March 19, 2012
FINALLY! Well, it spring break. Come in the library around 10:20 and EVERYONE is here. It seems that more people in this geographical region of the world use the library for their computer time. Which I guess is good, but at the same time it doesn't help us out since this is the only place in which I can use a computer. We then did our shopping and lunch and all the other stuff instead. Now I'm online!
Well, today is suppose to be a big rain storm, we did have fairly big clouds but it didn't rain all that much. I'm waiting for all this "bad weather" to happen it really hasn't happened. I can't wait for the rain so we don't have to pay to wash our car, we have so far gotten, a pretty good clean of our car but it could still use a better clean. On top of all this weather, I have a sore throat and really don't feel all that great. I can't wait for it to pass away!!
As far as missionary works goes, this was our worst week since I have gotten here!!!! It just seems that all of our appointments canceled and we were able to teach a couple of lessons. Well, hopefully a tornado doesn't come in this area of the mission!!!
well,. . . . . . that seems to be all that I have to talk about! Onto the 8th article of faith!!!
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
aaahhhhh, this one. This one you will get a lot of varied responses. Some will say that the Bible is missing some things, others will say it's perfect, some will say you can't add or take away from the Bible, etc. All of that is nonsense, besides the first one. That is the main reason as to why we even have the Book of Mormon in the first place. The Book of Mormon is another Testimony of Jesus Christ, another witness to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. You would think people would love to have more to read about Jesus Christ. A decent amount of people probably don't mind reading it, but at once they don't see why. They look at it as another Bible but different story. Some of my companions have told me that people think it's the adventure of Brigham Young as he and the pioneers went west. Some people even mistaken it for the Doctrine and Covenants.
Like I said earlier before going on my rant. The Book of Mormon, helps us understand the Bible, at the same time it's not a documentary of the Bible. The Bible is a record of God's dealings with the people in Jerusalem, the Book of Mormon is the record of God's dealings with the people in the new world (America.) Their both history books in a sense. The thing that is different is the fact that the Book of Mormon was set for us, the people in this time/generation. You might ask why/how that is possible. When Mormon compiled the Book of Mormon he had about 1000 years of history from 600 B.C when Lehi and his family came over to the America's, down to about 400 A.D when Mormon was compiling the records. I cannot believe that 531 pages in today's syntax would have been 1000 years of history. In 4th Nephi that encompasses 300 or so years and it is only 4 pages long. I'm sure there could have been some good stories there, but Mormon didn't see them as something that could be of benefit to our generation.
I challenge you (the ones reading the e-mail) that you go through the chapters of the Book of Mormon and give them a title about what the chapter is about, for instance: Alma 32 is a chapter about faith, same with Ether 12. Ether 13-15 are war chapters, Alma 40 talks about the Resurrection, etc. So on and so forth. Do that with every chapter or most of the chapters. You will find a trend among the Book of Mormon and I will say to you all that those chapters that you find about faith, the one that has the most occurrences of that topic is what the world needs the most. I seem to be ranting, but I'll close with that the same thing Moroni did, the last book wasn't necessarily intended to be there, but he had the time. All the 10 chapters in Moroni are packed full of things that Moroni thought we would need. Who else was going to read the records? The rogue Lamenites? PLEASEE, they were too worrying about being wicked to want to read things that are spiritual.
I know that the Book of Mormon is a clarifying witness of Jesus Christ and the Bible, the Book of Mormon did not come into existence to do away with the Bible. Jesus Christ himself came into the world to fulfill the Law of Moses, he even observed it himself. Thus the Book of Mormon does the same, it comes to adhere to the Bible, but at the same time it extends our understanding of the message that Jesus Christ wanted us to here, I know that this is absolutely true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
- - - - -
March 12, 2012
HOlly, moley. It's quite windy and rainy over here. Hopefully we don't get any of them Torn oddos here. Even though we are in Tornado alley. Yesterday, a member told us that we were close to being on a tornado watch, but a member we were with said, he tends to over react a little. Who knows, we did get a lot of rain yesterday so that could mean something. Anyways, everything is going well here in Siloam Springs. On Friday we had District Meeting with President Merkley, then afterwards he interviews us. Since my District is just us and Tahlequah Oklahoma Elders we just went with the Springdale District, which is 8 Elders. In otherwords President had to interview 12 missionaries. That is a lot! Needless to say we took from 1 o'clock to about 5 to have interviews, I was the last one. I like being the last one. Elder Eyre went before me and had talked about the Bailey's who were our Baptist family (I just barely found out that they were baptist) who want Archeology evidence of the Book of Mormon. I always wanted to have the two DVD's that the Neal A. Maxwell foundation made in regards to evidience and Archeology of the Book of Mormon. President Merkley said he would let me borrow the DVD once another missionary is done with it. In addition he would give me a paper that has all the scripture references, since the second DVD that involves them once they get to America has a whole bunch of Book of Mormon references that you need to have read before you can watch. All in all, I have it taken care of with the help of President Merkley (this man is awesome), also at District meeting Sister Merkley told us that they are leaving June 1st (knew they were going to leave) and that the next Mission President is . . . . . Scott Shumway, he and his wife Ann Shumway along with their two kids are going to be the next ones to live in the Mission Home!! They told us that he is actually from Pleasant Grove!!!!!!! I was told that he was just barely a Stake President or a counselor. Maybe he will know a good amount of people that I know! Pleasant Grove is becoming more popular, Elder Christofferson was born/raised in Pleasant Grove!!!! Well, I don't have much else to report in my e-mail, other than I just barely burned awesome audio conference talks, I found the computers in the library that actually recognize CD's let alone burn them!!!!! You probably know me best, most of them are of Elder Holland what can I say out of the 9 that are on two CD's 4 are of him!! well, lets go on with the 7th Article of Faith, wow were about halfway done, then I'll have to find something else to extrapolate about. 7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. mmmmm, an interesting statement there. To the Pentecostal church the gift of tongues (to not be rude and me and my ingorance to understand more of their church am about to make a statement) that the gift of tongues is . . . . jiberish to me. Our interpretation of the Gift of Tongues, is the use of another language. These gifts can be found in 1 Corinthians 14, Moroni 7 (first part of the chapter) and Moroni 10. That I'm aware of. There could be more. In essence the Gifts of the Spirit are a way that the Spirit can be made manifest in people. It's like having talents, all of us have at least one gift of the spirit that we are good at. We need to find out which one we have, other ones would be like teaching have the gift of teaching, which would have the Spirit present as you teach. It's interesting to have Joseph Smith say visions and revelation as well. If he was a false prophet then why would he say that other members of the church besides him could see visions and have revelations? We understand now and more fully that the Prophet gets revelation for the church and he is the only one who receives that. In essence the gifts of the spirit are ways that we can reach out to others and exercise our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are to be used with prudence and for the uplifting of others and helping you with helping others. These things I know are true, I came out on a mission to be able to help those come unto Christ, by helping them receive the Restored Gospel, through faith in His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost & enduring to the end. This is my purpose and I do that whole heartily, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.- - - - -March 5, 2012
Hey everyone!!!
How is everyone's week been? I seem to get the same people e-mailing me. Anyone can e-mail who knows it (okay I don't need people I don't know to e-mail me), but anyone who would like to e-mail me can go ahead and do so. Apparently last week there were tornadoes that have gone through this part of the country. A tornado happened in Branson MIssouri which is in my mission. My last companion that was his first area!
I sat here for a couple minutes before typing this sentence because I'm listening to Elder Hollands talk safety for the soul, I LOVE THIS TALK! I can't wait for General Conference to come. I can't wait for of course another Elder Holland talk!!! I'm waiting for more talks that I can put on a DVD and use for investigators. It's not coming fast enough for me.
This last Saturday & Sunday we had Stake Conference in Springdale Arkansas. We had Elder C. Scott Grow (hahaha love the name) he gave a conference talk in April 2011. We went to the Priesthood, Adult and General session of the stake conference in which Elder Grow was there. Our mission President was there as well and spake in the adult and General session. I loved hearing him and Elder Grow. In the adult session Elder Grow asked us that we can ask questions, but I was in a broadcasted version in Siloam Springs for the adult session. Throughout the conference I felt that Elder Grow and probably most general authorities are more upbeat with their talks. Probably because they have given talks in conference, and also being with the 12 apostles frequently so they have more practice that way, and they have less stress when they come to a stake conference.
After the conference I was able to shake his hand and talk with him a little bit. He asked me where I lived and he said that he was in another Stake Conference that was in Pleasant Grove. It was nice to be able to shake hands with a general authority!!! I was also able to talk with my mission president a little and talk with other missionaries in the zone. Before and after conference my companion was walking around everywhere and I had a hard time figuring out where in the world he was. Especially after the conference he was by me for 3 seconds, then he was gone for like 5 minutes, then come back and keep disappearing. It was quite annoying.
well, that was my highlight of the week. Things are going well here. I'm very grateful that we really didn't get a winter, but then again we could have the saying "in like a lamb, out like a lion" hopefully we are good temperatures throughout the month. Well, I will continue with the 6th article of faith.
6th article of faith
WE believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
Pretty simple article, we believe in the same organization that existed when Christ was on the earth and He established His church. We have 15 Apostles, 1 Prophet, we have pastors (bishops, stake presidents) to help with the ward at a smaller level. We have teachers in the church. We have the exact same organization that was in the Bible. The true church of Christ's must be organized, in the book of Exodus, Jethro which is Moses Father-in-law tells Moses that he needs to assign leaders below him that will be in charge of particular group sizes coming up to the prophet. With him doing this, Moses didn't have to answer every question that was asked by the children of Israel. The same thing is done with us as missionaries. We have a question, we ask our companion, then our District leader, then Zone leader, then Assistants to the President and then ultimately the Mission President should be able to answer 98% of the questions asked. WE don't need to tire the mission president by asking, small questions that your companion or District leader could easily answer. The same is done with the church, we have our organization so that the Doctrine & Principles that we need to be taught. This organization makes this possible. I know that these things are true, I know that they are true principles. I know that this church holds the very same organization that Christ started when he was on the earth. We are indeed the first Christians on the earth today, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.- - - - -
February 28, 2012
Hey, everyone. Sorry I missed you yesterday. The internet here was really slow and the e-mail that I was sending gave me and error and I wasn't able to copy and paste it, so I lost that e-mail!!
well, everything is going great here in Siloam Springs. My new companion is Elder Eyre. He is from Mapleton Utah and he was serving in Prairie Grove. It's really funny I've been out for 7 1/2 months and I've had 5 companions, maybe i'm repeating myself but I seem to be getting a lot of companions and I'm not even halfway there.
Anyways, I would have sent my e-mail out yesterday but like I said the internet was slow and I wasn't able to recover my e-mail. Here is my e-mail and I hope that I am able to remember what I wrote last time.
Well, not much happened last week. Everything was fairly normal, other than I"m a bit stressed with having to lead in an area which I only had a 6 weeks to get to know. I know it fairly well, so I can manage, but I would like to have more time so I know things more. Yesterday I wrote several letters to my friends in the mission that came out the same as I did. I wanted to have a constant communication with them so I can see how they are doing. I"m fortunate enough to have my MTC companion Elder Berg close to me that I can meet him at Zone Conferences or zone meetings. My other threesome companion Elder Cutler I only saw for my first transfer in the field, then after that he has left and I have never seen him since.
well, anyways that's all that I have to write about this week. I will proceed with the 5th Article of Faith.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
Well, many people will disagree with this one!! This is another point that is unique and truly only understood by us. Many people will say that they only need to have the Holy Ghost and they are called of God. The things that I find in the Old Testament and even the New Testament is the process of the laying on of hands. It doesn't say that Christ specifically lays his hands, but the funny thing is, in Numbers 27:18-23 the Lord tells Moses to lay his hands on Joshua and give him portion of his honor. That understanding in the Old Testament and the understanding from Paul in the book of Acts where he lays his hands on those many times for those who are to receive the Holy Ghost.
We believe that those who act in the name of God, must obviously have His permission. These things are done by either prophecy or laying on of hands, by those who have that permission to do so. In order for us to preach the Gospel (missionary work like me) and to administer in the ordinances of salvation. They must need that Priesthood Authority, that was passed down from Jesus Christ to Peter, James & John then in the Latter Day to Joseph Smith, in whom I can trace my authority to, to be able to preach the gospel full-time. I know that these things are true and I know that I have been called of God, and I'm worthy to be here so I am called to go, because it is a commandment. I know that these things are true, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
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February 22, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEE!!!!!
Yes, I know I'm 7 days late! When you have a holiday on Monday and someone needed our attention yesterday you tend to be just a little late. Holidays I have noticed are only good if you: go to school, work for the government, banks/credit unions & Libraries. When you are a missionary and the holiday isn't Thanksgiving or Christmas you just hope that it doesn't land on a Monday.
This week was crazy week. We went on 3 exchanges with me being here in SIloam for 2 of them. I got a break on Wednesday but if you pay attention later, I didn't get a break. Wednesday I went on exchange with the Marshallese elders in Springdale (from the marshal Islands a territory of the United States) biked around Springdale the whole day. Went to members houses where they didn't speak english. Marshallese is heinously harder to tell between a sentence and a word. It all sounds the same, while Elder Latrik was speaking and teaching I was for the most part falling asleep. When you can't follow a conversation you don't pay attention or you loose attention. When you don't have ANY idea what they are speaking and all of it sounds the same, you fall asleep FAST.
Then after more of biking around visiting less actives it got fairly late, so I was biking behind Elder Latrik and he got to the point that he got ahead of me and I couldn't find him. I went to the left because I thought it was the sidewalk instead of going through like a businesses drive up thing. To my dismay about 20 seconds later I nailed my left shoulder into the pole of the road sign, it probably was the "right lane must turn right" sign, you know, the one that really isn't all that necessary to have. After that incident elder latrik came back noticing that I wasn't anywhere near him and helped me find the problem with the bike. Then we biked to more member houses that watch weird Chinese movies. Then we went to our last visit with a less active who could speak some english but like always they prefer to speak their native language. He asked if I liked fish, well, I do, apparently it was raw. I didn't have too much, but I'm thinking that was my downfall for Friday's situation. I had the fish with a ton of rice. After that we went back to the apartment and that was Wednesday.
Thursday was a regular Thursday. Friday I wake up do the normal stuff had peanut butter captain crunch then about 10 minutes after. My stomach felt really queasy. We had an exchange with Tahlequah that day and before the exchange we had a District Leader Council with the Zone Leaders. I had to give the spiritual thought, for the meeting. I just talked about my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon Alma 5. Through the whole meeting I thought I was going to throw up. I had the trash can next to me just in case. Well, I didn't through the whole meeting. Then we had to drive to Tahlequah ourselves so that is 100 miles on the car down the drain (pretty much.) Friday's we go to Westville Oklahoma since it is a small town that we can devote time to tracting at apartment complexes and try by people that said we could come back. We did that had a member come with us who lives in that area and we went to one investigator and tried by a couple other ones. Then we had dinner and things like that later and I said I'm tired and this was around 7:30, I just want to lay down. I took some Diarrhea medicine wrote in my journal and me and Elder Orr went to bed!!! I didn't get any sleep because I went to the bathroom 2-3 times that night and I was sweating profusely.
Saturday is here surprise!!! Our ride to Tahlequah cancels on us about 30 minutes before 10! I send out a mass text to all the male members in the ward and most of them couldn't give us a ride couple called and said they couldn't. I had contacted through text or calling about 40 members. Then after about 45 minutes of frantically calling people the member that was with us last night called and asked if we needed a ride. I was like YES WE NEED A RIDE, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! We drove to Tahlequah waited a little for elder Hamann and Beard to come to the church. We then road back to the apartment I dropped to the couch and was tired! Later that night we got transfer calls and Elder Hamann is going to Tulsa and that my new companion is Elder Eyre, who is actually in the same zone and was the District leader in Prairie grove. Well, would you look at that 7 1/2 months out and I've had 5 companions and all of them were District Leaders. On top of that I got to lead an area that I've only had 6 weeks to get to know!!!! I would love 6 more weeks. Also Siloam isn't a zebra area anymore and I don't get more time to read since we won't have language study.
well, I'm tired of writing this e-mail and I want to go look at e-mails and laugh, this e-mail took me too long to write. But I have to write the 4th Article of Faith.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordiances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance ; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For missionaries this belief is taught in the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" it's the third lesson in Preach my gospel. Each one builds off each other. You first have faith, once you have faith you exercise your faith to repent of things that you have done. Then once you have faith and have exercised the faith to repent, you then exercise more faith and be baptized to fully be cleansed from your sins. Then after Baptism you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to better make decisions and have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. If there is anything that you should know in life it is these 4 principles plus charity and the atonement. Everything else is just here to make life for flavor full.
Well, hopefully I have entertained and made up for some of my e-mails in the past that were shorter. This one was definitively longer than probably most. I hope that everything is going great where everyone is.
I know that the 4 principles of the gospel are those that I have mentioned. They are as we teach, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since man was/is fallen that is the way that the Lord as established to make amends for the things that he has saved us with, and I close in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
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February 6, 2012
Well, would you look at that. It's my monthly anniversary today!!!! Good ole 7 months, wow times blows by fast!
This week was a good week, lots of teaching opportunities that have happened. I went on 2 exchanges this week, so I was in Tahlequah Oklahoma from Monday after zone conference to Wednesday morning. Then Friday to Saturday I was in Springdale. This week I will be going on exchanges 3 times, and all 3 times I will be here in Siloam Springs!!!!!!!
Well, I really don't have anything epic to say, or story to explain today. This just might be a short e-mail, or longer explanation on the 2nd article of faith. Which one is unbeknown to me. Well, when I was on exchanges with Springdale, we went to a member's house who she said had the gift of prophecy. That is however a gift of the spirit, but I'm still skeptical. She guessed about my dad working on a computer, but to say the least "imputing information" into a computer, is what you use a computer for! She said I grew up well, or to say that I grew up in a family that wasn't divided or anything, so I guess she gets one point, but that's all!
When I was in Tahlequah, we had to bike the whole day and we biked around the main part of the city. Needless to say Tahlequah NEEDS MORE SIDEWALKS! I don't know what it is with the people out here. I don't need a 10 FT sidewalk, but a way for me to ride my bike without stopping traffic would be great, thanks!!! Without further adieu and me complaining I will get to the 2nd article of faith!
2. We believe that man will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
Fairly easy one to explain and understand (for the most part.) The majority of the world believes that Adam and Eve partaking of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (imagine having to say that all the time, let alone typing it!) was the biggest mistake known to man. I looked at a book in barnes and noble awhile back and it was a book about the biggest mistakes in history. Of course, on the cover was an apple with a bite in it.
The reason being that they believe it is a big mistake, is that they understand that if they didn't we would all live in the garden of Eden.Only to the untrained eye would someone say this (yes, I'm using an ace ventura joke) Adam and Eve couldn't fulfill the other commandment of multiplying and replenishing the earth while still in the Garden of Eden. The fact that they didn't realize that they were naked until they partook of it, is evidence that they didn't possess that knowledge until after they partook of it. If they didn't partake of it, they would have wondered in the Garden of Eden for however long they wanted to. Then God and Jesus Christ would be forced to play chess while they waited for Adam and Eve to partake of the Fruit, (that would be interesting to see who would win.)
Needless, to say Adam fell that men might be, that men might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25) If it wasn't for the fall of Adam and eve we wouldn't be here today. We were a fallen people because of the Fall. At the same time though, because we were a fallen people and could not merit salvation we would have skipped the spirit world and gone straight to Outer Darkness. It is in and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we all have a chance to comeback to the fold of God. It is because of the Atonement that we can be ransomed by Christ. It is our choice to choose. Whether to choose to follow Christ or be captive by the devil and do things selfishly and not for God and His eternal purposes. This time on Earth is the time for men to prepare to meet their God, so don't procrastinate the day of your repentance, (Alma 34: 32-34.) I'm very grateful for my understanding of the Savior Jesus Christ and His example for us to follow. I'm grateful that Adam fell, so that we could all experience happiness. "How sweet the joy this sentence brings, that I know that my Redeemer lives." "He said to men, come follow me, that ye my friends with God, may be." In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - - -
February 1, 2012
Hello everyone!!
This week was a great week in regards to missionary work! We taught 8
lessons!! I'll start off with Tuesday, since Monday's are really
eventful. We went on a Zone Leader exchange, I went to Fayetteville
with Elder Johnson (there's too many Elder Johnsons) We had some good
success there with teaching a couple times and visiting with a less
active/part member family. Apparently there were 2 set of missionaries
in Fayettevile, now there is only 1 so they have to take on the whole
city of Fayettevile by themselves. The funny thing is they have an
apartment, then they live in President Renfroe's mansion (President
Renfroe is the 1st counselor of President Merkley) his mansion fits
the title of the house, it's HUGE!!! They get a game room all to
themselves, really missionaries need a game room to play some serious
game of pool for preparationday?! Well, needless to say they have
quite the luxury there.
Then we exchanged back on Wednesday we met with the bishop at 7 and he
got to know me more and we discussed things pertaining to missionary
work. Then for Thursday we met with our investigator family who feeds
us on Thursdays, it was going to be just the father, (what a relief,
the wife is the one who has all the questions and retorts to our
statements) for once we had a nice conversation and we didn't really
get more than once or twice in the bible. He had many questions about
the Book of Mormon but the main thing he had a problem with was like a
lot of people with history they say that they didn't have certain
things in this time in history. He showed us many scriptures, but the
funny thing is he really hasn't read it himself. How could he have,
I'm sure he found them or got them from someone, if he would have read
the Book of Mormon he would have understood most of his questions that
he had.
Saturday we attended a baptism, but it was a child of record baptism,
we had so many members call us and ask us if we are going to be there.
It's a child of record baptism, why do we need to be there? We went
anyways because we might have to conduct, but the Bishop ended up
conducting. We went and tried by some people and we got a call from an
investigator who needed help with moving so we helped them. Then we
went to our dinner appointment with a less-active member. Then we
tried by some people, but the last one we tried was actually there.
They spoke 100% spanish so I just sat there watching and seeing what
they could be saying.
On Sunday we did our usual translate for Sacrament then we had gone to
Gospel Principles and then we had a combined meeting since it was a
5th Sunday. Then we went out with brother Farmer and Bishop, we taught
our 12 year old investigator, she is really sharp and told us that she
is going to start coming to our church instead of a Baptist church
(fist pump). Then we taught our next door neighbors who are moving. He
had a DVD that he wanted us to watch, oh boy! Can't imagine what it's
going to talk about /Sarcasm. It was a video that I actually saw on
Youtube, it was an animated video that went over a lot of deep
doctrine and illustrated for the most part our premortal life. There
were a good amount of things that weren't correct that we told him,
then it went into a conversation in Spanish in which I just sat there
and concentrated as best as I could. We then went to try by some
people and see how they were doing. Then afterwards we went to our
investigator who is practically a member except that she needs to quit
smoking before she can be baptized. We watched the John Tanner video
with them and talked about what topics we can study for next time.
