Talmage Mission

Good Morning! It has been a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend; despite the entire campus being dead, we found 4 new friends to begin teaching! It's been an amazing holiday week, only because we crammed our entire Monday - Wednesday with lessons and contacts. After Monday the apartments were dead, so we couldn't go tracting, but we made it work! Funny enough, it's actually through tracting that we found all our people this week.  One of those people is named Dylan. She is really awesome! She opened her door on us, we strike up a conversation, help her carry some things inside, and then proceed to talk for an hour outside her apartment and answer questions with scriptures from her Bible. And it was a really healthy, spiritually led conversation! Elder Koyle challenged her to pickleball this morning. She was super nice and let him start 8-0 and have first serve. Did I mention she's the #1 female collegiate pickleball player in the nation?  Yeah, she beat Elder Koyle 11-8. Bes...

Good Morning! Last week was exciting! I got to do many things for the first time. This is the first time I visited the temple in the mission and the first mission tour I've had! Elder Pearson, our Area President, toured our mission and gave us lots of advice. I've enjoyed practicing the techniques and tips he gave our entire mission. After our last meeting with him, Elder Koyle and I visited the Cedar City Temple for the day and did proxy ordinances! The temple is such a special place, I felt the Spirit strongly while I was there. My testimony of, and desire to accomplish, temple work grows every time I attend.  This week we finished a 40 day fast; not a fast from food, more a fast from the little habits we've developed that aren't the best. It's allowed me to reflect on my spiritual life and how I can be a little better every day. Some days are better than others, but the extra focus on progress was greatly appreciated.  With Elder Pearson, we as a mission learned ...

Good Morning!  This has been an amazing week, many wonderful things happened. People committed to prepare for baptism, others decided against it. One of our friends was baptized! But I'm not at liberty to share their baptismal photo here. We made some new friends! They're doing well, and ultimately, we faced God and did His work. I'm confident in that.  I've helped serve at the Old Testament Traveling Tabernacle here in St. George three times this past week, and been through it once with a friend we're teaching! It's an amazing experience, and opportunity to serve. Elder Koyle and I gave parts of the tour on Monday night to the Mission Presidency and many of the local Stake Presidents, and their families. I worked at the tabernacle coverings section, it was a wonderful opportunity to learn more, and share about, the ancient tabernacle.  I also had the chance to attend a couple meetings with President and Sister Staples. I've loved serving around them and see...

Good Morning! This has been the busiest week of the mission thus far. Every day was an eternity, but by the end I could barely remember what happened to the time. It feels like I've spent weeks in the service of God, when in reality I only spent 7 days. Diligent, focused work is the most rewarding thing you can do as a missionary.  Sean was baptized on Saturday! He is super prepared for gospel living, and has a true testimony of the change, or repentance required, to follow Jesus Christ. I am so proud of him and all he's done! The biggest thing I could share about Sean is this; The reason he met with missionaries is because he approached some members at the soccer field and stated "I want to be a Mormon." It's an absolutely priceless story. His personality is so unique, I've loved teaching and preparing him for baptism.  One reason this week was so crazy is because we did three exchanges! First I went to Elder Kingrey's area. He's a Spanish missionary,...