Keepin' it Classy in Tallahassee: New Adventures Are Out There!

First I would like to say I love you all! And ask for you all to pray for a dear friend of mine! Ginger Menin is a sweet lady from my homeward who recently joined our church. I ask you all to pray for her that she will feel the love of us all at this time! We love you Ginger!

1. Last Monday we went to the bishop's house and talked to two couples one married one almost married! One has a recent convert husband, the other the guy has a recent convert fiancee. We had to give a lesson on temple blessings so I read a talk by Elder Quentin L Cook about peace. We related that to the temple and how peaceful they are and how much peace we obtain from temples! It was just so awesome the spirit that was felt as we talked about the temple and what we can get from them!

2. We have been doing service at a local habitat for humanity thrift store for the last few months and we have had a really good time working with them! The manager was always so nice. She told me as i said it would be our last time there that she was very impressed how I represented my church! She was a good friend me and her would always joke with each other and tease each other in a loving and friendly way though! So she always made morning service fun! Doing this service hasn't opened teaching opportunities yet but i think it will eventually. The whole community knows that those mormon boys help out and they love us for it!

3. Emmanuel is an investigator that we have been teaching and we taught him an awesome lesson the other day it was so good! We talked about the restoration and how important it was, and I thought he was kind of zoned out but when we finished he gave the most sincere prayer blessing us on our journey and praying to know if these things were true so that was really great! I think it went over really well!

4. Casey is another guy we taught a lesson to. We were looking for his wife and he answered the door and let us in. We talked about the plan of salvation! He being a new father it was great! He really liked what we said and we really got him to really think about things. He was pretty sure that he would read the Book Of Mormon and that we could come back and teach him and his wife so we are excited!

5. We had an awesome missionary fireside Saturday night! It was great, we had musical numbers by Sister Nelson and Elder Farris! Picture should be on this email! It was so great and spiritual! Then we had a little talk about Peter which was good! We had a huge dinner! BBQ homemade root beer and ice cream! It was really good stuff! Some of the best BBQ i have had! Man i loved it!

6. The missionary fireside went great there were two super interested couples there and it was good to see them have a little fun! They seemed super receptive and we gave them a Book Of Mormon and i think they will read it! It is good to see fruits from our hard work!

7. Training has been the biggest blessing of my mission! I am so grateful for it and I have learned so much about myself, missionary work, and dealing with others. President Smith told me the other day that I was doing the best marriage prep! ha but that is nothing I need to worry about yet! I have grown so much as i have been pushed out of my comfort zone and I am so grateful for that I can only imagine the missionary and person I would be if i did not get the chance to train! It has been tough but we learn the most when we go through trials and hard times! So i think in self-examination I have grown a lot but i still have quiet a way to go! Always room to grow!

8. It was really hard to know that I was leaving and go to church on Sunday, especially in a ward that I had been serving in for so long! It was bitter sweet. It was good saying bye to so many people that I loved! I really have enjoyed my time here. I did not bring the most success or anything but I hope I helped some people come closer to Christ, which is my job. Member, non-member, and in active members, it does not matter.

9. The Bishop of Marianna is Bishop Sims and man will he miss me! Not to sound prideful but he was so sad when I told him I was leaving. He actually announced it from the pulpit on sunday that i would be leaving and how great it was for me to be in this ward. He then said it was like a son of his was leaving and he was sad to see me go! After church he made a comment that ill have to bring my wife through Marianna when i take her on a honey moon to Disney world! He also gave me his cell phone so i could "surprise him and give him a call". He is a great man and a good friend and it was hard saying bye to him but I'm grateful I got to know a man as great as him!

10. Last, it looks like i will be a crimson tide fan the next few months! I am being shipped off to Mobile, Alabama! It will be a big and new adventure that I am really excited for. It is sad to leave all these people. but i know the lord needs me in Mobile right now! So it is time to put my shoulder to the wheel and get to work! I'll be opening a new area in a ward with 2 sets of missionaries already but I'm excited to see what will happen! And from what i understand my new comp has been out for 6 weeks so I have quiet a bit of responsibility now! But i am very excited to see what will happen over the next few months! The Lord has work for us to do!!!