12 Sep 2009

Hello family
I'm really excited to be back home! Well back home in Prague! I have spent the past four days in the Slovak Republic. It was an absolute blast! I have never worked so hard in my whole mission! I'm planning on making a voice recording telling in a little more depth what happened. It was these same three days Tuesday - Thursday, two years ago that the church received recognition in Slovakia. So the Zone Leaders took advantage of this opportunity to excite the missionaries to making the second Slovakian miracle! So we (Elder Briggs and I) went to Slovakia to be a part of it. The schedule was that the missionaries put off all of their regular meetings to the weekend so that for the three days they could devote all their time to finding new investigators. We woke up every day at 5:30,and we were out on the streets from 7:45 in the morning to 8:45 at night! And we weren't just out talking to people here and there but it was power contacting!! It was truly talking to one person after another, we were talking to every single person that crossed our path. I have never worked that hard on my whole mission. We didn't have any lunch break or dinner break, we just carried around carrots and apples and little sandwiches with us and had little 15 minute breaks about every 2 hours. I say that i have never worked that hard, but i have never felt so satisfied and happy. When we finally got home yesterday i was so tired. I am soo happy to be home and to have a day of rest. Cool story really quick though was that when we got back into Prague we dropped our things in the office and then went out contacting for our own area. we talked to three people....just three....The first one was way grumpy and said something pretty rude to us, he was a really big guy, we just looked at each other smiled shrugged our shoulders and then continued on, the second one when we contacted him, he simply said, "I am a Jew," and then continued on, then the third person we talked to was the blessing from God. His name is Adam, he has been thinking about how to get rid of all the problems in his life, he came back to the church building with us and after we taught about coming to know God, and praying with him, he said,"i feel very comfortable right now, really.....pleasant, it is hard to describe." Well you can guess what our reaction was! We told him that those feelings are confirmations from the Holy Ghost that the things we were sharing with him are true. Miracle!

Ether 12:4,6 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety ,hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God. And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

These are truly words to live by. I have seen this promise fulfilled so many times on my mission. In these past four days i have seen it more than ever! God always keeps his promises to us. the Prophets do not lie. This is truly the Gospel of Jesus Christ again in its fullness. Of that i testify.i love you family
This weeks questions:
So how's everything this week? It went well.
Are you having a better week.
yes we really had a week of miracles, tender mercies of the Lord.
Are you still enjoying being in the office? it definitely has its perks, like this past week.
Scout questions: (moms notes-I am doing a Little Philmont Scout Training and wanted to share some of his cubscout memories)

1. What did you like most about cub scouts? I liked going on camp-outs and making smores
2. Which camp out do you remember? The one in florida when went on the canoe trip and boats would go driving by and their waves would tip over some of the scouts....Hilarious!!
3. What did you like doing most at the camp outs? finding a hiking stick and carving it with my pocket knife. Also, playing capture the flag.
4. What food did you like at the camp outs? Dutch oven cooking is the best ever!!
5. Who helped you most with cub scouts ? Mom and dad
6. What is your funniest memory of cub scouts? i will have to agree with Andy on the time i ate that mexican food!!!!
7. What did you like about Derby Day? Seeing all the cool cars and, the pushcart derby. It was really funny when the scout leader would tip over.
8 What was your favorite Pinewood Derby Car? The Jamaican bobsled
9. What did you like most about the pack meetings? I loved the cheer box!! That was so fun. The live wire cheer was definitely a favorite
10. Is there a particular skit that you remember? The three rivers skit "its as clean as three rivers can get it!"
11. What is the funniest thing one of your parents did while they were being a cub scout mom or dad? Probably watching dad pack for a camp out. It was either putting a 20 dollar bill in his pocket and saying," Ok im ready! i think there is a holiday inn right around the corner!" or him getting the blow up mattress sheets pillows a grill a tent heater, a few chairs and some "tee kee torches" to put up around the tent.
I hope this week is another fun one for you all. Enjoy yourselves
Love you bunches, Your son,Starsi Morgan Nowland

6 Sep 2009

So I'm going to apologize for writing late this week. By the way when i said we are having a baptism here in Prague i was meaning as missionaries as a whole so it was actually an investigator of the district leaders. It is really scary because right now it is taking a little bit longer for any of our investigators to start making the essential progress towards baptism. I am going to share with you that i am getting a little scared that the goal i established at the beginning of mission is not going to be acheived. dont worry though that doesnt take away any of my desire to still strive for it to make it a reality. I suppose i need to have greater faith. We have had a pretty calm week here. But on tuesday of next week we will be in slovakia trying to make another miracle happen there. It was this time about three years ago that the first miracle happened. It was when we were striving really hard to get enough signatures to get the church recognized by Slovakia. So we are going there this time with to try and find 27 new investigators in three days. It was in three days that the missionaries got 27,000 signatures. The Zone Leaders there have invited all the members to hold a fast for the missionaries for them to be able to find that many new investigators. I had an interview with president the other day. It was cool just because he told a little about his mission and how you can have great field working missionaries and great office working missionaries, and even missionaries that can do both very well. He mentioned that while he was an assistant he had a companion that was a great field working missionary for a companion, but when they brought him into the office he just wasnt able to make the transition so he went back out into the filed and did amazing things. The story helped me with my concern a bit. In case you didnt know president Slovacek served his mission in Austria.
Our questions for Elder Nowland:
Anyway how has everything been this past week? things have gone well, we are having trouble finding good solid people.
Are you doing a lot more traveling or has it slowed down for a season? it has slowed down for the week but as you read above it will pick back up again.
Are the missionaries putting into practice the things you have taught them? yes, here and there we are hearing good success storiess about the trainings
And are they seeing results? yup Is the work continuing to accelerate? it is continuing to accelerate. We just had 12 baptism this weekend in the mission! 6 of them were in Olomouc!

I have to go now but i love you and wish you the best this week. P.s. thanks for letting me know about you back momma nad how the priesthood blesing really worked. It was a great testimony builder for me to put more faith in the power of those blesings and the priesthood.-- With love, Your son,Starsi Morgan Nowland