Messiah in my belly?

So this week was another one for the books. We met some crazy people
and gave some more service and with the heat and humidity kicking in
I'm pretty sure I was drenched in sweat this whole week!

Well we had an opportunity on Monday to go give service to a
less-active lady she needed the roof of her garage replaced. So
Brother Hill called us up to help him out and so we spent all Monday
evening ripping up the old roof and putting on the new boards. She
didn't have the shingles yet so we will have to go back and do the
shingles but man it was hot and I was covered in dirt and sweat but it
felt awesome!

We went on exchanges with the Zone leaders on Tuesday through
Thursday! And it was sweet! I went to the ZLs area and got to be with
my man elder Bryan. Me and him played our guitars together and he was
teaching me how to pluck so I'm pumped to start practicing now. We
also had a good day of finding. We stopped to help this father and
daughter with their yard work. And Elder Bryan was talking to the
daughter I was talking to the father and come to find out that he is
the athletic director for Carlow university. It is a college in
Pittsburgh that I used to walk past all the time. And he also played
and now coaches volleyball! Hahaha so I talked with him so much about
volleyball and then he ended the conversation with handing me a
business card and said volleyball season is coming up and I need
coaches and staff I would love to hire you! Hahahaha I had to tell him
that I would stay in touch and might be able to next year but not
until after my mission.

Then we went and tried by this potential investigator named Nigal that
we have only met like once and he came out and started talking to us
and he said he is searching for purpose in his life because he just
overcame cancer! I proceeded to tell him about my experience and he
got so excited and wants us to come back as soon as possible to teach
him the Plan of Salvation. He couldn't believe that another cancer
survivor was standing at his door telling him that there is a reason
he was saved. I am pumped to go back next week and sit down and talk
with Nigal about the Plan of Salvation.

The next day was more hard work. We gave service to a family and
helped them get one of their gardens ready. We were digging up stumps
and roots and clearing an area for them to start gardening. Again it
was of course the hottest day so far and I was just drenched in sweat
but again I love giving service like that so it was so much fun!

So now getting on to my headline. We stopped by a lady named Jennifer
she was a Book of Mormon referral that we have been trying to meet
with and so we were finally able to sit down with her on her porch and
talk with her. Well come to find out her parents don't like us so the
entire time her parents were trying to disrupt the lesson by mowing
the grass right next to us over and over again, or suddenly deciding
to not use their drying machine and lay all the clothes that need
dried out on the table we were sitting at and a letting the dogs out
right next to us and they kept making them bark. But we pushed through
and taught her the Plan of Salvation. Because she has been going
through some challenges. But come to find out she is a little crazy...
hahaha she proceeded to tell us about her super natural experiences
with the colors of blue and red making purple, and how she is carrying
the messiah in her belly!!! And all sorts of things that I had to try
hard not to just start laughing. But it was definitely entertaining.
Hahaha

Well that was my crazy awesome week! I hope you all had a great week
and happy Father's Day! I love and miss you all!

Elder Swisher

Car Show, Zone Conference, and Guns!

So this week started out with me and Elder McGee on exchanges! And so
we had a lot of interesting experiences that day. We were walking
around Aliquippa and Aliquippa is an interesting place and we go to
try this old potential. And so we knock on the door and we can see
people sitting on the couch through the door. And this annoying little
dog just kept barking so we didn't hear what the guys on the couch
said until one of them walked right up to the glass door and yell "Get
steppin'" and he was not happy... so we did as we were asked we got
steppin' me and Elder McGee were just laughing the rest of that time.
Get steppin' most interesting way I heard get of my porch.

That night we went on a team up with Brother Neeley and he took us to
go see a less-active man his wife is active but he's not. And he was
the toughest old man I have ever met. He drive a motorcycle that he
made himself that has a full Corvette V8 engine! Over 600 horsepower!
He is driving a car on two wheels basically! And he has a gun
collection of over 200 guns. He only showed us the antiques he told us
the next time we come over he would show us all the collection! He had
a machine gun as his center piece to his man cave! Coolest old man
ever!

So we also had Zone Conference this week! So I got to hang out with
some of my good friends. It was kinda sad because it was President and
Sister Johnsons last Zone Conference with us. So my next Zone
conference will be with President Bednar! But it was awesome. I love
Zone conferences they really help you grow as a missionary. And it was
great because the best District ever got back together and took a
picture! Seal Team 6!

