February 25, 2013

Dang, where did the transfer go? Well, I'm being transferred to Nixa Missouri. Looked on my GPS and found out that it is like 5-10 miles south of Springfield Missouri. Seems like a fairly big city, it seems I will finish my mission there. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to serve the rest of my mission in Owasso. Didn't really want to be here for 9 months! Hey, this will be my 13th companion!! I believe my MTC companion, is at companion 15-16!

 

Well, this was an ok week. We taught 16 lessons, but we taught 8 indicator lessons and 8 active member lessons. In addition to me leaving Elder Morton is being transferred to Parsons Kansas. His companion is a missionary who came out the same time as me and is really awesome. I'm rather jealous, but hey, I'm going to a place where I'm needed, so I'm fine with it.

 

Well, the past couple days it has been rainy cold, and snowing and all manner of wetness of most kinds. Today it is raining and storming pretty good. It's pretty nice, since Oklahoma is in a drought this rain is really welcomed.

 

Well, I really don't have much to write this week. I will go to my scriptural thought.

 

Let's see, last week I was in Alma 35 and now I'm in 48. Those are some great chapters. Alma chapter 36-42 is Alma teaching his 3 sons, Helaman, Shiblon and Corianton. His sons, weren't bad children, but he needed to teach them himself. Like we need to do. We need to teach our children ourselves. In chapter 36-37 Alma talks to Helaman, talks to him about his conversion story and the time that he repented from his evil ways. Then 37, he tells him about what he needs to do with the records. Helaman was a great son, but Alma needed to teach his sons. Chapter 38 is only to Shiblon, not very much dedicating to him, he was told things that he needed to know.

 

Now the last 4 chapters in this section is dedicated to Corianton, who as we remember is the son that went on a mission and he was lulled away from the ministry by the harlot Isabel. In this sense, Alma spent more time, since Corianton had more things he needed to know. The needs for him, were different than Helaman and Shiblon. Alma goes into detail about the Resurrection, because that was something that Corianton needed to understand more fully. Sometimes I wonder if Corianton didn't do that, we might not have chapters 39-42 in the Book of Mormon, we wouldn't have a lot of what we know about the Spirit world, Resurrection and the Fall of Adam. Who knows. Well, I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon, the messages it has, and the messages that can be so applicable to us in this life. I know these to be true in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

February 19, 2013

Ahh, well this was a pretty good week. Unfortunately we had a decent amount of cancelations of appointments and lessons so we didn't achieve our goal of 20 lessons a week, but we did get some lessons on Sunday that I wasn't expecting so we did achieve 17 lessons this week. Next week we have a plan to teach about 24 lessons. It will be WONDERFUL!!

This week on Friday I did turn 21 years old!! I thank all those, as my mother reported to me that wished me happy birthday on my Facebook account. When I was a lot younger I never expected to turn 21, thought it was a long time in the future, well, now it's a reality.

 Colby's cake (i LOVE that they got him one)

his new ties... (they all kinda look the same don't they?? =) I think he likes paisley)

 In addition we had Stake Conference this weekend. It was great, we had some great talks about missionary work in the adult session and on Sunday we had a broadcast that had Elder Pieper, Scott and President Eyring. Plus we had I think Sister Stevenson, one of the Primary Presidency there as well. It was interesting, since the broadcast was for those who lived in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. Very interesting how personal revelation could be had for those who live in those 3 states.

Well, unfortunately the last couple days the both of us have been pretty sick. I have a sore throat and it was very hard for a lack of a better word. To have our 2 hours of companion study today. Just really had no motivation, then on top of that my shower had no hot water. Being the third one to take a shower I tend to not get hot water. That certainly didn't help my sore throat and stuffy nose. What was cool on Monday (yesterday) we had dinner with a family, then we had Family Home Evening and they invited a non member friend over who was a friend of one of their daughters. The dad taught principles from the for the strength of youth pamphlet, he even went over part of the Law of Chastity and having good language and some other things. He asked some questions about the Plan of Salvation, he said, that he would like to stay on track. That can be for a conversation we could have on another date. It was a good experience.

Well, this time my reading has taken me to about Alma 40, that I had read today. From Alma 35-42 are Alma talking to his sons about some tings that they really need to know. He is talking to his 3 sons. I like that, because we as a family need to talk to each other, and help each other in their understanding of the Gospel. In each of the chapters and to the 3 sons which have a different understanding and situations. For example Alma talks to Corianton differently, because he went on his mission to the Zoramites, but he went with the Harlot Isabel and sinned. Whereas the other 2 didn't do that. Alma instructs each of his sons different. Thus we need to do the same with our families, what one member may be struggling with another may not be so. It is better for you to wait for the one member to come to the understanding than moving on. Your only as fast as the slowest person. Having each person explain each topic in their own words can actually help, because something they may say will trigger the holy ghost to have them understand and something may come up and they will learn.

