January 2, 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

 

I"ve been on my mission for 3 calendar years!!

 

Well, I thought about styaing up for New Years, but having to still wake up at 6:30 didn't sound appealing to me. ALso, the minute I thought about staying up, I just all of a sudden felt tired. Thought back to the times in high school when I had to stay up until 2:30 to do my AP Biology homework!!

 

Well, the last week was a pretty good week. Which is typical for Christmas, most people are doing things and it's really cold, etc. We still tried to proselyte.

Yesterday it was really cold, we had plans on tracting for most of the afternoon. We got to the area to tract, couple people told us we picked the wrong day to do this, but others appreciated our zeal to still do it, even if it is still cold. We actually were able to talk with a guy, who does duck hunting and he was showing us a video when we knocked on his door about him duck hunting. He was really nice, he let us in and we talked about the Book of Mormon, he took a copy. He said to us, "I don't know why there's so many translations of the Bible, people don't all agree on one thing" Something to that effect. He told us we could come back any time, as long as his truck was here, he would be here. We'll come back later.

 

Let's see, I believe that's all I really have to write. My 18th month mark is on Sunday, so shortly after that day I will hopefully write to everyone that I have addresses to. Also, since I usually tried to tie in a scripture with my thank you letters, I'm doing a huge scavenger hunt/activity thing. All, the people who receive a thank you letter will recieve one. Not everyone who gets my e-mail personally will get a thank you letter. In addition I send this e-mail through blind carbon copy, so you won't be able to look at the e-mail addresses, HAHAHAHAHA. It's an activity that if you follow it correctly, you should be able to solve it with the cooperation of others and communication. I'm trying to teach a lesson, with this activity, so I hope you learn something from it.

Well, I'm fairly close to finishing the Book of Mormon for my 7th time on a mission. I read chapters 9-11 today of the Book of Ether. Well,. . . . . . . Personally, I find most of the book of Ether rather boring. Chapters 2-4 & 12 pretty interesting, but the others just testify to me that Secret Combinations are evil, war isn't always good, greed, pride, lusts and all that are found in this book. I guess the only interesting thing I find is the fact that this time period is from 2500-600 B.C. Since it is in that time frame, they have the records up to that point in the Bible, and so they are able to learn from Cain, and that is how secret combinations was learned. How they did it in the New World because of how Cain slew Able. I guess. Other than that I'll leave the rest to you.

 

LIke I will always do, and that is to testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The truths in the Bible are reaafirmed in the Book of Mormon. You truly do, learn something new in it every time, (even in the Book of Ether) and it is very valuable to learn something from that Book. The Bible is a good book, but the Book of Mormon is a better one. For one can get nearer to God, by abiding by the precepts that are in the book, says Joseph Smith in the intro to the Book of Mormon. I love the Book of Mormon, it truly testifies of Jesus Christ. In whose name I bear, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

December 26, 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. For my last Christmas on the mission, it sure was better than my first Christmas. I was able to sleep in 1 1/2 hours (8 O'clock) then I opened up my presents! I was very excited to see my long awaited quilt that I started in clothing 3 class when I was in 12th grade. I had finished the pattern on the front side, but the borders and the padding and the rest of it, my family finished for me! Now, I'll have to send home my two other blankets that I was using, and use my better one!

 

Today we had our Christmas with the Shumways and it was great. The first part so from 9-12ish we had games and good activities with the Tulsa, Tulsa East and Joplin zones. I had a lot of fun. Then after lunch we got dressed in our proselyting clothes and had more of a spiritual experience. They split the Elders and Sisters. President Shumway instructed on us on mission rules that are most often broken. I don't know the details but there will be some missionaries, who will be going home, due to some serious infractions. When President had instructed us on these. He said it with some form of tears in his eyes, because of how much he truly loves each one of us in the mission. He sees that when missionaries do things wrong, and are sent home, he sees it as something he could have helped as well. We went over the things that are happening in the mission.

 

I know I have my faults but I just was blown away at some of the things he talked about. It's hard to explain how I felt at this point. There's some missionaries that I have come across in my areas or districts. It seems that when I say they can't do that or something to that effect, they tell me I'm wrong and that's being too strict. I feel that the way I was trained and the way that I follow my leaders is truly the right way. Yes, I can be more diligent, but I strive everyday to find something that is productive and will build my key indicators. It sometimes is hard when nothing I do ever works, or everything I do melts in my hands and I yield little from it. I try every day to my best, and when I know that I'm doing that, I'm reassured that I'm doing what the Lord wants of me. I'm so thankful for my blessings, I'm so grateful for my obedience. For it surely has helped me in the mission. Being obedient helps me to not get in trouble and helps me with my physical and spiritual wellfare as well.

