Email #29 - 8 Monther

March 27, 2017

Birmingham, Alabama

Well Familia, Today is the day of 8 Big ones. I can't believe I've been out that long. It feels like I just got out of the MTC. It's kind of mind blowing... So to be honest... The time flies by so fast that by the time it gets back to Monday I can't even remember what happened during the week... ha! It's a struggle. The majority of the time I look over at my companion and say, "What happened this week?" His response. "I don't know?" We were jam packed with plans this week.

One of the members of the Lorna Branch owns a bakery in a town called Alabaster that is about 20 minutes away from Hoover. We do service there during the week and it’s always a blast.  They help us with our Spanish a ton so that is always good!

Since Elder Krupa and I arrived in Lorna we have been working with a less active family and they are just the greatest. Yesterday another elder and I were asked to do a special musical number in church. It was a last minute request so we quickly threw something together and it worked out pretty well. But back to the less active Family.  We were walking in a few minutes before sacrament meeting started and I looked up at the sacrament table and GUESS WHO WAS SITTING THERE! GUILLERMO!!!!!(The father of this family) My face instantly lit up and I had the biggest smile on my face! I was so darn happy! I went and said hi, talked to him for a minute and as we have been visiting him these last few weeks, Elder Krupa, Guillermo, and I have really become close. It's been super fun.

After that Elder Krupa and I were teaching Primary.  It was an adventure. Shout out to all those Primary teachers with tons of patience!  Just kidding! It was a blast! I loved it! The kids are so full of light and amazing thoughts. I really enjoyed it.

This week in my studies I finished the Book of Mormon again and I was reading in Moroni where he talks about prayer. Moroni says something very interesting that I've never caught before. He talks about if we pray without faith it profits us nothing. I have been trying to do better at really focusing on what I'm saying in my prayers. It's been a great experience for me. I've noticed that if I am really praying sincerely things happen. He answers prayers if we SINCERELY pray, but if not it does nothing for us. I really enjoyed reading that. It has really helped me this week.

Thank you for all you do! You're all in my prayers! Love you!

Strength and Honor

Elder Noah Featherstone

Email #28 - The Life

March 20, 2017

Birmingham, Alabama

Family!  We had some amazing experiences this week with investigators and a complete blast with the members!

We had a Convivio after Church with all the members.  We came out of Priesthood and the Relief Society had tables set up with tons and tons of food! It was great talking to all the members.

We were meeting with a Less Active in the Branch this week and while we were sitting on her couch and talking to her I saw a bunny start hopping around the room. So I guess this sister has a bunny for a pet.  Her name is Chewy.  When this elderly lady says "Chewy" it might be one of the greatest things I've ever heard!

Also, this week we were visiting an investigator named Francisco and he is from the Dominican Republic. He is so hard to understand. Spanish from the DR is so incredibly fast and slangy if that's even a word. Anyway, I wasn't really understanding much but we got him to pray with us so that was a super big step. He is awesome and has really opened up to us since the first time we met.

I love seeing the people here come closer to our Savior.  It's an amazing experience. We have had some incredible experiences sharing the gospel with people this week and I have really loved it. One scripture I have come to love while I have been out here is Ether 12:6.

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

I really love that scripture because I believe that the Lord gives us trials so that we can become better and become more like Him. We have trials every day that try our faith in Christ. But when we look to the Savior in these things we will grow and become stronger in our testimonies.

Thank you for all your examples to me and for being the kind of people I can look up to! I love you all! I hope you have a great week!

Strength and Honor

-Elder Noah Featherstone

Email #27 - Teaching Piano

March 13, 2017
Birmingham, Alabama

FAMILIA! ESTA SEMANA FUE INCREIBLE! Entonces quiero decirles todo sobre lo.

