Hello!
My week was pretty good. It actually rained really hard!....for about 5 minutes. Stupid weather likes to toy with me I guess. Yeah, I believe I did. I have a lot of boxes of contacts so I'm pretty sure I got them. I didn't know Kelli was moving out. That's pretty neat. The house keeps getting bigger and bigger huh. I guess with out me there no one seems to want to stay around... ha ha. Well Kenneth Poer is super excited to get baptized. In one of our lessons his friend Mike was over, so I think we have another investigator :) During that lesson Kenneth said that if he could be baptized tomorrow he would. That was pretty neat to hear, sadly though he has to go to church 3 times before he can be baptized so we are either going to do it the 1st or the 8th depending on whether or not we can confirm him right after the baptism or if we have to wait for sacrament.
We were looking through our Area Book and came across a family that was almost baptized. As close as you could get. The dad had the interview he was found worthy, but at the last minute they decided not to go through with it. So we decided to go and see them some time. The Jackson family, I don't know ifI told you about them but anyway, They had to move in with their relatives and get this, their relatives were the family that almost got baptized. Neither one of them knew that the other family was a member or almost became one. Funny huh. When we knocked on the door we talked to the dad named Antonio Jackson, and asked him if he still wanted to be baptized, he said no and so we asked if he knew Kevin Jackson. He looked at us and said "Yeah, he's in the other room." We had know idea that this is where they moved too. So Kevin came out and we had a lesson on the back porch. Antonio joined us and in the middle of the lesson he said he changed his mind and wants to be baptized. We scheduled the baptism for October 15 which is almost exactly a year from when he was suppose to have gotten baptized. Kevin wasn't sure why he had to move into his brother-in-laws house and he has been feeling a little crappy lately but I believe that he was sent there to be a good example to Antonio and his family.
Another funny story. Elder Nielson and I were meeting with the Brown family. They have a hard time coming to church due to financial problems so we were kind of talking about that. After we left Brother Brown called and said that they didn't appreciate Elder Nielson's attitude towards them and that he can no longer come back to the house, but that I was more than welcomed anytime. Ha ha. But I can't go there unless Elder Nielson is with me or we go on splits and another missionary is there. So we might do that sometime. Elder Hadderly had to go home because of back problems so the Elder in Valdosta 2nd ward got a temporary companion named Elder Sumrall. He is an awesome guy. He is only 19 and can't go on a mission for another year and a half about because he works for the government and that's when his contract goes up. He graduated from high school when he was 16 and goes all over the middle east for the government because he knows Arabic. He said that if we go on splits together he'd teach me some middle eastern stuff. Pretty awesome.
I was wondering if you could send me in the next package a scripture master card or book mark or something because with my new scriptures I don't remember all the scripture masteries and I don't have them marked.
Anyway, I'm trying to think of anything else that was really neat or cool or funny that happened to me... Oh! One of the recent converts named Arthur Fillmore told us in one of the lessons we had with him that he is thinking about going back to his other church because he likes the way they rejoice and sing and stuff. He still wants to come to ours but wants to only every other week or something. When I heard this I was heart broken. He said he has been praying about it for a long time and really hard but hasn't gotten his answer yet. I hope he realizes that he's already made that decision once and the testimony he had when he first started coming was super strong, I don't know what happened.
Well I love this gospel with all my heart. I know I'm doing the right thing and I'm where the Lord wants and needs me to be. I'm loving doing missionary work when i can talk to people and get my point across that lets them understand how I feel. I would think that getting up in the mornings at 6:30 would get easier as the time goes by but I am terribly wrong. If anything it gets harder. We get up and go running and it's hard rolling out of bed when I know that back home I would be sleeping. But oh well. It's a good habit to get into so I'll do it with a smile. :) kind of like that.
Anyway, I love you all and am so proud and lucky to be in this family with such amazing people around me. You guys are the greatest and have made me who I am, and hopefully I don't do anything that makes you embarrassed that I said that. ha ha.
Love Elder Klingler
Monday, September 19, 2011
9-12-11
Hello,
Thank you for the packages mother, and now I can mark up my scriptures again. Sorry, I keep forgetting to write down my address so I can give it to you. I'll do it this week though i promise.
