Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Leaving Southlake and Becoming a DL


4.27.15
This Wednesday is transfers, and I will be leaving good old Southlake and heading up to the Alliance stake in a ward called Woodland Springs. I am becoming a district leader and will be follow up training a missionary. I am pretty nervous, but know that God will be with me every step of the way. It will also be a time of great growth and a chance to be of service to the missionaries in my district. It will be so hard to leave all of the amazing people I have meet, especially the people I got to teach, but I know that I will meet amazing people in my new area as well. 
    This week we were sadly not able to teach Pablo, due to a trip they are taking to Hawaii, but they did take us out to dinner at this amazing BBQ place! It was fun to be with them, and I have complete faith that elder Phipps and elder Thomas (the new Southlake elder) will continue to help him towards the waters of baptism. It was such a blessing to teach Pablo, and I have never felt the spirit more strong then when in his home. I will miss him, and hope that someday I can bump into him again:) We were also able to teach Denisse again this week. We taught her at an older couples home named the Baileys. They are the sweetest couple and treat us like there children. Denisse's lesson was on tithing and fast offering. The lesson went great, and brother and sister Bailey both gave great insights. Denisse is now excited to pay fast offerings:) This week we were also able to teach 3 youth lessons. A youth lesson is where we teach youth, 14 and older, the missionary lessons. They are really cool, and our whole purpose in doing them is to strengthen their personal testimonies. This one young man we are teaching, named Michael, has a lot of struggles with the church and gaining a testimony. This last Friday we had a good lesson with him on strengthening his relationship with God through consistent prayer and scripture study. Towards the end of the lesson we committed him to read and pray daily and promised that he would find power and strength in both. He was very excited to start developing these good habits. It was fun to see him get excited about the commitment:) This Saturday we also had a good discussion with a man named Trenton. He is the coolest guy and knows a tone about the scriptures! During our discussion he was bringing up all of these beliefs he has, which he found by reading the bible:), that go perfectly along with what we believe. He also loves the Book of Mormon, and is already developing a testimony of the truthfulness of it. He is also a very spiritual man and is very in tune with God.  He also told us this amazing story of how he came to believe in Jesus Christ. He said it all happen at a Omish-like community down in Costa Rica! The story involved him getting a ride with a Mennonite preacher in a rickety old van up a mountain pass called the "mountain of Death" It was the most amazing story! The only problem Trenton has, is that he doesn't believe in organized religion. Elder Phipps is going to help him fix that concern next Saturday. 
   We also found out some exciting news this week. A man named Walter Gamen is getting baptized!!!! His wife and 2 of his children joined the church about 3 years ago, but he didn't join with them. For almost three years he has been coming to church and even helps teach primary with his wife. He had stopped talking the lessons, but would allow spiritual lessons and visits. Finally after a lot of prayers, and a lot of missionaries/missionary lessons he has decided to get baptized!President Ames was a huge help in getting him baptized. He will be baptized on May 7th. Also President Ames said that I can come to his baptism, even though I am getting transferred! It will be awesome:) 
   I love you all, and again am so grateful for all of your love and support. This is the true church, and the blessings of heaven will be poured upon us as we keep the commandments and follow our Savior Jesus Christ.
Love, Elder Griffin
P.S. here is a picture of Pablo and his sweet wife Dana:) The other picture is of Trenton, the guy with the cool stories.  

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Rain, Mud & Service with a Cherry on top!

