This week has been really slow we have been doing great though. I am loving this ward more and more each week. This area has so much potential. We were out tracting this week and came a crossed this guy named ed. he is such a nice guy. At first we were nervous because he is a big burley guy and very intimidating but once we started talking to him we quickly realized that he was a teddy bear. He talked to us for a long time about guns and many things and then he said that he hadn't been to church and would love for us to come and maybe help him find one or strengthen that faith he has already. It was great. We plan on going back.
Also one night we were out walking the streets talking to people walking and this guy from the Atlanta police department stopped and picked us up and gave us a ride home. He was so worried about us. he kept telling us areas that we should never go to because they are so bad I guess and we were very grateful that he saved our legs and feet and helped us get home a lot faster than we would've. When he dropped us off we didn't even have to say anything he just gave us his name and number and address and asked us to come stop by. He willingly wanted us to come. It’s great to see how those people are being prepared and as we are diligent they are just put in our paths or we are put in theirs. There are those looking for truths that they can’t find and we are the jackpot with all they are looking for.
A couple weeks ago we got a referral from Mormon.org his name is Judd. He is so awesome and has an amazing story he has only 12% of his heart left and the doctors said he should've died years ago but he keeps on going. He took that as a sign that the lord is keeping him around for something. He went on to tell us that he has wanted to find ways to strengthen his faith and to live a little better. He knows that he has not lived the best in the past but he also knows that through Jesus Christ he can be forgiven of those past things and be saved. We were very excited to meet him. We were only able to talk to him for a little bit but while we were there before we left we bore our testimonies then we left him Alma 32 to read before we come back the next time. I cannot wait to see what he thinks of it he seemed really excited about reading it.

this last week elder Hansen came on exchange over to sandy plains with me for a day and while he was here we went and were trying to find some people to talk to but we were having no luck it was around 8 at night and no one wanted to hear us. so we were walking around and found some seniors in high school playing basketball and so we stopped and got talking with them and ended up playing a couple games against them (we totally owned them and showed them how to really play ball) anyway after we were done they were really cool with us and we were able to have a discussion with them and got talking with them about prophets and how god has once again called a prophet to the earth. one of the kids were really interested and we are going over there tonight to teach him more the others they were really nice but not to interested yet but if anything we planted that seed that they will never forget.

Thank you so much for all do. I love yall I hope you a have a very merry Christmas.

Love Trevor! Elder Ross

· 

Hello Everyone!

Things are going so fetching great! We still don’t have any investigators but they will come very very soon if know it! We have been knocking a lot of doors and just waiting to knock on that one door whose life well change FOREVER! ha-ha we had zone meeting this last week my first one in this new zone and holy crap it is a huge zone compared to my last one there are so many missionaries in it. Which in turn made the meeting a whole lot funnier as well.

The ward is wonderful. If am getting to know a lot of the ward so it’s a lot better now. Now if am not just some guy who knows no one. The ward is pretty great there are a lot of interesting people in the ward. Still am getting to know a lot of them though.

To start off probably the highlight of my week has defiantly been in my studies. if was rely wanting a change of something in the way it was feeling about everything so if really focused on studying the Christ like attribute section of preach my gospel if figured Jesus Christ was way happy in everything he did so if studied and acquired some of his traits then if would too become happy in most of what if do. Seemed like a good theory to me. And boy has it helped me. That section really is so amazing. If have truly felt the lords hand more so in my life. If have felt his love and his presence about me. He has lifted me spirit and just made me feel absolutely wonderful almost all the time. if know its because of those attributes they truly are life changing and will help anyone more than they can even imagine if they strive become more Christ like.

So if found out that the high school in my area is where remember the titans was filmed. If was stars truck. That’s like a national monument or something because that is one of the greatest movies of all time. Ha-ha

If also had the wonderful experience of getting my hair cut at a legit old school barber shop this morning. It sure was an experience. There were old guys in there just talking about random things and making jokes it was cool. If was laughing the entire time. they are so funny and if felt like was in a movie like on the movie “RADIO” when they all meet at the barber shop after the football games that is what it reminds me of.

If love you all thank you for all you do. Be safe and happy holidays. This is the most wonderful time of the year. If am still waiting and hoping for the snow hear and maybe just maybe it will come one of these days.

Love Elder Ross

 

 

PS.   Wish if could get my camera to work with this computer so if could send some awesome pictures for all but if am not smart enough

 

If am not exactly sure how if feel about the sandy plains ward yet. It sure is different. This last week things have sure been a struggle. We have no investigators at the moment so mostly all of our efforts are going to finding people to teach so we do a lot of tracting and do all we can to try to motivate the members to find people for us to teach. It is really hard because the ward is not friendly. Most of the ward is very standoffish to us it seems like they really don’t trust us. So if don’t know if something happened but we need to gain that trust with the ward so maybe the work can progress.

We were out tracting this week and we found a couple of potential investigators and were able to set up appointments to go and teach them and their families. It was really exciting to finally have someone to teach. So we did all we could to make sure that the appointments would go through and that we had all the help and materials to make it go great. We went over the lessons and we actually got a team up to go with us which is really hard to get in this ward. So we were really ready and we went to our first appointment and no one answered. So then we had some less active members in the ward that we were going to visit as a backup plan but every single one of them didn’t answer either. So we went to our next appointment and they didn’t answer we tried even more less actives but again no one answered. Finally our last appointment came and we decided we would call to make sure that we were still on and he cancelled. We were devastated. It really was like a shot in the heart everything we had planned and were so excited for had been shot down one at a time. After that if was and still am nervous just because it has taken so much to get a team up and now with that day and how nothing went through it’s just going to be way harder to get a team up again if think. Hopefully that is not the case. Just keep smiling and have the faith that everything will work out and be just fine.

