Domination!

So it has certainly been another incredible week here in Cassville, I don't have a lot of time to write but here are the highlights and I'll tell you more in a couple weeks!! :

-J update> we had FHE with them this week, went over new years resolutions/goals and the family is definitely on the right track, working on overcoming challenges and for S to be baptized. We had another NERF war with the kids and it was awesome! We were also able to see them New Years Eve and they all made it to church!

-Holidays> New Years Eve was a blast! We had a dinner appointment with the Bs, brother B is a Firefighter and because of the holidays they had to shoot off some fireworks, so we had to witness it, and it was amazing! They had some pretty stinkin big ones because they have the hook ups and all and it was sweet! we also saw the Js and played some good ole' monopoly deal

On new years day we went over to the Gs (a part member family) we havent focused a lot on working with C or J ( the nonmember dad and his daughter) because C hasn't shown too much interest, but he pretty much committed himself to be baptized before we even asked! He told us that he wants to read the book of mormon and if he feels like it is true he said he would join our church! J is very much the same way, and we had a pretty darn good lesson, it was chaos because we didn't expect it and were a little unprepared, but we left with a soft committment to baptism from the both of them and I am sure that Sister G is just ecstatic!

-Church> We had 4 investigators to church, S, J and two random new investigators that a member that just moved in brought along with him! Elder J and I taught the Gospel Principles class and just taught a lesson 1 on the Restoration with the two new investigators there, and needless to say it was incredible!

The work is really moving along in Cassville and though I wish I had more time to serve here, I am anxious to see Elder J do well and see the success here in the comming transfers!

-P-Day! always awesome, today is going to be super incredible and I'd tell you more about it but remind me later because I gots to go!

love y'all!
-Elder Alex Edwards

Christmas!

Well it has definitely been a good Christmas season for us this year! Last week we were able to teach a bunch of people and the work is really moving along here in Cassville.

Yesterday we had our mission Christmas party which was a lot of fun. They had to break up the mission into two parties, which kinda stunk because most of my mission buddies were in different zones so their party was on a different day, but we still had fun. There was a talent show and Elder J and I were the first act, he sang hymn 284 'If You Could Hie to Kolob' while I played the piano and several acts later our fourman apartment performed an interpretative Christmas dance to a song titled "the Happiest Christmas Tree" Elder J and I were elfs, Elder R was Santa, and Elder C was the christmas tree. Needless to say that it definitely stole the show.

My camera has been super glitch-y lately and hasn't let me take pictures or anything but we have it recorded on some other missionaries cameras so I'm definitely going to get a copy of it because it was awesome! Hopefully y'all will be able to see it soon. . . .

We have some pretty sweet plans going for christmas so far. We are going to the J's for a little bit in the morning, Elder J and I have gotten them some pretty sweet gifts that I'm sure they'll enjoy, and then we have a family having us over for lunch/ party time in the afternoon and a part member family has invited us over for dinner that night, so we will be pretty darn busy.

I got the packages from dad, the protien and the sweet shirt! thanks! but I didn't get the other package :( or at least not yet so I'll keep an eye out for it, and hopefully the goods are still edible :O

Thanks again, I'll talk to y'all soon!

Sweet Chrismas Cards on the Way

(Dec 13)
It has been another exciting week here in Cassville. Not the best numbers, but success isn't based on numbers, and I would definitely say we had a successful week. We had 3 investigators to church, S, J and Sister G. We set up to have FHE with the J (Family) every Monday at least until the end of this transfer. S is still coming along slowly but surely. She called out R for not fulfilling his role as patriarch, which was kind of funny, and we are, as always, happy to see them continuing to grow. J has been investigating for about two years, has been super close to being baptized but just never sealed the deal. He comes every week and is more faithful than most anyone than I could think of. He has some mental challenges, but that doesnt stop him at all. I think he could quote the entire bible for you if you asked! We have an appointment with him tenatively for tomorrow night, We have backed off teaching him as we were focusing on the J(family) boys being baptized but now I think we can get things rolling again.

The G's are another part member family. Sister G was super close to being baptized, but I think that they have just been overloaded with life as of lately. They have a newborn (6 months old) and I could only imagine that alone has kept them rather preoccupied. They also have a 22 month old, and 4 and 8 year old children. I had not been able to meet them before this Sunday but I have known about them from the area book and whatnot, so it was way good to see them at church. Elder J and I taught the gospel principles class this Sunday and it was a really good lesson. sister G, J nd S were all able to make it, except that M as being a little bit of a stink so S had to take her out to calm her down.

We also had a super district meeting of sorts. I'm pretty sure I told you but there was a world wide change in district meetings and some of the way that missionaries are trained now, or rather not that it is anything new or different but the church has come out with 8 fundamental points of missionary work to focus on. So each week for the past 6 months or so we have had a lesson at district meeting on one of the 8 focus points, but leadership gets training directly from President and is supposed to pass it on, but this time president gave a training on the lessons to everybody, so needless to say it was a really great meeting. I was glad that I could be there with Elder Jmenez because I think it helped us for sure get a better start and better teaching skills.

