Something Else

Dear Family & Friends:

3/20 Monday
Today we went to some caves because we had heard that they were pretty cool. As we were walking into the cave there was a little bed and camp set up for a homeless person. When we got closer the bed started moving and it scared Elder Jensen and he turned around and started running. Elder Ebert and I aren't scared to talk to anyone, so we just started talking with him. His name was Robert and he was a super nice guy.  I wished that we had a Book of Mormon on us because I think he would have definitely read it. It would be quite lonely living in a cave all alone. We searched the caves and they were man made so they weren't super cool. We also played basketball with the AP’s. It was a good time.

3/22 Wednesday
Today was Zone Conference! It was great! We got a sneak peek to the Easter video and it is super awesome! I can't wait to show it to everyone in Las Vegas! Haha. Tonight was something else. At like 8:15 pm, I got a serious craving for some candy.  I contemplated it for a second and then we decided to walk to a little store down the road! When we walked in, we started to talk to the cash register person and talked to him for like ten minutes. He was a nice guy. We then proceeded to look around and I decided on a bag of peach rings! As we waited in line, a lady came up to us and asked for a blessing. There was a church building right down the road, so we went there and a member was there and he helped us out with the blessing. After the lady left we realized she was a less active but her records weren't in the ward! Thanks to our ward mission leader, we found her records!

3/24 Friday
Today we had a lesson with the Bohl's.  It went great again! I know they will be amazing members of the church! I am so excited for their family!

3/26 Sunday
Jamal came to church and another person just walked in and stayed all three hours! We taught him afterwards but he lives in the ZL's area so we passed him off! He is going to come play b-ball with us on Monday! Zion’s Youth was tonight and it was super great! Way fun!

3/27 Monday
We went golfing today and it was sooo much fun! We golfed in Rhodes Ranch and had a blast! I also found out today that Hugh (a guy I found in my first area) was baptized last Saturday! It made my day!

Love you all have a great week!

- Elder Call 🎰💵🎰💵 NLVWM

A Stellar Week

Dear Family & Friends:

Wanted to write a little introduction to the stellar week. As missionaries we are promised blessings and God has poured those out on us this week! Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed serving it!

3/13 Monday
Last day of the transfer! Elder’s McClure and Alison got haircuts today so they could be looking fresh when they leave the area. We stopped by a bunch of people so Elder McClure could say adios. It was a good day!

3/14 Tuesday
The craziness of transfers happened and we finally shipped everyone off and got settled in about 1:00. We were able to go play some basketball and that was pretty fun. There is this older guy that comes sometimes and nobody likes him because he is crazy competitive and ornery haha. Once he showed up not many of the young men wanted to play anymore haha. My new companion is Elder Pedersen. He is from Gilbert/Mesa, Arizona and he came out with me! He is way cool and so it is going to be a great transfer. Tonight we had a lesson with Harbor. She is nine and wants to get baptized really bad. We had asked her on Friday to read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon Stories book and when we asked her if she read it, she had read the whole book in like three days!! We were amazed and she told us all about it so that was way cool! We also were asked to teach mutual to the young women on missionary work and so we did that and it was a great time! Elder Pedersen kept getting a little distracted, but all was well, haha, I am kidding!

Enjoying the freaking hot sun on the daily!

3/15 Wednesday
Spiritually powerful day! We got to teach Maggie Bohl and her husband tonight.  (She is the one that stopped us last week). Her husband is actually a less active member, but she really wants to learn and gain a testimony! Immediately as we started talking to them the Spirit touched both Elder Pedersen and I to teach the Plan of Salvation instead of the Restoration! At the end of the lesson, we asked them about what this plan meant to them and why is it important! Brother Bohl immediately said that when they were asked what they believed they would have an answer and they would be able to testify to their children about God's Plan of Salvation! The spirit touched each one of us during that lesson! Satan definitely tried to get the spirit to leave though! I was teaching about life here on earth and our purpose when their puppy clenched on my finger with his sharp teeth and it was quite difficult to finish the sentence I had started! It was super funny but they felt super bad and they put the dog outside and we resumed the lesson!

3/16 Thursday
Tonight was another crazy miracle! We were walking down this street and Elder Pedersen goes "hey that guy is calling elder, elder." I turned around to see a man waving his arms and coming towards us barefoot! We started talking to him and found out that he had seen us from his upstairs bedroom window and wanted to talk to us. He had just moved from California and had been taught a lot by missionaries over there and wants to start being taught again! He is in his twenties and is a great guy!