We were able to go to this activity one of the local Methodist churches puts on it’s called a night in Bethlehem. It was really cool and a good experience. What they do is they set up streets to look like a Bethlehem street from biblical times. They have little stores and sales men trying to sell you pottery rope and all sorts of different things. They have roman soldiers walking the streets as well as prophets will walk the streets and preach of a messiah that is to come and then the roman soldiers will beat them up and run them out of the streets. It was really an experience. Then at the end of the streets there was a stable where they performed a live nativity and they had a real baby Jesus and they acted it out and sang songs according to what was happening. It really was a wonderful experience and helped set the tone for the Christmas season. Helped show the real reason for the season.
we had the ward Christmas party this last week which was fun except if am still getting to know people so if was quiet. But they asked each of the auxiliaries to do a skit so as the missionaries we got to do a skit and we did it on how missionaries get ready in the mornings. Elder winter sat on a chair and put a jacket on and if sat behind him and put my arms through the sleeves of the jacket. Then we had to brush his teeth and shave his face (no blade) and then tie a tie. It was so funny. The tooth paste and shaving cream was everywhere it was all over the tie and we made a huge mess. But if hadn’t laughed that hard in the longest time. The ward really enjoyed it to if think. So all in all it was really good.

The weather here has been insane. It’s a constant roller coaster. One day its sunny hot and humid the very next its cold windy and raining. The weather won’t make up its mind. The cold sucks too it is not like any Utah or Idaho cold. This gets deep into the most inner parts of your soul. If swear you can feel it in your bones. It goes right through your body. and while being on a bike it makes things worse so we look like a bunch of replies off the Christmas story riding around on our bikes.

If was able to go and watch the Christmas devotional. It was so great if really liked the last talk given by Russell m nelson. If you haven’t seen it yet go and watch it. Or read it or listen to it. It really is so very great. Helps to remind us what the Christmas time really is for.

If love you all so much! Thank you! Happy holidays. Be safe with all those crazy shoppers.

Love Elder Trevor Ross

 

Elder Ross is the "BOSS"

This week has been fantastic. Elder winter as you can already tell is awesome. I love him. He is so fun and way hard working. We really have fun and it’s just awesome to be with him. I was really nervous for thanksgiving because of being transferred and not knowing anyone. But it really turned out to be pretty nice. This ward is way friendly and really made me feel somewhat happy so I wasn't just all alone. The sandy plains area and ward is a whole lot different from the Hamilton Mill ward. It’s a nice change. But I sure miss the Hamilton Mills ward so bad!
This week we have been really trying to visit ward members and get to know them. Helping them gain that trust in us. It’s wonderful getting to know the ward. We had the opportunity to go and see a referral we had received from the Spanish Elders in the area. His name is Randy and he’s simply awesome to say the least. We went and talked with him and he was so prepared to hear the message of the restoration. As we taught the restoration he had a smile on his face the entire time. And he loved the message. After we were done sharing the first vision he was like WOW that's cool. He was very happy to know that Jesus visited the Americas as well. He agreed to read and pray about the book of Mormon and he also agreed that if he came to know that the book of Mormon was true and he gained a testimony himself then he would be baptized.
We were invited to come into high priests on Sunday and kind of lead a discussion or discus what they could do to help us out and where the ward and missionaries can begin to work together more. It was really awesome because as we started to discuss some of the things that worry them.  We were able to overcome and help with those and also they were really excited to start doing more team ups with us and actually going out and visiting people with us. So we are gaining more support from the ward which is always a good thing.
I am very excited about being here. This area has so much potential. And I have already learned so much from Elder Winter. It’s great. The days fly by when you’re having fun and the days are flying by right now. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead and I defiantly look forward to it.

So president wolfert has asked all the missionaries to give our actual address to our apartments to everyone for the month of December because with the holidays things get pretty stacked in the mission home so they don't send them out until we meet at the Christmas party or if we go there for another reason. So my address is: Elder Trevor Ross

                                                            1955 Bells Ferry Rd apt#338

                                                            Marietta, GA 30066

So send everything to this one and then I will get it if not then I won’t get it until January. I would really love some mail before then though... hint hint I love mail and things have been pretty dry lately... haha

I love you all hope to hear from you. I pray for you all and love you so much. Thank you for all the love and support!

 

Love Trevor Elder Ross

 

1st Transfer

I found out this morning that I am going to be transferred on Wednesday to a new area. It’s called the sandy plains ward in the Marietta stake. With my new companion named elder winter. I am very excited to meet him and get to see a new area. Since I have been here in the Hamilton mill ward since I have been here it’s going to be way different of time to have a new area because this is all I have known. I am very excited none the less but also I am sad because this ward has become my family and I love them so freaking much it’s really hard to leave them. I was really wanting to spend the holidays here with them so I would know them and feel at home. But I will just have to meet new people and I am sure I will fall in love with them as well. I know the lord doesn’t put us anywhere we are not needed and doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. So I look forward with open eyes.

Things have really been happ3ening. We have seen all sorts of miracles here in the Hamilton mill ward. we have been doing service for this lady who is going through a really hard time and she is getting ready to put her house on the market and as we have been doing service for her we invited her to church and have been teaching her. Well she came to church and fell in love with it. She said that she could really feel the spirit of the lord in the building. She had ladies from the ward come up and are now like best friends with her. And she can’t wait to come back and now she has wanted to be baptized and so we are starting to work with her and praying for a date for her baptism. It’s very exciting to see things start to pick up.