This week we have been doing a lot of praying to come closer to the members of the Branch and how we could exactly go about doing that. Yesterday we were in a trailer park following up with a few people we had talked to this week. We were walking around a corner and I looked up and saw three kids running at us from about 100 yards away. I turned to Elder Krupa and said, "Is that David?" (A member in the branch. He is about 6 years old) Before Elder Krupa had a chance to respond we heard, "MISIONEROS" They kept on running and came and gave us hugs. It was super cool! They grabbed our hands and started pulling and said, "Vengan a la casa de mi mama!" (Come to my Mom's house!) so we said, We'll be over in a little bit ok? We need to check up on a few more people! After we had finished following up we walked over and they welcomed us in and there happened to be 3 families from the branch all having dinner! So we talked to them for a few minutes, shared a little message with them and were on our way.j  It is great to feel like we are getting to know them all a little better and connecting with them a little more. It was definitely an answer to our prayers!

We had Zone Conference this week as well and it was super good! They talked a lot about working through the members. From a missionaries standpoint it really is a blessing when the members are doing their part of the work. As missionaries we really are just here to help the members with their work sharing the gospel.  When the members do that it really makes everything go so much smoother.

This week was super good! Elder Krupa and I are having a RIOT! It's just been a complete blast! Thank you for all your support! Love you! Hope you all are doing well!

Strength and Honor

-Elder Noah Featherstone

Elder Curtis and I, We went to High School together! Such a Stud!

Elder Gibbons and I at Zone Conference

Elder Power and I on exchanges in Walmart

Adventures of Tracting in a Trailer Park

Presidente Pardo with his kids Troll's dolls

Hermano Peredez y Yo

Email #26 - Being a Missionary

March 6, 2017

Birmingham, Alabama

Hello Everyone! How are you all doing? Anything eventful this week?

So this week was a complete RIOT! Elder Krupa and I just had a blast! We have been doing a lot this week. But first things first. Can I write a little note to the family of Sister Dinning?

Sister Dinning was always one of my favorite people. She was always so loving, and kind whenever I was around her. She was one of those people that I looked up to when I thought of the scripture in Enos that talks about being "unshaken" in their faith of Christ. She was such a trooper through trials and one that was a great example to me of truly being a disciple of our Savior, Jesus Christ. She will be an amazing guardian angel. I'll really really miss her.

A little about the week. Last week we were able to do a lot of fun and interesting “finding” ideas! But this one is my favorite! We met a few Hispanics that wanted to learn the piano so I offered to teach them!  Wow. The piano is surely paying off on the mission.  This week I taught 3 piano lessons in Spanish! That was a different experience.  It was super fun and they helped me a little bit with the words and technical terms about the piano that I didn't know.  So that was just a blast!  Elder Krupa would talk to the rest of the investigators friends and family while I was teaching and we have built up a few people that are super interested in the Gospel. How cool is that?  Opening doors by teaching the piano.

Also, every week we have English Class.  We advertise to the Hispanics to come and learn how to speak English.  We put up fliers at all the tiendas in the area and we have a few coming. After English Class on Wednesdays and Sundays we share a quick spiritual thought from either the Book of Mormon or teach a simplified version of one of the lessons and we have an Investigator named Oscar that we have started teaching from English Class!  This last week we have been doing our best to be creative in our finding ideas. It's been super super fun! I've loved It!

This week we had a Zone Training and we talked a lot about "listening." We talked about living our lives in a way that we can hear the Spirit constantly in our lives. By being obedient to the commandments of God we can hear the Spirit throughout each and everyday. It was a super cool discussion because a few other missionaries brought up a few points. One of them I really liked. We talked about listening to the person and not thinking about what we are going to say next. I really liked that because if we are truly listening with a loving heart to those around us we are being good listeners and showing that we really do love them, and that's what the gospel is really about right? Showing our love. If we are showing our love we are serving others.  We are reaching out to those we care about.  We are a smiling face to all those around us.  We are helping others feel of the enthusiasm of Christ.

Thank you for all you do and the great examples you are to me so far away.  Well I guess it's not that far but I'm definitely not in St. George! Love you all! Have a great week!