So on Saturday there is a huge car show up in Beaver Falls so us and
the sisters heard that thousands of people would be there. So of
course we went up there and started trying to talk to people. One guy
loved talking to us but when he went to go sit back down in his chair
he was so drunk that he started falling over and so I caught him and
so I was standing there holding this guys from falling and he doesn't
even try to get back up he was just laying in my arms looking at me
with this drunk face! Hahaha finally his buddy came over set his chair
back up and helped me put him back into his chair! Hahaha but at the
car show I saw a sweet 68 SS Camaro! It made me miss mine so bad!

So the Sisters had an investigator that lived in a very scary part of
town. Or what Sisters think is scary so they gave him to us because
they didn't feel comfortable going there. So we went over there on
Saturday night and he was so excited to see us and he immediately said
could you get me a ride to church tomorrow. So right there we called
up a member and set up a ride for Bernard to come to church and he
came and loved what was taught and wants us to keep coming back and
teaching him!

The most interesting day was Thursday. We visited this lady who said
she wanted to meet with us. So we went over and she turns out to be a
JW... so we had an interesting conversation with her about the Bible.
She really likes focusing on the second coming. Then we went and had
lunch with our Atheist investigator. Who loves to talk but has such
interesting views on God. Such as why are there so many ways to die?
He said God had to sit there and think of every possible way to die.
Why? And then we visited with a less-active Mormon who believes that
God is not perfect that there is no such thing as perfect. So that was
by far the most interesting conversations I have had on my mission by
far!

Elder Swisher

Ken Griffey Jr

So this week we started out with service as usual. I know big
surprise. Hahaha I feel like I have been in service clothes a lot
lately. Anyway we started with helping a family that's moving out move
their washers and dyer so that was fun. And then that night we gave
more service at a care center. So we pushed old people in wheelchairs
around an old car show. I was pumped because I got to see a bunch of
old cars. It was pretty cool. And the old people loved being outside
and pushed around even if they didn't like cars they liked the
company.

We met with Charlie again this week. And he has been going through a
hard time and our team up was a missionary that just got home like a
couple days before this visit so me and him could just tell that he
needed the gospel now more then anything. He is having a hard time
with finding motivation to read so we talked a lot about how reading
the Book of Mormon can bless your life in more ways then you can
imagine. Me and the team up Anthony could feel the spirit just not
sure what Charlie was thinking. But we left knowing we did all we
could to help Charlie and afterwards Anthony turned to me and said
"Wow I have only been home for a week and I already miss doing this!
You guys have the best job in the world!"

On Thursday we went on splits to visit more people. So I went with
Brother Kruse. And he is hilarious the entire time he was cracking
jokes and we visited our less-active Linda again and she just loved
him. And so we helped Linda understand Faith and what it means and how
we can grow it. Afterward I was trying to get ahold of my companion so
we could meet back up to exchange back. And I look up and we are
randomly in Burger Kings parking lot... I looked at Brother kruse and
he just said sorry I already ordered you a Whooper you have no choice
now. Hahaha so at like 8:45 at night we just sat there eating Whoopers
till my companion finally showed up. Best team up ever! Haha

So we gave more service the other day for a less-active family named
the Jones. They are an awesome family that have been starting to come
back to church. So we helped them clean out all this stuff out of
their old house because they are preparing to sell it. And so there
was bunch of old old stuff and they said if you like what you see you
can take it. Well that was the wrong thing to tell Elder Swisher
because I ran into a bunch of sports memorabilia. So I will be sending
pictures but I found an old baseball card of Ken Griffey Jr. from his
second year in the MLB! And I found a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar basketball
card! I found some old posters of Deion Sanders, Isiah Thomas, and
Micheal Jordan! I found some old steeler and pirate pins, and old pens
hockey puck, and some key chains from a steelers Super Bowl. So I am
in love with this stuff and pumped that they just gave it to me! So
that was a fun service project.

And then yesterday and the day before that we got a text both days
saying someone was in the hospital and needed a blessing. And so we
went right away without hesitating and let me tell you giving a
priesthood blessing is the best thing ever. Helping give someone that
comfort has an indescribable feeling. I have such a strong testimony
in the power of priesthood blessings. And let me tell you it makes me
strive to be worth to hold that priesthood and to be able when called
upon to give a blessing in short notice.

Well that was my week, the pictures below include the sports stuff, an
accidental selfie in my truck when I was getting in the car, some
selfies of me weekly planning by myself..., and a random dog cuddling
with me at a less-actives house! 😬

Hope you have a great week. I love and miss all of you!

