This will be my last e-mail. A week from today I'll be having my departure ceremony and then the 10th I'll be flying to TENNESSEE! (yee-ha!) and then to Salt Lake.
It has been difficult this week to have investigators keep appointments. A few of our lessons have been just on doorstep or stop-by. But nonetheless it has been a very fulfilling week.
We had a Word of wisdom lesson with Josh and he seems very excited to quit. We've been following up with him daily as he agreed to let us do and he's been very honest and actually showing some progression in that area. I can definantly tell that since he first started taking the lessons he has become much more humble and repentant and family oriented. It's very heartwarming. He has to quit by the 7th in order to keep his date.
The Rowes are wonderful. We were able to go skating with the ward Wednesday and they came. It was pretty crazy because every little member wanted to skate with "THE MISSIONARIES!" and we were trying to keep an eye on Sierra. Plus i totally ate it and nearly smacked my head on a brick wall. It was way fun.
Anthony came to 4 sessions of conference and Sierra came to 3. She's progressing so well that we moved her date up to the 21st of April. She's a wonderful little girl and very excited to be baptized.
In fact yesterday we went to a member's home the Tuckers with the Rowe's for the last session of General Conference and we were able to teach their German exchange student about the Book of Mormon. It was just a small experience and she'll be going back to Germany in a couple weeks but it was really cool. (So that one is for you pops!)
General Conference was awesome by the way and I invite all of you to prayerfully consider and apply to your life the words of the prophets.
It's changed my life serving day after day. I know the church is true. I know the gospel is true and the only way that me and my current and future family can have lasting happiness. My focus has changed dramatically these past 2 years I wish I could just give you the love and comfort that Heavenly Father has given me. I have a testimony that if you pray sincerely for peace it will come. I'll remember this experience forever. I love you all so very much and I'll see you on the tenth.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Come listen to a Prophets voice.
“Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like Him.”
“The purpose and essential blessing of life is to be changed to become more like the Lord, to realize the full measure of your divine potential. This process of change, this process of evolving, becoming, is the object of the gospel. Change is the design of faith in Christ, repentance and baptism. Redemptive change happens by the power of the Holy Ghost. But it happens only if and when your heart is right. It happens only if you do not fight against God. It happens only if you unconditionally surrender your will to the Lord.” - Lawrence E. Corbridge
It seemed to be a difficult week at the very beginning but it was honestly necessary to have all that difficulty for the end of the week to work out as well as it did.
Josh is doing great and he came to church this week. We have been doing a joint fhe with him and another member family. It's going really well. The only thing I see holding him back would be the word of wisdom right now and that is partly because his wife has difficulty with that as well. We're going to teach about that this thursday.
A new family that we have been working with the Rowe's has been awesome. We are teaching Anthony(40's), Sierra(10) and Ashley(23). Anthony is a member and Sierra and Ashley both have dates now. Yesterday we went to go pick them up before church and Sierra was eagerly waiting to go with her scriptures in hand it was an adorable sight to see. Brought a wonderful grin to my face. Both her and Anthony came and we aren't sure why Ashley didn't.
Great things are happening in Lima. The other day Elder Higgins and I were prompted to tract a specific street and we talked to very few people handed out a Book of Mormon with some high school age twins and even met one of the rudest women I've met in a long time. But we left the street with basically nothing. A couple days later 2 members came up to us and talked to us about the twins we gave the book of Mormon we gave and about another door we knocked on and how someone saw our card and went to the site and really liked it. Hopefully more great things come from that.
A missionary's prayer offered long ago was answered at church the other day. On April 8th a little 8 year old member boy will be baptized. A long time ago I prayed that I would see a baptism before I left this area (even before I got to it) and that prayer has been answered. Our Heavenly Father loves us and answers our righteous petitions no matter how small or how unexpected they may seem.
I love you all very much.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
“The purpose and essential blessing of life is to be changed to become more like the Lord, to realize the full measure of your divine potential. This process of change, this process of evolving, becoming, is the object of the gospel. Change is the design of faith in Christ, repentance and baptism. Redemptive change happens by the power of the Holy Ghost. But it happens only if and when your heart is right. It happens only if you do not fight against God. It happens only if you unconditionally surrender your will to the Lord.” - Lawrence E. Corbridge
It seemed to be a difficult week at the very beginning but it was honestly necessary to have all that difficulty for the end of the week to work out as well as it did.
Josh is doing great and he came to church this week. We have been doing a joint fhe with him and another member family. It's going really well. The only thing I see holding him back would be the word of wisdom right now and that is partly because his wife has difficulty with that as well. We're going to teach about that this thursday.
