Happy Monday!!
The weather is starting to warm back up, but nothing bad. But even better than that, the humidity has been low.
The brake pads on my back tires are non existint but im hesitent to buy new ones because transfers is in two weeks and i dont know if ill be staying here, hopefully i will though. So i think ill just switch out the front ones with the back and hope that lasts, so if i write back next week in a cast, you'll know why.
This last week started off really slow, but it was all worth it. We had appointments cancel left and right with some of our solid investigators so we ended up doing a lot of tracting. It kinda put me in a down mood, but we diligently went forth every morning not slacking. Then on Sat. we were out and we taught a bunch of lessons and got some new potential investigators and return appointments. It humbled me knowing that the Lord blesses those who diligently serve Him. I thought that the Lord had blessed me enough for the week but boy was I wrong. We had an appointment with Wenton last night. Every time we go over there and ask him how he feels he always says "i feel good about [the book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, etc.]" So the last time we were there we left him to read Alma 32 where they talk about the seed. I asked him how he liked it and he opened up to verse 21 talking about faith. And i took off running with that and explained how the good feeling he has been having is the spirit testifying of truth. Then I asked him if he knew the BoM (Book of Mormon) was true. He said "yes" then i asked him if he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet. He again said "yes." then i had him open up to Mosiah 18:8-10, "if these be the desires of your heart...what have ye against being baptized in the name of Christ?" (warning: quote may be off). When i told him to read it i had no idea what i was doing. we have been talking about baptism for the last few times and i wasnt going to mention it, i just told the Lord that i was putting my trust in Him and that if i had the wrong impression it was all on Him (obviously He knows what He's doing, i just wanted a scape goat). Wenton read it 3 or 4 times and then sat there pondering it for a few min. and said, "we have to be baptized." Elder Reese gave him a "soft" baptismal committment ("as you come to know these things are true, will you be baptized?") and he accepted!! Then i tried to set a date for Aug 22 but he said that he would have to pray about it. We got him a copy of the BoM in French so now he'll be able to understand it better and recive that witness.
Denise is doing really well except that she is still having problems with her boyfriend (shes living with him still). We talked to Bishop Stephens about it and he said that one of them have to move out if she wants to progress and keep the commandments. We'll be on ours knees a lot this week for guidence on this, thats for sure.
Adria is doing well too. her baptism is still on track so we're preping her for that. We're taking her and a few others on the church tour tonight so that'll help.
You'll have to send some pics of the new car. The bishop was talking about getting a new one as well with all the deals going on but he said it helps when he's counciling people for them to see that he's driving a really old car that barely runs, so they dont need a fancy new one, haha.
Yeah the pic. was with the minni. his name was Caleb Nordwald from Mexico, Mo. I'll have to check on Poplar Bluff when i get home. That'd be cool if it was though.
The other week i ran into a friend from BYUI. He was in my mission prep class last semester. he was going to his sisters ward which meets right before ours. it was really crazy to see him.
Keep me updated on how everyone's doing. My prayers are with you all
Love
Elder Egan
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Presidents and Church's..........
Along with his letter this week, Jon sent this picture that he took . He said to enlarge it and look at the white street sign that is hooked to the light post. Of course I think it's a cool chicken place....Church's Chicken....right in front of a church:) Jon is still the same political guy he was when he left!! 
Bonjour,
(I have no idea if thats how you spell that but i was getting tired of writing the few forms of the word in english).
So I was greeting people before sacrament started yesterday when an unfamiliar face came up to me and asked where i was from. I told him and he said that he served his mission there and was in our ward! I dont know if you remember an Edler Sorensen, he looked kinda familiar but i didnt remember much about him, i felt bad. Hes been home for a while now and going to BYU but working as a sellsmen in the City. He's going to the other ward so ill see him around.
This week has been really amazing. Our minni missionary was the most energetic and ethusiastic person, it was great. We broke most of our weekly goals with his help. He taught both Elder Reese and I alot. He went home friday to show his steer in the fair. Hes from a small country town, Mexico MO. He actually crashed again after the first one with Elder Reese. This time it was into a road sign though. It was pretty funny.
The weather has been wonderful this week. Cool and not humid. If it stayed like this the whole year i may think about actually liking it out here, haha.
Your a genious mom!! After last weeks email (about Adria) I went and look up the dates that the Temple was closed. It just so happens that every year in Sep. that its closed for cleaning. We were able to move her baptism up a month!!! From Sep. 22 to Aug 29! That was pure inspiration. Denise is doing great too! Shes been coming to church for the past 3 or 4 weeks and getting involved in the R.S. activities. This ward is so great. They just welcome everyone in and are super friendly. They remind me so much of our ward back home. Wenton (the guy from Hatti) said he feels it to be true and we challenged him to baptism. He said that he hates it when people jump from church to church and so he wants to be sure that this is it. But he said he'd pray about it. We've also got his son coming to cub scouts and he really likes it. Hunter (the girl whose mom isn't a member but dad is really strong in the church) has been bringing one of her nonmember friends to church! Shes doing more missionary work than the members are, its great!! Larry (the strong Catholic guy) is really coming along. We took him on this "church tour" that i think i told you about last week and i think it really hit him. we talked about the apostacy and restoration. He just has a lot of questions and still clings to his beliefs which is good. He's pretty much solid (along with everyone else).
