An Adventure...

Hi Guys,

I heard about the tornadoes from someone else, crazy how fast news can travel these days.

The marks on my face are from wrestling with Elder Hancock.  Elder Haslam and I are good with working out in the morning, he has been sick recently but I still workout.

I heard that in Russia they can't proselyte anymore and the missionaries are all called volunteers is that still a thing?

Investigators:  "A" is really sick and it has been hard to see him, we had to drop "K" because her boyfriend won't let us meet, and "B" is still doing alright.  We found an Arabic family with a guy who is a truth seeker and very anxious to learn.

Funny Story:  Elder Haslam is lactose intolerant and he has these pills he takes to eat lactose, and it is just an adventure.

Scripture:  Matthew 6:21
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

I love you and hope all goes well this week.
Elder Shields

Full week of dinners!

Elder Haslam and I 
(The scrapes on my face are from a wrestling match.)

Hi Family,

Well, "A's" baptism was canceled, it was causing contention in the home.  We are seeking advice from President James on what to do.  Baptism is essential, but we don't want to ruin a marriage either. We are holding off until we can receive more counsel.

Investigators:  We are teaching a practicing Jew who is very smart and just an all round great person, and "K", who when we contacted her recognized that the bible talks of one true church and it is a matter of trying to find it, she is solid.

Our spider's name is Bert.  No word on the bikes, we forgot to bring the lock, so they weren't locked up.  You don't need to do anything, we will just borrow mission bikes until further notice.

This ward is great, we had a full week of dinners!

love y'all,
Elder Jake

Pet Spider & Stolen Bikes...

Elder Haslam's first week on the job

Family,

Wow, Kate is engaged, that is great!  Tell her I say all the good stuff you are supposed to say to engaged people!  That is interesting for Spence, hopefully he gets the job, funny how that works out. And that is weird that you are in school again, when do you finish classes?

Elder Haslam has been doing just fine and adjusting well, he prepared beforehand very well.  The connection with Elder Haslam is through Robert Haslam our Great, Great Grandfather.  Our great grandfathers were brothers, David Jeremy Haslam Sr. and Byron Haslam, hence the 3rd cousin relation.  We get along just fine, no problems.

Elder Haslam and I have a pet spider outside of our apartment that we catch bugs and feed, and also, less funny, our bikes got stolen, but we called the police and filed a report and we have borrowed bikes from the mission that we are using for now.

Favorite food item for the week was a Ghana dinner we had last night with some members, it was super good!  This week for dinner, we had three food drop offs, and two at a members home.

Investigators:  We found a guy who is Rastafarian, Bob Marley is their prophet, we will see how that goes.  We found another woman who is a Lutheran Priest, and a nice older woman.


Scripture:  Revelation 21:4

And God shall wipe away all tears from theri eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away.

Love ya,

Jake

Training...

My new companion Elder Haslam (straight from the MTC)

All in the family, we are 3rd Cousins!

Hi Family,

I'm training!

So, we just did relative finder and we are 3rd cousins, Elder Haslam is from Kaysville, Utah.  He pole vaulted and played volleyball.  He went to SUU for a year before he came out.  We get along great! We are both more introverted, so it's quiet, but we get along just fine.  The training is going great, he has adjusted very well.

Investigators:  We are meeting three times a week with one and have a baptism date set for the 24th, but no longer have a date set for J, but doing alright and still moving in the right direction.

We have been working with a less active and went and visited him this week.  He was wasted and just acted super drunk.  We got out of there pretty quick.  We've seen an unusual amount of crazy this week to break in Elder Haslam.

Laundry is working out well, we have a washer and dryer so things have been doing fine.

Scripture:  Luke 12:6-7

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not therefore:  ye are of more value than many sparrows.  

Love ,

Elder Shields