D&C 128:22

Strength and Honor

-Elder Noah Featherstone

Email #25 - #ExpectMiracles

February 27, 2017

Huntsville to Birmingham, Alabama

Familyyyyyyy!!! How are you all doing? I sure hope well! So this week has been CRAZYYYYY!!!!  II'll start right from the top! How's that? Sound good?

Ok, so last Monday we had one last District Nerf Gun War with everyone in my District! It was super fun and pretty insane! We spent that evening visiting some of the investigators and members and saying goodbye to them... Man.... I hate goodbyes. I thought it would get easier but I guess not... So that was Monday.

Tuesday we spent a lot of time following up with people we had tracted into and saying goodbye some more. Wednesday came and we were up at about 5:30 am to finish packing and get headed on the road to Birmingham from Huntsville! Then we had Transfers and Elder Krupa and I went to work! It's been a blast with him! I've completely loved it! He is from Idaho Falls and he came out with me into the mission so we have both been out about 7 months now. Pretty crazy how fast time flies!

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we did a lot of finding because we got transferred into this area together so we don't know anyone and I guess the Elders before us passed on everyone that they were teaching so we have been finding and visiting members a lot these last few days!

Sunday! Yesterday we were both trying to figure out how we were going to find people to teach and how to find investigators and then we went to church. We were introducing ourselves to all the members of the Branch and we met a Less Active who hasn't come in a while but she came yesterday and brought her boyfriend who is a non-member. We got his contact information and set up an appointment to teach him this week! So that was a miracle to see that God answers our prayers and knows our needs. Our focus this transfer is to expect miracles. To do our best and know that He will be looking out for us and that we should expect miracles if we are doing what we should be. It has been a really cool focus these last few days because it helps you look outside and see how God is blessing you.

It's been super good so far here in the Lorna Branch! I've loved it! The members here are so kind and loving. I've learned to love the people here in Alabama so much and especially the Hispanic people! They are the greatest! Thank you for all you do! Love you all so much! Have a great week! #expectmiracles

Strength and Honor

Elder Noah Featherstone

One of my good Mission friends Elder Cluff and I at Transfers

Some of the Lorna Ninos 

Elder Krupa and I Ft. Walgreens Security Cameras

Email #24 - Transfers Again?

February 21, 2017

From Huntsville to Birmingham, Alabama

Ok! So I will get straight to it this week because this is the craziest P-Day EVER! This week we had transfer calls again... and.... drum roll...... I am now going down to Birmingham! I will be serving with Elder Krupa who came in with me to the mission! I'm super psyched! I am definitely going to miss Huntsville.... We have been saying goodbye to the members here and it has been so dang hard.... I thought that the heartache was going to end when I adjusted to the mission but I guess not. Saying goodbye to the members and the investigators here was just rough. No way around it.... We had some bittersweet goodbye's. I have grown to love them all so much. So that was super hard... and I'm not even done! I will send a few pictures of the families here with the missionaries. There are 6 missionaries in the Huntsville Branch and 5 of them are leaving so the Branch wasn't too happy! !

This week we had an amazing experience with an investigator. His name is Juan and we were reviewing the Restoration and sharing a scripture out the Book of Mormon with him.  As we were sharing he pointed out the fact that he was feeling something different. We helped him realize that what he was feeling was the Spirit. It was such an amazing lesson and it was even better that he was the one that pointed out that he was feeling something different.

Also, this week we did some service at a place called Rock Steady Boxing. It is an organization that helps Parkinson's patients. It is a boxing gym that helps them get a little bit of exercise while doing a little physical therapy. Some of the people there have been doing it for a while and they have seen amazing results so it was super amazing to spend some time with all these people. Elder Layton and I were in charge of what they called the "Focus Mitts." They are the mitts that you see people holding for the boxers to help them warm up and practice. So we were holding the mitts for them. It was super cool!

Well That's about it for the week! Love you all and you all are in my prayers! Love you all so much! Have a stellar week!

Strength and Honor,

Elder Noah Featherstone

                                   Saying goodbye to the Santos' family in Huntsville