Dear Family,
So, I hit my 7 month mark this week. Everyone says that the 6-12 month stretch is the longest. I can agree with that. It's wierd though. The days and weeks go by SO fast, but the months go by slow. Oh well.
It's been pretty hot up here still - in the mid to upper 90s. I don't notice it too much anymore. I've gotten used to it I guess. I can't wait for the fall and winter though! I'm ready for it to cool off.
So here is the update on the "gators". This coming Sunday we will be having a baptism! Grandma is getting baptized and MAYBE Chuck will too. I'm excited to actually SEE my first baptism! Then next week, Michael - the guy with the Husky - is getting married on September 3 and then getting baptized the next day. WOO! So these should be a really good few weeks. This is the last week of the transfer also, so I'll be getting a new companion (most likely) because Elder Gardner is ready to leave and he is telling President that it's time for him to move. He's been here 4 1/2 months and this is only his 3rd area and he's been out for 14 months. This is my 3rd area and I've been out 7...My guess is that I'll be here for 6 months...but, I've been wrong before - haha.
Love You, Elder Edwards
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Dear Family ( August 8),
Sounds like you've had a great summer so far! My summer days are filled with the stench of the lake and the city of Clearlake. It's been pretty hot up here, in the upper 90s. It hit 100 a few times and it just got miserable. I hate walking around and tracting in that kind of heat. But that's the work, right?
I'm excited for football season to start even though I can't watch. I'm pretty bummed I have to miss it...but you guys will keep me in touch with everything I'm sure.
So, we have a recent convert that got baptized a week before I got here. In her house she has her mom, who is 58, and I love her to death. We call her Grandma, and she has her son (8) and 2 nieces (11 and 15). Grandma has changed a TON since I've been here and she's changed even more since Elder Gardner has been here. When I got here, she would sit in on our lessons with the kids and she would have input, but she always said that she is NEVER going to be baptized. She grew up in Missouri and used to be a sunday school teacher in a baptist church. She even says "warsh" and it cracks me up. Mom would feel at home. She is a very strong and stubborn woman. She's been abused by men all her life so she's really independent and is quite opinionated - don't let that be your view of her though. She is one of the most loving people I've met and I love going to see her. Anyways, she has some medical issues that prevent her from doing what she loves, especially fishing. So Elder Gardner and I went over one day and we talked to her. She was severely depressed and on the verge of suicide. She talked with us and with a counselor and got her out of that thinking. We left that day helping her feel better. We really wanted to give her a blessing but we really had to go to another appointment -- so we went back the next day and gave her a blessing. That blessing was one of the most spiritual moments of my life. I annointed and Elder Gardner sealed the annointing and gave the blessing. The Spirit was SO strong. Before we gave the blessing Grandma kept saying, "I'm not a Mormon! I don't believe in this!" We just told her that it wouldn't hurt and she agreed to have the blessing. Afterwards, the look on her face was one of awe and amazement. She said that she has NEVER had an experience like that in her life. At the time of the blessing she had a massive headache and pain in her shoulders and back. After the blessing she said that it was gone. She also said that she felt this great warmth flow over her from her head down to her shoulders and to her feet. Since that day she has been listenin intently. She has even changed herself, which is a huge thing for her. She has so much hate in her heart for some people, one of those people were at her house the other day (he is the Dad of her daughter's sone and they have been divorced for a long time) and she apologized for hating him. Everyone was in amazement. Now the best part of all...she said that it's time for her to give her life over to God and she told us that she wants to be baptized. She is going to get baptized on August 28th.
This is what the work is all about. If this isn't a miracle than I don't know what is. It truely is amazing. we went over yesterday and she said that earlier in the day a Jehovah's Witness knocked on her door and Grandma answered and told them that she was a Mormon. Can you see the change?! These words can't even describe how happy and how blessed I feel.
I hope this brightens up your day and lets you know that I am working out here in the vineyard. I am enveloped in the work. As for online work, it's kinda distracting, and I'm doing okay with it. I'm still in the process of finding people to teach. I've taught 1 person online so far and they weren't too solid.
