Oct 31, 2011

Happy Halloween - Oct 31, 2011

Hey everyone! Happy Halloween!!!  This is going to be an awkward day today but we'll make the best of it.  We had a great week with two baptisms, Patrick and Bintu Mbayoh!  They are just soooo amazing and their love and faith in God is incredible.  Patrick, earlier this week, has been feeling very ill.  He had a headache that just wouldn't go away so last sunday after church he went to the emergency.  The doctors ran tons of test and could find nothing wrong with him.  He decided to go to a friend for help and through the testing that they did his friend felt it might be neurological.  He made an appointment with the neurologist but in the mean time he'd have to endure the pain.  We visited him a couple times and gave him a blessing and then he rested the rest of the week.  We hadn't contacted him up to the day of baptism, this sat, so we weren't sure if he was feeling better or not.  But at 9:30am sharp he arrived with a big smile on his face and ready to jump in the water!  I thought, "Great, he made it!"  Later we found out that that morning had been the worst his headache had ever been.  He felt too sick get up and was a bit dizzy so he jumped back into bed.  But a dream that he had made him feel that he needed to be baptized.  He awoke, looked at the time and decided that if he was indeed going to get baptized today he needed to leave now!  He woke his wife and through headache, dizzyness, and with a determination to follow God he and his wife left without even taking a shower.  He said he didn't feel well but he had to do what the Lord asked him to do so that's why he was there!  They are so awesome and the baptism was beautiful.  There was a handful of people that came to give there support and the talks were perfect. 
 
I just love seeing people make that wonderful commitment. It always helps me to remember the covenants that I've made and gets me all pumped up again.  It feels like being in the temple which is great since we don't get to go there often.  I've also seen a difference in my studies again and my teaching.  The spirit has become even stronger.  I read moroni in the book of mormon today and there is just so many great things in there.  I was highlighting everything and making tons of notes.  I think I may have highlighted every single verse in Moroni! haha.  The Scriputres are just great.  Today is the last day of the month of October and I will be finished with the book of mormon once again, for the third time on the mission.  Tomorrow I will start it all over again and I can't wait.  I encourage each of you to read the Book of Mormon.  The Bible is great too and I sometimes find myself trying to look for a verse in the bible and end up reading a few chapters instead. But I encourage you to read the Book of Mormon because there is great power and knowledge in it.  It was saved to be brought about in our time for a reason.  As Joseph Smith said, we will get nearer to God by abiding by it's precepts than by any other book.  It is sooo true.  It's sole purpose is to bring us to the knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ and each time I read it and apply the things that I learn as I read it, I truly come to understand my Saviour more and more and feel myself come closer to him.  So read the book of mormon, from the beginning, or continue where you left off.  Make it a habit to do it daily, whether for 1 minute, 5 minutes, or an hour. And when you read it take time to ponder on the things you read.  It is during the pondering that we ask questions for understanding, and then as we listen and pray about the things we learn that the spirit answers our prayers, gives us guidance and direction.  And as you follow the promptings of the spirit your mind will be opened and your view of things will change, becoming more like our heavenly fathers.  Things that would bother you will become small in unimportant.  All this takes time but time that would be well spent. True Happiness and Peace will enter more fully in your life and many other blessing you will experience. 
 
Okay, enough of that. I'm just so excited with all the things I've been able to learn from the scriptures.  We'll I hope all is well. I am doing great.  Freezing my okole off but It's all good.   I love each of you and hope you are doing great.  Let me know how things are and I look forward to that time.  I love you!
 
Elder Watson

Oct 24, 2011

Here's a Few Pics For You

My mtc district back together again after more than a year at the Orioles Baseball game
 where they have mormon night and tickets are cheap.  President Belliston allows all the 
missionaries in the mission to attend so that we have an awesome event to invite our 
investigators too.  We use it to reunite with our beloved missionary brethren.

The Berryville zone missionaries after basketball/volleyball on p-day

The annapolis zone missionaries at the ice skating rink for pday

Oct 17, 2011

Oct 17, 2011

How's it going??  I loved conference this year.  I really enjoyed the talks and took a lot out of it.  I really loved President Monsons.  It was such a great message and kind of ties in with President Uchtdorf's talk.  "Fear not, I am with thee..." Hit me really hard.  I spend a good amount of time after conference looking up verses in which he tells his disciples that.  I love knowing that when we are doing what the Lord asks he is always with us, through the good and the bad.  
 
I am doing just fine out here.  Struggles here and there but alls good.  It's so weird how you learn so much about your flaws out here. haha.  It's good though. Helps me to repent!!!  Was thinking about my life the other day and evaluating where I am now.  It's so crazy how much I've changed.  I'm still here but there is still many things that have developed, and good habits that I've picked up that I hope will help to shape me into an even better person.  I remember hearing once that I won't be the same person, that the mission would change me.....boy were they right.  I have had so many experiences out here and my mind has been opened so much, I almost don't want to let this great experience end.  But there will be many more wonderful experiences to enjoy after the mission. I just hope I can take everything that I've learned so far and apply it in the "real world".  With such a short time left (I know, seven months isn't short, but it seems to go in a blink of an eye out here) I want to work my butt off.  I want to see miracles happen each day of my life out here and I want to be able to grow twice as much as I have so far!  What a great desire!  Now....to only accomplish it! hehe. 
 
Anyway, if you haven't heard I'm out in Annapolis and loving it.  It's such a pretty city and I'm getting so fit with all the bike riding and motivation to keep in shape by all the Navy midshipmen out here.  Unfortunately I'm not gaining any weight but I feel like I'm a little stronger than the start of my mission!  We'll I'll let you go for now. Please tell everyone....and I mean everyone!....that I love them, miss them and say hello to them for me!  A hui hou a me malama pono.
 

Oct 3, 2011

The Bike Accident - October 3, 2011

How is everything?  I'm doing well.  I'm cold but don't worry, I have enough warm clothes and am doing just fine.  Funny thing happened to me this week.  So like I mentioned before I ride bike and it was saturday and our turn to ride bikes.  After the first session of conference we decided to stop by one of our investigators we have on date.  We haven't had the chance to see her all week and were starting to worry about her. Divinely inspired we went at the time we did because she had just gotten dropped off and was about to hope into her car and head off to work.  We got to stop her, talk to her a bit, and set up an appointment to meet with her.  Not knowing what to do with the rest of our time we decided to try by a less-active near by. The destination was on a slight down hill so we just cruised it down......until I squeezed on the brakes in a bit of a panic (for some odd reason I thought a parked car was going to hit me). My leg slipped off my pedal, got caught in the chain, flipped my bike so quickly I wasnt able to brace myself, and landed me on my side.  I skid for a few and then quickly got out from under my bike and sat there. My companion saw me laying with the bike on me and then rushed to my side.  For a good two whole minutes we just laughed,real hard, about the situation.  He help me get back up and I examined myself and found my self unhurt, only a little sore.  I did however find out I got a big cherry on the side of my left knee and my shirt very dirty, my knee swelled as well as my ankle.  My shoulder still bruised but all in all  doing just fine. LoL... Oh my goodness if you had been there you would still be laughing. I am!
This week was absolutely wonderful. I'll save my thoughts for next week but tell me which talk you all liked and why.  I have to review the talks again and get my thoughts together for next week!  Love you all and miss you alot.  Talk to you again soon!!!
Elder Watson