A new family that we have been working with the Rowe's has been awesome. We are teaching Anthony(40's), Sierra(10) and Ashley(23). Anthony is a member and Sierra and Ashley both have dates now. Yesterday we went to go pick them up before church and Sierra was eagerly waiting to go with her scriptures in hand it was an adorable sight to see. Brought a wonderful grin to my face. Both her and Anthony came and we aren't sure why Ashley didn't.
Great things are happening in Lima. The other day Elder Higgins and I were prompted to tract a specific street and we talked to very few people handed out a Book of Mormon with some high school age twins and even met one of the rudest women I've met in a long time. But we left the street with basically nothing. A couple days later 2 members came up to us and talked to us about the twins we gave the book of Mormon we gave and about another door we knocked on and how someone saw our card and went to the site and really liked it. Hopefully more great things come from that.
A missionary's prayer offered long ago was answered at church the other day. On April 8th a little 8 year old member boy will be baptized. A long time ago I prayed that I would see a baptism before I left this area (even before I got to it) and that prayer has been answered. Our Heavenly Father loves us and answers our righteous petitions no matter how small or how unexpected they may seem.
I love you all very much.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
Monday, March 19, 2012
But with great kindness will I gather thee.
Been a great week full of a lot of great miracles. We were able to get back in contact with the Washington family which was something I've been hoping and praying for quite a while. They are so great and there is so much that there family can do for this ward. Hopefully we can get Denise to come to church next week.
Just a little bit after we got back in contact with them we basically just walked right into a great teaching appointment with the Wright family. We had tracted into Arthur a couple weeks ago and he said to come back later. Well this was later and we taught his mother and his other two siblings. It was way cool. We are going to do the best we can to keep helping them. His mother Shana said that she has a very crazy disease that keeps her pretty much from eating food.
Then 2 days later we were stopping by a referral from the Sylvania Elders. Well we get out of the car and this man sitting on a porch called us over. Turns out that he is a member of the church and we ended up teaching him and two of his relatives living there. Then we went across the street and taught the referral named Kristina. She has been taught before and wants for her and her 3 boys to be taught. Just a very great experience for both Elder Higgins and I.
Thank you for the love and support you all give me. Missionary work is such a blessing and I know lives are blessed from service for God.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
Just a little bit after we got back in contact with them we basically just walked right into a great teaching appointment with the Wright family. We had tracted into Arthur a couple weeks ago and he said to come back later. Well this was later and we taught his mother and his other two siblings. It was way cool. We are going to do the best we can to keep helping them. His mother Shana said that she has a very crazy disease that keeps her pretty much from eating food.
Then 2 days later we were stopping by a referral from the Sylvania Elders. Well we get out of the car and this man sitting on a porch called us over. Turns out that he is a member of the church and we ended up teaching him and two of his relatives living there. Then we went across the street and taught the referral named Kristina. She has been taught before and wants for her and her 3 boys to be taught. Just a very great experience for both Elder Higgins and I.
Thank you for the love and support you all give me. Missionary work is such a blessing and I know lives are blessed from service for God.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
Monday, March 12, 2012
"Forget the mistake, remember the lesson." ~EQPres. Rulon Smith
It has been a good week. We are working with our investigators still but they have been difficult to meet with due to sickness or just very busy.
Austin has been very sick this week and we were unable to go a meet with him and it kept him from church as well. We are still very hopeful that his situation will change but until then we will continue to visit and strengthen him. We are trying to see if we can get some of the members out there to try and befriend him and his grandparents.
Meeting with Shanin this week was not the type of lesson I would prefer it to be and she missed church this week as well. She's been very busy with school and she's about to start drivers ed so we probably won't be able to meet with her for a couple weeks.
We had some improvement with the Washington's. We had a feeling to stop by the hospital and see if she went back there, because it has been so difficult to get in touch with the family. We were right and it turns out that she went back and had just barely been released the previous day for the second time. Hopefully this will help us get back in that home.
Josh Johnson came to church yesterday and it was just great. The ward really reached out and he's really trying to be better. Very excited to see what happens with him in the future. His date is currently for April 28th because of work. He's a great guy and were also able to work with him this week and his member in-laws. They needed some bricks moved so we went and helped with that.
The best tender mercy to hear about came from my old comp Elder Stevens. He called us and told us that Leonard Banks had been baptized. I taught him pretty much the whole time I was in E.Cleveland. Just a really great thing to hear about.
Love you all.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
Austin has been very sick this week and we were unable to go a meet with him and it kept him from church as well. We are still very hopeful that his situation will change but until then we will continue to visit and strengthen him. We are trying to see if we can get some of the members out there to try and befriend him and his grandparents.
