Monday, September 24, 2012

The best time of year


It's finally starting to hint that it may be getting cooler, which is awesome. The last couple weeks have been a lot cooler than before, so that is good. But the last couple days have still been about 90. But, I may not see another triple digit day the rest of my time in Texas. That's a weird thought. But the best thing about the cooler weather is that more people are out and we can talk to them easier now.

This week was really good. We are working really hard to find, teach, and baptize. We are starting to see more people that are interested, and that are willing to do a little bit. Now we are just working on helping them be willing to do a lot.

We found a new part member family this week. They met with missionaries before, and she learned something that concerned her, but she never told them what it was, they had no idea that there was a concern really. So they just kept teaching and it never went anywhere. She eventually told them that they are probably not doing much good there and should go work with someone else. We went over there not knowing all the details, but were able to sit down, and as we taught the spirit worked on her and after telling us that she was fine where she was and everything, she finally blurted out her concern, and it was obvious that she is not only not fine with where she was, but really she was worried about eternity. She had a friend tell her that she was going to hell and things like that, so we taught about the Atonement. She felt the spirit a lot, and now she is very willing to have us back.

We had a couple people drop us, and Gus (who has still been in and out of the hospital) told us that his sister told him to stop meeting with us. So he doesn't really want us to go by his house anymore. But he still wants to come to church. So hopefully we will be able to teach him there and eventually he'll decide he's ready to be baptized.
Yesterday in the YSA branch the pianist was out of town, so they asked
 me to play for sacrament meeting. Luckily they asked a week ago so I was able to figure out what I wanted to play. It was fun to get to play up there, but it is weird to play with people singing along.

Today is a really busy p-day, so I will have to end it here. I love y'all!

--Elder Braxton C Foust-

Monday, September 17, 2012

Insanity


This week has been insane. It has rocked, we have gotten a lot of work done. Elder Border is exactly what I needed to get pumped up and what this area needs to get into shape. Our work styles are a lot more compatible than Elder Moore's and mine, and so we work really well together.

We have been doing a lot of tracting, and we are finding that people are still about the same receptiveness as before, but we teach better together, so more gets done. Yesterday we met a lady who lived in Idaho most of her life, so she thought she knew all about the church, and had some common concerns, but as we taught the Restoration, things were explained to her in a way that made a lot more sense and she committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. One of her concerns was one I have heard a lot, but it is one that I never really understood the root of the issue. Behind every concern there is some point(s) of doctrine that are not understood. As we talked with her, I realized what the Doctrine is behind this concern. The concern is "Mormons believe that Christ and Satan are brothers." I realized something though. When people have this concern, it is because they believe that Christ is the Father, or in other words, they believe in the Trinitarian view of 3 in 1. One in being, which is completely false. The implications of this false belief, when tied to our understanding of the premortal existence implies that Satan is the Brother of our Father in Heaven. But when you understand that we are all spirit children of our Father in Heaven, and that Christ is NOT the Father, but his son, a separate being, and then you realize that we were all together as our Father's children, and that Satan rebelled, it is no longer this big scary thing. The Bible calls Satan a Fallen Angel. He was a spiritual son of God, but did not keep his first estate (meaning he did not accept our Father's plan to come to earth and receive a body and use agency.) As we resolved her concern, a lot of barriers were removed. I love the fullness of the gospel, because it makes so much sense.

Another great thing about transfers is that like I said last week we have three new missionaries. One of them is named Elder Weaver, he is from Kaysville and graduated from Davis High this spring. He was in Dean and DeAnn's stake, I know that because he asked if I was related to Landon Foust and said he was in his stake. It was fun to talk to him and try to find people that we both know, but we have very different types of people we hung around, he doesn't know Jaden either. But as soon as he saw me he said "Yup, I know I've seen you before." Jaden, you should ask Sam Barlow about this kid.

Have you ever heard about the Texas State Fair? They always deep fry tons of stuff there, and they have  new things they do each year. This year one is Deep-Fried-Bacon-Wrapped-Cinnamon-Rolls. I want to try one. Unfortunately the fair is out of my area.

Elder Border is a really cool guy. He is from Ogden. He played basketball in high school. He went to Fremont and Ben Lomon (idk how you spell that). He also played basketball at Dawson Community College in Montana, and then came on his mission. He is my second 6'6" companion (the first being Elder Pipher). We have fun together. We even got in a bash the other day and we rocked it :) not that i look for those, but when they come, sometimes you have to put these "Christians" in their place. It has made me love the Bible more though, and I have really gained a testimony of the Bible being out here.

Well, I need to wrap it up, I love y'all! Have a great week!

--Elder Braxton C Foust-

Monday, September 10, 2012

The tenth day of the ninth month in the year of our lord, two thousand and twelve

What is significant about 9/10/12? well, simply put, it's today. Which makes it a good day. In fact, it makes it a great day. Also, as I was typing this i was just reminded that tomorrow is 9-11. I heard Courtesy of the Red White and Blue the other day, which is what I often think about whenever I hear about terrorism, 9-11, or other things that have to do with our Liberty, Justice, and Freedom. This is America. One thing Texas has done for me is help me be more patriotic. There is no place in the world like America. Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. I am going to have a "come and take it" flag in my room when I get home, cause that's how I feel about America. Just try to bring us down. Nobody can. Nobody, except for us that is. In the world we live in, where morals and ethics are decaying around us, we are bringing about our own demise. Sodom and Gomorrah may be forming around us. Babylon the Great is building up again. We need to keep the commandments of the Lord and eliminate these cities, and instead build Zion around us. (if you don't understand what those are, read the Old Testament, and the New Testament, and the Book of Mormon. All of them explain those.) We need to keep the commandments so that we can prosper in the land. We need a place to start right? So let's start with these. Living the Law of Chastity,  Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy, and Living the Law's of Tithing and Fasting. If these three laws are kept, the rest fall into place, and we can experience Zion around us. That's why the City of Enoch was translated. That's why the people in the Book of Mormon were righteous and had no poor among them for 200 years after Christ came. These simple laws were kept.

