6 days of work, and a miracle on the 7th

Well I have learned a lot this week. There is a scripture, Mosiah
28:3, that is amazing for missionary work. It shows how we should feel
as missionaries. Not only as missionaries but as people, as brothers
and sisters of our Heavenly Father. I always wondered if I was at that
point where I could feel that way toward the people I teach. Well
Beaver was doing great with people to teach and then this week came.
And everyone that we were visiting and teaching decided that they
don't want to visit with us anymore. They all dropped us. Terry and
Rose, Nigal, the whole crew. It was hard because I had never felt so
much sorrow in my heart for these people. I desire so badly for these
people to find true happiness in there life that when they decided to
stop visiting with us it broke my heart. But after all we teach that
everyone has their agency and their choice to choose. We keep on
trekking! These past few days I have prayed so hard we have been
fasting and looking for people to teach.

Well then a miracle happened. We sat on our porch talking with our
neighbor. Who we are good friends with. And her sons friend shows up
and sits down with us. This guy is a pretty big guy, he is in the
army, and every time we see him he is smoking and drinking always!
Hahaha so he sits down with us and our neighbor jokingly says why
don't you teach him. And laughed and said I don't really do religion.
But then we just asked what his beliefs are and then he started asking
us questions and so we taught him the Restoration and then after that
he asked where do we go after we die. And so we taught him the Plan of
Salvation. Then he asks how can I be forgiven of my sins. So then we
taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and we did all this in like an
hour and a half. It was such a cool lesson. We are not sure if he is
interested in coming to church ever or even meeting with us again. But
it was such a cool lesson and a cool experience. Our neighbor told us
later that day that he was walking around telling people that he is
converted to Mormonism. Hahahaha so we will we where that goes.

We also had a special 2 hour conference with President and it was
awesome. He established rules and clarification to rules that none of
us understood. So now I am pumped to be able to be more obedient and
gain the blessing from that!

But that was pretty much the week. I don't have any pictures expect
for my new pair of socks that I wear on P-days! Hahaha

Hope you are all doing great I love and miss you all!

Elder Swisher

Good and faithful servant

This week was more service! Hahaha

So we there is a member that is slightly crazy and he keeps calling us
to help him fix his trailer so we can haul wood for his dad and chop
the wood for him. So we set apart a whole day just to help him and get
it done with. So we got over there and fixed the trailer and then some
young men met us at the house to help start chopping. So while
everyone was chopping I made trips with the crazy dude to go load up
these huge stumps into his newly fixed trailer. Well he has depression
so he just sat there and watched me try to wrestle these stumps into
his trailer. Hahaha but it was interesting event. We got a lot of wood
moved and chopped and we got to put the trailer to the test so we know
that we fixed it good!

We helped a lady move across our area. She is an older lady so some of
the ward showed up to help and we were able to get it all fit in our
trucks and vans and trailers. I was with the Bishop and we were
pulling the trailer with her bed and mattress and rugs in it and it
started raining. Haha so we pull off to buy a tarp and right as we buy
the tarp and get it on. It stoped raining... hahaha we just looked at
each other and started laughing.

So we had some lessons this week with people and are starting to
discover that no one is interested in changing. We had a week full of
lessons were people just flat out said I don't want to read, or I
don't like church, or I don't really want to change. So this week
wasn't the best for investigators. But we are finding the elect! We
are shifting those who are prepared with those who are not.

Yesterday at church was fun! We got to teach Sharing time in primary
because they needed all the teachers to be in a class about
self-reliant. So the missionaries took over primary! The sisters
taught singing time and we taught sharing time! It was so much fun! We
taught about things to do on the sabbath! And so we played a matching
game. And it was so cool to hear these little kids answer questions it
made me realize how simple the gospel really is. Everything from
"Following Jesus" to "so we can be in heaven" is just the perfect
answers and is truly all we really need to chose the right.

At the beginning of the week we went to dinner at a members house and
he plays the guitar and so he took me to his guitar room. He showed me
his electric guitars and his acoustic and he let me play his electric
fender which was awesome! Electric is ten times easier to play then an
acoustic but it was so much fun to play!

That's pretty much it! Thanks for all you do! I love and miss you all!
Have a great week!

I also finally got my hands on some old videos from some people. So I
hope you enjoy!

Elder Swisher

p-service

This week was another service filled week in Beaver! I have realized
that if you want to give service Beaver is the place to be!

So it started out with the Zone Leaders calling us telling us that
they have a less-active that has a house in our area and that he needs
service so they came out with him and we went to the house and we
worked all day. We were cutting down trees ,clearing brush, racking
leafs, and burning the brush and branches. It was some good work and
made me tired for sure but it was fun to do it all with all four
Elders.

The next day we went down to an active families house named the
Mitchell's. And they needed help moving their brand new couch into
their house so we helped with that then right after their was a family
who just had a baby so we went over and cut their grass for them.

Then we get another call from a family who just started a new business
and it has been crazy busy so we went over and helped them get their
yard back together pulling weeds, mowing, and all kinds of stuff.

Then we had a family in the ward move in and they have 7 kids!! So
they had a huge truck! So a bunch of the ward moved them in and they
had a lot of stuff and such a big house that I got lost in it once or
twice it was crazy!

We also helped a family clear out their basement. And we also helped a
family remodel their living room. So it has been a crazy week of
service.

Transfers happened and I am staying to finish training Elder
Groesbeck! So I get to spend one more transfer in Beaver!!

Last P-day we went to a park and Elder Groesbeck told me that I
wouldn't be able to slide through the middle of the monkey bars! Well
the picture below shows that I won the bet!