Well, I feel like I should express these feelings in this e-mail. I know that personal revelation and instructing in families is essential for us to do in this life. I truly love the Book of Mormon, it allows us to learn many things, and things that we can personally apply in our lives. These things I leave with you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

February 11, 2013

AHHH another great week. Well, we had a zone meeting on Wednesday. We were instructed among other things, but the thing I liked the most is that they introduced to the whole zone, about survey tracting. When we go tracting instead of the usual, "hey, were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder-Day Saints, and we are sharing a message about . . . . . . . . .. "

 

We just ask them that we "are missionaries and we are in the neighborhood conducting a relgious survey, are you interested?" If they are we do the survey questions, then we ask them if we would be able to pray with them before we go. Ideally if we can we try to talk a little more in-depth about one or few of the questions. If we are able to do all of that, we can count it as an other lesson taught. We had good success on Wednesday when we did it, but Sunday we didn't have the greatest success.

 

Well, this transfer is about half over! This transfer is going to be 5 weeks instead of 6. I figured it would be just this transfer, but it could be permenant, which I doubt, that would mean I would come home 2 weeks earlier, which is already weird.

 

Well, I believe that is all I have to write. Things are going great for me. My birthday is on Friday, which will be pretty cool. Wow, 21, didn't think I would ever get to that age. Oh, well, it doesn't mean much, I guess I can finally get my license landscape orientation instead of portrait.

 

Well, in my Book of Mormon reading I'm in Alma 20. I believe I was somewhere in Mosiah last week. Alma is my favorite book in the Book of Mormon. I just love the awesome dynamic of Alma and Amulek in their missionary work. I love how consecrated Ammon was as a missionary. Also that of Aaron and Alma the younger and others. My favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon is Alma 5. It's a chapter where Alma rebukes anyone who is full of pride. He pretty much asks the people in that city  all these questions they need to consider. He also testifies to the people that he knows that these things are true, by him praying and fasting so that he is able to understand the truthfulness of this gospel.

 

Alma is such an incredible man of God. I'm so greatful for the other great examples of the book of Mormon that we have. I love the doctrinal chapters that are in Alma, and I wait to be able to read them again. The Book of Mormon truly is the Word of God. We tracted into a man who says that the Book of Mormon is "adding to the Book of Revelation" I for one, hate this arguement. It is such a cough out answer to someone who doesn't want to read and understand the divinity of the Book of Mormon. It doesn't add to the Book of Revelation, it adds to your own personal testimony that JESUS IS THE CHRIST! Who wouldn't want to have their faith in Christ strengthen?!?!?
It's beyond me, but it does happen. In the words of Elder Holland, "No Latter-day saint can come to the fullest measure of happiness in these are our times, unless he or she embraces the Book of Mormon, and the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom it testifies. And if they do, they must crawl over or under or around the Book of Mormon, to make their exit.

 

I know for myself that it is a divine book. It came from God, through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know it is the true 2nd witness of Jesus Christ, in some day we will have the 3rd witness of the Book of Mormon, the lost tribes of Israel. These things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

February 4, 2013

AHHH, this was a great week to start off! We taught 10 indicator lessons and 10 active member lessons. Since we are in the Tulsa East Zone, we are the only stake/zone that has what we call active member lessons. There is active member lessons, but we keep tract of active member lessons we teach, either it be messages at dinner or scheduling an appointment with members and giving them a lesson. We keep track of it and report it to our District Leaders and then to the Zone Leaders. They then in turn report it to the stake leaders and the stake keeps track of it. It reminds the members about us, and doing missionary work and it helps us to have something productive to do and we get to help maintain our teaching skills.

 

Other than that it was a great week. The Elm Creek Missionaries on Monday got a call from our District Leader that they will get a car for this transfer. We then drove to the mission Home, because we thought that's were it was, and sister Shumway's like, well,..... I don't see a car here. After feeling a little aqward, and the 4 of us talking with her, she gave us juice boxes and a snack. That was really nice of her. Then we drove to the mission office and we picked up their car, drove back to our place and played a game of Settlers of Catan. It's nice not having to share a car for a transfer, so we can be more independent, (plus I don't have to ride my bike!!!!!) which of course I just barely fixed my bike, bought a new inner tube and got the tube that already has slime in it, so both my tires have that slime in it. My bike will have to wait for at least a couple more weeks. I confirmed with President that this transfer is 5 weeks. If I get transfered it will be the 28th of this month. Wow, a transfer that essentially is 1 month!!

