Don't waste your time on me, you're already the voice inside my head.

Hello Everyone

Last week I forgot to put on a mormon.org profile, so I will put two on this week. One at the beginning, and one at the end.

This is a great one.

http://mormon.org/me/1N0F/

Anyway, This week has been another frustratingly slow one. We work our tails off, and what comes from it? barely any lessons taught this week, no new investigators, and no progressing investigators. But let's look at the positives for a minute

1) I'm still alive.

2) I have good food to eat

3) It is cooler outside than it was all summer, plus I have a car

4) I totally called that Brother Richardson was going to be called as the Bishop in Ponds Park Ward. Which is completely awesome by the way. If you don't know him, that's ok, you can read how awesome he is http://mormon.org/me/3526/Gregg/ :)

Ok, now for the real stuff. I have learned a lot from the Book of Mormon lately. I finished the Book of Alma, which has a lot of war and carnage and stuff, but a ton of doctrine and great information for us to learn from to grow. It is amazing how much we can learn from these events. I've noticed a lot that every prophet quotes Lehi, who was told by the lord "If ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land. If ye keep not my commandments, ye shall not prosper." It is amazing how many times this is said in the Book of Mormon, it is quoted again and again. Obviously, we need to learn from this. Especially now, when you look at the world around us, you look at this ridiculous stuff happening with same sex "marriage" and crap like that. We are going downhill fast. But instead of talking politics, let's just talk about how Mitt Romney is tearing it up! Come on Romney.

anyway, back to gospel stuff that I should actually know about (all I hear about politics is bits and pieces from members). Our country was built on the Christian values, and it needs those values to stand. There is so much the gospel can teach us, so many things that help us in every way. Both in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We have a lot to learn, and the scriptures are what will give us that knowledge.

I have been studying the atonement lately. Preach My Gospel has great information on the Atonement, if I remember next week I will bring my study journal and give some good scriptures to look up. The thing people don't realize is that we have to DO something in order to take advantage of the Atonement. So, let's talk James' Advice, and do some good works. Let's partake in saving ordinances done by the priesthood, and let's invite others to do so. Everyone. Not just the missionaries, but everyone. That is our duty as Children of God, and that is our Duty as Latter-day Saints.

Last night we got a phone call from the Elders in Joshua (our sister ward). the convo went a little like this

"Hey Elder Foust, do you want to baptize in October?"

"Well, yeah"
"How Early in October?"
"Umm.... I don't know... sometime...."

"Ok, well, you have a baptism"

"Can I call you back when we get to the Apartment?"

"Ok, so what's the story?"
"there's a non-member that's been coming to our ward that lives in your boundaries that wants to get baptized, so we taught lesson 1, and found out where she lives, and now you need to teach her"

So maybe, just maybe, God does bless us for our hard work, even if we don't ever see it coming. We haven't met her yet, but we hopefully will soon. Apparently Sundays work best for her, so we have to wait until church, but this could be the miracle investigator we've been looking for.

AND she was invited by a friend. Member missionary work is a million times for effective than full-time missionary work. Obviously we have to be involved because of priesthood keys and stuff, but it works so much better when the members bring them.

1/700 doors knocked in Texas is a baptism. 1/5 member referrals is a baptism.

So... Invite your friends to learn about the restored gospel in its fullness!

give them a Book of Mormon, have them read the Introduction, and tell them your favorite chapter. If you draw a blank, 3 nephi 11 is a great one. So is Alma 7.

I know this is the True Church.I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and that he has called a prophet again in our day. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that the Plan of Salvation is God's plan for our eternal progression and happiness. I know that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through Faith, Repentance, Baptism by the Priesthood, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End we can be, and will be saved in the Kingdom of God, in the Celestial Kingdom, with our families forever. I know that we can receive revelation for ourselves, and that the Prophet receives revelation for the whole human family. I know that God doesn't waste time in getting things done. It is done in his time. "No Unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing." The sprit whispers to our hearts, through our thoughts and our feelings. We all have more to learn, and the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, will help us do that better than any other source.

