Wednesday, May 3, 2017

May 1, 2017






Sister Rasmussen’s Message to the Missionaries:
      It is always such a highlight of our mission when interviews roll around. I can't tell you how much I look forward to sitting down and talking with each of you. When we first arrived here and did the "Meet the President" tour of the mission, I told myself that I would probably never know every missionary. How wrong I was! I do know each of you and look forward to learning more about you and the work in your area during interviews.
      This time it was such a thrill for me to hear of the revelation you had received about God's plan for finding his prepared children in your area and how you were applying that revelation. I look forward to hearing the coming chapters of that incredible story that will lead you to baptize God's prepared. I know that with continued faith and diligence you will see miracle and baptisms as a result of your efforts each day. Please text me of those miracles you see. I love when you share the successes you see in this great era of the hastening of the Lord's work.
      I also loved hearing about your Hark, Mark and Embark reading. I have been blessed with a greater understanding of the Doctrine of Christ and the importance it has been to all people, in all times and in all places. God sends his prophets to teach the same important truths in every dispensation of time. We are blessed to know that it will never be taken from the earth again. We can look forward to seeing many prophecies fulfilled as we take this mighty work of bringing His sons and daughter to a covenant path that leads back to Him. I hope you have seen your faith grow and your understanding of the Book of Mormon expand as you take this challenge and show the Lord your desire to learn more from His holy scriptures each day.




The following Missionaries have Birthdays this month:

2 May  Sister Iris Stevenson           19 May  Elder Scott Scheidell
4 May  Elder Zachary Stoker          21 May  Elder Cache Lowry
4 May  Elder Joshua Hancock        22 May  Elder Reggie Northrup
5 May  Elder Travis Leavitt            23 May  Sister Lucy Tayco
8 May  Sister Hannah Erickson      27 May  Elder Hooten Fullmer
10 May Elder Barry Stratton           27 May  Sister Christine Johnson
11 May Elder Joel Mason                30 May  Elder Walker Riley

Missionary Moments:

Subject: Dan Scoville Baptism Week! (and Auburn Day of Service with the Zone)

     This week was amazing and not one that I will soon forget. Brother Dan Scoville was baptized on the 22nd and confirmed on the 23rd! It has been a long and stressful journey for sure but I am so grateful for the opportunity that the Lord has given for me to be a part of his life. We first met him amount 3 months ago when we approached him outside while he was working on his car and have taught him and grown to love him a lot. It is amazing also how much I have learned and my testimony has grown as we served him and got to know him. Brother Hanson in the ward baptized him and I was given the opportunity to confirm him yesterday. At the baptism the Spirit was so strong it was a tangible feeling and I felt such a pure joy the whole night. Elder Thibaudeau sang "Come Thou Fount" and I was reminded of how grateful I am that the Lord offered himself to rescue me from the path I was on and helped me to be where I was sitting that night and where I am at now in my life. I am grateful that he doesn't give up on us and I know he will never give up on me or anyone. We taught the Restoration of the Gospel at the baptism and I could feel the power of the message stronger than ever. The word that has always stood out to me has been Restoration but lately the word that stands out to me is Gospel. It is his gospel that matters. That is what was restored and by living it, that is how we find real joy. I have seen in my life that it is a formula that always works. and it worked for Dan. On Sunday after he was confirmed he bore his testimony of that. He said that after learning about the Gospel in its fullness that sorrow that he had not known how to deal with became Godly sorrow. It was and is the same for me. I have never been happier and I know it is because of him. I am very happy in this area I have a great companion and I love this ward a lot. We don't have anyone else on date for baptism yet but hopefully soon! As far as the Confirmation I was very nervous but as always when the moment came the words were there. I'm not entirely sure what was said but I could feel the power of the priesthood and know that they weren't my words. It was pretty nerve racking to stand in a circle with so many great men but I am so grateful for it. I have a lot of emails to write but It was a great week. Dan is a great man and a friend and a new member of the church and God led us to him so his life could be changed my the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it has changed my life. He lives and I love him.

Love, Elder Braiden Clayburn
Elder Clayburn, Brother Scoville and Elder Thibaudeau


Missionary Moments:

Connie Plum was baptized on April 29th and Confirmed the next day. She has an amazing story.