 

Well, today I'm getting my haircut, elder Morton wants his, so I figured I would get one too. Usually I get a haircut every 2-3 months which is about 2 transfers. I got one the Monday before Elder Morton got here, so I'm not in dire need of one, like I was last time (hahahaha, I had a mullet essentially.)

 

Last week I was finishing 2 Nephi and starting Jacob, now I'm finishing Mosiah and starting Alma!!!! Book of Alma is my favorite book! I love the dynamic duo of Alma and Amulek. I love how they confound Zeezrom and teach all the wicked Nephite apostates and teach all the people in all the land of the Nephites. Alma 5 is my favorite chapter, I absolutely love that  chapter, it asks you many questions that you must ask yourself. It prepares you for pretty much the final judgment.

 

Anyways, I had read Jacob 5, which is the chapter regarding Zenos and the Allegory of the olive and tame trees. WHich is where the master of the vineyard and his servant, go out among the Master's vineyard and prune and dung and do all manner of things to help the trees grow. Yes, many things in there can be confusing, but the overall story, just testifies to me of the love God has for us. THe fact that he would spend countless hours in trying to nourish his trees (us) and never gives up on them. He does all he can to preseve them, until it gets to the point that the whole vineyard is burned, which to me represents the second coming when the the Savior will come again.

 

Then reading the small books that are between Jacob and Mosiah, shows us how they carried the plates from one person to another. THe book of Omni shows us that in about 15 verses like 5 individuals contributed to the writings of those plates. ONe of them even admits that he wasn't  as obedient to the commandments as he should have been. Then we get the account of Ammon, King Limhi and learn of how King Noah was told to repent of all his whoredoms by Abindadi. All these great stories that happen in the Book of Mormon. THey are here for our benefit. I truly love these stories, these teachings and examples that we have to learn by. WE learn to serve each other by the example of King Benjamin and Ammon. We learn that even though we are Idolatrous and very wicked and destroying the church, we can come back. Yes, our pal ALma the younger was that very person. We learn the zeal the sons of Mosiah and Alma the younger had, in serving a mission. We see the obedience of Abinadi, sent to proclaim repentance to a people who really desperately needed it. Since he cried repentance to them, after he had finished his message he was burned at the stake. Not knowing fully if he really ever was successful in what the Lord wanted him to do. Little did he know, that he brought a young priest ALma, to a remembrance of his sins and he repented of them. Then lead hundreds if not thousands to repentance as well. I believe Mormon and Moroni are descendants of ALma the elder. Very much can be had, from the Book of Mormon, I still awe at those who reject that Book. Usually the most criticism about the Book of Mormon come from those who have never read it. I have read it and love reading it and it's message, I hope we all do. These things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

January 28, 2013

Holy mackrel, ahhhh, time flies.

Well, it is almost February!!! And my birthday is in 19 more days!!!! Exciting, I will be 21, weird.

This was a wonderful week. We were able to teach about 17 lessons this week. Being able to count teaching active members has been wonderful, allows me to feel like I really am doing something, even though we really only teach about 8 lessons a week. We have been sharing a 10 minute dvd with the members that we have dinner with and schedule a time to come over. It is about the Temple, the dvd is called between Heaven and Earth. It is a great dvd that has many individuals who are not actually LDS themselves. Which gives it more of a continuity of how temples truly are a biblical thing and are things that we should have today. We watch that dvd with them so that we can remind them that missionary work is ultimatly directed towards the Recent Converts getting to the temple. In addition it reminds the members of needing to go to the Temple. It also gets most of the kids attention by the many temples they show pictures of as they talk. We've been trying to schedule times with members and showing that to them.

Well, that has been the main thing we have been doing. Still no word back from where we will be moving too, but I was told, that was a long process anyways, so maybe I won't even be here when they do move!!!

WEll, in my reading I read today from Mosiah 4-8. I always like chapter 4, it's King Benjamin telling us of the need for being charitable. He condemns all who say, that the beggar put himself in that position, so I don't have to feel the need to help him. OH, WOW, have I felt chastised by that statement. For, are we not all beggars? Aren't we the ones, who beg our Heavenly Father to relieve us from pain? Aren't we begging to help us in our financial situations? Are we not begging to be able to fulfill our calling in the ward? Wo, unto that man, who says such things. It shouldn't matter that if we give that individual 5$ and he squanders it or buys a pack of cigarettes. It's his CHOICE! You were the charitable one, you chose to help him, and now he chose to buy it on something that is of no worth.

