Music and Miracles!

So, this letter is going to be a little bit different because instead of going day by day, I'm just going to share some amazing experiences we have had this week! Then, if anyone has any questions or comments you can email me and I will email back!

So, I'll start off with the miracle we experienced on Saturday! After doing our morning studies and getting ready for the day, we began to bike to our area around 10:15 or so (also still a 25-minute bike ride). While we were biking, we got a text on our phone about a referral, saying that someone named Brayden requested a Book of Mormon. Normally when you get a referral, it gives you all the details in your area book on your tablet, so we were planning on stopping at the church for WIFI, so we can have all the information on it. However, my companion and I were both impressed to just go straight to the referral, instead of waiting. We were kind of confused, because we didn't think a 10-minute stop to view the information would be a problem, but we listened to the prompting anyway. When we got there, Brayden’s older sister answered, and told us that he was sleeping and told us to come back after 12. So, we decided that we would come back after we went to lunch.

Here's a little back story on Brayden's family: When I first arrived in the mission field, 3 months ago, my last companion, Elder Siedschlag and I, had already knocked on their door because we knew that they are an inactive family with 3 unbaptized kids. The father answered, and basically told us that he didn't want his kids getting baptized anytime soon, and did so in not the most polite way. After that had happened, we were sure that we were never gonna knock there again.

Once we had sat down for lunch, and were gonna view the information of the referral, we realized that it was a ghost referral from over 750 DAYS AGO. So, based on the fact that the system somehow messed up, and still sent us a text, and the previous visit I had with their family, we decided that there was no way we would have still visited that family if we viewed the referral before visiting them. So, we thought, why would God send us there anyway? We found out later when we went back. The family was all outside when we got there, because they had just got home, so we talked with them a little bit, and got to know the family. We mentioned the fact that we had a message saying someone in the home wanted a Book of Mormon. They said that no one there sent that request, and that they weren't interested in coming back. We asked the father if anyone of his family might be interested in coming to church, and right as we said that, 2 of his kids, Brayden(9) and his brother(11), raised their hands and said that they were interested. The dad then said "well, if they want to be taught and baptized, that's fine with me" and the kids were super excited! We were so amazed at the divine power of the holy ghost, prompting us to go there in the first place, because otherwise we would have never found these kids!

My mission has brought me some of the greatest joys ever in my life, and experiences I have like these, just make it so much better every single day. I KNOW that God lives, and he loves and cares for every single one of us. He is always preparing the way for his sons and daughters to return to living with him again one day, just as we saw from this experience.

One more quick miracle, for whoever is still reading this! Saturday night our district decided to do a little musical fireside in a park, here in Clinton, and told members to invite all their friends. So, we had a really good time singing different hymns and songs, and had a really good turnout! Later that night, the sisters in our district invited a lady and her 5 kids, who were not members, to be baptized and they accepted! They felt the spirit through the power of music!

All in all, it was a great week, and it strengthened my testimony tremendously! I know this is the restored gospel here upon the earth and we have a living prophet today!

Thank you all for the love and support, hope you all have a great week!

Elder Greer
Utah Ogden Mission
648 West 700 North
Clearfield, Utah

District Leaders!!

Hey everyone!

First off, Happy Father's day to all the amazing fathers, and father figures, out there! Not only my own father, but I owe it to many of you guys for encouraging me and helping me get on a mission! The mission is tough at times, but I'm starting to see why people say it's the best 2 years of their lives. This week has been pretty crazy! Transfers are this week, and as you can see from the title...  My companion and I were just called as District Leaders in our district! I'm super nervous, because I have only been out 3 months, but if there is anything I have learned on my mission this far, it's that the Lord will strengthen anyone who seeks it diligently. Here's how the week went!

Monday was just the casual p-day. Speedball, and hung out.

Tuesday was an AMAZING day! I went on exchanges with the zone leader, Elder Hutchison (he's a boss), and we went to the temple with our recent convert Bill! It was his second time going, and the temple is always just such a wonderful place to be.

Wednesday, we helped some non-members move some stuff out of their storage into the moving truck at 6 in the morning. They're moving to Ohio, and don't know anyone, because they are military, so they really needed help. It took us a while, and we still didn't finish!

Thursday morning, we helped them move again. This time we brought a few more missionaries, since they have SO much stuff. We were able to finish it off, and they bought us lunch afterward! The rest of the day we did some tracting, and had a lesson with a less-active member.

Friday, we had our correlation meeting, then we did our weekly planning. Later in the day, we met a young married couple, Wyatt and Adrian. Wyatt is a less active member, and his wife is not a member. We had a good little discussion, and they didn't seem interested in coming back, but they said we can drop by whenever.

Saturday, we were outside ALL day, trying to find people to teach, because we need to keep busy! We've been praying hard for miracles all week, and so far, nothing has happened, so we will be patient and keep praying! At night, we had a really powerful meeting with a return missionary, on how to be successful, not just on the mission, but in life. It was really good.

