Email #37 - The Move

May 22, 2017

Huntsville, Alabama

Happy Monday! I hope you are all doing super fantastic. I heard that this week was a big one at home. I love it. Can't wait to say “Hi” to my nephew Rudy! Too bad he will be walking by the time I get back... Whoops. Ha I love hearing about all that is going on! I love that this week was a really good one.

Saying goodbye to all the members and everyone in the Lorna Branch was super hard but it was a great experience serving there and I loved it. They are all so great.  I was a little nervous to get back to Huntsville but it's been good so far. The Branch was super happy to see me so that made it a lot easier coming back. I'm super excited for everything here. We have been basically starting over since I got here. We have been doing a lot of tracting and it's been good.  We have found a few people that are pretty interested in the message so that makes it super exciting.  

We had a really cool experience this week. We had some extra time to do some tracting a few days ago and so we knocked about 30 doors and nobody answered. Elder Damaso asked if we should just go, I responded, "Dude... I just want to talk to a Hispanic..." The next door! BAM! Hispanic! BOOM! Return Appointment! SNAP! New Investigator! You gotta love it when you really see the Lord's hand in you life. It's amazing that he is consistantly looking out for us. I am always amazed at the love that He shows each one of us.

Well I apologize that this is going to have to be a short one, but we are running a little low on time. A member from Lorna came up and visited me today. It was super awesome of him to do that but because we spent a little too much time with him we are crammed on emailing. I love you all! Have the most amazing week ever and send everyone my love!

Strength and Honor

-Elder Noah Featherstone

 Presidente Pardo, Elder Krupa, and I doing some shopping for the Pasteleria.

The members that work in the Pasteleria

Our investigator in Lorna, Irma, and her kids.

ELDER DEVEREAUX IS BACK

Elders Featherstone, Devereaux, and Fotu

Email #36 - The Return to Huntsville

May 15, 2017

Birmingham, AL - Headed to Huntsville

Family! This one is going to have to be a little short but this week has been an eventful one. This week we have been continuing working with an investigator of ours named Irma. She as well as her whole family came to church on Sunday and they just loved it!  It was super super good. They have come to know a few of the members pretty well and it was just great. I loved seeing their family there.  

It was a sad goodbye as well.  As I told you yesterday, I am heading back to Huntsville to serve in the Spanish Branch there.  A little bit of a interesting switch but it should be good! I'm excited to see all the members up there again, and on the bright side I already know my way around town ha! So it'll be super good. I'm excited!  You're all in my prayers! Love you all!

Strength and Honor,

Elder Noah Featherstone

Email #35 - Emmaus Experiences

May 8, 2017

Birmingham, Alabama

WASSSUPPP FAMILY?! How are y'all? I've been fixin' on my southern slang! hahaha!!! Not really. I don't talk like them yet but soon enough I'm hoping... ha! So this week was super super super super GOOD!!!! Filled with "Emmaus Experiences!" That is the term we use for Miracles here in the ABM. ha!

So this week we had just finished service at "La Pasteleria," (The Bakery that the Branch President owns) and we went to a nearby trailer park where we have a few investigators. So we have an investigator named Irma who we hadn't seen in a few weeks, and it seemed like she wasn't super interested. So we decided "Oh what the heck, lets give it one last shot." So we walked over to her front door where the sun is beating down on us, and realized the door was open.... so awkward.... ha! So we knocked and then the door swung shut, and then back open as someone passed by. We were just like, uhhhhhh???? "What do we do? Just let them be?" So we decided to wait a few seconds and then Irma came to the door! She just lit up the second she saw our faces! She said that she had been super super busy, but that she had been waiting for us to come back while she was home. She then invited us in, and we shared a little short message with her and her 4 kids. They loved it! After the message Irma said, "Hey I want to find out more about your church, and I'm really interested in it. When are your church services so we can come?" Elder Krupa and I just freaked out! It was so exciting! Then they invited us to come to their son's Flag Football game on Saturday morning. We went and had a blast. It was super fun and we had some good discussions with them! (Shootout to Mom and Dad for going to all these little league/Jr. Jazz/Flag Football games with all of us Hooligans!) They weren't able to come to church yesterday but they said that they would be there next week to check it out. They have one of the greatest families I've ever met!