I am really excited for christmas to come around. Our 4 man appartment has some pretty sweet christmas costumes and we will be sending some pretty darn good looking christmas cards soon, so until then keep your eyes peeled for that! Well that's about if for this week, y'all be blessed!
-Elder Alex Edwards

Exploding with Pure Knowledge!

Fast Sunday was amazing yesterday, probably one of my favorite times at church and one of my best fast's ever! I'm stoked for the Eagles football, who is #1? I have mad props for Sarah and her mish, experiences. I wish I had some more experiences like that in school. I am missin y'all lots but things are goin sooooo good right now its crazy.

So this week was pretty much amazing, we committed a part member family to prepare for baptism on the 27th of this month and they are pretty much good to go! I was disappointed they didn't make it to church but they have been working with the missionaries for the past several years and for them to finally say yes and commit I can tell is a huge step in their progress and I'm very optimistic about their progress in the gospel. For sure the two boys R and S are going to be baptized, and when we taught we focused on them. The mom has a testimony and is amazing but is afraid that she wont be able to fully be committed and so doesn't want to do it unless she can go all the way. As we taught we didnt really commit her to baptism either, but the husband (a less active member) asked, "what about S(mom)?" and we opened the invitation for her if that was her desire and she said yes that she thinks she's ready for it. She was still a little reluctant, but every time before she would be flat out no way not yet, so just seeing her faith grow enough that she realizes she needs to step up was the most incredible blessing as it really opened my eyes and increased my faith just by her example. I can not get them out of my mind it is soo crazy! It definitely brings back my favorite memories and experiences from Newnan working with the P boys and the C family and it definitely gave me the experience and preparation for this family here in Cassville. My mind has seriously just been exploding with pure knowledge and intelligence from the Holy Ghost especially this fast Sunday seeing how the church truly is the only true and living church and seeing the church and its members grow, combined with all of my studies coming alive and linking together and our gospel principles class I seriously feel like Moroni when he interjects in Ether 12 and feels like his writing is inadequate and doesn't truly express all that he's experienced even though its one of my personal favorite chapters because the revelation and inspiration from those verses is priceless. I wish I had been given that strength in expressing myself and my feelings, and I almost feel like I'm rambling on and on but its because I know how true the gospel is and how it blesses people.

My time is up but tell grammy and grandpa how much I miss them and nanny and pappa too! Love y'all!

Transferred!

Well, I got transferred to Cassville this week. It is the farthest north I have been in the mission. My new companion is Elder W who is from Farmington Utah, he has been out about 9 months and is a way cool kid.

Last Saturday we got to skin a deer that one of the members in our ward shot hunting that morning, it was pretty sweet!

There is a ton of missionary work to be done here in Cassville, there are several part member families that are on the verge of being baptized, and we found three new investigators who have some serious potential, one of them met with missionaries in the past so when we asked if she knew anything about Joseph Smith she pretty much relayed the first vision to us, which was awesome. Unfortunately the couldnt make it to church like the said they would but we are meeting with them tonight so things are looking really swell. We live in a 4 man apartment with 2 spanish missionaries, Elder R and Elder N, which is a lot of fun. I don't really know what else to say, so later!

Kennesaw district

So neither of us got transferred, I'm still with Elder S in Kennesaw. We had a pretty awesome church service yesterday. Our ward had a "Friends and Family Sunday" and there were quite a few non members that the Kennesaw Mountain members were able to bring. We have an appointment with one of them on Wednesday, a guy who is interested in the stop smoking program, so it should be an awesome refferal.

This week I have another meeting about the simplified missionary training system stuff on tuesday and wednesday and I'll be on exchanges with two other missionaries from our zone. Our district is pretty darn young, I have been out twice as long as anyone else and there are two greenies, so hopefully I get some good notes so that I can pass down as much of the training in our district meetings this transfer.

The weather has been cooling down for us pretty nicely, and some of the leaves are starting to change colors. Fall is probably the best time here, or at least my favorite. Its just too bad I'll miss football, but its the last one so it doesn't really matter at this point :D I'm not gonna lie but Im getting a little trunky but we're gonna work super hard this transfer so it will take my mind off it. Well I love y'all and I'll talk to ya later!

Good Happenings...

So it has certainly been an excellent week for us here, I got to go on excanges with Elder O. in the beginning of the week so it was kinda weird serving with him again but it was fun. On Friday we had a zone conference and got to hear from Elder Richard Hinckley who is the executive director of the missionary dept. and it was great to hear from him and his wife.

Yesterday J.R. got baptized and it was awesome! He is a really great kid and I was glad to be there for that.

This is our last full work week before transfers wedesday week, and things are rolling. Our investigator L was able to come to church and as well attended the baptism, she now has Sundays off of work. Her and Brother W have been talking about marriage and want to tie the knot but haven't set any dates yet, but we're going over tomorrow night so hopefully we can get them moving along!

Good things are happening and its good to be here! hope y'all are still doin well and I'll talk to ya next week!