Merry Christmas!

So I am just writing a quick weekly

Alpine is so much fun we have had the privilege and opportunity to teach a lesson every day this last week it has been a real blessing. But here in Alpine a large portion of our work is working with returning members which is equally as gratifying. I love Christmas because it really has a special spirit to it. People are way more willing to talk on the street. But I don't think it is a coincidence that when we ask people "what are you most excited for about Christmas?'' they almost always say "being with my family"

It is because the family is ordained of God and though families are not perfect and vary in circumstances they are an eternal blessing and the family brings more joy to people than any other temporal pleasure. 

Doctrine and Covenants 130:2

"and that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, Which glory we do not now enjoy."

Being away from home this Christmas has really showed what brings me the most joy...presents the big the the better.

NO on a serious note it has really made me appreciate the importance of family I hope that you never take for granted the blessings that you have. 

Being in San Diego has really burst my small town boy bubble. Especially since San Diego has so many homeless people and right next them is a 5 million dollar beach house. We are also teaching a man that lives about an hour away in the middle of nowhere and to boot he is almost completely blind he can just see shapes and shadows. But it really makes me think about how truly grateful I am to have my eyesight and it is really humbling to see the diligence of people to follow God's commandments. Such as tithing, especially when it is the holidays and you are a young married couple with a new born kid and you are on cents left in your bank account and you have 2 more weeks until pay day. It is my hope and my prayer that you and I will strive to give as He gave serve as He did so that when the day comes we will be confident in God's presence. 

Merry Christmas 

Love Elder Palmer. 

P.S i would send pictures of the blue skies and sunshine but it is raining. 

Transferred to Alpine

Hey I have been transferred to Alpine! It is a small town out in the middle of nowhere...basically it is between El Centro and San Diego.  It is the largest English area in the mission. So pretty much I am serving in Raymond. 

I was sad to leave Del Sur but it was getting pretty tough being stuck in the apartment. 

  So this new area is very large and it is so big that we actually have to go camping because we go so far out. By camping I mean we go stay with some members way out.

   My new companion is Elder Grenier he is from Maryland and has been out for 18 months. He is a solid Elder and we are going to have a lot of fun together...because we have been banished from the mission. The area does have its challenges though it has no sidewalks so street contacting doesn't exist and everyone lives so far apart that you can't tract so...it will be interesting. 

But earlier this week I got to go on exchanges with the zone leaders and I got to go with Elder Matthews (the former AP) and he is my grandpa. But holy I learned so much and the one day we worked my area we got so much done! We visited so many people and all but one was home so we talked to so many people and shared the light the world videos. 

 I also go to go on exchanges with the district leaders and we went to a place called "Christmas card lane" and we walked around giving out light the world cards all evening which was so much fun. But you would be surprised at the amount of people that still reject a Christmas card on "Christmas card lane" and they use a pretty lame excuse " I'm busy"   like it takes more time to say you're busy then to take the card haha.

So as I was reading this last week I came across this scripture 

Matt 5:19

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

It really made me think how we have to live what we what we learn and teach. Because the only way that we really come to know of the truth is to apply it to our lives and live it.

So I will be calling you next Tuesday um probably around dinner time but I will get to you with specifics. Is there a time that works for you best. 

Love Elder Palmer 

P.s. some body was shot in our apartment complex last transfer just thought I would tell ya for fun. 

God doesn't expect perfection

So this last week was pretty slow once again because we can't get out of the apartment very often and when we do it is for a dinner appointment. But having said that these last few weeks have really allowed me to study A lot! like 4-5 hours a day which I take as a huge blessing because I have been learning so much. It has really made me develop a love for the scriptures. And the more i read them the more complicated and intricate they become.

So since I don't get out much I figured I would tell you my daily schedule 

6:30 wake up and work out

7:00 eat

7:30 shower and get dressed

8:30 study 

9:30study

10:30study

11:30study

12:00 lunch

1:00 study

2:00 stare out the window like I'm in some music video

3:00 play chess

4:00 ponder the true meaning of Christmas

5:00 dinner with with Elder Magner (and I can't cancel that again)

6:00 think about the kolob theorem 

7:00 brush my teeth

8:00 PJ time

9:00 do a puzzle

10:00 think about the purpose of life until i fall asleep

transfers are next week just thought i would remind you. also I don't want to leave because I want to be here for Christmas since I have come to love this area. 

one of my favorite scriptures is in Matt 25

23 His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

I love this scripture because God doesn't expect perfection (yet) but He does expect us to be Faithful throughout our lives and though we aren't perfect God understands. So He promises that if we do our best and are faithful over a few things we will be made rulers of many things.

