E-mail from Neal - Received 11/30/09

Hello to one and all!!!!!

I am glad that you are getting the same cold weather that we are. Winter has truly come, and for some stupid reason the wind came with it. That is the main problem with the cold at the moment. The wind just rips through you. I really couldn’t feel my face last night. I had to take off my glove so that I could use the phone and like 5 minutes later my hand was frozen!!!! I put the liner in my big jacket for the first time this morning, and so now I am toasty warm! There has been a ton of flooding up in the north parts of the mission. Apparently all the bridges in the Kendal area are washed out. I was talking to the Elders that are up there now, and they said that it is quite bad. It has rained a lot here, but nothing too terrible.

This week has been a different one. With the sports day on Thursday that kinda put a big kink in a lot of things. It was a ton of fun though. These past few weeks have been way tough in the work though. We have not really seen all that much success, and so that is never easy to wade through. Bottom line is that I am not performing the way that I should, and I am not being the example that I should be. I have made a new resolution to really change the way that I am working and it is going to start today. I have been studying all the Neal A. Maxwell talks today (you know the ones that I mean), and that has really helped me to re-focus. I have made some power plans to change, and all that I really ask of you is for added prayers. I am nearing the end, and now is the time to really go big. I fully plan to!!!!! I don’t want you to have any undue worry though, cause I really am fine…. Its just all a process of becoming my best self! That is all the Lord asks of us is for our best selves, but sadly I haven’t been giving that. I can give so much more, and that is exactly what I plan to do. I am going to move on though.

Knowledge was way good this week. I learned quite a bit, but the thing that stuck out to me is that we learn things in many other ways than just study. It says in the scriptures that we must seek learning by study, and also by FAITH. That is the key! We know that faith is an action word, it means to go and do something. With that being said that means that we learn things by going out and experiencing things, and also by trial and error. You all know me…. You all know that I learn things much better when I am shown what to do. Tell me how to do something, and I am ok at it, but you show me and I am all over it. I learn when I experiment. I learn when I get my hands stuck in, dirty, and cut up. I learn from the mistakes that I make while trying! That is another form of learning by the Holy Ghost. You can learn the gospel by experience as well. I know that Jesus Christ suffered for me because I have felt the power of the Atonement. I know that keeping the commandments is important because I have gone both ways, learned from my mistakes, and can see the blessings now! You can have all the book smarts in the world, but until you go and put those smarts into action you have nothing. That is what I learned! I am excited for patience because it is something that I feel I have really developed on my mission. I have had to pray for it many, many times, and I am excited to go deep into it this time. I will share my thoughts with you next week.

I am jealous of your Thanksgiving feast!!! I don’t know if I have told you, but my picky eating habits have all gone, mostly. I am still not a fan of bananas, but I will eat them when they are placed in front of me. But there were some things that you mentioned in your menu that before my mission would not have appealed to me, but now my mouth is watering! We had a good dinner at a members home, but it was nothing like yours. I am really excited for Christmas though!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess last of all is to tell you about Gary. He is doing amazing. He asked me to Baptise him, so that will make number 4 on my list of ordinances performed. Its cool, but I would really rather not do it. Ask me why when we get a chance to really talk. Some of the things that he is telling us though are amazing. The only explanation is that he has been taught by the Holy Ghost! Keep praying for him though, he will need it, as will I!!

I love you all so much. Thank you for all the support that you give!!

Talk to you soon
Love,
Elder Neal

E-mail from Neal - Received 11/23/09

Hello to my crazy cool family!!!!!!

How is everyone over there??? I am very wet. It has been raining constantly, and its not the most fun. I think that so far this year we have already had more rain than last winter combined. I really don’t remember it raining that much  last year, but this year has been constant rain. Oh well, “I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord.” I am happy to be where I am, and we are seeing great things happening. They are slow right now, but that doesn’t mean that miracles aren’t happening. We actually have someone that is getting baptised in a few weeks. His name is Gary Robinshaw, and we found him on the street the first day that E. Boahene was in the mission. He has done amazing.  He has been to church twice now, and he is giving up smoking. He made a huge step on Saturday night, and gave us all of his tobacco!!!! We were so proud of him! We told him that we would dump out all the tobacco and then give him the tin thing back but he said that he wasn’t going to need it anymore, so just toss it all. I about fell out of my chair! I would ask you all to please keep him in your prayers though. He has been smoking for a lot of years, and he is going to need all the help that he can get! We read him Ether 12:6 and 27, and promised him that the lord is going to bless him with so much strength, because he acted in faith. I know that he can do it!!!