 

I'm so grateful to be on a mission. It has it's up's and down's, twists and turns. WHen it is all said and done, I want to stand before those I converse with after my mission that I served an honourable mission. I did what I knew to be the right way. I hope and pray that my fellow missionaries will heed the instruction from President Shumway and even those who aren't full-time missionaries can understand that obedience is required in the Gospel. I know this to be very true, and I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

December 17, 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

 

I'll say that next week, (maybe if I remember.)

 

Well, this last week of the transfer was a pretty good week. We visited some members and investigators to take pictures with Elder Burr, before he left for Independence Kansas. In zone transfer. HIs companion is Elder Rasband, I'm really jealous of him. I love Elder Rasband!!!!! Funny fact, he and I played Starcraft before we came out on our missions, so we knew each other.

 

Since Elder Burr was going to the Tulsa zone which meets at the same transfer point and the elm creek elder who was staying his companion came from Independence so we just had to show up to the transfer point stay for about 45 minutes then leave. We got back around 8ish in the morning. We were able to have all our studies, then have some weekly planning and lunch.

 

Elder Morton is my new companion that I'm training in the right ways of being a missionary (at least that's the plan.) He is 19 years old, he was in the MTC during Thanksgiving so they extended his time at the MTC by a week. He is from American Fork Utah. He likes the outdoors, has 2 siblings a younger brother and an older sister who is 21ish. HIs father works for the church in the audio department. The dvd's that we use in the 12 week training program his father was actually there filming the missionaries who are playing in the dvd. One of the videos he watched before entering the MTC his dad told him that he was there filming it.

 

Elder Morton is excitied to do missionary work. He's keeping me on my toes and I'm always striving to find something for us to do. Something that he can practice doing, such a teaching or talking to people when we go tracting. Speaking of which, Elder Morton came in contact with his first Baptist while tracting. Who shared their testimony that they are saved by Grace.

 

We had our ward Christmas party on Friday. We had a huge turnout, this ward just reminds me of the wards back home. We easily have about 200 hundred people who are usually at church. We barely used the 2nd overflow in Sacrament on Sunday. The ward party was fun, although the program we had, I felt it was a Christmas Talent Show more than anything. Other than that it, was a great experience.

 

Well, in my Book of Mormon reading, I made it again to 3 Nephi when Christ comes to the America's!!! I was able to read chapter 10 & 11. The first couple chapters of 3 Nephi and the whole book of Helaman, there were parts in it, that when I read them I was like, hey I didn't know that. For example in I think 3 Nephi 4ish, the people of Nephi split into small tribes, but they have a lot of tribes. That was something that just didn't come to me as I read it the other 6 times on my mission. Another testimony that you don't learn everything the first time you read the Book of Mormon, or the scriptures for that matter. Something I learned or understand more is in chapter 11, Christ explains more of His Doctrine or Gospel. Then He goes onto say that this is the manner in which Baptism needs to occur. Then He explains that there have been disputations and disagreement's on certain things in the Gospel. Christ came to correct them. We can see a parallel with the America's and the people in Jerusalem. When Christ left, the Disciples/Apostles were left to administer to the people there. IN ensuing years they would both lead to Apostasy. But, it was the people in the Americas that had it last about 300 more years. Probably because of the things that Christ corrected when He came to this continent. HE also will explain later, that the people in the Americas were more faithful than those in Jerusalem. Thus explaining that they believed and had more faith on the things He would teach to them. I hope that we all will understand more fully the Doctrines of the church and not lean to our own doctrines that have to efficacy in this life. We have the Book of Mormon and Revelation today to confound the false Doctrines of our day. Man is saved by grace as our loving baptist friend testified to us, but we also believe that we must keep God's commandments. We have that solid, firm understanding and that is what will lead us to what we need. I'm thankful so much for this Gospel, I thank all my family and friends for supporting me on this mission. I know I'm doing a great work and cannot come down, this I leave with you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

December 10, 2012

Well, I got the call on Saturday. My companion is going to Independence Kansas, and I'm staying and training a new missionary. Well, this will be an exciting new transfer!

Well, this was a stressful week. We had our investigators baptism on Saturday that we had to prepare for. Then we had 3 lessons that we taught on Sunday. We taught the youth in Sunday School at the First Christian Church of Owasso. WE went over the articles of Faith and 6 questions that they had specifically for us to answer.