As well as there was a member in the ward and at his work he always keeps a book of Mormon or the ensign on his desk. And some guy walked by and saw it and picked it up and starting asking questions about it. He started coming to church with this member of the ward and he is so excited about the gospel. He is probably the most prepared guy I have ever met. He has a baptismal date for December 8 but he is progressing so fast that they are moving it up to this Saturday. And he could not be happier. It’s great. And he is hoping to baptize his family in the future.

I hope this thanksgiving is a wonderful time for you all I would love to hear from you all. Have a wonderful thanksgiving. I love you!

Love Trevor!

NEVER BE AFRAID TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY

This week has been so amazing and definitely life changing for me. I had a couple great experiences happen and will always cherish and never forget them.

First while we were tracting this week we came across this girl and she really disagreed with us she had a lot of "anti" things to say and I was really nervous me and elder bonin were really stumbling over our words and didn’t know what to say to this lady. We were nice to her and she was for the most part very nice to us but she had us twisted and we left her house feeling very bad about everything. While walking to the next house we were discussing what happened and what we could’ve done better. And it hit me why didn’t we just bear our testimony. I get very scared to bear my testimony because I always think what are they going to say back after or if I am going to offend someone. I just get nervous and end up talking myself out of doing it. But while walking I realized. I KNOW these things are true and nothing else really matters. I don’t need to be scared of what anyone else will say or think because what I know to be true is better than anything they can throw at me. It was great to finally have that click in my mind. As we came to the next house. A guy answered the door and began to do the same thing as the lady before if not even worse. He called us a cult and things but simply we talked with him for a bit and then we bore our testimonies to him and the spirit was so strong I know I could feel it and elder bonin could feel it as well and we both really felt so much better about that experience. We learned to always bear your testimony, and to defiantly just have confidence in yourself and what you stand for.

also just like our apostles have said tract the same places talk to the same people because they might not be ready now but they will be ready in the future. we were walking down the street and there are these sign wavers all along the sidewalks and we have talked to them plenty of times before so we just walked by this one guy and said hello but kept walking and then we were headed back towards our apartment and that same guy asked if he could ask us a question. We said of course. He asked what ward we were in and he said that he was a member just hadn’t been in a long time. He said that the missionaries usually talk to him and he wanted to know why we didn’t. I said that I have talked to him 3 or 4 times before this and he really wasn’t that sociable with me. He said that he had remembered but then he went on to say that he is trying to get back to coming to church and he would like our help. We loved to hear this. We are meeting with him. And we invite him to church he has work so he has gotten it off to come to church. It just goes to show that there is a time for everyone. And his time had come after many times of coming in contact with him. He was finally ready to come, and join with us.

Also since I have been here in Hamilton mill we have gone to this lady in the ward charity Willis and have tried so many times to get her to come to church. She has a very strong testimony she just blames not coming on the fact that she is too lazy. Well after trying and trying so hard and inviting her to come, yesterday SHE CAME to church. And it was such an amazing day! I almost jumped up and started running around the chapel luckily I kept myself somewhat calm. That’s what I imagine the feeling is of getting a baptism.

Last night we had dinner at our ward mission leader’s house. He was trying to find people for us to teach. So he called some of his nonmember friends and invited them over for cookies and milk and to talk about the good word of god. When they came over we were able to teach them the restoration and they absolutely loved it. They took the book of Mormon with the high hopes that it could help them grow closer to their savior. They really felt the spirit and knew that we were representatives of Jesus Christ. At first I was so nervous once again. I didn’t know how they were going to take it and I was just all around nervous. Then we got to the first vision and as I said the first vision the spirit just took over and I was no longer scared at all. I was totally confident and better yet I knew they needed it and knew that it could help them and when you are doing all you can to help others there is no worry in mind. When you truly gain that love for others you’ll do all you can to make them happy and give them all you have that makes you happy.

I love you all!!!

Love Elder Ross

 

Yes I can Sing!!

This week has been very long indeed. I am looking forward to zone conference tomorrow.

 

Yesterday was fast Sunday, after church around 4 we were walking around tracting this neighborhood. We both were very hungry and tired. As we were walking down this street we had decided to do two more houses and then turn back towards our bikes.   We knocked on these last two houses. And the last house we knocked at a guy came out. He seemed really interested in what we had to say, then he asks us the most ideal questions:

            Where did we come from?

            Why are we here?

            What happens after death?

It was wonderful, we were able to tell him we could answer all those questions and he got so excited. We talked a little bit with him, and he wanted us to come back and explain more so we agreed we would. He asked us where our church was located and as we told him where it was, he gladly said with a smile on his face, great I will be there next Sunday. It was so great. After that meeting we both were no longer tired or hungry, we were filled with this crazy energy. It was amazing.

Also this last Sunday the missionaries were asked to sing the prelude hymn for sacrament meeting. I was absolutely terrified. I don’t sing in front of people. Unless the stero can drowned out my voice. So I was terrified. I was singing my companion was playing the flute and one of the sisters sang with me and the other sister played the piano. The sister that sang with me is from Tonga she is way cool but somehow she convinced me to sing the first verse with her in Tongan!!! I don’t know how or why I agreed to it. And then I had to sing the second verse by myself! It was brutal. But we survived and I guess it didn’t sound too bad. I was just so nervous about it that I was shaking like crazy and felt like I was going to fall over.