Well, I'll guess I will talk about Zone Conference since it was on
Monday and the reason why i'm e-mailing you so late. Zone Conference
we were instructed more on the addiction recovery program and we had
someone from Salt Lake who is in charge of the vehicles tell us that
the little boxes that are in our cars (tiwi's) are going to tell us
when we either: aren't wearing our seatbelt, driving over the speed
limit or aggresively driving. We have a card that we swipe next to the
unit itself and it tells us that we are "Logged in" sounds really
cool. We had instruction on finding opportunites and that we need to
tract more and things like that (oh boy). Well, that's pretty much all
I have to tell you, we have finished the 17 points of the true church
and I'm going to go into the articles of faith.
1. We belive in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and
in the Holy Ghost.
Well, right off the bat we are already different from just about 99%
of the world religions. We believe that they are both individual,
separate beings. They are unified in PURPOSE not in appearance.
Genesis 1:26 says it well, "Let us make man in OUR image" If we are in
the image of God, and we have a body of flesh and blood, then that
must mean they have one as well. There are many reasons that Christ
came down to earth. One of them was to receive a body, he received a
body for a reason, not because it's what kids are doing these days,
it's because it was essential for him. Since he was ressurected his
body became a perfected and imortal body. Not being able to be
afflicted with death ever again. The Holy Ghost is probably the unsung
hero that most people don't understand or really forget all-together.
In this world today we have so much noise that his presence is usually
overpowered by his still small voice that Elijah experienced when he
was in the mountains (1kings 19:9-12.) The Holy Ghost is there to
witness that God the Father and Jesus Christ are real. That is what
his purpose is. He is our constant companion when we are confirmed
after we are baptized. He is there to help us when we need it, if we
are worthy to be able to have him with us.
I'll conclude this is a very short summary of the Godhead, but I know
that the they are 3 separate beings who are unified in purpose. We
need to strive to perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, and as
Christ told us that we should be unified just as He and the Father are
unified. I know these to be true, I know that God is our loving
Heavenly Father and wants us to be there with Him in the Celestial
Kingdom, where we can have eternal happiness. Which we cannot obtain
to the fullest measure here in this life. I close in the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
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January 23, 2012
Hey everybody!The weather's great here, it seems that we'll never have winter!!!!!!!!!! That works just peachy fine for me. It was 60ish last night around 8 o'clock.This week was pretty good, we had fairly good success here. The ward mission leader is inacting a simple but awesome plan to use the ward missionaries and with exchanges with members in the ward. Sundays during the 2nd hour we get to teach the ward missionaries in regards to certain chapters in preach my gospel. This week it was chapter 4 in how to use the Holy Ghost and how you should be living in order to have the Holy Ghost with you. We have good ward missionaries, they aren't shy to share the gospel or to talk with people so it's great to have them.To go back in the week, Thursdays is when we have dinner with an investigator family (okay only the Mother and Father are investigating), the father had inviting a couple from the ward who are great friends with them and we helped out that family last saturday with moving into their new house. After dinner they explained that they had a DVD that was given to them by friends because they had said that they were investigating "Mormonism" (I hate that word). They told us that it had posed many questions that they had and so they showed it with us. WOW. That's really all I can say, I kind of expected what was going to be on there and I was really not too far off. In essense they had been given anti literature and wanted to show it to us! Well, it just about went through everything that everyone doesn't like about our religion, it was quite disturbing. How they pit Joseph Smith against Jesus Christ. We stopped halfway through the DVD because the member explained that the 1st half was really good but the 2nd part was really just biased opinions about the church. The questions the couple asked were really far out their questions. We had them explain the Trinity for us and he said that we were putting him on the spot, his wife said that the Trinity is hard to explain. Well, golly gee wize you putting all 4 of us on the spot. ANYWAYS, I had a similiar but different lesson with someone else we meet with yesterday, but I don't want to go into that at all.Well, thank you everyone for your support you give to me on my mission! I will now go to the next and last scripture in the points of the true church.17. By their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20I like this scripture a lot. This is a scripture that we use quite frequently with people. As the scripture verses go before it, it explains that good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit. The Book of Mormon is the fruit of Joseph Smith. You are to test out for yourself if the Book of Mormon is true. Many people say that you can't trust your feelings. Without going on a tangent, you can trust your feelings, that is why they are there, to help you understand things. How can the all powerful being known as our Heavenly Father can't give us a way to have us know what is truth? People want the knowing to be a big loud voice, but like in the scripture 1 kings 19:12 Elijah was looking for the spirit and he couldn't find it in the earthquakes and the fires, but after all that happened he found that the spirit was a still small voice.The scripture that goes with the 17 points of the true church, is the one that encompasses them all is. The question is: Why are these things important? Hebrews 13:8 says that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever" that means if Jesus Christ said it in his day then he must not be a liar. Also it says in the scriptures that God is not a respector of persons, he doesn't do things for His children in Biblical times but not in modern times. Next week I will be doing the Articles of Faith!I know that these points that I have ascribed to you in the last 17 or so weeks are true, and our church is built upon these and others as well. I know these to be true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
January 17, 2012
Hola everyone!!!!
Well, Arkansas is quite the place. When you thought Oklahoma was hill
billy country you would have to double check that thought. There are a
lot more dirt roads here in Arkansas than there are in Oklahoma.
Siloam Springs is a nice place I like it a lot. I actually have an
apartment!!!!! With washer & dryers, couches, dishwasher & a oven!!
All the things I didn't have in Sapulpa!! Well, not trying to be
negative, it's just a nice thing to have and you miss them once you
don't have them!
This area is what we call in the mission as a zebra companionship. My
companion Elder Hamonn is a spanish missionary, and I'm a english
missionary! We have many investigators who speak mostly spanish, a
lesson we taught Saturday night was with an investigator who spoke
mostly spanish. It was a good thing we had an exchange with us who
could speak incredible spanish (he teaches spanish people spanish) and
I sat there and watched them talked about the Book of Mormon.
After the lesson the member told me that I should try to learn as much
as I can, he said that once you know five verbs or whatever (I can't
remember) it gets easier because then you just have to recognize how
to use them in the sentence structure. The way I see it is, if the
Lord wanted me to reach out to those who speak spanish he would have
called me on a spanish mission. Not being ignorant (even though I'm
good at that) I'm just being optimistic, because it's going to take me
an astronomical amount of time to learn another language.
Anyways, Sunday if any of our investigators who speak spanish come to
church we have to interpret for them. For Sacrament meeting Elder
Hamonn did that in the Clerks office, halfway during the meeting the
phone rang really loud as he was interpreting, so we moved to the
hallway to finish translating. Second hour we met with the ward
mission leader and the ward missionaries and coordinated the efforts
into a plan that will help the missionary work in the ward very well,
even to where the members are looking at us as a special tool to use,
instead of "I have the missionaries for exchanges what can I do to
take up time." The missionary work here is great, and I'm very
excitied to see what can come of it.
In case I forget here is my address
(bleeped by my mom... if you want my address, contact her =)
I'll proceed with the point of the true church, almost done.
16. The true church must ptractice baptism for the dead. 1 corinthians 15:16,29.
I find this point a fairly unique point in of itself. Along with a
restoration church, no other church in the world practices baptisms
for the dead. Many people actually condemn the practice. Thinking that
you can't just walk to a grave site and take the information and then
do the ordiance of baptism for them. They don't believe in that. It's
much more than that, even though we in essence do find our ancestors
information, but we make sure that it is very accurate and we don't
just romp on other people's ancestry line. If they are not realated to
you in any way the church doesn't want you to perform the ordinances.
A scripture comes to mind, it's 2 Peter 4:6 (or 1 peter) it says,
paraphrased, that the dead are judged according to those in the flesh.
That means that even though they may have passed on into the next
life, it doesn't mean their salvation is thwarted, because they didn't
know of the Gospel in their life. Heavenly Father is a merciful God,
he wants all of us to be with him again. I know this to be true,
because he has given all of us an infinite amount of chances on this
life to turn around. He is always there, He always cares, He always
acknowledges our Free Agency to call on him or not. I know this to be
true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
January 9, 2012
With Elder Rowley leaving at the beginning of this transfer, and my new companion Elder Virgen. Who would of thought what would happen next in the saga of Elder Haymond. In this action pack episode of Elder Haymond's mission something that was expected and at the same time it wasn't, has happened. The suburb Sapulpa will now be but a distant memory as a new chapter in the Elder Haymond saga continues, with him moving from Sapulpa to Silom Springs Arkansas, with a new companion who has a similiar name to his, Elder Hamonn. This new twist will become in effect roughly Thursday afternoon.Well, if understood any of that, I was trying to be like the back cover of the movie Batman: Forever. Just look at the cover and see how terribly I was at adapting it to my situation. Well, as you all probably guessed I'm being transfered to . . . . . SILOM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. My companion will be another District Leader (wow all companions have District Leaders) Elder Hamonn. This will be interesting for my new ward members and missionaries in my District! Since I will be leaving Thursday, it is safe to say that if you haven't mailed anything to me by today or tomorrow, DON'T mail it. Just wait until I get my new address or you can mail it to the address in my signature, that sends it to the mission office, so it is sure to get to me.Well, this week could have gone better. **sorry the keyboard that I am using in the library is going weird on me, whenever I'm typing the I-beam where the characters are typed into just moves spots and I start typir ng somewhere else where I have typed, just to let you know.** We taught a lesson, because all of our appointments with our investigators canceled on us, if we taught all of our investigators once, we could haved had roughlly 8 lessons which would have been someone we haven't done for about, well, mmm when I wasn't here.Wednesday we had what we call the Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel where we gather as a Zone and we teach each other the 8 simplified lessons which were gathered from Preach My Gospel. They are lessons that have been can I say extracted from Preach My Gospel. Like the title says, its the fundamentals of preach my Gospel. We taught, "We invite, they commit, we follow up." In otherwords our instruction was on extending commitments to investigators, commitments are in essence homework assignments for our investigators. Coming to church, reading, praying and things similiar to that are commitments we leave with them. Commitments is how we measure our investigators in their progression towards baptism. We taught on that, it went really well. There is really nothing else to report on for the week, nothing that "exciting."15. the true church must be a restored church. Acts 3:19-20. Well, what can I say. There isn't a single church out there besides a break off of the LDS church can say they are a restored church. Going back to when Christ was on the earth. Heavenly Father had given us Prophets and direction in Old Testament times. Eventually the people didn't like those Prophets and they lead into what we call an Apostasy. Instances like these are: Adam, Noah, Abraham & Moses. They were Prophets and eventually they were rejected by their own people. Then the people fell away, then when they got rock bottom, Heavenly Father called another one of His children to lead and guide His people. Eventually they were all rejected, then in the Meridian of Time, Heavenly Father sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. Jesus Christ was a Prophet in a sense, but at the o same time he was the Only Begotten Son as well. A person who would save us from our sins but not in our sins. He would setup His church on the earth and how it should be setup. Later he was crucified, His Apostles were then scattered and individually they were all killed as well (besides John but still he wasn't around either.) Christ and His Apostles were no longer present on the earth, that Priesthood Authority to act in God's name was no longer present. The earth fell into the Great Apostasy, because it was the one that lasted the longest. For roughly 1700 years, the authority to act in God's name through Jesus Christ, was not present during those long long long years. Then like in times past, when we hit rock bottom, or when the time was right He and Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, who was searching for the TRUTH he wanted to know which of ALL the sects were true. He didn't think that ALL of them were wrong, but it was Jesus Christ who said to Joseph that all are wrong and don't represent Him. Joseph Smith later Restored the church and we know it now as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. He ushered in the Dispensation of the Fullness of times. The Priesthood authority is now restored back to the earth again, NEVER to be taken away EVER. Satan and all his lackeys will do all they can to defame the name of Joseph Smith and try to take away our faith, but they can try and they will fail miserably. The Angel Moroni when he appeared to Joseph Smith said that his name would be known to both good and evil. That is true, if Joseph Smith was lying how on earth would he have known that he would be known for both good and evil. To his dismay he could have been forgotten after a couple days of seeing the vision and no one would know him??? Sorry, I'm rambling a bit, but I know that this church has been restored, though columny may defame, nothing will stop this marvelous work of the Lord, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa Mission- - - - - - - - - -
January 3, 2012HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!I'm able to get on the computer today even though the library was closed until the 5th because they are redoing/moving the catalog system, but since the head librarian is a member they allowed us to use the internet even though the library isn't opened. I'm very thankful for that so I don't have to wait until Thursday to come e-mail!!!This week has been better than many in the past, we have success from the referrals that the mission send us to go call/contact. We were able to contact 2 good referrals from the list that we called. We met with one of them last Friday, she is actually a friend with a ward member in Sapulpa so we went to their house and were able to answer questions about the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. It was a good lesson, we weren't expecting to have to go over that, but next time we will go over the Restoration and we have an awesome DVD that we are going to show with them. The other referral that we contacted we have an appointment with her on Thursday, she lives on Lincoln street!!! It's funny in Bristow there are four streets right next to each other named: Washington, Jackson, Lincoln & Jefferson streets. It's pretty funny, anyways. She went to church in Idaho and moved here, she wanted to know where the church was since she went when she was in Idaho. She knows where the church is, but we assume that she isn't a member since we usually have one of the Bishopric tell us of new move ins for us to go see or something. All in all much can be had from our visit and I can't wait!Friday we went to Bristow, which we hardly ever go there, because it takes up our days allotment of miles going there and back. Not to mention all the driving we doing while we are there. Since we had an extra 150 or so miles we drove there to see former investigators. Meeting 2 of the several that we left cards by, they were very okay with us coming back and teaching them again. I was really confused as to why they were former investigators when they so willingly said we could come back. I know it's been a year since they were last taught by missionaries, but it's really funny how time can change people.Saturday for our New Years "celebration" we had a member give us money to go eat out so we went to a pizza buffet!!! Then we went back to our apartment and I found some scriptures for our ward scripture challenge to find scriptures that support both the Bible and Book of Mormon. Then at 9ish we planned our next day, opened our sparkling cider that Sister White gave us then we went to bed shortly after. We could have stayed up until 12 but we would have to wake up still at 6:30, I've had too many experiences doing that, to just not want to do it again!Everything going well here, our church starts at 1 p.m so it's still a little weird to see how we can do anything before our church starts. Because we have about 2 hours before 12, when we have our missionary coorelation meeting with our Ward Mission Leader. We'll see how we can be able to do things before church. Well that is all that I have this week on Elder Haymond's weekley episode of e-mail writing.Point 14, were getting close to the end! The true church must be a MISSIONARY church. Matthew 28:19-20.Wow how ironic is this one? Speaking with one of our former investigators that we go over and see how they are doing once a week. She explains that she wishes her church would do something like what we are doing. Even today when we were putting our bikes up and waiting for the people in the library to open the door for us, a man drives up in a white mini-van and asks us if we are "preaching the word" we said we were and he offered to buy us lunch. We said that would be great, if you are willing to give us something. He said that would be great for him to give, so he gave us 20$ and that is what we are going to use for lunch today! I'm very greatful for these experiences, there are very few churchs that have a serious missionary program. They do have missionaries that go out, but not as long in the day or how long we dedicate our lives to. We are missionaries from once we are set apart to when we get released. We are full time missionaries for that time, when we get home and before we left we were member missionaries which is different that full time. If the Gospel that your church teaches is true, wouldn't you want more people to taste of it's sweet taste too? Watching some of the History of the church yesterday and we sent out missionaries litterally like a couple years after the church was organized. Church's today who have been around for several hundred years haven't even begun doing missionary work. It just shows you that we mean serious business when it comes to the Salvation of God's Children. I'm am greatful for those I have touched in my mission and those that I will touch in the future. I know that what I am doing is the work of the Lord, like President Uchtdorf in quoting from Nehemian several conferences ago, "I'm doing a great work, and cannot come down." In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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December 27, 2011
HOPE EVERYONE HAD A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!I sure had a Merry Christmas. It was different having Christmas on a Mission, in an area that I've never been in, with someone I've never met until 2 weeks ago, in a place where there was absolutely no snow for Christmas. So, it was quite the Christmas.Tuesday we were on exchanges with the Jenks Elders, so me and Elder Urban were in Sapulpa. We spent about 55 minutes trying to find a referral, since the streets here in Sapulpa are named after either a: Dog, tree or person. It makes finding a street pretty confusing because when someone says a street name you have to know where it is exactly or else you will have to turn wheels like we did. It didn't help that the map didn't help with streets that were on the other side of town, but were still considered that same street name, even though the map told me otherwise. All in all I was really confused, what happened to just having street names that have numbers so I can see if I am actually going in the right direction?That night we taught our investigator with a date, we went over the baptismal questions and also the law of Tithing and Fast Offerings. Then on Thursday we had our District meeting with President and Sister Merkely. Since we are a combined District, we had 5 companionships of missionaries that President had to interview. That lasted from 9-12 in the morning. Then we had our teaching appointment with our referral, we have been over and taught him once or twice. The member who referred him to us said that he had been tracted in by Jehovah's Witnesses, so we went over and answered his question about Adam and Eve (something that the Jehovah's Witnesses taught him about Adam and Eve.), we then read out of the Book of Mormon some things to answer his question, then we taught the Restoration up to the Apostasy. Then at 5:45 that day I called to see if we could still come over and see our investigator with a date, she stated that she didn't want us to come over anymore and she isn't going to be baptized mormon. We believe she antied herself. She went online to research Joseph Smith and found a myriad of websites that are totally biased, false and don't present ALL the facts.The rest of the week went by pretty good. Saturday we went to a members house for dinner, we then got a ride from the Jenks Elders and we went to the Mission Home and we did some caroling with about 5 other companionships in the Tulsa & Tulsa East Zones. We caroled at houses who weren't members and we gave them the DVD Testaments. Since it describes the events of Jesus Christ's birth. President Merkely was a good example that night, as he was giving out the DVD's many times he went inside the house and talked with them as we were sitting outside watching him. He seemed very confident, as he should be and as I should be as well. That was something that I noticed him do.Christmas day I got to sleep in to 8 o'clock!! I opened my presents and took pictures of them so I can archive them,haha. Then we got ready for church. We had a combined Sacrament with the Jenks ward at 11 o'clock. It was a good Sacrament meeting, it went a little over but it was a nice Sacrament meeting. Then we went home had lunch with the Whites and then I got to call my Family!!!!!!!!! That was exciting and fun! Got to hear their voices since I have been away for almost 6 months! Time has gone by fast. "Time flies on wings of Lightning." Monday the libraries were closed so we couldn't e-mail, so we had more time to write letters and such, so we went and played frisbee golf. That leads us to, today!Point # 1313. The true church must claim revelation from God Amos 3:7. I like to call Amos 3:7 the bread and butter scripture the church uses. Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophet. It's a simple and plain scripture, God will reveal his "secrets" or what he wants us to know through his servants (Prophets, Apostles, General Authorities, Mission Presidents, etc.) We are a church of Revelation because we are always within the sound of God's voice and that is through the Prophet President Thomas S. Monson. There is something special about President Monson, he isn't higher than us, he just has a divine calling, and that is to be a Prophet, Seer & Revelator. Some may say that we have great faith in these days so we don't need a Prophet today. In my honest opinion I think there are lots of people who have great faith, but there are a lot of people who if they don't see the facts, or don't see it, they don't believe it. I believe there is a greater need for a Prophet now than in times past. We have more things coming towards us that are more detrimental to our Eternal Salvation than those who lived 500 years or even 2000 years ago. I know that President Monson is a Prophet of God, that has been called of God to lead the world through these dark and dreary times, many will say that they don't need help/guidance from the Prophet, but they are those who are lost in the darkness after they left the Rod of iron. President Monson is a Prophet of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
December 19, 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!Well, it is December 19th and I haven't seen an inch of snow yet. Phew, I am so used to having tons of snow by now and even by mid November even. This week has gone somewhat slow, than weeks past. Most of the week I was calling and updating our list of referrals we get from the mission office. This list is a list of individuals who would be interested in knowing more/wanting some materials from missionaries. The only downside is, that these referrals haven't been contacted in lets say between 1-5 years. I saw one that the date said it was July 2005. I was thinking to myself, why on earth has no one contacted this person within that many years? I know that calling random people isn't the most invigorating thing to do on a mission, but you can definitely get some good potential from them. Out of the 3 lists that we have right now, I was able to contact about 4 people who would have some very good interest/possibility.Well, besides doing that, we have been trying to implement what we call as active member lessons. Where we teach active families about the Restoration or a lesson like that. Then we challenge them to be more active in their missionary efforts. This can be like reaching out to your friends, it's not like you would walk up to your friend/neighbors house and ask them if they want to be taught by missionaries from their church. We are just asking that when you talk with your friends and neighbors, try to bring up religion if you can. Or if they bring up religion, you can tell them that they can go to Mormon.org and find our a lot more about our church, in case you don't have/know the answers. The members of the church hold the keys to finding investigators for the missionaries. We don't ask them to go tracting. If you have a friend that is interested they are more likely to stay in the church, because they have that support from the member and not just the missionaries. They are more likely to be interested in what you say, because we as missionaries do this everyday and this just what we do. You on the otherhand don't do this everyday so it make it more worthwhile for them to listen to you.We are working on doing that with the ward. The First Presidency wants us to be doing it as well, so we are going to follow the Prophet! Well, that's about all I have. Is everyone having a good Christmas this year? It's gone by fairly fast, I think my Advent Calendar is making it go by faster! We have families that are having us over for Christmas eve and Christmas day. The one we are staying for Christmas day, was telling me at church yesterday that we could just watch Disney movies. As much as I would love to watch Disney movies. They aren't however approved for us to watch, unless you can somehow get the church's seal on it then we could watch it!Onto the Point of the True Church! Point 12!12. The officers must be called by God. Hebrews 5:4, Exodus 28:1 & Exodus 40:13-16.I like Hebrews 5:4 because it was a Scripture mastery in the New Testament. I remembered it as "he bruised his thumb" He-brews. Yeah it's cheesy but I remembered it nonetheless. That scripture is paraphrase as so " No man taketh this honour unto himself, unless he be called of God, as was Aaron." Aaron was called of God, the same Aaron that we get the Aaronic Priesthood from and the same one who was the spokesmen for Moses. As a missionary you have a ministerial certificate, which is signed by President Monson, who is a Prophet who was called of God. His authority can be traced down to Jesus Christ, as can mine. The special thing about being called of God, is because you are the representative of the Lord, if it weren't that way then everyone would say that I have his authority, no I have his authority. It is chaos in the world we live today who say that they have the authority to act in God's name. Many say you don't need authority, but that is not true. You need to have authority, why was there Prophets in the Old Testament? Another question would be, why was there a need for Prophets? What made them so special? What made them so special is because they could act in God's name, they had that Authority!!! That's what makes us so special to literally 99% of the world is that authority. There are few who claim that authority, and that is what Christ meant when he was talking to Joseph in the First Vision, where he said that they deny the Godliness thereof. Something to that effect, we are one of the few who doesn't deny the Godliness/authority thereof. I can testify to you that I know that this is to be true, that authority makes all the difference between a disciple of God and someone who wants to do good. A disciple of God will do good continually even if it isn't what kids are doing these days. I can testify that to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, OklahomaIf you want to send mail, you can send through the mission office.Oklahoma Tulsa mission office:3640 S. New Haven Avenue Suite OTMTulsa, Ok 74135 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
December 12, 2011
ahh, this has been a pretty cool week. My new new companion is Elder Virgen. He was Elder Sorenson's companion in Centerton Arkansas. He has been out for essentially 2 years, he leaves in the middle of February, so he has 2 more transfers left. If I don't get transfered in January that means I will be here for 2 more transfers after that!!! 9 months in one area yeeesssh.Well, it has been pretty fun and different to have to get used to living with another companion. He is a lot different that Elder Rowley, he is more scattered when it comes to organization. He's pretty outgoing and we talk a lot more at the apartment. Before he came on Thursday I was with the Jenks Elders in a three-some from Saturday to Thursday morning. I had to do some things in Sapulpa while being in Jenks. we went to both Sapulpa Church and Jenks.. I got 6 hours of being at church.Everything is going well here. Yesterday we had Stake Conference, it was a lot different that Stake Conferences that I have been to. We mostly had sustainings and testimonies.. We didn't have any "talks" that anyone prepared. Our mission President gave his testimony, his daughter-in-law passed away on the 7th of December so his wife is in Utah right now and he has to stay because of his obligations..Friday we had our Ward Christmas party, it was lots of fun. We had our investigator there, and it was great that they were sitting with the Bishopric to eat their dinner. That's what I want to have happen. Now that I think about it, on Tuesday when I was with the Jenks Elders we went to Chili's with a Free will Baptist youth minister. It was pretty good we had some "small talk" for the first 15 minutes, then it immediately delved into us teaching/talking about things of our church and him preaching to us that it is not true. Also not letting us really explain/tell why that is. He would let us for a minute then he would cut us off and rant. He kept telling us that he wasn't trying to hurt us, but in essence he really was trying to hurt us and convince us that he is right. I didn't come on a mission to be converted to another religion 5 months after I got here. Do they not realize that? I have devotion to "my religion", I didn't get converted to this religion and come and teach it somewhere else, then to have someone belittle me and tell me to come to his. What is the thinking behind these people? They apparently didn't read 3 Nephi 11:29 where Christ's says that the Spirit of contention is not of me. It was more of a testimony builder to me than a vindicitve attack to me.I can't think of anything else to report or anymore exciting stories, so here goes the point of the true church.10. The true church must teach that God and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct individuals. John 17:11 and John 20:17Bam already that is something that was discussed as we were eating with the Baptist preacher. They believe in the trinity, which if I can/ever will actually remember how that works it goes something like this. God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are one thing. He explained it as an ice cube, the ice cube is in a solid mass, then it can be water and gas. He liken that to the trinity. I don't understand how that can work, if Christ was on Earth, and God was in heaven then wouldn't that mean he has a body, how could they be in two places at once. The best example of this, is when Christ was baptized, Matthew 3:13-17, Christ was baptized, the Holy Ghost descended like a dove and God spoke to them and testified of Christ's obedience to follow his father. Those other scriptures that I have provided are excellent as well. I know that the Godhead is the true way in which Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are manifested to us. The Holy Ghost doesn't have a body, so it can testifiy to us by dwelling in us. I know that these things are true, and I leave them with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
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November 14, 2011
HEY everyone!!!!!!!!!Well, this week was pretty good week. We had exchanges with the Jenks missionaries, I went to Jenks with Elder Bennett. We had fun biking around and having no one home for us to talk to. Investigators and members!!! Then the next day since we came back from exchanges late in the day we stayed there at Jenks for a couple hours to start our weekly planning. I'll just say this, there's a reason why you don't have too many apartments with 4 missionaries in it!Friday we had Zone Conference. I loved it as usual. We got new phones which are a lot better than our old phones. They have bigger keyboard and they aren't the ones that stick a little bit to your fingers. Plus it's more sleek. Funny thing is in our cars we had a system installed, they said it was calibrating right now, but in essence it's a big brother contraption. It probably monitors how fast we accelerate and jerk the car and things such as that. Zone Conference we were instructed on the Addiction Recovery program that the church is pushing to replace all other methods that missionaries use in helping people stop addictions. We got the manual and the District Leaders are suppose to instruct on them in District meeting. It will be interesting to be able to teach that if at all possible. They also have told us that having our investigators attend the addiction recovery meeting would be a good thing. It would help them with the repentance process in which we are inviting them to do. Elder Rowley (my companion) gave his testimony in Zone Conference since it will be his last Zone Conference.Then on Saturday after we left our lunch appointment we went to Jenks (again) and we did what we call a blitz. Where 4 missionaries proseltye in one area, 2 will tract and the other 2 will go to appointments. Since Elder Bennett needs to move around because of his stomach and he likes tracting I went with him. Out of all the 2 houses we knocked on we only gave out 1 mormon.org pass along card!!! He looked genuinely interested so I think it is worth it. Then after we did that they picked us up and we switch companions. Elder Bennet went with Elder Rowley to our 4 o'clock dinner appointment, then I stayed with Elder Mortensen in Jenks. I went with Elder Mortensen to some appointments and to see some people in the area. The other two went to our dinner appointment then the member was going to drive them to Cleveland (It's like traveling to Salt Lake from P.G.) for a baptism interview that the sisters in our District investigator. I've never been with Elder Rowley when he does the baptism interview I've always been on exchanges!!!!Well, I believe that is all I have to report for this week. I forgot my card so I hopefully will go to the next point which is: the True Church must proclaim divine authority, Hebrews 5:4-10. This one is pretty simple, and goes with last weeks point. Authority is the permission to do things if Christ was on the earth. That authority is what makes baptism and all the saving ordiances essential. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only church that has that said authority. There are only a few church's that claim to have divine authority.Well, that's all I have the true church point is probably 8. I will have to remember to bring my card next time. Thank you all for your love and support, I appreciate it. Time is going swiftly here, "time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on moving."SEE YA!!