3/17 Friday
Today was another solid day! Tonight we saw Sister Scott and were able to talk with her! I am hoping that she will continue to come to church because I think if she does her granddaughters will want to come and be baptized! We also saw the Bradley’s and that was great. I didn't wear any green today and I didn't get pinched, so it was a bonus to the day!

3/18 Saturday
Tonight we got to teach one of the Stucki's boys. He is fifteen and is really smart. We answered a lot of his questions and we are hoping that he will feel the spirit and he will recognize it!

3/19 Sunday
We had seven people at church today and both services were really good! Tonight we went and visited a referral we hadn't been able to contact yet and he was finally home! His name is Jamal and he is a great guy in a tough situation. He has met with missionaries before and he wants to meet with us again and go to church he asked us several times to text him and set up a lesson and church! It was a great way to end the week! I am excited about this transfer and the work that will get done!

- Elder Call 🎰💵🎰💵 NLVWM

A New Assignment

This letter came in the emails today:

16 March 2017

 Dear Elder Call ,

Congratulations on your assignment to serve as a district leader in the Blue Diamond District of the South Diamond Zone.  Elder Shey Ryan Pedersen will be your companion.

As a district leader you are expected to set an example for the missionaries in your district through your study of the scriptures and the gospel, obedience, hard work, proselyting skills and other aspects of missionary work.  Your role will be to supervise, teach, and inspire the missionaries in your district.  You will be responsible to plan and conduct weekly district meetings and supervise companion exchanges with the missionaries in your district.

You will interview baptismal candidates within your district, including candidates who have been taught by zone leaders in the district.  It will be your duty to look after the well-being of the missionaries in your district and to carry a full proselyting load in your assigned area, working with faith and diligence to accomplish your missionary purpose.

I express my love and confidence in you and trust that you will serve with a willing heart and mind.  I pray that our Heavenly Father will bless you and sustain you as you carry out these important responsibilities.

Sincerely,

Martin N. Walker
President, Nevada Las Vegas West Mission

This is a picture Ben sent to Hannah on March 14, 2017

B-day and Transfers

Dear Family & Friends:

Thanks so much for the birthday package and wishes! I love getting mail from people it makes my day!

It cracked me up to hear you say it is warming up! I am sweating every day in the 80 degree weather! It is going to be a long summer!

3/7 Tuesday
Today was great! We stopped by a fairly new members home to see how she was doing. She is married to a nonmember and has three grandchildren who are members so we are trying to build a relationship with her husband so we may open his heart a little bit. As we talked to her we asked her what blessings she has seen in her life since she became baptized. She said that her whole life she felt like something was missing and she tried a lot of different things to cover what she was missing up, nothing worked. Once she accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ in her life that was filled. She no longer felt that something was missing! It is so true that the gospel of Jesus Christ is what people are missing in their lives.

3/8 Wednesday
Exchanges again! Elder Beccari was back with Elder McClure and I for the day! I was quite worried about the day because Elder McClure and Elder Beccari do not get along at all haha. We turned out to have a great day! As we were walking down the side walk, we were stopped by a lady driving down the road who pulled over to talk to us. She asked if we were missionaries and then told us how she had some family that is LDS and her and her husband have been thinking more and more about going to church and getting involved! She said that she was wondering if we could come by and teach them because it would be their first time going to church! She was super nice and had a couple of little kids so hopefully we will be able to visit them this week!

He is happy!

Elder Alisom, Elder McClure and Elder Call

3/9 Thursday
Wow. Today was quite the day! It started by me baking a cake during exercise... whoops. and then we worked for a while and our ZL's wanted to take me to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch! We went sat down and waited for them to show up. They brought all sorts of stuff including the following: Hello Kitty art kit, a princess pen, a couple of princess balloons and so forth... I think every person in the restaurant chuckled as they saw Mormon missionaries eating at BWW's and one of them has a lot of girl stuff. I forgot to mention Elder Alison and Elder Townsend gave me gummy bears, gum, and a pickle card... after lunch we planned for next week and went and worked for a while and then went to dinner at Island Flavor! Brian took us so that was way fun! We had a lesson with the Herleans' and finished the lessons with them. Knew will be baptized in early April but the other two boys don't want to yet:(. We also had a lesson with a man who is less active because of health reasons. I can't even imagine what this guy has to go through. He got some throat problems and has to have surgery every month. He has had 162 surgeries so far. It is amazing to hear his testimony of trials. He knows that God won't give us anything we can't handle!

Hawaiian dinner and guava birthday cake. 