Anyway, that was a random tangent that all came from me having no idea what to put in the subject line. Funny how those kinds of things happen.
 Transfers are this week. Elder Moore is leaving me, he is going to Hurst North to be with his MTC companion, Elder Jansen (who replaced me in Denton 3 months ago). My new companion's name is Elder Border. I have no idea where he is from, or really anything about him, other than he is tall and plays basketball. Maybe he'll be able to teach me how to actually shoot right. One of the wards in our zone is closing, that's the ward that Elder Johnson (from DHS) was in, he is going to Arlington to be a ZL with his trainer, Elder Ford (who was in the MTC with me). And a ward that has had  a senior couple in it for a long time is getting a set of elders in it now instead. I'm really excited for this companionship, because one of them is a New Missionary (missionaries are not supposed to use the word Greenie), fresh from the MTC. And his trainer is Elder Warburton. I am stoked to have him nearby again. (if any of you don't remember, Elder Warburton is my trainer too). This will be his third "son," so I will have another brother in the mission now. Our zone is actually going to have 3 New Missionaries in it, so it will be fun. I am way excited for this coming transfer.
 Last Friday morning we spent a few hours at the Keller's home doing service. They were putting in Dog Runs and needed help with the big gas powered Auger. The thing about it though is that Texas dirt is not exactly friendly. There was about two or three inches of dirt, and then we hit solid clay. But we got 8 holes dug and 8 posts set, it was fun. Then we used the chainsaw to trim a big tree. It was a lot of fun. Afterwards he fed us Elk and Deer steaks for lunch, he bow hunts all the time. They are actually going this weekend, and he said if he gets one he'll give us some filets. I'm excited for that. They gave us a bunch of tenderized deer steaks that we took home and Chicken Fried, they were delicious. I'm glad Texas has shown me what a real chicken fried steak is. It is good stuff.
 Well, time is short today, so this will be a shorter email. I love y'all! Have a great week!

--Elder Braxton C Foust--

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Faith, Hope, Charity, and Love qualify him for the work

Developing the Christ like Attributes is not the easiest thing to do, as with every blessing from our Father in Heaven they require effort. They require a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ in order to develop. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk once where he talked about Faith, Hope, and Charity being three legs of a stool. They are all dependent on each other, and without all three, one's foundation cannot stand. So how do we exercise these attributes and develop them. We have to do things that we would do if we had them. It is a cycle. As we do things that develop faith, our faith grows. As our faith grows, we do things that develop our faith. It applies to the others as well, to all Christ like Attributes. It is not possible to change your nature without changing your behavior. It is impossible to live the Spirit of the Law without living the Letter of the Law. It is impossible to be a good person without doing good things. It is impossible to be a follower of Christ without following Christ. It makes sense.
 So it is impossible to BE something without DOING the things that they do. But is it possible to DO something without BEING that? yes. A missionary can work hard because they know it is what they are supposed to do, but that is the end of their reason, they are not BEcoming the missionary, or the child of God, they have potential of being. The same goes with any of us in any situation. If we are doing things without our heart in it, whether it be doing those things grudgingly, or if we do them passively, we are missing out on opportunities for growth. DOing without BEing is hypocrisy. Saying you are something without Doing it is deceiving others and yourself.
 So why do I bring this up? I don't know. But it is still true.
 We had a lot of times to develop love this week. each time we sacrifice something for someone else we see blessings. For example, three nights in the past 8 days have been given up so we can travel to far parts of the zone to do baptismal interviews for the District Leaders. Is it worth it to lose proselyting time for that? of course! That is 5 people entering the waters of baptism, performed by the priesthood authority, and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost so they can progress further in this life. Once those of these who are male receive the priesthood, they have authority greater than any pastor, preacher, evangelist, or any other religious figure in the world. They have the authority to perform the ordinance of baptism for others. How incredible is that? How awesome is that? God loves us, so he has provided a way for us to be happy, to follow him, and to receive all of his blessings. And he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so just as in days of old, he is orderly. He is organized. Not just anyone can hold this authority, but everyone may, if they will simply follow Christ and be baptized by one who holds the authority.
 This past Friday was Zone Leader Council. It was an amazing meeting, as always. We had great trainings on how to develop our faith, how to help missionaries in the zones that are struggling, and how to teach more effectively. Afterwards we were able to find a jumpsuit for one of those 5 people i talked about a second ago. We needed a 5XL suit, and fort worth had one, so we got it on the way back to Weatherford. It was still too small for the guy, but he got into it. When we got back to Weatherford we saw the Keller Family again. we had a great lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and we are going to do service over there on Friday morning. We have had some very busy days, and they are only going to get busier. This Saturday we get transfer information, so 'll let y'all know on Monday if Elder Moore or I go anywhere.

This was a weird email, sorry about that. I love y'all, Have a great week and find someone for the missionaries to teach :)

 
--Elder Braxton C Foust--