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
___________________________________________________
November 9, 2011
Well, Sunday was my monthly anniversary and I have been a missionary full-time that is for 4 months.This past week has gone rather well for the most part. Monday was Halloween so we didn't proselyte but it was our preparation day so we just had an extended preparation day since we didn't go out after our dinner at 6. Tuesday we went to a funeral in which the deceased person was a member of our ward, but the bishop has never seen him for the 20 years that the person lived there. Since most of the people who attended there weren't members, when me and Elder Rowley said the opening and closing prayers we had a couple people in a whispering tone in which I could hear them. They said "what is he doing?" It seems pretty apparent to me that our way of saying prayers is alien to most people. Namely folding our arms, since it isn't doctrine to fold your arms when saying the prayer, it is something that was taught to kids to keep them from fidgeting when the prayer was given. It was still a pretty different thing that I have gone to. The songs they played at the beginning weren't really songs that I would have thought to play at a funeral.Elder Rowley had been having some back problems and since one our Bishopric is a Chiropractor he does missionaries for free!! We have been going for the past week and a half for him. I just sit in the waiting room reading my Book of Mormon and making it obvious that I am reading it, and showing the cover to people who are in the waiting room, it will happen one of these days that someone will ask me I'm just waiting for it.Monday (7th) we went bowling with the Jenks Elders and also with one of Jenks's investigator and his Girlfriend/wife. I beat everyone the first game but the second game I got third, and the computer added up both games and I got second only by one point!!! Later Elder Rowley asks me why I am so good at everything. I just told him that you have to spread your talents.Yesterday a member gave us new beds since our mission president sent out an e-mail to all bishop's in the mission to have a bishopric member look at the missionaries beds to make sure that, that isn't the reason for the many back problems. We got new beds that were essentially twice the size of our old beds, they were HUGE!! Since I am on the top bunk it's a pain to have to remake my bed.Well, everything seems to be going well here, after e-mailing we are going on exchanges with the Jenks Elders and I'm going to Jenks with Elder Bennet. Two junior companions together is asking for trouble, hahahahaha!! It's funny how here in Oklahoma it's November and there isn't any snow? I'm use to having snow by now in Utah. It's getting evermore colder but, it's still bearable. On that note when we went and taught an investigator he gave me he suit coat and pants since he wasn't going to wear it since it didn't fit him. It is big on me and it isn't black or blue I can't wear it. On top of that it has been in his closet for several years and he smokes so it smells like it. I have been airing it out for about 5 days and it still smells. Additionally I bought some fabreeze and have used that on it and it still has a strong enough smell of Smoke!!!!!!!! I will attach a picture of the suit for you all to see.Alright now it's time for another point of the true church.Point 6. The true church must have no paid ministry Isaiah 45:13 and 1 Peter 5:2This one is probably the most interesting and big reason as to why there are so many church's. All church's (I believe) have their clergy paid. Ours are only paid in blessings. Not even the Prophet of the church get's paid. He only gets paid through blessings and also getting to travel and meet others throughout the world. If money is not in the equation for the one teaching the church then their is a greater reason for them to minister unto the members. If they aren't getting paid they have love for those they serve instead of serving them just because they gave him more money. Money is the root of all evil and it shouldn't be the motivating factor in a church. The only people that I know who get paid are seminary and Institute teachers since it isn't mandatory to take those, it is in essence a job that the church pays for.well, this e-mail was longer than usual I hope that those whose life revolve around these e-mails feel that I have given them justice. If not well, then I'm sorry. Thank you all for your love and support I love you ALL!!!!SEE YA
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
__________________________________________
October 25, 2011
Well, hello everyone!!!!Wow, it's almost November and it's still 60-80 degree weather!!!!! Usually about now it's snowed about 10 times in Utah! I'm still wearing short sleeve white shirts, I wore a couple long sleeve but it was a little hot to be wearing them so I went back to short sleeve shirts.This week we had District Leader Leadership training. Since Elder Rowley is the Disctrict Leader I had to go and it was also for trainers as well. So he would have gone anyways. The Mission President instructed us on dignified language for the most of the meeting. Then the last half he went over baptismal forms and things mainly for the District Leader. After that we had a normal Tuesday except for most of the day was gone.Last week was the end of my 2nd transfer. Now I am a full fledged missionary, no longer a greenie anymore since I've finished my training. Now I have to learn the area well, so that I can be able to pass the paton to the next missionary who replaces Elder Rowley, then I will shortly leave the area too, but that will be around mid January before that happends. On Saturday we got a huge storm, that came by. I heard that we had gotten some small tornados nearby that lasted not too long. I'm not sure too much on the tornados but we got a good amount of rain and wind.Well, for Halloween me and Elder Rowley are going to be the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We have boxes that we are going to wear and I will be the Bible and Elder Rowley will be the Book of Mormon. Elder Rowley had Zone Leaders who did it last year in his last area. We are doing the same, we have a Trunk or Treat and a ward social. At the Trunk or Treat we are going to get our car and fill it will pamplets, copies of the Book of Mormon, Pass along cards and things like that! It's going to be funny how many people are actually going to take somethings and who are actually going to act on these things! Also for our ward social the two of us and the Bishop are going to be the Judges of pies for the ward social. Also Elder Rowley is making chili for the chili judging.Well, I believe that is all I have to say this week. Everything is going great, oh yeah before I forget. I forgot to give you guys your scriptures last week, and I will give you this weeks. I know that there are many of you whose lives run on these e-mails so I don't want to dissappoint now do we?!?!Point 3!!The True church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets. Ephesians 2:19-20. It makes sense, the true church must have the same organization it had when Christ was on the Earth. (see Luke 10 for Chirst appointing 70).Point 4!!The True church must have the same organization as Christ's Church. Ephesians 4:11-14. Well, I guess I just expounded on the other one for this one. If Christ established His church, he wouldn't have done it for naught. He did it for a reason and this is how it is organized. The True Church of Christ is a house of Order.Well, thank you for your love and support, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
-- Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
_______________________________________________
October 4, 2011
Hello everyone!!!!!This week was a decent one. Not as bad as our other weeks, but it was definitely better because of Conference!!!!!!On Wednesday when we had District meeting our Zone Leaders were there, and instructed us on ways of finding investigators, and ways to find more people to teach. On Thursday we came back to the library and went onto Mormon.org, we do this roughly once a week, we are trying to get more familiar with the website. I encourage you close enough to a commandment to have a mormon.org profile. It is a very good source and place to invite friends who are not members. My profile is up there if you want to view it :)!I was able to see all of conference. They broadcast it in the church via satelite. We were essentially the only ones in the building, a handful of people showed up to watch all four sessions. Saturday we watched both sessions they stayed and setup for the Priesthood session since the Ward was providing Pizza and drinks an hour before the Priesthood Session. We essentially lived at the church for the whole day on Saturday. My favorite talks were Elder Scotts, Elder Oaks, Calister the one who gave the Book of Mormon & Bible analogy. I loved how blunt and straightforward Elder Holland was in the Priesthood session, it's incredibly true what he means when you need to be worthy to go on a mission not only a year before you go but always. It seemed that President Monson was a lot more "goofy" if I may say so. It was incredibly funny to have him make those funny comments and gestures. The theme I found a lot through conference was they focused a lot on Doctrine. With Elder Scott with the Scriptures, Oaks with regards to the Bible and Calister with how the Bible and the Book of Mormon support each other.I really loved Conference I can't wait to get those videos and watch them! Yesterday for Preparation day I went to Books a million and got myself a Concordence. Which is essentially an encylopedia that has every word in the Bible and the reference in which it can be found. It's a pretty big book, I love it, needless to say. The transfer is halfway over, the transfer ends on the 20th. Time flies by really fast.Alright, I believe that is everything that I need to cover, always feel free to e-mail me I try to respond to everyone I can. I only have an hour and I have to e-mail my mission president, sorry if I seem pushy/quick. Lastly, is the 2nd point of the true church. The true church must bear the name of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:23. This one I like a lot along with some other ones. Being out in Oklahoma I see a myriad of church's with varying names. Some say the Church of God, church of the Good Shepherd, Church of Christ, Freewill Baptist, Westside Baptist, Episcopal, United Methodist, faith Baptist. The list goes on, I don't know the reference in the Book of Mormon, but Christ says that if the church be named after Moses, then call it Moses Church. If it be called of a man call it the name of that man's church. It is called my church let it be called in my name. Most churches don't name their church after Christ, yes Baptist is in the Bible, but it's not Jesus the baptist, it's Jesus the Christ.Well, there is the 2nd point, the 3rd is to come thank you all for supporting me, I love you all and thank you very very very very very very much for everything!SEE YA
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
__________________________________________
September 27, 2011
I'm very sorry!!!!Everyone and their 2nd cousins were in the Library yesterday so it was really busy, and they were all on computers. We didn't want to wait too long, so we just left and did other things. We then came today at 11 and there was a lot of people here too, so we finally were able to get on!!Anyways, this last week was an ok week. We taught 4 lessons! Nothing really spectacular that happened this week. I did buy a frisbee yesterday so that I can bring it whenever we go to the park with the White family. I wanted a blue one but I guess an orange one will suffice, it was a better color than purple (not by much). Maybe I can get a blue one for Christmas :)It's really weird how we are starting the third week of the transfer, that means i'm halfway done with this transfer already!! Time went by really fast, I wonder how the rest of my mission is going to be like? mmm, well this is going to be a short e-mail this week, sorry if any of you don't have a life, but getting my e-mails. Anyways I love all of you and I thank you for your support, also the Church is still true!! Maybe I will give everyone a scripture of the week, mmm let me think of a scripture that I think is cool, . . . . Ephesians 4:11-14. This talks about how Christ organized his church. This comes from the 17 points of the True church. That a bunch of college aged students made up when they were going to a Christian college. This is point 1 so stay tuned for next weeks point 2!SEE YA
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
_________________________________________
September 19, 2011
HELLO!!!!!Things are going wonderful here in Sapulpa Oklahoma. The weather is getting cooler, so we haven't had any 115 degree weather in some time. Last couple of days we had anything between 50-70 before noon, then after its been in the 80's. It's real nice to have the weather cool down a lot! We have gotten out of our dry spell, we have taught 6 lessons this week which was better than our 1 or 2 lessons that we would have a week. As a mission we are suppose to be having 20 lessons a week!!!!! Don't maim us Zone Leaders! We have had many new people that we can go see which show lots of potential for us to go visit and more possibly teach.Wednesday we had no set appointments from 1-3 so we drove around to see if people were home but they weren't. I got my camera out and started taking pictures of all the different churchs there are around town. There are more churchs than there are food restaurants! Thursday we had our District Meeting, but this time we had our Mission President and his wife attend and after they instructed us, they took some of us one by one to start the interviews. I love talking with President Merkley, he is a great Mission President, you know he loves you just by how he talks to you.On Friday we went to Bristoe with a member. We would go more often but Bristoe is around 20 or so miles to get there. Round trip that is 40 miles plus the miles we drive around town. If we want to stay within our daily miles we need to stay around 41 miles. Our monthly allotment is 1200. While we were in Bristoe we were able to visit the Duncan's which the wife is a member that is fairly active, but the husband is not. The husband wanted to know more and we were able to teach him the first half of the Plan of Salvation. Then our member took us to Mazio's after!! It's an Italian place pretty similar to the Pizza Factory for all my Pleasant Grove affiliats, hahaha.Then on Saturday we did service to a member by taking out his bobwire fence and we helped cut down some fairly big trees. We put all of the branches in piles for him to eventually burn. After we did the service we went back to our apartment and we got ready. We then went nextdoor to our member that "takes care of us" since our apartment is his garage. We taught the family a little bit about the Plan of Salvation, the wife's brother was there so we were teaching him as well as teaching the rest of their 6 children. After than we started our weekly planning then after that we went to our dinner appointment. After we ate we taught the a recent convert who is 9 years old about Joseph Smith since she wanted to know more about him. Before that Elder Rowley had on a sheet that you would put on your bed, written the Plan of Salvation, we asked her questions and had her explain it to us what the Plan of Salvation is. After we were done there we drove home and got ready for Basketball where we went to the church and played basketball with the White's oldest and the Uncle.Sunday we were expecting to have our investigator we taught on Tuesday to be here. She wasn't, very frustrating. No one was in Gospel Principles, not even the teacher so we taught the few very active members a short lesson. After church we did our studies and went to our dinner appointment.Well, there is my week. It went a ton better than it has in the past couple of weeks. We are having better progress with teaching and we are doing wonderful! Except I could use more sleep! Well, thank you everyone for supporting me and I always love the e-mails or letters that you send and I also love packages (not plugging)!
