Email #102 - El Fin

August 20, 2018

Gadsden, Alabama to Home

Family. I can't thank you enough for supporting me as I have been "about my Father's Business." It's been amazing to constantly have my focus on the Lord's sacred work to gather scattered Israel. It's been a tender week. We've been able to see many blessings and miracles. I've loved every minute of it.

I want to share two quick experience from this week.  So first off, as we were knocking doors, this man across the apartment complex had watched us get rejected by a few people. All the sudden we heard, "I'LL LISTEN TO YA!" I turned around and saw this guy waaayyyy over there waving at us. He was probably 100 yards away. We started walking over there. At first I was really skeptical of what was going to happen, but he was very sincere and wanted to know more about us. We taught him the Restoration and he wanted to learn more. It was a really cool experience to see how God puts us in people's paths so we can help them. If we would not have been knocking doors, he wouldn't have yelled over to us. He said that he had been wanting to know more about the "Mormon's" and what they believe so it was perfect. It was super super funny how it happened but he is reading the Book of Mormon now. So that's one miracle we saw this week.

This week as well, we met with a man named Fred. It's been super awesome to teach him because he is so sincere. We taught about Prayer and how God wants to hear from us. He felt that God wanted to hear from everyone else but him. We talked a little bit about the specific ways God has shown his love to him in his life. He named a few major blessings and we talked about the small ones in his life. It was very cool. At the end of the lesson, we invited him to kneel by his bedside before he goes to sleep and pray. He said he would. Later we followed up with him and he said that he felt something different while he prayed. We then testified that it was the spirit that he was feeling.

I'm so grateful for the experiences that I've had here in Alabama. I will never forget these special people here and the influences they have had on me. I have learned so much from them. This place is another home for me. I will miss it a lot. As I have been reflecting on my mission, I have come to ways that my testimony in the gospel has grown. I know that this is His sacred church. We are literal spirit children of a loving Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He suffered for our sins that we might have eternal life. I struggle putting all my thoughts and feelings into words. So I guess if I were to say anything it would be that, the gospel is true! It all is. I'm so thankful for the opportunity I have had to represent the Savior for these two years. I have done my best to put everything into His work and I am so grateful for his divine love.

This is a very tender experience to write my last email. I feel as Ammon boasting in the Lord for the things that I have been able to do here for Him. This is His work. I will boast in Him.

One last thought. As I have been with the people here in Alabama. I've come to see the importance of a few things.

1)Daily Scripture Study

2)Pray Often

3)Weekly Church Attendance

4)Weekly Family Home Evening

These are a few things that i would invite all of us to do. These things have changed people here and have kept them on the covenant path. These things move us toward becoming unshaken in our faith. That is what we are here to do. To become unshaken in the things we believe and in our reliance on the Lord. I love you all and I know that God loves each of us. This is Jesus Christ's Church. It is restored. God has a plan for us, and we are His Children.

I love you all. Have a great few days and I'll see you soon.

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

Email #101 - One of the Greats

August 13, 2018

Gadsden, Alabama

Family! This week was one of those weeks that when I look back on my mission, I'm going to remember what happened this week. I hope each of yours has been this incredible.

On Friday we had a lesson with Chad and Nicole and we were planning on teaching the Word of Wisdom. As we got there and chatted for a minute, Chad speaks up and says, "Okay so you've got to explain this health code that y'all have that keeps you all healthy and happy." We started getting into the lesson and he told us about some problems that he has had with a certain part of the Word of Wisdom. He said, "This is serious to me. I want to quit. I just need your help." So I got this impression to talk about Priesthood blessings with them. As we did so, he mentioned that he would like one. As we finished with the blessing. He asked us about fasting. He said, "I've heard about people fasting. Would that be something that would help?" Elder Quayle went on and explained what fasting is and how it helps. He quickly responded after, "I'm going to start fasting right now for the next 24 hours." I jumped in real quick and asked, "Can we join you?" He kind of looked up at me with this look like, "You're going to do that to help me?" He replied, "That'd be great!" So we fasted on Saturday with him, and when we stopped by on Saturday evening to see how it was, Nicole says, "Guys! He has been so happy and not irritated at all! It's been great!" Chad spoke up saying, "I haven't had a lick of anything!" It reminded me of Megan, "I had a lemonhead and a lick of an atomic fire ball!" haha!