Sunday was a MIRACLE! Went to church like every Sunday, then later in the day we visited the NG's. Sister NG has a friend living with her now from California, and she received all the lessons from the missionaries there, but never got baptized. So, she agreed to having us come back later this week and teach her more! Then Sunday night, we visited Wyatt and Adrian again, and just asked if we can come in and share a quick message. After sharing about the plan of salvation, the spirit was so strong in there, and we knew they could feel it. They were super responsive to questions, and they were asking questions of their own. We invited Adrian to be baptized when she came to know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, restored upon the earth, and she said she would! And we even told her that her husband could baptize her, and she seemed very excited! So, we need to keep praying for them that they will have softened hearts!

I appreciate all the love and support from everyone! Hope you all have a good week! Love you!

Elder Greer
Utah Ogden Mission
648 West 700 North
Clearfield, Utah

Elder Dantas Forgot some clothes at District meeting

Arriving at dinner appointment

3 Months!

So, this week marks my 3-month mark of being a missionary, but I still have 1 more week of my training, but time is starting to roll faster it feels like! This week wasn't nothing special, but I'll give y’all the rundown.

Last Monday we basically just hung out all day, and played some board games, and had some really good food. That night, we had a family home evening at one of the mission presidents councilor’s house, and it was pretty good!

I can't remember a thing we did Tuesday... I'm pretty sure we just tried finding all day and had no luck!

Wednesday, we had district meeting as usual. Later that day, we had a lesson with Angel, who is progressing really well. Last minute, his mom wanted to join in on the lesson, so my companion gave it in Spanish and then translated for me. At the end of the lesson, she told us that she wants to have the Spanish missionaries come teach her! Just last week she wasn't interested and now she is! So, we're co-teaching them now with the Spanish missionaries, and they will both be going to the Spanish ward, since we don't want to split them up.

Thursday was like Tuesday... Honestly can't remember. I promise I'll start writing these things down, so this doesn't happen again!

Friday was great! We had a mission tour with Elder Hamula of the general authority seventy! He had a really good training about faith, and answered a lot of our questions. He said that faith starts, and leads to more knowledge. I can't explain it, but it made a lot of sense to me and I know I need to apply it to my ministries!

Saturday, we did some service at a retirement center, and it was pretty fun talking to the elderly! That night we had a ward BBQ and some non-members came! It was really fun and there was some good food. We also played spikeball and football!

Sunday was just normal church, not too much happened in the evening.

Thank you everyone for the prayers and support! Hope you all have a good week! Love y'all!

Elder Greer
Utah Ogden Mission
648 West 700 North
Clearfield, Utah

Elder Greer making an appearance at his brother's wedding :)

Trashcan and Finding

Hey everyone! Not too much happened this week. Haven't found any new investigators, and have had to drop Quinton, so as far as the work goes, we need a miracle to happen.

Monday, we played speedball, and afterward I almost passed out, because I was so dehydrated. So the rest of the night, I rested and just tried getting my strength back.

Tuesday, we had no appointments so we were outside trying to find people to teach all day. Wasn't very successful sadly.

Wednesday, we had district meeting. Later in the day, my companion and I were biking, and I witnessed one of the funniest things in my life. I had just turned around to check on my companion, and I just see him ride his bike straight into a huge trash can. He was staring right at it, and still hit it :). The trash can fell over, and everything inside it fell out. He fell straight on his face, and as he was getting up, the first thing he said to me was, "Elder, I'm not even sure what just happened" with his helmet on the side of his head :). He hurt his leg a little, and busted his bike. He said he thinks he was either day dreaming, or he passed out, but I seriously couldn't stop laughing for a good 10 minutes.

Thursday, we had service at Hill Air Force base thrift shop again. After that we tried going to get my companions bike fixed, but they were closed.

Friday, we had our weekly huddle, and afterward we finally got Elder Dantas' bike fixed. That night, we had a lesson with Angel, our progressing investigator. We taught him about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and read from the book of Mormon with him, since he has trouble understanding some of it. While we were biking home, we met a super sketchy guy that talked to us for 20 minutes about demons and ghosts. He was nice, but I think he was super confused lol. Some of the stuff he said was contradicting.

Saturday was SO LONG. Like Tuesday, we were just out finding all day, and it was 90 degrees. I always thought Florida was hot, but dry heat burns man... I might have just gotten used to humidity in Florida, plus wearing church clothes all summer doesn't make it much better.

Sunday, we went to church! After church, we tried finding AGAIN and had no luck. Although we met a less active, named Brian, who was super nice and didn't mind us teaching his kids as long as they are interested. They weren't home, so were going to try and visit them again later.

The church recently put out a new Mormon message, called the music of the gospel. It's a super good video and I suggest all to watch it! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju8S2vswhjY)

I hope everyone has a good week this week! Also, since my brother gets married this Friday, congrats to him and Kelsey! So sad I can't make it, but I’m so happy for you two. Love you all!

**Apologies for no pictures this week, I'll be sure to take more for next week!

Elder Greer
Utah Ogden Mission
648 West 700 North
Clearfield, Utah