January 28, 2019

From Mason's email:

This week has been full of cool spiritual experiences so lemme share a couple.

First off, we had dinner with Elder Beheshti and his wife again. He's an area 70 and it's always super cool to have personal interactions with them. I always learn so much from them and he's so powerful. Also he has a good sense of humor so that's always fun.

This week we also had a leadership training meeting. Which means that all the leaders on the Arkansas half of the mission got together and we had a super good meeting and learn tons. I sure do love learning from President Hansen and I know that Arkansas is where I am supposed to be! There's nowhere I'd rather be serving.

 

 

January 27, 2019

Tangled with Sadie. Getting tooth fixed - odd. IHOP with my parents. Having the missionaries over. Bad days because they remind me how good the good days are.  Root canal text from Sariah and Lorien.  Bible study. Elder Uchtdorf BYU speech 2019. Darren. Blue skies and sunshine. My joy notes in gospel library. Going downhill in fluffy snow. A really, really good snowshoe.  Seeing bald eagles. Singing bad country songs with Kenzie.

January 21, 2019

From Mason's email:

Hey hey hey! Another week has flown by and is now in the books. It's crazy how fast time flies on the mission. It's way too fast! It's been another good week though, full of crazy experiences, good food, and cold weather.

Let's start off with the good food. I had the best fried chicken I've ever had the other day. It's from gus's world famous fried chicken which was amazing. Then I also had one of the best burgers I've ever had at a place called BJs. Food is so good here! It's not good, cause I don't wanna stop eating.

A crazy experience we had is were were in a sketchy part of little rock, like we're talking the hood. And we had a guy who walked up to us and said "sup brothas!" So we started talking to him and he said he's a Christian rapper. I didn't know that was a thing but then he said his name was "Test Of Faith." Then he out of nowhere started rapping about how test of faith is his name and preaching the word of God is the game. It was just really funny and I love experiences like that. They make the mission fun.

 

 

January 20, 2019

Monday drive to work and imagine dragons comes on and it just makes me think of my kids and smile (especially M Dawg).  My blue polka dot dress. Temple Wednesday- especially Sister Nelson making me laugh. Being in the temple with Sadie for the first time and having the young baptizer be so kind as she was so nervous. Singing The Spirit of God. Thinking about shepherds and wise men and Simeon and Anna. Good friend in Kelly. Pics from 2018. All 3 girls coming home from YW happy. Piano solo in sacrament meeting. Emma Garrett’s farewell talk. 2 random Marco Polos (one from Jill Jackson and one from Tiffany Peterson).  My dad and Cam drawing on the whiteboard. Baylie actually on her bed.

January 14, 2019

Some of Mason's email -

Hey yall! Not a ton of time again but it's been a great week! We did some teaching, some finding, some service, and basically it was a normal Ole week. Honestly nothing really different this week. It was good, we had a good time, and worked hard!

January 13, 2019

1-13-19. Outside in the sun hearing things melt. Elder Rasband GC talk October 2016. Elder Wirthlin’s quote - “immortality is how long the dinner lasts. Eternal life is what is on the menu and who is with us at the table.” Walking Baylie in the pit and I turn the corner and there in front of me is a view of the majestic mountains and I was stuck with awe.  President Henefer in the temple. Aspen forest on the willow lake trail - made me think of goodly parents. Sadie humming “Army of Helaman” as she draws.

January 7, 2019

Part of Mason's email -"We taught a lot of people this week, and helped them come closer to Christ. (Go figure right, it's almost like that's what we do as missionaries. ) We did a lot of trying to find people to teach as well. It's been good having Elder Thrasher here and he's a really fun person. We've been working hard and putting in some miles on the bikes.  We went to downtown Little rock today and explored so that was fun and honestly it was just a normal week. It doesn't feel like 2019 is here. Or 2018. It's still 2017 right? I just graduated right? Time really is flying!

In my studies this week I read Matthew 14 about when Peter walks on water and I read in verse 31 when Jesus reaches out and catches him. He said to Peter, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" I just thought about it and thought about how doubt in any aspect of our lives is lack of faith. It made me think of the quote "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." So whenever I doubt I realized I just need to let the lord help me and as I have faith, everything works out. It's the same for all of yall so just trust in the Lord and it'll all be ok!"

Reminded me of an Ensign article from October 1984 - Like Peter, we in this life learn that temporal supports sometimes crumble—or sink—in the face of life’s tempests. We find that there are forces capable of upsetting our most carefully improvised plans. But we, like Peter, can discover that our Savior stands nearby, though perhaps dimly seen, ready to help us if we will but reach out to him and accept his divine assistance. We need not struggle alone.

January 6, 2019

Good stuff and good pics this week:

~Awesomely lame but just like I like it New Year’s Eve with the kids - games and movies and just being together. ~Seeing a big horn sheep. ~Seeing Pine Hollow second meadow in snow with blue skies. ~Mr Rogers movie - he was a good guy. ~Temple Wednesday - I really like the ladies I work with. ~Not feeling so jealous of someone when I saw them in the temple. ~15 months for M Dawg.  ~K and T visit. ~Darren’s laugh.  ~Darren in general.  ~Baylie in the snow - snowshoeing with Darren.  ~Lunch with Kelly and Steph.  ~Taking Sadie and friends to the movie and enjoying Fantastic Beasts 2 with Sadie loving the movie. ~Lorien really liking her new gloves I got her for a late Christmas present. ~Coach B’s Pizza for lunch in Gunnison with Kenz and my parents. ~My dad being funny. ~The phone call with my dad made me laugh where he’s asking about a smart watch for my mom - and she’s trying to tell him “fit bit” and he can’t quite understand.  ~Come Follow Me this morning before church with the kids.