Love Elder Palmer

Turn any conversation

This week was pretty uneventful as I predicted, because I have spent the majority of my time in out apartment...Elder Magner's leg still hurts too much to go out much and when we do it is just for a dinner appointment and maybe we visit one other person then we head home. so not much is happening here which is to be expected when you aren't out and about 

"the Lord does not bless those who do not hustle and move!" J. Golden Kimball

But we went to the Doctor and he said that Elder Magner needed some pain killers/pills. And they seem to be helping very very slowly. He basically had some inflammation that was pressing against a nerve. but it is getting better slowly but even when it heals we will still have to take it easy because he can't reaggravate it. So I think i am going to be in the apartment for the rest of the transfer sadly, but I have some exchanges with some other Elders this coming week so I be able to get out. 

Actually kinda a funny/cool story that happened I was in a gas station and was going through some withdraws of not talking to people on the street so I was kinda down but as I was talking to the clerk about how they had these massive chocolate bars that were a yard long and Reese peanut butter cups that weighed a pound each, I some how swayed the conversation from a yard of chocolate to the gospel and I honestly have no idea how it happened. It just goes to show that you can turn any conversation into a gospel conversation.  

We also had zone conference on Monday but we had like 3 zones so it was pretty big and it was awesome. One thing that really stuck out to me was from a departing missionary's testimony he talked about the missionary chapters in the Book of Mormon and how only a missionary could have written them because they are so relatable and any current or former missionary can testify of that. Joseph Smith also knew nothing about missionary work so to think he "wrote" those stories is pretty funny from my perspective.

I honestly am so excited for Christmas and Light the World! There are so many great ways that you can light the world and help make it a better place. ...so you should that!

Just remember the good news! 

it is in a song on the piano with 8 notes

Starting at the top of the C scale and going down.

1...2...34...5.6...7...8  (hopefully you can figure it out)

Love Elder Palmer

What am I doing now?

So I had a huge miracle this week... I didn't over eat and die at thanksgiving! I paced myself so well that I had seconds the last dinner of the night. 

It was the first thanksgiving I have not actually prayed for deliverance. 

other than that not to much has happened this week because Elder Magner's leg has pretty much put him out of commission. we sat inside most all of Saturday and Monday.  Elder Magner has doctors appointment tomorrow morning and we think it has something to do with his MCL. but it is pretty serious because he can't sit down or stand without a lot of pain, which makes it really hard to do missionary work when you can't walk....hmm who would have known. Elder Magner is actually really concerned about having to go home so keep him in your prayers please.

I also got the opportunity to go to the temple today and do a session for the first time since I have been here and it was amazing we actually woke up at 4 to go to a 5:30 session with our district. also remember Elder Magner can't sit or stand so he said he had the longest session of his life... the poor guy. 

But one thing that happened this week that will hold dear to my heart for a long time is a dinner appointment we had with a member family. We walked (hobbled) in the house expecting it to be just like any other dinner appointment... but as we sat sat down it became very apparent that we were really needed at this home. the family was going through many trials and faith shaking experiences. so Elder Magner and I bore testimony of the restored gospel encouraged the family and left a blessing on the home with a few tears. 

The adversary is really working hard these days, and since being out here i have heard of more families leaving the church in the last 6 months then I have in my entire short 18 years. One thing we always think though when we see people fall away is "oh that will never be me I will never fall away" but what you should be asking yourself is what am I doing RIGHT NOW so I don't fall away???  I take time every week to think what I am Doing to stay in the church? my invite to you all is to take a second and prayerfully consider what am i Doing NOW to stay in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ? then when you feel prompted to do something better. ACT.

 I just want you all to know that the devil is real even though the world says there is none. 

2Nephi 28:22

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

Love Elder Palmer

Discomfort is the catalyst to growth

and thus ended the the first week of the third transfer in the rein of Stubbs.

Also I have grown up in the the Raymond 7th ward my entire life and the 3 months I leave we get a convert baptism... sad i can't be there to see it.

make sure Branson takes her on dates when she is 16. 

so with Elder Maughan gone now i have to takeover the area... when Elder Magner got here he looked at the area book that shows our area, and the first thing he said was "wow now i know why missionaries go crazy in this area" haha basically the area i'm in is renowned through the mission for being an extremely challenging area 

So this up coming week is thanksgiving and we have had 8 offers to have us over for dinner... we had to say no to a couple otherwise I would eat more food in a day then my actual body weight. but we are having dinner with the Tollestrups the Bratts and the Goshes. please send prayers my way that I don't die from over eating and hopefully i can be forgiven for the gluttony and my indulgence in the vain things of this world...thanks giving dinner.