When I first came into the mission my bike was broken. I took it in to get it fixed and the guy gave me a great deal, he really hooked me up. I took my tire in to get fixed this last week, and he was there again, and he gave me an amazing deal yet again. It was so amazing.  I got talking to him, he had just got back from mountain bike trip to Utah. I was talking to him about that and he told me he visited his dad who lives in Utah and who is a member of the church. He was raised in the church. He told us that he was on the path to go on a mission then some things happened and he ended up moving out here. But he’s a member!! I thought to myself this is why my bike keeps breaking! I need to talk to this guy. So we got his name and number and invited him to church, he said he had been wanting to go to church, he just didn’t know anyone and didn’t know what time and which church he was supposed to go to! It was pretty sweet.

 

Thank you for all the letters and support I love you so much!

 Here are some pictures of the leaves changing colors but just remember the picture does not do it justice at all.

 

Love Trevor!

 

Elder Dallin H Oaks spoke to us!!!

This week has really been one to remember! This last week we were tracting and we came across this older guy named Eugene. We talked to him and he really had the strongest desire to do all he can to grow closer to God. We told him we could help him do this. So we set up and appointment to come back. When we came back on Sunday a lot of things had happened where it was almost like we were being prevented in every way not to go and see this guy. After finally climbing through all the trials we were able to get to his house. And when we got there it was the perfect time. He had just gotten home and if we would’ve come earlier then we would not have been able to meet with him. But the Lord new and he made it possible for us to see him. So we taught him the restoration and he ate it up he knew it was true. He said that he had felt lost and that this was helping him find those things that he did not know. It was so great to see the light in his eyes. We are going back on Sunday and I cannot wait.

I really enjoyed this last we were to be able to hear from an apostle of god. It really was one of the most amazing experiences ever. The feelings that you could instantly feel once he walked in the room were the best. As we were able to shake his hand and see him you could just feel the greatness about him. He really is called and ordained of God. It was so great. And I could not help but smile I loved it so very much. Dallin H Oaks spoke to us and I got to shake his hand and not bragging or anything but he said my name!!!!! I was like a teenage girl at a Justin briber concert. Ha-ha just kidding but I was very excited about it. It was really cool he got up with nothing prepared at all and he said that he is just going to say whatever comes into his mind and whatever the spirit prompted him to say. It was great. He was joking around having a great time making us all laugh but also he was serious in what he had to say as well. It was great

This last week we went to a burger joint to eat lunch and while we were in there we chained our bikes up to a tree and when we came out someone had come by and kicked my bike tire in messing up a bunch of spokes and bending a lot of them and disconnecting a few. I was pretty upset. Luckily one of the ward members heard about it and is helping fix it for me so I don’t have to worry too much. But it sucked that it happened at all. It has been really really cold lately and so I have been trying to find sweaters to wear from the good will. Because it’s too cold not have any. I didn’t know it got this cold. And people keep saying it’s just going to get colder. Yay. Maybe it would be worth the cold if there was going to be snow with it but that will most likely not happen which saddens me.

We had a huge Halloween party this last week as well for the ward. It was hilarious to see all the costumes and they had a chili cook off I about died. I tasted some chili and I swear they put acid in it or something because it was so spicy my lips burnt for two days it felt like. But it was so good.

Thank you so much or all you do I love you! God bless!

 

Love Trevor

Elder Bonin comes to Hamilton Mill

This has been what has felt like a very long week. It has been so great at the same time though. We had transfers this last week and things have been good as we are adjusting to each other. On Wednesday elder bonin entered the Hamilton mill ward with great enthusiasm and a strong desire to get to work which was so wonderful. He is quite the opposite of me for sure he loves instruments and he thinks that marching band is a sport. I am still very strongly that it is not a sport but I love this guy already. I am so happy with his eagerness to serve. He is a very hard worker and is always pushing me to stay busy. When it’s raining he wants to go out and I have been waiting for someone like him for a while. I love it. It is so great to have someone who wants to work just as hard as I do if not harder. And I don’t have to drag him around trying to stay busy and do things it is great. He’s so great. He has this laugh that could break glass so he’s always making fun of himself for it. It just makes me laugh.

I love after the sessions of general conference and stake conference they talked a lot about the ward members helping out the missionaries or more or less just doing their part in the work of salvation. It is so great. We are having no troubles at all finding team ups and people of the ward are actually calling us and asking us to go out with us. It is wonderful to see the ward change and have that desire as well to help us out.

I love it though I guess now I have truly felt what missionary work really is. The last three months I thought I was working hard but it really saddened me but made me happy at the same time  when Elder Bonin got here and because this last week we have been so busy doing so much stuff and it made me realize that we could’ve done so much more before he came. It’s sad to think that but I am glad things have changed and we are now working at 110 miles per hour. . We have been so busy that every night I pass out in delightful exhaustion. It is so great. I love that. It really makes me feel accomplished and I know I’m now doing absolutely all that I can do to better this are and help the work of salvation progress. I look forward to the upcoming weeks and what lies in store. Things can only get better.

 So this weekend Elder Dallin H Oaks is coming to talk to us. I am so flipping excited. He is coming for a young single adult’s fireside. And he agreed to talk to the missionaries with our own fireside thing before the YSA one. So our entire mission gets to go plus the entire Atlanta mission will be there as well so it should be real fun and I cannot wait.

 

Last week for pday we were able to go up to Amacolola falls. It’s this waterfall kind of nearby. It was really nice our entire zone went which always makes for a good time. Get to hang out with everyone and have a good time. I was freaking out because that was the closest thing to a mountain I had seen since I left Utah. So I of course had a smile on my face. I miss the mountains so much. The leaves are starting to change colors here. And since there are millions and millions of trees everywhere it is so beautiful. There are colors everywhere. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. I love it. It has been getting pretty cold lately though. We can see our breath most days. And honestly I like so much better than the heat. at least I am not sweating to death anymore its more of an even medium with the cold air and all the energy used to ride a bike everywhere it is just perfect.

