Week 85--Evanston, WY

This week has been great! I feel my time in Evanston is drawing to a close. It has been amazing though. We found many new investigators this week including a family of four who has accepted the commitment to be baptized late February. They are very prepared. I am learning more tips and tricks to missionary work. One is the importance of not holding on to investigators that aren't ready. Once we figure out they aren't ready it is easy with the iPads to leave a note for future missionaries to stop by and check up on them. God always provides more people to teach it seems. 

One event that happened was my companion changed my password Saturday night. Sunday morning I tried to get in and it wouldn't work. With the iPads if you try 9 times and it fails the iPad completely shuts down and wipes the memory clean. So all pictures, notes, and everything else you saved is no longer there. I tried a few times to open it and my companion must of typed the password in wrong because it wasn't the one he though it was. Anyways, the iPad shutdown and wiped all of my memory. We were giving talks in one of our wards and my talk was on the iPad. So Sunday morning I rewrote my talk. Elder Fallin felt pretty bad. Everything was saved on iCloud so it's ok.

We also had a lesson with Bruce this week. Bruce is someone I've been working with the entire time that I've been here. We thought going into the lesson on Saturday that he would commit. After we talked for a little bit, he told us that his best friend has died the day before. He also told us that one of his wife's relatives had died and there was a funeral being held in CA. At that point we had given up hope of him getting baptized before transfers on Feb 2nd. We read Alma chapter 40 with him and had a discussion about some of the verses. We eventually were talking about being cremated. We invited Bruce the lesson before and others. He said that he would be going to both funerals the coming week. As a side comment at the end, he said, " and I'm going to try to do it before you leave, I find out the funeral time on Monday for my friend." I was super excited. Written, the words he said don't sound very convincing but Bruce is a country guy which when he says he'll try it actually means he'll do it. It will be a very good ending climax. The closing of the first presidency message in the beginning of PMG says, "More happiness awaits you than you have ever before experienced as you labor among his children." It really is true. Driving home that night from Bruce's lesson, the sky was dark and gloomy, snow was falling in big clumps everywhere, and the roads were snow covered and terrible, yet my heart was filled with more joy than I had ever before experienced and a love for God.

Also the zone will baptize more than it has in recorded history of the mission for the month of January. 

Love y’all!

Week 84--Evanston, WY

Carson and Taryn's baptism

It was a good week. Carsen and Taryn got baptized! I am super happy for them. 20 minutes before the baptism, we had to move into the chapel because so many people came to support them. Their cousins came to the baptism and we are now going to start to work with them. Also, some of the youth that we have been working with brought friends to the baptism. It was all in all a wonderful experience. Their mom and dad were in tears. It was very memorable for me. The rest of the day we were on a spiritual high.

Before February 2nd(transfer day), we are hoping to have one more baptism. His name is Bruce. He is still in the process of making the decision to get baptized. Keep him in your prayers. It is someone that I have been working with the entire time that I have been here. I have loved Evanston. I love the families here. I will be sad to leave if I go. I absolutely love Evanston. 

-Elder Bass

Week 83--Evanston, WY

Sandy's baptism (Sandy is the one in the middle left)

We weren't able to get in much contact with Sandy until Thursday when we stopped by his house. It was a miracle lesson and Sandy decided to get baptized this past Saturday. It was a great experience. Bishop gave his confirmation blessing. The words he used were,"I bless you with a desire to serve a mission." Chills went through my body. He would be a good missionary.

I am super excited for this coming weekend. Sunday night is scheduled for Carsen and Taryn's baptism. They are some my favorite people that I have worked with. The parents are returning back to activity and the kids are in high school and middle school. They are a prominent family in the Almy area. I love them so much. They are so funny.

-Elder Bass

Week 82--Evanston, WY

This week was a little bit of a harder week. We recently went through some MLS lists from the clerk. There seems to be a bit of potential on there so hopefully we can meet and teach some of these people! We were hoping many people would be home for the holidays but everyone seems to drive to Utah or somewhere for them instead of staying here.

We had interviews with President this week which was great! I am so happy I get to keep my mission president for my whole mission. I lovehim! He is such a kind and loving man. A good model for where I want to be someday.

Solan was baptized this week! He is a 9-year old boy whose family is full of recent converts and they hadn't been to church in a while and then we found their family with one of their kids who wasn't baptized! They have like 8 kids total.

Sandy was supposed to be baptized as well but we texted him like 30 minutes before to make sure he didn't need a ride or anything and he texted us back and said he was in Utah! We called everyone and cancelled trying to reschedule it later in the day, but the guy who would be baptizing him went out of town. So then we cancelled everything again and are trying for this coming Saturday! We are going to sit down with him this week and figure out what's going on.

We have a few good lessons set up for tonight so hopefully they go well. We may start teaching a new family tonight and also set a baptismal date for someone I've been working with the entire time I've been in Evanston! I'm super excited!

I started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning recently and I have once again really appreciated the story of Nephi and his quest for the plates. The thing that stuck out to me most this time was the realization that Nephi and his brothers weren't much different up until they left. I believe that it shows that at some point in our lives there will be something hard and crazy that will happen that will force us to choose follow God and leave behind the world or to follow the world and leave behind God. Surely you can only have your feet in both worlds for so long before they come crashing together and you have to make a decision. I pray that each of us (myself included) will have the faith to make this decision long before we have to!

Love you all and hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!

-Elder Bass