7/14/14

On Wednesday we were on exchanges so I was having my companion make phones calls to set up appointments for the day and week. One of the Less Active members he called said that she was going to the Faith Luthern Church with her husband. I tried telling my companion to fine out what time and where its at and we would go. He just blew that off. Later in the day, when we were out contacting potentials, we were walking by this one house. I looked over and saw a man sweeping his drive way. Acting upon the prompting to go help him I asked if he had another broom for us. A little later in our conversations mentions how he had some questions about the mormon religion. I ask him what he knew about Mormons. We never introduced ourselves but he must have known who we were. He eventually told us he was the Pastor at the Faith Luthern Church. (Yes the same one our Less Active member was attending.) Next thing we know we are in his back yard answering a few of his questions. Then we set up an appointment to meet him the next week to teach him the Restoration. Accident we met him that very day? I think not!

 

On Sunday after church I suggested we go and see Andy, an African American, that has came to church twice now. After finding his house we knocked on the door another man answered. He yelled to Andy, "your boys are here.....your boys are here." He invited us in and watched restoration video with the entire family. It was really great. After the video we invited them to hear our message. The were excepting, so we will be teaching Andy, Edward, Patience and Juliana. It is really great to see that even though our appointments fall through we are still able to see success in the area!

7/7/14

On Monday we gave Bro. Bertelsen a call to give us a ride to get groceries. We are in a walking area so it makes it kinda hard to shop. Next thing we know we are on a trolley at Falls Park, going on a tour of historic downtown Sioux Falls. He then took us to lunch at a diner, which was really good. I was stuffed after! Then we got back on the trolley, finished the tour, went to the falls and walked around to take some pictures. Finally, after all of that he took us to get our groceries. He had heard us mention we were going bowling for the rest of Pday and he gave us money to pay for some of our games. He really taught me a lot about being giving and helping others around you.

 

For the 4th of July our mission president allowed us to stay out and watch fireworks. We still had to wake up on time the next morning. It was really fun we went to the Thorins and watched them light fireworks, then they had a video Helicopter that they were flying to video the fireworks. It was really awesome and a very fun day spending the time with members, and nonmembers. The whole day I was thinking of the freedom that this country gives us to be able to "worship" how, where and what we may.

 

On Saturday we were invited to go to a funeral of a little African girl. She was a little under 3 years old that passed away for no reason. At the funeral it was really sad seeing how almost everyone, that did not have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, thought this was the end. The one thing that was really amazing was they were all dressed completely in white. It was the neatest thing to see. After the funeral invited a few people to come to church the following day with the thought that we could eventually teach them of the comfort and peace that Plan of Salvation can give.

 

Speaking of which, we were able to teach Derrick the Plan of Salvation. We had Bro. Oakes with us, which was really great, and he pointed out a scripture regarding the Spirit World in the Bible. This was one of the things that Derrick was questioning the most about our religion. He also said that he went to his pastor and couldn't fine any scriptures in the Bible supporting the Trinity. He wanted to know what our belief was regarding it so we reviewed the first vision with him.

 

Finally we are able to teach the Darsaw family. We watched the Restoration video with them. They still have confusion due to some of their African culture and beliefs so it is going to be a little bit more of a process. We would like their entire family to be baptized together so this could be hard but we wont give up. I don't want to deal with that guilt when I stand before the Savior at the last day and have to explain why I gave up on helping his children receive his gospel.

 

Elder Ashcroft 

Brian Sanders got baptized!!

.:PICTURES:.

 Car dealership building we were picking up out of the creek.

Tornado Cleanup

 

Manuel Cabrera

 

 Snappin Turtle!

 

Wessington Springs Service; Sister Johnson & Sister Sumsion

PICTURES COMING SOON!!!

Elder Ashcroft has sent pictures. They will be posted soon!

6/30/14

Last week we spent whole week out working as hard as we could "finding" We used up almost every hour of the day and had no visible success whatsoever. This week was alot better. On Monday all the missionaries in the Brookings and Sioux Falls Zones got together and helped clean up a tornado. It went through Wessington Springs this time. It was a really great opportunity to help the community and we were even able to share a little about our beliefs with a guy that was with the army there.

 

On Tuesday, we did service at the Sertoma Butterfly House and Marine Cove. It is pretty awesome there. It is a tide pool where they teach people about the sea life that exists in that type of habitat. Part of what they teach them is how to touch the animals. My favorite is in the marine cove. We helped teach people about the sharks and stingrays. There was another place called "the flight room." We helped in there also to answer questions that people have about butterflies....and we make sure there weren't any excapees!

 

On Thursday, we had our first lesson here in Sioux Falls. It was with a recent convert and her husband. We read about Lehi's Dream and then had a discussion about it as to understand it better. When we finished there we made our way over to the Petty family. They had invited us over for Root Beer Floats! It was really awesome to just have desert and get to talk about missionary work.

 

On Friday, morning I recieved a phone call that my bike had been stolen in my last area. We decided to go to the thrift store to see bike prices. On the way we passed by a car lot. I saw that there was a key left in one of the truck doors. I went in and told a worker guy that it was left in the door, pretty simple, then we left. We were headed on our way again but as we were walking I saw a few more cars with keys in them. I decided to double check that this wasn't on purpose and went and told the guy about it. While in the talking to him this last time he asked us if we had a Book of Mormon on us. He had a friend wanting to find a church and thought he would get one for them. After talking to him for a little while he then asked for a Book of Mormon for himself, because he wasn't a member himself, and would like to learn more. He also mentioned he might have some referrals for us too. This nonmember is doing better missionary work then most of the members.

 

After, talking with Aaron, the guy at the car lot, we continued on to the thrift store. We were given bus tickets so we decided to take that home. While on the ride there was a lady behind me that had a little daughter. When exciting the bus I simple said, "here this is for you" and handed her a Plan of Salvation Pamphlet with our card in it. That one small trip to the thrift store was surely inspired.

 

On Saturday, we went out to Humbolt for a ward clean up for a differnt tornado. I was with a different group and while we were there a man pulled up with backhoe for us to load but then left. I asked if we were supposed to be using it to make the work faster and easier. Another guy asked if I knew how to drive it. I was like Yeah! (yeah what I didn't say was that I pushed the controls for all of about 10 minutes while sitting on my cousins lap) He told me to hop up in there and for the next little bit I operated the backhoe. It was pretty fun I picked up the piles they would make and hauled them off to the burn pile. IT WAS AWESOME!!

 

That night we were able to meet with Derrick Weaver.He is a decendent of Jospeh Smith and has alot of questions about the church. We were bale to teach him the Restoration and he came to church on Sunday along with Abraham, Mark and Sam.

 

On Sunday, we were able to finally get in with Abraham and his family to teach them about the Plan of Salvation and how through the Priesthood there family could be together forever! There is Thomas, Emma, Abraham is 19, Issac is 15, Samuel is 14, and Mark is 10. I will be really awesome if there whole family can all be baptized together. I am very excited for them. I already am feeling a love for them even with only teaching one lesson!