This week's mormon.org profile is Kevin Fedderson

http://mormon.org/me/4PMT/

By the way, This is legit.
--
--Elder Braxton C Foust--

Whoa, we're half way there, WHOOOAA LIVIN' ON A PRAYER‏

This transfer is half over. Crazy sauce huh. And I have been living on a prayer the whole time I have been here.

This area is hard. It is hard for a multitude of reasons. I am not dealing with Montezuma's Revenge like my Brother in Mexico, and I don't have crazy Asian guys with deep scars trying to kill me like my Brother in Cambodia. So I guess I have it pretty easy.

We teach a lot of people on doorsteps out here. I have given out a good number of copies of the Book of Mormon out here too. But I have yet to sit down and have an actual Lesson 1 with anyone here. Nobody is home for our return appointment. Nobody wants to learn. Everyone just says "I'm good, I already have Christ" or "I was saved when I was 16" and crap like that. Well guess what, you don;t know what your missing out on. And when we try to tell them why our message is so important (living prophet, eternal families, celestial kingdom, etc) they just say "I'm good". It is very frustrating.

Let's take a look at that for a minute. "I'm already saved" "I found Christ" and "Jesus has taken my sins" "I'm already going to heaven".

Every one of these statements is true. Yes, that's right, I just said that what all these different denominations of "Christianity" is true. With the knowledge and light they have, and in the situation most of them are in right now, living good, honorable, happy lives, they will be saved in heaven, and not suffer for their sins. But how will they feel when they are let into the Terrestrial Kingdom and they are told "oh, by the way, there's another kingdom above this one."

"Wait... What?"
"yeah, you were saved in heaven, and you'll see Christ, and you won't suffer for your sins, but there's another glory above this one"

"what's so great about that one?"

"Just a couple of things, they live with God and Christ, not just being visited by Christ, and they are with their families forever. Unlike yourself, you will be single for eternity, because you weren't sealed in the temple of God by the Priesthood"

"But I wasn't ever told that"

"yes you were, the missionaries came by and taught you that, but you did not get baptized"

obviously, this is not really how it will go down, this is a dramatization written by Elder Foust.

But the doctrines taught in it are true! Sometimes I just want to say "Look people, you need what I have! You don't know what you are missing! THIS WILL MAKE ETERNITY EVEN BETTER!!!" but I can't do that. It's so sad. There are even members out here that we work with that forget about celestial glory. There are several RMs, all grown with families now, that have fallen into inactivity for a multitude of different reasons. I'm sorry, but none of them will be justifiable to God. But I can't say that to these people because they could get offended, and it is amazing how much damage is done when someone is offended by a missionary. That is the hardest thing for me, I want to be bold and blunt and tell people how it is. Not that they are going to Hell, because that's not true. But that they are missing out on blessings in this life and in eternity. It's all very delicate. So I have to be careful. We all do. Sometimes I just want to shout it from the rooftops, but soap boxing doesn't work anymore. besides, there's not a very busy area to try that in here (i know because I asked).

Look, the Book of Mormon is true. If you don't know it, read it and pray about it sincerely. If you knew it but "forgot" (and I use that loosely) read it again and pray about it sincerely. If you know it is but for some multitude of reasons are not living up to the covenants you have made, whether they be through baptism, or in the Temple, fix it. "Repent ye, repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"

Yes, I just called all of you to repentance, and I enjoyed doing it :)

I love you all!

Random side note.

Elder Sare decided I need to carry a business card that says

"I'm 6' 4"

No relation to President Faust"

because every single member in this ward has asked me those 2 questions.

Also, apparently Burleson was founded by the KKK

"All my life I've been waiting for, I've been praying for, for the people to say

That we don't want to fight no more, there'll be no more war, and our children will play

One day...."

"One day" -Matisyahu

--Elder Braxton C Foust--

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

I remember being a little confused and excited. Nothing seemed to make sense. Mom and Dad seemed worried, and the TV was on. We never had the TV on before school. Something must be wrong. Dad is watching the news, another phenomenon that I am not used to seeing. When I get to school I run in, thinking I know big news that hardly anyone will know, but to my surprise every TV in the school is turned on, and all the adults seems worried. Something significant happened. An airplane hit a building in New York. Then it was two planes. Then one hit the Pentagon. What was going on? Why is this happening?