4.20.15
This week Texas had so much rain! Texas storms are really cool, the rain comes down in thick waves and the lightning is so cool! The people here are really happy, because the lakes in Texas really need the water.
   This week I had a really good exchange with elder Cherry. Going into our exchanges we always make a goal, and my goal was to get better at contacting. The first thing we did, after we had lunch, was go to Grapevine main street. There are lots of people her, so it was a perfect place to talk to people. We started talking to people and we meet this really cool lady named Tara. We taught her the Restoration and talked a lot about Joseph Smith. She had lots of questions and really liked what she heard. She even accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon. At the end of our discussion we asked her if we could say a prayer and she asked us if she could say a prayer for us. She put her hands on both of our shoulder and said a really beautiful and sweet prayer. It was funny, because during the prayer she looked at our tags to see what our names were and when she got to elder Cherry's name she said "bless elder Cherry, cherry on top God" It was really funny:) Also during the exchange we had dinner with this really nice family, the Backer family. They had all of this cute little kids that were all over the place during dinner:) Reminded me a lot of our big family gatherings back home. We shared a really powerful Book of Mormon video by elder Holland and committed the family to give a Book of Mormon to one of their friends. We also went trackting in this apartment complex. We talked to a lot of cool people, and even set a return appointment with a really nice man who was walking his dog. We also talked to this recently married lady about temples and eternal marriage. She was really nice, and accepted a Plan of Salvation pamphlet. It was a really fun exchange, and it really helped me be better at talking to people. 
   This week we were also able to teach Pablo again. The lesson was on following the prophets. Towards the end of the lesson we got into a really good discussion about gaining a personal testimony the gospel. It was awesome, and during it we were able to help resolve some of his concerns. We also committed Pablo to personally read and pray about the Book of Mormon daily. He has been reading with his wife, but for some reason hasn't been reading on his own. It was cool, because when we asked him why he wanted to go through with this commitment he said "because I want to know it's true" This simple answer made my spirit leap for joy. He is such a good man, and I can see the spirit changing his life. Also this Sunday in elders quorum we had a really good lesson on Joseph Smith. There were some really cool stories shared as well as testimonies. The spirit was strong, which Pablo really needed,  because last week he didn't have a very good experience in elder's quorum. They are taking us out to eat tomorrow, so we are super excited:)
  Yohanna is also doing great. She is still reading her scriptures, praying and coming to church. The Wade family has also been such a blessing for her. Yohanna calls them multiple times a week to ask questions, have gospel discussions and get comfort. We have also been talking about getting in touch with the ward in Germany near her home town. That way when she goes back to Germany, she can still have contact with the church and continue to learn and grow her testimony. She is such a good example to me of what pure faith looks like.
This Sunday we were also privileged to have elder Robbins of the presidency of the seventy speak at our sacrament meeting. He gave a really good talk on love, and how it is a commandment from God. It was really good, he even talked briefly about the importance of loving your companion and how it is preparing you for marriage:) His talk was just what I needed. He also talked about how the mission field is the Lord's university for life. It was awesome, and really made me realize that all of the things I am learning are preparing me for the rest of eternity. It was a great experience, and I am glad we have such righteous and strong leaders like elder Robbins in the church.
   I wish you all the best, and hope your week is full of happiness and laughter!:)

Love,

Elder Griffin

P.S. Here is a picture of a service project we did for a kind lady, it was so muddy!

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Cooper Miracle and Sidewalk Salvation!