SEE YA NEXT WEEK!- - - - - - - - - - September 13, 2011
Sorry I scared you by being a day late, again!We were busy yesterday and wasn't able to e-mail on preparation day, so we are doing it now, since one of our appointments fell through. Today is our busy day of the week which usually falls on Tuesdays. The rest of the week we are fairly busy but Tuesdays is when we have the most scheduled appointments. The last week was better than the whole last transfer. We have found and contacted many people who had been taught in the past but for whatever reason the past missionaries didn't remember to tell us that they were being taught. It's going to be a great week this one will.This Thursday is our inverview with the President, I am excited about that. President Merkley is a really great Mission President and person as well.I have a story that I have to relate to you. On Saturday we had a Ward picnic at a park. We had invited many of our investigators and potentials. We waited and eventually one of our investigators came. They came a little late so people had already been through to get their food. They brought one of those hormel snack trays with pepperjack cheese, crackers, pepperoni and green olives. The olives seemed innocent until later in the story. After we had our fun at the picnic and everyone left, the tray was still there and one of the members in charge asked whose this was. Since our investigator left we were the ones designated to receive it. I put it into my backpack, the lid on it and everything, in fact the lid was incredibly tight. When we biked back to our apartment I got my scriptures out and everything in the bag, apparently some of the green olive juice came out and got the bottom of my scriptures. My scriptures were even in the other compartment on my backpack, so now my scriptures smell like green olives yuck! Because of that I'm going to have to transfer all my highlighting to my other scriptures that I bought, which is A LOT!!Yesterday for preparation day we went frisbee golfing where we threw a frisby and tried to make it into a cylindrical metal containter with chains that would slow the frisbee so you could land in the container. It was pretty fun, you have different ways to throw a frisby for it to land/fly left or right depending on the hand and how you throw it. Assuming I got all the parts right I got a 74/55 so I got a +19. Not bad for my first time playing frisbee golf! I bought a new bike seat, the one it came with is really hurting my butt. This one I just barely put on is a lot better than the one that came with it. We have the car this week so I won't need to bike!!ummm, well, I think that is all that I have for this week. That story I related will now be engraved in my memory, so now I have a "missionary story" that I can relate to people.SEE YAL LATER
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa missionSapulpa, Oklahoma_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
September 6, 2011
Hello,This week has been an ok week in regards to teaching. We taught 1 lesson and that was a Recent Convert or Less Active members (RCLA). We contacted our 1 investigator with a baptism date, we schedule a time to go meet with her but she wasn't there when we went there for our appointment. We left a card inviting her to sacrament meeting/church with the intention of calling her at 7:30 to remind them. I called both of their phones one kept ringing and their cell apparently hasn't been paid yet so I got a Verizon message.Other than that depressing news, today (6th) is my 2 month anniversary!!! Only 22 more months, hahaha. Yesterday were weren't able to get much "preparation" done since we helped out the Jenks Elders with some service then we had to drive to the Tulsa to the Zone Leaders and Assistants apartment to get showered and ready since we didn't do that before we helped with the service. We also had planned as a Tulsa and East Tulsa zone was to go to the Drillers baseball game. Our Mission President loves baseball so he went as well. I had a lot of fun hanging out per say with the other Elders in my Zone and in the East Tulsa zone. Elder Schofield is in my zone and he was also one I worked with at Wienerschnitzel, I knew he went on a mission but I never found out where he went, it's funny to tell stories and laugh about our experiences at Wienerschnitzel. I bought a baseball there it was only 6$, (Don't worry dad & grandpa I'm sending it home).On Wednesday we had in essense a Zone Conference minus the Mission President. We had what we call it the Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel (PMG). We had instruction on chapters in PMG then we had simulations/roleplays (I dispise roleplays, but I love roleplaying video games!!) That ran from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. It was great to be around the other missionaries and the Zone Leaders and the Assistants.On Sunday we had our Member Missionary Fireside which we had been preparing for the whole time I have been here in Sapulpa. I was essentially forced to do it, since it was being planned for when I was in the MTC! Otherwise I wouldn't have thought/wanted to do it since it takes a ton of preparation and crossing of fingers to make it work. We got a lot of positive feedback from both the Jenks (Jinx) and Sapulpa members. We essentially informed them on the tools that they have as members such as pass along cards (that are in the foyer of essentially every church), pamphlets that missionaries have that you can get, DVD's that invite the spirit in your home that you could ask non-members or friends to come to your home and watch these videos. Along with those other tools that you can use you can also use the Book of Mormon DO NOT FORCE IT DOWN THEIR THROAT. You can ask them if they would like to read it and give it to them, along with that you can write your testimony in the book or you can write a scripture and the page number that you want them to read. For instance you could write Alma 5:45,46 then the page number, and share something about how Alma had to find out these things for himself as well as I did, here is where he says it (read the scripture). Something like that, those are the things that we went over. After the fireside we had refreshments and we had a table where we had the tools we mentioned there. They could take the pass along cards but the other tools they would have to order through a form that we had provided, but they had to get them that way so that we the missionaries could come to their house for a follow up visit and see how they like the fireside and how they planned on giving out these materials.Another exciting thing I have to share happened today from 12:40-1:20ish. We went to the RCLA family that we usually teach but they weren't home, so we road our bikes and we were going past this house then this guy calls us and asks us what church we are from. We told him, then he talked to us about our basic beliefs then it kind of went in different directions. We talked about grace and works, how feelings won't get you saved, Book of Mormon is false, likes what we missionaries are doing but it's all in vain, there is nothing but the Bible that is correct, read the word only no feelings, go follow some good Christian and join his church, you don't need authority to heal people you just need to be willing to submit yourself to God. Things like that, he gave us room to talk but he didn't agree with about 90% of it but oh well. We are only here to teach people who are prepared to to be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not those who have hardened their heart to the spirit.Well, I believe that is all I hope I didn't miss anything. Thank you for your love and support, as my favorite motto says "Whatever you are, be a good one" I exhort you to do the same always!SEE YA_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
August 30, 2011
HELLO WORLD!!!Sorry for not e-mailing yesterday. We were busy doing other things so I wasn't able to e-mail. We watched the Best Two Years and half of the Otherside of Heaven. We watched it at the Jenks Elder's apartment since we were going to switch weeks for the vehicle but apparently it has to be taken Tulsa to get repaired from the dent at the top of the car. Tomorrow is Elder Rowley's (My trainer) 21st birthday!!!! That is why we watched those movies it was in "celebration" of his birthday.This coming Sunday the 4 of us Elders are having a Member missionary fireside were we will be a 1 hour event where we will instruct the members on tools that we have as missionaries that can benefit the members in sharing the gospel to their non-member friends. We have put a lot of effort into this and we are hoping that we can be able to portray our message and have members excited and be able to best share the gospel in a non weird way.This week we went through our pool of investigators and essentially dropped investigators who showed no sign of commetment or lack of interest. We will visit them every once in awhile but we will not make them our focus. An investigator we had, who was doing great and showed the best potential to be baptized, was unfortunately told accidentally by a member or a member told her that God was once a man. That threw her a curve ball and she texted us and told us that she wouldn't be able to believe that any time soon. We visited with her and tried to listen and explain to her, but she was pretty content with not going any further for now. Please I am begging you, if you know of someone at church you are talking to, who is new to the church PLEASE do not tell them things like this! Just talk about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, that's the important thing.Since our investigator pool is a lot smaller we went tracting on Thursday, we took turns starting the conversation with people. For the most part I seem to be doing well with walking up to someone and asking them how they are doing. If they are doing something besides sitting I will try to ask them what they are doing. There is room for practice but I am liking the progress that I am exhibiting right now. Next Monday for our Preparation day we are going to a baseball game, I believe the team is the Drillers. It will be fun to hang out per say with my zone and even the Mission Presdient! Which is always a positive to meet.This Saturday is when the Zone Leaders I think call in and tell us if we are being transfered or not. I'm not sure if I will be transfered, more than likely not. It is fairly likely to have one of the Jenks Elders get transfered since one has been there for what is now 2 transfers and his trainer who has been out for a year. It's possible that the newer one will get transfered and get more training by another trainer.Well, I believe that is all that I can think of. Remember that September 6th and every 6th day of the month, is my monthly anniversary. In other words September 6th marks my 2nd month in the mission field!!!SEE YA!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(3rd week in Oklahoma)Hello all!!!,This past week was an alright week. We taught an investigator 2 twice this week, but we weren't able to teach are other 3 that we have! Then on top of that none of them show up to church, Satan is surely doing his best to not have them there.We have lots of dinner appointments, so I am better able to get to know the ward better. I finished reading the New Testament, I was in 1 Corinthians on my way to Tulsa and I finished it Thursday morning! I'm thinking of reading the Old Testament, maybe. My Book of Mormon reading was slacking since I was devoting all my effort into reading the New Testament.Friday I had Zone Conference, it was from 9-4. We had instructions from the Assistants to the President and our Zone Leaders. We then had lunch and then we finished off the rest of the conference with splitting up and having our Zone Leaders teach us a chapter in Preach My Gospel and then we were taught by President and Sister Merkley. I got to meet Elder Schofield who I knew him as Eddy from Work. He leaves after this next transfer.We had our Chevy Colorado swapped for a Ford Fusion and our miles a month was dropped from 1300 to 1200, so we have an average of 38 miles a day that we can't exceed. We might have to depend more on members and ride our bikes if we can. I just came from Walmart and I stocked up on Powerade!!!Well, i'm not sure what else to add so I will just end! Thank you everyone for supporting me and my family. My family and I appreciate any donation that was made thank you!!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
2nd letter from oklahoma! Hello everyone!Well, all is well here in Sapulpa Ok. I have been fairly busy. We are teaching a couple investigators and meeting with ward members and part member families. I feel that the focus we will be having is on strengthening the ward by helping those who are in part member families and having the whole family come to church.They are taking our Chevy Colorado for use in the Joplin area. They take it on Tuesday and we will get a Ford Fusion on Thursday I believe. It doesn't matter to me but my companion Elder Rowley likes having the truck. Our Bishop and some of the people we visit have dirt roads and the Fusion isn't all that good driving on dirt roads. We aren't suppose to be driving on dirt roads now because apparently a couple new cars have been needing new transmissions and that runs from 2,000-5,000$.The past week it has been pretty hot or a lot cooler. We have had days were it was 98 which is nice, but then we have days of 115-120 degree temperatures which is really hot. In about 15-30 minutes my whole face is sweating profussely. Then about an hour or two my whole back is sweating and dripping down so I get that weird sensation.None of our investigators we are teaching have gone to church yesterday or last Sunday. It is really frustrating. We still are teaching them so that is good but frustrating how they cannot advance without them attending church at least 3 times in a row. This week we have the whole week covered for dinners and exchanges with ward members. The Bishop has assigned every Melchezedek priesthood holder if they don't have school or long hours of work, to have the missionaries over usually once a month. It is our part to not call them at 9:30 at night to confirm the appointment, but to do it earlier in the day.well, that is all I can think of right now, I am uploading my photos so you can contact my mother to see them. It will be from the MTC to my first couple of days in my area.Thank you all for supporting me!!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Colby's first letter from Oklahoma!
Hello yall!!My first couple days in the Mission field were really good. I road my bike a lot past couple days we road our bike for 10-15 miles a day, my butt & legs really hurt! Elder Rowley keeps biking ahead of me and I am slowly trying to keep up with him. I am serving in Oklahoma, in the Supulpa area. This city loves hills, and I hate them since I have to ride my bike over them so many times.We have the second smallest apartment, anyone's family room and kitchen is 1.5X bigger than our kitchen,bathroom, living room and bedroom combined. It is still a nice apartment we have a swamp cooler to make things much better. At the mission home our President told us this was a parting mission, meaning that we part our hair. I was thinking in my mind "Oh great" because I don't have a hairstyle per say. I just wake up and shazam here is what my hairstyle is.Thursday and Friday we tracked a lot on our bikes, talked with a fair amount of people. Many people have a religion so we just talked about things and life, and give them a pass along card and hope they call the number and get the DVD on finding faith in Christ. Riding my bike around town its like Utah except you replace LDS churches with: First Baptist church, Methodist church, Church of God & everyone other church that's essentially just like the last. They don't kid around when they say the "Bible Belt."Saturday Elder Rowley and I went to go help a couple move in we had lots of help so it only took 45 minutes to get everything out of the 27' Uhaul. Then we had the Elder's Quorum President drop us off at the church to teach the Johnson's about the Plan of Salvation. When we got the movie ready the Johnson's called and said they were sick. They couldn't make it so we ended up helping the efforts in cleaning the Church, I just cleaned the glass on the entryway doors.Sunday we went to church and got a ride with the Ward Mission leader brother Mitchell. We had our coordination meeting with him then we went to Sacrament meeting. Sacrament meeting is definitily not like the Sacrament meetings in Utah. Not too many people sing the Hymns so I feel like I am the only one who is singing in the congregation. About 2 members showed up to Sunday School so the Teacher and the two members talked about how this generation of youth isn't being taught common sense and doesn't have it either. They went off about how we have to have our cell phones right next to us and all sorts of things like that.Next to our apartment we have a member family who live next to us. The Whites are a awesome family where the wife is Filipino. The husband is American but has a hard time moving around, and they have a lot of kids that are nice but they love to move and play around! Needles to say, their house is messy but they are still an awesome family nonetheless.Well, hopefully I can survive the humidity here in Oklahoma. It's like Utah but when you factor in the humidity it adds a lot more to the temperature. Going down a hill hoping to get a cool breeze to cool you off, DOES NOT help you at all. I had a person we talked to said that you should be drinking gatorade or powerade instead of just straight up water. The gatorade will help you gain back the electrolites that you need to keep going, whereas the water takes 24 hours to get back the electrolites.I plan on uploading pictures that I have taken from the MTC and of my apartment here in the field. I didn't bring my camera so you will have to wait another week! (my preparation day is Monday) Have fun in your respective spheres friends and family!!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
colby's second email (july 19, 2011)
March 19, 2012
FINALLY! Well, it spring break. Come in the library around 10:20 and EVERYONE is here. It seems that more people in this geographical region of the world use the library for their computer time. Which I guess is good, but at the same time it doesn't help us out since this is the only place in which I can use a computer. We then did our shopping and lunch and all the other stuff instead. Now I'm online!
Well, today is suppose to be a big rain storm, we did have fairly big clouds but it didn't rain all that much. I'm waiting for all this "bad weather" to happen it really hasn't happened. I can't wait for the rain so we don't have to pay to wash our car, we have so far gotten, a pretty good clean of our car but it could still use a better clean. On top of all this weather, I have a sore throat and really don't feel all that great. I can't wait for it to pass away!!
As far as missionary works goes, this was our worst week since I have gotten here!!!! It just seems that all of our appointments canceled and we were able to teach a couple of lessons. Well, hopefully a tornado doesn't come in this area of the mission!!!
well,. . . . . . that seems to be all that I have to talk about! Onto the 8th article of faith!!!
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
aaahhhhh, this one. This one you will get a lot of varied responses. Some will say that the Bible is missing some things, others will say it's perfect, some will say you can't add or take away from the Bible, etc. All of that is nonsense, besides the first one. That is the main reason as to why we even have the Book of Mormon in the first place. The Book of Mormon is another Testimony of Jesus Christ, another witness to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. You would think people would love to have more to read about Jesus Christ. A decent amount of people probably don't mind reading it, but at once they don't see why. They look at it as another Bible but different story. Some of my companions have told me that people think it's the adventure of Brigham Young as he and the pioneers went west. Some people even mistaken it for the Doctrine and Covenants.
Like I said earlier before going on my rant. The Book of Mormon, helps us understand the Bible, at the same time it's not a documentary of the Bible. The Bible is a record of God's dealings with the people in Jerusalem, the Book of Mormon is the record of God's dealings with the people in the new world (America.) Their both history books in a sense. The thing that is different is the fact that the Book of Mormon was set for us, the people in this time/generation. You might ask why/how that is possible. When Mormon compiled the Book of Mormon he had about 1000 years of history from 600 B.C when Lehi and his family came over to the America's, down to about 400 A.D when Mormon was compiling the records. I cannot believe that 531 pages in today's syntax would have been 1000 years of history. In 4th Nephi that encompasses 300 or so years and it is only 4 pages long. I'm sure there could have been some good stories there, but Mormon didn't see them as something that could be of benefit to our generation.
I challenge you (the ones reading the e-mail) that you go through the chapters of the Book of Mormon and give them a title about what the chapter is about, for instance: Alma 32 is a chapter about faith, same with Ether 12. Ether 13-15 are war chapters, Alma 40 talks about the Resurrection, etc. So on and so forth. Do that with every chapter or most of the chapters. You will find a trend among the Book of Mormon and I will say to you all that those chapters that you find about faith, the one that has the most occurrences of that topic is what the world needs the most. I seem to be ranting, but I'll close with that the same thing Moroni did, the last book wasn't necessarily intended to be there, but he had the time. All the 10 chapters in Moroni are packed full of things that Moroni thought we would need. Who else was going to read the records? The rogue Lamenites? PLEASEE, they were too worrying about being wicked to want to read things that are spiritual.
I know that the Book of Mormon is a clarifying witness of Jesus Christ and the Bible, the Book of Mormon did not come into existence to do away with the Bible. Jesus Christ himself came into the world to fulfill the Law of Moses, he even observed it himself. Thus the Book of Mormon does the same, it comes to adhere to the Bible, but at the same time it extends our understanding of the message that Jesus Christ wanted us to here, I know that this is absolutely true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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March 12, 2012
In essence the gifts of the spirit are ways that we can reach out to others and exercise our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are to be used with prudence and for the uplifting of others and helping you with helping others. These things I know are true, I came out on a mission to be able to help those come unto Christ, by helping them receive the Restored Gospel, through faith in His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost & enduring to the end. This is my purpose and I do that whole heartily, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
FINALLY! Well, it spring break. Come in the library around 10:20 and EVERYONE is here. It seems that more people in this geographical region of the world use the library for their computer time. Which I guess is good, but at the same time it doesn't help us out since this is the only place in which I can use a computer. We then did our shopping and lunch and all the other stuff instead. Now I'm online!
Well, today is suppose to be a big rain storm, we did have fairly big clouds but it didn't rain all that much. I'm waiting for all this "bad weather" to happen it really hasn't happened. I can't wait for the rain so we don't have to pay to wash our car, we have so far gotten, a pretty good clean of our car but it could still use a better clean. On top of all this weather, I have a sore throat and really don't feel all that great. I can't wait for it to pass away!!
As far as missionary works goes, this was our worst week since I have gotten here!!!! It just seems that all of our appointments canceled and we were able to teach a couple of lessons. Well, hopefully a tornado doesn't come in this area of the mission!!!
well,. . . . . . that seems to be all that I have to talk about! Onto the 8th article of faith!!!
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
aaahhhhh, this one. This one you will get a lot of varied responses. Some will say that the Bible is missing some things, others will say it's perfect, some will say you can't add or take away from the Bible, etc. All of that is nonsense, besides the first one. That is the main reason as to why we even have the Book of Mormon in the first place. The Book of Mormon is another Testimony of Jesus Christ, another witness to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. You would think people would love to have more to read about Jesus Christ. A decent amount of people probably don't mind reading it, but at once they don't see why. They look at it as another Bible but different story. Some of my companions have told me that people think it's the adventure of Brigham Young as he and the pioneers went west. Some people even mistaken it for the Doctrine and Covenants.
Like I said earlier before going on my rant. The Book of Mormon, helps us understand the Bible, at the same time it's not a documentary of the Bible. The Bible is a record of God's dealings with the people in Jerusalem, the Book of Mormon is the record of God's dealings with the people in the new world (America.) Their both history books in a sense. The thing that is different is the fact that the Book of Mormon was set for us, the people in this time/generation. You might ask why/how that is possible. When Mormon compiled the Book of Mormon he had about 1000 years of history from 600 B.C when Lehi and his family came over to the America's, down to about 400 A.D when Mormon was compiling the records. I cannot believe that 531 pages in today's syntax would have been 1000 years of history. In 4th Nephi that encompasses 300 or so years and it is only 4 pages long. I'm sure there could have been some good stories there, but Mormon didn't see them as something that could be of benefit to our generation.
I challenge you (the ones reading the e-mail) that you go through the chapters of the Book of Mormon and give them a title about what the chapter is about, for instance: Alma 32 is a chapter about faith, same with Ether 12. Ether 13-15 are war chapters, Alma 40 talks about the Resurrection, etc. So on and so forth. Do that with every chapter or most of the chapters. You will find a trend among the Book of Mormon and I will say to you all that those chapters that you find about faith, the one that has the most occurrences of that topic is what the world needs the most. I seem to be ranting, but I'll close with that the same thing Moroni did, the last book wasn't necessarily intended to be there, but he had the time. All the 10 chapters in Moroni are packed full of things that Moroni thought we would need. Who else was going to read the records? The rogue Lamenites? PLEASEE, they were too worrying about being wicked to want to read things that are spiritual.
I know that the Book of Mormon is a clarifying witness of Jesus Christ and the Bible, the Book of Mormon did not come into existence to do away with the Bible. Jesus Christ himself came into the world to fulfill the Law of Moses, he even observed it himself. Thus the Book of Mormon does the same, it comes to adhere to the Bible, but at the same time it extends our understanding of the message that Jesus Christ wanted us to here, I know that this is absolutely true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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March 12, 2012
HOlly, moley. It's quite windy and rainy over here. Hopefully we don't get any of them Torn oddos here. Even though we are in Tornado alley. Yesterday, a member told us that we were close to being on a tornado watch, but a member we were with said, he tends to over react a little. Who knows, we did get a lot of rain yesterday so that could mean something. Anyways, everything is going well here in Siloam Springs.
On Friday we had District Meeting with President Merkley, then afterwards he interviews us. Since my District is just us and Tahlequah Oklahoma Elders we just went with the Springdale District, which is 8 Elders. In otherwords President had to interview 12 missionaries. That is a lot! Needless to say we took from 1 o'clock to about 5 to have interviews, I was the last one. I like being the last one. Elder Eyre went before me and had talked about the Bailey's who were our Baptist family (I just barely found out that they were baptist) who want Archeology evidence of the Book of Mormon. I always wanted to have the two DVD's that the Neal A. Maxwell foundation made in regards to evidience and Archeology of the Book of Mormon. President Merkley said he would let me borrow the DVD once another missionary is done with it. In addition he would give me a paper that has all the scripture references, since the second DVD that involves them once they get to America has a whole bunch of Book of Mormon references that you need to have read before you can watch.
All in all, I have it taken care of with the help of President Merkley (this man is awesome), also at District meeting Sister Merkley told us that they are leaving June 1st (knew they were going to leave) and that the next Mission President is . . . . . Scott Shumway, he and his wife Ann Shumway along with their two kids are going to be the next ones to live in the Mission Home!! They told us that he is actually from Pleasant Grove!!!!!!! I was told that he was just barely a Stake President or a counselor. Maybe he will know a good amount of people that I know! Pleasant Grove is becoming more popular, Elder Christofferson was born/raised in Pleasant Grove!!!!
Well, I don't have much else to report in my e-mail, other than I just barely burned awesome audio conference talks, I found the computers in the library that actually recognize CD's let alone burn them!!!!! You probably know me best, most of them are of Elder Holland what can I say out of the 9 that are on two CD's 4 are of him!!
well, lets go on with the 7th Article of Faith, wow were about halfway done, then I'll have to find something else to extrapolate about.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
mmmmm, an interesting statement there. To the Pentecostal church the gift of tongues (to not be rude and me and my ingorance to understand more of their church am about to make a statement) that the gift of tongues is . . . . jiberish to me. Our interpretation of the Gift of Tongues, is the use of another language. These gifts can be found in 1 Corinthians 14, Moroni 7 (first part of the chapter) and Moroni 10. That I'm aware of. There could be more.
In essence the Gifts of the Spirit are a way that the Spirit can be made manifest in people. It's like having talents, all of us have at least one gift of the spirit that we are good at. We need to find out which one we have, other ones would be like teaching have the gift of teaching, which would have the Spirit present as you teach. It's interesting to have Joseph Smith say visions and revelation as well. If he was a false prophet then why would he say that other members of the church besides him could see visions and have revelations? We understand now and more fully that the Prophet gets revelation for the church and he is the only one who receives that.
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March 5, 2012
Hey everyone!!!
How is everyone's week been? I seem to get the same people e-mailing me. Anyone can e-mail who knows it (okay I don't need people I don't know to e-mail me), but anyone who would like to e-mail me can go ahead and do so. Apparently last week there were tornadoes that have gone through this part of the country. A tornado happened in Branson MIssouri which is in my mission. My last companion that was his first area!
I sat here for a couple minutes before typing this sentence because I'm listening to Elder Hollands talk safety for the soul, I LOVE THIS TALK! I can't wait for General Conference to come. I can't wait for of course another Elder Holland talk!!! I'm waiting for more talks that I can put on a DVD and use for investigators. It's not coming fast enough for me.
This last Saturday & Sunday we had Stake Conference in Springdale Arkansas. We had Elder C. Scott Grow (hahaha love the name) he gave a conference talk in April 2011. We went to the Priesthood, Adult and General session of the stake conference in which Elder Grow was there. Our mission President was there as well and spake in the adult and General session. I loved hearing him and Elder Grow. In the adult session Elder Grow asked us that we can ask questions, but I was in a broadcasted version in Siloam Springs for the adult session. Throughout the conference I felt that Elder Grow and probably most general authorities are more upbeat with their talks. Probably because they have given talks in conference, and also being with the 12 apostles frequently so they have more practice that way, and they have less stress when they come to a stake conference.
After the conference I was able to shake his hand and talk with him a little bit. He asked me where I lived and he said that he was in another Stake Conference that was in Pleasant Grove. It was nice to be able to shake hands with a general authority!!! I was also able to talk with my mission president a little and talk with other missionaries in the zone. Before and after conference my companion was walking around everywhere and I had a hard time figuring out where in the world he was. Especially after the conference he was by me for 3 seconds, then he was gone for like 5 minutes, then come back and keep disappearing. It was quite annoying.
well, that was my highlight of the week. Things are going well here. I'm very grateful that we really didn't get a winter, but then again we could have the saying "in like a lamb, out like a lion" hopefully we are good temperatures throughout the month. Well, I will continue with the 6th article of faith.
6th article of faith
WE believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
Pretty simple article, we believe in the same organization that existed when Christ was on the earth and He established His church. We have 15 Apostles, 1 Prophet, we have pastors (bishops, stake presidents) to help with the ward at a smaller level. We have teachers in the church. We have the exact same organization that was in the Bible. The true church of Christ's must be organized, in the book of Exodus, Jethro which is Moses Father-in-law tells Moses that he needs to assign leaders below him that will be in charge of particular group sizes coming up to the prophet. With him doing this, Moses didn't have to answer every question that was asked by the children of Israel. The same thing is done with us as missionaries. We have a question, we ask our companion, then our District leader, then Zone leader, then Assistants to the President and then ultimately the Mission President should be able to answer 98% of the questions asked. WE don't need to tire the mission president by asking, small questions that your companion or District leader could easily answer. The same is done with the church, we have our organization so that the Doctrine & Principles that we need to be taught. This organization makes this possible. I know that these things are true, I know that they are true principles. I know that this church holds the very same organization that Christ started when he was on the earth. We are indeed the first Christians on the earth today, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
How is everyone's week been? I seem to get the same people e-mailing me. Anyone can e-mail who knows it (okay I don't need people I don't know to e-mail me), but anyone who would like to e-mail me can go ahead and do so. Apparently last week there were tornadoes that have gone through this part of the country. A tornado happened in Branson MIssouri which is in my mission. My last companion that was his first area!