We've also been working with a lot of less actives. Its harder working with them because most of the time they already have strong testimonies but are to prideful to forgive those who have offended them (i've found that the number one reason that people leave is because someone, usually a bishop, said something they didnt like). Its all good though, they'll come around eventually when they see the blessings that they and their family are missing out on.
Thursday we had a special zone conference. Elder Shoffe of the Seventy came and talked to us along with Pres. and Sis Turley and the AP's. It was a spiritual feast that really pumped us up.
I see Elder Westfall at least every week. they came on splits with us on sat. and it was really fun being out with him in the field. He was born (his first area) was in the ghetto of STL and so its a lot different out here for him.
The plan of Salvation is such a wonderful thing to know about. It makes this earth life so much easier knowing where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going. The Book of Mormon answers so many of life's great questions like those and so much more. If people would just give it a chance and put aside their prejudice they would benifit more than they could imagine.
Dad-its good that your going out with the Elders. I know they appreciate it. Its good that you've been reading PMG, that'll make it easier. Just remember to let the Elders do the teaching unless they ask you other wise. That's the hardest part, some members try to do the Elders job, not conciously, but they're the best at what they do.
Mom-yes i got both packages. Its good that you check here. There have been some elders whose letters and packages get taken. Not in St. Peters that i know but its still good.
Josh-The super activity sounds really fun. Yeah, there isnt any time to think about movies. by the time you get in and finish everything that you need all you want to do is either sleep or study (if there is time...usually not though).
Love,
Elder Egan
(I have no idea if thats how you spell that but i was getting tired of writing the few forms of the word in english).
So I was greeting people before sacrament started yesterday when an unfamiliar face came up to me and asked where i was from. I told him and he said that he served his mission there and was in our ward! I dont know if you remember an Edler Sorensen, he looked kinda familiar but i didnt remember much about him, i felt bad. Hes been home for a while now and going to BYU but working as a sellsmen in the City. He's going to the other ward so ill see him around.
This week has been really amazing. Our minni missionary was the most energetic and ethusiastic person, it was great. We broke most of our weekly goals with his help. He taught both Elder Reese and I alot. He went home friday to show his steer in the fair. Hes from a small country town, Mexico MO. He actually crashed again after the first one with Elder Reese. This time it was into a road sign though. It was pretty funny.
The weather has been wonderful this week. Cool and not humid. If it stayed like this the whole year i may think about actually liking it out here, haha.
Your a genious mom!! After last weeks email (about Adria) I went and look up the dates that the Temple was closed. It just so happens that every year in Sep. that its closed for cleaning. We were able to move her baptism up a month!!! From Sep. 22 to Aug 29! That was pure inspiration. Denise is doing great too! Shes been coming to church for the past 3 or 4 weeks and getting involved in the R.S. activities. This ward is so great. They just welcome everyone in and are super friendly. They remind me so much of our ward back home. Wenton (the guy from Hatti) said he feels it to be true and we challenged him to baptism. He said that he hates it when people jump from church to church and so he wants to be sure that this is it. But he said he'd pray about it. We've also got his son coming to cub scouts and he really likes it. Hunter (the girl whose mom isn't a member but dad is really strong in the church) has been bringing one of her nonmember friends to church! Shes doing more missionary work than the members are, its great!! Larry (the strong Catholic guy) is really coming along. We took him on this "church tour" that i think i told you about last week and i think it really hit him. we talked about the apostacy and restoration. He just has a lot of questions and still clings to his beliefs which is good. He's pretty much solid (along with everyone else).
We've also been working with a lot of less actives. Its harder working with them because most of the time they already have strong testimonies but are to prideful to forgive those who have offended them (i've found that the number one reason that people leave is because someone, usually a bishop, said something they didnt like). Its all good though, they'll come around eventually when they see the blessings that they and their family are missing out on.
Thursday we had a special zone conference. Elder Shoffe of the Seventy came and talked to us along with Pres. and Sis Turley and the AP's. It was a spiritual feast that really pumped us up.
I see Elder Westfall at least every week. they came on splits with us on sat. and it was really fun being out with him in the field. He was born (his first area) was in the ghetto of STL and so its a lot different out here for him.
The plan of Salvation is such a wonderful thing to know about. It makes this earth life so much easier knowing where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going. The Book of Mormon answers so many of life's great questions like those and so much more. If people would just give it a chance and put aside their prejudice they would benifit more than they could imagine.
