Dart Guns

Hey everyone!

    We had another good week! It terms of seeing results it was decent, but we found some awesome new people that I think have a lot of potential. This week we are focusing on getting people to church, because if we can get them in that special atmosphere that Sacrament Meeting presents, then I feel like they will feel the spirit with greater power. I am so excited for this week, once we get people to church they are more likely to be on date for baptism, it's that simple. I love this work and I love serving the Lord.

     I live in a house with 6 missionaries, as you can imagine it's pretty fun sometimes. The other day before bed we were have some dart gun wars. One missionary, Elder Rogers, was trying to shoot Elder Strother. He missed so Elder Strother shot back, and hit him right in the glasses! Picture attached below, it was so funny! 

 

     Haha we were laughing about it for like 10 minutes hahaha. We are missionaries but we still know how to have fun haha. 

     The week was awesome and transfers are coming up in about 2 weeks, freak it's so crazy how fast time flies by. I still love being a Zone Leader, it's a great opportunity for me to serve others. It's been such a blessing to serve in this area and as a Zone Leader.

     I love this work because we get the chance to see the Atonement change people. I want all of you to check out this talk by President Uchtdorf.

     https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/the-gift-of-grace?lang=eng

      It specifically talks about how the Grace of Jesus Christ can change us, and bring us comfort. IT helps me everyday, especially on the days that seem a little harder.

       Sounds like a great adventure my family is on. They stopped at Temple Square on Saturday. I know those temple square sisters! Not even kidding! They helped us teach Daniela Garcia who got baptized on June 20th

 

 

     They also drove to my first mission presidents house - President Hansen - in St. George and visited with him. 

     

 

     Love,

         Elder Strate

Daniela Garcia Baptism

     Hey everyone!

     This week was awesome! We had a baptism on Saturday, Daniela Garcia got baptized! I got to baptize her too! It was amazing, the baptismal service was awesome. 

    

     Our ward went down to Manti for a temple pageant this last weekend but we couldn't go because it's outside of our mission boundaries, but they all talked about it a lot. With a baptism and that activity all in the same weekend, the Ward was in a pretty good mood on Sunday and I feel like they are going to keep helping us out with the work in this area. The work is so much easier when members are willing to help, I have a very strong testimony of that.

     We found some more people to work with too! They all seem pretty cool! We are trying to put someone on date for baptism on July 11th because that will be Elder Strother's last weekend in the mission field! Yes my companion is dying!!! Haha it's a weird feeling to know that no matter what happens I will get a new companion next transfer. Haha it's been awesome serving with him though, he's such a cool guy. He's going to BYU this upcoming fall semester so he said he will come visit me sometimes! Haha

     It's starting to get really hot around here! Yesterday it hit 103 F (Around 40 C). It was stinking hot, but don't worry Mom I was wearing sunscreen! Haha. It usually hasn't been that hot, but consistently it's about 80 F (Around 26 C) here. But it's been good! That means I can get my tan game on haha, I'll be nice and tan here while my family turns red on their road trip down to Cali!

     Have a great week! I know that Jesus Christ lives! It's that simple, because he loves us he died and was resurrected for us! That simple fact gives me comfort everyday when I am struggling!

     Love,

     Elder Strate

Family Baptism!!!!

Hey everyone!

     BAPTISM! YES! We had a family get baptized this Saturday and confirmed on Sunday, the Luna Family. They are the best, just unbelievable people. 

     The picture below goes like this left to right, Sisters from Temple Square that sent us the referral for them, one is from Chile and the other is from Edmonton. Then we have Alan Luna, their oldest son who we are currently working with. He has not been baptized yet, but he has opened up to us and hopefully we will baptize him next month. Then we have Guadalupe, Norma, and Erika Luna! The family that got baptized! Then we have Elder Strother and I. In front we have Chris, Hermano Vasquez, and Hermano Mendoza. Chris baptized Guadalupe, Mendoza baptized Norma, and Vasquez baptized Erika. 

 

 

       It was such a blessing to have those 3 people enter into the covenant of baptism. The service was incredible, the spirit was very strong and I can't wait to have another one this week. On Friday this week Daniela Garcia is getting baptized, she is a 16 year old girl and has been very prepared by the Lord. 

     The Lord has blessed our area so much and I'm so grateful for his influence in our area.

I love this area so much and I love this work. I'm so grateful for the miracles I see daily, and the blessings I receive constantly. I'm so grateful for all of your prayers on my behalf, thanks for everything! 

       I wanted to share somethings with you that I've been reading from the ensign.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/06/fishers-of-men?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/06/the-saviors-teachings-on-discipleship?lang=eng

     Read those two stories, they are very good and will benefit all of us in our roles as members of the church.