Story time, yesterday an awesome guy name Demitrious Jones, he has dreads and is super cool became received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday, and was ordained to the office of a priest. Cool story time now. Bishop Grant forgot to ask him who he'd like to ordain him before the meeting and so he asked during priesthood meeting. He looked around and I didn't really want to make eye contact cause I was thinking he'd just ask the bishop, but when I looked at him he was staring right at me and then he lifted his hand and pointed his finger right at me. I looked behind me hoping it was the guy behind me but then he said my name. I was pretty nervous going up there cause it was my first time doing it and everything. But then I realized I shouldn't be nervous, I have the priesthood and I am worthy to hold it and the Lord will tell me what I need to say. So to save on time, more for me than you guys cause you can get on the computer and write anytime you want, I only have an hour on Mondays, any way, to save on time, it was a great experience, so peaceful and afterward I felt silly for even thinking of being scared.
Kenneth Poer is making great progress, and he really wants to attend all the meetings of church, unfortunately they didn't make it yesterday to Church cause they were having plumbing problems, but we stopped by afterward and he apologized for not making it but he asked if there was anything else he could do besides reading the scriptures, praying, and attending church to help him be ready for his baptism. It was surprising to hear, but we quickly touched on all the commandments we've been asked to live and he mentioned the word of wisdom and how he drinks a cup of coffee everyday, but he'd be more than willing to give that up as a sacrifice to come to know Jesus Christ more, and he said that he can't even imagine joining or wanting to join another church besides this one. Pretty awesome! Sadly though, his wife doesn't have that same fire that he does. She still wants to be a member and come to church and everything but not with the same passion or fire that Kenneth has. She really only wants to go to Sacrament and that's it. Kenneth doesn't want to go on this path a lone and he really wants to have his wife join him in the waters of baptism and church attendance but he's willing to go at it a lone cause he knows it's the right thing to do.
We met a guy name Altreek (pretty sweet name huh) yesterday and we saw him a couple of days before cause he lives next door to a lady named Sister Wall. He felt impressed to go and talk to us then, and Elder Nielson and I both felt impressed to go talk to him too but sadly we didn't. But luckily we had another chance and that came yesterday. We started talking to him about what we believe and everything and then game him a Book of Mormon. After talking about it and it's origins and after he flipped through some of the pages he looks up at us and says that he knows this book came from God. No man could have written like this. It was pretty exciting. So hopefully we'll be able to work with him more and help him come to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is where he should be. He already knows that God will answer his prayers and knows that God has blessed him greatly in his life. It's pretty great.
The church is true, there is just no other way explaining some things. Jesus Christ is our savior and he died so that we may have a chance to return to live with Heavenly Father one day. I love this gospel so much and am so thankful for this opportunity to go around telling people that this gospel can bless their lives because it has blessed mine. I love you all and am so thankful for the influences of good that you have had on me, til next week converse.
Love,
Elder Klingler
Thank you for the packages mother, and now I can mark up my scriptures again. Sorry, I keep forgetting to write down my address so I can give it to you. I'll do it this week though i promise.
Story time, yesterday an awesome guy name Demitrious Jones, he has dreads and is super cool became received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday, and was ordained to the office of a priest. Cool story time now. Bishop Grant forgot to ask him who he'd like to ordain him before the meeting and so he asked during priesthood meeting. He looked around and I didn't really want to make eye contact cause I was thinking he'd just ask the bishop, but when I looked at him he was staring right at me and then he lifted his hand and pointed his finger right at me. I looked behind me hoping it was the guy behind me but then he said my name. I was pretty nervous going up there cause it was my first time doing it and everything. But then I realized I shouldn't be nervous, I have the priesthood and I am worthy to hold it and the Lord will tell me what I need to say. So to save on time, more for me than you guys cause you can get on the computer and write anytime you want, I only have an hour on Mondays, any way, to save on time, it was a great experience, so peaceful and afterward I felt silly for even thinking of being scared.
Kenneth Poer is making great progress, and he really wants to attend all the meetings of church, unfortunately they didn't make it yesterday to Church cause they were having plumbing problems, but we stopped by afterward and he apologized for not making it but he asked if there was anything else he could do besides reading the scriptures, praying, and attending church to help him be ready for his baptism. It was surprising to hear, but we quickly touched on all the commandments we've been asked to live and he mentioned the word of wisdom and how he drinks a cup of coffee everyday, but he'd be more than willing to give that up as a sacrifice to come to know Jesus Christ more, and he said that he can't even imagine joining or wanting to join another church besides this one. Pretty awesome! Sadly though, his wife doesn't have that same fire that he does. She still wants to be a member and come to church and everything but not with the same passion or fire that Kenneth has. She really only wants to go to Sacrament and that's it. Kenneth doesn't want to go on this path a lone and he really wants to have his wife join him in the waters of baptism and church attendance but he's willing to go at it a lone cause he knows it's the right thing to do.