Elder McClure, Brian, Elder Call

3/10 Friday
It was a great day! Tonight we went on splits and so a recent RM and I went and taught a family in the ward that we have been trying for quite some time. We were able to teach them the Plan of Salvation and the daughter wants to be baptized! We set up for lessons on a regular basis and so that was exciting! We saw Tom and we are trying to be bold with him so he may continue to progress with the lessons!

3/11 Saturday
We found out about transfers tonight and I will be staying and getting an elder named Elder Pederson. All I know about him is he came out with me! We went to the wards Brazilian BBQ last night and it was way good and fun a lot of fun! It is pretty crazy our zone leaders are staying together another transfer so that will make them being companions for seven and a half months! That is a long time!

3/12 Sunday
It was sad because none of our investigators showed up to church so that was a little disappointing! Elder Alison and I spoke in our second Sacrament Meeting about the power of the atonement in missionary work!

Love,
- Elder Call 🎰💵🎰💵 NLVWM

Remember Him

Dear Family & Friends:

2/28 Tuesday
Today in District Meeting, we were talking about the role the gospel of Jesus Christ has in us as missionaries and in the people we come into contact with. Preach My Gospel states, "The purpose of the gospel is to cleanse people of their sins so they can receive the Savior’s mercy at the day of judgment." What a powerful statement! It was brought up that Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance/forgiveness, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end is all made possible because of Jesus Christ's Atonement! I remember hearing a talk that I don't remember much about it, but the gist of it was, as missionaries or as members when we get discouraged or when we want to throw in the towel, we need to think of two words, "Remember Him!" Think of the Atonement, think of the miracles performed, think of the perfection. As we ponder on a number of things the Savior has done for us and continues to do for us, we will be able to set our problems aside and grow our faith, to be able to serve the Lord. If you are struggling to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, like many people in this world, at this time, may I pose the same question that Christ did to his apostles in John chapter 6:67. "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?" I hope that we may all answer as Peter did with the knowledge that there is really nowhere to go. Jesus Christ has the words of eternal life.  I talk to less active people on a daily basis and I can testify that there is no other way to find true happiness. There is no other way to draw unto the Savior, and there is no other way to resist the evils of the world, except by continually growing our faith in Him, repenting, and making and keeping covenants with God!

Ben's b-day is March 9th

 3/1 Wednesday
The move! Yesterday late afternoon, we received a text from our Elder’s Quorum President asking if we could help with a move that was today.  Because it was last minute and at 1 pm on a Wednesday, nobody would be able to help. It was no surprise when we were the only ones there to help unload a very large U-haul. When we showed up the new family was flustered to say the least. Every smoke detector in their new house was going off and they couldn't get them to stop. We flipped the breaker so we didn't have to listen to it while we moved stuff, so that was nice. We worked hard and were able to get it done quickly. We saw Brother Maloa tonight to try to set up lessons with his niece and nephew who aren't baptized. We set up a lesson for next Sunday, so, I hope they progress quickly.

3/2 Thursday
Today we had interviews with President! President Walker is such an amazing guy.  I love being able to talk with him and receive counsel from him!  Sister Walker reminds me of my mom, so it goes without saying, that she is alright.  Right after interviews we headed to Cafe Rio to meet the second counselor in the bishopric and his son for lunch. Brother Larson is a convert of 7 years and used to hate the church and now he is in the bishopric haha! His son is 30 and is not a member so he wanted to introduce all of us! It went well and his son is a great guy! Hopefully we can start teaching him. The bishop of the ward is a convert as well. He was baptized 12 years ago! We had a busy day after that! We saw Sister Nettleton again this week and Brother Campbell, so that was good! During our visit with Brother Campbell he pretty much vented to us about his son. His son lives in California and is a sophomore in high school and he showed us his report card no joke was all F's and one F-. It was a rough report card.

3/3 Friday
Today was exchanges, so I was with Elder Alison and Elder Beccari. Between the three of us it was counted that 9 languages were spoken... of course the only one that I chipped in for was my half fluent English and they made up the other eight languages! It was a great day. We had a lot of fun and a lot of success. We met with a less active lady that brought her two nonmember granddaughters to church on Sunday and she said they loved it and wanted to go back this week! We were asked to help clean the church tonight and so we said we would help. While cleaning we were informed of a man that was an investigator in the Zone Leaders area who moved into some apartments in our area and he needed help moving a bed. We left the church and helped him! He really wants to get involved with the church so I am excited for that. After helping him we went to finish the church cleaning and I pulled out the ghost buster remake (see pictures).

3/4 Saturday
In today's personal study I kept reading 3 Nephi 5:13: "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." I am so grateful for the opportunity to have that title at this time to declare His word, among His children here upon the earth!

