947b5232-77bd-4812-b70c-8f57073ccf21 Hanna Haviland Back to Missionary Letters Kumusta my dear friends, Today has been a very exciting day here at the MTC. All of the missionaries are very excited about the changes in the communication guidelines for missionaries. all in all I don't think that I have seen so many smiling faces on the MTC campus during my time here. Especially in our zone. The three districts that came in the same day that I did are anxiously awaiting our flight plans because, drum roll please, WE ONLY HAVE 10 DAYS LEFT IN THE MTC )insert correctly facing direction ) as well as 10 exclamation points because the key board I am using is kinda special and many of the keys are switched around....in case you were wondering, yes, it does make typing more difficult) I am still loving it here at the MTC and the language is still coming. Tuesday we were blessed to hear from another apostle. Elder Soares came and spoke to us about, you guessed it, obedience. But it was such an amazing talk. I am so grateful for all of the blessings we are promised if we are obedient to the commandments of our God. We actually had kind of a fun experience teaching this week. After teaching a lesson, Sister Stoker and I were having an evaluation with out teacher about how the lesson went. One of the first things that he said was that our Tagalog was magaling, in other words, our Tagalog was great. I kinda just looked at him for a second and then had to double check and make sure that I had heard him right because, well, I am fully aware that my Tagalog is less than ok, and then he and Sister Stoker just started laughing at me. Brother Lieshman, our teacher, then corrected himself and said that maybe it wasn't as great as he had originally thought because he likes to joke around...at least I hope. This week we also did an exercise where we were supposed to teach about what faith is in English and then teach it again in Tagalog. Can I just say that teaching in English was not only weird, but it was hard. I felt like I couldn't get all of the thoughts out that I wanted to say, how backwards is that. But I loved how teaching in Tagalog forced me to teach it more simply. Family and Friends I am so very thankful for the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon that teaches that doctrine so clearly. EMAIL PAUSE BECAUSE I JUST RECEIVED FLIGHT PLANS. that is all, I got excited. Any ways, after we had the experience teaching about faith we were able to do a gospel study about repentance. I read the scripture 2 Nephi chapter 26 verses 24 and 27. (ten out of ten would recommend reading) so much joy filled my heart in that moment and my desire to the truth of this gospel increased dramatically. My friends, the Savior always has his hands reaching out towards us. He is always inviting us to come unto Him and to find peace and joy through his atoning sacrifice. In other exciting news, this Wednesday we hit our one month mark. Which is so weird because I feel like I have only been here for a couple days. but I am so excited to be heading out so soon. That is all for this week. I hope that this upcoming week you are able to see the hand of the lord in every day. I love you and am so grateful for your support. -Sister Haviland P.S. The email for all of the missionaries has changed this week. even with this change we have been told that our mail should be forwarded to our new email throughout the duration of our mission. My new email is hanna.haviland@ missionary.org Previous Letter Next Letter

71cecf40-4419-4df6-86c4-8fdc9f91176d Elder Toone Back to Missionary Letters This week we did some service and I got to use a sickle and hack up a yard with billions of weeds. That was fun. We had a lesson with Bruce and invited him and his girlfriend to church! We went over early to their house before church and made sure they were ready to go. Bruce didn't answer and we got scared he wasn't going to wake up. He called us right after and said he was actually in the shower getting ready. We got hyped and they both came to church and heard a phenomenal fast and testimony meeting! They loved it. Bruce said he has nothing against being baptized and now that he is showing good interest and coming to church he will be on date very soon! We also met Two Feathers, this Indian guy at an RV park. He gave us a zucchini and now we are teaching him the lessons! I know the church is true. I can't express what my mission has meant to me. It's changed my life forever. I love Jesus! I'll be home next week probably. Excited to see everyone but I'm gonna miss the full time work I will see you all later! Love you! Previous Letter Next Letter

808b0274-d945-41ec-a922-5618301a5b70 Elder Jaeger Lee Back to Missionary Letters 久しぶり！ Hi Everyone, sorry for sending so many emails. I'll try to tone it down a little. Anyway, I believe my last email was about my earthquake experience whilst on the toilet. I haven't had anything like that happen recently which is unfortunate, but I'm still doing good nonetheless. I was transferred after 3 transfers in Hibarigaoka to a place called Takao. It's technically part of a bigger city, and we just get the mountain part of it. It's quite beautiful. Since my last email I have had 3 more companions. Elder Dingle (Philippines), Elder Souza (Brazil), and now Elder McMillan from Utah. I'm guessing that this area will probably be my last. I have under 4 months left though, so who knows what can happen. I'm looking forward to seeing how this area plays out. Don't wanna bore you guys too much, so I'll end the email here. Mon 4/29/2024 1:42 AM Hi Everyone, sorry for sending so many emails. I'll try to tone it down a little. Anyway, I believe my last email was about my earthquake experience whilst on the toilet. I haven't had anything like that happen recently which is unfortunate, but I'm still doing good nonetheless. I was transferred after 3 transfers in Hibarigaoka to a place called Takao. It's technically part of a bigger city, and we just get the mountain part of it. It's quite beautiful. Since my last email I have had 3 more companions. Elder Dingle (Philippines), Elder Souza (Brazil), and now Elder McMillan from Utah. I'm guessing that this area will probably be my last. I have under 4 months left though, so who knows what can happen. I'm looking forward to seeing how this area plays out. Don't wanna bore you guys too much, so I'll end the email here. Here's my pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rMifwWVf62EWjwaL8https://photos.app.goo.gl/rMifwWVf62EWjwaL8 Previous Letter Next Letter