But this last Friday we had six appointments set up! and every single one fell through...  kinda a bummer but we rescheduled the appointments for another day. 

It has been kinda a slow week for me because I realized that without Elder Maughan I have no idea what I'm doing. but Elder Magner is awesome because he loves/lets me crash and burn sometimes on the street which is super helpful because I it makes me uncomfortable but discomfort is the catalyst to growth. So I really enjoy it. Elder Magner and I get along really well! and we are always talking. like we wake up talking to each other and fall asleep talking to each other it is pretty fun and it helps pass time. 

Actually this week we found a couple more people on the street to follow up on so we are pretty excited about that. One man is from Iran that has been put in jail and um beat for his beliefs in christ. he is a super nice guy so we are hoping to get a chance to visit him this weekend. he actually asked us to come by before we could even ask if we could come by. we also met a Vietnam war vet that lost his leg in nam and he started telling us stories without us even asking and... wow this man has seen a lot and all we could do was testify that there is life after death and tell him how people that never had the opportunity to accept the restored gospel will have the opportunity in the next life. this was fascinating to him so we set up an appointment with him as well!

i was reading in Alma 36 about Alma's conversion story from his own experience verses11-21 and you all should study this chapter it is super good and chapter 37. but my favourite part of this chapter is verse 15 Alma doesn't feel worthy to live and he doesn't feel worthy to die. but through the atonement of Jesus Christ he feels a more exquisite joy then any amount of pain and misery he had felt. keep in mind that he literally didn't want to exist. you have to get to rock bottom to wish you never lived.

but through the atonement of Christ all things can be healed and our joy and peace will forever overcome our griefs and pains.

love Elder Palmer

p.s. it is starting to get cold here! I had to by a sweater even burr 

Short and Sweet

Transfers!!  Elder Maughan has been transferred to Imperial Beach...basically the bottom corner of the USA.

I am staying in Del Sur and Elder Magner has been transferred here. He is a really cool guy. He has been out for 15 months and knows a thing or two about missionary work. He is a pretty letter of the law guy which I really appreciate! He is actually from the same home stake in Michigan as Elder Maughan but they never knew each other because Elder Magner is 26 years old. yes he is 8 years older than me. But this is going to be a fun transfer i feel like we will mesh well. 

Also this transfer is only 5 week so it is going to blow by. but the next transfer is 7 weeks. they are shortening this transfer so that missionaries can get home in time for Christmas. 

This last week we taught Micheal! he is progressing well he just decided he need to know both sides of the story of the Book of Mormon, and looked up some anti stuff but we were able to answer his questions about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. but we are excited for him because he is progressing.

I can't write much today since I am short on time.

love Elder Palmer

Cheerfully

So this week was Halloween and it was one of the most boring days. We had to be in by 6:00 so we came back to the apartment and just chilled and did some extra studies. It didn't feel like halloween at all and it was kinda weird because I realized it is just a pagan holiday that has no point. 

So something that happened this week that was a really amazing experience was, we got to give three priesthood blessings to three people not of our faith. So on Saturday we got a referral from a missionary chat centre in Colorado (the missionaries that answer questions online). So what happened was a member referred her friend (Dushanka) because they were having a family crisis and wanted a priesthood blessing. So we went over there with our ward mission leader and gave three of the family members a blessing.

It was a really cool experience, they are part of a non denomination christian church that unites all "true" religions, they are super spiritual and are very welcoming. She did flat out say how she would never join our church but that she loves all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. towards the end of the visit I felt like i should share a scripture with them. They were more than happy to hear me share a scripture but when I said it was from the Doctrine and Covenants they all looked a little sceptical, I continued though and explained how the Doctrine and Covenants came to be. then I shared Doctrine and Covenants 123:17 "therefore, dearly beloved brethren let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power, than may we stand still with the utmost assurance to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." the second I read it I was greeted with a load AMEN! by everyone in the house. Then they couldn't stop talking about how it was so true! they especially loved how it said Cheerfully (even though they had plenty of reason to be upset and angry). but one thing that really stuck out to me during that visit was when Brother Grey (the ward mission leader) said