 

this last week we were tracting and we came across this guy he had a salt lake city shirt on so it seemed promising and we told him we were missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints he told us he knew who we were and that he served a mission in Argentina. He then said that he used to be a bishop. And then said now he was an atheist. .. Didn’t know that is what a mission and bishop adds up too. but it was very sad. He went on to say he was sorry for us. And that the bible and book of Mormon are false. And can easily be proven false. We told him we knew that they were true and began to leave. Here in the south when you leave somewhere it is so common to say have a blessed day. Everyone says it, so you get in the habit of saying it. As we were leaving my comp said have a blessed day. And the guy had already shut his door and he made it a point to open the door and say I will not have a blessed day because days are not blessed and god does not exist. My heart almost instantly broke right there. I was so very mad and yet so sad for this guy. I wanted to just say how you can explain the world we live in and all the things on this earth you can’t tell me that all this got here without there being a god. I was very upset. It was defiantly a testimony builder to me. That god does live and he does know and love each and every one of us. The feelings that were felt at that guys door where very bad but as we left I could feel the love of my savior come upon me reaffirming me that everything was alright and he does live. I know he does and there is not anything that could change that. He loves us and hears our prayers. There is no doubt about that. Don’t ever forget it!

I love you so very much! All are in my prayers every day. Keep the letters coming and emails I love them so very much. Have a great week.

 

Love Trevor

Oct General Conf 2013

Hello,

 

This last week has been pretty great. Conference was defiantly the highlight of the week for sure. I absolutely loved listening to all the talks given. I felt that each one had something that I needed to hear. This was probably the first time I watched every single session of it. And I loved every second of it as well. I remember in the past it has always seemed that general conference was always twice as long as it really was. It would drag and I wouldn’t listen. But this time that was not the case. Infect it seemed as if it was over in the blink of an eye. I didn’t want it to end. And now that it has I am sad. I feel like it should still be going on. Never again in my life will I take conference for granted again. It truly is a blessing. I am so grateful for the prophets and apostles here on the earth today. I am grateful that they are worthy to receive direct revelation from god that can help bless every person life on this earth. We truly are so lucky to be able to hear them speak and listen to their council. And it is from god. It really is such a blessing!

 

Everyone really took care of me this week. This ward really wanted me to feel loved and they did a great job, the ward members and some other missionaries made cakes of all kind and wished me happy birthday it was so great. I loved hearing it from my family as well I love you all thank you! I really do love and miss you all.

 

This week while driving to the church to watch conference on Saturday I looked at my watch then realized that Utah is two hours behind. Realizing the time I then quickly came to the understanding that my dad and brother were more than likely out duck hunting without me..... Boy can I say I was and still am more than jealous. Wish I could go. But it’s all good. I hope you slayed them and had some good times. I am expecting pictures of all of them trophy ducks.

 

Thank you for the love and support once again I thank you for all you do love you!!

 

LOVE ELDER ROSS

What a week!!!

It has been a great week. I was able to go on exchanges with elder Vernon. Which I loved. That guy is a boss. I really like him a lot and he makes everything fun yet we really are busy and get a lot done at the same time. He’s so great. I love getting that change and being able to have that change in a companion after so long and or area as well. It’s nice. So while elder Vernon was here we were doing our daily planning session at the end of the night and we sat down and we were planning on how many new investigators we wanted to try and get the next day. I though it was possible to get one. Elder Vernon looked at me and said I think we can get six. I was like whoa! That’s a lot but I agreed. And when we knelt down to pray we specifically asked our heavenly father for six people that would be receptive and willing. the next day before we exchanged back we went out and knocked on 3 doors on those three doors we came in contact with a family of 5 and two other girls that wanted to hear what we had to say and were really open to listening and learning. it was so great that right then and there our prayers were answered he didn’t let us down as he really never does he’s always there and always going to answer our prayers if we ask in faith he will be there for us to always depend on. 

 It was cool because we had planned on meeting with our investigator Kim Reese this last week but she was having people come over and redo her basement so things were way hectic at her house and she ended up canceling on us the night before. So then we decided that we would go tracting and while we were tracting lo and behold Kim Reese pulls up and offers us a ride. She wanted to take us out to lunch so we were able to get some food and even though we thought that we wouldn’t be able to this week we were able to teach her and make contact with her. It was so great. She told us that she was glad she saw us because she had really been stressed out with the renovation and we really helped calm her down and she said she just felt something so different the second we got in the car. It was really awesome to hear her say that.

So every Tuesday we go and volunteer our services at ivy creek assisted living home for the senior citizens. We help with their craft hour. It is so great to hear all the stories from all their lives. They really are so great. Plus they are always commenting on how cute I am so of course I love going there. I love hearing the truth! But anyway this last week they were talking about marriage and a bunch of the old ladies started getting very sad and teary eyed. Their husbands had just passed away recently for most of them. So one of the staff members noticed and quickly changed the subject by having us missionaries tell a little bit about ourselves and why we're here. Usually we aren’t allowed to really talk too much about it without getting kicked out so it was a surprise to me. But we talked about ourselves and our purpose. And these little old ladies loved it. After that they spent the next half hour or so asking us questions and us answering those questions. They were all so sweet and by the end of it nearly every single one of them had told us that they had no clue all we sacrifice to be here and that they had been told things about the "Mormons" but after what we said they found out that those rumors they had heard were false. They were so interested in our message. and a couple of them even started asking us more about our church and wanted to know more about it so it was so great and we were able to plant that seed in some of them and really help them come closer to their savior Jesus Christ. After that one of the ladies her name is Barbra asked us to come to her room so she could show us something. She had received an email from her friend a video of a news clipping.

