Crazy

 Hey everyone, this week was crazy it seemed like, crazy schedules crazy weather ect.....

Tuesday we had exchanges with the Spanish elders, I was with Elder Lemmon, we had a good time knocking doors, trying potentials, the usual. That night was part one of our church tour that we've been handing out invitations for for the last 4 weeks. And suprise! No one came lol. 

It snowed all night going into Wednesday morning that then turned into freezing rain later in the day. Our cars were grounded and we were told to stay inside, luckily we were still on exchanges with the Spanish elders. Haha, so they couldnt leave, and we couldnt leave, we weekly planned and and tried to be productive, ended up playing a lot of cards....... not a whole lot to do from the inside of a missionary apartment. We were finally able to head out when it stopped freezing just in time for the second day of our church tour. Suprise! No one came that day either Haha. 

Friday was our all district council, so we went down to Fredericksburg in the morning for that, it was a great council we talked about finding and faith. The elders we were riding back with had to go to best buy because one of them had broken his tablet and was getting a new one with a warranty he had. That ended up taking about 5 hours 🙄 so we were stuck at best buy all day. 

Overall it was a good week, we've really been struggling to find people to teach, this week was the same, we knocked a lot of doors, but you meet a lot of interesting people Haha. 

Thought for this week 2 Nephi 25:26-27

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.

Verse 26 is my moms favorite, and I love it too, but I wanted to focus on verse 27. Notwithstanding their faith in Christ they kept the law (of moses), SO that they might look forward to the LIFE which is IN CHRIST. How wonderful to be already living In the Life which is in Christ. 

Love you all!

Blue Ridge mountains 

Found this meme on Facebook haha this was Meadowbrook, my last area aka the ghetto

God Loves Us

Hey everyone, well not too much to report on here this week, we had exchanges in Piedmont Tuesday  We went and contacted a lot of members and tracted a lil bit in the rain. Wednesday was district council, and then we went finding the rest of the day. Overall it was a pretty uneventfull week..... haha. HOWEVER, as most of you are aware we are now able to contact our family on a weekly basis! I thought that was a prank at first, holy cow. It was also my birthday, so goodbye to my last year as a teenager :') but I was able to call my family on my birthday! Valentines day was also this week, that was neat. Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday  I love you all! Due to some recent events I have had a scripture on my mind for the last little while, 2 Nephi 26:23-24 

23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.

24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

God loves us all and has a plan for everyone, he doesn't do anything save it be for our benefit. 

knitting my scarf

sunset

birthday woohoo

Exchanges

Hey all, this week was a good one. We drove down to Fredericksburg on Tuesday for District Leader training and exchanges. It was awesome we had exchanges with the YSA elders, they are over Univeristy of Mary Washington, so we spent the day contacting on campus which is by far my favorite form of contacting. We gave out like 6 BOMs in just a few hours and had a lot of good conversations. College kids these days are all obsessed with being "tolerant" and loving and accepting everyone and blah blah blah, but I find that extremely ironic because we were the laughing stock of the campus Haha. And I was only there for a few hours. Many many "nice" comments about us, as well as countless times I caught people taking snapchats of us or whatever. So yeah that's pretty funny to me.

Wednesday we had Zone conference and we talked about finding, through members and out own efforts. President Smith talked about how we need to be converted. He's a pretty tough love guy so that was a fun time Haha.

Thursday, Friday not too much happened but Saturday/ Sunday we had stake conference once again in Fredericksburg Overall, the Stake Conference was pretty good. President Smith gave a talk about how he had to deny a man the chance to be baptized. The reason was because this man was from an Islamic country and was previously Muslim himself. Even though he had gained a testimony of Jesus Christ and a desire to be baptized he still was not permitted the opportunity to be baptized. It was clarified between the two of them that if he had returned back to his home country(which is what he was planning on doing)he would be killed for it. For being Christian, and specifically a member of our church. This man was willing to die for what he believed in... for our Savior, and told President Smith he wanted to be baptized anyway, knowing the consequences. (Church policy won't allow Him to) President remarked how he was blown away the amount of faith this man had in Christ and His Atonement. Then President posed a question towards the audience. Most people, like this man, would probably be willing to die for their Savior. But could they live for their Savior? By way of explanation, could they go on living the proper way? Keeping his commandments, reading, praying, serving, fasting, going to church...etc. It made me sit back and reflect on if I could do that as well. My response is yes, yes I will continue to live for the Savior. Time will tell how well I keep those promises, and I'm committed to do my absolute best. I would ask that you all consider the same thing and ponder about it. I love you all thanks or all your support and for everything!

Exchanges and UMW 

Weekly

Hey everyone, this week was pretty good.

So Transfers happened. Tuesday night we spent saying goodbye to some families Elder Hill wanted to stop by. He was pretty sad to be leaving his first area, but that is how it always goes. 

Transfer day!

My new comp is Elder Lee, from Chandler AZ, which is basically Mesa, which is basically Phoenix, so he's from Phoenix. He came out with me, which is awesome. We were in different MTC districts but came out at the same time, which is super fun. Were both super stoked for this transfer. 

Elder Hill got transferred to Meadowbrook! that was pretty wild, so we just traded places haha. 

Not a whole lot happened the rest of the week, we helped the other Elders with some service, had coorelation, had some pizza. For the most part we just did a lot of finding. On Sunday we knocked doors for a solid 5 hours, everyone was leaving to go to or preparing for super bowl parties haha, we did meet the richest man in culpeper. nice guy......... jk, he wasnt nice haha. 

This upcoming week should be pretty good though, we have district leader training, zone conference and the works, so that will be fun. 

Thought for the week, 1 Nephi 7:12, "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him." I was getting pretty bummed we haven't found anyone to teach for a few weeks, and the people were working with aren't really progressing, then I read this scripture in my studies. It's the Lords will that we find, teach and baptize, so I made this scripture my motto for the transfer to have more faith and know that it's His will that we're successful. 

Elder McArthur