Love, Elder Edwards
Sounds like you've had a great summer so far! My summer days are filled with the stench of the lake and the city of Clearlake. It's been pretty hot up here, in the upper 90s. It hit 100 a few times and it just got miserable. I hate walking around and tracting in that kind of heat. But that's the work, right?
I'm excited for football season to start even though I can't watch. I'm pretty bummed I have to miss it...but you guys will keep me in touch with everything I'm sure.
So, we have a recent convert that got baptized a week before I got here. In her house she has her mom, who is 58, and I love her to death. We call her Grandma, and she has her son (8) and 2 nieces (11 and 15). Grandma has changed a TON since I've been here and she's changed even more since Elder Gardner has been here. When I got here, she would sit in on our lessons with the kids and she would have input, but she always said that she is NEVER going to be baptized. She grew up in Missouri and used to be a sunday school teacher in a baptist church. She even says "warsh" and it cracks me up. Mom would feel at home. She is a very strong and stubborn woman. She's been abused by men all her life so she's really independent and is quite opinionated - don't let that be your view of her though. She is one of the most loving people I've met and I love going to see her. Anyways, she has some medical issues that prevent her from doing what she loves, especially fishing. So Elder Gardner and I went over one day and we talked to her. She was severely depressed and on the verge of suicide. She talked with us and with a counselor and got her out of that thinking. We left that day helping her feel better. We really wanted to give her a blessing but we really had to go to another appointment -- so we went back the next day and gave her a blessing. That blessing was one of the most spiritual moments of my life. I annointed and Elder Gardner sealed the annointing and gave the blessing. The Spirit was SO strong. Before we gave the blessing Grandma kept saying, "I'm not a Mormon! I don't believe in this!" We just told her that it wouldn't hurt and she agreed to have the blessing. Afterwards, the look on her face was one of awe and amazement. She said that she has NEVER had an experience like that in her life. At the time of the blessing she had a massive headache and pain in her shoulders and back. After the blessing she said that it was gone. She also said that she felt this great warmth flow over her from her head down to her shoulders and to her feet. Since that day she has been listenin intently. She has even changed herself, which is a huge thing for her. She has so much hate in her heart for some people, one of those people were at her house the other day (he is the Dad of her daughter's sone and they have been divorced for a long time) and she apologized for hating him. Everyone was in amazement. Now the best part of all...she said that it's time for her to give her life over to God and she told us that she wants to be baptized. She is going to get baptized on August 28th.
This is what the work is all about. If this isn't a miracle than I don't know what is. It truely is amazing. we went over yesterday and she said that earlier in the day a Jehovah's Witness knocked on her door and Grandma answered and told them that she was a Mormon. Can you see the change?! These words can't even describe how happy and how blessed I feel.
I hope this brightens up your day and lets you know that I am working out here in the vineyard. I am enveloped in the work. As for online work, it's kinda distracting, and I'm doing okay with it. I'm still in the process of finding people to teach. I've taught 1 person online so far and they weren't too solid.
Love, Elder Edwards
Clearlake
Dear Family, (From August 1)
So it's been super hot here. It's been in the upper 90s to low 100s. I'm so happy to have a car now though. This week was alright. We taught 27 lessons in total, which for me is incredible. Since I've been used to weeks with just like 6-15 lessons. Big change. Our "gator" didn't get baptized on Sunday because he's still working with Word of Wisdom issues. We set another date for the end of August. He's awesome though. He's come a long way.
So I got some info for my online work. This is a little harsh, but it makes sense. I think I'll add you guys, but you can't comment on anything I do or post and you can't even talk to me when I'm online. It's harsh and whatnot, but it's necessary so that I can focus.
All 4 missionaries in our Ward spoke yesterday. We killed it. It was awesome. I gave a 10 minute talk on Charity and Love. I prepared it that morning. It was solid too. A few people said it was like a slap in the face to them (in a good way) and our RC said that I should be a professional speaker. I don't know what that was about, but I guess it was good. Elder Gardner spoke on humility, Elder Gifford on the Holy Ghost and Elder Buchan spoke on the Doctrine of Christ. It was a solid meeting. Then afterwards I taught Gospel Principles with 30 seconds notice. I taught about the Gifts of the Spirit. It was a pretty sweet lesson too.
Love you guys!