This video was a news clipping from 2007 about a girl in Tennessee who was going through cancer. She was going through all the treatments and found out that the Mormon tabernacle choir was performing in her city on their tour. She really wanted to go but was unable to do to her treatments. One of her family members wrote to them asking if a few members of the choir could come and see her. They never heard back. But one day they went on a little walk outside the hospital and when this little girl walked back into the hospital the ENTIRE Mormon tabernacle choir was there waiting for her. They sang all of her favorite songs just for her. It was so amazing to be Abe to feel the spirit from that. and to really see how that made that girls life so happy at that moment that even though she was going through one of the hardest times of her life those simple songs helped her forget and just be as happy as she could be. It was so great. The spirit was so strong. And Barbra knew that’s what she was feeling. In getting Goosebumps just writing about it.

 Well thank you so much for all you do I love you

Love elder Ross

nerf war

This week we were able to have dinner with two of our investigators. It was so great! They both are so amazing. One of them her name is Kim Reese. She should already be baptized. She really knows so much and loves the "Mormons" but she is too scared to take that leap of faith and enter the waters of baptism. She still has so many questions she says. And the other night when we were at her house she asked us questions over and over again. Which is good, but also you don’t know every little detail about the church before your baptized. I mean I am still learning every day and heck everyone is still learning every day. So it’s just the act of showing her that through baptism she can really follow her savior Jesus Christ and also can gain that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost that can help her learn even so much more. She is so ready. Just nervous.
It is so hard living in the mall of Georgia. Especially since we are on bikes it wouldn’t be as difficult if we had a car but we don’t and we understand that but it is so hard having to travel so far to get anywhere. And to top it all off we are dead at the bottom of the area so we are literally the furthest you can go before leaving the area. It makes it very difficult to do anything really. It would be so great if we could move somewhere in the middle of the area then we would be closer the members and the houses and we would have an even medium of our radius of the area to our apartment. That is the end of my little complaining session.
It has been great though. The other investigators that we had dinner with are absolutely so flipping great. They love us and we love them. They had us over and fixed us a thanksgiving dinner. They are willing to listen to what we have to say and listen when we do teach. But they have also came out and said we are Baptists. I hope that they can have open minds when we teach them and really listen to learn not disprove. They are so great and I know that what we have to share can really bless them and make them so much happier and that is all I want for them.

We had the primary program yesterday in church. I haven’t seen one of those in a long time. It was nice to see all the kids and how excited they were to say something in the microphone. They are flipping hilarious. I really enjoyed it. It was very entertaining but at the same time. I didn’t know that I could get so much from a primary program. Those kids taught me so much it was great.

So a member gave elder Barrett and I nerve guns for his birthday. And the Spanish elder saw them so they wanted some. The other night when we got home we went over to do our laundry at the Spanish elder’s apartment that’s where we do it. And then we started shooting each other and it turned into a huge a nerve gun war and we were running around jumping and screaming. Then it got around 10 so we stopped and quieted down and about 15 minutes later we get a knock on the door it was two police officers. I guess someone in the building heard the screaming and yelling and jumping and thought that someone was being hurt or abused so they called the cops. We told them what we were doing and that it was late so we stopped. The policemen laughed and said you are awesome. Then they left. It was a pretty eventful night. So we took some pictures to remember it because out of consideration for others we don’t want anyone else thinking someone is being beat to death again.

I love you all thank you again for all your letters and the love that comes with them.

 

LOVE ELDER ROSS

 

 

 

Life is Good!

This week was just wonderful. On Tuesday, We were able to go on exchanges with the zone leaders and Elder Thomas came over to the Hamilton Mill area with me. In simple terms he blew my mind. He is an amazing missionary. He taught me so much in such a short time. I though my mind was going to explode. I really didn’t want him to leave when the time came because I felt that he had so much that I could use and I just wanted to get what he had. He is a great missionary. We stayed so busy that day and it was such a great feeling. We were going to check on this recent convert who hadn’t came to church in a long time. When we got his house no one answered the door so we then decided that we would go tracing around the neighborhood. the first house we came to this young adult man answered the door and he said that he would like to learn about Jesus and wanted to call us and schedule a time to come back so that was great and before we left his house we asked him if he knew anyone else in the neighborhood that could use our message or is in a time of need. He pointed out two houses and told us a little bit of what each of them were going through. So we then went to the two houses the first was a young lady and her family. They had been going through a rough time and were interested in hearing our message so we talked and decided to come back after our dinner later that night when her mom would be home.
Next we went to the other house that the gentleman had pointed out to us. It was a young man about 18 years of age. He was very interested and had a lot of questions for us. So he invited us in and began asking and wondering. So he said flat out to us that he had been raised Presbyterian his whole life but if what we had to say was true and this really is the true church then he wanted the truth. He didn’t want to be living a lie anymore. So he was going to keep an open mind about everything. And wanted us to come back again. He took a book of Mormon and even said the prayer before we left. And he has been reading and praying about it.
Then we went to our dinner. At dinner we asked the member we ate with if he would like to come with us to this investigators house which he excitedly agreed to. We went and taught a lot to them and they all wanted us to come back this Tuesday. But being able to see the member come and him actually testify of everything we were saying was so great. You could tell that they were more receptive to the members testimony than they would’ve been to just ours. Members are so great. And they offer so much more to investigator. I know that if he wasn’t there the meeting would’ve been totally different. And would not have been in anyway as effective as it was. It was such a great day that day. Plus we got to ride our bikes so much that day. Which I loved so that’s always a plus.