We met a guy name Altreek (pretty sweet name huh) yesterday and we saw him a couple of days before cause he lives next door to a lady named Sister Wall. He felt impressed to go and talk to us then, and Elder Nielson and I both felt impressed to go talk to him too but sadly we didn't. But luckily we had another chance and that came yesterday. We started talking to him about what we believe and everything and then game him a Book of Mormon. After talking about it and it's origins and after he flipped through some of the pages he looks up at us and says that he knows this book came from God. No man could have written like this. It was pretty exciting. So hopefully we'll be able to work with him more and help him come to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is where he should be. He already knows that God will answer his prayers and knows that God has blessed him greatly in his life. It's pretty great.
The church is true, there is just no other way explaining some things. Jesus Christ is our savior and he died so that we may have a chance to return to live with Heavenly Father one day. I love this gospel so much and am so thankful for this opportunity to go around telling people that this gospel can bless their lives because it has blessed mine. I love you all and am so thankful for the influences of good that you have had on me, til next week converse.
Love,
Elder Klingler
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
9-6-11
To whom it may concern;
Well I am in Valdosta Georgia. It's pretty great here. The people are all friendly. Funny thing, everyone loves to pray. At least the ones we have talked to. But they don't pray like us. During the prayer the love to say "Thank you Jesus" or " Praise Jesus" Right in the middle of the prayer or whenever they feel like it. Which always makes me smile and chuckle to myself. I find it just so funny. Plus, they love to hold hands while we pray. It was different at first but now it's not so bad.
There is a new study for companion study that all the new missionaries get to do for the first 12 weeks of their missions. They study for 2 hours with their trainer and go through the fundamentals like Revelation through the Holy Ghost, and Scriptures and stuff like that. It's pretty interesting, and we do a lot of role playing still. Which it good cause it's a good way to learn. I made it to the mission home Tuesday evening and spent the night there with everyone else that was on the plane. Wednesday a couple of us had the chance to do missionary work while we waited for the transport van to come back for us. I went out with my new companion Elder Nielson, and also Elder Tialino. Our very first lesson was with a part member couple, and the missionaries have been trying to get the guy to be baptized but he has always said he just hasn't felt like he should and that stuff. But Elder Tialino is a champion and through an amazing testimony of his was able to get Jose to say that he would be baptized. It was awesome, so my very first lesson we got a baptism commitment. On Friday Elder Nielson and I went tracking and that was a cool experience. Met a lot of people. One in particular is a guy named Kenneth Poer. We met him while he was out working on his roof. We started talking to him about the church and gave him a Book of Mormon with a return appointment on the following day. We met Saturday with him and since we didn't leave a specific chapter for him to read he just opened up and read 2 Nephi 29. Random chapter to open up to but cool thing happened. He was confused on why churches only focused on one set of scripture when there is so much out there and that chapter talked about it. Crazy huh. Anyway his wife really wanted to meet with us too cause she had an experience with the Sister missionaries like 7 months ago but she was sick so she couldn't come. We told them we could come back later that night and give them a tour of the church and they accepted. So we did and taught them the first lesson in the Relief Society room. They loved it and said the would come to church, and they did. They really liked church and said they'll come back next week too. I really like talking to them and teaching them cause they are super ready to receive the messages.
The ward here is super great and the members are really nice, and ready and willing to help out in any way they can. Since both of us are new to the area we've been spending the days trying to find our way around and just visiting the recent converts or ones that are just about to be baptized. The Jackson family and Brown family are ones that i really like to visit, I was laughing and cracking jokes at the Brown family a lot. The dad use to be a preacher and loves to talk and have a good time. So we didn't do much talking but a lot of listening and laughing. Brother Jackson really cares about us and gave us some pretty solid advice. He said don't go anywhere near the south side of town after dark cause that is a sketchy area to be in even in the day time and it only gets worse as the night goes on. I'm plan on following that advice to the letter cause it can be pretty scary in places.