3/5 Sunday
We had five people come to church so that was exciting! Next week are transfers, so I will send my letters on Tuesday!

Overall, this week was great! The biggest miracle and tender mercies this week is that God has blessed me with Christlike attributes. I don't say this to boast or be prideful, but because it touched me to see what God has done for me recently. When Elder Bednar came, he said that Christlike attributes are not something that we just have or something that we gain by ourselves but they are gifts and blessings from God. God gives us these when we are worthy of them and we can bless others with them. I have been blessed to be filled with love and patience this last little while. Transfer calls are on Saturday and I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen. We mentioned transfers to one of the bishops and he didn't look happy that the last six weeks have gone by so fast!

Well I am doing well and love you lots! Have a great week!

- Elder Call 🎰💵🎰💵 NLVWM

There Are No Coincidences

Dear Family & Friends:

We were actually asked to share an experience to the Primary kids Sunday, as well, so that is cool! I am stoked for Parker! (Parker is Ben’s cousin and has just received a mission call to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.) Isn't it amazing to see the spirit of missionary work and the excitement for missionary work spread to those around us?! Missionaries say sometimes, “like I only have two months left, so it doesn't matter” or the opposite as in “I have twenty months, so it doesn't really matter what I do!” Or “when someone decides that it doesn't matter if they serve or not.” What all of those people are saying is that what the Lord wants me to do is not important and that there are better things to do then to serve our Savior, Jesus Christ. The man’s comment about Las Vegas being better than Star Valley because it is where the Lord wants me, has made such an impact on me! I wrote about it weeks ago (http://eldercallnlvw.blogspot.com/2017/01/find-blessings.html.) Not only as missionaries does God need us here in Las Vegas for two years, He (Heavenly Father needs us every day and every moment, somewhere, to touch someone's life and that is not possible if we are held up by a lack of desire or contention. I am so excited for Parker! God NEEDS him in Philadelphia and he will be able to touch lives there!

2/20 Monday
Tonight we had a lesson set up with the Rodarte's and Andrew (a young man in the ward) came with us. We knocked on the door and it ended up that they had forgot, so it was cancelled. Andrew wanted to try tracting, so we split up in twos and went tracting. Andrew was super excited and the first two answers were not super nice and he quickly realized that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be! We tracted into some super nice people and so that was good for him to see some light! I was impressed with him and I know he will be a great missionary!

2/21 Tuesday
We met a few very nice less actives today! Sister Scott talked with us for a while and she actually lives with her family that is not members but unfortunately they are not interested right now. We also saw Brother Howard. He is a returned missionary from England and was extremely active in the church but got a divorce and felt he was treated poorly and hasn't been active since. He still has a testimony and knows so much about the church it is crazy! It is unfortunate that he is not allowing himself to receive all the blessings God has in store for him.

2/22 Wednesday
Another interesting day in Las Vegas. We had a lesson with a less active and was asked for marriage advice... I am not sure if three young guys are the ones to ask for that! We were able to help her though and teach about prayer and receiving answers along with baring testimony of the plan that God has for each of us. I have such a strong testimony that there isn't such thing as a coincidence and that God has things happen for a reason and we may not understand why for a long time! Things happen for a reason! We saw the Rodartes tonight and they bore testimony in the blessings of paying tithing. They have paid faithfully since they joined the church and they have had enough money to get by ever since! They are great!

2/23 Thursday
Today was kind of a rough day. I was super tired and weekly planning was long and frustrating so it went by super slow. We had dinner with the Patton/Fullers and so that was as great as always! Brother Fuller was stealing money out of Sister Patton’s bag that was on the table when she wasn't paying attention and so they got into it and argued how much money he actually took because he would only give back a little bit haha. It was pretty funny and it was definitely something I would do...

2/24 Friday
We did service for the Hamilton's tonight and it was setting up their Apple TV. Elder McClure LOVES technology and the same with Elder Alison and so instead of being in the way, I took a seat in their super fancy massage chair and enjoyed my time! There wasn't much for me to do! It felt good!

2/25 Saturday
Today was the baptism for Tierra. Tierra and her brother walked into our Sacrament Meeting several weeks ago, but ended up being in a different wards boundaries and was taught by other missionaries. We were able to go to her baptism anyways! She is awesome! She has been dealt a tough hand of cards but she is doing very well! She is 13 and lives with her cousin because her parents are not around. She wants to serve a mission so that will be cool if she stays strong in the gospel! We saw the Bradley’s tonight and they had just gotten a puppy! It was super cute! It reminded me of Lucky when he was a pup!

