Email #55 - Miracles Everywhere

September 25, 2017
Montgomery, Alabama

Dearest Family! I really apologize but I don't have a whole lot of time today. We've got a lot to do! but this week has been pretty darn great! I've loved it! So on Wednesday I said goodbye to Elder Hasleton and I got an elder straight out of the Mexico MTC. His name is Elder Oldham. He is from Spanish Fork, UT. So it's been quite a blast since he got here. When I was in the Trainer Meeting before Transfers, President Sainsbury said to me, "Take your companion out tracting tonight okay?" So we went out tracting on Wednesday night for a while. We tracted for about an hour and a half and didn't have more than a 30 second conversation with anyone. It was a little frustrating. I said to Elder Oldham, "Maybe we should say another prayer." He liked the idea and we said a quick prayer to our Father in Heaven. Afterward we continued tracting and the next door we knocked on opened up and welcomed us in. We taught her about the Restoration. She thoroughly enjoyed it. We have a return appointment with her tonight. So we are really excited for that. It was truly amazing to see how the Lord looks after us and answers our prayers. It's been a great ol' time with Elder Oldham since he has been here! We've seen many miracles this week. 

Everything has been going well! Montgomery is just a great place! I love it! That's about it for the week! Love you all! Have a great week!

Strength and Honor

"Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"

Elder Noah Featherstone

       Elder Braaksma! He is an elder in the district!

Elder Oldham and I at Transfers

Email #54 - Knowing the Truth of The Book of Mormon

September 18, 2017

Montgomery, Alabama

Dear loved ones,

I hope everything is well.  This week has been a pretty amazing week! I've really enjoyed it. So to start out, last Monday evening was when Hurricane Irma hit us. I'll be honest, I know it got really bad in a lot of places especially in the Caribbean and in Florida, but we didn't see anything... We were told by President Sainsbury Monday afternoon that we needed to be in our apartments until further notice. In Montgomery we had maybe half an inch of rain. It wasn't anything very crazy here. So we are all safe and sound.  It was quite the evening in the apartment though. We did a lot of working out, and eating, and working out, and eating. Pretty good mix right?! haha! It was quite the night!

On Tuesday evening we were driving to the church building with the other Carter Hill Elders and they got a call. "Bueno, Quiero hablar con los misioneros." They immediately handed over the phone to me. I started having a conversation with one of the Less Actives in our ward that we hadn't been able to get a hold of. He called us wanting to meet up with us and we were able to catch up with him this week and it's been a great experience. He told us that he wanted to get back to church and start reading his scriptures everyday. At church this week there were more Hispanic members than I've ever seen at church here. It's really been amazing to see the work paying off.  I love the Hispanic people. They have a very strong desire to follow the Savior and to learn from Him.

I've also mentioned in the past one of our Less Active friends named Morgan. We stopped by this week and we were able to have a great conversation with him. It's been amazing to see that as we have served him and been able to be there for him, he has grown and really come to know our Savior a little more and more everyday. It's really been an amazing thing to see.

This week we had a lesson with one of our friends Fred at the church. He has really been struggling and he just needed some comfort. He has been taught just about everything that we as missionaries teach. We shared with him in Alma 26:27-28 where it talks about Ammon and how he says, "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us." We promised him that as he would read the Book of Mormon with a true desire to know if it is true, that he would receive the answer that it is. As I have been going throughout all the endeavors of the week I have been thinking about how knowing the Book of Mormon is true and that God is looking out for us can really change us. The true knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the love of God can change a persons whole life. They become more like our Savior as they continue to abide by the teachings of the book. They grow. They change. They become disciples of our Savior. The knowledge of those two truths can motivate, give hope, and build faith in this gospel. It's been amazing to see the power of the Book of Mormon work in others lives. This gospel is true. It's all true. He loves us. The Book of Mormon is the most correct book there is.

I love you all! I hope you all have a great week! You're in my prayers!

Strength and Honor  

         

"Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"    

   

 Elder Noah Featherstone

 President Millington and I, He is the man!

Bishop Yergensen and his family!

The Ayers Family! They are so dang awesome!

 Sister Riggs - She hosted Grandpa Featherstone when he was here a few times. She is such a saint.

The Jackson Family!

Email #53 - The Miracle of Service

September 12, 2017

Montgomery, Alabama

Dear Family,

I hope you are all well and that everything is going great! As I was thinking about my email last week, I realized that I forgot to mention one person in our family that has been a great example to me in my life. Sorry Preston! When I think about Preston I think about when we were both sick and we played "Baulder's Gate." Maybe for a little too long... but I appreciate the time we were able to spend and how we were able to get to know each other a little bit more. Thanks for spending time with me.

This week has been quite insane. We have done soooo muccchhhhh serviceeeeeeeee! On Monday, we spent a few hours at a members house helping her with her lawn. On Wednesday, we helped a Less Active who I have mentioned before named Morgan. He has been trying to get a fence built before the hurricane hits. So we were over there helping him out building a fence for a solid minute. ha! Then on Saturday we helped out Steph with her lawn and did some work for them. That was a miracle. Her husband Tory has been very stand off-ish to us since we have been coming over to teach Steph. I haven't had more than maybe a 15 second conversation with him. When we were over there to help, I engaged in a conversation with him while we were working which turned into a very solid conversation for about an hour. It really was amazing! He just opened up and was telling me all this stuff about him and you could see it on his face that he was having a good time. It was really amazing. It's amazing how service can help those in need and help them spiritually. Service is how we show our love. We can serve others to show them that we appreciate them and that we are grateful for them. It's been really amazing to see those here in Alabama come to know the Savior as we have served them. Morgan is a great example of that. He was very cut-off when I first got here. As we have continued to serve him over the last 3 months, he has become open and ready for spiritual conversations. It's been amazing to see. I want to tell you all that service really does open the windows of heaven and allow others to see clearly and have a spiritual experience. When we serve others, we really are serving God.

I love you all and I hope you all have a great week! Be safe!

Strength and Honor     

Elder Noah Featherstone

Email #52 - We Cannot Wait to Show our Love

Sept 5, 2017

Montgomery, Alabama

Family! It's been a great week. We've been crazy busy but I've loved every minute of it! This is one of those weeks where everything has moved so quickly that I honestly can't remember a whole lot that went on. It's been crazy fast. We were able to do a lot of service this week and it was super great. I have found that service has really become one of my favorite things out here. It always lightens others loads and helps us be able to serve and find joy in service.

I wanted to share a little story with you all. Last night while I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep, I was reading a book that was given to me from a member in Huntsville by Grandpa V. I was reading a story about some of Grandpa's last words that he had with one of his friends before he passed away. I was thinking about this story last night as I was staring at the ceiling and realized, I cannot wait to thank all of you for the love and support you have shown me and continue to show me. The relationships that are the most precious to me are the ones I have with my family. Mom and Dad, thank you for the 3 amigo years when it was just the three of us. Greg, Brian, Caleb and Preston thank you for the late night video game competitions and always being there for me. Megan, Kelsey, and Mimi, thank you for always having loving conversations with me when I needed them. Max, Laurel, Millie, and Scotti, thank you for hanging out with me and building forts. Jane, and Rudy, thank you for being a bright light in my life. I can't wait to spend more time with you two. Thank you family! I love you all and I pray you have a great week.

Strength and Honor

"Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"
Elder Noah Featherstone

Service @ the Food Truck in the rain

 My buddy guardian