Dad-its good that your going out with the Elders. I know they appreciate it. Its good that you've been reading PMG, that'll make it easier. Just remember to let the Elders do the teaching unless they ask you other wise. That's the hardest part, some members try to do the Elders job, not conciously, but they're the best at what they do.
Mom-yes i got both packages. Its good that you check here. There have been some elders whose letters and packages get taken. Not in St. Peters that i know but its still good.
Josh-The super activity sounds really fun. Yeah, there isnt any time to think about movies. by the time you get in and finish everything that you need all you want to do is either sleep or study (if there is time...usually not though).
Love,
Elder Egan
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The "Greenie" Dinner
July 13thSo I learned this week that people here don't often pronounce "J". They have more of a "Y" sound instead. Its pretty funny but I'm trying to incorporate it into my speaking, haha. We got a mini missionary on Sat. He'll be staying with us til Friday. He is from Mexico, Missouri, just turned 18, and has an awesome Missouri accent.
We were looking through the ward list to see if we could find some new less actives that we could go and see. We went to see one the other day, but we found out that they had moved. So Elder Reese, being the great missionary that he is, started teaching these people. We got a return appointment and were able to teach her and her husband yesterday. At first it didn't look like they were very interested but as we kept teaching they got more and more interested. We didn't think they'd be open because they hesitated letting us in, she was doing her daughters hair and he was on the computer, and they didn't have any furniture so we were just standing there. It went really good though, and we have another appointment with them next week.
Denise is doing really good. we had another lesson with her this week and she has been coming to church every week. We would probably be getting ready to set a baptismal date but she has to get married first. but that'll come with time.
There is a part member family that we've been working with. The Dad just went to the temple after a falling away, the wife is very anti, and the daughter is investigating. They have an adopted son from Russia and is mentally disabled. The Bishop and Stake President have put it on Elder Reese and me to see if he is accountable. Talk about a lot of pressure. It was great teaching him. We had to teach so simply using wording that he understood like "ghost" instead of "spirit" and things like that. It was challenging but kinda fun. Elder Reese struggled with it a bit, but it went well. Right now we don't think that he is accountable but we'll keep teaching him anyway and praying about it.
Its great how the spirit works. You spend so much time preparing lessons that you think people need but then when you get there you teach something totally different and you don't know where the lesson comes from.
The mission just started using a new teaching tool. I guess the Tacoma mission has had it for a while and started it. Its really neat. We use pictures and lights to teach dispensations and apostacy by going through different rooms in the church. Its really powerful and we will be doing it on Saturday for some of our investigators. You'll have to ask the elders if they're using it too.
The weather here has been really nice. It was supposed to get really hot and humid at the end of last week but it wasn't very bad. The Lord is definitely looking out for us. We have got a couple new investigators and a few more potentials. We have so many appointments some days that we just go from one to the other. Its great.
It was good to here that the reunion went good. Sounds like a lot of fun. I agree little kids are awesome. Last week one of the members kids ran back and sat with us towards the end of sacrament and then yesterday another one drew Elder Reese and I some pics during the day. No wonder the Savior said "suffer the little children to come to me."
No there was no Jello in the green meal. Chicken, Potatoes, Gravy, Mac n cheese, rolls, green butter, but no Jello.
Id send more pics of the apartment but i forgot the camera at home. Maybe next week I'll surprise you (well i guess it wont be a surprise any more...)
Well id better get going. I'm probably forgetting something so you might be getting another email in a few min. but if not ill talk to you next week.
Lots of Love,
Elder Egan
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
July 6th
Aloha,
Its been a very busy week for us out here. There is a Lady, Adria, that the missionaries have been working with for a really long time that we meet with every week. We went over last wed. and she set a baptismal date!! Its not til Sep. 22 though. She figured that you can go to the Temple one year after baptism, and their anniversary is on the 22 so that's when she wanted to be sealed as well. We told her that she could still be sealed on the 22 but baptized much sooner, so we'll see how that goes.
We've also been working with anther investigator, Denise. We contacted her a few weeks ago and began the lessons. Well yesterday was only her second time at church and she got up to bear her testimony. I was really nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect. It was an awesome testimony!! She held up the Book of Mormon and said "This book is changing my life so much" and how she knew it to be true. I talked to her afterwards and she said that she wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true!! It was worth every bit so far on my mission just to hear that and to see her change.
Hopefully we will be setting a few more baptismal dates this transfer and a few baptisms. The Lord has really blessed us, probably more than we deserve. We've been working our hardest and so the Lord makes up for our weaknesses and blesses us with many people to teach.
