What a Mission Is All About

Hello Everyone,

This week was a fairly normal week all things considered, but there were some good experiences.  We were able to teach our investigator Guillian twice this past week.  We got to teach him the Plan of Salvation in the first lesson and go over prophets again in the second lesson.  Through out the lesson the Spirit kept on making things click, for example the mom told us that she already believed and knew about the pre-mortal world even though she had completely forgotten it a long time ago.  Then during the prophets lesson Guillian surprised us by basically teaching us the entire Plan of Salvation lesson showing he remembered a lot more than we thought he would.  These kind of experiences are what a mission is all about, the chance to share the Gospel to others.

On Friday the ward had a trunk or treat/dinner event that we got to attend.  That was Elder Huang's first real experience with Halloween and it was fun seeing him embrace a bit of American culture.  We also had several potential investigators attend which was awesome as well. Saturday the zone leaders came on down again and we went on out to contact people who lived in the middle of nowhere, then Sunday we had to give talks.  I was asked to give a short five minute talk while my companion gave a full talk.  In the end they went well, but the real surprise was seeing the Jefferies, my next door neighbor, show up and congratulate us.  That was really fun and really proved to me how small the world really is.

In the end that was the week.  In the coming week or two there are some very solid potential investigators we will get to teach, as well as good things coming our way.  Until then, thank you for all of the support and happy Halloween!!!

Elder Baxter

More Jellyfish from the Aquarium

A giant eel

With the zone leaders

A unexpected reunion with our neighbors, the Jefferies.

Two Weeks Worth

Hello Everyone,

Sorry about missing last week, our p-day got changed due to a temple trip and the whole schedule was crazy, but it has all settled down now.  Now comes the trick of remembering the main highlights!

To start off, we went on the hunt for service opportunities.  The Elders before me decided to end all service for various reasons, but we managed to find an opportunity at a Habitat for Humanity store house.  It has been nice to be able to attend and basically do organization and clean up jobs.  They were also very appreciative of missionaries coming back, so it has been good both ways.  Beyond that, a lot of time was spent that first week introducing Elder Huang to Newport and helping him learn the main investigators and members.  It has gone well and since then we have been going out trying to use all our resources to find those who will receive us.  It has been long, but rewarding when we do find.

We were also able to teach Guillian a bit more.  We have been helping him get ready for baptism and got him to church last Sunday.  He really loved Primary and the ward is really supportive.  In fact, their home teacher is actually the Bishop which works out amazingly for us!  The toughest hurdle has been the Dad.  The Mom really wants him to join, but his lack of interest has been hard on the family.  I do feel though that as we continue to come over and as they pray and read their scriptures his heart will be softened.

We have also come in contact with other various people and see miracles happen in the District I am over.  It has been a good time to be a district leader over the coast areas, and awesome to see the Lord bless the other missionaries.

Now that brings us to this week!  Going into it, we found out last minute that our p-day was changed to Friday due to a temple trip.  We also found out that district meeting was changed to Thursday for that week and that President Orton was coming in for interviews that Wednesday.  Well, that basically threw our plans out the window, but we did what we could!  Interviews were good with President, and I also turned 21 that day as well.  The day was pretty normal, but it was a nice day to be able to reflect a little on what has happened so far.

Friday we got to go to the Portland temple.  It is a very beautiful temple and I am glad to have gone.  I got to see three of my past companions, and the Spirit that was felt was amazing.  I also got to see a bit of the Salem and Portland missions on the drive there and back, which was fun.  Then on Saturday the zone leaders came on down for a special split where we worked the area.  I worked near the coast in Depo Bay and got to see some awesome waves hit the cliffs in a storm, as well as meet some great people.  Then finally today I got to visit the Newport aquarium which was quite fun.

Thanks for bearing with me that long.  Sometimes it can be tough to remember the specifics of what happens during the week, but know that the work is progressing and I am excited about for Guillian.  Thank you for all of your support!