Her daughter was baptized a couple years after marrying her husband who has always been a member.  From that point on Sister Plum was against the church.  Then after 30 years or so something miraculous happened.  She had a stroke.  Her children thought she was going to die so they sold her house along with all her belongings.  But being the fighter that she is she survived.  With nowhere to go, and in too good of health to be in an assisted living place she moved in with her daughter and her family.  A year ago the missionaries came and taught her for the first time.  Apparently it didn't go well.  She bashed with them about the trinity.  Fast Forward to about a month before her baptism.  It was my first lesson with her.  She had spent the past weekend watching general conference and loved it.  She was also reading the Book of Mormon.  She told us she wanted to be baptized and committed that night.  Each lesson after that she taught us.  We would give her a pamphlet or tell her what we would learn the next lesson and she would study.  She would then take 3 to 6 pages of notes on that subject and would teach us what she had learned.  Her heart went from hard to soft.  When you ask her what caused that change she said it was the Book of Mormon.  The Book of Mormon softened her heart and I know it can soften any heart that reads and studies it. 

I know the Book of Mormon is true.  I have seen the Book of Mormon change lives and families.  It has changed mine.   I know Christ lives.  He loves me and knows me.  He knows you too.  I know that there are more Connie Plums in the Washington Federal Way mission who are prepared and ready to accept the gospel.  It may take some time, but they are there.  We need to find them. 


- Elder Mason Cottrell
L to R: Elder Drake, Elder Cottrell, Brother Babbel, Sister Connie Plum, Elder Faulkner, Elder Pinckney


Missionary Moments:

  
 Sister Facer, Brother John Jorgenson and Sister Giles.
(Contributed by Sister Nydegger)
I just wanted to share a special baptism we attended last Saturday.  This is Sister Facer, Brother John Jorgenson and Sister Giles.  John is almost 90 years old.  After being taught by the missionaries about Jesus Christ, and after having several spiritual experiences he decided he wanted to be baptized!
At his baptism, a sister from the ward was giving a talk about the Holy Ghost and John added his testimony several times about how real the Holy Ghost is.  He has had several experiences with promptings from the Holy Ghost that he said are priceless and sacred.  I'm so thankful for worthy, obedient missionaries that serve as a conduit for the Holy Ghost to teach.  It's not the missionaries that convert...it's the Holy Ghost!  I'm thankful for the third member of the Godhead!




Auburn Zone - Day of Service!


Sis. Purvis, Sis. Nebeker, Sis. Arnold, Sis. Rigdon, Sis Gunner, Sis. Lambert, Elder Jeong, Elder Kidwell, Elder Andrew White, Elder Thibaudeau, Elder Ostberg, Elder Clayburn, Elder Christensen, Elder Delp, Elder Sirrine, Elder  Colton White.

Renton Zone - Service in the Rain!



Sis Jay and Sis. Ericson after giving service in the rain!  Sis Jay is in her socks!  They are working hard and doing a good job!  (Contributed by member Sister Carie Ramsey).




"Library time on P-Day"
Sister Giles, Sister Facer, Sister McCrae, Sister Gibson, Elder Cottrell and Elder Pinckney.

Missionaries Departing May 15, 2017:  Sister Kayla Hammond, Sister Elisa Huhem, Sister Emily Zavala, Elder Trevor Pratt, Elder Quarry Sanders, Elder Kevin Sirrine, Elder Trever Thurgood.   (Pictures will be posted after the departing picture at the Seattle Temple is taken - check the June 1 blog post).

Incoming Missionaries May 16, 2017: Sister Alixandria Golden, Sister Jocelyn Watts, Elder Riley Jensen, and Elder Logan Reichow.  Welcome to all of you!!  We are excited to work side by side with you in bringing souls to Christ.  We also want to welcome our new mission nurse - Sister Carolyn Ford-Trudo "Sister Trudo".  We look forward to getting to know her and we're excited to have her here to help us with our health.  (Pictures will be posted in the June blog).


New Missionary Training


L to R: Sister Rigdon, Sister Arnold, Sister Gibson and Sister McCrae  (President Layman in background)
                                               
L to R: Elder Huston, Elder Lloyd, Elder Payne, Elder Johnson, Elder Corbett, Elder Beckstead, Elder Jeong, Elder Ostberg

Renton Zone Meeting
 Elder Jensen, Elder Rudd and Sister Beck

Sister Ericson, Sister Jay.


 Elder Jensen, Elder Rudd

 They practiced teaching young children with these fun ideas.  Cups...built the pyramid as Christ's church when he was here and then knock it down to show the apostasy.  Plan of salvation pictures.  Papers on the floor...doctrine of Christ stepping stones back to God.  Well done, Sisters and Elders!




SNAKE!! 

"Sister Skousen and Sister Tippets were visiting a member in the Renton Stake and as we were leaving he said it was a tradition for missionaries who came to their house to hold his pet.  And we said okay.  Next thing we know, we both got to hold an 18 pound boa constrictor!  CRAZY!  Sister Tippets was terrified!"



















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