4.6.15
This was a wonderful Easter/General conference week. How blessed are we to be able to celebrate the glorious message of Jesus Christ rising from the dead, as well as to be able to hear from our prophet and apostles.
    This has been a wonderful week full of blessings from a loving Heavenly Father. I started the week out by going on exchange with Elder Partridge. It was a great exchange, and I was able to get lots of good advice and encouragement. On our exchange we had a meeting with a lady who has been a member for about 8 months. She was telling us about all of the hard things she has gone through, and it was super sad! She then went on to talk about how she really wants to be a visiting teacher so she can start helping those in need. She said that helping others, helps her forget how hard she has it. What a true principle. If ever we feel like our troubles and trials our to much to bare, just look up and find someone to serve. It works every time:) Also this week elder Phipps and I had another great lesson at Pablo's. The lesson was on obedience and prayer and I think it really helped him to get a step closer to over coming his addiction to tea and coffee. Pablo also came over to the Williams this Saturday morning to watch a session of general conference. After it was over we were talking to sister Williams and she said that Pablo had a really good experience. He loved how lots of the talks were focused on families. Also when Pablo was at priesthood session, he talked about maybe moving his baptismal date earlier! He is so close, it is so exciting:) This week we also had another good lesson with Denisse. During the lesson we talked a lot about repentance and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Denisse told us a couple of instances in her life where she has seen the Holy Ghost bless her life. She also shared times before her baptism where she had been influence by the Holy Ghost and how it had saved her from harm spiritually and psychically. She is so awesome, and is truly on the path back to her Heavenly Father. This week we were also able to meet with Dan. Before the meeting with him, we couldn't decided what to teach him. We did get some thoughts and feelings, but nothing that stuck. Well we started teaching him and it wasn't going very well. Then we really started listening and teaching based off of his needs and the lesson went a lot better! We got into a good discussion about the Book of Mormon. It was cool, because during the discussion Dan said "This is amazing!" It was so cool to see a testimony of the Book of Mormon start to develop in him. We also talked about temples and eternal families, which sparked his interest and really got him thinking. When we left he told us to give him a couple of weeks to read, and then we would meet again. If Dan takes the time to actually read it, he will be baptized, I can feel it. We also got to meet his sweet 7 year old daughter, she is a really sweet girl.:) 
      Elder Phipps and I also had a pretty cool experience this week with following the promptings of the spirit. So it was Thursday night and we had been trackting, and it was getting dark. We were standing at a street corner and deciding what we should do, because trackting after dark is not recommended. Well elder Phipps decided we should say a prayer, so we prayed and asked God what we should do. Before the prayer I had gotten a feeling to go knock on this door across the street.  After the prayer elder Phipps said we should keep going and I again knew we needed to knock on this door across the street. Well we knock on the door and start talking to this nice couple. As we continued to talk we learned that they knew a family in our ward named the Tietjens. We also learned that there son was Cooper!!!! Cooper was the very first person I taught when I got to Southlake. He was the one that had a baptismal date and then started hanging out with bad friends and stopped meeting with us. It was so crazy that we had trackted into Cooper's parents! We told them we knew Cooper and they became even friendlier. They told us we could come back. I have a good feeling about this family, and I think this may just be the way to get Cooper back on track:) It was an awesome experience, God truly is a god of miracles! Also this Sunday morning we had an Easter program at our stake center. It was full of beautiful music and talks. We also had a pretty good turn out of non-members. The last speaker was Glen Beck! He talked all about Jesus Christ's life how we need to have faith in God's promises to us. He was so animated, and at one point he was even pounding the pulpit:)     
     Well I love you all and hope you enjoyed Easter and Conference. President Monson truly is the prophet of God and through the direction of Jesus Christ leads His church on the earth today. How lucky are we to live in a world where the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in it's fullness!.

Love,

Elder Griffin


P.S. Here is a picture of the plan of salvation in chalk on the sidewalk! 

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Hard but fulfilling :)