6e51fa30-8709-4844-addd-bc5124c0fd1a Elder Jaxon Snarr Back to Missionary Letters Week 102: The End, Two Year Mark, Final Goodbyes, Plane Ride Hey everybody! This is the last one! Tuesday - playing some spikeball Wednesday - we did personal study and then we had district Council! We had lunch then we did companionship study! We visited some people and had dinner! Then we did Facebook work ! Thursday - we did our studies and had lunch! We did weekly planning and had dinner! Then we stopped by some people! Friday - im on an exchange with Elder Henderson! we did our studies and visited some people! We prepped some names for the blitz! We had dinner and did our exchange review! Saturday - my two year mark!! We had apartment Inspections! We did our studies and had lunch! Then we had mini exchange with the zone leaders! We had dinner and visited the Torres family Sunday - we did our studies and I got to speak in church! We taught some named Santos! We went to dinner and stopped by some people! Monday - we went around and said some goodbyes! Tuesday - hanging at the church and playing spikeball Wednesday - riding the transfer bus, dinner with President and other missionaries! And my final interview Thursday - going to the temple and getting on my flight home I love you all! I know that God answers prayers, God loves us, and Christ died for us! Previous Letter Next Letter

d631ed93-39c2-49c8-a37b-076dd2dc32c2 Elder Booker Wakefield Back to Missionary Letters No es changa It has been a great slow and busy week here in Fray Bentos. Which is good because time was moving to fast in Oregon, and I need to most out of these last 7 months. When I first got here I could hardly understand any Spanish that I was hearing and it sucked🤣 but!! I can understand people now and talk enough to get my point across haha. I feel like I've come so far then I remember it's my first week. We've had milanesa almost everyday since I've been in Uruguay. Which is good cause it's way good! It's basically either chicken or beef flattened out, breaded and baked. So a giant chicken nugget. Then mayo the Uruguayans love mayo, it's insane. When we were doing Facebook we saw this gigantic spider, we tried to take a picture but it bolted and is currently hiding in my comps desk, so that's fun. We've had 12 lessons this week which is nuts compared to Oregon where lessons were pretty rare. I was reading Moroni 6:4 in Spanish the other day where it calls the Savior "the author and finisher of our faith." But in Spanish it is "el autor y perfeccionador de su fe." This little difference is so cool, through Him our faith can be made perfect! Anyway super short but a super cool distinction between the two languages! Have a faithfilled week! Love Elder Wakefield Previous Letter Next Letter

c30e07fe-3973-4c78-9571-e1b0af16194a Elder Booker Wakefielk Back to Missionary Letters First week in Salto Well our phone finally started working on Saturday. We had a few lessons drop because the streets are so messed up and we couldn't call them to find them😪. But we found a few and had some fun lessons. Elder Hopkins doesnt understand hardly any Uruguayo Spanish, but he speaks really well so I will translate for him sometimes then he can teach jaja. We took 1 whole photo since last pday so yeah. Our bishop is a police officer and he laid out all the areas where we can't be at night(like half of our area) and said to keep your phone in your pocket as much as possible. So that's been fun, we're in a pretty poor area here but the people are really humble and want to learn, it's been different than any area in my mission. I studied an awesome BYU devotional called, "Putting off the Natural man and becoming Saints." It's by Elder Cook and I love it! He relates a story about 2 horses he bought, Bob and Stubby. Bob was super friendly and stubby not so much. But after riding him for years he became a good horse and changed for the better, and how we need to be meekand to change. He tells is a LOT better than I just did so go read his talk. Have a great week!! Previous Letter Next Letter

7a18b778-c539-43cf-bec7-c828d7cb05cf Elder Jaxon Sna Back to Missionary Letters Recaps, Wrecks, Transfers Week 30: Hello everybody! I love you all! I hope your week was awesome! I pray for you all! I am staying in Lander for a but longer! Week 29 Recap is down below! Tuesday- We went to some awesome pioneer sights! Wednesday- We had a meeting with all our zone! We did some service and met with some members! Thursday- We had our studies and then did service for Tom Watkins! We had a weekly planning session! Area calls with the zone leaders! We had great burgers at the Stigers! Friday- We had a mission wide devotional! We filmed some videos and helped some people move! Saturday- we had our studies and then lunch! We called the family and worked on facebook! We are seeing some success! We got a new Elder that was serving in Fiji Sunday- We had a great sacrament! We had some lessons with people from Facebook! I love Sunday! Monday- our studies and then we had Lunch and companionship study with the Zone leaders! We had two more lessons! Tuesday- Basketball and card games! James 1:5 Thank you guys for everything you do! ! love you all! Previous Letter Next Letter

