Week 3 in South Arkansas

  This week was a really good week. On P-Day we went to this pond behind a trailer park where a member lived. We fished and made hammocks and just had a good time. We were fishing with water bottles and fishing line haha! I’ll send some pictures.

Enjoying P-Day

   Tuesday we had a Zone Conference with Elder Zwick from the first Quorum of the 70 and his wife. They were both super awesome and way nice. At the beginning they lined up and all the missionaries go to shake his and his wife’s hand. That was super cool, he was a mission president in Chile and knew an Elder Geddes, but it was probably some other Geddes.

Elder Zwick and Elder Geddes

 They both gave really amazing talks during our conference and as well at the devotion that night with ward and branch leaders form 3 stakes in Arkansas. Elder Zwick talked about always reinforcing and keeping your foundation strong. He talked about how the Portland Temple’s foundation was built. When they went to dig it, it was way too soggy because of tons of rain, and would be impossible to pour a regular foundation. So what they did is drove I believe 500 96ft steel beams in to the ground with a 48” concrete caps on top. He related it to our lives and how we need to drive another “Pilon” into our foundation when we need to adjust, or to reinforce our foundation. If our foundation is strong enough it will not break. I really like that because we are constantly facing adversity, but with a strong foundation, we will not be led astray. Every time Elder Zwick talked that day, the spirit was so strong. He was a great speaker and definitely knew his stuff. He told a bunch of awesome stories.He then told us that we will have i-pads in our mission by December. He is really confident in them and knows that he has our trust, and the quorum of the 12 has our trust with the ipads. The ipads are going to be a really good missionary tool. I wasn’t too excited for them before, but when he talked about them it made me pumped! That day was a great day, and we are really blessed to have living prophets and apostles in our lives to give us amazing guidance.

Meeting with Elder and Sister Zwick with the missionaries in Arkansas

 Sister Zwick in the night devotional told a story about her son that has special needs. He was flying to Boston alone to see he brother. Some friends of the Zwick family happened to be sitting behind him on the flight, so that is how they know this story. He was talking to his seatmate and asked where are you from. The man responded Las Vegas. And the special needs kid (scotty) responded oh you have a really pretty temple there. The man said I think so and asked “are you Mormon” Scotty said yes and told him simply how he loves being a Mormon. Then he asked the man “So when are you going to join, it will make you happy?” The man said “I’m not sure, maybe in the future. Then scotty told him how happy the church has made him. The point of the story is if a kid who can’t read or write can share the gospel so easy, we can’t be afraid to open our mouths and share it with as many people as possible. This gospel is so amazing that is why we as members and missionaries need to invite and share the message with more people. I loved that story, such a great example of how simple missionary work can be.

  This Sunday was really awesome as well.  We had a great dinner with some members, and it was actually kind of American food which was great.  After we were tracting we then felt like we should go to a less active members house who use to be way active.  They had gotten offended.  They are super nice, and welcomed us in and fed us another dinner.  It was this weird soup stuff with really chewy meat noodle looking stuff in it.  I asked Elder Castaneda later what I had eaten and it was COW STOMACH and PIG FEET!!!  Disgusting, good thing I didn't know what it was while eating it or that would have been bad.  After the parents and the kid all wanted a priesthood blessing.  I gave the kid a blessing in English, and while there I felt impressed to ask them to come to the branch with us in 2 weeks, because conference is this week.  He said he would, so I hope that they will come because they can be such a strength to the branch once again.  All of Sunday was a great day, and we had a lot of good lessons. 

 
 I'm so glad to hear about the Ollie's baby blessing! That is an amazing experience for Adrian and Ryan, and what an awesome birthday present for Uncle Rich.  I agree with the long testimonies, a short and to the point is almost always more powerful than a storimony. I have learned that from being in the CCM and on my mission. We have had several Testimony meetings that are only suppose to be a minute long each, and every one is really powerfully, and the spirit is so much stronger.

  I'm glad to hear that Nick Emery is heading back on his mission. That is a great example of being obedient, and finishing an important work that he started. He will be blessed significantly for his decision for sure.

. I love you so much. Thanks for all that you do. Sorry I would have written more, but I ran out of time.

Love, Elder Braden Geddes