4.1.15 
   This last week was a very hard, but fulfilling week. We saw so many miracles happen and were able to teach wonderful lessons. The first lesson we had was with Dan. This time when we went over we made sure to establish our purpose with him. We then taught him the Plan of Salvation. Half way through the lesson, he told us that he really wasn't interested in converting. At first I was a little bummed, but then I remembered that the spirit can touch and testify to anyone. We kept teaching the lesson and towards the end he really opened up to us and told us even more about how Christ had saved his marriage and had really helped his family through the rough times. It was incredible to see someone open up to two complete strangers, but it really showed me that he trusted us. At the end of the lesson we bore testimony to him and really encouraged him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. He agreed to accept the commitment. As he was saying bye to us, I could really tell that he was thinking hard about what he had said, and I hope and pray that the spirit was touching his heart. Dan is so ready to accept the truth, and I can see how he has been prepared his whole life to accept this message. We have another meeting with him this Friday, so we are excited to meet with him again. This week we also had a great lesson with Yohanna. We went into the lesson prepared to answer several questions she had, but as the lesson went on it wasn't really clicking with her. Finally I decided to just bare testimony of the truthfulness of our message and told her that this is God's church on the earth and that she too could know it to be true. We then went into a lesson on the doctrine of Christ( faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost) During the discussion one of our members named sister Wade asked Yohanna what she thought about baptism. She said she felt good about it, but was very nervous to go to her parents with the question. I thought she had already talked to her parents, but I guess not. She told us that they aren't very religious and she didn't know how her parents would react to the idea of her getting baptized. We promised her that God answers prayers and that she could go to Him with her concern. We also told her that we would all be praying for her. We found out the next day that she had gone to her parents and told them she was meeting with the missionaries! It was so cool to see her faith in action:) Unfortunately her parents didn't really react too positively, so for now she has stopped formally meeting with us. It is a little sad, but I know that God has a plan for her and that eventually she will get baptized whether in Germany or in the US. This week we were also able to have a great lesson with Pablo. Going into the lesson I was pretty anxious, because this was the lesson we were going to invite him to be baptized. Well we start teaching the lesson and so far it is going great. We then got to the part where we were going to extend the invitation to be baptized, but both of us froze and for some reason didn't have the courage. Luckily for us the member we had brought along asked Pablo how he felt about getting baptized. I am so grateful for solid members! This helped break the nervousness and I was able to honestly bare testimony that he was ready to be baptized. As I was telling him he was ready, I felt this overwhelming feeling of love for Pablo come over me, and It gave me a glimpse of how much Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father love him. Pablo told us that the only thing that was keeping him from being baptized was that he drinks coffee and tea. We had a good discussion on why God would ask us to do something like not drink coffee and tea. We left him with the commitment to go to Heavenly Father and ask him if baptism was the path he wanted to take as well as taking his concern about drinking coffee and tea to the Lord. Tomorrow we will be meeting with him again and will be committing him to a baptismal date:) 
      What a blessing it has been to teach all of these wonderful people, I can't wait to see them all continue to progress on the journey back to our Heavenly Father. Hope y'all have a good Easter/conference week!

Love,


Elder Griffin       

Tiny Turtles and Service

3.23.15
This week was a wonderful week mixed with great service opportunities and awesome lessons!
     The first opportunity was at a former investigators house named Kerry Smith. We helped her dig this huge ditch in front of her house! It took a long time, but it was tones of fun and very satisfying when it was done:) Also while we were digging the hole, I looked down and saw lots of movement in the ground. As I looked closer i noticed that it was 8 baby turtles!! It was the craziest thing of my life. there was a pound near by, but it was still so surprising to dig up a nest of baby turtles:) They were so cute and tiny! They also had these super cool designs on their bellies. This week we also continued the new member lessons with Denisse who was baptized in February. The lesson was on the Plan of Salvation and it went really well. Denisse had a lot of really good questions and a wonderful discussion broke out. She is a great young women and has such a pure heart.
     Also this week we where able to finish racking an older man named Billy's leaves. Lots of the leaves were wet and soggy, so it was quite the adventure racking them up:) When we were finished he was so grateful! We are hoping to teach him the Plan of Salvation soon, because he recently lost his wife. We were also to have another great lesson with Pablo. His heart continues to be softened. We taught him the first half of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he accepted all of it and had very few concerns:) After the lesson at there house we always kneel down and say the closing prayer, and Pablo will pick someone to say it. Well this time we all knelled down and he said the prayer! This is the first time I have heard him say the prayer out loud! It was awesome to hear his sincere but humble prayer. Also this Sunday Pablo stayed for all three hours of church! He is progressing so well and God is preparing him each day to enter the waters of baptism. This week we also had the second lesson with Yohanna (the German exchange student) We had the lesson in the Wades home and all of them gave great comments and testimonies:) There was a really good spirit in the room. It can be hard at times to teach her due to the language barrier, but the Holy Ghost speaks all languages and can touch all of God's children. We have two lessons scheduled with her this week, so I am excited to see how they will go! The good thing is that her parents back in Germany said they would support whatever decision she decides to make.
       God truly has blessed elder Phipps and I this week and for that I am extremely thankful. I am also so thankful to be serving in Southlake, with great people to teach and an amazing ward to back us up! I love you all and hope you are enjoying the beautiful spring weather:)

Love,

Elder Griffin



P.S. here is a picture of one of the turtles, as well as me kissing a huge jug of Chick-Fil-A lemonade