Elder Swisher

Hard work and Charlie

So this week started out pretty good. On Tuesday, We got a phone call
from the Wexford Elders saying that a referral accidentally popped up
on their area book that belonged in ours. So they sent it over and it
over and it was for a guy named Charlie. So we sent him a text right
away asking when we could come over and drop off his Bible he
requested. He texted back right away and said now is good. So we
dropped everything and hurried down to where he lives and we had a
lesson with Charlie. He seemed kinda interested, he loved to talk and
show us all these things he has found in the Bible. But he is
interested in us coming back. Sad to say we didn't have much
expectations for Charlie because he was just kinda interested not
really but then Saturday night we got a phone call from him and he
asked what time church started again. So we said 10:00. And that's all
he asked. So we were sitting there Sunday morning watching to see if
he was going to show up. Next thing we know he comes walking into
church with a short and tie on and it was just incredible. It was one
of Elder Gatrell's first investigators at church so he was pumped! He
sat next to him and was explaining everything. Only bad part was that
it was testimony meeting for our church so he thought that was
interesting and I think he might have fallen asleep. But he enjoyed
the second hour in Sunday school! Hahaha just to give you an idea of
Charlie (since I couldn't get a picture with him yet) he was wherein
his DJ hat that has his DJ name of DJ Hoodbillie. He is this big guy
with long hair but no hair on the top of his head, and a long gross
beard, not a bushy one, one of those that look like some one took a
straightener to it. And last but not least his camo crocks! Hahaha he
is the best guy ever! And he wants us to come over and teach him more
Tuesday. So I'm pumped to see how that goes.

So this week we got a referral for this guy named Ryan sent to us from
my old friend, Elder Goeckeritz!! He is an awesome guy has a great
heart and just is really friendly. I hadn't met him yet but we had
this couple signed up to feed us in the ward and they told us to bring
an investigator so I saw his name and thought sure I'll invite him,
although I had never met him! So he came and we had a good dinner and
then had a conversation afterwards. I wanted to say lesson but it was
a conversation because I think the members did most of the talking but
oh well. Hahaha Ryan is an atheist and doesn't really believe in God
or anything after this life. So we had a long conversation about
everything. He just has a hard time with the concept of faith. He is a
smart guy he just doesn't want to have faith or want to believe. But
it's funny because the rest of the week I feel like we kept running
into people that struggle with faith. They want proof. People kept
asking this week for me to show them proof of the Book of Mormon. Or
proof of other things. It's funny because on these guys was Christian
and he asked me to prove the Book of Mormon to him and I said even if
I had the knowledge to prove this to you, you would not believe until
you had faith in this book. He replied with something along the lines
of how the Bible can be backed up with evidence but the Book of Mormon
couldn't be. So I asked him if the Bible doesn't take faith to know of
its truthfulness and you can prove it to me, then prove to me that
Moses parted the Red Sea or that God created the earth, or that Jesus
Christ himself raised the dead. And this wasn't a bash it was a nice
conversation. The guy just looked with amazement because he realized
that he had more faith then he thought. I guess the overall lesson I
have learned from these encounters this week. Is that everything in
this world takes faith. God created the world to take faith. Sorry for
this long ramble but I will end it with an eternal truth, Faith
proceeds knowledge. We must have faith before knowledge comes. Faith
will eventually turn into knowledge but faith must come first.

The rest of the week was service. I am physically exhausted from this
weekend because Friday we spent all day helping someone move, then we
went and helped a guy with his property and fixing things up and
working his property, then on Saturday we went to help this family
move out of our ward and they have like 7 children and I never knew
someone could have so much furniture... I think I carried somewhere
between 4 full size couches and 10 full size dressers from just the
second story this is while 10 other guys are carrying stuff out from
other rooms and stuff and not including the thousands of boxes! Haha
we filled to semi trailers worth of stuff by the end my arms and body
were toast but then we had to help our neighbor dump some of the dirt
she dug up in the yard. Then we went to help do some yard work with
this member of loading logs, then digging post holes and then I got to
mow his 95 year old dads lawn with his a hill that was so steep I fell
down it a couple times with the lawn mower but I didn't get hurt so
today is Elder Swisher trying to recover from those days. Hahaha
serving is the best feeling ever!

Well that was my week sorry I don't have any pictures. I completely
forgot to take some this week but I'll make sure to talk more this
week. Today we are going to our Ward Memorial Day picnic so should be
fun. Hope you all are doing well. I love you so much. Have a great
week!