Anyway, I really love being on my mission and doing the Lord's work. It's hard at times and I'm having a way hard time staying awake through all of personal study cause my body is still 2 hours behind. But I'm working through it and I'll get use to it eventually. And cool thing, when I get transferred whenever that will be I'll most likely gain an hour so that's neat. Well I just want to share with whoever is reading my random ramblings my testimony of the restored gospel. I know that Jesus came down to this earth and finished the atonement for mankind and that by him is the only way we can be saved. I have learned a lot and have heard a lot of cool quotes about that. One I really like is " Why should returning to Heavenly Father be easy for us, when Jesus Christ, the son of God had to bleed from every pore." It really puts it into perspective for me. I know I have my weaknesses like talking to people and sometimes I don't want to talk to someone cause they look scary or I don't know what to say. But Jesus knows how I feel and he is there to help my and i have to be willing to do a little sacrifice so that I may return to live with Him one day. I love this gospel, and I love all of you. May God bless you continually and never be afraid to say what you know to be true.
Love,
Elder Matt Klingler
Well I am in Valdosta Georgia. It's pretty great here. The people are all friendly. Funny thing, everyone loves to pray. At least the ones we have talked to. But they don't pray like us. During the prayer the love to say "Thank you Jesus" or " Praise Jesus" Right in the middle of the prayer or whenever they feel like it. Which always makes me smile and chuckle to myself. I find it just so funny. Plus, they love to hold hands while we pray. It was different at first but now it's not so bad.
There is a new study for companion study that all the new missionaries get to do for the first 12 weeks of their missions. They study for 2 hours with their trainer and go through the fundamentals like Revelation through the Holy Ghost, and Scriptures and stuff like that. It's pretty interesting, and we do a lot of role playing still. Which it good cause it's a good way to learn. I made it to the mission home Tuesday evening and spent the night there with everyone else that was on the plane. Wednesday a couple of us had the chance to do missionary work while we waited for the transport van to come back for us. I went out with my new companion Elder Nielson, and also Elder Tialino. Our very first lesson was with a part member couple, and the missionaries have been trying to get the guy to be baptized but he has always said he just hasn't felt like he should and that stuff. But Elder Tialino is a champion and through an amazing testimony of his was able to get Jose to say that he would be baptized. It was awesome, so my very first lesson we got a baptism commitment. On Friday Elder Nielson and I went tracking and that was a cool experience. Met a lot of people. One in particular is a guy named Kenneth Poer. We met him while he was out working on his roof. We started talking to him about the church and gave him a Book of Mormon with a return appointment on the following day. We met Saturday with him and since we didn't leave a specific chapter for him to read he just opened up and read 2 Nephi 29. Random chapter to open up to but cool thing happened. He was confused on why churches only focused on one set of scripture when there is so much out there and that chapter talked about it. Crazy huh. Anyway his wife really wanted to meet with us too cause she had an experience with the Sister missionaries like 7 months ago but she was sick so she couldn't come. We told them we could come back later that night and give them a tour of the church and they accepted. So we did and taught them the first lesson in the Relief Society room. They loved it and said the would come to church, and they did. They really liked church and said they'll come back next week too. I really like talking to them and teaching them cause they are super ready to receive the messages.
The ward here is super great and the members are really nice, and ready and willing to help out in any way they can. Since both of us are new to the area we've been spending the days trying to find our way around and just visiting the recent converts or ones that are just about to be baptized. The Jackson family and Brown family are ones that i really like to visit, I was laughing and cracking jokes at the Brown family a lot. The dad use to be a preacher and loves to talk and have a good time. So we didn't do much talking but a lot of listening and laughing. Brother Jackson really cares about us and gave us some pretty solid advice. He said don't go anywhere near the south side of town after dark cause that is a sketchy area to be in even in the day time and it only gets worse as the night goes on. I'm plan on following that advice to the letter cause it can be pretty scary in places.
Anyway, I really love being on my mission and doing the Lord's work. It's hard at times and I'm having a way hard time staying awake through all of personal study cause my body is still 2 hours behind. But I'm working through it and I'll get use to it eventually. And cool thing, when I get transferred whenever that will be I'll most likely gain an hour so that's neat. Well I just want to share with whoever is reading my random ramblings my testimony of the restored gospel. I know that Jesus came down to this earth and finished the atonement for mankind and that by him is the only way we can be saved. I have learned a lot and have heard a lot of cool quotes about that. One I really like is " Why should returning to Heavenly Father be easy for us, when Jesus Christ, the son of God had to bleed from every pore." It really puts it into perspective for me. I know I have my weaknesses like talking to people and sometimes I don't want to talk to someone cause they look scary or I don't know what to say. But Jesus knows how I feel and he is there to help my and i have to be willing to do a little sacrifice so that I may return to live with Him one day. I love this gospel, and I love all of you. May God bless you continually and never be afraid to say what you know to be true.
Love,
Elder Matt Klingler
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)