Meeting with Shanin this week was not the type of lesson I would prefer it to be and she missed church this week as well. She's been very busy with school and she's about to start drivers ed so we probably won't be able to meet with her for a couple weeks.
We had some improvement with the Washington's. We had a feeling to stop by the hospital and see if she went back there, because it has been so difficult to get in touch with the family. We were right and it turns out that she went back and had just barely been released the previous day for the second time. Hopefully this will help us get back in that home.
Josh Johnson came to church yesterday and it was just great. The ward really reached out and he's really trying to be better. Very excited to see what happens with him in the future. His date is currently for April 28th because of work. He's a great guy and were also able to work with him this week and his member in-laws. They needed some bricks moved so we went and helped with that.
The best tender mercy to hear about came from my old comp Elder Stevens. He called us and told us that Leonard Banks had been baptized. I taught him pretty much the whole time I was in E.Cleveland. Just a really great thing to hear about.
Love you all.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
Monday, March 5, 2012
"It won't matter when we have to say Good-Bye to our loved ones, if we make and keep Temple Covenants." ~Pres. Smith (Toledo Ohio Stake)
It was a little bit of a harder week to teach people but honestly it wasn't to bad because we did do quite a bit of work. The first few day we were either getting cancelled on left and right or we were doing stuff for transfers.
However the investigators we are working with haven't had much progression this week.
Josh is a busy father who has had his heart softened over the years and if he would come to church it would defiantly help him with quitting smoking, from what we can tell he follows all of the other commandments.
Shanin and Jared will be looking we've asked the young women's president to have her young women write testimony letters of finding truth and that should help her feel more comfortable and help her be more involved in the ward.
Austin however has hit a stopping point. He is in all ways ready to be baptized tomorrow. But he talked to his grandparents and they won't let him make any major decisions until he is 18. He turns 16 pretty soon so it's kind of a bummer. We continually pray for softened hearts and i ask that everyone at home do so as well. We are trying to see if we can offer service or fellowship the grandparents to help that happen earlier. Also though it seems that Austin knows a lot of people and kids in Ada that we might be able to help which is awesome sauce.
Let's see Elder Woomer was transferred to Medina (which was awesome because I totally called it) on Wednesday. That whole day I spent my time with Elder Judd in Findlay. It was awesome, I was able to see Nick Rackley and the Morrows, plus Aaron and Mandy Vermllion I was very happy to see them all and others. At the end of the day my new companion (and murderer) that was sent to me is Elder Higgins. He's from St. George and he's very skinny and played soccer. I like him a lot.
Yesterday was stake conference and Pres. and Sis. Sorenson spoke as well as the stake Presidency. President will be leaving in July so they announced that too.
Love you all to bits.
(*)<~ Elder Lance Sumsion
However the investigators we are working with haven't had much progression this week.
Josh is a busy father who has had his heart softened over the years and if he would come to church it would defiantly help him with quitting smoking, from what we can tell he follows all of the other commandments.
Shanin and Jared will be looking we've asked the young women's president to have her young women write testimony letters of finding truth and that should help her feel more comfortable and help her be more involved in the ward.
Austin however has hit a stopping point. He is in all ways ready to be baptized tomorrow. But he talked to his grandparents and they won't let him make any major decisions until he is 18. He turns 16 pretty soon so it's kind of a bummer. We continually pray for softened hearts and i ask that everyone at home do so as well. We are trying to see if we can offer service or fellowship the grandparents to help that happen earlier. Also though it seems that Austin knows a lot of people and kids in Ada that we might be able to help which is awesome sauce.
Let's see Elder Woomer was transferred to Medina (which was awesome because I totally called it) on Wednesday. That whole day I spent my time with Elder Judd in Findlay. It was awesome, I was able to see Nick Rackley and the Morrows, plus Aaron and Mandy Vermllion I was very happy to see them all and others. At the end of the day my new companion (and murderer) that was sent to me is Elder Higgins. He's from St. George and he's very skinny and played soccer. I like him a lot.
Yesterday was stake conference and Pres. and Sis. Sorenson spoke as well as the stake Presidency. President will be leaving in July so they announced that too.
Love you all to bits.
(*)<~ Elder Lance Sumsion
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
"And that's the point."
This week has been rather incredible. Elder Woomer and I have been doing a pretty good job at re-committing ourselves to be better.
We were able to get back in contact with an investigator named Felecia that we haven't heard from in about a month. She seems still interested but seems to be just like any other teenager her age. Very interested in being with her friends and dealing with the stresses of school. In fact three of our investigators are all in school and dealing with those same stresses.
Austin's difficulty right now is getting permission for him to be baptized from his grandparents. However he did bring a friend of his with him to church! Her name is Liz, we taught her and she might start investigating depending on her parents.
