Fayetteville - A Fresh New Start!

April 14, 2014

Just got to the library.  This last week was pretty good.  In this area, we actually do a lot of Tracting.  I don't mind it cause it helps me build up the courage to just talk to people.  A typical day in Fayetteville for me so far is getting up!  Going to the gym at 6 working out until 7, get back, clean up, start our studies!  and then we either come to the library and do our online proselyting or take an early lunch then come do Facebook and then go find a new neighborhood that we haven't knocked in yet and tract in there for a little bit and then go stop by some formers or prospective elders.  Then about that time depending if we are getting fed dinner by a member or not, we head back home to eat or get picked up.  After dinner we usually have an appointment with an investigator, we teach them, then we go back home, plan for the next day, get some good sleep (hopefully) then we wake up and repeat!

We have two investigators with a baptismal date right now.  One has had a pretty rough past, but he is progressing really well!  He is just having a bit of a challenge with quitting smoking.  I cannot begin to understand how hard it must be to quit. He said he's been smoking since he was young, but he is a pretty solid investigator. He actually invited one of his friends, to take the discussions! So we have started teaching her.  We have another AMAZING investigator.  He is only 19 and he really does think and ponder about what we are teaching him. He comes to the discussions with questions, he prays and reads the scriptures!  I don't think we could ask for a better investigator!  He is so awesome.  He is living with one of the families in the ward, he is in the Army and has been for about 4-5 months. He works with the father of the family and they finally ended up asking if he was interested in learning more about the LDS religion.  I love being a missionary!  I love being in Fayetteville!  I am so excited for this new start! 

Love ya!

Love, 

Elder Beach

This was a while ago. I just haven't had a chance to send it yet.

Activity Zone Conference!  I got to see Elder Buckner!  

And some other friends.  I don’t know the missionary in the green shirt, 

he just decided to hop in on the picture.

 So we helped someone move yesterday.  I saw the hat and put it on 
while we were moving him, later on he said I could have it!

I don't know why I haven't gotten a cowboy hat sooner! 

Momma Beach emailed E.Beach about our upcoming and much anticipated Annual Ward Lip Sync!  This is a fun activity that our Ward has been doing for a couple of decades!  Everyone looks forward to it!  Most of the Auxillaries participate from The Primary, YW & YM & Relief Society.  This year, the Relief Society will be doing Fresh Prince of Bel Air!.  At our first practice, several of us kept rappin’ the song and our RS President kept asking how we knew the song?  (Now let’s face it, if you were raised right, no matter your age, you probably can repeat a portion of this iconic TV theme song, right?)  The President is in her early 40’s.  One of the other participants said, “Oh, if you were in your 30’s you’d know the song.” Ha! Ha! (I just kept quiet, since I’m clearly not still in my 30’s)

I related the story to Elder Beach and he immediately sent this reply:

iiiiiin West Philadelphia born and raised on the playground is where I spent most of my days, Chillin’ out, Maxin', Relaxin' all cool, and shootin some B-Ball outside of the school when a couple of guys who were up to no good, Started makin’ trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mom got scared and said you're moving in with your auntie and uncle in a town called Bel-Air. 

I begged and pleaded with her day after day. But she packed my suit case and sent me on my way. She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket.  I put my Walkman on and said, I might as well kick it'.

First class, yo this is bad!  Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass!  Is this what the people of Bel-Air living like?  Hmmmmm this might be alright! But wait I hear they're prissy, bourgeois, all that. Is this the type of place that they just send this cool cat? I don't think so. I'll see when I get there. I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air!

Well, the plane landed and when I came out. There was a dude who looked like a cop standing there with my name out.  I ain't trying to get arrested yet, I just got here. I sprang with the quickness like lightning, disappeared.  I whistled for a cab and when it came near the license plate said “fresh” and it had dice in the mirror. If anything I could say that this cab was rare, But I thought 'Nah, forget it' - 'Yo, home to Bel Air'. I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8. And I yelled to the cabbie 'Yo homie smell ya later'. I looked at my kingdom. I was finally there to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air!

His next email said, “So then does that mean I am old if I know the words? ;)

My reply:  “Ha ha! No. That means you are totally COOL!”

Hey....

Miracles Really Do Happen!

Alma 26:27--  Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites,and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

This last week has been AMAZING. Miracles really do happen!

