Plan of Salvation

Dear Friends and Family,

This week was much of the same with the missionary work. On Wednesday, we went down to Murray for our weekly district meeting. We then went to a restaurant named Cook Out as a district. I went on exchanges with Elder Adams, the district leader. We had dinner that night at a members house, I helped get their email on their tablets because their computer was out of whack and I don't have time for that type of work. It appears that I shouldn't have let the Branch know about my tech skills ... LOL, but it is all good.

Another member picked us up and we visited some less actives and one investigator that night. The next day, Thursday, we worked in Benton (KY) all day. We taught many lessons, strangely all the lesson were plan of salvation, but I didn't mind because that is my favorite lesson. On Friday we went back down to Murray to do exchanges with other missionaries. We did our weekly planning in Murray. We are struggling on allocated miles again, yeah! Murray is too far!

On Saturday we worked in Calvert City, we ran into two less actives, crazy. We helped an investigator, an old lady, move stuff from one room to another, she may be a hoarder. This week was tough, but are numbers were good so ...

I have been reading 2 Nephi, Isaiah Chapters. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints truly is the ensign to the world.

26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble among them. @ Nephi 15

Love,

Elder Garrett Blazzard

Service, Sickness, and Success

Dear Family and Friends,

I forgot to tell you p-day moved to Tuesday this week because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Elder Nez, my first trainer, is now the Zone Leader (ZL) of the Paducah Zone and he attended our District Meeting (DM). It is always good to see him.  It is funny that both of my trainers are now ZLs. Elder Ashton is the new ZL of the Hop-Town Zone.  , it is always good to see him. It is funny both my trainers are ZL's now, Elder Ashton is the new ZL of the Hop-Town Zone.

So this week was tough, on Wednesday after District Meeting (DM) we tracted a township called Fairdealings which is near Aurora. Elder Nimmer was feeling off. It was a long two hours of tracting. We got home and a member brought us pizza. We ate that and then got picked up to go to basketball at the church because we had five investigators who came out to play. It was great to have so many young men there, because usually there are just two. We dropped off the boys then headed back to Draffenville. We stopped at a church on the way back to conduct some business. Elder Nimmer by this point was feeling very sick. At that church he stepped out and threw up right on the spot. Sister S. called her doctor husband. They took us home and Brother S. got out the good medicine and gave Elder Nimmer a shot of whatever in the bum. He had a rough night.  I am glad that Sister and Brother S. took good care of us.

On Sunday we had three investigators at church and two less actives, it was awesome. That morning I called a guy I meet last Sunday after church, at a gas station waiting for a ride. The guy said he would come and he did, it was great. Yesterday we were working in Grand Rivers, we had a couple of less actives, new investigators, and potentials to visit. Some Investigators moved into our area and their records were send to us about 3-4 weeks ago, we tried the house a couple of times before but no luck. Yesterday we tried this house again, we heard music and we're excited because someone was home. We knocked and there was no response.  We knocked again and agin, no response. We walked away and at the bottom of the drive way we were studying the map on how to get to the next person. We started walking when from behind us a woman yells, "Did you just knock," we were like yes and we started walking back toward her. I said, "Are you the (their name) family." That is when she knew we were missionaries. We talked and we came to find out they were about to get baptized in their last area but it didn't happen. So with that visit we set a new baptism date. Yeah! What is even more crazy is she and her husband decided the night before to try and get back in contact with the missionaries.

With every set back, I see opportunities to come back even more dedicated, the trick is to have the courage to gab them when they swing around....

P.S. Sick days can make you lazy, get back on the horse.

I have this scripture tagged under publish peace... Duh.

40 And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! (3 Nephi 20)
Publish Peace

Love,

Elder Blazzard

Technical Service

Dear friends and family,

     This week the weather was super cold. I am talking around -6 with the wind chill factor. On Tuesday we worked in Grand Rivers, then had dinner with a member, her nonmember husband, and her baptist friend. It was fun...she is the best. Wednesday was the coldest day this week and we tried to fill that day with less active visits. There are about two hundred less actives in this area. On Thursday, we had interviews with the mission president, and I played the piano for district meeting while the president and his assistants were there. Thanks for the simplified hymn book. It has been a life saver.

     We are teaching this couple with a kid and they asked for a blessing because they had some scary stuff happen to them. We went over and did the blessing...at the end they asked if we could give a blessing to their daughter who is one years old. We said we could, and during the blessing the little baby girl, who was sitting in her dad's lap, folded her arms and bowed her head during the whole blessing. This made the grandma (member) and the mother cry. On Friday, we had zone meeting and the assistants were in attendance. The meeting focused on reducing the clutter in our area books. One other thing I really got from it was doing the work (like tracting) even when it gets really hard...to just keep going because that means some huge miracle is about to happen. It happens ever time - I can attest to this because I've seen it time and time again. It is just like repairing a computer. It seems that the last thing you try fixes it, so don't stop trying until it is fixed ;).

     Later that day I was in Calvert City tracting. One house made me imagine that we were going to be kidnapped and our experience  made into a movie...that was the house that let us in and we taught the first lesson. In Calvert there are a lot of chemical factories that make weird stuff. One factory has a stack with flames shooting out of it because it is burning the waste. That stack makes a loud hum that you can hear and feel. It is a bit eerie. Sunday was branch conference and the branch is focusing on family history, missionary work, and bringing back the inactives. We were at a part member's house and we wanted to show them a Mormon message. Well, I asked if I could show it on their 80" flat screen. They were like, sure, but then I asked if it could connect to the internet...seeing the Sony player and knowing it already could, but I didn't want to touch their stuff without permission. They didn't know and only knew they had a blue ray player. So...I was like, yes, it can and do you have wifi? Again they didn't know, so I pulled out my iPad and checked...they did. So,I connected the TV to the wireless router using the "out of the box" password on the bottom of the router. After getting that setup,I got the Sony up in less then 5 minutes. I got the YouTube app up and running, and the video going...the whole process taking about 10 mins. We watched the video and they were amazed at what their TV could do!

     Scripture of the week:  And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness. 1 Nephi 17:3 http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/17?

Love, Elder Blazzard

A New Year - Benton/Calvert City, Kentucky

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week I was responsible for the work in the Calvert City area. My new companion is Elder Nimmer (Elder Ammon Nimmer's sister plays for BYU Soccer). The work has been more difficult for me because I am the one they look to for all the answers, but I survived my first week.

On New Year's Day, I set up the projector and audio equipment for our movie session, which for some reason gave me a huge stress release. It was a great stress reliever because I was able to do something that I am really good at. At a member's home, they just installed a WiFi point and a Roku.  I helped them set it all up because they had no clue what they were doing. I finished their WiFi access and administration, updated the devices, and set up an account for them on the Roku. They were pleased with my service. I placed the Mormon channel on their Roku and showed them some awesome videos before we left.

The area branch is trying to help me transition from following Elder Ashton around to being the missionary they go to. I think I am doing a good job, I have to speak a lot in Branch Council meeting. I am glad I have this opportunity to grow with my speaking skills. Now I just need to work on writing better emails.

Love you all, and here is a good scripture to read.

Galatians 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering,gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Love,
Elder Blazzard