Back to Duluth in Bloomington with Elder Last

Hello Everyone,

  We had a good week this week. We went to Duluth this week which was cool to go back and see my last area. I went with Elder Huntley and Elder Black the Duluth Elders. Elder Last went with Elder Miller and Elder Ellsworth the Superior elders. It was a good day, we were able to teach some good lessons. I didn't get to see a lot of the people that I love in Duluth. But it was still good to be back in a place where I made many memories.

   On Friday when we got home from Duluth we went and exchanges with the New Brighton Elders. That afternoon we did we did a mission wide finding hour. We a car fast where no missionaries could use there cars but could only use their bikes or be on feet just out finding. It was awesome! I was biking around with Elder Hodgson and we tracted and talked to some cool people, it was a good thing to do for the mission! That evening we were biking and these people in their late 20's were sitting around a fire and one of them stands up and waves us down. He invites us to their back yard, gets us water, gives us a bunch of food, and was seriously some of the nicest people i have met on my mission. They asked questions about studying the scriptures and all these super sweet questions and they told us to come back anytime. I was super excited about this miracle that we saw!

Elder Johnston goes home this Wednesday and I get to be his companion the last couple of days, I can't believe that he is done with his mission! I am going miss him.

1.Duluth Elders
2. Elder Hodgson and I
3. The people who waved us down to come join them around the fire.
(Sam and Cyrus)

President Russell M. Nelson in Bloomington with Elder Last

Hello Everyone,

        This was one amazing week. We had President Russell M Nelson of the quorum of the twelve apostles visit our mission. So a lot of this week we were helping President Forbes prepare for the conference. So much
went into the conference it was honestly so cool! As President Nelson arrived to the building we had everyone in the Cultural Hall for a mission picture with President Nelson. So when he walked in he came into the gym and we snapped a quick picture, President Nelson walked out and went to the entrance into the chapel and he shook everyone's hand as we walked in. Elder Craig C Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy was also there. He is also a powerhouse! We were instructed for two hours by these two special witnesses of the Savior. President Nelson talked about what we learn from the Book of Mormon and posed the question "What would you do without the Book of Mormon in missionary work?" We talked about all of the things we learn and things that are clarified and it helped strengthen my testimony of Book of Mormon. His testimony was powerful and pure, just being in his presence was a blessing. He truly is an amazing man! 92 years old and walking like a champ.

        He held a YSA fireside that evening and we were able to also go to that because we had a member go with us. He is a very Christlike man! What an example! I seriously love him and will never forget this week.

        Sunday we had Mission President's Fireside that I conducted. We had all the missionaries in the Twin Cities bring their investigators and recent converts speak and tell their conversion story. It is a great event! We had two people from the Young Single Adults ward speak. It was great to hear their stories. It strengthens my testimony.

        I got to go on exchanges with Elder Peterson who I served with over a year ago in the Lake Marion ward. We were in St Paul and we had a good day. We went joint teaching with a awesome priest. We called a member from the Lake Marion ward who loved us both a lot. He accepted to come and take us out to breakfast. We went to a place called Mickey's diner that has been open 24/7 since 1930. How cool is that? It was a great
time being back with an old companion catching up on old times.


1. The Priest From St Paul
2. Elder Peterson and I
3. Brother Stanich at Mickey's Diner
4. The Entire Mission With President Nelson(See if you can find me)

Exchanges/Miracles/Mother's Day in Bloomington with Elder Last

Hello Friends and Family,

        We had a wonderful week this week. We taught some really solid lessons to some really prepared people. Also, what a Mother's Day being able to talk to the family. Tuesday we had exchanges with the Medicine Lake Elders (My old area). I went with Elder Larson who is a new Zone Leader and is from North Sanpete. He is a great guy and I really enjoyed the exchange we were able to get in with a part member family home here in Bloomington.