The weather was really nice last week, but this week its supposed to be hot and humid again. Its alright though, i think i'm getting use to it (if that's possible). The fourth was pretty lame though. It rained most of the day. The ward was going to have a pancake breakfast at a park but with the rain we couldn't. Then we were planning on riding through the different parks to contact everyone that would be out there enjoying the fourth, but no one was there, once again because of the rain. So instead we went tracting. Tracting is never usually successful but on the fourth it was even worse. Everyone was either in St. Louis or not willing to talk with us because they were busy. It was still a good day, just not as good teaching wise. there are a lot of hispanics in our apartments and i usually use my broken spanish on them. they usually don't say much back (gratefully) and we go inside. On the fourth though, we had a member pick us up to take us home. He served in Mexico and so knew spanish. He started talking with some of the people outside and taught them a 30 min. lesson. it was really neat because although we had no idea what was being said, we could still feel the spirit testify to us of the truth of what he was saying. We had to stop tracting/contacting at 6 for safety reasons so the little spanish lesson was good timing. The fourth is a pretty big deal here though. the cities around here have three nights of fireworks displays and on top of that, everyone buys their own and do them throughout the day. Luckily no one tried to shoot us with any (and if they did i guess they missed).
There is this less active lady in our ward that we've been working with. She found out that i was new last transfer and so she had us over for dinner. It was a "green" meal. Literally everything was green. It didn't look to appealing but it tasted fine. Ill send some pics of it but it was interesting.
Tell sister Plessinger that only the best missionaries are sent here to Zion (well not quite Zion but we're close), so be ready.
Dad-We only get an hour for personal study so its hard to study everything that you'd like within that hour and still prepare what your going to teach your investigators. Maybe if you stop working so hard your back would be able to heal better. Just be careful and don't work too hard. I think the last name of the man i met was Evans. Can't remember though.
Josh-that's more than i get to live off of for a month!! How long did you blow up fireworks? With that kind of money it better have been quite the show. Good luck with band, sounds like it will be fun.
Its been a very busy week for us out here. There is a Lady, Adria, that the missionaries have been working with for a really long time that we meet with every week. We went over last wed. and she set a baptismal date!! Its not til Sep. 22 though. She figured that you can go to the Temple one year after baptism, and their anniversary is on the 22 so that's when she wanted to be sealed as well. We told her that she could still be sealed on the 22 but baptized much sooner, so we'll see how that goes.
We've also been working with anther investigator, Denise. We contacted her a few weeks ago and began the lessons. Well yesterday was only her second time at church and she got up to bear her testimony. I was really nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect. It was an awesome testimony!! She held up the Book of Mormon and said "This book is changing my life so much" and how she knew it to be true. I talked to her afterwards and she said that she wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true!! It was worth every bit so far on my mission just to hear that and to see her change.
Hopefully we will be setting a few more baptismal dates this transfer and a few baptisms. The Lord has really blessed us, probably more than we deserve. We've been working our hardest and so the Lord makes up for our weaknesses and blesses us with many people to teach.
The weather was really nice last week, but this week its supposed to be hot and humid again. Its alright though, i think i'm getting use to it (if that's possible). The fourth was pretty lame though. It rained most of the day. The ward was going to have a pancake breakfast at a park but with the rain we couldn't. Then we were planning on riding through the different parks to contact everyone that would be out there enjoying the fourth, but no one was there, once again because of the rain. So instead we went tracting. Tracting is never usually successful but on the fourth it was even worse. Everyone was either in St. Louis or not willing to talk with us because they were busy. It was still a good day, just not as good teaching wise. there are a lot of hispanics in our apartments and i usually use my broken spanish on them. they usually don't say much back (gratefully) and we go inside. On the fourth though, we had a member pick us up to take us home. He served in Mexico and so knew spanish. He started talking with some of the people outside and taught them a 30 min. lesson. it was really neat because although we had no idea what was being said, we could still feel the spirit testify to us of the truth of what he was saying. We had to stop tracting/contacting at 6 for safety reasons so the little spanish lesson was good timing. The fourth is a pretty big deal here though. the cities around here have three nights of fireworks displays and on top of that, everyone buys their own and do them throughout the day. Luckily no one tried to shoot us with any (and if they did i guess they missed).
There is this less active lady in our ward that we've been working with. She found out that i was new last transfer and so she had us over for dinner. It was a "green" meal. Literally everything was green. It didn't look to appealing but it tasted fine. Ill send some pics of it but it was interesting.
Tell sister Plessinger that only the best missionaries are sent here to Zion (well not quite Zion but we're close), so be ready.
Dad-We only get an hour for personal study so its hard to study everything that you'd like within that hour and still prepare what your going to teach your investigators. Maybe if you stop working so hard your back would be able to heal better. Just be careful and don't work too hard. I think the last name of the man i met was Evans. Can't remember though.
Josh-that's more than i get to live off of for a month!! How long did you blow up fireworks? With that kind of money it better have been quite the show. Good luck with band, sounds like it will be fun.
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