I sat here for a couple minutes before typing this sentence because I'm listening to Elder Hollands talk safety for the soul, I LOVE THIS TALK! I can't wait for General Conference to come. I can't wait for of course another Elder Holland talk!!! I'm waiting for more talks that I can put on a DVD and use for investigators. It's not coming fast enough for me.
This last Saturday & Sunday we had Stake Conference in Springdale Arkansas. We had Elder C. Scott Grow (hahaha love the name) he gave a conference talk in April 2011. We went to the Priesthood, Adult and General session of the stake conference in which Elder Grow was there. Our mission President was there as well and spake in the adult and General session. I loved hearing him and Elder Grow. In the adult session Elder Grow asked us that we can ask questions, but I was in a broadcasted version in Siloam Springs for the adult session. Throughout the conference I felt that Elder Grow and probably most general authorities are more upbeat with their talks. Probably because they have given talks in conference, and also being with the 12 apostles frequently so they have more practice that way, and they have less stress when they come to a stake conference.
After the conference I was able to shake his hand and talk with him a little bit. He asked me where I lived and he said that he was in another Stake Conference that was in Pleasant Grove. It was nice to be able to shake hands with a general authority!!! I was also able to talk with my mission president a little and talk with other missionaries in the zone. Before and after conference my companion was walking around everywhere and I had a hard time figuring out where in the world he was. Especially after the conference he was by me for 3 seconds, then he was gone for like 5 minutes, then come back and keep disappearing. It was quite annoying.
well, that was my highlight of the week. Things are going well here. I'm very grateful that we really didn't get a winter, but then again we could have the saying "in like a lamb, out like a lion" hopefully we are good temperatures throughout the month. Well, I will continue with the 6th article of faith.
6th article of faith
WE believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
Pretty simple article, we believe in the same organization that existed when Christ was on the earth and He established His church. We have 15 Apostles, 1 Prophet, we have pastors (bishops, stake presidents) to help with the ward at a smaller level. We have teachers in the church. We have the exact same organization that was in the Bible. The true church of Christ's must be organized, in the book of Exodus, Jethro which is Moses Father-in-law tells Moses that he needs to assign leaders below him that will be in charge of particular group sizes coming up to the prophet. With him doing this, Moses didn't have to answer every question that was asked by the children of Israel. The same thing is done with us as missionaries. We have a question, we ask our companion, then our District leader, then Zone leader, then Assistants to the President and then ultimately the Mission President should be able to answer 98% of the questions asked. WE don't need to tire the mission president by asking, small questions that your companion or District leader could easily answer. The same is done with the church, we have our organization so that the Doctrine & Principles that we need to be taught. This organization makes this possible. I know that these things are true, I know that they are true principles. I know that this church holds the very same organization that Christ started when he was on the earth. We are indeed the first Christians on the earth today, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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February 28, 2012
Hey, everyone. Sorry I missed you yesterday. The internet here was really slow and the e-mail that I was sending gave me and error and I wasn't able to copy and paste it, so I lost that e-mail!!
well, everything is going great here in Siloam Springs. My new companion is Elder Eyre. He is from Mapleton Utah and he was serving in Prairie Grove. It's really funny I've been out for 7 1/2 months and I've had 5 companions, maybe i'm repeating myself but I seem to be getting a lot of companions and I'm not even halfway there.
Anyways, I would have sent my e-mail out yesterday but like I said the internet was slow and I wasn't able to recover my e-mail. Here is my e-mail and I hope that I am able to remember what I wrote last time.
Well, not much happened last week. Everything was fairly normal, other than I"m a bit stressed with having to lead in an area which I only had a 6 weeks to get to know. I know it fairly well, so I can manage, but I would like to have more time so I know things more. Yesterday I wrote several letters to my friends in the mission that came out the same as I did. I wanted to have a constant communication with them so I can see how they are doing. I"m fortunate enough to have my MTC companion Elder Berg close to me that I can meet him at Zone Conferences or zone meetings. My other threesome companion Elder Cutler I only saw for my first transfer in the field, then after that he has left and I have never seen him since.
well, anyways that's all that I have to write about this week. I will proceed with the 5th Article of Faith.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
Well, many people will disagree with this one!! This is another point that is unique and truly only understood by us. Many people will say that they only need to have the Holy Ghost and they are called of God. The things that I find in the Old Testament and even the New Testament is the process of the laying on of hands. It doesn't say that Christ specifically lays his hands, but the funny thing is, in Numbers 27:18-23 the Lord tells Moses to lay his hands on Joshua and give him portion of his honor. That understanding in the Old Testament and the understanding from Paul in the book of Acts where he lays his hands on those many times for those who are to receive the Holy Ghost.
We believe that those who act in the name of God, must obviously have His permission. These things are done by either prophecy or laying on of hands, by those who have that permission to do so. In order for us to preach the Gospel (missionary work like me) and to administer in the ordinances of salvation. They must need that Priesthood Authority, that was passed down from Jesus Christ to Peter, James & John then in the Latter Day to Joseph Smith, in whom I can trace my authority to, to be able to preach the gospel full-time. I know that these things are true and I know that I have been called of God, and I'm worthy to be here so I am called to go, because it is a commandment. I know that these things are true, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
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February 22, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEE!!!!!
Yes, I know I'm 7 days late! When you have a holiday on Monday and someone needed our attention yesterday you tend to be just a little late. Holidays I have noticed are only good if you: go to school, work for the government, banks/credit unions & Libraries. When you are a missionary and the holiday isn't Thanksgiving or Christmas you just hope that it doesn't land on a Monday.
This week was crazy week. We went on 3 exchanges with me being here in SIloam for 2 of them. I got a break on Wednesday but if you pay attention later, I didn't get a break. Wednesday I went on exchange with the Marshallese elders in Springdale (from the marshal Islands a territory of the United States) biked around Springdale the whole day. Went to members houses where they didn't speak english. Marshallese is heinously harder to tell between a sentence and a word. It all sounds the same, while Elder Latrik was speaking and teaching I was for the most part falling asleep. When you can't follow a conversation you don't pay attention or you loose attention. When you don't have ANY idea what they are speaking and all of it sounds the same, you fall asleep FAST.
Then after more of biking around visiting less actives it got fairly late, so I was biking behind Elder Latrik and he got to the point that he got ahead of me and I couldn't find him. I went to the left because I thought it was the sidewalk instead of going through like a businesses drive up thing. To my dismay about 20 seconds later I nailed my left shoulder into the pole of the road sign, it probably was the "right lane must turn right" sign, you know, the one that really isn't all that necessary to have. After that incident elder latrik came back noticing that I wasn't anywhere near him and helped me find the problem with the bike. Then we biked to more member houses that watch weird Chinese movies. Then we went to our last visit with a less active who could speak some english but like always they prefer to speak their native language. He asked if I liked fish, well, I do, apparently it was raw. I didn't have too much, but I'm thinking that was my downfall for Friday's situation. I had the fish with a ton of rice. After that we went back to the apartment and that was Wednesday.
Thursday was a regular Thursday. Friday I wake up do the normal stuff had peanut butter captain crunch then about 10 minutes after. My stomach felt really queasy. We had an exchange with Tahlequah that day and before the exchange we had a District Leader Council with the Zone Leaders. I had to give the spiritual thought, for the meeting. I just talked about my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon Alma 5. Through the whole meeting I thought I was going to throw up. I had the trash can next to me just in case. Well, I didn't through the whole meeting. Then we had to drive to Tahlequah ourselves so that is 100 miles on the car down the drain (pretty much.) Friday's we go to Westville Oklahoma since it is a small town that we can devote time to tracting at apartment complexes and try by people that said we could come back. We did that had a member come with us who lives in that area and we went to one investigator and tried by a couple other ones. Then we had dinner and things like that later and I said I'm tired and this was around 7:30, I just want to lay down. I took some Diarrhea medicine wrote in my journal and me and Elder Orr went to bed!!! I didn't get any sleep because I went to the bathroom 2-3 times that night and I was sweating profusely.
Saturday is here surprise!!! Our ride to Tahlequah cancels on us about 30 minutes before 10! I send out a mass text to all the male members in the ward and most of them couldn't give us a ride couple called and said they couldn't. I had contacted through text or calling about 40 members. Then after about 45 minutes of frantically calling people the member that was with us last night called and asked if we needed a ride. I was like YES WE NEED A RIDE, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! We drove to Tahlequah waited a little for elder Hamann and Beard to come to the church. We then road back to the apartment I dropped to the couch and was tired! Later that night we got transfer calls and Elder Hamann is going to Tulsa and that my new companion is Elder Eyre, who is actually in the same zone and was the District leader in Prairie grove. Well, would you look at that 7 1/2 months out and I've had 5 companions and all of them were District Leaders. On top of that I got to lead an area that I've only had 6 weeks to get to know!!!! I would love 6 more weeks. Also Siloam isn't a zebra area anymore and I don't get more time to read since we won't have language study.
well, I'm tired of writing this e-mail and I want to go look at e-mails and laugh, this e-mail took me too long to write. But I have to write the 4th Article of Faith.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordiances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance ; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For missionaries this belief is taught in the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" it's the third lesson in Preach my gospel. Each one builds off each other. You first have faith, once you have faith you exercise your faith to repent of things that you have done. Then once you have faith and have exercised the faith to repent, you then exercise more faith and be baptized to fully be cleansed from your sins. Then after Baptism you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to better make decisions and have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. If there is anything that you should know in life it is these 4 principles plus charity and the atonement. Everything else is just here to make life for flavor full.
Well, hopefully I have entertained and made up for some of my e-mails in the past that were shorter. This one was definitively longer than probably most. I hope that everything is going great where everyone is.
I know that the 4 principles of the gospel are those that I have mentioned. They are as we teach, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since man was/is fallen that is the way that the Lord as established to make amends for the things that he has saved us with, and I close in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - -
February 6, 2012
Well, would you look at that. It's my monthly anniversary today!!!! Good ole 7 months, wow times blows by fast!
This week was a good week, lots of teaching opportunities that have happened. I went on 2 exchanges this week, so I was in Tahlequah Oklahoma from Monday after zone conference to Wednesday morning. Then Friday to Saturday I was in Springdale. This week I will be going on exchanges 3 times, and all 3 times I will be here in Siloam Springs!!!!!!!
Well, I really don't have anything epic to say, or story to explain today. This just might be a short e-mail, or longer explanation on the 2nd article of faith. Which one is unbeknown to me. Well, when I was on exchanges with Springdale, we went to a member's house who she said had the gift of prophecy. That is however a gift of the spirit, but I'm still skeptical. She guessed about my dad working on a computer, but to say the least "imputing information" into a computer, is what you use a computer for! She said I grew up well, or to say that I grew up in a family that wasn't divided or anything, so I guess she gets one point, but that's all!
When I was in Tahlequah, we had to bike the whole day and we biked around the main part of the city. Needless to say Tahlequah NEEDS MORE SIDEWALKS! I don't know what it is with the people out here. I don't need a 10 FT sidewalk, but a way for me to ride my bike without stopping traffic would be great, thanks!!! Without further adieu and me complaining I will get to the 2nd article of faith!
2. We believe that man will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
Fairly easy one to explain and understand (for the most part.) The majority of the world believes that Adam and Eve partaking of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (imagine having to say that all the time, let alone typing it!) was the biggest mistake known to man. I looked at a book in barnes and noble awhile back and it was a book about the biggest mistakes in history. Of course, on the cover was an apple with a bite in it.
The reason being that they believe it is a big mistake, is that they understand that if they didn't we would all live in the garden of Eden.Only to the untrained eye would someone say this (yes, I'm using an ace ventura joke) Adam and Eve couldn't fulfill the other commandment of multiplying and replenishing the earth while still in the Garden of Eden. The fact that they didn't realize that they were naked until they partook of it, is evidence that they didn't possess that knowledge until after they partook of it. If they didn't partake of it, they would have wondered in the Garden of Eden for however long they wanted to. Then God and Jesus Christ would be forced to play chess while they waited for Adam and Eve to partake of the Fruit, (that would be interesting to see who would win.)
Needless, to say Adam fell that men might be, that men might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25) If it wasn't for the fall of Adam and eve we wouldn't be here today. We were a fallen people because of the Fall. At the same time though, because we were a fallen people and could not merit salvation we would have skipped the spirit world and gone straight to Outer Darkness. It is in and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we all have a chance to comeback to the fold of God. It is because of the Atonement that we can be ransomed by Christ. It is our choice to choose. Whether to choose to follow Christ or be captive by the devil and do things selfishly and not for God and His eternal purposes. This time on Earth is the time for men to prepare to meet their God, so don't procrastinate the day of your repentance, (Alma 34: 32-34.) I'm very grateful for my understanding of the Savior Jesus Christ and His example for us to follow. I'm grateful that Adam fell, so that we could all experience happiness. "How sweet the joy this sentence brings, that I know that my Redeemer lives." "He said to men, come follow me, that ye my friends with God, may be." In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - - -
February 1, 2012
Hello everyone!!
This week was a great week in regards to missionary work! We taught 8
lessons!! I'll start off with Tuesday, since Monday's are really
eventful. We went on a Zone Leader exchange, I went to Fayetteville
with Elder Johnson (there's too many Elder Johnsons) We had some good
success there with teaching a couple times and visiting with a less
active/part member family. Apparently there were 2 set of missionaries
in Fayettevile, now there is only 1 so they have to take on the whole
city of Fayettevile by themselves. The funny thing is they have an
apartment, then they live in President Renfroe's mansion (President
Renfroe is the 1st counselor of President Merkley) his mansion fits
the title of the house, it's HUGE!!! They get a game room all to
themselves, really missionaries need a game room to play some serious
game of pool for preparationday?! Well, needless to say they have
quite the luxury there.
Then we exchanged back on Wednesday we met with the bishop at 7 and he
got to know me more and we discussed things pertaining to missionary
work. Then for Thursday we met with our investigator family who feeds
us on Thursdays, it was going to be just the father, (what a relief,
the wife is the one who has all the questions and retorts to our
statements) for once we had a nice conversation and we didn't really
get more than once or twice in the bible. He had many questions about
the Book of Mormon but the main thing he had a problem with was like a
lot of people with history they say that they didn't have certain
things in this time in history. He showed us many scriptures, but the
funny thing is he really hasn't read it himself. How could he have,
I'm sure he found them or got them from someone, if he would have read
the Book of Mormon he would have understood most of his questions that
he had.
Saturday we attended a baptism, but it was a child of record baptism,
we had so many members call us and ask us if we are going to be there.
It's a child of record baptism, why do we need to be there? We went
anyways because we might have to conduct, but the Bishop ended up
conducting. We went and tried by some people and we got a call from an
investigator who needed help with moving so we helped them. Then we
went to our dinner appointment with a less-active member. Then we
tried by some people, but the last one we tried was actually there.
They spoke 100% spanish so I just sat there watching and seeing what
they could be saying.
On Sunday we did our usual translate for Sacrament then we had gone to
Gospel Principles and then we had a combined meeting since it was a
5th Sunday. Then we went out with brother Farmer and Bishop, we taught
our 12 year old investigator, she is really sharp and told us that she
is going to start coming to our church instead of a Baptist church
(fist pump). Then we taught our next door neighbors who are moving. He
had a DVD that he wanted us to watch, oh boy! Can't imagine what it's
going to talk about /Sarcasm. It was a video that I actually saw on
Youtube, it was an animated video that went over a lot of deep
doctrine and illustrated for the most part our premortal life. There
were a good amount of things that weren't correct that we told him,
then it went into a conversation in Spanish in which I just sat there
and concentrated as best as I could. We then went to try by some
people and see how they were doing. Then afterwards we went to our
investigator who is practically a member except that she needs to quit
smoking before she can be baptized. We watched the John Tanner video
with them and talked about what topics we can study for next time.
Well, I'll guess I will talk about Zone Conference since it was on
Monday and the reason why i'm e-mailing you so late. Zone Conference
we were instructed more on the addiction recovery program and we had
someone from Salt Lake who is in charge of the vehicles tell us that
the little boxes that are in our cars (tiwi's) are going to tell us
when we either: aren't wearing our seatbelt, driving over the speed
limit or aggresively driving. We have a card that we swipe next to the
unit itself and it tells us that we are "Logged in" sounds really
cool. We had instruction on finding opportunites and that we need to
tract more and things like that (oh boy). Well, that's pretty much all
I have to tell you, we have finished the 17 points of the true church
and I'm going to go into the articles of faith.
1. We belive in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and
in the Holy Ghost.
Well, right off the bat we are already different from just about 99%
of the world religions. We believe that they are both individual,
separate beings. They are unified in PURPOSE not in appearance.
Genesis 1:26 says it well, "Let us make man in OUR image" If we are in
the image of God, and we have a body of flesh and blood, then that
must mean they have one as well. There are many reasons that Christ
came down to earth. One of them was to receive a body, he received a
body for a reason, not because it's what kids are doing these days,
it's because it was essential for him. Since he was ressurected his
body became a perfected and imortal body. Not being able to be
afflicted with death ever again. The Holy Ghost is probably the unsung
hero that most people don't understand or really forget all-together.
In this world today we have so much noise that his presence is usually
overpowered by his still small voice that Elijah experienced when he
was in the mountains (1kings 19:9-12.) The Holy Ghost is there to
witness that God the Father and Jesus Christ are real. That is what
his purpose is. He is our constant companion when we are confirmed
after we are baptized. He is there to help us when we need it, if we
are worthy to be able to have him with us.
I'll conclude this is a very short summary of the Godhead, but I know
that the they are 3 separate beings who are unified in purpose. We
need to strive to perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, and as
Christ told us that we should be unified just as He and the Father are
unified. I know these to be true, I know that God is our loving
Heavenly Father and wants us to be there with Him in the Celestial
Kingdom, where we can have eternal happiness. Which we cannot obtain
to the fullest measure here in this life. I close in the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
January 23, 2012
January 17, 2012
Hey, everyone. Sorry I missed you yesterday. The internet here was really slow and the e-mail that I was sending gave me and error and I wasn't able to copy and paste it, so I lost that e-mail!!
well, everything is going great here in Siloam Springs. My new companion is Elder Eyre. He is from Mapleton Utah and he was serving in Prairie Grove. It's really funny I've been out for 7 1/2 months and I've had 5 companions, maybe i'm repeating myself but I seem to be getting a lot of companions and I'm not even halfway there.
Anyways, I would have sent my e-mail out yesterday but like I said the internet was slow and I wasn't able to recover my e-mail. Here is my e-mail and I hope that I am able to remember what I wrote last time.
Well, not much happened last week. Everything was fairly normal, other than I"m a bit stressed with having to lead in an area which I only had a 6 weeks to get to know. I know it fairly well, so I can manage, but I would like to have more time so I know things more. Yesterday I wrote several letters to my friends in the mission that came out the same as I did. I wanted to have a constant communication with them so I can see how they are doing. I"m fortunate enough to have my MTC companion Elder Berg close to me that I can meet him at Zone Conferences or zone meetings. My other threesome companion Elder Cutler I only saw for my first transfer in the field, then after that he has left and I have never seen him since.
well, anyways that's all that I have to write about this week. I will proceed with the 5th Article of Faith.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
Well, many people will disagree with this one!! This is another point that is unique and truly only understood by us. Many people will say that they only need to have the Holy Ghost and they are called of God. The things that I find in the Old Testament and even the New Testament is the process of the laying on of hands. It doesn't say that Christ specifically lays his hands, but the funny thing is, in Numbers 27:18-23 the Lord tells Moses to lay his hands on Joshua and give him portion of his honor. That understanding in the Old Testament and the understanding from Paul in the book of Acts where he lays his hands on those many times for those who are to receive the Holy Ghost.
We believe that those who act in the name of God, must obviously have His permission. These things are done by either prophecy or laying on of hands, by those who have that permission to do so. In order for us to preach the Gospel (missionary work like me) and to administer in the ordinances of salvation. They must need that Priesthood Authority, that was passed down from Jesus Christ to Peter, James & John then in the Latter Day to Joseph Smith, in whom I can trace my authority to, to be able to preach the gospel full-time. I know that these things are true and I know that I have been called of God, and I'm worthy to be here so I am called to go, because it is a commandment. I know that these things are true, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - -
February 22, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEE!!!!!
Yes, I know I'm 7 days late! When you have a holiday on Monday and someone needed our attention yesterday you tend to be just a little late. Holidays I have noticed are only good if you: go to school, work for the government, banks/credit unions & Libraries. When you are a missionary and the holiday isn't Thanksgiving or Christmas you just hope that it doesn't land on a Monday.
This week was crazy week. We went on 3 exchanges with me being here in SIloam for 2 of them. I got a break on Wednesday but if you pay attention later, I didn't get a break. Wednesday I went on exchange with the Marshallese elders in Springdale (from the marshal Islands a territory of the United States) biked around Springdale the whole day. Went to members houses where they didn't speak english. Marshallese is heinously harder to tell between a sentence and a word. It all sounds the same, while Elder Latrik was speaking and teaching I was for the most part falling asleep. When you can't follow a conversation you don't pay attention or you loose attention. When you don't have ANY idea what they are speaking and all of it sounds the same, you fall asleep FAST.
Then after more of biking around visiting less actives it got fairly late, so I was biking behind Elder Latrik and he got to the point that he got ahead of me and I couldn't find him. I went to the left because I thought it was the sidewalk instead of going through like a businesses drive up thing. To my dismay about 20 seconds later I nailed my left shoulder into the pole of the road sign, it probably was the "right lane must turn right" sign, you know, the one that really isn't all that necessary to have. After that incident elder latrik came back noticing that I wasn't anywhere near him and helped me find the problem with the bike. Then we biked to more member houses that watch weird Chinese movies. Then we went to our last visit with a less active who could speak some english but like always they prefer to speak their native language. He asked if I liked fish, well, I do, apparently it was raw. I didn't have too much, but I'm thinking that was my downfall for Friday's situation. I had the fish with a ton of rice. After that we went back to the apartment and that was Wednesday.
Thursday was a regular Thursday. Friday I wake up do the normal stuff had peanut butter captain crunch then about 10 minutes after. My stomach felt really queasy. We had an exchange with Tahlequah that day and before the exchange we had a District Leader Council with the Zone Leaders. I had to give the spiritual thought, for the meeting. I just talked about my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon Alma 5. Through the whole meeting I thought I was going to throw up. I had the trash can next to me just in case. Well, I didn't through the whole meeting. Then we had to drive to Tahlequah ourselves so that is 100 miles on the car down the drain (pretty much.) Friday's we go to Westville Oklahoma since it is a small town that we can devote time to tracting at apartment complexes and try by people that said we could come back. We did that had a member come with us who lives in that area and we went to one investigator and tried by a couple other ones. Then we had dinner and things like that later and I said I'm tired and this was around 7:30, I just want to lay down. I took some Diarrhea medicine wrote in my journal and me and Elder Orr went to bed!!! I didn't get any sleep because I went to the bathroom 2-3 times that night and I was sweating profusely.
