***Elder Matthew Noad*** ****Orem Utah Mission****: Week 2 - Springville South

This week has been full of surprises! We had an emergency where I am
now joined back with my old area, I'm in a trio with my old companion,
and found out one of our investigators is now pregnant! It has just
been a really crazy week! So to start off, on last Monday we had to do
laundry at the Singletons and they also fed us lunch. The Singletons
are so nice! They're awesome! So then that night we had a lesson with
an awesome young mother who we found out is pregnant! Congrats to her!
It was a good lesson and we are happy for her. Not that this matters
but another call missed from President on Monday. Ya basically I
should never have the phone. :P haha we had dinner that night with our
senior couple missionaries called the Sargent's! They are awesome!
They are so kind and really work hard to help the stake and us.

Tuesday we got up in the morning and found out we had to go join up
with Elder Allen into our Trio in a matter of 40 minutes, all the way
across town! So we headed out and we had a ways to go with about 5
minutes left until we needed to be there. Me and Elder Howard said
lets pray that maybe someone can give us a ride. It was not a second
after I said that that a car stopped and backed up to where we were
and offered us a ride. I was so very thankful and I know that prayers
truly are answered right away, as well as when our Father in Heaven
sees fit that we receive an answer. I know that we will always receive
an answer and what we ask for, as long as it is in accordance with his
will, and when he sees fit that we need that prayer answered. We then
arrived and got together. So we are now in a trio covering 3 stakes!
In other words, 22 wards! It defiantly keeps us busy and we are trying
to do as much as we can in each ward. It is keeping us busy that's for
sure! I'm loving it though, it means we have the opportunity to teach
many and bring as many as we can unto Christ, our ultimate purpose
here on a mission.

I got a gift from my awesome sweet Kassy! She got
me a wood burn art kit! And a teddy bear! She is the best! I also
appreciate the early valentine gifts from my family! Thank you! So on
Wednesday we got up and packed things up and moved it all to the Veeches
apartment (where I stayed in my last area, which is now my area again
:P) we had a lot of lessons today but it was great to have! I love
teaching the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! When we do the things
the Prophets and apostles ask us to do, we show Faith and as we work
on the things were not doing so well we are going through the process
of repentance. I know that these two things are the first principles
of the Gospel, and through these processes we can truly grow and draw
closer to our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Last week before this one I had a hard week. I was stressed and didn't
know how I was going to
handle everything. I got a lot of reminders that I am not even close
to having a hard time. To think and know everything our Prophets and
Apostles do day to day at the age they are is truly through the help
of our Father. They devote their lives to the Gospel and Joseph Smith
gave his life for the Gospel. I know that if they can do these things,
I can truly do anything. Heavenly Father truly does take care of his
children. Anything is possible through the help of the Lord.

So on
Thursday we went to a Zone Training Meeting as well as spent our
studies studying the Holy Ghost. The Spirit is so big in our lives.
There have been so many times where I just have made decisions and I
look back and it turned out to be the right decision. I know the Holy
Ghost quietly helps to guide me on my journey back to my Father in
Heaven. I know that the Spirit truly does inspire us and give us peace
an comfort. We had a lesson with a couple tonight and the Spirit was
truly there. I could feel the Love in the room, and I know that it is
through the Spirit that we can know the truth of all things. The
Spirit is such a help in every part of my life. I know Without the
Spirit the words I speak would not be enough to bring people truly to
Christ. The spirit is my guide and I know through him I can truly
manifest the truth of what I say.

On Friday morning we got a car!
Since we are covering so much area now, they allowed us to have a car!
It is awesome! We are able to move so much faster and see so many more
people in a shorter amount of time. It truly helps us hasten the work
of Salvation. I know Christ lives!

So Saturday is Valentine's Day! The
day I was baptized! Haha wow I saw so many couples today and there's
me with my two male companions thinking wow this kinda stinks :P haha
no it was good, kinda made me miss things but it's ok, I will live!
Barely :P haha I have this wonderful time to serve the Lord! What a
blessing to me and my Family and even my future family. I know I am
truly growing as I am out here and learning so many things. We had a
waffle breakfast at a ward and that was yummy and fun. I really
enjoyed it.

Apparently my companion is upset that my visa doesn't run
out in 6 months :P oh well, he will live! Haha we love to joke around
a little bit while we stay focused on the work of the Lord. Yesterday
we went to a lot of church! I love the blessings of church and all
that I learn at church. We went to a really beautiful chapel where it
had carvings of Joseph Smith getting the Gold Plates, the 3 witnesses,
and the 8 witnesses. They also have Moroni 10:3 carved out as well. It
was so beautiful and spiritual. I loved the talks on miracles as
nothing is ever a coincidence, it is truly miracles of our Father in
Heaven and it is through careful observance that we notice how many
miracles we have in our life. I also learned about how Heavenly Father
weeps to see his children lost and astray. He wants us all to return
to him, but he also has to keep his plan of us making our own choices.
The speaker shared toy story and how buzz didn't know who he was, but
through Woody, He found out that he was special and someone. He was
Andy's Toy. How true is that in our lives! We are all Heavenly Fathers
Children! We are very special in his eyes just as children are in the
lives of everyone. There was also a talk on Family Home Evening and
how it should happen every week if we want to draw closer as families.
As we draw closer to our Savior as a family, we draw closer together.
I am so grateful to be on a mission and so humbled to know that I will
always need help from my Father in Heaven and his Son in my life. I
know I need the Spirit daily. Thanks for all the support and I hope
everyone has a fantastic week! Love you all! Also I am currently
sleeping on a cot for the next 4 weeks!
-Elder Noad