We had a great zone conference this week, as always! The scripture chase was a lot of fun. I didn’t do all that great. I got 4th out of my qualifying group, and there was about 20 in the room, so I did ok. E. Boahene got in to the finals though!!! I was so proud of him. He did quite well. Didn’t make it to the final 5, but he wasn’t dead last either so he accomplished what he wanted to. He was excited. As always president gave an amazing talk that just picked us all up. He talked all about the spirit, and the 7 things that the spirit does for us in missionary work.

1)      Gives feelings of comfort, peace, and then from that come confidence
2)      It teaches you all things
3)      It guides you to all truth
4)      It shows you what to do
5)      It gives you what to say
6)      It Brings all things to your remembrance
7)      It bears record of the Father and the Sun
 
Of course there are scriptural references for all of those, but that is way cool. Do you see the sequence there. Those are in the order that things happen as well. I thought that it was way cool. He also talked about the 3 D’s of receiving revelation

1)      Desire
2)      Discipline
3)      Doctrine

You have to first want to receive it. You have be worthy and ready and willing to receive it, and to act upon it. You then must understand and know how it will come. Can you see why I say that he is going to be a general authority someday???? He is amazing!

We are going to be having a Mission Sports day on Thursday, and he is going to be out there with us playing Football (American). He said that even if the weather is bad we will still be playing. I am taking my Frisbee though, and I am going to get a proper ultimate game going!!!!!!

The study of virtue this week was a good one. It really struck me how much virtue really effects. It is not just a one time thing either, it is a consistent process. I read in a talk that virtue is an accumulation of thousands of little thoughts and decisions. That is very true. Keeping yourself clean for a day really doesn’t make you a virtuous person, but keeping yourself clean for a lifetime does. That is I think that main thing that hit me this week, is how we all need to be virtuous, and that we all can become that way. I have lived parts of my life in a different path, far from virtue, and I can really tell the difference now. I wish that I would have lived my life better from the beginning, but you cannot change the past. All that I can do is not allow the past to plague the future. Virtue is a life long thing, and it is truly something that brings about the most choice and precious of blessings.

It was a great topic to study, and it really made me feel the great importance of being a virtuous young man. I read in another talk that we as Priesthood holders are the “defenders of virtue.” How true is that!

Well I think that that is all. I need to get going cause we are going to Liverpool today for a zone activity. The Isle of Man elders are here for the sports day so we are taking advantage of that. I love you all so so so so so so so so so so so much. I hope that you can feel my prayers for you. I can feel yours. Keep up all the hard work, and continue to study hard.

With Love,
Elder Neal

P.s. I got another almost new suit from the mission office for FREE. The pants are a little big so I am thinking about getting them tailored, but we will see!!!!!! It’s a sweet suit though!!!!

E-mail from Neal - Received 11/16/09

Hello to my amazing family!!!

Well I guess that the best way to describe this week would be wet. I got soaked through more than once, and that is never fun! Elder Boahene lost an umbrella this week, but that is really not an uncommon thing for missionaries. It has been fun trying to talk to people in the rain that is for sure! Tracting in the rain is way fun too. People just kind of look at you with that look of “you must be nuts”. Whatever, its totally worth every drop of rain when someone lets you in!

I really don’t have a ton to talk about this week except charity. It was a really good topic to study and apply! Something that I really learned is that Charity is love in action. That is what I found through all of the things that I studied. As I looked through the scriptures I found a lot of things to back that idea up. If you think about Christ you can see it quite easily. He would first love someone, and then he would show it. Greatest example is the atonement. He loved each and every one of us, and then he showed it by suffering and dying for us. What greater love can be shown (John 15:13). I have really tried to show my love in this way this week. I have found myself seeing people in a different light, and striving my best to serve them and love them. Mosiah 28:3 has been in my mind quite a lot this week, when ever I have a lack of desire. I think about the great love that the sons of mosiah had, and that pushed me to work harder and talk to more people. I really liked how you talked about the scripture in 1 Peter 4:8…. How true is that. You have to look in the JST on that one though and it talks about how love prevents lots of sins. I though that that was way cool. Another scripture that goes along with that is Romans 13:9. Love is so important, and it is something that we must all strive for. Often times it is difficult to have this love, but we can gain it.