     In terms of the NBA Finals, I'll just say this. What more can LeBron do? I feel so bad for him, this has always happened to him throughout his career. He gets to the finals and his teammates just don't provide any support. Like freak, and this year of course Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving both get hurt for the finals. If they were healthy I would've predicted a clean sweep. Oh well it's not over yet, they can win two in a row. LeBron is doing everything he can, like 40 points and a triple double almost every game is pretty much the best finals performance of all-time, freak he should win Finals MVP even if they lose. LeBron should just score like 70 points next game, because apparently he has to for them to win.... Haha. Oh well, go Cavs! I'm not losing faith! Haha whether they win or lose LeBron is still the best player in the world, but if they win people will just recognize that more and he won't get trashed by the media. They can do it, I know they can.

     Have a great week!

          Love,

              Elder Strate

Mission Boundaries Change

     Derek is still in his same mission, but some changed.
     From President Spendlove- "Well after much speculation and many "wards and rumors of wards" I can now confirm that on July 1st our mission (along with many others here in Utah) will be realigned. We'll say goodbye to 50 of our dear missionaries serving in the Layton and Tooele zones and welcome 22 missionaries coming from the Utah Salt Lake City East mission. That will take us from 170 missionaries to 142 and we'll go from covering 69 stakes and the Wendover district to covering 55 stakes.
      The 22 missionaries in the Tooele zone will be part of the Utah Salt Lake City West mission; the 28 missionaries in the Layton zone will be part of the Utah Ogden mission. We'll miss these wonderful missionaries and look forward to welcoming our new missionaries."

 Hi everyone,
      Saturday was President Spendlove's birthday, as a result we got a few missionaries together and surprised him with some cake and a song at the mission office! Picture is attached below, it was so awesome. He's such a great guy, he is leading this mission exactly how the Lord wants it to be lead. I love him and Sister Spendlove, they are so legit.

     Elder Strother and I had another great week! We have been working hard with our investigators and we currently have 3 people getting baptized this upcoming Saturday! It's the Luna Family, Guadalupe, Norma, and Erika Luna are getting baptized! Yesterday we took them to temple square for a lesson and it went really well. We have been focusing a lot on eternal marriage and temples with them lately. We are trying to help them understand that the goal is not just baptism, but it's the temple. We want our converts to taste the satisfaction that comes through receiving all of the saving ordinances, not just baptism and confirmation. It's been great teaching them!

  Also put the link to this Mormon Message. I just love the power in his voice during this video. Obedience to the Lord's commandments is vital for our salvation.http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/obedience-to-the-ten-commandments

     

     Can you also put this on my blog?

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear?lang=eng&query=l+tom+perry

     This was a talk given by Elder Perry at General Conference, and it's one of my favorite ones relating to missionaries. It has helped me out a lot during my mission, and I feel like it's a good tribute for L. Tom Perry. He was a great prophet, seer, and revelator for this world.

 

     Cavs in 6, I'm sticking with that prediction. It sounds like Cleveland should've won game 1 and they just won game 2 so I think as long as LeBron continues to put up historic numbers, the Cavs will win it all.

       Love,

         Elder Strate

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH AND MIRANDA AND BRYCE!!

Hey Everyone!

     Transfers are tomorrow and I am staying here with Elder Strother as a Zone Leader! I'm so excited to continue serving in this area, especially since we put 3 people on date for baptism this week! It was a great week. It was such a testimony builder for me because the week started off really slow, like it was hard. We continued working hard, showed our diligence to the Lord, and it paid off in the end. I continue to have miracles on my mission through the principle of diligence and patience, it's been amazing!

     The mission is going to be changing a lot too! Due to the creation of the Logan Utah Mission and the division in the Provo Utah Mission (to the Orem Mission), our boundaries are going to change for sure. We aren't sure exactly how yet, but we are pretty sure that Toelle and Layton will probably not be in our mission anymore. That's not doctrine yet, but that's our best guess. So the mission will be changing a lot really soon! It's all going to happen on July 1st, so be prepared to look at LDS.org that day to see our new boundaries!

      We are starting to use our I-Pads now not just as a finding and teaching tool with videos and easier access to mormon.org, but we are also using them now as our Area Books and Planners. We still have paper planners for this transfer, but starting next transfer those will be gone! We will have our whole Area Book and Daily Plans on an app created by the church on our I-Pads. How cool is that? I'm so excited to hasten the work with this marvelous tool that the Lord has given our mission!

     Cavaliers in 6 in the finals, LeBron is just on a way to high level for the Warriors to be able to stop the Cavs. Kyrie can guard Curry, JR can guard Thompson, LeBron could guard either of them too if they need him too. The Warriors literally have no matchup for him, he's going to destroy them.

        Pictures below are with our zone and with a missionary from Yakima, Washington. His name is Elder Johnston, a convert to the church and the only member in his family! We've become really good friends here in Rose Park.

 

             Love you guys and take care!

                Love,

                     Elder Strate