Other chapters were really good, but I feel really strongly now, from reading chapter 4 about what I just said. I would encourage all to read that chapter (Mosiah 4) and evaluate yourself and see if you have done that before and decide what you will do when that moment comes again. Oh, how great the Book of Mormon teaches us of such great and eternal truths. Charity and giving of yourself to others is what is mentioned and discussed about in that particular chapter of the Book of Mormon. It truly was divine for Mormon to give us this chapter in the Book of Mormon, for this particular thing, plagues us in this life today. These things I humbly leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

p.s remember who your friends are, that the servants of the Lord told you to always hold onto. This is a communicating activity, some can communicate with 1-2 people, while others can communicate with 5-6. Communication is key here, plus I have organized you into a peculiar way, similar to the missionfield. I have probably said too much, thank you all for participating in this activity!!!!

 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

January 22, 2013

NO transfer for me or Elder Morton.

 

That means I will fully train Elder Morton. I have a ward member back home whose coming to this mission. He comes into the mission the time that I will finish training Elder Morton!!! I see the odds stacking in my favor, let's just hope the LORD thinks so too!

 

Well, anyways, this was a pretty good week. We were able to teach about 16 lessons! This week we have the truck so, we will setup more appointments to go teach a lesson with members that live a little further away from where we live. Speaking of which, in sunday at Priesthood opening exercises. One of the Bishopric announced housing the missionaries. If anyone was available or would want to have the missionaries stay at their house. Elder Morton and I are like, "Huh?" "Guess, we outstayed our welcome." I called the mission office yesterday to make sure they knew, they didn't. But, the ward is probably concerned, because when missionaries stay with a member for about 2ish  years that is when the missionaries tend to not live in that particular members house.

 

Well, lets see. I'm almost done with 2 Nephi!!!! Gosh, I feel like I really have nothing to write. All is well, now that I think about it, my reading today or yesterday in 2 Nephi says that those who say "all is well in zion" are being cheated my the Devil and he will carefully lead them down to hell. I hope by saying that, I don't worry any of you.

 

In my reading, WHich has been for the most part the Isaiah chapters of 2 Nephi and chapters 25-30. Those chapters are the ones that I love the most about that book. Chapter 29 about how people will say that they don't need another Bible and goes into all this detail about how the Lord reveals his word more than just once. Chapters 25-26 and 28 are good ones about how wicked and evil things will continue to happen and perpetuate in the last days. Then chapter 27 of 2 Nephi is the Isaiah chapter which is chapter 29. Which is the prophecy about Olivery Cowdery or Martin Harris taking a parchment with the characters from the Gold plates from the Book of Mormon. He saying that he cannot read a sealed book and he says they are accurate characters. Except in this one it is more indepth and more clear than the Isaiah chapter. As I've mentioned many times, I truly am thankful for the Book of Mormon. It truly does testify of Jesus Christ and just adds my testimony of the Bible. It is here to strengthen our understanding of what God has already revealed to us. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our relgion and helps keep everything in place. I encourage everyone to continue to read the Book of Mormon. I'm evergrateful for the Book of Mormon. I can hold a Book of Mormon in my hand confidently wherever I go, and whoever I talk with I can confidently do that. I leave these with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

P.S I've sent out the 6 month letters to everyone I had addresses to. You will receive an activity/scavenger hunt whatever you want to call it. YOU will need to do some coordination, but it will be fun and rewarding. When everything is done I will send the final piece of the activity. Thanks, love you much!!!

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

January 15, 2013

Good morning everyone! Sorry, I have like 10 minutes left, this will probably be a short e-mail.

 

Well, it's been fairly cold here in Owasso and the Tulsa area. With the humidity and wind chill. It's been about in the early 20's. We switch off using the Colorado every week, so we will be truckless this week. Have to bike this week. I will finally use my heavy jacket for more than just occasional rain that falls.

 

Nothing to exciting happens here. Just keep on doing the usual. We are always trying to find more people to teach. With the really cold weather it will mean trying to be more smart with how much we bike. Saturday we had a mission fast, so that we could be able to be unified, we did so that we could be able to find new investigators to teach. Since we have a lot of missionaries coming in the next couple months. I'm really wondering what is going to happen, since we have more missionaries than we do areas to put them. SO, it will be interesting.

 

Sunday we had ward conference and had all the stake leaders come to our ward. It was cool, to be able to see my uncle again! Totally forgot that he was a stake leader. We had a meeting with the Priesthood and we split into groups and asked each other with help towards our home teaching family and their needs. We talked about our family we are teaching and how we can possibly get the parent's to not have to worry about their children when we are over to teach. Some members suggested having them over with a family in the ward that can handle their children. Good suggestion.

 

Well, I have to rush through this.

 

An investigator that we are teaching is really thankful they have found the gospel, but want to have had it later but didn't. SO be great . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

sorry ran out of time last week. Have no idea what I was going to go with that thought so, here's my e-mail, hope you love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma