Banana!!

Well this week started good Monday and Tuesday we were right on track to complete our goals for the week. We even got 5 Baptismal Dates! Then after Zone Conference everything started falling apart kinda. Our golden investigator Chester and his daughter Ariauna (with a baptismal date for June 19th) we could not get in touch with until Saturday. When we finally found him he said he would be at church tomorrow but he didn't come because he was tired we haven't even seen Ariauna since last Sunday. So we really haven't had to much to time with him to help them progress. Our other Baptismal Date June 26th for the Family April, Will and their daughter Amanda who is 8 with a younger sibling named Trey who is 4. We've been in contact with but we couldn't get them to church because they were getting custody or visitation of their other children on Sunday so they didn't want to come to church and also April is having shots put in her foot for something which is not good it could eventually lead to some sort of surgery if the shots don't work out...Ummm. Our Investigator Johnie Mae Johnson is still really difficult to teach, so we're trying to find a really good ward member to help us teach. We're trying to teach very visually but its rather difficult, Friday we were having trouble getting her to recognize that the boat Noah built was way before the boat Nephi built and that they weren't the same boat. It's difficult to work with her but she is a wonderful lady and I think with our visits her reading skills have improved. Although we couldn't get a hold of her Saturday so she didn't come to church Sunday.

My first Zone Conference was pretty good. The spirit was always a must need at that meeting in order to help us think of ways to help our investigators be baptized. They've been focusing a lot on extending the baptismal commitment on the first or second lesson but preferably the first and it has worked the number of Baptismal dates have gone up by fifty percent in the mission. So as a mission we're doing an alright job I think.

I'm at a loss for what to say. Thank you all. Love you.

(*)<~Elder Sumsion

Duck-Duck-Goose

This week has been difficult but I've seen the blessings of obedience. A couple of the days this week were very difficult. It felt like everything we did wasn't going anywhere. We would go to our appointments and they either wouldn't be there, or were to stuck in their ways to want to change. So we weren't very able to teach plus some of the weather was just so cold and depressing that it was hard to keep my happiness level up at abnormally happy. Although some of the appoinments and spiritual promptings we've had this week were truly amazing. We have these investigators April, Will, and their two children Amanda and Trey. Amanda and Trey come and go in lessons as they please. Will is a little shy and April is pretty consistent go with the flow kinda person. Well we came over and Will finally joined in the lesson, which was great because we were teacing about the power of prayer and how it will bless your life when you talk with Heavenly Father as a family and personally. Well we ended that appoinment with a very spiritual kneeling prayer. Then the next time we came by Will had already noticed the blessings of prayer because his family that had not been in contact with him for over 4 years finally found him and he has had the oppurtunity to re-connect with them. Also after we stopped by their house and were just about to leave I saw some people sitting on their porch and felt we should talk to them because we hadn't really talked to anyone new that day. Well their names are Chester and his Daughter Ariauna. I honestly think that currently they are our strongest investigators. Saturday we dropped by and had a great lesson, so much so that he wanted to come to church. Well at church he expressed intrest in being baptized and was also quite far in The Book of Mormon. So tonight we're gonna commit them to baptism. Oh!?And the mumbler lady came to church and me and Elder Cardenaz found out that her name is Jonnie Mae Johnson not Jennie which kinda threw us both off. She was rather outspoken?and overwhelmed at?church I think but I think she'll be alright. I don't know if?I already wrote this but she let us in her house because she's a Jehovah Witness and she thought we were. But she's interested I?think. Just funny how the lord works in mysterious ways.?Ummm....on a less spiritual note but rather funny in a "Reap what you sow" kinda way. I was looking at my armpits the other night and decided they were to hairy so I partially shaved them. But now they've been like super chaffy and itchy. But yeah. Hope that made ya giggle. Anyway love ya all.

Just over a month

Well hiya. Um... I talked to most of you yesterday but oh well you'll probably read something of a repeat. This week we have had only partial success but I think it was ok. The weather was a little odd. Well the Jones family fell through. The parents of the grandchildren wanted to investigate the church before they let their children move forward with anything. Which is understandable so Thursday we stopped by and gave the Grandmother Betty Jones some Book of Mormons. Also we said to have them give us a call if they needed anything at all. Especially have the parents give us a call. Uh...friday i think the weather went whacko when we got home for the night. The thunder and lightning was intense and very loud. I was talking to our neighbor out on the porch who was smoking. He mentioned that he wanted to quit so I invited him to throw the ciggarette off the balcony and into the rain. Then we continued talking about the church and while he was talking we both saw lightning hit a tree like 50 or so feet away. The guy stopped mid-sentence and ran back into his apartment. Also when the lighting struck Elder Cardenaz had turned out the light and I said "Oh my gosh I think the power just went out." Also during this week sometime we were talking to our new investigator (who let us in cause she thought we were Jehovahs Witness'). Her name is Jennie-Mae Johnson. Very nice lady. The absolute worst mumbler i've ever met. Its really hard to tell if she's understanding us because of it. Well I'm at a loss for anything to write. So Joseph Smith is a true prophet of our Heavenly Father who loves us. I know that Joseph Smith was foreordained to restore the gospel in this last dispensation. The things that courageous man went through to do so were heartwrenching to think and hear about as I have studied his life. But I know that he has done more for the salvation of men save Jesus only. To think that he influenced millions of lives over one experience with the help of the Book of Mormon and our Heavenly Father is truly amazing. I know that Jesus Christ atoned for my sins and when we use the atonement through repentance we can feel its releiving power. I know that without it I could not return to live in Heavenly Fathers presence because we're a falllen people. But Heavenly Father is doing all he can to get as many souls to accept Jesus Christ as their savior. I am grateful to be an instrument of our Heavenly Father in bringing people back to him. The work may be hard but my burden is light when I rely upon the lord. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

1st Ohio Address

Elder Lance Sumsion

429 N. Hawkins Ave. Apt. #307

Akron, OH 44313

First City; Akron, Ohio

Well hi everyone. I'm finally out in the field. It was a weird plane flight to Ohio. The Detroit airport (on my layover) was kinda super confusing. Because it was huge and people kept starring at me funny. Also it had like this crazy tunnel with changing colors all over the wall and background music. But I made it onto my plane that would "Hop the pond" (lake erie) but it was a smaller airplane and so i wasn't able to fit all my carry-ons in it so this guy named Bob helped me out with that. Then I returned the favor by talking to him about the Church and the B.o.M. I don't think he was too interested but it's better to chat on a plane when your bored and sitting next to someone you've never met. Makes the flight go faster. When I finally arrived in Cleveland. I could not wipe the smile off my face. I got my luggage and finally found the Mission Pres. and the AP Elder Rassmusen shook there hands and left to the mission home. (I got the phrase "hop the pond" from Elder Rasmussen) On the way to the Mission home I found out Elder Rasmussen was leaving thursday. At the Mission home all the senior missionaries who work in the mission office talked to/at me while I was eating a Sandwich. Ummm....After that long day was over I went to Kirtland the next morning. It was really cool (Definantly felt the spirt in the room the Savior appeared). I kinda got an extra special tour with the community of christ guy and our church guy whose name slips my mind. But we read from D&C where the revalation was given. I was kinda picked on a lot because I was the only new guy. But eh... Um then we went to the Newell K. Whitney store and did kind of School of the Prophets thingy. OH!!! So everyone who is reading this I've got a mission scripure for you. Its D&C 39:14. It's pretty cool.

After all that craziness I met my Trainer Elder Cardenaz. He's from Redding, California. He's also the district leader of my uh district. Been out 18 months. The mission work has been alright I think. I don't like tracting much but I'm getting used to it. Teaching lessons is much cooler than tracting. Had a pretty good lesson yesterday with the Jones. Their potential investigators.

My address is Elder Lance Sumsion

429 N. Hawkins Ave. Apt. #307

Akron, OH 44313

So yeah this city is huge in my area there's a university probably bigger than BYU. The University of Akron. The members are great, we've got quite a few. I'm in a biking area. My bike is currently elsewhere in my district but I'm getting it tomorrow. But it's like custom made for mission work and to my height. I take the bus a lot and we get a lot of rides from the Barberton Elders. Elder Talbot from Syracuse (was in the MTC with Troy) and Elder Perkins from Kanab who has only been here 1 transfer. I haven't met my whole district yet I'm playing ultimate Frisbee with them later.

Anyway. I'm enjoying the work. My testimony is growing as I watch the gospel change the Recent Converts (I've met) lives. Bro. Dave Andress was baptized last week and he's totally flipped from what I've heard. Anyway I love you all.

(*)<~Elder Sumsion

Pictures at the MTC

Lance and his district, he is the only one going to Ohio, the rest are leaving for Minnesota.
Lance with Amanda's Friend Thomas Ballard, he has been in the MTC since February. He has already left for his mission in Cambodia.
Lance and His companion Elder Massey

Second E-Mail

So week two was very enjoyable I'm gonna have to say. Oh and before i forget here is my flight information. I have to wake up around 3 am the 27th. To report to the MTC travel office at 4 am with my luggage and everything else. The funny thing is I leave a day before my district and the people in my room have to come with me to the travel office at that time so I won't be alone on the way up and so my comp. won't be alone on the way back. So that's kinda funny. Um...My flight leaves at 7 am to Detroit, Michigan. I don't know how long that flight is but i'm assuming about 3-4 hours. Then I have an hour lay-over. After that i get on a 45 min. flight to CLEVELAND!!!! I'll be there around noon or afternoon depending on the time difference. So the point of that is if you send me a letter probably any later than Friday it may take quite a while to get to me. UM...It's kinda hard to summarize a week here when you do so much in a single day that you and your comp. start thinking the stuff you did this morning you think you did yesterday. Um....A spiritual thing would be Tuesday I had a mock-teaching appointment with this guy named Keith Smith. Well we were talking about the Plan of Salvation. At the first of the appointment I was having trouble getting words out of my mouth that even made sense to me much less the investigator, until I got an impression about the Joy the lord wants you to feel on earth. My impression was that Heavenly Father wants us to always feel the Joy you get when you hold your newborn child. I said I've never done this or else some of you reading this would be grandparents/uncles & aunts/etc. but I've heard the Joy is inexpressible. After that I felt a change in the lesson. Me and my companion just started teaching by the spirit continually. So yeah. The gospel is true. A funny story would be yesterday while I was helping host the new missionaries. I was told to lead around these new Japanese missionaries to their new rooms. I had to go and get their luggage with them from their temporary room and then go drop off their temp. keys at the main desk. What I didn't know was that I already had their new keys so I couldn't had them drop off their luggage in the building to the left. Instead I made them bring their luggage all around the MTC. Also every place they needed to be was on the top floor. Well I'm done for now.
(*)<~Elder Sump.