On Saturday it was Elder Barrettes birthday and so it seemed like every single member in the entire ward wanted to feed us so we went from house to house and the members fed us all day it was crazy. I never have been so full of food in my entire life. I was about to explode I swear. Not a good time that day. The members are so great though. We helped this member stain his fence that day as well it was good to do some service. But the funny thing was this guy that we helped he looks exactly like Edward Cullen. Not even joking and so crazy he kept saying things from twilight and making us all laugh. He was hilarious. It was way fun. Made doing service a blast which it always is though.... right?

I got to have an interview with the mission president this week as well and that was so great. He is such a nice guy and shows so much love to every single missionary out here. It was great to be able to sit down with him and have a one on one conversation with him.

Everyone I meet always asked me about my family and then I go off on a rant on how amazing my family is so all better feel special. Amah I sure do love you all and hope everything is going great. Keep writing letters it is so great to get letter in the mail. And hearing from people just makes my day. I love you so much!

 

LOVE ELDER ROSS

 

 

 

It has been so nice lately. We really have been having so much fun and getting so much work done. It feels like we are always so busy just running from one place to another trying to keep appointments. It is hard but it is so great and wouldn’t want it any other way. We have really been finding people like crazy and finally it has paid off we have got a bunch of new investigators this last week. And a few of them have turned into progressing investigators which just says that they are following the steps and keeping commitments towards baptism. It’s amazing to be able to see that change come across someone in such a short time. To be able to see them grow and become so much happier in their life’s. It’s great. We have been having some success but it is disappointing when you meet those people you just freaking love and adore them and just want them so badly to do this because you know it will help them but just for some reason they don’t want to take that next step. That is so hard. We have had a couple of people who have chosen that and it breaks my heart. But at the same time we don’t give up and the lord works in mysterious ways. So one day one day. We just keep being examples and always invite and give them the opportunity. Don’t ever take the opportunity away from them. It’s important that every day we are examples to everyone around us no matter where we are who we are with or what time of day. Always strive to have that Christ like example with you and be that. just like Ammon he was there to serve and he showed what he was capable of by being an example and serving others and the king lemony was so astonished at his actions more than his words which in turned helped convert him and a whole nation. Being an example goes so far our actions go much further than our words.

 

 Yesterday at church it was very hard to go. We aren’t allowed to watch football so I didn’t know the score to the games but right when I walked in all the dang BYU fans came up to me and gave me so much crap about the TEXAS game. At first I thought they were just kidding then they showed me the score I could not even believe that it was possible for BYU to beat TEXAS. I am still mad about that today. I can only imagine brother lonely now.... I am so heart broken. I have talked this game up for years. Enough about that I am getting sad just thinking about it. And I just found out the Steelers lost yesterday... gosh dang it!! :(

 

I love you so much. How’s everything going? How’s life? School? Work? How was Labor Day? I love you all.

 

Love Elder Ross

RED NECK GPS

THIS IS A MISSIONARIES IDEA OF GPS

 

 

I KNEW ELECTRICAL TAPE WOULD BE HANDY - BUT COME ON THIS IS GENIUS..



LOVE IT!!

This week has been so great! We were able to go back to Lilburn for a zone conference. My first zone conference. There wasn’t anyone from my MTC district there but I got to meet so many new people it was great. Also there was so much said there that really helped us work this week. I learned so much from that zone conference it was so great. Truly inspired by the lord of what was said.

So we were tracing a lot this last weekend and we actually got a lot of success from doing it. We first came across this guy with a family. He was nice as usual. And we asked if we could share a message of Jesus Christ with him he was very excited and asked if we could come back another day because he had family coming over. So we gladly made an appointment to meet with him and his family again and we will be seeing them this week to teach them and answer their questions.

Then we were in a different neighborhood and we came across a Spanish family luckily they spoke some English and they asked us to come back as well. So we gladly set up a time to come back. So yesterday we walked for hours up hills to get to this families house after church and we got all the way there and he had company and asked us to come back next week.... I was heartbroken after walking all that way. I tried to have a good attitude and the lord showed me that I was supposed to be there at that exact time. As we began walking out of this neighborhood we came a crossed a guy changing his brakes. We started talking to him asking if he needed any help and what not. And then he started asking us about our church he had seen our building and was wondering what it was all about, he had been wanting to come to church and check it out. I and my companion were like WOAH! Umm yes you are always welcome to come. We gave him the time and he gave us his contact information. we invited  him to church this next week and said he could go with us so that he would know someone and so this next week we are going to call him on Saturday and give him a friendly reminder and we hope and pray to see him at church. That would be so great.

Also this week we were out knocking doors and we came a crossed this guy who happens to be a Baptist preacher....he talked to us for over an hour right there on his door step he gave us pamphlets form his church he gave us books he wrote for his church he was quoting scripters at us telling us how his church was true and ours was wrong. It was funny though because he would quote a scripture and totally take the meaning of it out of context so then after he did this for a while he would quote scriptures and he ended up proving himself wrong because all his references began to go against each other in the way he was saying them.

I am so glad was raised in the church and I know the truth. I am so grateful that we have the fullness of the gospel not just a little of it but we have the entirety of it. I can’t imagine my life without it. It has given me so much and continues to give me everything each day. While talking to this preacher he refused to take a book of Mormon. And it got me thinking we were willing to take and read every pamphlet he gave us. I was willing to do that because I have already found the true church and absolutely nothing could shake my testimony of it not even a pamphlet or book of another church once you know the things I know nothing could even come close to shaking this testimony, and then I thought of him how he wouldn’t even take a book of Mormon and that goes to show how powerful the book of Mormon can be and how true the church is that he must have known or been scared that if he read it maybe he would like what he read or get that feeling the it is true and he had been wrong all along. That he would get that confirmation that the book of Mormon is the word of god. Which it is. It is so great. Just my little thought for the week. But read the book of Mormon if you already have read it again. Pray about it pray to know if it is true again even if you already have then you can feel that wonderful feeling of the truthfulness of it once again or for the first time. It is such a great feeling, that you will always strive to feel every day.