Then we biked to Church got some things (it was a rather cold and windy bike ride) then we had church. I confirmed our investigator that was baptized on Saturday. Then we had to teach the Gospel Principles class since the teacher was out of town. Then we taught the Deacon's quorum about the importance of keeping a journal.

I only have a couple minutes left.

I have just barely finished the Book of Alma. Before I had usually dreaded reading the War chapters. Funny thing is this time around I actually liked them and I was able to learn very much from them. The war chapters are really good at illustrating a point in warfare and with our spiritual and physical warfare that we have in life. When Moroni built up his fortresses, we can apply that to our lives about building up strong.

I have learned a lot from these chapters, I know they can personally help all of us out. Please read them they are true along with the rest of the Book of Mormon. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission
Owasso, Oklahoma

I'm completely bummed i missed chatting with him today... but here's his email:

 

Ahhh, this is a decent week.

 

Well, the only highlight this week was probably Interviews with President Merkley (last one) since he is leaving next month. Then on Saturday and Sunday we had stake conference.

 

After interviews with President the 3 Bartlesville areas and the assistants had lunch at Burgerhop. Since 2nd ward was going on exchanges/blitz with the assistants. Since elder ward was in Bartlesville, he knew where to go. We had to break in elder Johnson by having him eat the breakfast platter, a really big amount of food with a side of two biscuits with white gravy on it.

 

Then on Saturday we went to the Saturday's session of the adult session of conference, we before went to have dinner at Wendy's and I bought the action Bible!! It's a version of the Bible in comic book form. May seem sacriligious but it illustrates the bible really well, and I can, see myself using it for story time with my kids before they go to bed! Elder Berg and I found a good point in it, before it got to noah and the ark it said that the people rejected the things that adam and others had taught, and they went into an early apostasy, hey that's what we teach!!!

 

well, that is all I really have to report. Our investigator who was going to get baptized next saturday, told us before stake conference started on sunday, that he had a couple cigarettes this week and he didn't feel ready to be baptized. We just set the date back to the 30th of June, give him time to get rid of everything, since he has a cigarette machine which makes it cheaper to get cigarettes but you don't get the filter in the cigarette so in essence you are giving all of the effects of the cigarette instead of just most of it. Anyways, if you want, you can pray, I'm not suppose to ask family to do things like that, well at least fasting I'm not.

 

Well, I finished reading the Book of Mormon on Saturday, for the 5th time on my mission. I will talk a little bit about the book of Moroni. The Book of Moroni is a peculiar book because he didn't expect to write it. This is a book that doesn't talk about history, it doesn't account for the historical aspect of the Book of Mormon. The whole 10 chapters in the book are just pact full of things that will help us in this life. The first 5 chapters it talks about ordination, the sacrament and things that they did at that time and this is interesting because we have those things in the Book of Mormon and in the Doctrine and Covenants (section 20.) Chapter 6 is a short chapter but it is pact full of why we go to church, why we partake of the sacrament and the importance of coming to church. Chapter 7 explains to us the meaning of charity, faith & hope. The whole chapter talks about juding people rigtheously (yes there is such a thing) and helping us understand how to apply that to our lives. Being members of the restored church, we should exemplify these characterisitics because we have such increased knowledge from this chapter alone. Chapter 8 is mainly used for infant baptisms, but it is a good one of explaining that we need to endure to the end and keep a hold of our baptismal covenant. Chapter 9 is probably the only one that actually has some history. Chapter 10 is the most well known, it, in of itself is an awesome chapter. Moroni exhorts us (strongly encourages) to read these records (the Book of Mormon) and ponder its meaning and then to pray about it. Then he goes on to tell us about spiritual gifts, and striving to be found spotless before we meet our eternal Maker. The Book of Moroni is a pure diamond book, it has pure truth that is plain and stalwart in it's declaration. After reading that book you cannot be confused, because it is so plain. That is why I love the Book of Mormon, there are few things in there that are confusing, the doctrine it teaches is not confusing, the history maybe, but everything else is plain. I know that the Book of Mormon is THE very word of God and it professes to be so and it does so with great skill and is inline with the teachings of the Prophets and Apostles from the beginning to the end. I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Happy Mother's Day to ME!!

We got to TALK TO COLBY TODAY!!

I love hearing his sweet voice on the other end of the phone...