Saturday is here surprise!!! Our ride to Tahlequah cancels on us about 30 minutes before 10! I send out a mass text to all the male members in the ward and most of them couldn't give us a ride couple called and said they couldn't. I had contacted through text or calling about 40 members. Then after about 45 minutes of frantically calling people the member that was with us last night called and asked if we needed a ride. I was like YES WE NEED A RIDE, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! We drove to Tahlequah waited a little for elder Hamann and Beard to come to the church. We then road back to the apartment I dropped to the couch and was tired! Later that night we got transfer calls and Elder Hamann is going to Tulsa and that my new companion is Elder Eyre, who is actually in the same zone and was the District leader in Prairie grove. Well, would you look at that 7 1/2 months out and I've had 5 companions and all of them were District Leaders. On top of that I got to lead an area that I've only had 6 weeks to get to know!!!! I would love 6 more weeks. Also Siloam isn't a zebra area anymore and I don't get more time to read since we won't have language study.
well, I'm tired of writing this e-mail and I want to go look at e-mails and laugh, this e-mail took me too long to write. But I have to write the 4th Article of Faith.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordiances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance ; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For missionaries this belief is taught in the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" it's the third lesson in Preach my gospel. Each one builds off each other. You first have faith, once you have faith you exercise your faith to repent of things that you have done. Then once you have faith and have exercised the faith to repent, you then exercise more faith and be baptized to fully be cleansed from your sins. Then after Baptism you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to better make decisions and have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. If there is anything that you should know in life it is these 4 principles plus charity and the atonement. Everything else is just here to make life for flavor full.
Well, hopefully I have entertained and made up for some of my e-mails in the past that were shorter. This one was definitively longer than probably most. I hope that everything is going great where everyone is.
I know that the 4 principles of the gospel are those that I have mentioned. They are as we teach, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since man was/is fallen that is the way that the Lord as established to make amends for the things that he has saved us with, and I close in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - -
February 6, 2012
Well, would you look at that. It's my monthly anniversary today!!!! Good ole 7 months, wow times blows by fast!
This week was a good week, lots of teaching opportunities that have happened. I went on 2 exchanges this week, so I was in Tahlequah Oklahoma from Monday after zone conference to Wednesday morning. Then Friday to Saturday I was in Springdale. This week I will be going on exchanges 3 times, and all 3 times I will be here in Siloam Springs!!!!!!!
Well, I really don't have anything epic to say, or story to explain today. This just might be a short e-mail, or longer explanation on the 2nd article of faith. Which one is unbeknown to me. Well, when I was on exchanges with Springdale, we went to a member's house who she said had the gift of prophecy. That is however a gift of the spirit, but I'm still skeptical. She guessed about my dad working on a computer, but to say the least "imputing information" into a computer, is what you use a computer for! She said I grew up well, or to say that I grew up in a family that wasn't divided or anything, so I guess she gets one point, but that's all!
When I was in Tahlequah, we had to bike the whole day and we biked around the main part of the city. Needless to say Tahlequah NEEDS MORE SIDEWALKS! I don't know what it is with the people out here. I don't need a 10 FT sidewalk, but a way for me to ride my bike without stopping traffic would be great, thanks!!! Without further adieu and me complaining I will get to the 2nd article of faith!
2. We believe that man will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
Fairly easy one to explain and understand (for the most part.) The majority of the world believes that Adam and Eve partaking of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (imagine having to say that all the time, let alone typing it!) was the biggest mistake known to man. I looked at a book in barnes and noble awhile back and it was a book about the biggest mistakes in history. Of course, on the cover was an apple with a bite in it.
The reason being that they believe it is a big mistake, is that they understand that if they didn't we would all live in the garden of Eden.Only to the untrained eye would someone say this (yes, I'm using an ace ventura joke) Adam and Eve couldn't fulfill the other commandment of multiplying and replenishing the earth while still in the Garden of Eden. The fact that they didn't realize that they were naked until they partook of it, is evidence that they didn't possess that knowledge until after they partook of it. If they didn't partake of it, they would have wondered in the Garden of Eden for however long they wanted to. Then God and Jesus Christ would be forced to play chess while they waited for Adam and Eve to partake of the Fruit, (that would be interesting to see who would win.)
Needless, to say Adam fell that men might be, that men might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25) If it wasn't for the fall of Adam and eve we wouldn't be here today. We were a fallen people because of the Fall. At the same time though, because we were a fallen people and could not merit salvation we would have skipped the spirit world and gone straight to Outer Darkness. It is in and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we all have a chance to comeback to the fold of God. It is because of the Atonement that we can be ransomed by Christ. It is our choice to choose. Whether to choose to follow Christ or be captive by the devil and do things selfishly and not for God and His eternal purposes. This time on Earth is the time for men to prepare to meet their God, so don't procrastinate the day of your repentance, (Alma 34: 32-34.) I'm very grateful for my understanding of the Savior Jesus Christ and His example for us to follow. I'm grateful that Adam fell, so that we could all experience happiness. "How sweet the joy this sentence brings, that I know that my Redeemer lives." "He said to men, come follow me, that ye my friends with God, may be." In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - - -
February 1, 2012
Hello everyone!!
This week was a great week in regards to missionary work! We taught 8
lessons!! I'll start off with Tuesday, since Monday's are really
eventful. We went on a Zone Leader exchange, I went to Fayetteville
with Elder Johnson (there's too many Elder Johnsons) We had some good
success there with teaching a couple times and visiting with a less
active/part member family. Apparently there were 2 set of missionaries
in Fayettevile, now there is only 1 so they have to take on the whole
city of Fayettevile by themselves. The funny thing is they have an
apartment, then they live in President Renfroe's mansion (President
Renfroe is the 1st counselor of President Merkley) his mansion fits
the title of the house, it's HUGE!!! They get a game room all to
themselves, really missionaries need a game room to play some serious
game of pool for preparationday?! Well, needless to say they have
quite the luxury there.
Then we exchanged back on Wednesday we met with the bishop at 7 and he
got to know me more and we discussed things pertaining to missionary
work. Then for Thursday we met with our investigator family who feeds
us on Thursdays, it was going to be just the father, (what a relief,
the wife is the one who has all the questions and retorts to our
statements) for once we had a nice conversation and we didn't really
get more than once or twice in the bible. He had many questions about
the Book of Mormon but the main thing he had a problem with was like a
lot of people with history they say that they didn't have certain
things in this time in history. He showed us many scriptures, but the
funny thing is he really hasn't read it himself. How could he have,
I'm sure he found them or got them from someone, if he would have read
the Book of Mormon he would have understood most of his questions that
he had.
Saturday we attended a baptism, but it was a child of record baptism,
we had so many members call us and ask us if we are going to be there.
It's a child of record baptism, why do we need to be there? We went
anyways because we might have to conduct, but the Bishop ended up
conducting. We went and tried by some people and we got a call from an
investigator who needed help with moving so we helped them. Then we
went to our dinner appointment with a less-active member. Then we
tried by some people, but the last one we tried was actually there.
They spoke 100% spanish so I just sat there watching and seeing what
they could be saying.
On Sunday we did our usual translate for Sacrament then we had gone to
Gospel Principles and then we had a combined meeting since it was a
5th Sunday. Then we went out with brother Farmer and Bishop, we taught
our 12 year old investigator, she is really sharp and told us that she
is going to start coming to our church instead of a Baptist church
(fist pump). Then we taught our next door neighbors who are moving. He
had a DVD that he wanted us to watch, oh boy! Can't imagine what it's
going to talk about /Sarcasm. It was a video that I actually saw on
Youtube, it was an animated video that went over a lot of deep
doctrine and illustrated for the most part our premortal life. There
were a good amount of things that weren't correct that we told him,
then it went into a conversation in Spanish in which I just sat there
and concentrated as best as I could. We then went to try by some
people and see how they were doing. Then afterwards we went to our
investigator who is practically a member except that she needs to quit
smoking before she can be baptized. We watched the John Tanner video
with them and talked about what topics we can study for next time.
Well, I'll guess I will talk about Zone Conference since it was on
Monday and the reason why i'm e-mailing you so late. Zone Conference
we were instructed more on the addiction recovery program and we had
someone from Salt Lake who is in charge of the vehicles tell us that
the little boxes that are in our cars (tiwi's) are going to tell us
when we either: aren't wearing our seatbelt, driving over the speed
limit or aggresively driving. We have a card that we swipe next to the
unit itself and it tells us that we are "Logged in" sounds really
cool. We had instruction on finding opportunites and that we need to
tract more and things like that (oh boy). Well, that's pretty much all
I have to tell you, we have finished the 17 points of the true church
and I'm going to go into the articles of faith.
1. We belive in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and
in the Holy Ghost.
Well, right off the bat we are already different from just about 99%
of the world religions. We believe that they are both individual,
separate beings. They are unified in PURPOSE not in appearance.
Genesis 1:26 says it well, "Let us make man in OUR image" If we are in
the image of God, and we have a body of flesh and blood, then that
must mean they have one as well. There are many reasons that Christ
came down to earth. One of them was to receive a body, he received a
body for a reason, not because it's what kids are doing these days,
it's because it was essential for him. Since he was ressurected his
body became a perfected and imortal body. Not being able to be
afflicted with death ever again. The Holy Ghost is probably the unsung
hero that most people don't understand or really forget all-together.
In this world today we have so much noise that his presence is usually
overpowered by his still small voice that Elijah experienced when he
was in the mountains (1kings 19:9-12.) The Holy Ghost is there to
witness that God the Father and Jesus Christ are real. That is what
his purpose is. He is our constant companion when we are confirmed
after we are baptized. He is there to help us when we need it, if we
are worthy to be able to have him with us.
I'll conclude this is a very short summary of the Godhead, but I know
that the they are 3 separate beings who are unified in purpose. We
need to strive to perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, and as
Christ told us that we should be unified just as He and the Father are
unified. I know these to be true, I know that God is our loving
Heavenly Father and wants us to be there with Him in the Celestial
Kingdom, where we can have eternal happiness. Which we cannot obtain
to the fullest measure here in this life. I close in the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- - - - - - - - - -
January 23, 2012
Hey everybody!
The weather's great here, it seems that we'll never have winter!!!!!!!!!! That works just peachy fine for me. It was 60ish last night around 8 o'clock.
This week was pretty good, we had fairly good success here. The ward mission leader is inacting a simple but awesome plan to use the ward missionaries and with exchanges with members in the ward. Sundays during the 2nd hour we get to teach the ward missionaries in regards to certain chapters in preach my gospel. This week it was chapter 4 in how to use the Holy Ghost and how you should be living in order to have the Holy Ghost with you. We have good ward missionaries, they aren't shy to share the gospel or to talk with people so it's great to have them.
To go back in the week, Thursdays is when we have dinner with an investigator family (okay only the Mother and Father are investigating), the father had inviting a couple from the ward who are great friends with them and we helped out that family last saturday with moving into their new house. After dinner they explained that they had a DVD that was given to them by friends because they had said that they were investigating "Mormonism" (I hate that word). They told us that it had posed many questions that they had and so they showed it with us. WOW. That's really all I can say, I kind of expected what was going to be on there and I was really not too far off. In essense they had been given anti literature and wanted to show it to us! Well, it just about went through everything that everyone doesn't like about our religion, it was quite disturbing. How they pit Joseph Smith against Jesus Christ. We stopped halfway through the DVD because the member explained that the 1st half was really good but the 2nd part was really just biased opinions about the church. The questions the couple asked were really far out their questions. We had them explain the Trinity for us and he said that we were putting him on the spot, his wife said that the Trinity is hard to explain. Well, golly gee wize you putting all 4 of us on the spot. ANYWAYS, I had a similiar but different lesson with someone else we meet with yesterday, but I don't want to go into that at all.
Well, thank you everyone for your support you give to me on my mission! I will now go to the next and last scripture in the points of the true church.
17. By their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20
I like this scripture a lot. This is a scripture that we use quite frequently with people. As the scripture verses go before it, it explains that good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit. The Book of Mormon is the fruit of Joseph Smith. You are to test out for yourself if the Book of Mormon is true. Many people say that you can't trust your feelings. Without going on a tangent, you can trust your feelings, that is why they are there, to help you understand things. How can the all powerful being known as our Heavenly Father can't give us a way to have us know what is truth? People want the knowing to be a big loud voice, but like in the scripture 1 kings 19:12 Elijah was looking for the spirit and he couldn't find it in the earthquakes and the fires, but after all that happened he found that the spirit was a still small voice.
The scripture that goes with the 17 points of the true church, is the one that encompasses them all is. The question is: Why are these things important? Hebrews 13:8 says that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever" that means if Jesus Christ said it in his day then he must not be a liar. Also it says in the scriptures that God is not a respector of persons, he doesn't do things for His children in Biblical times but not in modern times. Next week I will be doing the Articles of Faith!
I know that these points that I have ascribed to you in the last 17 or so weeks are true, and our church is built upon these and others as well. I know these to be true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
January 17, 2012
Well, Arkansas is quite the place. When you thought Oklahoma was hill
billy country you would have to double check that thought. There are a
lot more dirt roads here in Arkansas than there are in Oklahoma.
Siloam Springs is a nice place I like it a lot. I actually have an
apartment!!!!! With washer & dryers, couches, dishwasher & a oven!!
All the things I didn't have in Sapulpa!! Well, not trying to be
negative, it's just a nice thing to have and you miss them once you
don't have them!
This area is what we call in the mission as a zebra companionship. My
companion Elder Hamonn is a spanish missionary, and I'm a english
missionary! We have many investigators who speak mostly spanish, a
lesson we taught Saturday night was with an investigator who spoke
mostly spanish. It was a good thing we had an exchange with us who
could speak incredible spanish (he teaches spanish people spanish) and
I sat there and watched them talked about the Book of Mormon.
After the lesson the member told me that I should try to learn as much
as I can, he said that once you know five verbs or whatever (I can't
remember) it gets easier because then you just have to recognize how
to use them in the sentence structure. The way I see it is, if the
Lord wanted me to reach out to those who speak spanish he would have
called me on a spanish mission. Not being ignorant (even though I'm
good at that) I'm just being optimistic, because it's going to take me
an astronomical amount of time to learn another language.
Anyways, Sunday if any of our investigators who speak spanish come to
church we have to interpret for them. For Sacrament meeting Elder
Hamonn did that in the Clerks office, halfway during the meeting the
phone rang really loud as he was interpreting, so we moved to the
hallway to finish translating. Second hour we met with the ward
mission leader and the ward missionaries and coordinated the efforts
into a plan that will help the missionary work in the ward very well,
even to where the members are looking at us as a special tool to use,
instead of "I have the missionaries for exchanges what can I do to
take up time." The missionary work here is great, and I'm very
excitied to see what can come of it.
In case I forget here is my address
(bleeped by my mom... if you want my address, contact her =)
I'll proceed with the point of the true church, almost done.
16. The true church must ptractice baptism for the dead. 1 corinthians 15:16,29.
I find this point a fairly unique point in of itself. Along with a
restoration church, no other church in the world practices baptisms
for the dead. Many people actually condemn the practice. Thinking that
you can't just walk to a grave site and take the information and then
do the ordiance of baptism for them. They don't believe in that. It's
much more than that, even though we in essence do find our ancestors
information, but we make sure that it is very accurate and we don't
just romp on other people's ancestry line. If they are not realated to
you in any way the church doesn't want you to perform the ordinances.
A scripture comes to mind, it's 2 Peter 4:6 (or 1 peter) it says,
paraphrased, that the dead are judged according to those in the flesh.
That means that even though they may have passed on into the next
life, it doesn't mean their salvation is thwarted, because they didn't
know of the Gospel in their life. Heavenly Father is a merciful God,
he wants all of us to be with him again. I know this to be true,
because he has given all of us an infinite amount of chances on this
life to turn around. He is always there, He always cares, He always
acknowledges our Free Agency to call on him or not. I know this to be
true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
January 9, 2012
With Elder Rowley leaving at the beginning of this transfer, and my new companion Elder Virgen. Who would of thought what would happen next in the saga of Elder Haymond. In this action pack episode of Elder Haymond's mission something that was expected and at the same time it wasn't, has happened. The suburb Sapulpa will now be but a distant memory as a new chapter in the Elder Haymond saga continues, with him moving from Sapulpa to Silom Springs Arkansas, with a new companion who has a similiar name to his, Elder Hamonn. This new twist will become in effect roughly Thursday afternoon.
Well, if understood any of that, I was trying to be like the back cover of the movie Batman: Forever. Just look at the cover and see how terribly I was at adapting it to my situation. Well, as you all probably guessed I'm being transfered to . . . . . SILOM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. My companion will be another District Leader (wow all companions have District Leaders) Elder Hamonn. This will be interesting for my new ward members and missionaries in my District! Since I will be leaving Thursday, it is safe to say that if you haven't mailed anything to me by today or tomorrow, DON'T mail it. Just wait until I get my new address or you can mail it to the address in my signature, that sends it to the mission office, so it is sure to get to me.
Well, this week could have gone better. **sorry the keyboard that I am using in the library is going weird on me, whenever I'm typing the I-beam where the characters are typed into just moves spots and I start typir ng somewhere else where I have typed, just to let you know.** We taught a lesson, because all of our appointments with our investigators canceled on us, if we taught all of our investigators once, we could haved had roughlly 8 lessons which would have been someone we haven't done for about, well, mmm when I wasn't here.
Wednesday we had what we call the Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel where we gather as a Zone and we teach each other the 8 simplified lessons which were gathered from Preach My Gospel. They are lessons that have been can I say extracted from Preach My Gospel. Like the title says, its the fundamentals of preach my Gospel. We taught, "We invite, they commit, we follow up." In otherwords our instruction was on extending commitments to investigators, commitments are in essence homework assignments for our investigators. Coming to church, reading, praying and things similiar to that are commitments we leave with them. Commitments is how we measure our investigators in their progression towards baptism. We taught on that, it went really well. There is really nothing else to report on for the week, nothing that "exciting."
15. the true church must be a restored church. Acts 3:19-20. Well, what can I say. There isn't a single church out there besides a break off of the LDS church can say they are a restored church. Going back to when Christ was on the earth. Heavenly Father had given us Prophets and direction in Old Testament times. Eventually the people didn't like those Prophets and they lead into what we call an Apostasy. Instances like these are: Adam, Noah, Abraham & Moses. They were Prophets and eventually they were rejected by their own people. Then the people fell away, then when they got rock bottom, Heavenly Father called another one of His children to lead and guide His people. Eventually they were all rejected, then in the Meridian of Time, Heavenly Father sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. Jesus Christ was a Prophet in a sense, but at the o same time he was the Only Begotten Son as well. A person who would save us from our sins but not in our sins. He would setup His church on the earth and how it should be setup. Later he was crucified, His Apostles were then scattered and individually they were all killed as well (besides John but still he wasn't around either.) Christ and His Apostles were no longer present on the earth, that Priesthood Authority to act in God's name was no longer present. The earth fell into the Great Apostasy, because it was the one that lasted the longest. For roughly 1700 years, the authority to act in God's name through Jesus Christ, was not present during those long long long years. Then like in times past, when we hit rock bottom, or when the time was right He and Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, who was searching for the TRUTH he wanted to know which of ALL the sects were true. He didn't think that ALL of them were wrong, but it was Jesus Christ who said to Joseph that all are wrong and don't represent Him. Joseph Smith later Restored the church and we know it now as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. He ushered in the Dispensation of the Fullness of times. The Priesthood authority is now restored back to the earth again, NEVER to be taken away EVER. Satan and all his lackeys will do all they can to defame the name of Joseph Smith and try to take away our faith, but they can try and they will fail miserably. The Angel Moroni when he appeared to Joseph Smith said that his name would be known to both good and evil. That is true, if Joseph Smith was lying how on earth would he have known that he would be known for both good and evil. To his dismay he could have been forgotten after a couple days of seeing the vision and no one would know him??? Sorry, I'm rambling a bit, but I know that this church has been restored, though columny may defame, nothing will stop this marvelous work of the Lord, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa Mission
Oklahoma, Tulsa Mission
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January 3, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
I'm able to get on the computer today even though the library was closed until the 5th because they are redoing/moving the catalog system, but since the head librarian is a member they allowed us to use the internet even though the library isn't opened. I'm very thankful for that so I don't have to wait until Thursday to come e-mail!!!
This week has been better than many in the past, we have success from the referrals that the mission send us to go call/contact. We were able to contact 2 good referrals from the list that we called. We met with one of them last Friday, she is actually a friend with a ward member in Sapulpa so we went to their house and were able to answer questions about the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. It was a good lesson, we weren't expecting to have to go over that, but next time we will go over the Restoration and we have an awesome DVD that we are going to show with them. The other referral that we contacted we have an appointment with her on Thursday, she lives on Lincoln street!!! It's funny in Bristow there are four streets right next to each other named: Washington, Jackson, Lincoln & Jefferson streets. It's pretty funny, anyways. She went to church in Idaho and moved here, she wanted to know where the church was since she went when she was in Idaho. She knows where the church is, but we assume that she isn't a member since we usually have one of the Bishopric tell us of new move ins for us to go see or something. All in all much can be had from our visit and I can't wait!
Friday we went to Bristow, which we hardly ever go there, because it takes up our days allotment of miles going there and back. Not to mention all the driving we doing while we are there. Since we had an extra 150 or so miles we drove there to see former investigators. Meeting 2 of the several that we left cards by, they were very okay with us coming back and teaching them again. I was really confused as to why they were former investigators when they so willingly said we could come back. I know it's been a year since they were last taught by missionaries, but it's really funny how time can change people.
Saturday for our New Years "celebration" we had a member give us money to go eat out so we went to a pizza buffet!!! Then we went back to our apartment and I found some scriptures for our ward scripture challenge to find scriptures that support both the Bible and Book of Mormon. Then at 9ish we planned our next day, opened our sparkling cider that Sister White gave us then we went to bed shortly after. We could have stayed up until 12 but we would have to wake up still at 6:30, I've had too many experiences doing that, to just not want to do it again!
Everything going well here, our church starts at 1 p.m so it's still a little weird to see how we can do anything before our church starts. Because we have about 2 hours before 12, when we have our missionary coorelation meeting with our Ward Mission Leader. We'll see how we can be able to do things before church. Well that is all that I have this week on Elder Haymond's weekley episode of e-mail writing.
Point 14, were getting close to the end! The true church must be a MISSIONARY church. Matthew 28:19-20.