I just had a funny experience with love and charity. I was sitting in the library next to a lady that I will describe as “dis-advantaged”. My first thought of course is the thought of the natural man. I really didn’t want to have to deal with her. She was trying to set up an email account, and she really needed help. She asked me for help, and I did it. We only have a set amount of time to use the computers, and I took time out of my time to help her. Now it didn’t take that long at all, and she was very grateful for it. The natural man is the enemy here, and we have to push him aside and get down to the love of Christ that is in all of us. We can do it, and we can pray for it!!!!!

On Friday and Saturday I was Liverpool on exchanges. Well I was actually in Crosby which is north Liverpool, but is was really good. I was with Elder Tonks, who I came out with, and who has really struggled for the better part of his mission. It was really great to be able to help him and to lift his spirits. Over the past 3 months of being a leader I have really learned some things about myself. I have found that there are really two areas where a leader can excel. I think that the first is in the actual work (teaching, finding, especially finding), and then the other is just emotional and spiritual help for the missionaries. I feel as though I really excel at the second category, and honestly if you ask me, I think that that is much more important. I am not the greatest finder, and while yes I can be the example, I have learned that my leadership comes in my council and advice. I have been able to help every single one of my missionaries with troubles or questions, and that feels great. I am very grateful for the gift that Heavenly Father has given to me to be able to do that. It says in my patriarchal blessing that I have a gift to perceive other peoples feelings, and I have really seen that in my life thus far! I am so glad that I have been able to come on a mission and work on these gifts, and make them better.

Anyways this week is zone conference, and we are having a mission wide scripture chase activity. We have been practicing everyday, and I am getting quite fast. There are 125 scriptures on the list, and that is a lot to remember, but I am feeling great about how much I have learned!

Well I best get going. Keep on striving hard and have a good time studying Virtue this week! Have a good week. I love you all, and I pray for you all the time!!!

LOVE,
Elder Neal

Me and Elder Stacy (he is my zone leader, and I came out with him)

A cool building in Crosby

THE BEATLES!!!!

E-Mail from Neal - Received 11/9/09

Hello Family!!!!!!!!!

Well it sounds like life at home always continues to move. I think that for a long time I thought that time would freeze for some strange reason. I am going to get home and probably freak because of all that has happened. I am excited though. The end is nearing everyday. The sisters that I came out with went home on Wednesday, and that is crazy!!!! My last senior comp (Elder McIntosh) also went home, and that is way scary as well. I have been a senior comp ever since I left him, can you believe that?!?!? Anyways the time is far spent, and there is little remaining, but there is enough to get some good things done, and boy do I plan to! I am excited and I am grateful for the many opportunities that I have had thus far, and I know that there are still many to come!

The rest of this week was a tad rocky, but never the less I was able to make it through in one piece. I am excited to start a new week, and officially start the new transfer, and I think that a P-day is going to help that one out. Never fear though I am doing great, and I am loving life. The time is moving like it did in Stretford. It seems like I am hitting the pillow quicker and quicker each day. I know that these last 6 months are going to fly!!!!!

So hope this week was amazing.  I learned quite a bit about hope though. I spent a lot of time with President Uchtdorf’s talk “The Infinite Power of Hope,” and from that I learned a lot of wonderful things. I learned that hope requires just as much action as faith! In order to achieve all of our hopes we must live righteously and work for them. Eternal life is not achieved by sitting around and doing nothing, it requires work, and lots of it! I also spent a lot of time with my patriarchal blessing as well. That is a document that is packed full of hope. All the blessings that are promised there are things that we can hope for, but we have to work for them. I have really been striving to find all the blessings that are promised to us as missionaries, and I have been working to have a brighter hope in those promises. Like PMG says “Hope is the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfil his promises to you.” I have been looking for those promises, hoping for them, and then acting in faith to receive those promised blessings. I have seen great things, and I am hopeful to receive more! I am glad that you liked your study of hope as well. What I want to hear from you this next week is not just how you studied about charity, but how you applied it as well. That is where the growth comes from. I am looking forward to continuing to apply all these attributes as the weeks go on.