        Thursday we went on exchanges with the Lakeville Zone Leaders and I went with Elder Kemberling. That was a good exchange, we were in Burnsville/Lakeville and we did finding for a long time which was really good. We talked to some nice people and not so nice people, but overall it was a good experience. I served in Lakeville over a year ago, so it was good to be back and see parts of my old area. That night we got a call from the Cottage Grove Sisters telling us that they had contacted the most prepared person they had met on their mission and that he lives in Bloomington. So they gave us his number and address and told us to call him the next day.

        Friday called him and he totally wanted to meet up. He told us that he was maybe not going to be able to make it to the lesson we set up for 7:30. He texted us and told us he would hustle back and be able to
make it to the church by 8:30. So we met him at the church and 8:30 and we was super nice and we went directly into the chapel and taught a really powerful restoration lesson. What a spiritual experience for him! As he learned about Joseph Smith these are the words he said "That makes sense. The Book of Mormon is something I am very curious about now." This man is an answer to many prayers! He is one of the elect that are prepared to hear and accept the gospel. 

        Saturday we taught our investigator Solo Hne (From Liberia). He is so ready for the gospel as well, we taught the restoration and you could physically see the spirit teaching him. It was a great experience!

        Sunday Solo came to church and stayed for all 3 hours. He really enjoyed it and hopefully will come next week with our other investigator Peter who is his roommate and they are both solid investigators. We had our family of investigators come to church James and angie and there kids. We also had our investigator Steve come, so we had 7 investigators to church and it was a really great sunday because after that we face timed our families.

        The work is moving forward here in Bloomington, we are seeing lots of miracles and really enjoying our time together!

Here is some big news: President Russell M Nelson will be holding a mission conference this Saturday for our mission. We will each be able to shake his hand, this is something I will never forget! I am so excited to hear his words to our mission. What a great opportunity! I love you all! Have a great week.

1. Our investigator Solo Hne right after our lesson
2. Multi Zone Service - Helping out with a 5k Run in Eagan.
3. Helping these garbage men. A member got a picture in action!

Transfer Week in Bloomington: New companion Elder Last

Hello Family and Friends,
 
I apologize for not emailing last week because we were busy with transfer stuff. Monday was really fun, we did a lot of transfer stuff with President Forbes and the board came out. It was really fun! Later that evening we taught our investigator tom Walters. He is a cool guy! Tuesday we had the departing missionaries in the mission home doing their departing stuff with President and Sister Forbes. Elder Johnston is going home in the middle of the transfer so he was their and it was just so weird to see him getting ready to go home. He leaves the 31st of May to go back for football practice. That evening they had all the departing missionaries share their testimonies and wow was that a powerful experience to be apart of.
        
Wednesday we had breakfast with all the departing missionaries and then we packed all their stuff into the van to take them to the airport to drop them off. Sister Frank a Sister missionary who I served around a lot had her parents show up at the mission home. It was so cool to see her and her parents see each other again. We then drove all the departing missionaries to the airport. It was 7 sister missionaries and 1 elder.  After we got back I went with President and Sister Forbes to pick up the new missionaries at the airport. It was so fun to greet them all, Elder Last (my new companion) and I gave a little training to them about inviting someone to be baptized. It was really good, i love the excitement these new missionaries have. Wednesday was a crazy day, but it was really great!

Thursday we had MLC, Elder Last and I gave a training on how to make companionship exchanges the most effective as possible. It went well! We had a good discussion. MLC always seems to go well.
        
Friday was nice because we finally got to slow down and clean up our apartment, and get to work in our area. Elder Last is my new companion, he is from Hurricane UT. He has been out on his mission 14 months and is a really solid elder. We have a lot of good work to do here in Bloomington and we are gonna work our tails off to see success this transfer. Saturday we taught two men named Solo Hne and Peter Matatlay, they are from Liberia and really have interest in learning more about the gospel. We taught them briefly about the restoration and it went well, peter committed to coming to church. He came to church on Sunday and that was a good experience for him.

I am doing well in the mission and loving it! We are working hard, this is God's work, we have the blessing of sharing this with the world. I invite you all to look for more missionary opportunities and open your mouth! Have a wonderful week. D&C 33:8-10

1) Elder Last and I after service
2) my vehicles i have driven in the last two areas