He called shortly after we arrived home from church (we have the later church, 1-4 pm.  So does Colby.) It was wonderful to talk with him, and hear him giggle.  He sounds so very happy.  I'm sure some of it is his companion Elder Berg - they seem to enjoy one another's company quite well.  They have a new apartment, and will be moving into it this next weekend.  Neither of them were transferred, so they will be together for the next six weeks, at least.  They seem fairly happy about that =)

Colby laughed when we told him his swimming trick was in the ward newsletter last week... and yes, he got his brakes fixed.  =)  they just needed adjusting, and when he realized how simple it was he felt silly that he hadn't done it sooner. 

I spoke with him for the majority of the time, but when Britanee & Brian stopped by, Rian wanted to talk with him.  She did more nodding of her head than actually speaking, but it was cute to watch her excitement.  Linzi had something she wanted to share with him "real quick," and that started the phone getting passed around.  We were all able to chat for a little bit, and fill him in on all the happenings around home.  We sure love this kid!

There is something very comforting in hearing your child's voice...especially a voice you don't get to hear very often.  I miss him fiercely, but I am happy that he is happy, and doing what he wants to be doing.  When I think about not hearing his voice again until Christmas, it makes me sad, but we will still be able to "chat" each Monday when he sends his weekly email.  Just knowing he is doing well, and working hard is comforting to me as a mom.  I love him so very much...

Today's email

WOW, the Tornado siren went off last night! Elder Berg and I cowered in the closet. A member actually called us seeing if we were ok. I was surprised and was like, wow, someone who actually cares about us!! Then 5 minutes later it stopped. The tornado had happened close to the town of Dewey. Dewey is like 5-10 ish miles away from Bartlesville, so it was a fairly close tornado. Who knows we may have one hit here!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

This week we had Zone Conference, IT WAS PRESIDENT MERKLEY'S LAST!!!!!! He taught us his way of teaching the Law of Chastity to 11 year old girls. Because he was asked to do so when he was a Bishop. He came up with this way of doing so. He also committed us, when we get home that we will not hold hands until after 7 dates, hug after 14, or kiss after 21. Mind you these are dates, for someone like me to have 21 dates, that would last me like 6+ months. Anyways, lets not talk about that.

 

The Cool thing about this Zone Conference is the fact that I'm back into my first Zone again, when I was in Sapulpa. I got to meet Elders: Hamann (past companion), Bennett, Orr and many others, since there is a lot of them that I know here. It was a fun Zone Conference I loved it!!

 

Well, I have a story, and this happened to me.

On Thursday we were going to go to our appointment to go read a story to a member who doesn't have a big attentio span. We went to take a path on the bike trail that leads under the road. It has a small path and it has water on both sides of the path. Elder Berg was ahead of me and he saw a person who was sitting on the edge of the path and his bike was there blocking the path, elder Berg stopped completely, I, only having half of a brake, was braking but since it was downhil I got speed and wasn't able to stop. WEll, I hit Elder Berg a little bit and then part of the bridge and I fell off the path and into the water. With the bike landing on top of me. Everything in my backpack and me were wet. My camera got wet, but we put it in a bowl of rice and left it there for two days and it recovered and I can still use it. My new scriptures that I got for my birthday, well are ruined, they are very wet. Maybe I'm just not meant to have nice scriptures. Because the last ones that I bought at the MTC got wet over 3+ months ago. All of my electrical things still work thankfully, or else all of my pictures from my mission on my flashdrive would have been GONE!!!!

 

Well, we finished the Articles of faith, so now I guess I will just come up with scriptures. Today in my reading i read Helaman CH. 1-4, the one part that stuck out to me was in Ch. 3 verses 25-30. Where it explained that the scriptures are the way that we can learn of our forgiveness. That the scritpures teach us that Christ is always there for us and always wants us to come unto him and be perfected in him. (moroni 10:32-33) The Book of Mormon has many instances of Forgiveness. Alma talks to his sons in Alma 39 about his sins that he has done and how that he should repent. The Sons of Mosiah and Alma the Younger are examples of that. Even for a time Laman and Lemuel, we penetant but then they succumbed to their old ways and rebeled and fell away from the things they have seen, even an Angel of the Lord came to them as they were smiting Nephi. Forgiveness is given to everyone, if they just humble themselves and ultimately forgive themselves of the things that they have done and come unto the only one that can heal, Jesus Christ. I am ever grateful for him and his sacrifice and his love that he has for us and all mankind. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

--

Elder Colby Stewart Haymond
Oklahoma, Tulsa mission