Elder Baxter

Birthday package

Stormy weather

Stormy seas

On the way to the temple

At the temple

Portland Temple

At the temple

Past companions

Portland Temple

Portland Temple

Tag 

Another boat picture for Hyrum

At the Newport Aquarium

Loving the jellyfish

Moved P-day But Here Are Some Pictures

We have a temple trip [mom note: to the Portland Temple] this Friday, and due to that they moved our p-day to then.  So basically I am going two weeks in a row without a real p-day.  I will write my weekly email on the trip back from the temple.

[Mom note:  Meanwhile here are some pictures Carlton sent us today.   Also his birthday will be Wednesday!!  So happy birthday Carlton!]

Carlton with the cars that he lives above.

With Elder Huang

Newport coast with Elder Huang

A boat picture for his littlest brother (who loves boats.)

Miracles Will Come Through

Hello Everyone,

This week was the final week of my eleventh transfer.  Elder Dillon is leaving and going on down to Coos Bay and I am staying another transfer here in Newport with Elder Huang.  He is an Elder from Taiwan and is a super friendly guy.  It should be a good time with him.  In the mean time I am currently waiting in an institute building for the transfer van sometime around 6 pm.

This week we had several good lessons and experiences.  To start, on Wednesday we got to go and talk to an older woman about the Book of Mormon.  We have done some service for her in the past so she let us right in.  We learned very quickly that she knows how to talk, a lot. We ended up getting trapped there for quite a long while, but in the end she said that she would read the Book of Mormon, so it was good in the end.

We also had a couple lessons with various recent converts this past week that went well, as well as made a larger push on working with members.  The most solid investigators come from members, so we have been working with various families in helping them to pick a friend to invite to a family home evening where we would present a portion of the Restoration for the lesson.  It will take some time, but as it happens I feel like miracles will come through.

Saturday we got our transfer call, and from that point on it was the normal packing and saying good byes.  Sunday night though a very spiritual experience happened.  We went to teach the nine year old named Guillian and his mother.  We ended up putting Guillian on date and recommitting the Mom to come back to church.  We talked about many challenges they were going through and we were able to show how a faith in Jesus Christ could help.  We then got to end it by giving a Priesthood blessing.

And that brings us to today.  This morning we woke up at 4 am to get ready to come to Corvallis for a 6:15 am transfer time.  Since then I have been emailing and playing card games with other Elders and previous companions waiting for the transfer van to come in.  Thank you for all you do and for all of the support,

Elder Baxter

One last time with Elder Dillon

The coast at Newport

Events that Stick Out

Hello everyone,

This past week was a pretty regular week as far as missionary work goes, but a couple of events stick out.  To start, last p-day the zone came on over to Newport for a zone p-day.  It felt great to be able to see other missionaries again, including Elders Hoskins and Smith, two of my former companions.  As that event wrapped up though, we had the chance to go on over to Corvallis for an exchange with the zone leaders.  What was special about this exchange was the kind of area they work in.  They are in a young single adult ward on a college campus at OSU.  It was fun being with Elder Hoskins and talking to college aged students on campus with the beaver mascot being all over the place.  It is definitely a very different kind of missionary work there.

Later in the week the mission office had us switch out the mattresses in Newport and Waldport.  It turns out some of these mattresses have been around since 1990, so the mission has been switching them out for the past couple months.  That more or less took up half of our Thursday, but allowed us to get to know the Danley's, a senior missionary office couple, better.

General Conference was great though.  We watched most of the sessions at our church building, and the Sunday morning session we did at a Members home with Nicole, the person who was baptized the first week I was here.  I really loved the emphasis on following the prophet and the necessity to study the Book of Mormon every day.  In fact, all of the talks were great and I can't wait to look them over again.  We truly have living prophets and apostles, and I know at as we follow them we will receive the revelation necessary to return back to our heavenly parents.

Thank you for all of the support!

Elder Baxter

Sister Danley texted this picture home

Getting together with other Elders is always fun