Shanin could use some prayers. Things could be better but she's still pressing forward.
The change in the Bishopric is very good. Bishop Talbot is great, his example has been just shinning ever since I got to this ward. I think great things will begin to happen in the Lima ward.
Lastly our investigator from a part member family Josh Johnson is going well. He's a good guy and I think he'll keep progressing. Both him and his wife are really trying to start becoming active in the church.
Well it is transfer time again. Tomorrow I find out who my murderer is in the dreaded 17th transfer. Elder Woomer my wonderful companion will be leaving me to go a bless someone else with his cheerful attitude. I love you all very much and I don't want to be reminded of the end please. There is just far to much to do.
We were able to get back in contact with an investigator named Felecia that we haven't heard from in about a month. She seems still interested but seems to be just like any other teenager her age. Very interested in being with her friends and dealing with the stresses of school. In fact three of our investigators are all in school and dealing with those same stresses.
Austin's difficulty right now is getting permission for him to be baptized from his grandparents. However he did bring a friend of his with him to church! Her name is Liz, we taught her and she might start investigating depending on her parents.
Shanin could use some prayers. Things could be better but she's still pressing forward.
The change in the Bishopric is very good. Bishop Talbot is great, his example has been just shinning ever since I got to this ward. I think great things will begin to happen in the Lima ward.
Lastly our investigator from a part member family Josh Johnson is going well. He's a good guy and I think he'll keep progressing. Both him and his wife are really trying to start becoming active in the church.
Well it is transfer time again. Tomorrow I find out who my murderer is in the dreaded 17th transfer. Elder Woomer my wonderful companion will be leaving me to go a bless someone else with his cheerful attitude. I love you all very much and I don't want to be reminded of the end please. There is just far to much to do.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
"I know that what is strange at first becomes normal and home." ~Sis. Nash
Comparing this week to my other weeks in Lima it was the most difficult week we've had. We were doing our best to set stuff up but things just got in the way and we couldn't seem to keep those appointments and many cancelled usually just before we were about to head over there. However we did experience many blessings.
Zone Conference was just great, it was my last one and they had me bear my Testimony with another 2 missionaries at the end. I am so grateful to be in this mission and to be apart of spiritually uplifting and inspiring situations like that. I really just love this mission and all of the people I've met here. They have really just changed my focus on a lot of things.
Austin Hadley is still going well. We committed him to talk to talk to his grandparents about baptism and when we followed up he hadn't done so yet. He is however still reading and praying and starting to really get some relationships with the members in the ward and area where he lives.
Shanin Holland is great. There was success in getting her a date for Mar. 10th. She's a good person and has a lot of potential and I feel very privileged to be teaching her with my wonderful comp-y Elder Woomer.
The Washington's are doing ok. Denise is still in the hospital and really makes us worried sometimes. We came by and she was with Glen. We ended up teaching some of the Plan and Glen loved it. He just really ate it up and you saw a person who wanted to change but didn't know how at the end. Just a really great lesson and opportunity. However until Denise is out of the hospital I don't think much will happen there progression wise.
We picked up a former investigator Josh Johnson last night and taught him and his member wife Jessica. They are pretty cool, I'm excited to see what happens with them as time goes by. We set a date with him for the 24th of March.
I really just love my mission its absolutely wonderful in so many growing ways.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
Zone Conference was just great, it was my last one and they had me bear my Testimony with another 2 missionaries at the end. I am so grateful to be in this mission and to be apart of spiritually uplifting and inspiring situations like that. I really just love this mission and all of the people I've met here. They have really just changed my focus on a lot of things.
Austin Hadley is still going well. We committed him to talk to talk to his grandparents about baptism and when we followed up he hadn't done so yet. He is however still reading and praying and starting to really get some relationships with the members in the ward and area where he lives.
Shanin Holland is great. There was success in getting her a date for Mar. 10th. She's a good person and has a lot of potential and I feel very privileged to be teaching her with my wonderful comp-y Elder Woomer.
The Washington's are doing ok. Denise is still in the hospital and really makes us worried sometimes. We came by and she was with Glen. We ended up teaching some of the Plan and Glen loved it. He just really ate it up and you saw a person who wanted to change but didn't know how at the end. Just a really great lesson and opportunity. However until Denise is out of the hospital I don't think much will happen there progression wise.
We picked up a former investigator Josh Johnson last night and taught him and his member wife Jessica. They are pretty cool, I'm excited to see what happens with them as time goes by. We set a date with him for the 24th of March.
I really just love my mission its absolutely wonderful in so many growing ways.
(*)<~Elder Lance Sumsion
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