On Friday we had dinner and a lesson with two of our investigators, a Mother and Son*. We all had dinner at our Bishop's house, shortly after dinner we had a lesson on, The Gospel of Christ. This lesson was very spiritual! We talked about the principals of this church. I used The Gospel of Christ like a clock. The hands go around in a seemingly endless circle, but time moves forward. We endlessly go around the circle of the same gospel, but that's what makes our lives move forward. At the end of the lesson, we re-committed the Mother to be baptized on March 22! She seems very excited and promised to be at church this next Sunday. Her son is new to religion, and asked if it was alright that he got back to us when we meet next (which will be tonight!) We hope he will follow the example of his mom and decide to be baptized the same day as her. It is going to be a little rough for him because he is a wrestler. And he coaches the Jr. High and Elementary kids and has wrestling camps on Sundays.

The next miracle is with G*, he is seriously one of the ELECT! He was a referral from the N.C. State Institute. One day G walked in and asked someone there what he had to do to be baptized. So we had a lesson with him on Saturday. I don't think our lesson could go any better! The first thing he asked when we got there was "So how do I do this? Do I just come to your church, announce I want to be Mormon, and get baptized then and there?" G is super excited to be baptized! He wanted to be baptized yesterday at church but we told him we have to go over a few lessons with him first so he knows what he is getting into, and he said, “Oh I'm pretty sure I know what I am doing, and know that it is the right thing to do!” G also accepted our invitation to be baptized on March 22! He wants his family to be baptized as well! I hope his family will follow his example!

I know for a fact that as it says in Alma 26:27 If we go through our trials and troubles with faith and don't give up, we can perform miracles and bring to pass the immortality of man!

This past week has been so helpful for me, because being in the same area for 6 months and not having very much success is depressing. But I continued with faith and tried my hardest. And now this area is starting a spiritual fire! I cannot wait to see what this week brings! I am so excited! Love ya!

Love,

Elder Beach

*Names removed for privacy

And now some Facebook Posts from Elder Beach:

Need I say more?

"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than YOU" -Dr. Suess

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

How awesome is that! They understood that Christ could deliver them out of the King’s hands but if not, if their God chose not to save their lives, if their God allowed them to die at the King’s hands, their faith would be unshaken because that outcome (whether they lived or died) did not change the fact that God was God and that they would continue to worship Him regardless.

How often is our faith shaken when we don’t see an outcome in our lives? Where we prayed so hard for something that we desperately wanted or needed? I know that I’ve done this countless of times and still find myself in these situations. However, our faith needs to be placed in the idea that regardless of what happens, regardless of how God chooses to bless our lives or not, we understand that Christ is still our Savior. We understand that He loves us and that ultimately, He has a plan for all of us.

BE THE FIRST.

What's this? a HAND WRITTEN letter?

January 20, 2014

BEACH FAMILY    

Sorry I haven't written in so long.  I guess since I am injured & can't play basketball I don't really have a choice :) Things are going pretty great though!  WE finally have people to teach!  A single Mom & her 16 year old son.

It's so crazy that I have been out for almost half a year!  It's going by so fast, but the saying is true "Some weeks feel like days and days feel like weeks."

Thank you, Mom, for sharing that poem from one of your friend's missionary.  I loved it & actually wrote it out and have it hanging in front of my study desk.  I love writing letters, I just have a small problem, I don't know what to talk about.

The "Beautiful Savior" pictures are awesome.  I love them!  As well as the keychain & "17 Points" cards!

Tonight some members are taking us out to RED ROBIN... Yummm!

Tomorrow night we have dinner with different members from New York.  Last time we had Crickets!  Who eats cricktes these days? Well we DID! and they are actually kind of good... covered in chocolate.

Sexy Dexy, what have you been up to? Stayin in School and out of trouble, right?  How's Marsha doing? Takin good care of her? [Marsha is a 1997 Mazda]  You should start looking for a job so you have one during the summer!  Get that extra $ $.  I hear you are going to Prom!  You better behave yourself on the dance floor :) I've seen your dance moves!

Oh, this last Monday, Elder Buckner hurt his ankle pretty bad and can hardly walk on it.  And we wanted to check the mail.  I got the idea of getting my chair (has wheels on it) and using it as a wheel chair.  (poor people wheel chair) # (Hashtag, for you Mom & Dad) #BESTIDEAEVER.  After checking the mail we got distracted & started rolling around the parking lot, I'm sure we looked like idiots, but it was so much FUN!

That's all for now I guess, be safe!

Love Y'all!

Love,

Elder Beach