Thank you for all the love and support I get from you! I love you! I am doing so great and am loving every minute. Hope everything is going great I love you!

Love Elder Ross

 

STILL IN HAMILTON MILL

Thank you so much for all the love and support!!

 This week has been amazing! I was able to go to Lilburn to the mission home and go to a follow up meeting with all the new missionaries that came out with me. it was nice because I got to see all my friends from the MTC and I have really missed them.my companion has really been a struggle for me but this week has been the turning point we got to work through some things and now we are doing so much better. We actually talk laugh and enjoy each other. It is so great. We were able to get so much more done this week and we even found this hidden neighborhood. We call it Narnia. It is within walking distance of our apartments and we had no clue it even existed. We felt a prompting to take this trail behind our apartment and it led us straight to this neighborhood it was way exciting. We traced a little bit of it so far and in the little we did tract we got a new investigator and we are scheduled to come back this week... i will let you know how it goes and I am so excited. This isn’t a small neighborhood either so it will keep us busy for a while.

 The ward members have somehow found out about my deathly fear of snakes and they think it funny to take pictures of monstrous snakes they find in their backyards and give them to me. It is horrible. They think it is hilarious. One of the families their kids actually caught one while I was there and I refused to leave the house until they had hid it deep in the forest. It has been so nice weather here this week so rainy and cloudy which usually isn’t good weather but the humidity has been gone and it has been pretty cooler so I love it reminds me of home and it is great.

 It seems that everyone from Georgia gets mission calls to Utah and almost all the missionaries out here are from Utah so we are pretty much just swapping kids is what everyone tells me. And back home people talk about going to college here and there and in different places. But here if you go to church you go to BYU no exceptions. Almost every single kid here that has graduated this last year or no matter how long ago has and or is going to BYU it is crazy. They all get accepted too.

We had this meal I got help make it’s called a low country boil. pretty much you have a big pot on a fire and you put water and spices in it and get it boiling then you put potatoes and corn on the cob and carrots and sausage and shrimp and anything else your heart desires once all of them are cooked you strain the water out and then you just dig in and eat all you want with your hands it is so freaking good way easy and a great thing for like a family cook out. They just poured it on a big plate on the table in the backyard and everyone just sits around and talks and eats and has a great time doing it.

We started helping to teach a mission prep class for some of the young men in the ward. On Sundays. It’s weird for me because really the only mission prep class I had was the MTC I didn’t really go to a specific class. But at the same time compared to these boys I was Thomas s monsoon. So we are trying to help them build their testimony and giving them the resources so that they can find it for themselves and learn through the spirit which always the most efficient and the way you learn the absolute most.

this last week, well the last two weeks I guess we have been working on this very less active guy and trying to get him to come back to church wave gone andvisitied him and yesterday he finally came to church. I was so happy that was just as good as a baptism in my book. He said that he really enjoyed it and that he didn’t realize how much he was missing and just by those simple 3 hours he gave he could feel just a new spirit about him and he felt so much more alive and happy. I almost jumped out of my shoes and was close to running around the church in excitement.

I love you so much! Thank you for all you do! Keep the letters and emails coming it really is like Christmas morning when I get a letter. Or email. It’s so great. Hope everyone is doing great. Love you all.

Love Elder Ross

A FEW WEEKS IN GEORGIA

I will do what I can do you have his address so I can know where to send it too this week has been really hard but through a lot of prayer and patience I have made it through with a good attitude and yes I am always smiling because no matter how bad it gets I know why I am here and this work is always good enough reason to put a smile on my face. my bike freaking broke this week which was horrible but the guy at the bike shop got it fixed for me and I think he felt bad for me because he only is charging me $30 for the part and to put it on so that is not too bad at all. when they put it together after being shipped here they cross threaded the pedals when they screwed them on so it totally stripped it out and fell off and since it was stripped and they didn’t have any in the shop just alone I had to get an entire new gear system for the front but the guy had one that he just gave me so I was happy oh yeah and before all this went down I was riding my bike early that day and could tell something was wrong so I was riding while looking down to see what was the matter and I didn’t see the fire hydrant that was in the middle of the sidewalk I hit it and flipped over the handle bars. luckily I wasn’t hurt just my dignity because it was on the busiest street in Georgia at like one of the busiest times of day so  I got up as fast as I could and rode off fast. I felt stupid. I’m having a lot of trouble with my companion but I know that it’s for a reason and I can learn and grow from him so I am always just trying to look on the Brightside. this all may sound bad like it does to me but don’t worry mom I am loving it and doing wonderful hard days are inevitable and you just grow from them. Don’t go panicking or anything. I love you so much thank you for all you do for me.

<3 your baby boy ELDER ROSS

yeah it is  nice to just get it off my chest and I am dealing with it pretty well luckily we get to work out every morning and p day basketball is a great thing without them I might go crazy it’s a great stress reliever  the only problem is he is the kind of guy that if it is not his idea then it is not a good idea and when I give an idea and he doesn’t like it he just gets mad and won’t talk to me for days on end and he won’t talk to me about it to try and resolve it or anything  but I don’t want to talk too much about it if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all thank you I will get grandpa an old man birthday card I have one that is really funny I almost bought the other day and now I have a reason too ha-ha.