So Sunday morning rolls around, and we got a text from them saying that Nicole is in rough shape. We offered to come give her a blessing and she jumped at it. We went by and gave her a blessing and as Chad was walking to the door, he said, "Guys! I haven't had any! I've gone two days without it!" He just seemed so chipper! IT WAS SO COOL! He said, "I feel like I've got this little high from not using it!" They are just the greatest! I could honestly see them being some of the most solid members EVER! I'm so excited for them.

Jaylyn is going to be getting baptized on the 25th which is great! She is anxiously awaiting the day! Her Dad is planning on baptizing her still so that is good. We are going to have her baptismal interview this week so that will be exciting as well.

Joanne and Wallace are doing great as well! We are going to see them tomorrow and teach the Word of Wisdom. So please keep them all in your prayers!

Another experience that happened this week was while we were knocking doors! Never in my mission have I had the first door answer and listen to our message. Usually it's the last door right? Like Fourth Floor, Last Door?  Well this week the Lord really blessed us. We had about 20 minutes and we decided to knock a few doors around. As we got to the first door, he opened up and we taught him the Restoration and he committed to read the Book of Mormon! I thought that was so cool! It was an answer to prayer as well. Beforehand we asked that we would be able to teach one person in the next 20 minutes and the Lord definitely delivered.

I hope you all are doing SPECTACULAR! Have a stellar week and remember! ROLL TIDE! and Um... Les Quiero!

Strength and Honor

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

Elder Noah Featherstone

Email #100 - A Glimpse of Divine Design

August 6, 2018

Gadsden, Alabama

Family! What a week it has been! I have absolutely loved hearing about the many miracles that have happened in all of our lives! It truly is amazing to see how the Lord looks after us. I continue to be amazed every single day as a missionary at the ways that the Lord blesses us as we do his work.

As I look back at the week, I feel like the kid on Incredibles, "THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED!" I want to give you a few updates on our friends that we are teaching. So first up, Jaylyn! She is incredible! I'm not sure if I have talked about her a whole lot, but she is the daughter of a returning member. We've struggled to help her get baptized because her father doesn't think that she is ready to make that kind of a commitment. But as we have continued teaching her, last week we talked about baptism and he said, "Well I think she is finally ready! I want her to get baptized!" We both just sat back and just were amazed. The Lord works on his children for sure. Then he said, "I was thinking like 2 or 3 weeks? What do y'all think?" So we are planning a baptism for August 25th. SUPER COOL! I'm super excited for her!

We are also teaching two AMAZING couples!  Wallace and Joanne, and Chad and Nicole! Wallace and Joanne came to church last week and everyone was incredibly friendly with them and they just loved it! It was so cool. They have a long history with the church but I do know that their hearts are being softened. We are planning for them in September to be baptized.

Chad and Nicole are doing great! They were tracted into about 2 months ago and we talked with them last week about baptism and the priesthood. They were just so full of intent and they really want to know. It is so darn cool! As we finished up visiting, Chad spoke up, "I just have one more question... Do the Mormon's have some sort of health code or something? I've always wanted to know that."  We told him that we would talk about it on Monday with him. So tonight we are going to teach them the Word of Wisdom and are super excited. They are super awesome! We are trying to figure out a day as well when we can go biking with Chad because he loves to bike for exercise. So we'll do that one morning with him this week.

Everything is going super super great here in Gadsden! We are just enjoying life as missionaries. The last few days Elder Quayle and I have skipped dinner because we just wanted to keep working. I didn't ever think I would do that but it was great! I truly love being a representative of Jesus Christ. There is nothing like it and knowing that I only have a few weeks makes me sad, but I know that we are all missionaries and can all share the gospel. I love you all and I hope you all have a FANTASTIC week!

Strength and Honor

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