursday. :)

So I know that every one who is an RM or is currently serving may be a little jealous of this. But on Thursday...

  

Yep we got Ipads! :) I can now use it for the hastening of the work. I can now use Skype and Facetime to teach lessons. Its quite amazing! So if you do know anyone who would like to learn more about the Gospel and about Jesus Christ, you can send them to me. I am still trying to access my Skype account. If they have facetime then just put my email and it should connect.

I love you all. I know that these Ipads are to be used as a tool for the work of Salvation. Its going to help the Lord work soo much! And this will be a powerful tool. I love my Savior and I know he lives. I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me these last few transfers. I know  this Church is true. Till next time!

--Elder Gleed