January Days

Dear Family and Friends,

It was a fun week and has been a great new year. Missionary work was good this week because we taught a lot of lessons and worked with the members as they helped us with the appointments. The work is easier and more enjoyable when we are busy. Nothing too exciting happened this week, I went on exchanges with Elder Denhalter and the exchange went very well, we talked to a church of God minister. He was open and very nice. We gave him the Book of Mormon to read. That night we had a lesson with a less active and his wife was not to happy we were there because she was sighing and shaking here head the whole time we where there, I guess it is pay back for me sighing so much. I hope y'all have a good week.

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Love,

Elder Blazzard

More time in Goodlettsville

Dear Family and Friends,

It was a fun week. Elder Maxwell and I are staying in Goodlettsville for a third transfer. We had our last district meeting of the transfer this week and it went well. Elder Nez (trainer) is coming to serve in Madison and so we will serve in the same ward. That will be cool. Elder Nimmer is coming to the White House area which is not in my district, however, he has church at the same building as us. It will be fun to see them again. We taught a lot of people this week and invited seven people to be baptized.

There is a lot of nice people here. Hope all is well, keep truckin'.

7 For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world--a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
8 I came unto mine own, and mine own received me not; but unto as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life. (D&C 45)

Love Y'all,

Elder Blazzard

New Mission President Called for Tennessee Nashville Mission
Jared W. Stone from San Francisco California

A New Year

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was fun and different given the holidays.  We worked at the Bishop Storehouse on Tuesday but the work was fairly slow so we did some cleaning. We had a good lesson with one of our investigators. We invited her to be baptized yet again :-). The discussion went well and we had a strong, kneeling prayer at the end. On Wednesday, we were pretty busy as we had some scheduled service and then we went tracting. We met a nice lady and then that night had a better lesson with a family with whom we are working.

On Thursday, we had interviews with the president and then we went to Olive Garden :-) and that took the day since we were required to be in our apartment by six because of New Year's Eve. On New Years, we watched the movies Cars, Inside Out, Minions, and The Best Two Years. It was fun. The Best Two Years was sad when Elder Rogers went home. On Saturday, we did some scheduled service, then a member took us out on visits where we obtained a wheelchair for a recent convert. We had a great lesson with a new investigator where we are helping him understand the priesthood of god or the authority to act in God's name. On Sunday, our church meeting time was switched to nine.

I had a good, fun week, but I am ready to get back to normal missionary work.

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2)

Love,

Elder Blazzard

Christmas Week

Dear Family and Friends,

I had a great Christmas. We served at the Bishop's storehouse and it was busy. I filled a lot of walk-in orders. We had Hawaiian haystacks for lunch. On Wednesday, we had district meeting and we went to Subway for lunch because we received gift cards from the stake president. After lunch a member took us to Joelton and Ashland City. It was fun, after dinner the tornado sirens started to go off so we had to stay inside. On Thursday, Christmas Eve we knocked a lot of doors and a nice family had us over for Christmas Eve dinner.  It was good and we had a fun time. Skyping was fun. Talking with my brothers, Packer and Brock was great ... just a little mission rivalry. We had lunch/dinner at the temple president's house and the food was more southern style and good. We weekly planned that day and my companion Skyped with his family at 7pm. On Saturday we had a great lesson, it was fun and spiritual. Church was good Sunday. Happy new year, this year went by to fast. Be happy and Fear not.

4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. (Isaiah 35)

Love,

Elder Blazzard

Christmas Week of Work

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was good for the work and we accomplished a lot. We worked at the Bishop's Storehouse as it is very busy with Christmas and will be doing more this week as they are pretty busy. On Wednesday, we had district meeting and I went on exchanges with Elder Stange and then we switched back on Thursday after grabbing some lunch together. We were super busy Friday and Saturday. We had a lot of lessons and it was fun.  We received a lot of dinner invites this week. The work is good and I love this season so I am happy. I am excited to see you Friday via Skype. I should be able to talk to you at 12:00 p.m. It was the Christmas program last Sunday it was really good.

Love y'all, Merry Christmas.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Love,

Elder Blazzard

Christmas Time in Nashville

Dear Family and Friends,

It is Christmas time, but it doesn't feel like it.  The weather is still warm and I am wearing short sleeve shirts. This week was busy. We had the Bishop's storehouse work to complete on Tuesday and our Christmas zone conference was on Wednesday. The zone conference was fun. I received a dragon for the gift exchange. This week we focused on teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and it went well because the gospel is so simple. Our investigators are doing well and are progressing. One is close to baptism. During one of our lessons an investigator told us that she knew the church was true ... but she didn't want to be baptized.  That comment broke my heart, however, we kept strong and had faith and now she has a baptism date. It hurt though when she said that. Things are good here and Christmas is in full swing. The music and the lights make it very merry and fun.

Love y'all. Hope you feel the spirit of Christ this season.

13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.
14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing--sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life. (Alma 28)

Love,

Elder Blazzard

Life of a Missionary

Dear Friends and Family,

This week was fun and very full. On Tuesday, we served at the Bishop's Storehouse. We tried contacting a lot of people in that area after serving in the storehouse. A member took us out after that and we met with a less-active member who was very funny. On Wednesday, we had district meeting, the first of this transfer, and learned about zone conference this coming week. The mission is getting black boxes put into the vehicles. This coming zone conference is going to be our Christmas zone conference so there will be gift exchanges and tie exchanges. Should be be fun.

We ate dinner with members that evening and had two great lessons. I got sick that night and didn't really sleep. When I did sleep I was snoring loud and my companion was not too happy. The next day I pushed through and we met a new member in the ward and worked on getting here a ride for church. She actually moved from the Cumberland Branch, which I served in for 4 weeks. That evening, we cleaned a recent converts house and there were a lot of bugs. We had a good lesson the next day talking about the blessings of keeping the commandments and about moving forward in faith. It went well.

Saturday, we stayed super busy working with a neighbor and having a member take us to a lesson which went very well and she loves the gospel. Then we ran to the church to fill the font for a baptism and helped set up for the Handel's Messiah concert that they were having at our church that night. We had dinner with the Spanish elders. Then a member went out with us and we tried some people, went to the first part of the concert, and then met with two new investigators and had short lessons with them.

Sunday, church was good and right after Church we went with a member out into the country to have dinner. He had made chicken parmesan. We ran to the church and watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. I had a tough time that evening and did not feel well with a bad headache. It was a good week full of fun.

Here is my scripture:  Matthew 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Love Y'all,

Elder Blazzard