Ten years yesterday one of the most significant events in USA history took place. For my generation, it is as memorable as the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Thousands of people died, and our nation was under attack. Their goal, their job, their life and their death, was all pointed at one thing. Terror. But this is the United States of America. We pull together, and, as only Toby Keith can put it, "Justice will be served and the battle will rage. This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage. You'll be sorry that you messed with the US of A. Cause We'll stick a boot in your a** It's the American way!"

And so... We go to war.

And the nation pulls together, and become a God fearing people once again.

But now, it's ten years later. And what happens? People remember what was done to us, they remember why we are at war, but they forget God's hand in it all. I heard yesterday that they are now printing money without "In God We Trust" on it. If that's true, then I'm worried. Without recognizing God's hand in all things, how can we possibly get along? How can we do anything productive in this country without his help? This country was built on Christian values and beliefs, and now everyone wants to take His name out of the pledge, and off the currency, and out of public schools. And what do they want to replace it with? Teaching same sex marriage is ok. (yeah... cause that's how the Bible puts it....(sarcasm)) and that immorality is acceptable (again.. definitely in the Bible.....). and that it's good to be a single parent. and that you don't need religion. I'm sorry but, anyone who tries to say this country's government doesn't need Christian values to run correctly, is either not educated, or blinded by the craftiness of men and Satan.

It's just sad.

And that is where the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, his one and only true church, with his authority lies, and where his gospel is taught, in its fullness. Where Salvation is available to all who are willing to submit to the will of the Father and make sacred covenants with him, through the priesthood.

And that is the truth.

So, now that I have rambled about that for a bit....

This week has been hard. We've worked our tails off, and got no new investigators. We taught a total of about 15, half of which were to recent converts of less active members. The rest didn't bring much fruit. yet. We have one guy we're working with.

random note. President Sagers has asked that we do not use anyone's first names anymore for privacy and other reasons, so I will start using false first names.

We have this one guy we're working with, Davin, He is really cool. We talked to him on his driveway my first week, and at first he was a little closed and not really interested, but by the end of the conversation he was much more relaxed and curious. So we left him with a Book of Mormon. On Saturday we had an appointment with him, and he was outside busy putting together a rocking chair for his wife who is expecting their first kid in a couple weeks. So we talked to him briefly out there a little more about the Book of Mormon and he started getting excited to learn more about it. On Saturday we are going to officially teach lesson 1 to both him and his wife. It is going to be awesome.

Last night we had one of those moments that just excites you as a missionary. We dropped in at a less active family's house. The missionaries have worked with them quite a bit in the past, and we have gone over a couple times now. They are starting their uphill fight to get back in the habit of church and become fully worthy temple recommend holders again. When we got to their house we didn't have any idea how we were going to pull the conversation into the gospel and teach. With them we could probably just say "hey, can we share a spiritual thought?" and it would be fine, but they always have non-member buddies over that aren't really interested. Anyway, so here's the what happened. We knock on the door and no one comes at first, but we can see them sitting there. So we wait a bit and knock again harder, and one of the kids runs to answer the door and invites us in. We go into the living room, and they all have their scriptures open to 1Nephi 11 and Brother D. Says "Perfect timing Elders, you just missed the opening prayer. Open to 1 Nephi 11." It was great! They were having family scripture study! So we had study, the kids went to bed, and we talked to the parents and the friend that was there. He actually asked us a couple questions about what we do, so that was great. Brother D is in sales, so he asked us about crazy people we've talked to, and told us some of his funny stories from knocking doors. It was great.

