Madness? This isn't madness.. THIS IS TEXAS!!!!

Want to know what madness is? 112 degrees Fahrenheit with a heat index of 117. that's madness. Now add riding about 20 miles in that heat over the course of one Saturday. I am very happy to have a camelback. without it, I probably would have died.

So this week is transfers already. Holy cow this past 6 weeks has flown by. I got a call this morning from the Zone Leaders with my "Transfer Doctrine". They told me where I am going and who my companion is. I am very excited to go there and it will be awesome.

After I was told where I was going I asked where the other members of the zone would be headed. They told me that they would tell me right after they hung up. After the call ended we got a mass text from the ZLs to the whole zone that said

"You're all staying!

Except Elder Foust"
We had P-day activity at the church and everyone said goodbye to me. I won't miss the city of Killeen so much, mostly just the people I have met and the Missionaries I've become close to, which is practically the whole zone.

It will be weird transferring to ________ without anyone else in the car. It will just be me and a member. Fun stuff. then when he drops me off, he'll pick up a missionary and bring them down to Waco (just north of Killeen) and drop him, then go to temple (just east of Killeen) to pick up Elder Stanworth, who is my replacement and bring him to Killeen.

This week we taught Michael and Lindsey a bit more, they both accepted the Baptismal date of September 24th! They are going to be solid. They're awesome. They are actually our only real investigators right now, other than Devan. The rest are kind of in limbo between being investigators and not.

Well, I had better enjoy riding my bike tomorrow, since I will be doing it less for at least the next 6 weeks while I'm in __________.

Anyway, I love you all!

I hope to hear from all of you soon!

I've learned a lot more about the Atonement while on my mission. Read Alma 7 to understand more about it for yourself. It will bring comfort to you as you prayerfully read, ponder, and pray about it.

Love you!

--
--Elder Braxton C Foust--

And now the moment you've all been waiting for.....

Ok, I'll tell you. I'm not that much of a jerk.

I have been called to serve in the Burleson Texas ward. Burleson is just south of Fort Worth, I'll be in the Fort worth zone. I actually know 2 people in my district already. Elder Whittier, who is one of the missionaries who finished the Billy Bob's challenge with me, as well as my new District Leader..... Elder Warburton! How frickin' cool is that? I get to serve around my "father" after only being away for a transfer. And he is training again, so I'll be around my "brother" too. I'm stoked to get to go on exchanges with him in the coming weeks.

My new address is

Elder Foust

355 NW Hillery #912

Burleson TX 76028

Yeah, that's a Northwest in the address. I honestly did not know that existed, but apparently it does.

6 MONTHS

Holy cow, this transfer is already almost over. We are in week 6, next Monday I find out if I stay in Killeen for another 6 weeks, or if I take off. That being said, Anything that is put in the mail for me should be at the post office by Saturday if it is sent to my Killeen address, otherwise it can be sent to the Mission Office. Hopefully next week I'll have my new address (if I get transferred) ready when I email.

This past week was awesome. We had Zone Conference, which is always a blast. We went to Waco (roughly an hour drive) to meet with our Zone and the Waco Zone and with President Sagers and the Assistants. It was great. I learned a ton. President sagers goes on random tangents, but they always apply. At one point his tangent became a discourse on understanding Isaiah, which was freaking awesome. We got a lot of trainings about eliminating distractions from lessons, and about asking inspired questions to help investigators understand. It was awesome. The wards in the stake where we have ZC provide lunch for us, and they made a ton of brisket. I love Texas.

Seriously though, I hear about people in crazy places where they eat the same thing over and over again, like rice in Cambodia for example.... and I am grateful to be in Texas, where the only thing I need to worry about eating too often is meat.

The night before Zone Conference the Assistants came down and went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders, but since the ZLs didn't have enough set up that night to split up, one of them came with us. it was awesome to have him (Elder Spear) with us. We taught a lesson at a dinner appointment, and then did some stop by's. We got to the last 5 minutes before the exchange with him was over and Brindley and I were ready to just chill for a couple minutes, but he told us that president had promised in the past that this was the best time to push a little harder and get something for it. So we walked to the gas station by our apartment, and talked to Michael and Lindsey, a couple we've never met before. We got a return appointment and found out they live in our complex.

That was a week ago, and we've now taught them twice. They are awesome. We never would have found them if we didn't work for those last 5 minutes, so I'm grateful for the leadership and promises that come from the priesthood.

Yesterday we had an interesting experience that I believe was a test.

