Week 105--Murray, UT

Hey Everyone!

This last week of mission was probably one of my hardest of my life. 

One tender mercy that I found out yesterday was one person that we previously taught named Melanie was baptized on the island of Antigua. I am very excited for her. She will be a very influential member.

I will miss my current companion Elder Archer. He's like a brother and one of my best friends.

I am now returning home Tuesday morning. I have loved the experience of my mission. Never before have I been so utterly exposed. Many of my weaknesses and shortcomings were made very apparent to me each manifesting themselves at different times during my mission. Before my mission, I previously thought of myself as self-sufficient and able to take care of myself and that I would be quite capable of doing the Lord's work. I thought I had a thorough knowledge of the gospel and that I would be fine facing rejection and the regular toils of missionary life. The reality that none of these things were true shook me quite a bit. 

The lessons and the experiences that God has used to teach me through the course of my mission have truly changed me forever. I now know that I can't be truly self-sufficient and that I need to look unto him in every thought and word. 

My mission has taught me how much I don't know and has given me a desire to learn of God's ways. My vision for my life has changed drastically and God has raised my previous personal vision immensely. I have gained much more depth in my understanding of the Savior and feel much more of a profound love for Him. I know that God is real; that He is aware of our circumstances. I know Jesus Christ lives; that He performed a perfect Atonement to save all mankind. I know that there is no way to be reconciled to God except in and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ which Christ and prophets since the beginning have testified of. As any person young or old, bond or free, black or white, learned unlearned and so on, sincerely and with full purpose of heart hearkens to the precepts of the gospel that man or woman will be saved. They will receive all good things and progression available and will experience joy beyond what our body is even capable of feeling in its fallen state. 

I love you all.

Week 104--Murray, Utah

The week was good. It was hard.... But good. We taught a bunch of
lessons this week and stayed super busy. One of the dinners we went to
had like 5 newly wed couples who had just gotten married not to long
ago. I guess it is a good foreshadowing to my next phase in life...
Courting.

It is interesting how some people you think are solid really aren't
and vice versa. TJ and Janelle were a couple that we didn't think
would work at all. He seemed interested but he has a lot of WoW
problems. They aren't married and she is married to someone else. The
first lesson the wife wouldn't even sit in. We started teaching the
boyfriend TJ. He was surprisingly really receptive. We invited him
to be baptized. He accepted. We said, "You know you're going to have
to give up all of your cigarettes, alcohol and weed right?" He said,"Yeah I know." We started trying to use some of the resources we have
in divorce. The girlfriend was super interested in this. We had a
lesson with one of the guys who helps us with divorce and they got it
all set up. She has since taken interest in the lessons.

It is very weird going home in a week. Very unreal. A lot has shifted
in my wants and desires.  A lot of my perspective has changed
immensely. I have had priceless experiences and trials and challenges.
I have come to know the Savior much more and have felt of his love and
power.

Also Oleg was baptized.

Love y'all bye!

God promised that he would tell me a field i could go into at the end of my mission. God sent many many coincidences my way notifying to me that i could go into the field of law. I saw the word lawyer everywhere. I started to connect the dots with my past that i would in fact be prepared with the study of latin and drama. Calculus and physics aided me with logic. A drunk guy said that he thought i was a pre-law student. Just a lot of little coincidences like that. All of these things were just confirming witnesses of my original answer. I saw that it was coming to the end of my mission so i prayed and asked God to tell me which career he was referring to. I had lunch with Bro. Wooley and he told me that he had studied the field of engineering and then when he graduated he realized that he didnt like the job. He decided to be a lawyer and he knew thats what he wanted to do. The spirit told me that that was the career that i could do. I hope to go to law school.

Departing Testimony

From June 2016 Mission Newsletter:

Week 103--Murray, UT

Hey Everyone!

Its been a pretty good week. Elder Archer and I have been pretty sick for most all of it. We are getting better though. Also the members take good care of us. 

A few days ago I had a good experience. We were just going through our plans and seeing a lot of rejection with everyone, but still pushing along. I got a prompting to go to this house that is off the road a little bit. I ignored the prompting a few times then decided to follow. Anyways we went down to the house. The lady opened the door. It turns out it was an active widow in one of our wards. Her son in law was currently there fixing something for her. We shared a message and a prayer with her. She was beaming and laughing the entire time we were there. I thought about the experience and wondered why God had prompted us to see her. We are ministers of the everlasting gospel sent to preach the first principles and ordinances of it. Typically it is those who are less active or nonmember. I realized that at that time He needed someone who would answer the call to visit a widow. Salvation is salvation. This experience gave me some foresight on a little bit of what my role will be after I return home. God will still need me to do much of the same things and it will be just as important and similar as my role now.

It's hard to press forward at the end. Thanks for the emails!

Love Y'all

Week 102--Murray, UT

This week was good. This will probably be pretty short today because I'm feeling pretty sick. I think I ate too many tacos last night....

We picked up a few new investigators. We have taught a lot of Muslims this week. It is pretty interesting. They believe in Jesus Christ as a prophet but not the Son of God. Their doctrine is very similar to ours except the absence of a few fundamental truths. My studies this week will probably be trying to figure out a way to present the doctrine in a way they will be enticed and motivated to find the truth.

The office ladies came up to me and said that apparently the iPad's have to be bought. Sorry about that. I didn't realize that we had to buy them. Y'all can have it. It's in really good condition.

Love y'all

I made crepes this week

Week 101--Murray, UT

Hey Everyone

This week was great! I have about a month left. 

Nothing too significant happened in teaching this week. We picked up a few new investigators. One is a black guy from Mississippi. He actually played in the NFL a little bit. He has concerns with blacks and the priesthood which we are trying to resolve. The Spirit really helped us in the lesson. He does have sincere desire to learn and know. We are excited for him to receive an answer to be baptized.

A few other investigators that we picked up: One is from Iraq. His name is Abbas. Another is from Venezuela. They are a couple that are going to get married at the end of the month. Abbas said that he is Muslim by birth but he said,”I eat pork. I love pork." He believes in God. He has read some of the Book of Mormon. We challenged him to pray about it. Carla, his Fiance, is also very open and friendly.

Time on the mission is coming to an end. I know now more than ever before the goodness of God and His mercy and longsuffering towards us. He anxiously awaits us to repent and come to know more happiness and also know him better.

Love y’all

Week 100--Murray, UT

The past few weeks have been good. It is somewhat scary that things are drawing to a close. I reflect often about the experiences I've had and if I have lived up to my potential. It is a scary question to ask at the end of your mission. The question: Did I fulfill my purpose?

Elder Archer and I have grown to love a man named Garrett. He is the father in a family of 4. They have two young children. His wife is a fireball with the gospel. We started teaching them a few weeks ago. We came over initially and talked about his BBQing abilities(he is ranked in the nation!). He invited us to try some so we ate dinner with him. He was very standoffish at first but eventually opened up. He agreed to be baptized last weekend. It was one of my favorite services on my mission. 

We recently started teaching a man from Moldova. He is a funny guy. He just showed up to a church and asked for a Book of Mormon on a Wednesday night. He later explained that when he first moved here he had the impression to come to church but he never did. 8 years later he got the impression to go again and this time he did. It really is a testament of the reality of God preparing souls.

It was fun to talk to everyone! Happy Mothers day Mom!

Love y'all

Elder Bass

Garrett's baptism!!

Cowboy with chins!

 Skyping with Alex: