Final Letter

Where to even start...

San Diego will always be hallowed ground to me. I love my mission, not every day was flowers and roses and in fact, I'm not sure if any day was. 

One of the greatest things I have learned on my mission is that the more dependant on Him we become the more independent of the world we become. I have realized that God takes us as who we are but he does not intend for us to stay What we are. Divine discontent is the characteristic that is ingrained in any who is worthy to be called a Disciple of Jesus Christ. One can be pleased with the progress they have made but must never be satisfied with one's ability to love, serve, learn, and live a life patterned after the Savior. 

Alma 32 teaches that "blessed are those that are compelled to be humble but more blessed are those who are humbled because of the word of God." 

In essence, it is one thing to do the right thing because you have to, it is another to choose the right thing because you want to. Like staying Worthy. You can stay worth because you "should" or you can stay worthy because you "Want" to. 

President Stubbs said this best

"Obedience is not the Goal, Obedience is the Plan, Becoming like our Father in heaven is the Goal"

Let me make this clear. I know, like know, that Jesus Christ is the Son of the only true and Living God. I don't know or comprehend the magnitude or significance of his Atoneing sacrifice, I only know that it works. Serving for the last 21 months doing what the Savior did has been a sacred experience, strengthening the feeble knees, lifting the hands that hang down, and wiping away every tear from the broken spirits. 

I am a missionary, a friend, a brother, and a son. I Am a Disciple of Jesus Christ.

Love Elder Landon Palmer

Elder 🌴

The LAST WEEK begins......

THE LAST WEEK begins...

Well honestly feels like another week in the field on what will forever be hallowed ground. It has come to the point that when people ask where I hesitate wanting to say " San Diego '' but... don't think 21 months qualifies me.

This week was so nice we got to go and do Service at Camp Wildwood! (a church camp) and it was so much fun! We literally picked big old rocks then tossed them into a front end loader for 2 hours. It was so refreshing. Some parks and trails are opening up again so we got to go a short hike until we got a tad lost but the trail and terrain are not hard to navigate so we found our way eventually.

I also had so super insightful personal studies this week and I hope that I am able to do them justice

for one there was a Worldwide young single adult Conference with Elder Gay of the Seventy. It was so good I listened to it 3 times in less than 24 hours. 

He shared many experiences but the one that struck me the most and I imagine him was... as he sat in the office of an Apostle being called to be a mission president, he and his wife looked at each other than politely declined the call they were to "BUSY".

The Apostle then looked at Elder Gay and said " Brother Gay you really do not get it, you can either live a Covenant Life or a Convenient Life"

I was struck with the power of that phrase! You cannot live Both. you can not make Covenants before God Angles and Witnesses then pick and decide which ones you will live or even when you will live them. For many of us sorry that ship has sailed. This brings to mind to me a quote from Elder Pearson of the seventy but I now echo them as my own. "I lived my life preparing to make Covenants in the Temple of God when I turned 18, and over the last 21 months I have shaped my life around those covenants and I will continue to do so"    To be frank "hanging in there is not a principle of the Gospel, We Must Endure to the End" Average is the enemy of excellence and there is no room for lukewarm or average discipleship in the kingdom of God."

WE Each only truly have one Unique thing to place on God's Altar, that is the submission of our own will.

 Choose you this day what you will live a Covenant life or a Convenient Life.

Love Elder Palmer

P.S I will write next week on my way home since I will have nothing to do all day. 

I will miss this

And another one gone. 

Today I looked over at my Companion Elder Powell, who has been out for 2 months. And said, "you know I have fewer days than you do months..."

Starting to get real Haha. But it doesn't feel like it. 

The Work is still progressing we should be seeing Elena be baptized either this week or next!!! She is super awesome she is Greek and actually knows how to read Greek and speak a little. 

Then last week we got a text at midnight and we woke up to read this text from Derek a friend of ours

 "The Church is True" 

Not going to lie I was a little skeptical at first. We tried to set up a video lesson but it never worked out until about a week later than we finally met today!!! Derek had indeed come to know for himself he told us of his experience how he had had enough of the confusion and determined to pray and ask God. And now his countenance has changed he was so talkative and excited and ready to go! The gospel finally made sense to him and he was expounding on the restoration like "of course we need a prophet today! With the Priesthood authority of God! With more of his word revealed to us..." and on and on he went. It was a very sacred experience. So we asked him what is next? His response "I want to be Baptized...eventually, I need to overcome some things first" we set goals and made plans right there made a group chat with other members. Now we just need to fan the flame!!! 

We so had another awesome lesson with Julie!  We have friends of ours really progressing! It's is weird but we really see the difference when we bring a member into the conversion process and the Highland Valley ward is extremely good at volunteering to be apart of that. We had one of our ward Missionaries nagging us for 2 weeks to get him and his wife in on a lesson. Then we finally had the opportunity and they knocked it out of the park!!! They had never met Elena and yet they connect so well. Elena even said that she would call them later that week just to talk! 

Not going to lie until I started writing this letter I had forgotten all the tender mercies and miracles this week. But as I have reflected on this last week it has been a very rewarding week. I will miss this Mission it has been a sacred Experience. 

I have really been pondering lately how "the more we depend on God, the more Independent of the world we become." 