We're standing outside the chapel greeting people as they come in and the 1st counselor in the bishopric walks up to us with this guy we've never seen before in ACU's (the digital camo army uniform, which is pretty common dress for sacrament meeting in the military town) and he introduces his to us. This guy, Darren, met with the missionaries twice in Kansas, the PCS'd (permanent change of station) to Ft. Hood. He got up at 5:30 and started walking to the church, from on post, to get there in time for services. He's golden. He was introduced to the church by his girlfriend who was debating on getting married or going on a mission, when she explained to him what the mission was, he told her that he would financially support her mission (because her family aren't members) so that she would never have any regrets of not going. That way when he is deployed she couldn't be upset with herself for not going. After that, he started investigating the church and wants to be baptized!

Now here is the test for us. He lives on Post, which means he is not "our" investigator (technically he is the lord's investigator) but we don't get to teach him, because it's not our area. He will be taught be Elder and Sister Smith, the military relations senior couple. But that's alright, because they don't ever get transfered so they'll be able to teach him through whatever transfers it takes and support him after his baptism, whereas I may not see him again after next week anyway. And, like I said, he is the Lord's investigator, as long as he makes the covenants he needs to it doesn't matter who teaches him.

So we introduced him to Elder Smith and it's done.

I've learned some pretty cool things while reading the Book of Mormon lately. It's amazing how often God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost really are talked about. I am highlighting every reference to them, and every single page has highlights on it. I always knew they were in there, but I never realized how extremely often it is. No wonder the spirit is so strong when you read the Book of Mormon of, it truly testifies of Jesus Christ and his Atonement on every page. I promise you that whenever you feel down, whenever you feel you need something more, or whenever you feel like you could simply just use a bit more of the spirit, you will find it in the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith said that by abiding by the precepts in the Book of Mormon will get you closer to God than by any other book. It's true. Of course the Book of Mormon does not and cannot replace the Bible, but the Book of Mormon is also perfect, it has been translated by the power of the priesthood, therefore the Doctrines of Men are not taught as commandment. No one Voted on what doctrine to include during its translation as they did in the translation of the Bible. They both bring the spirit, but the Book of Mormon will bring immure prominently and more consistently.

I promise that this is true, and you can know by trying it out. Don't take my word for it, try it. Apply it. Pray about it. You will see the Cause and Effect of the Book of Mormon, it's not a coincidence.

Love you all!

--Elder Braxton C Foust-

TOMORROW I HIT 6 MONTHS!!! Holy Crap. And that means Camron is at a year!

-

The sun'll come out tomorrow.... and every day after that too

Hola everyone. How are you all doing?

This week has been a new experience for me. Instead of working our tails off and getting several lessons but no new investigators, we worked our tails off and had hardly any lessons, but got a few new investigators. I guess I can tell you about a couple of them.

Clarence is this big black dude. He's got an interesting background, being raised with hardcore southern Baptist grandparents, and a Jehovah's witness mother. He decided years ago to go non-denominational because it wasn't pulling him any specific way. We had a really good lesson with him, teaching about the restoration and Joseph Smith. He is going to start at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and read and pray about it. I can't wait to teach him again.

We got back in contact with Heather yesterday! It was great to see her again, because she's back to being her happy, ready to learn self. We stopped teaching her about a month and a half ago because her husband was about to deploy and life was stressing her out too much, so she didn't "have time" to worry about religion, but now we have an appointment with her later this week.

We met this girl named Rachel a couple weeks ago. She is kind of interested, but hasn't had time to sit down and talk with us yet. Every time we have gone over there she has talked with us, and is curious, but her husband has never come out and wasn't really interested. We stopped by the other day and he came out at one point and we talked to him. He told us that he isn't looking to change religion, but he's willing to sit in and listen and support his wife if (and when) she decides to look further into this. He is more curious than he lets on, so I’m excited to start teaching them too.

Our Elders Quorum president in the ward, President Lallis, has been doing a lot of work to help sift through the ward roster. Our roster has about 600 names on it, because it is a military ward. Wards around bases become black holes where records get sent to and stay there forever, because people don't think to request them, and the clerks don't get the info of where to send them. So he has set up a system where the Elders Quroum, the High Preists, the R.S., and the Missionaries can stop by people and find out who is or isn't still around, who is inactive, who is in need to fellowshipping or service, and who is just plain lazy and needs a reminder. We have spent a lot of time this week doing those stop-bys and it is definitely helping the ward.