It has been raining constantly lately, but today the sun finally came out. We are going to take advantage of that for sure. I finally pulled out the scarf last night cause it was really cold. It is definitely getting closer and closer to winter!

Well I think that that is all that I have to report on this week. I am doing fine and working hard. Say hi to everyone for me, and tell them all that I love them! The church is true, and I am so thankful that I get to enjoy the blessings of that!!!

I love you all
Elder Neal

Pictures from Neal - Received 11/4/09

#1- me and my zone leader Elder Newson (this is the elder that is good friends with the volcom guy.... Tell Kelsey Hansen that)
#2 - A way cool cake that a member made (Robin will like this one)
#3 - My Ward Mission leader Mark Lloyd and his wife at the halloween party.
#4 - The Wigan Elders!
#5 - Halloween Party.... The Men in Black (E. Boahene is Will Smith of course)

#6 - Ashley Being silly (we had a trunk or treat)

E-mail from Neal - Received 11/4/09

Hello all of my Snow bound family!!!

I am jealous….. I really, really am jealous. We have had nothing but rain the past 3 days. It has been interesting, but nice. I haven’t got caught out in the rain yet so I am happy about it still. I do miss snow though. I think that someone is going to have to take a drive up to Estes or I-70 or something and take some pictures, cause I need it. There is a sign on the side of a bus that shows someone skiing and a gorgeous snow covered mountain and it says “The Recession…… Can kiss our Snowballs” I laugh whenever I see it, and it really makes me want to go snowboarding. I will live though. I am glad that you all have snow though, at least one of us does.

I guess I should tell you that I am staying in Wigan with Elder Boahene for another transfer. There was some talk in the zone about be going Zone Leader, but I am not ready for that. Maybe soon, but not yet. The rest of the district is moving all around though. Elder Diatel is going to Rochdale to be a District leader, Sister Mather is training, and Elder Tonks is getting a new comp. I am going to have 3 new missionaries to get to know and love…. That shouldn’t be hard. I am excited for the new transfer though. This is going to be a good one. The work is really beginning to take off, and that always makes me happy! The Becoming like him activity is amazing too, and that has helped everything!! I will talk more about that later.

Halloween was great! We had to stay in after 5 because Halloween is much different over here than in America. Lots of mischief, and a white shirt and a tie make for a great target! We had dinner at a really cool members home, and then got to go to the Halloween party. Ashley was still an investigator cause she hadn’t been confirmed yet so we could go! It was way fun. As you can see from the pictures we went as the Men in Black! The ward loved it. We pulled is off quite well I thought. The party that we had at the church was very American. We had a trunk-or-treat, and it was a lot of fun. I really love being missionary!

Today we are going to the Temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited! I have jumped at every opportunity that I have had to get to the temple. We are going to be catching a bus here soon, and then getting a lift home with a member. It is going to be a good day.

Alright now it is time for the Becoming like him section………

I really could be here all day long telling you the things that I learned this past week, but I will just talk about the highlights. I will start by telling you that this activity has changed the way that I look at a lot of things, and it is only the first week! I am really excited for the other 8. First of all I am going to invite you all to do something. In the back of chapter 6 there is an activity that you can do and rate how you stand. Do that activity for the specific attribute on Monday, and then the following Monday, and see where you are at the end of the week. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. I saw an increase in many of the categories. Anyways I think that the main thing that I learned this week is that Faith is Action!!!! I knew that before, but I am actually applying that now. My prayers changed this week. I stopped asking to be given the faith and strength to open my mouth, but I starting saying that as I opened my mouth, bless me with success, and strength and power. Power is given to us in response to faith. Miracles come after you EXERCISE faith!! I could give you scriptural examples, but we would be here all day long. That has become a strength of mine, expounding upon the scriptures that is. I really felt great power come to me this week. I have loved the study of faith, and now that I am on to hope I just keep getting stronger. I am really looking forward to the time that we are going to have when you come over (while I am still a missionary) to talk about this activity, it is going to be amazing!!! I have learned some really cool things, and I am so grateful for that!!!!!

Because of this study the week has been amazing. So many great things have happened, and I know that they have happened in response to our faith! As we act in faith the lord rewards and blesses openly!!!

Continue to study hope this week, and let me know how it all goes!!!

I love you all so much, and I will write you again on Monday!

LOVE,
Elder Neal