Love Elder Palmer

We also taught a member family from our balcony at a distance of about 20 feet (King Benjamin style) it was super fun and will be an experience to remember.

Pandemic is softening hearts

We had another pretty good week. We are finding things to keep us busy. I will admit doing all of our work on the phone is difficult because as we all know when you are one your phone all day you feel like it is sucking the life out of you because it kinda is. We got a referral this week from our Bishop (who is super awesome Bishop Andersen) and we set up a lesson with her (Shawnee) the lesson went well and she was very attentive. The Pandemic is softening hearts!!! We also had a very uplifting lesson with Julie yesterday and we added a Member of the Ward (Sister HW) into the call and she was literally perfect for Julie! they have very similar life experiences. When Sister White began to share part of her testimony the spirit was palpable and Julie was very attentive, asking questions and adding to the lesson. It will be a turning point for Julie! especially since there is a good chance that Elder Powell and I will be gone before we get to meet her in person so to have a friend for her is Perfect! 

other than that not too eventful this week, video lessons and whatnot. OH But not sure if anyone actually reads these Emails anymore, Probably not, but we are allowed to call home to friends and members of our homeward to teach lessons and so if any of yall are interested hit me up on Facebook Messenger!!!

Been thinking a lot about the Atonement lately, I was thinking how does Christ Dying really merit anything (not to be sacrilegious, just an honest question) I studied this hard for a few days and then literally one day as I sat down at my desk to write in my journal.  Then it hit me and I began to understand a portion of it!!! I was so excited I couldn't sleep that night. This is not what I learned about the Atonement but this is one thing I did Learn. "I do not understand or comprehend the Atonement, and may never fully grasp its all-encompassing magnitude, But I KNOW THAT IT WORKS" I have had a front-row seat for 20 months as I have had the opportunity to mend the broken and strengthen the Feeble knees, I Cannot Deny it.

This is the Lord's Work!

Love Elder Palmer

There is no end above!

This was a great week, we have seen some really cool miracles this week. 

 On Sunday we were making phone calls and we were going through our list and we came across a lady named Julie. We thought nothing of it since we had been calling members all afternoon. We had a very pleasant conversation and then we felt prompted to set up a video lesson (just like every other member we talked to that day) she said that Monday worked and we set it up. After we hung up I looked at her profile a little closer and realized that she was not a member of the Church!!! So we set up a lesson with a random lady we just met on the phone. But we had a very good lesson the next day and we set up a time to do another video lesson!!!

We also had the opportunity to give the man who's property we live on a Priesthood blessing with our Ward Mission leader (before it became illegal) the man's name is Rick and he had been bed-bound for three days coughing up some sad stuff. And extremely weak. Brother Shrope gave a very inspired Blessing! And right after Rick fell back onto his bed nearly breathing...

As we walked out Brother Shope turned to us and grimly sad "not sure how much longer he has"

Turns out

30 mins later he was beginning to breathe normal again. 4 hours no cough. 10 hours his strength begins to come back. The next morning Rick was walking in his yard doing some little tasks around the yard! He literally went from being bed bound with his wife holding the phone all day ready to call 911 to walking around his yard in less than 24 hours!!!  Rick was so so Grateful and teared up as he thanked us a million times over. Had to remind him the Blessings are Conditional upon the recipient's Faith.

Anyways I am doing very well with Bright Spirits we Feel the Prayers of the People for us Missionaries Currently Serving in such a Unique time? But with Unique Challenges come Unique lessons and Revelations to be learned!!!

Love Elder Palmer

The first week in Ramona

Case you missed it I am Whitewash training in Ramona. Which is super exciting only problem us that the Elders before us left us with literally no information on the area, didn't even know where the church or apartment was. And the Apartment was a mess Haha. So I actually was having a tough time getting studies in since we were so busy trying to get our feet under us. But the apartment is on a member's property out of town kinda in the woods with a little fishing pond that us good for killing about a half-hour when we head outside to get some fresh air. #Blessed

Our day is different every day. We wake up at 6:30 (I am sure of that) work out for about an hour. Then get ready for the day. It pushes our schedule back by about 30 mins but we are allowed to adjust our schedule.

Studies then lunch then depending on where we are at. More studies or we are running little miscellaneous tasks. Calling people, cleaning, we teach about two lessons a day in the evening so that is always something to look forward to! Today we even found a way to do an object lesson through the phone. We just had the family get their own home supplies. 

The difficult part about quarantine for people is the feeling of a lack of progress. There is nothing to work towards. However, the best way to get through each day and not only survive this time but thrive is to. Have a set routine. The individuals that are going stir crazy and dare I say Missionaries are the ones that are not doing anything or at least trying to. This is giving each one of us time to really see how we act when we don't go to church every Sunday, this is where the motion Members and the life Long Disciples of Jesus Christ are separated. President Nelson in a recent article "the future of the church April 2020" said that we as members of the church will need to develop "Dogged Persistence"

So here comes one of the most soul-stirring questions "Will ye also go away? Or to paraphrase will ye also peeter out?" Take time to really ponder this question. 

Love Elder Palmer!

Last Area

So I have been transferred to Ramona, Highland Valley Ward! It is a super awesome area! And I am White Wash Training... so please send prayers literally don't know where to start considering the circumstances.