The weather this week got our hopes up a lot. It was overcast when we left the apartment almost every day, and it even sprinkled a little bit one day. But the sun still breaks through and we continue to extend past the record of "consecutive days over 100 degrees". Some people might say that the overcast was a tender mercy and a blessing, and it was for the first little bit, but then the sun comes out and it is humid because of the clouds, so it's just more miserable. What does all this mean? Just keep on working and forget about how uncomfortable you feel. Just work. The blessings will come. (and while you work stay hydrated, obviously)

We all just need to remember that when it all comes down to it, Christ has felt it all and has paid the price for it. Because of him we can do anything. Especially with the restored gospel and priesthood on our side.

"I aint never been much 'til you came into my life. But now I'm a believer, you make everything alright.

Now I can walk on water, I can calm the raging sea. Move every mountain in my life cause I know that you're with me. Turn water into wine, roll back the wind and turn back time. As long as I know I'm with you,

I can do anything Impossible" - "Impossible" by Alex Boye (check out his mormon.org profile http://mormon.org/me/1KYD/)

The Priesthood of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. Its blessings are available to all!
-- --Elder Braxton C Foust--

Odd one out‏

This week has been interesting. It's continuing to be hot. Just hot. Only 105 + most days though, so I guess that's up to you to decide if it's hot or not. But luckily I've acclimated pretty well. And with the drought it's not as humid, so there's a bit of a silver lining.

Anyway, other weird things to make this week more interesting:

I had "Surgery" on my toes and lost about 1/4 to 1/3 of the toenail, and it hurt like heck, but now there's no pressure, and the infection is fading. I can support my weight on my toes to do push-ups again, so that's a plus. The day of my toes were wrapped up so tight that I had to wear flip flops over my dress socks for 24 hours. It was fun going to district meeting the next day in elder white's black sandals with my socks and my big toes wrapped up to twice it's normal size.

One of the elders in my MTC district was training in June, which was pretty cool. But today I found out something really weird, he is training a kid I went to high school with. Who was actually in the marching band with me. So that's crazy.

And.... Alan Nielsen is engaged!?!?!?

that's alarming.....

just kidding that's awesome, but seriously that's weird at the same time.

anyway, congrats to them.

So back to the heat. It's been hot. really really really hot. and when you ride a bike 10-20 miles a day, you feel how hot it is. (and you get an awesome farmer tan).

Thank goodness for being by an army base so I was able to get a military issue camelback bladder from one of the members. I drain that thing plenty. But the problem with it being so hot is that peoples brick houses radiate heat while you stand on the front porch, so it's more like 110+ waiting for them to answer the door, and then they don't want to listen anyway. We had a really tough week contacting people, nobody wants to slow down to listen for a minute, they are either too busy doing everything, or too busy doing nothing. either way, it's still hot outside. but I really do love it.

We don't really have a teaching pool right now. Devan is still learning consistently, but he's so busy that we're lucky to meet with him more than twice a week. and other than him, there's not really anyone that progresses at all. it's sad

On Thursday we had a dinner with an RM in the ward, Sarah. She's crazy. She's got a very outgoing happy out there personality. From talking with her, I think she was a dang good missionary. Anyway, we had dinner with her and her less-active boss and his non-member girlfriend. after dinner we had a lesson. It was sad because the boss, also an RM, said he "lost his testimony". he talked about how a couple years after his mission he started feeling like the church wasn't true anymore and although he tried, he couldn't get his testimony back. Do you know what that really means? that translates to "I got lazy and needed an excuse to stop going to church and live with me girlfriend." and/or "I got offended and used that as an excuse to lose my testimony." or any other slew of dumb excuses that a person could have. The worst part about it is that his girlfriend would be a member if he was active. she's been taught before, and sister Bludorn is way good friends with her and she told us that when they were talking this girl told her she loves the lds church and would join it. the whole time he was telling us his "un-conversion story" you could tell that his girl felt uncomfortable with it. everything he said was a contradiction, like how he told us that he doesn't believe in Christ as a person or god as our literal father, but he knows that prayer works and god listens and answers. He told us about how when he loses things he prays and finds it. So I told him to pray and find his lost testimony, which apparently struck a chord. Hopefully things will turn out.

Moral of the story: Members can make or break a conversion. So constantly work on your own testimony.

A scripture just came to mind, Alma 5:27-29 I believe. I don't have a BoM on me to look it up, so hopefully that's right.

you could also just read all of Alma 5. yes. do that.

what really makes me sad is there are people I know that this guy's situation reminds me of. People that I love, and that I know should be more solid in their testimony, and should be active in the church but for whatever reason are not. Please, for your own good, go back to church. you need it. your families need it. if out don't think I'm talking to you, or don't want to think I'm talking to you, then I probably am. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps, use the Atonement, and get your butt to church.