Elder Edwards
So it's been super hot here. It's been in the upper 90s to low 100s. I'm so happy to have a car now though. This week was alright. We taught 27 lessons in total, which for me is incredible. Since I've been used to weeks with just like 6-15 lessons. Big change. Our "gator" didn't get baptized on Sunday because he's still working with Word of Wisdom issues. We set another date for the end of August. He's awesome though. He's come a long way.
So I got some info for my online work. This is a little harsh, but it makes sense. I think I'll add you guys, but you can't comment on anything I do or post and you can't even talk to me when I'm online. It's harsh and whatnot, but it's necessary so that I can focus.
All 4 missionaries in our Ward spoke yesterday. We killed it. It was awesome. I gave a 10 minute talk on Charity and Love. I prepared it that morning. It was solid too. A few people said it was like a slap in the face to them (in a good way) and our RC said that I should be a professional speaker. I don't know what that was about, but I guess it was good. Elder Gardner spoke on humility, Elder Gifford on the Holy Ghost and Elder Buchan spoke on the Doctrine of Christ. It was a solid meeting. Then afterwards I taught Gospel Principles with 30 seconds notice. I taught about the Gifts of the Spirit. It was a pretty sweet lesson too.
Love you guys!
Elder Edwards
Online Missionary Call
August 1, 2011
Dear Parents,
Effective August 1, 2011, we are increasing the number of missionaries in the California Santa Rosa Mission. who have received an additional assignment to work on the Internet as a missionary. Their purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. They will use social networks, blogs, chat and other powerful communication tools the Lord has provided through the Internet to accomplish this assignment.
We are sending this letter to let you know that your missionary has been given one of these special online proselyting assignments. Please do not use your missionaries Facebook page or blog for communications from home at all. Please do not comment on your missionary's postings. This assignment is primarily to be used for local contacting and teaching, and not for any other purpose.
If you want to read more about what the Church is doing and who is involved go to this blog address: http://mormonmission.blogspot.com/2010/10/officially-blogging-missionaries09.html.
We are excited for your missionary to start this additional assignment. We have been testing this tool with a limited number of missionaries in our mission for nearly a year. We feel certain that many additional missionaries are ready for the trust and responsibility this assignment brings to pioneer how all future full time missionaries can use technology effectively, safely, and in righteousness to bring more people to Jesus Christ and to the waters of baptism.
We pray for the Lord's guidance always. I am confident our missionaries will be obedient and diligent as they communicate with investigators and members in their areas, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ with people throughout the mission boundaries and perhaps beyond.
Sincerely,
Jonathon W. Bunker
President, California Santa Rosa Mission
***Elder Edwards has opened a new Facebook account and blog for this new assignment so his current ones that we have been using to communicate will be unaffected.
Dear Parents,
Effective August 1, 2011, we are increasing the number of missionaries in the California Santa Rosa Mission. who have received an additional assignment to work on the Internet as a missionary. Their purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. They will use social networks, blogs, chat and other powerful communication tools the Lord has provided through the Internet to accomplish this assignment.
We are sending this letter to let you know that your missionary has been given one of these special online proselyting assignments. Please do not use your missionaries Facebook page or blog for communications from home at all. Please do not comment on your missionary's postings. This assignment is primarily to be used for local contacting and teaching, and not for any other purpose.
If you want to read more about what the Church is doing and who is involved go to this blog address: http://mormonmission.blogspot.com/2010/10/officially-blogging-missionaries09.html.
We are excited for your missionary to start this additional assignment. We have been testing this tool with a limited number of missionaries in our mission for nearly a year. We feel certain that many additional missionaries are ready for the trust and responsibility this assignment brings to pioneer how all future full time missionaries can use technology effectively, safely, and in righteousness to bring more people to Jesus Christ and to the waters of baptism.
We pray for the Lord's guidance always. I am confident our missionaries will be obedient and diligent as they communicate with investigators and members in their areas, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ with people throughout the mission boundaries and perhaps beyond.
Sincerely,
Jonathon W. Bunker
President, California Santa Rosa Mission
***Elder Edwards has opened a new Facebook account and blog for this new assignment so his current ones that we have been using to communicate will be unaffected.
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