2/26 Sunday
Wow, I have never been so tired at church in my life. I stayed up and talked to Elder McClure last night and then had to be awake at 5:30 to get ready to go to ward council at 6:30. We didn't get a break because of the other wards meeting and so we were at the church building sitting for ten or so hours and it just killed me haha. There was a mission homecoming in one of the wards, but the first speaker spoke the entire time until the meeting was over and so they skipped the musical and gave him five minutes to speak and report his mission. I felt bad for him because he had family and friends that didn't get to hear much from him!

Lots of love,
- Elder Call 🎰💵🎰💵 NLVWM

The Restoration of The Gospel

Dear Family & Friends:

We had a much needed great week!

2/13 Monday
Today was a blast. We played basketball and a kid came that is one of the best in Nevada. We had some good games, so that was fun. The kid could throw it down like no one’s business, so it was cool to see him dunk. We had a good lesson with Brother Labovitz and committed him to read the Book of Mormon, so hopefully, we can get him to progress. It is tough because he is Jewish and so he doesn't have a belief in Jesus Christ.  We are trying to help him understand Christ!

2/14 Tuesday
We had Zone Training Meeting today and it was so sweet!! The dinner rule got changed back but that wasn't the sweet part!  The best part was we were talking about how a member dinner should go and how we should always be acting as representatives of Jesus Christ. We were doing a role play of a member dinner to show us how to receive referrals and how to build trust and right in the middle of a super spiritual part, a man opens the door to the room and asks, "Is this a church?" He is visiting his friend for three months and wants a church to attend during his stay so he decided to come and figure out what kind of church he would be coming to because it is right next to his house!! We were able to get his information and he said he would be to church on Sunday! We had another new member lesson with the Rodartes tonight and it was stellar. Sister Rodarte almost taught the lesson of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ! She has seen such a change in her life for the better it is great! We got a text earlier today from Brother Stucki asking if his wife's baptism could be this Saturday! She is finally getting baptized.  She has been taught by missionaries for the last three years, so we are way excited for her!

2/15 Wednesday
We had Zone Conference today and it was great!  I talked with a sister from Louisiana and she asked if I had a friend on his mission there and sure enough, Elder Brigg Hoopes is serving in her home branch or ward, I don't remember! There are connections all over the place with people I know. I talked with an RM the other day and he served in the same district as Elder England in Scottsdale. We had a spiritual lesson with the Herleans tonight and so we are excited for Krew's baptism on the 18th of March!

2/16 Thursday
Sister Stucki's baptism interview went well and so we are all set for Saturday! We had to go on exchanges with our District Leader because they had service and he is super sick. Elder Alison got all but one of us sick in the district!

2/18 Saturday
The baptism was a great experience for the Stucki family! Unfortunately, the ward did not turn out, but the Spirit was super strong and just a nice service. Their five kids that are not baptized attended and I think that being at the baptism made them want to be baptized.  Hopefully, we can start teaching them! Tonight we taught Tom and we ended up inviting him to be baptized. He said that he thinks all baptisms are the same and so he has already been baptized! He said that he doesn't understand the authority we claim to have. We talked about the Priesthood and then at the end it came out that he was struggling with some things in his situation and so we offered him a Priesthood Blessing. We gave him a blessing and at the end he said, "I want to tell you guys something. While you gave me the blessing I kept seeing two pictures in my mind. One picture was Christ and the other was the three apostles giving Joseph Smith the Priesthood. Wow, the Spirit filled the room and so hopefully next week we will be able to set Tom with a date! He is another that has been taking the lessons for years!

2/19 Sunday
We had a couple people at church today! A lady that has been inactive for years talked to us at the end and really want us to come help her in her return to activity in the church! We met a weird dude tonight which is not unusual here in Vegas! We knocked on his door and he pokes his head out and I think one of the first things he said was "you found me."  He is a member and actually a return missionary. He wanted us to come by this Tuesday and said we were going to have some good discussions... It was just super strange the entire time we talked to him at the door, so who knows what is going to happen on Tuesday! Never a dull day in sin city!

Something that I have learned this week is that for years missionaries all around the world think that the Restoration is just the bringing back of a church or bringing back of the Priesthood or kind of just a history lesson. But it is the Restoration of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. All that was restored was the knowledge of actual faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, true repentance, baptism by proper authority and receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end by partaking of the sacrament and making and keeping covenants! That is what was restored! I learned that we don't read the Book of Mormon to know if it is true but we read it to know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was truly restored and if it is the way we follow the gospel and if it truly was restored!

With lots of love,
- Elder Call 🎰💵🎰💵 NLVWM