Wow how ironic is this one? Speaking with one of our former investigators that we go over and see how they are doing once a week. She explains that she wishes her church would do something like what we are doing. Even today when we were putting our bikes up and waiting for the people in the library to open the door for us, a man drives up in a white mini-van and asks us if we are "preaching the word" we said we were and he offered to buy us lunch. We said that would be great, if you are willing to give us something. He said that would be great for him to give, so he gave us 20$ and that is what we are going to use for lunch today! I'm very greatful for these experiences, there are very few churchs that have a serious missionary program. They do have missionaries that go out, but not as long in the day or how long we dedicate our lives to. We are missionaries from once we are set apart to when we get released. We are full time missionaries for that time, when we get home and before we left we were member missionaries which is different that full time. If the Gospel that your church teaches is true, wouldn't you want more people to taste of it's sweet taste too? Watching some of the History of the church yesterday and we sent out missionaries litterally like a couple years after the church was organized. Church's today who have been around for several hundred years haven't even begun doing missionary work. It just shows you that we mean serious business when it comes to the Salvation of God's Children. I'm am greatful for those I have touched in my mission and those that I will touch in the future. I know that what I am doing is the work of the Lord, like President Uchtdorf in quoting from Nehemian several conferences ago, "I'm doing a great work, and cannot come down." In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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December 27, 2011
HOPE EVERYONE HAD A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
I sure had a Merry Christmas. It was different having Christmas on a Mission, in an area that I've never been in, with someone I've never met until 2 weeks ago, in a place where there was absolutely no snow for Christmas. So, it was quite the Christmas.
Tuesday we were on exchanges with the Jenks Elders, so me and Elder Urban were in Sapulpa. We spent about 55 minutes trying to find a referral, since the streets here in Sapulpa are named after either a: Dog, tree or person. It makes finding a street pretty confusing because when someone says a street name you have to know where it is exactly or else you will have to turn wheels like we did. It didn't help that the map didn't help with streets that were on the other side of town, but were still considered that same street name, even though the map told me otherwise. All in all I was really confused, what happened to just having street names that have numbers so I can see if I am actually going in the right direction?
That night we taught our investigator with a date, we went over the baptismal questions and also the law of Tithing and Fast Offerings. Then on Thursday we had our District meeting with President and Sister Merkely. Since we are a combined District, we had 5 companionships of missionaries that President had to interview. That lasted from 9-12 in the morning. Then we had our teaching appointment with our referral, we have been over and taught him once or twice. The member who referred him to us said that he had been tracted in by Jehovah's Witnesses, so we went over and answered his question about Adam and Eve (something that the Jehovah's Witnesses taught him about Adam and Eve.), we then read out of the Book of Mormon some things to answer his question, then we taught the Restoration up to the Apostasy. Then at 5:45 that day I called to see if we could still come over and see our investigator with a date, she stated that she didn't want us to come over anymore and she isn't going to be baptized mormon. We believe she antied herself. She went online to research Joseph Smith and found a myriad of websites that are totally biased, false and don't present ALL the facts.
The rest of the week went by pretty good. Saturday we went to a members house for dinner, we then got a ride from the Jenks Elders and we went to the Mission Home and we did some caroling with about 5 other companionships in the Tulsa & Tulsa East Zones. We caroled at houses who weren't members and we gave them the DVD Testaments. Since it describes the events of Jesus Christ's birth. President Merkely was a good example that night, as he was giving out the DVD's many times he went inside the house and talked with them as we were sitting outside watching him. He seemed very confident, as he should be and as I should be as well. That was something that I noticed him do.
Christmas day I got to sleep in to 8 o'clock!! I opened my presents and took pictures of them so I can archive them,haha. Then we got ready for church. We had a combined Sacrament with the Jenks ward at 11 o'clock. It was a good Sacrament meeting, it went a little over but it was a nice Sacrament meeting. Then we went home had lunch with the Whites and then I got to call my Family!!!!!!!!! That was exciting and fun! Got to hear their voices since I have been away for almost 6 months! Time has gone by fast. "Time flies on wings of Lightning." Monday the libraries were closed so we couldn't e-mail, so we had more time to write letters and such, so we went and played frisbee golf. That leads us to, today!
Point # 13
13. The true church must claim revelation from God Amos 3:7. I like to call Amos 3:7 the bread and butter scripture the church uses. Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophet. It's a simple and plain scripture, God will reveal his "secrets" or what he wants us to know through his servants (Prophets, Apostles, General Authorities, Mission Presidents, etc.) We are a church of Revelation because we are always within the sound of God's voice and that is through the Prophet President Thomas S. Monson. There is something special about President Monson, he isn't higher than us, he just has a divine calling, and that is to be a Prophet, Seer & Revelator. Some may say that we have great faith in these days so we don't need a Prophet today. In my honest opinion I think there are lots of people who have great faith, but there are a lot of people who if they don't see the facts, or don't see it, they don't believe it. I believe there is a greater need for a Prophet now than in times past. We have more things coming towards us that are more detrimental to our Eternal Salvation than those who lived 500 years or even 2000 years ago. I know that President Monson is a Prophet of God, that has been called of God to lead the world through these dark and dreary times, many will say that they don't need help/guidance from the Prophet, but they are those who are lost in the darkness after they left the Rod of iron. President Monson is a Prophet of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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December 19, 2011
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!
Well, it is December 19th and I haven't seen an inch of snow yet. Phew, I am so used to having tons of snow by now and even by mid November even. This week has gone somewhat slow, than weeks past. Most of the week I was calling and updating our list of referrals we get from the mission office. This list is a list of individuals who would be interested in knowing more/wanting some materials from missionaries. The only downside is, that these referrals haven't been contacted in lets say between 1-5 years. I saw one that the date said it was July 2005. I was thinking to myself, why on earth has no one contacted this person within that many years? I know that calling random people isn't the most invigorating thing to do on a mission, but you can definitely get some good potential from them. Out of the 3 lists that we have right now, I was able to contact about 4 people who would have some very good interest/possibility.
Well, besides doing that, we have been trying to implement what we call as active member lessons. Where we teach active families about the Restoration or a lesson like that. Then we challenge them to be more active in their missionary efforts. This can be like reaching out to your friends, it's not like you would walk up to your friend/neighbors house and ask them if they want to be taught by missionaries from their church. We are just asking that when you talk with your friends and neighbors, try to bring up religion if you can. Or if they bring up religion, you can tell them that they can go to Mormon.org and find our a lot more about our church, in case you don't have/know the answers. The members of the church hold the keys to finding investigators for the missionaries. We don't ask them to go tracting. If you have a friend that is interested they are more likely to stay in the church, because they have that support from the member and not just the missionaries. They are more likely to be interested in what you say, because we as missionaries do this everyday and this just what we do. You on the otherhand don't do this everyday so it make it more worthwhile for them to listen to you.
We are working on doing that with the ward. The First Presidency wants us to be doing it as well, so we are going to follow the Prophet! Well, that's about all I have. Is everyone having a good Christmas this year? It's gone by fairly fast, I think my Advent Calendar is making it go by faster! We have families that are having us over for Christmas eve and Christmas day. The one we are staying for Christmas day, was telling me at church yesterday that we could just watch Disney movies. As much as I would love to watch Disney movies. They aren't however approved for us to watch, unless you can somehow get the church's seal on it then we could watch it!
Onto the Point of the True Church! Point 12!
12. The officers must be called by God. Hebrews 5:4, Exodus 28:1 & Exodus 40:13-16.
I like Hebrews 5:4 because it was a Scripture mastery in the New Testament. I remembered it as "he bruised his thumb" He-brews. Yeah it's cheesy but I remembered it nonetheless. That scripture is paraphrase as so " No man taketh this honour unto himself, unless he be called of God, as was Aaron." Aaron was called of God, the same Aaron that we get the Aaronic Priesthood from and the same one who was the spokesmen for Moses. As a missionary you have a ministerial certificate, which is signed by President Monson, who is a Prophet who was called of God. His authority can be traced down to Jesus Christ, as can mine. The special thing about being called of God, is because you are the representative of the Lord, if it weren't that way then everyone would say that I have his authority, no I have his authority. It is chaos in the world we live today who say that they have the authority to act in God's name. Many say you don't need authority, but that is not true. You need to have authority, why was there Prophets in the Old Testament? Another question would be, why was there a need for Prophets? What made them so special? What made them so special is because they could act in God's name, they had that Authority!!! That's what makes us so special to literally 99% of the world is that authority. There are few who claim that authority, and that is what Christ meant when he was talking to Joseph in the First Vision, where he said that they deny the Godliness thereof. Something to that effect, we are one of the few who doesn't deny the Godliness/authority thereof. I can testify to you that I know that this is to be true, that authority makes all the difference between a disciple of God and someone who wants to do good. A disciple of God will do good continually even if it isn't what kids are doing these days. I can testify that to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
If you want to send mail, you can send through the mission office.
Oklahoma Tulsa mission office:
3640 S. New Haven Avenue Suite OTM
Tulsa, Ok 74135
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December 12, 2011
ahh, this has been a pretty cool week. My new new companion is Elder Virgen. He was Elder Sorenson's companion in Centerton Arkansas. He has been out for essentially 2 years, he leaves in the middle of February, so he has 2 more transfers left. If I don't get transfered in January that means I will be here for 2 more transfers after that!!! 9 months in one area yeeesssh.
Well, it has been pretty fun and different to have to get used to living with another companion. He is a lot different that Elder Rowley, he is more scattered when it comes to organization. He's pretty outgoing and we talk a lot more at the apartment. Before he came on Thursday I was with the Jenks Elders in a three-some from Saturday to Thursday morning. I had to do some things in Sapulpa while being in Jenks. we went to both Sapulpa Church and Jenks.. I got 6 hours of being at church.
Everything is going well here. Yesterday we had Stake Conference, it was a lot different that Stake Conferences that I have been to. We mostly had sustainings and testimonies.. We didn't have any "talks" that anyone prepared. Our mission President gave his testimony, his daughter-in-law passed away on the 7th of December so his wife is in Utah right now and he has to stay because of his obligations..
Friday we had our Ward Christmas party, it was lots of fun. We had our investigator there, and it was great that they were sitting with the Bishopric to eat their dinner. That's what I want to have happen. Now that I think about it, on Tuesday when I was with the Jenks Elders we went to Chili's with a Free will Baptist youth minister. It was pretty good we had some "small talk" for the first 15 minutes, then it immediately delved into us teaching/talking about things of our church and him preaching to us that it is not true. Also not letting us really explain/tell why that is. He would let us for a minute then he would cut us off and rant. He kept telling us that he wasn't trying to hurt us, but in essence he really was trying to hurt us and convince us that he is right. I didn't come on a mission to be converted to another religion 5 months after I got here. Do they not realize that? I have devotion to "my religion", I didn't get converted to this religion and come and teach it somewhere else, then to have someone belittle me and tell me to come to his. What is the thinking behind these people? They apparently didn't read 3 Nephi 11:29 where Christ's says that the Spirit of contention is not of me. It was more of a testimony builder to me than a vindicitve attack to me.
I can't think of anything else to report or anymore exciting stories, so here goes the point of the true church.
10. The true church must teach that God and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct individuals. John 17:11 and John 20:17
Bam already that is something that was discussed as we were eating with the Baptist preacher. They believe in the trinity, which if I can/ever will actually remember how that works it goes something like this. God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are one thing. He explained it as an ice cube, the ice cube is in a solid mass, then it can be water and gas. He liken that to the trinity. I don't understand how that can work, if Christ was on Earth, and God was in heaven then wouldn't that mean he has a body, how could they be in two places at once. The best example of this, is when Christ was baptized, Matthew 3:13-17, Christ was baptized, the Holy Ghost descended like a dove and God spoke to them and testified of Christ's obedience to follow his father. Those other scriptures that I have provided are excellent as well. I know that the Godhead is the true way in which Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are manifested to us. The Holy Ghost doesn't have a body, so it can testifiy to us by dwelling in us. I know that these things are true, and I leave them with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
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November 14, 2011
HEY everyone!!!!!!!!!
Well, this week was pretty good week. We had exchanges with the Jenks missionaries, I went to Jenks with Elder Bennett. We had fun biking around and having no one home for us to talk to. Investigators and members!!! Then the next day since we came back from exchanges late in the day we stayed there at Jenks for a couple hours to start our weekly planning. I'll just say this, there's a reason why you don't have too many apartments with 4 missionaries in it!
Friday we had Zone Conference. I loved it as usual. We got new phones which are a lot better than our old phones. They have bigger keyboard and they aren't the ones that stick a little bit to your fingers. Plus it's more sleek. Funny thing is in our cars we had a system installed, they said it was calibrating right now, but in essence it's a big brother contraption. It probably monitors how fast we accelerate and jerk the car and things such as that. Zone Conference we were instructed on the Addiction Recovery program that the church is pushing to replace all other methods that missionaries use in helping people stop addictions. We got the manual and the District Leaders are suppose to instruct on them in District meeting. It will be interesting to be able to teach that if at all possible. They also have told us that having our investigators attend the addiction recovery meeting would be a good thing. It would help them with the repentance process in which we are inviting them to do. Elder Rowley (my companion) gave his testimony in Zone Conference since it will be his last Zone Conference.
Then on Saturday after we left our lunch appointment we went to Jenks (again) and we did what we call a blitz. Where 4 missionaries proseltye in one area, 2 will tract and the other 2 will go to appointments. Since Elder Bennett needs to move around because of his stomach and he likes tracting I went with him. Out of all the 2 houses we knocked on we only gave out 1 mormon.org pass along card!!! He looked genuinely interested so I think it is worth it. Then after we did that they picked us up and we switch companions. Elder Bennet went with Elder Rowley to our 4 o'clock dinner appointment, then I stayed with Elder Mortensen in Jenks. I went with Elder Mortensen to some appointments and to see some people in the area. The other two went to our dinner appointment then the member was going to drive them to Cleveland (It's like traveling to Salt Lake from P.G.) for a baptism interview that the sisters in our District investigator. I've never been with Elder Rowley when he does the baptism interview I've always been on exchanges!!!!
Well, I believe that is all I have to report for this week. I forgot my card so I hopefully will go to the next point which is: the True Church must proclaim divine authority, Hebrews 5:4-10. This one is pretty simple, and goes with last weeks point. Authority is the permission to do things if Christ was on the earth. That authority is what makes baptism and all the saving ordiances essential. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only church that has that said authority. There are only a few church's that claim to have divine authority.
Well, that's all I have the true church point is probably 8. I will have to remember to bring my card next time. Thank you all for your love and support, I appreciate it. Time is going swiftly here, "time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on moving."
SEE YA!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
___________________________________________________
November 9, 2011
Well, Sunday was my monthly anniversary and I have been a missionary full-time that is for 4 months.
This past week has gone rather well for the most part. Monday was Halloween so we didn't proselyte but it was our preparation day so we just had an extended preparation day since we didn't go out after our dinner at 6. Tuesday we went to a funeral in which the deceased person was a member of our ward, but the bishop has never seen him for the 20 years that the person lived there. Since most of the people who attended there weren't members, when me and Elder Rowley said the opening and closing prayers we had a couple people in a whispering tone in which I could hear them. They said "what is he doing?" It seems pretty apparent to me that our way of saying prayers is alien to most people. Namely folding our arms, since it isn't doctrine to fold your arms when saying the prayer, it is something that was taught to kids to keep them from fidgeting when the prayer was given. It was still a pretty different thing that I have gone to. The songs they played at the beginning weren't really songs that I would have thought to play at a funeral.
Elder Rowley had been having some back problems and since one our Bishopric is a Chiropractor he does missionaries for free!! We have been going for the past week and a half for him. I just sit in the waiting room reading my Book of Mormon and making it obvious that I am reading it, and showing the cover to people who are in the waiting room, it will happen one of these days that someone will ask me I'm just waiting for it.
Monday (7th) we went bowling with the Jenks Elders and also with one of Jenks's investigator and his Girlfriend/wife. I beat everyone the first game but the second game I got third, and the computer added up both games and I got second only by one point!!! Later Elder Rowley asks me why I am so good at everything. I just told him that you have to spread your talents.
Yesterday a member gave us new beds since our mission president sent out an e-mail to all bishop's in the mission to have a bishopric member look at the missionaries beds to make sure that, that isn't the reason for the many back problems. We got new beds that were essentially twice the size of our old beds, they were HUGE!! Since I am on the top bunk it's a pain to have to remake my bed.
Well, everything seems to be going well here, after e-mailing we are going on exchanges with the Jenks Elders and I'm going to Jenks with Elder Bennet. Two junior companions together is asking for trouble, hahahahaha!! It's funny how here in Oklahoma it's November and there isn't any snow? I'm use to having snow by now in Utah. It's getting evermore colder but, it's still bearable. On that note when we went and taught an investigator he gave me he suit coat and pants since he wasn't going to wear it since it didn't fit him. It is big on me and it isn't black or blue I can't wear it. On top of that it has been in his closet for several years and he smokes so it smells like it. I have been airing it out for about 5 days and it still smells. Additionally I bought some fabreeze and have used that on it and it still has a strong enough smell of Smoke!!!!!!!! I will attach a picture of the suit for you all to see.
Alright now it's time for another point of the true church.
Point 6. The true church must have no paid ministry Isaiah 45:13 and 1 Peter 5:2
This one is probably the most interesting and big reason as to why there are so many church's. All church's (I believe) have their clergy paid. Ours are only paid in blessings. Not even the Prophet of the church get's paid. He only gets paid through blessings and also getting to travel and meet others throughout the world. If money is not in the equation for the one teaching the church then their is a greater reason for them to minister unto the members. If they aren't getting paid they have love for those they serve instead of serving them just because they gave him more money. Money is the root of all evil and it shouldn't be the motivating factor in a church. The only people that I know who get paid are seminary and Institute teachers since it isn't mandatory to take those, it is in essence a job that the church pays for.
well, this e-mail was longer than usual I hope that those whose life revolve around these e-mails feel that I have given them justice. If not well, then I'm sorry. Thank you all for your love and support I love you ALL!!!!
SEE YA
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
__________________________________________
October 25, 2011
Well, hello everyone!!!!
Wow, it's almost November and it's still 60-80 degree weather!!!!! Usually about now it's snowed about 10 times in Utah! I'm still wearing short sleeve white shirts, I wore a couple long sleeve but it was a little hot to be wearing them so I went back to short sleeve shirts.
This week we had District Leader Leadership training. Since Elder Rowley is the Disctrict Leader I had to go and it was also for trainers as well. So he would have gone anyways. The Mission President instructed us on dignified language for the most of the meeting. Then the last half he went over baptismal forms and things mainly for the District Leader. After that we had a normal Tuesday except for most of the day was gone.
Last week was the end of my 2nd transfer. Now I am a full fledged missionary, no longer a greenie anymore since I've finished my training. Now I have to learn the area well, so that I can be able to pass the paton to the next missionary who replaces Elder Rowley, then I will shortly leave the area too, but that will be around mid January before that happends. On Saturday we got a huge storm, that came by. I heard that we had gotten some small tornados nearby that lasted not too long. I'm not sure too much on the tornados but we got a good amount of rain and wind.
Well, for Halloween me and Elder Rowley are going to be the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We have boxes that we are going to wear and I will be the Bible and Elder Rowley will be the Book of Mormon. Elder Rowley had Zone Leaders who did it last year in his last area. We are doing the same, we have a Trunk or Treat and a ward social. At the Trunk or Treat we are going to get our car and fill it will pamplets, copies of the Book of Mormon, Pass along cards and things like that! It's going to be funny how many people are actually going to take somethings and who are actually going to act on these things! Also for our ward social the two of us and the Bishop are going to be the Judges of pies for the ward social. Also Elder Rowley is making chili for the chili judging.
Well, I believe that is all I have to say this week. Everything is going great, oh yeah before I forget. I forgot to give you guys your scriptures last week, and I will give you this weeks. I know that there are many of you whose lives run on these e-mails so I don't want to dissappoint now do we?!?!
Point 3!!
The True church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets. Ephesians 2:19-20. It makes sense, the true church must have the same organization it had when Christ was on the Earth. (see Luke 10 for Chirst appointing 70).
Point 4!!
The True church must have the same organization as Christ's Church. Ephesians 4:11-14. Well, I guess I just expounded on the other one for this one. If Christ established His church, he wouldn't have done it for naught. He did it for a reason and this is how it is organized. The True Church of Christ is a house of Order.
Well, thank you for your love and support, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
--
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
_______________________________________________
October 4, 2011
Hello everyone!!!!!
This week was a decent one. Not as bad as our other weeks, but it was definitely better because of Conference!!!!!!
On Wednesday when we had District meeting our Zone Leaders were there, and instructed us on ways of finding investigators, and ways to find more people to teach. On Thursday we came back to the library and went onto Mormon.org, we do this roughly once a week, we are trying to get more familiar with the website. I encourage you close enough to a commandment to have a mormon.org profile. It is a very good source and place to invite friends who are not members. My profile is up there if you want to view it :)!
I was able to see all of conference. They broadcast it in the church via satelite. We were essentially the only ones in the building, a handful of people showed up to watch all four sessions. Saturday we watched both sessions they stayed and setup for the Priesthood session since the Ward was providing Pizza and drinks an hour before the Priesthood Session. We essentially lived at the church for the whole day on Saturday. My favorite talks were Elder Scotts, Elder Oaks, Calister the one who gave the Book of Mormon & Bible analogy. I loved how blunt and straightforward Elder Holland was in the Priesthood session, it's incredibly true what he means when you need to be worthy to go on a mission not only a year before you go but always. It seemed that President Monson was a lot more "goofy" if I may say so. It was incredibly funny to have him make those funny comments and gestures. The theme I found a lot through conference was they focused a lot on Doctrine. With Elder Scott with the Scriptures, Oaks with regards to the Bible and Calister with how the Bible and the Book of Mormon support each other.
I really loved Conference I can't wait to get those videos and watch them! Yesterday for Preparation day I went to Books a million and got myself a Concordence. Which is essentially an encylopedia that has every word in the Bible and the reference in which it can be found. It's a pretty big book, I love it, needless to say. The transfer is halfway over, the transfer ends on the 20th. Time flies by really fast.
Alright, I believe that is everything that I need to cover, always feel free to e-mail me I try to respond to everyone I can. I only have an hour and I have to e-mail my mission president, sorry if I seem pushy/quick. Lastly, is the 2nd point of the true church. The true church must bear the name of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:23. This one I like a lot along with some other ones. Being out in Oklahoma I see a myriad of church's with varying names. Some say the Church of God, church of the Good Shepherd, Church of Christ, Freewill Baptist, Westside Baptist, Episcopal, United Methodist, faith Baptist. The list goes on, I don't know the reference in the Book of Mormon, but Christ says that if the church be named after Moses, then call it Moses Church. If it be called of a man call it the name of that man's church. It is called my church let it be called in my name. Most churches don't name their church after Christ, yes Baptist is in the Bible, but it's not Jesus the baptist, it's Jesus the Christ.