This week also... Our Branch President took us to the Legendary Restaurant "Mugshots!" Dad... You're gonna die at this... ha! He took us there to try the Legendary Mugshots Challenge. It includes a 3.5 lb. Burger with Onion Rings and fried pickles on top, with a added 1 lb. of fries... You have to eat it all in 12 minutes and the meal is free. So... All 4 Elders in the Lorna Branch took this challenge. But we do have sad news... We all lost.... THE THING IS MASSIVE! I'll send pictures. The pictures still don't do it justice.... But Wow. I have a new respect for the guy on "Man Vs. Food."

Well that's about it for the week. It was super super super good! Love you All! I hope you are all doing well! You're all in my prayers!

Strength and Honor Elder Noah Featherstone

 Elder Krupa and I with the Gafas de Sol

Heel click picture

Some random chicken we found today

LOOK AT THAT THING

Email #34 - Nothing Goes As Planned

May 1, 2017

Birmingham, Alabama

"HEY. YOU. GUYSSSSS!!!"

Familia!

Last Tuesday there was a member that was moving to Houston and needed help moving stuff on Tuesday morning. So we went over there at about 10:30 am and we had planned on moving stuff for about 2 hours. As soon as we got there we realized that nothing had even been packed... ha! So we spent the rest of the day packing, and filling the Uhaul. It ended up being super super fun! But we didn't do anything that we had planned. So yeah its been a lot of days like that this week! But this week I was reading a talk by Philip T. Sonntag titled, "Being a Worthy You." I really enjoyed it. He talks about being ourselves, and giving it our all. He talks about how we are all meant to do something different. So comparing ourselves to others doesn't help us at all. It just discourages us. One part that I really enjoyed from it says,

Our responsibility is to take the talents we have and parlay them into the highest possible achievement. Opportunities abound on every side for those who are willing to put forth the effort. Each opportunity presents a challenge. Nothing is accomplished without dedication and preparation and the will to win.

I remember the story of a young man who went out for quarterback on a football team. He was the third-string quarterback. He was at every practice. He suited up for every game. But at the games it seemed the coach forgot who he was—he didn’t get to play at all during the season. He was on a good team, though, and they were playing for the championship. He said to himself, “Well, this is great. I’ve got the best seat in the house.” And so he went out and put on his uniform, did the exercises, and felt very comfortable. When it came game time he found his place on the bench. He got a nice warm blanket, wrapped himself in it, and even called the hot dog-boy over and had a hot dog. He took his shoes off. It would be lots more comfortable watching the ball game without his cleats on. And so he sat there in that condition. The first-string quarterback didn’t move the team very well. The coach brought out the second-string quarterback, but he was having a worse time. Then, out of the sounds of the stadium, there came this young man’s name. He jumped off the bench and ran onto the field in his white socks. The whole stadium had their eyes glued on those white socks and wondered what the coach was doing. Of course, the play was a disaster. Time-out was called, and this young man ran off the field to put on his shoes. But the call didn’t come again. He had had his chance. Life does not give too many chances. You really have to be ready when your time comes. Don’t be caught with your shoes off when your chance comes.

You make a wonderful you. Don’t try to be somebody else. Learn the power of proper decisions and do what you know is right. Have the ability to say no when things are not as they should be. Remember, what you do really counts.

I really enjoyed that. We should always be ready for when we are called and we should perform our duties as ourselves, not trying to be somebody else. There is a reason that we are all different. As we consistently be ourselves and strive to become better we will experience the joy of the Atonement as we repent and continue to grow.

Thank you for all your support! Have a stellar week! Love you all!

Strength and Honor         Elder Noah Featherstone