dabfd6b9-1a72-4b9d-aadc-6acb60144b03 Elder Hayden Johnson Back to Missionary Letters The Power of the Book of Mormon Gonna be a quicker weekly email due to the District on Rarotonga wanting to bike around the whole island on electric bikes. 😂🏝️ In this email I could share about all the days and events that have taken place, but I will leave most of that for my journal. Today I want to testify of The Book of Mormon and share some awesome experiences that come from the power within these pages. Recently in preparation for the April General Conference I have been studying heaps about the Restoration, Joseph Smith, and The Book of Mormon. The more and more I read everyday from the Book of Mormon, the more I understand its contents and am thankful to have in these Latter Days. I began to study Chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel to find other ways I can share this love of The Book of Mormon with others as I am tracting. The first cool event that happened was during an exchange with one of the Elders in my district. We were in His area and scheduled to visit a man they have been teaching for a long time named Simran. Now Simran comes to church and seems to love the church, but the Elders have always been curious if he actually understands what they are teaching. It makes it hard to teach him due to his wife (who is a returning member) that loves to talk. So during this lesson we felt prompted to read from the Book of Mormon. Moroni chapter 10 to discuss receiving answers to questions. During the lesson we went slow, we asked Simran if he believed in The Book of Mormon... He paused then immediately began flipping through the pages of The Book of Mormon and turned to 2 Nephi 29. Simran began reading these verses '3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible. 4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles? 5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.' He then said that he use to believe in just the Bible like many others, but then through prayer he has come to know that God has spoken to others in the Americas as well, that God has not stopped speaking to His people. That the Book of Mormon is true....... My jaw just about hit the floor. My heart was full of love and awe for this man. The other experience was on another exchange during a couple hours of Door Knocking and contacting people. My companion for the day felt pressed to go knock on a house I have already contacted a couple of times without them being interested, but this time another man came out that I have not met before. He talked about religion and how he was the only one in his family that didn't go to any church and didn't believe in God too much. He discussed about faith and how it had a different meaning to him than to others. Thankfully I was holding the Book of Mormon in my hand so I felt impressed to open to Alma 32:21. I gave him the book and asked him to read it out loud. '21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.' My companion and I shared testimony of faith. That we were both young and didn't know everything, but we have gained a spiritual witness of the truth of who God is and that our Heavenly Father loves us. That for himself he could also gain faith and gain all the joy and happiness that comes from following God. He told us that he had never read anything like that before and it made sense to him. He wanted us to come back next week to teach him more about Faith and who God is. Well I love this mission and I am still so blessed that the Lord has allowed me to stay here in the Cook Islands another couple transfers! The members and people that live here have such a different lifestyle than back in America, it makes me grateful that the gospel if for all the people around the world. Hope you all have an amazing week! Ka Kite -Orometua Johnson Previous Letter Next Letter

3ede0df5-90fc-45d3-9154-378450032aa1 Sister Alyson Cook Back to Missionary Letters The work will go on Hello everyone! My goal is to keep this short, so wish me luck. We are continuing to be quarantined until further notice, but this wasn't anything that we didn't expect. But we are continuing to be shown time and time again that the Lord knows what he's doing! Some miracles I've seen throughout the week; - We don't have enough time in the day. We have to be aware of every minute of time because everyday is filled to the brim! -Ariana is continuing to progress amazingly! It's so cool to be able to witness the gospel change her life right in front of my very eyes - Tons of missionaries from this ward have returned home due to Corona, and we have someone who has just been a stellar missionary! He requested 5 Book of Mormons already to give to his friends. Will update you on that! -Sister Rosenbeck and I have been praying to receive revelation for our areas worm, and everyday we've been able to pinpoint moments where we were lead by the Spirit in what we need to do! - So many lessons! I don't know if it's that my other two areas were slower, but quarantine seems to have increased the amount of lessons we are teaching to people. We're so busy! I'd like to share a scripture that I read this week. It's been on my mind a lot lately. It's from the Book of Mormon (Alma 17:10) and it's talking about the sons of King Mosiah and Alma the younger preparing to go to the Lamonites, or unbelievers to share the Gospel to them. The verse says "And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted." The next chapters go on to share about their mission over the next 14 years. They were cast into prison, they starved, they were beaten, and many many other trials. At the end of this story, they were bring 7 Lamonites cities to the knowledge of Christ, which is amazing! But that wasnt for a long time. I'm sure that in the middle of their trials I'm sure that they thought "why the heck am I doing this?" Many times. But the Lord, in all His goodness, knew exactly what they were going to go through beforehand. To prepare them and give them assurance that that was truly the right direction, before they ever set out he visited them with His spirit and gave them peace. So when they would be going through it, they would be able to recall that experience and know with assurity why they are there and that God is with them. That's a truth that can be applied to lots of different situations, so I invite you to read that chapter (Alma 17) and ponder how the Lord gave you peace before the trial. I love you all! Thank you for being in my life :) Sister Cook Previous Letter Next Letter

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