But I have saved the best for last! We had an appointment with Terry
and his wife Rose. So we took a kid named Johann who is leaving for
his mission soon. We went to go teach them the Restoration and we had
prepared for this lesson all morning. It was awesome! The spirit was
so strong and Terry was so interested. He said that he had already
read to Jacob in the Book of Mormon! He said that he is going to keep
reading and is going to pray about it. His wife said that she would
join him. And it was just such a great lesson. Terry said that he
can't put the book down! He said he loves reading it too much!

That was about it. I love and miss you all so much have a great week!

Elder Swisher

work and car show!

So this week Elder Groesbeck looked at me and told me that he has high
visions for this area and so I told him whatever goal he wants to set
we will work hard to accomplish! So he wanted to find 15 new
investigators this week! I was taken back because it is hard enough to
find at most 2 in a week. But I saw he had the faith so I rolled with
it. And it was so cool to see the blessing that came from setting that
goal and working to accomplish it. We ended up finding 9 new
investigators. We did not hit our goal but now we have 9 new people
that are excited to meet with us this week! That is the most I have
found in one week of my mission!

So there is a guy named Terry we visit we usually are just walking by
and he happens to be on his porch so we sit and talk every now and
then. So the other day we decided we where in the area so we went and
knocked on his door and he opened up and let us right in. We then met
his wife and we were able to share the BOM with them they loved it so
much and want us to come back and talk with them again. Terry
proceeded to thank us for all the times we just talked to him on his
porch he said it made him feel loved and cared for. So we look forward
to visiting them again this week and sharing more!

Another day this week we visited a less-active and then after we
originally had planned to go to Aliquippa and visit some people there.
But when we got in the car we both felt the need to go to Rochester.
So we turned around and went to a township called Rochester were we
have some less-actives and some investigators we needed to contact. So
we parked and we see this guy right next to our car so we cross the
street and start talking to him turns out he is one of our
less-actives we have been trying to find!! What are the odds so we get
done talking to him and set up an appointment with him, we then went
two doors down and tried this investigator and he was home and came
out and talked with us and we set up a return appointment with him, we
then turned around to walk away and across the street our other
investigator just pulled up in her car so we walked over talked with
her and got another return appointment so we discovered why we needed
to be in Rochester at that time. It all happened within and hour of
each other it was insane! There are no coincidences!!!

There was also a big car show in Beaver! Like thousands of people come
from all over the U.S. so we got some ice chests from members and we
passed out free water to people. Ya that's right we had them come to
us. They had to talk to us if they wanted free water. Best finding
idea we have had! Hahaha

And also while we were in Rochester we took a picture in front of the
house we helped remodel. It is now up for sale! Hahaha

Last nite we also went back to the spot I pucked last week and the
grass was dead... I killed the grass with my barf! Hahahaha

Elder Swisher

Best way to find!

This story is one for the books! so yesterday I found out the best way
to find! So I woke up and had a huge headache like probably the worst
I have had but I just popped some pain medicine and went to all our
church meetings. When were on our way home from church the headache
started to make me feel terrible and I started to feel nauseous. Well
I got home and I decided it would be best if I spent my study time
taking a quick nap to get through this. So I woke up and Elder
Groesbeck and I headed out the door to go work before dinner. I was
still feeling like crap. But was pushing through it to do the Lords
work! So we started knocking doors and I just kept feeling worse and
worse. Well I couldn't take it anymore so we got in the truck to go
home and we get just a little down the street and I had Elder
Groesbeck pull over because something was coming up! So I get out the
car and right on this guys lawn I just puked! This guy happened to be
outside and came running over and was making sure I was ok and asked
if I needed anything. But I felt so bad about this guys lawn so all I
could say to him was "I'm sorry I puked in your yard." The guys
started laughing and told me not to worry about it that the rain would
take care of it. But he got me some water and we sat and talked for a
little bit. But who knew that puking on someone's lawn would be the
best way to find someone! Hahaha God works in mysterious ways!

P.s. After a full night sleep I am feeling ten times better! no
headache and no nausea!

Well ladies and gentleman it's official! I have been out for 18
months! It's crazy how fast time has flown! I can't believe I have
served in PA for a year and a half! I can't wait to serve these next 6
months to the best of my ability! #sixmonthstosexy

This week we stopped by this guy Terry. We have talked to him a couple
times on his porch and have shared some scriptures with him. But the
other day we walked past and he was on his porch again we sat and
talked and he said how he has read every pamphlet we have given him.
Not only has he been reading them but he has read them at least 4
times!! So this time he didn't have much time but he asked "where can
I buy a Book of Mormon?" And we started laughing. And we said here you
go and gave him one and he grabbed it looked up and said how much?
Haha we told him it was free but the cool part was the joy on his
face! He said he couldn't wait to start reading it! And studying it
with the pamphlets!

We also have started up playing basketball on Tuesday nights and last
time we had like 6 investigators there and it was great! Some strong
members came and played and it was a good time.

We hold Book of Mormon class every week and our investigators Ted and
Amy came and loved it! They showed up and we gave them some Book of
Mormons and they said they would keep them to study more for next
class.

There is also this member that was recently baptized but hasn't been
to church too much since she moved her. And is hard to contact but we
finally were able to set up an appointment with her and her grandma
who is not a member. And they loved the visit and want us to keep
coming back! So Beaver is on fire right now!

Well I hope you all have been doing good and have had great weeks!
Love and miss you all!

Also get ready for the best boy band ever! The Boyz of Beaver!

Elder Swisher