On a more happy note, there's this hilarious song by Randy Travis one of the missionaries out here has called "Pray for the Fish". It's a total country/Baptist song with probably no true doctrine in it, but it's funny.

I love you all, God bless

-Elder Foust

Splish Splash I was takin a bath‏

This week has been great. I don't have my journal with me, so I can't really break it down into a lot of detail for you, but I can give the really big highlights.

So I finally got sick of my ingrown toenails and the infection thereon, so I called the medical specialist missionary lady for our mission to get instructions on what to do. So on Wednesday I bought some betadine  and soaked my toes every morning and night. Guess what, it didn't do squat.

Moral of the story, don't get ingrown toenails. (and no mom, it's not the same ones from before my mission, these are new ones.)

But the only thing they prevent me from doing is play soccer on P-days, so at least it's not slowing down the work.

On Wednesday we had an awesome first contact and lesson with a lady named Tonya. We had a very powerful full first lesson on her front porch, and when I told her the First Vision the spirit was very strong. We were able to explain to her that the feeling she was having was the Holy Ghost testifying of truth, and she was very excited to read the Book of Mormon and to pray and find out for herself if it was true. But of course, over the next 48 hours before our next visit she conveniently forgot the feelings she had and flaked out on us. We haven't given up on her yet, but she became difficult out of nowhere. Satan is so frustrating sometimes. He knows exactly what he can do to keep us from getting the best we can. He'll even throw in something "Good" or even "Better" to stop us from getting the "Best". He is such a jerk. As Brother Clark in this ward would say "I just hate Satan so much"

random side note, he wears snake skin cowboy boots so he can feel like he's walking on Satan. (if you don't get it, go read Genesis. or even better, the Book of Moses)

Thursday we had a great lesson with Alby. It's been a while since we've taught her, but her brother-in-law who just got back from his mission in Honduras was in town and she thought it would be fun to have us over when he was there, so we had a fun visit with a good lesson too.

I don't know if any of you ever heard about the guy a couple years ago on Ft. Hood who shot and killed a bunch of people. It was a big deal, obviously. Well, someone was preparing to do something similar last week. They caught him when several applications for guns were denied in Killeen to the same guy, who was awal from another army post elsewhere in the US, and who has a very Muslim name and complexion. When the police searched his motel room there was a bunch of explosives and C4 and stuff. and C4 has a very very big boom. thank goodness he was caught before he could do anything. It just goes to show, the nation needs to turn back to its Christian values in all aspects, especially politics, so that we can be prepared for this type of thing. Yeah it's scary, but honestly, death isn't that scary to me right now. it would suck, cause I want to have a family and stuff, but The comfort that comes from the Plan of Salvation outweighs all doubt, concern, or fear. I just wish more people would listen to us so they could feel that same power.

Saturday was interesting. Apparently everyone and their Dog was moving, and they all wanted the missionaries' help. We helped a total of 5 different families either move in or move out. It was great though. Being the middle of a summer in a military town makes weekends like this fairly common. It was fun to help people move, even though it took away all of our proselyting time during the morning and afternoon. Then we had dinner, and then the baptism!

This baptism was different. We did a combined baptism with a member child, Roxey Christensen. It was great. The Christensen family was very excited for the opportunity to have a convert baptism combined with Roxey's. It was awesome. But very different than I expected.

Before the baptism, I had all these thoughts and wonders about how insanely awesome it was going to be to baptize someone, especially someone I had grown to care about a lot. But when it happened, it wasn't like this huge amazing spiritual experience or me (obviously it was for Aaron). It felt more like a simple "well done, thou good and faithful servant". And that was plenty for me. It was so great to have that opportunity.

Being present when someone comes fully unto Christ, through Faith in him, and his Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End is one of the greatest opportunities in the world. The priesthood which we hold, the keys of which being held by the Prophet of our Lord, is one of the greatest gifts god has given us. In order to have any idea of what I'm talking about, you have to experience it. So come unto Christ, and help those you love do the same. Truly coming unto Christ is only possible through the Priesthood, which is held only by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Yes, I am saying that the only way to truly come unto Christ is through this church. If you don't believe me, fine, don't take my word for it. Do your part and ask God. Truly study it out. Find out if it is true. Other churches have truth, but we have the fullness of the gospel. Other churches have light, but we have the fullness of light. Other churches talk about Christ, but we have Christ.

Yes, I am being bold. If you feel like I am singling you out, good. If it upsets you, remember that the spirit of God brings no negative feelings, only good, so that upset feeling is from Satan himself. Instead listen to the voice inside you that wants to know it what I'm saying is true. AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

That is my message to the world.

I love you all!

--
--Elder Braxton C Foust--