Elder Swisher

Week of finding

So this week we started out with service of course so we went with
Bro. Hill to a single older lady's house and we cut down a bunch of
tress for her and did a bunch of yard work it was fun. Bro Hill is an
awesome guy that loves to talk so his conversations get pretty funny
during car rides.

So we had a district meeting on finding creative ways to find so we
decided to set up a table in the park next to Beaver Main Street and
while I talked to people Elder Gatrell would play his violin and play
hymns. It went pretty well we talked to a few people but we think we
might try it again but it was definitely different. And people
definitely saw us out there so lots of people saw us.

So we were walking in Rochester, one of our little townships, and we
went to go try a less-active lady that we know she has a non-member
boyfriend. So we walk up and these two guys are sitting on her front
porch drinking beer and chilling. We walk up and ask if one of them is
Andrew, the boyfriend, and one said that's me. He then ran inside to
get the less-active lady and she said it was too hot for her to come
outside. But Andrews friend looks at us and says "I'll listen to you
guys sit down with me and Andrew and we will talk with you guys." So
we sat down and started talking and this guy was sincerely interested.
We talked about our missions and about the restoration. He then
started to ask some questions that he was curious about and so he
looks at me and says "Ok what is your church's stand point on weed?
Because I love my weed." Hahahaha I was laughing pretty hard. So I had
him read 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. He looked at me and I said so what do
you think? And he looked back down at the scripture and back up at me
and said "so... no weed." I just was nodding my head. He thought it
was cool because I was the first guy to ever show him a scripture to
answer his question. And then he looked at my name tag and say Swisher
and he started laughing he said "THIS MUST BE OF GOD BECAUSE HE SENT
ME A MAN NAMED SWISHER TO TELL ME ABOUT WEED!" Hahahahahahaha so long
story short these two guys were so cool and they want us to come back
every week and talk with them.

So early in the week we knocked on some potentials door. We had no
info on her missionaries never really talked with her. So we decided
to see if she was interested. So we knocked and she opened up and she
is a single old lady named Loretta. She wanted us to come in but I
explained that we couldn't without someone else. So she told us to
come back in 2 days and then she asked if she could have a Book of
Mormon and gave her one and told her about it she said I will read it
and talk about it with you guys when you come back. So we came back
with a team up and she opened the door we came in and she pulled out
her Book of Mormon we had given her. And she showed us were she was at
and she had read to Ether 12!!!! She read pretty much the whole Book
of Mormon in 2 days!! I have had a hard enough time just getting
someone to read a page but she read almost the whole book! We then
taught her the restoration. She understands a little bit but I think
she is definitely prepared. She said we can stop by and visit whenever
we want.

And then on Saturday morning we helped a family move into our Ward.
And this family is a little disabled but the grandpa was so cool.
After we moved all the stuff in some of the family members needed help
unpacking so I help grandpa and he is a skilled leather worker. And
had this cool leather cowboy hat he made. And all kinds of cool
leather stuff. And he gave me two of his first projects. He gave me
this leather belt with this nice belt buckle and he also asked if I
had a gun. I told him yes but back home so he gave me a leather gun
holster he made for like an old revolver. One of those like old
fashion cowboy holsters for the hand gun with a long barrel. So I was
in heaven helping grandpa unpack. Hahaha

On Sunday after sacrament meeting this church service missionary came
up to me and said he was visiting for the day and he is a church
photographer. So he proceeded to give me some cool pictures he had
taken one is an awesome picture of the Provo City Center Temple. I'll
send it at the bottom.

That Sunday we had dinner with a man who's family is out of town and
he usually feeds the Sisters but this one time he decided to feed the
Elders since he couldn't feed the Sisters. So apparently I give the
Sister missionaries in my ward a hard time so they told this member to
mess with me. And he did! Right as I first walked into the house he
was coming off as though he hated me or that he was annoyed I was
there. I was feeling so uncomfortable it was ridiculous. And then
finally once he noticed how uncomfortable I was. He started laughing
and said the Sisters asked him to do that to me! So they got me good!
He then just started to mess with me from then on out. But he turned
out to be a really cool guy and it was a good dinner appointment. But
I think I learned my lesson to never mess with the Sisters but I will
never let them know that! Hahaha

We also had our last district meeting together so this picture
describes our district in a nut shell. Hahaha

We also had to take a picture with the Neeleys after Book of Mormon
class! They are hilarious!

Oh transfers came out and me and Elder Gatrell are both staying for another one.