Well, there is the 2nd point, the 3rd is to come thank you all for supporting me, I love you all and thank you very very very very very very much for everything!
SEE YA
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
__________________________________________
September 27, 2011
I'm very sorry!!!!
Everyone and their 2nd cousins were in the Library yesterday so it was really busy, and they were all on computers. We didn't want to wait too long, so we just left and did other things. We then came today at 11 and there was a lot of people here too, so we finally were able to get on!!
Anyways, this last week was an ok week. We taught 4 lessons! Nothing really spectacular that happened this week. I did buy a frisbee yesterday so that I can bring it whenever we go to the park with the White family. I wanted a blue one but I guess an orange one will suffice, it was a better color than purple (not by much). Maybe I can get a blue one for Christmas :)
It's really weird how we are starting the third week of the transfer, that means i'm halfway done with this transfer already!! Time went by really fast, I wonder how the rest of my mission is going to be like? mmm, well this is going to be a short e-mail this week, sorry if any of you don't have a life, but getting my e-mails. Anyways I love all of you and I thank you for your support, also the Church is still true!! Maybe I will give everyone a scripture of the week, mmm let me think of a scripture that I think is cool, . . . . Ephesians 4:11-14. This talks about how Christ organized his church. This comes from the 17 points of the True church. That a bunch of college aged students made up when they were going to a Christian college. This is point 1 so stay tuned for next weeks point 2!
SEE YA
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
_________________________________________
September 19, 2011
HELLO!!!!!
Things are going wonderful here in Sapulpa Oklahoma. The weather is getting cooler, so we haven't had any 115 degree weather in some time. Last couple of days we had anything between 50-70 before noon, then after its been in the 80's. It's real nice to have the weather cool down a lot! We have gotten out of our dry spell, we have taught 6 lessons this week which was better than our 1 or 2 lessons that we would have a week. As a mission we are suppose to be having 20 lessons a week!!!!! Don't maim us Zone Leaders! We have had many new people that we can go see which show lots of potential for us to go visit and more possibly teach.
Wednesday we had no set appointments from 1-3 so we drove around to see if people were home but they weren't. I got my camera out and started taking pictures of all the different churchs there are around town. There are more churchs than there are food restaurants! Thursday we had our District Meeting, but this time we had our Mission President and his wife attend and after they instructed us, they took some of us one by one to start the interviews. I love talking with President Merkley, he is a great Mission President, you know he loves you just by how he talks to you.
On Friday we went to Bristoe with a member. We would go more often but Bristoe is around 20 or so miles to get there. Round trip that is 40 miles plus the miles we drive around town. If we want to stay within our daily miles we need to stay around 41 miles. Our monthly allotment is 1200. While we were in Bristoe we were able to visit the Duncan's which the wife is a member that is fairly active, but the husband is not. The husband wanted to know more and we were able to teach him the first half of the Plan of Salvation. Then our member took us to Mazio's after!! It's an Italian place pretty similar to the Pizza Factory for all my Pleasant Grove affiliats, hahaha.
Then on Saturday we did service to a member by taking out his bobwire fence and we helped cut down some fairly big trees. We put all of the branches in piles for him to eventually burn. After we did the service we went back to our apartment and we got ready. We then went nextdoor to our member that "takes care of us" since our apartment is his garage. We taught the family a little bit about the Plan of Salvation, the wife's brother was there so we were teaching him as well as teaching the rest of their 6 children. After than we started our weekly planning then after that we went to our dinner appointment. After we ate we taught the a recent convert who is 9 years old about Joseph Smith since she wanted to know more about him. Before that Elder Rowley had on a sheet that you would put on your bed, written the Plan of Salvation, we asked her questions and had her explain it to us what the Plan of Salvation is. After we were done there we drove home and got ready for Basketball where we went to the church and played basketball with the White's oldest and the Uncle.
Sunday we were expecting to have our investigator we taught on Tuesday to be here. She wasn't, very frustrating. No one was in Gospel Principles, not even the teacher so we taught the few very active members a short lesson. After church we did our studies and went to our dinner appointment.
Well, there is my week. It went a ton better than it has in the past couple of weeks. We are having better progress with teaching and we are doing wonderful! Except I could use more sleep! Well, thank you everyone for supporting me and I always love the e-mails or letters that you send and I also love packages (not plugging)!
SEE YA NEXT WEEK!
- - - - - - - - - -
September 13, 2011
Sorry I scared you by being a day late, again!
We were busy yesterday and wasn't able to e-mail on preparation day, so we are doing it now, since one of our appointments fell through. Today is our busy day of the week which usually falls on Tuesdays. The rest of the week we are fairly busy but Tuesdays is when we have the most scheduled appointments. The last week was better than the whole last transfer. We have found and contacted many people who had been taught in the past but for whatever reason the past missionaries didn't remember to tell us that they were being taught. It's going to be a great week this one will.
This Thursday is our inverview with the President, I am excited about that. President Merkley is a really great Mission President and person as well.
I have a story that I have to relate to you. On Saturday we had a Ward picnic at a park. We had invited many of our investigators and potentials. We waited and eventually one of our investigators came. They came a little late so people had already been through to get their food. They brought one of those hormel snack trays with pepperjack cheese, crackers, pepperoni and green olives. The olives seemed innocent until later in the story. After we had our fun at the picnic and everyone left, the tray was still there and one of the members in charge asked whose this was. Since our investigator left we were the ones designated to receive it. I put it into my backpack, the lid on it and everything, in fact the lid was incredibly tight. When we biked back to our apartment I got my scriptures out and everything in the bag, apparently some of the green olive juice came out and got the bottom of my scriptures. My scriptures were even in the other compartment on my backpack, so now my scriptures smell like green olives yuck! Because of that I'm going to have to transfer all my highlighting to my other scriptures that I bought, which is A LOT!!
Yesterday for preparation day we went frisbee golfing where we threw a frisby and tried to make it into a cylindrical metal containter with chains that would slow the frisbee so you could land in the container. It was pretty fun, you have different ways to throw a frisby for it to land/fly left or right depending on the hand and how you throw it. Assuming I got all the parts right I got a 74/55 so I got a +19. Not bad for my first time playing frisbee golf! I bought a new bike seat, the one it came with is really hurting my butt. This one I just barely put on is a lot better than the one that came with it. We have the car this week so I won't need to bike!!
ummm, well, I think that is all that I have for this week. That story I related will now be engraved in my memory, so now I have a "missionary story" that I can relate to people.
SEE YAL LATER
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
September 6, 2011
Hello,
This week has been an ok week in regards to teaching. We taught 1 lesson and that was a Recent Convert or Less Active members (RCLA). We contacted our 1 investigator with a baptism date, we schedule a time to go meet with her but she wasn't there when we went there for our appointment. We left a card inviting her to sacrament meeting/church with the intention of calling her at 7:30 to remind them. I called both of their phones one kept ringing and their cell apparently hasn't been paid yet so I got a Verizon message.
Other than that depressing news, today (6th) is my 2 month anniversary!!! Only 22 more months, hahaha. Yesterday were weren't able to get much "preparation" done since we helped out the Jenks Elders with some service then we had to drive to the Tulsa to the Zone Leaders and Assistants apartment to get showered and ready since we didn't do that before we helped with the service. We also had planned as a Tulsa and East Tulsa zone was to go to the Drillers baseball game. Our Mission President loves baseball so he went as well. I had a lot of fun hanging out per say with the other Elders in my Zone and in the East Tulsa zone. Elder Schofield is in my zone and he was also one I worked with at Wienerschnitzel, I knew he went on a mission but I never found out where he went, it's funny to tell stories and laugh about our experiences at Wienerschnitzel. I bought a baseball there it was only 6$, (Don't worry dad & grandpa I'm sending it home).
On Wednesday we had in essense a Zone Conference minus the Mission President. We had what we call it the Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel (PMG). We had instruction on chapters in PMG then we had simulations/roleplays (I dispise roleplays, but I love roleplaying video games!!) That ran from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. It was great to be around the other missionaries and the Zone Leaders and the Assistants.
On Sunday we had our Member Missionary Fireside which we had been preparing for the whole time I have been here in Sapulpa. I was essentially forced to do it, since it was being planned for when I was in the MTC! Otherwise I wouldn't have thought/wanted to do it since it takes a ton of preparation and crossing of fingers to make it work. We got a lot of positive feedback from both the Jenks (Jinx) and Sapulpa members. We essentially informed them on the tools that they have as members such as pass along cards (that are in the foyer of essentially every church), pamphlets that missionaries have that you can get, DVD's that invite the spirit in your home that you could ask non-members or friends to come to your home and watch these videos. Along with those other tools that you can use you can also use the Book of Mormon DO NOT FORCE IT DOWN THEIR THROAT. You can ask them if they would like to read it and give it to them, along with that you can write your testimony in the book or you can write a scripture and the page number that you want them to read. For instance you could write Alma 5:45,46 then the page number, and share something about how Alma had to find out these things for himself as well as I did, here is where he says it (read the scripture). Something like that, those are the things that we went over. After the fireside we had refreshments and we had a table where we had the tools we mentioned there. They could take the pass along cards but the other tools they would have to order through a form that we had provided, but they had to get them that way so that we the missionaries could come to their house for a follow up visit and see how they like the fireside and how they planned on giving out these materials.
Another exciting thing I have to share happened today from 12:40-1:20ish. We went to the RCLA family that we usually teach but they weren't home, so we road our bikes and we were going past this house then this guy calls us and asks us what church we are from. We told him, then he talked to us about our basic beliefs then it kind of went in different directions. We talked about grace and works, how feelings won't get you saved, Book of Mormon is false, likes what we missionaries are doing but it's all in vain, there is nothing but the Bible that is correct, read the word only no feelings, go follow some good Christian and join his church, you don't need authority to heal people you just need to be willing to submit yourself to God. Things like that, he gave us room to talk but he didn't agree with about 90% of it but oh well. We are only here to teach people who are prepared to to be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not those who have hardened their heart to the spirit.
Well, I believe that is all I hope I didn't miss anything. Thank you for your love and support, as my favorite motto says "Whatever you are, be a good one" I exhort you to do the same always!
SEE YA
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
August 30, 2011
HELLO WORLD!!!
Sorry for not e-mailing yesterday. We were busy doing other things so I wasn't able to e-mail. We watched the Best Two Years and half of the Otherside of Heaven. We watched it at the Jenks Elder's apartment since we were going to switch weeks for the vehicle but apparently it has to be taken Tulsa to get repaired from the dent at the top of the car. Tomorrow is Elder Rowley's (My trainer) 21st birthday!!!! That is why we watched those movies it was in "celebration" of his birthday.
This coming Sunday the 4 of us Elders are having a Member missionary fireside were we will be a 1 hour event where we will instruct the members on tools that we have as missionaries that can benefit the members in sharing the gospel to their non-member friends. We have put a lot of effort into this and we are hoping that we can be able to portray our message and have members excited and be able to best share the gospel in a non weird way.
This week we went through our pool of investigators and essentially dropped investigators who showed no sign of commetment or lack of interest. We will visit them every once in awhile but we will not make them our focus. An investigator we had, who was doing great and showed the best potential to be baptized, was unfortunately told accidentally by a member or a member told her that God was once a man. That threw her a curve ball and she texted us and told us that she wouldn't be able to believe that any time soon. We visited with her and tried to listen and explain to her, but she was pretty content with not going any further for now. Please I am begging you, if you know of someone at church you are talking to, who is new to the church PLEASE do not tell them things like this! Just talk about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, that's the important thing.
Since our investigator pool is a lot smaller we went tracting on Thursday, we took turns starting the conversation with people. For the most part I seem to be doing well with walking up to someone and asking them how they are doing. If they are doing something besides sitting I will try to ask them what they are doing. There is room for practice but I am liking the progress that I am exhibiting right now. Next Monday for our Preparation day we are going to a baseball game, I believe the team is the Drillers. It will be fun to hang out per say with my zone and even the Mission Presdient! Which is always a positive to meet.
This Saturday is when the Zone Leaders I think call in and tell us if we are being transfered or not. I'm not sure if I will be transfered, more than likely not. It is fairly likely to have one of the Jenks Elders get transfered since one has been there for what is now 2 transfers and his trainer who has been out for a year. It's possible that the newer one will get transfered and get more training by another trainer.
Well, I believe that is all that I can think of. Remember that September 6th and every 6th day of the month, is my monthly anniversary. In other words September 6th marks my 2nd month in the mission field!!!
SEE YA!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
(3rd week in Oklahoma)
Hello all!!!,
This past week was an alright week. We taught an investigator 2 twice this week, but we weren't able to teach are other 3 that we have! Then on top of that none of them show up to church, Satan is surely doing his best to not have them there.
We have lots of dinner appointments, so I am better able to get to know the ward better. I finished reading the New Testament, I was in 1 Corinthians on my way to Tulsa and I finished it Thursday morning! I'm thinking of reading the Old Testament, maybe. My Book of Mormon reading was slacking since I was devoting all my effort into reading the New Testament.
Friday I had Zone Conference, it was from 9-4. We had instructions from the Assistants to the President and our Zone Leaders. We then had lunch and then we finished off the rest of the conference with splitting up and having our Zone Leaders teach us a chapter in Preach My Gospel and then we were taught by President and Sister Merkley. I got to meet Elder Schofield who I knew him as Eddy from Work. He leaves after this next transfer.
We had our Chevy Colorado swapped for a Ford Fusion and our miles a month was dropped from 1300 to 1200, so we have an average of 38 miles a day that we can't exceed. We might have to depend more on members and ride our bikes if we can. I just came from Walmart and I stocked up on Powerade!!!
Well, i'm not sure what else to add so I will just end! Thank you everyone for supporting me and my family. My family and I appreciate any donation that was made thank you!!!
--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
2nd letter from oklahoma!
Hello everyone!
Well, all is well here in Sapulpa Ok. I have been fairly busy. We are teaching a couple investigators and meeting with ward members and part member families. I feel that the focus we will be having is on strengthening the ward by helping those who are in part member families and having the whole family come to church.
They are taking our Chevy Colorado for use in the Joplin area. They take it on Tuesday and we will get a Ford Fusion on Thursday I believe. It doesn't matter to me but my companion Elder Rowley likes having the truck. Our Bishop and some of the people we visit have dirt roads and the Fusion isn't all that good driving on dirt roads. We aren't suppose to be driving on dirt roads now because apparently a couple new cars have been needing new transmissions and that runs from 2,000-5,000$.
The past week it has been pretty hot or a lot cooler. We have had days were it was 98 which is nice, but then we have days of 115-120 degree temperatures which is really hot. In about 15-30 minutes my whole face is sweating profussely. Then about an hour or two my whole back is sweating and dripping down so I get that weird sensation.
None of our investigators we are teaching have gone to church yesterday or last Sunday. It is really frustrating. We still are teaching them so that is good but frustrating how they cannot advance without them attending church at least 3 times in a row. This week we have the whole week covered for dinners and exchanges with ward members. The Bishop has assigned every Melchezedek priesthood holder if they don't have school or long hours of work, to have the missionaries over usually once a month. It is our part to not call them at 9:30 at night to confirm the appointment, but to do it earlier in the day.
well, that is all I can think of right now, I am uploading my photos so you can contact my mother to see them. It will be from the MTC to my first couple of days in my area.
Thank you all for supporting me!!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Colby's first letter from Oklahoma!
Hello yall!!
My first couple days in the Mission field were really good. I road my bike a lot past couple days we road our bike for 10-15 miles a day, my butt & legs really hurt! Elder Rowley keeps biking ahead of me and I am slowly trying to keep up with him. I am serving in Oklahoma, in the Supulpa area. This city loves hills, and I hate them since I have to ride my bike over them so many times.
We have the second smallest apartment, anyone's family room and kitchen is 1.5X bigger than our kitchen,bathroom, living room and bedroom combined. It is still a nice apartment we have a swamp cooler to make things much better. At the mission home our President told us this was a parting mission, meaning that we part our hair. I was thinking in my mind "Oh great" because I don't have a hairstyle per say. I just wake up and shazam here is what my hairstyle is.
Thursday and Friday we tracked a lot on our bikes, talked with a fair amount of people. Many people have a religion so we just talked about things and life, and give them a pass along card and hope they call the number and get the DVD on finding faith in Christ. Riding my bike around town its like Utah except you replace LDS churches with: First Baptist church, Methodist church, Church of God & everyone other church that's essentially just like the last. They don't kid around when they say the "Bible Belt."
Saturday Elder Rowley and I went to go help a couple move in we had lots of help so it only took 45 minutes to get everything out of the 27' Uhaul. Then we had the Elder's Quorum President drop us off at the church to teach the Johnson's about the Plan of Salvation. When we got the movie ready the Johnson's called and said they were sick. They couldn't make it so we ended up helping the efforts in cleaning the Church, I just cleaned the glass on the entryway doors.
Sunday we went to church and got a ride with the Ward Mission leader brother Mitchell. We had our coordination meeting with him then we went to Sacrament meeting. Sacrament meeting is definitily not like the Sacrament meetings in Utah. Not too many people sing the Hymns so I feel like I am the only one who is singing in the congregation. About 2 members showed up to Sunday School so the Teacher and the two members talked about how this generation of youth isn't being taught common sense and doesn't have it either. They went off about how we have to have our cell phones right next to us and all sorts of things like that.
Next to our apartment we have a member family who live next to us. The Whites are a awesome family where the wife is Filipino. The husband is American but has a hard time moving around, and they have a lot of kids that are nice but they love to move and play around! Needles to say, their house is messy but they are still an awesome family nonetheless.
Well, hopefully I can survive the humidity here in Oklahoma. It's like Utah but when you factor in the humidity it adds a lot more to the temperature. Going down a hill hoping to get a cool breeze to cool you off, DOES NOT help you at all. I had a person we talked to said that you should be drinking gatorade or powerade instead of just straight up water. The gatorade will help you gain back the electrolites that you need to keep going, whereas the water takes 24 hours to get back the electrolites.
I plan on uploading pictures that I have taken from the MTC and of my apartment here in the field. I didn't bring my camera so you will have to wait another week! (my preparation day is Monday) Have fun in your respective spheres friends and family!!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
colby's second email (july 19, 2011)
Hello all!!!
This is my second week I only have one more week of the MTC!!!! Stewart is really jealous that he still has several more weeks! I have had a great experience in the MTC but I want to get out of this place and start the real work, I need to go over the rest of the lessons and know them well before I leave the MTC.
This last week a situation occurred where I am in a threesome it is me and Elder Berg and Cutler. It has been a different experience with Training Resource Center (TRC). Teaching with a total of 3 people is a lot different than what I am used too with teaching with just one other person besides yourself. This week I don't have much to say, sorry for everyone that waits for these but I will promise that I will have more "good stuff" in the future. The MTC is the same old same old, we have our 2 classes that are 3 hours a piece, zone teaching and all the time in the world to study! I always look forward to gym time, the gym is finally built so we can play basketball, but it is so full that I just play out in the field. Everyone else likes to play kickball but I hate playing it since the ball is hard and everyone kicks it high in the air and is easy to catch. That is why I like softball more since it requires more "skill" to catch a smaller ball. In this situation I just play with the Frisbee, I love catching the Frisbee in mid-air it is so exhilarating to catch and throw a Frisbee I don't know what it is about it!:)
I have to drive to be at the travel office at 3 a.m. so that means I have to wake up earlier than that to get ready. My flight takes off for Denver at 5:55 then once I get there I have a 3 hour layaway until the rest of the Elders get there then around 10 we depart to Tulsa and get there around 12:30. I will have lots of time to sleep and read Preach My Gospel!
Love you guys all!!--
Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
first email from Colby (tuesday, july 12, 2011)
Hello, all! My first week at the MTC has been lots of fun and hard. The days go by really fast here, you can't keep track of all the things you did on any certain day. On my first day I had to practice teaching with my companion to another Elder who pretends to be an investigator that he knows from experience and can answer specific questions. We only have about 1 hour and 10 minutes total to eat all 3 meals. Most of our time is spent in three hour classes learning from the Preach My Gospel book. We have lots of time to study, during personal study time where we go to our classroom and get our materials and start reading and trying to understand how you can relate these stories and gospel doctrines to the investigator. Having the spirit is key to teaching the investigator instead of teaching a lesson.
The gym is being redone so we have to go to the field in order to fulfill our gym time. I've played a lot of softball, during my gym time and hit the ball fairly well. It's good to have time to get in some physical exercise as to burn off the calories from the food in the cafeteria. Along with that the food is decent but I would enjoy other food much better. I like mixing 2 juices together to get the different nutrients from each, such as orange juice with grape, cranberry with apple and stuff like that. The main thing we do on a day to day basis is to study and teach lessons. I went to the Training Resource Center (TRC) and taught Jose. He is a member of the church but he acts like he isn't a member of the church so we try to get to know him and apply the lessons to his life and have the Gospel mean something to him.
Sunday was a lot different than what I am use to, we wake up regularly have breakfast then we study for about 2 hours then we have Priesthood which is about 40 minutes long. We study more and have lunch then we have Sacrament meeting roughly about 3 o'clock in the day. I love my Branch Presidency they are very unique, the Branch President gave me a "Little boulder" since I was the shyest of them all. I take the rock with me wherever I go, later in the night we have opportunities to watch church movies such as the first vision and the Testaments. We saw the first vision then we headed back to our rooms and unwound for the night.
I am writing this e-mail on Tuesday's since that is my Preparation day. I spent 2 hours in the laundry room waiting for our clothes to get washed and dried. It was very hot in there so I was sweating a little bit and tried to take a little nap to not make it seem so long. With going through my first week of the MTC I know I need to prepare more to learn of the Gospel and the lessons but I really just want to get out of the MTC and go to my area, I would concur with most who say this is a "Spiritual prison" We have so much to do and so much studying we have to do that sometimes you just need a rest from it all, thank goodness for Preparation days to not have to have worry much about those things for one day.
I love you all and thank you for your love and support. I very much appreciate it, I am anxious to serve the Lord and want to serve with my best and in his best interests I know that through my experience here that having the Holy Ghost when you teach the Lessons is KEY to having them know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and that the Book of Mormon is surely and honestly a true book. Once we have the Investigators reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it, we will have much success in them being converted to the true Church of Christ. I challenge all of you within this e-mail to read the Book of Mormon and know for yourself if it is true, don't just take my word for it, don't just take Moroni's word for it, just DO IT! I know that the Lord will bless all those who serve him with all their might mind and strength and will stand blameless before God at the last day!
Thanks much for your support!!!!
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
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Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
first letter from Colby (july 7, 2011)
Dear family,
This first two days have been really different. My companion is Elder Berg who is from Sacramento, California. He is much like me besides remembering & organization! (I guess Colby is more organized?) I did my immunizations and they didn't have the date for my tetnus shot, so if you can get the date. Sister Barrington was there so you can ask her. I'm having fun, I'm not homesick at all, scout camps & a year at Snow has made me immune. Have fun because I sure am!
With lots of love,
Colby S Haymond