One the note of family scripture study... do it. No matter how big or small your family is. Do it. If you are at college do it with your roommates (cough cough Ashleigh cough cough) ;) if you are a single person living alone, do it with the singles ward. I guarantee they do something like that. And if they don't, take the initiative to start it. Something that was pointed out to me last night was that if you are reading the scriptures (particularly the Book of Mormon, but it applies to the Bible too) in more than one setting you will learn more from it. You read at different paces in different situations. So as a family you may go very slowly as your kids struggle to pronounce "condescension" and "nevertheless", and on your own you finish the whole book in 2 weeks, you're going to learn more that way. You'll notice things in 1 Nephi 8 that help you better understand alma 32, because you read them both the same day. Things will make more sense and your knowledge, faith, and understanding will all grow, as will your testimony.

so do it.

Love ya!

This week's Mormon.org Profile is in memory of all those who fight for our country, both on our own soil, as well as those overseas.

http://mormon.org/me/4KJH/
--
--Elder Braxton C Foust--

I had an idea for a subject line... but I forgot it‏

What are the biggest differences between Killeen and Burleson?

Is it the fact that nobody wants to talk to you at their doorstep?

Is it the fact that there's no "project" type ghetto housing?

Or really no big ghetto at all?

And no Ghetto blasted Cadillac's and Lincoln town cars rocking 24 inch rims on every street? (thank goodness there's not...)

Is it the fact that I now get to ride in a car?

Is it the fact that nobody is in the military?

Is it the fact that if someone is in the military and you use military lingo in conversation with them they assume you are military too?

Is it the fact that a gallon of milk is only 98 cents instead of 3.98?

Although those are all true, the biggest difference is simple.

The difference is about 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

and it is wonderful.

Anyway, Burleson is great. Even though tracting seems like a total waste of time because no one wants to talk, it is still a great area. My new companion is Elder Sare. He is from Fremont California, and he's been out about 14 months. The ward here is awesome. The members are just stellar, we have exchanges (someone coming out with us) almost every day Tuesday through Sunday, and they all love missionaries. There are a couple families that are huge. Like, the kids grow up, move out, but stay in the ward, and then their kids do too. There is a family in the ward with 12 kids. (only like 4 of them still live at home) the oldest is 32 and the youngest is 5. They are a way fun family. There's another family that we have FHE with every week. They are big too, not quite as big, but still big and it's a lot of fun. Plus the house we go to every monday night for FHE has a baby grand piano that they let me play :) so that is a huge bonus.

This area seems like it has so much potential, but it has been a little bit lower on the success lately. We are hoping to change that.

We have a couple of investigators, Fran and Brittana, that we are losing this week. I say losing because we are not dropping them, and they are not dropping us. They are foster kids and are being adopted this weekend. They both had baptismal dates for last Saturday, but their "new mom" forbids them from joining the LDS church. She also "does not feel comfortable" with them have copies of the Book of Mormon. They are very upset about that and are going to work on her to see if they can change it. This family they are joining goes to a "Mega Church" where they all sit in an auditorium and watch a televised pastor from somewhere else preaching. The girls hate it, because "it's so fake" (Fran's word choice) and they don't feel the spirit there at all. From what it sounds like their new mom has some misconceptions about the LDS church and is probably thinking that the anti stuff she has heard at some point is true. Their new family lives just outside our area in the FT Worth 3rd ward boundaries, so the good thing about that is I know the Elder who covers that area quite well. His name is Elder Warburton :)

Anyway, can I just tell you how frustrating Anti-Mormon stuff is? It is very frustrating. People hear the most random things and then think its doctrine. Last night I was asked about Warren Jeffs. Ugh.

"He's not mormon?"

"No"

"what is he then?"

"A pervert"

"Haha, that works. But really what religion is he?"

"a breakoff group that is not affiliated with the LDS church at all."

"Oh, ok. That makes sense"

Boom. Misconception eliminated. One less ignorant person in the world.

Well, I had a lot more I wanted to talk about, but we have District meeting really soon, so I have to go.

I love you all!

I am going to start putting up a Mormon.org profile for you to check out every week. The videos are short, so check them out.

Did you ever see the movie Forever Strong?

http://mormon.org/me/36YP/BraxtonFoust/
--
--Elder Braxton C Foust--