"to often we all focus on the differences of our beliefs and traditions, but we should all focus on our similarities, such as Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven were by man can be saved, He died for us, and we all are striving to live better more christ like lives with more charity, integrity, patience and virtue because of Christ perfect example"

When he said that I felt kinda guilty because I am guilty of focusing on the differing beliefs but since being on my mission i have tried to learn what others believe... and yes there are some differences in the details but we all are trying to come closer to Jesus Christ and many are seeing the changing times. 

one kinda funny story quick!

so on Saturday were playing basket ball with our district and some kids that weren't members. as we are in the middle of the game we noticed that "if you could hie to Kolob" was playing in the background as we were running around the court. 

so we stopped and looked around to find an Elder sitting off in the corner of the gym playing his ocarina (look it up it is pretty much a flute/ recorder thing). So we kept playing a intense game of Basketball with hymns playing in the background for about and hour haha. maybe you just had to be there but I could hardly play basketball because I kept giggling like a hyena.

Transfers are on the 13th so it will be interesting to see what happens. Elder Maughan will probably get transferred out since he has been here for 4 transfers already and i will stay for one or two more!

So in my personal study i was reading in Alma 15. and in verse 16 i noticed how it said Amulek left everything he had for the gospel of Jesus Christ, He was even rejected by his friends and family. In verse 18 Alma then takes Amulek in to his "Own house" and ministers to him. I just thought it was interesting how in chapter 8 Amulek takes Alma in to his own home when Alma is having a rough go and then in Chapter 15 when Amulek is having a rough go Alma takes him into his own house. I just shows what we should be doing to each other as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Elder Palmer

Royal Generation

So Chris we haven't been able to meet with Chris since our last visit because his schedule is up in the air always. but we are pretty optimistic about his progression.

Micheal we are meeting with him this Friday, and lately he has been showing  a lot of initiative to get a lesson scheduled. so when we meet with him we will see where he is at in his progression. He also came to church this Sunday!

We also had a surprise at church when a lady we met on the street showed up. I can't remember if i told you about her but we met on the street and she started asking questions about Jesus and what our purpose was she talks super fast like unbelievably fast. So she asked where we went to church so we gave her the address and time. well... she actually showed up with her daughter. She said she really enjoyed the service even though she showed up late was only able to attend relief society. Her first language is farsi so it is kinda hard for us to communicate but God works by miracles big and small and there was young woman in the ward that spoke farsi... go figure. So the young woman was able to communicate to her for us so we could get some more information. The farsi lady's name is Susan and emigrated from Afghanistan for freedom of religion and is looking for a church to join. But since she speaks farsi we are going to refer her to the farsi elders in the Carlsbad mission. 

So yesterday Elder Maughan and I were in need of some guidance in our area about where to go so we said a prayer and headed down the street. We ran into a man that we talked to for about 20-30 minutes. and basically he was telling us how he is moving to Idaho because California is getting to crazy, he was telling us how society is now moving away from God and traditional values such as families. 

One thing I have noticed since coming out here is how people are noticing things changing in society and they are scared about how it will effect the world and our way of life. Almost everyone that is willing to stop and chat with us for a few minutes brings up themselves about how the world is getting more selfish and less charitable. It is not just members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ that are seeing the difference everyone is... but not everyone is willing to admit it. 

Royal Generation

"For nearly six thousand years. God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
While our generation will be comparable in wickedness to thee days of Noah. when the Lord cleansed the earth by flood. There is a major difference this time. It is that God has saved for the final innings some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly. And that is where you come in, for you are the Generation that must be prepared to meet your God. All through the ages the prophets have looked down the corridors of time to our day. Billions of the deceased and those yet to come have their eyes on us. 
 Make no mistake about it--You are a marked generation there has never before been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time as there is of us. Never before on the face of this earth have the forces of good and the forces of evil been as well organized.
Now is the Great day of the devil's power, with the greatest mass murderers of all time living among us. But now is also the great day of the Lord's power, with the greatest number ever of priesthood holders on the earth. And the showdown is fast approaching!"
-President Ezra Taft Benson 1987

I love this quote I found it hanging on the wall at the MTC in an office and I snuck in there to take a picture of it... I got caught which is a story to tell but It was worth it!

Love Elder Palmer

Eternal Perspective

I have been praying lately that we would be able to finish our harvest so it is good to hear that we were finally able to finish. I just hope that others in the area are able to finish also. something that just came to mind as i was typing this is how grandpa every year used to always say "there was one year where we did not turn aaaa Wheeeeeel... until October first."

Now for what is happening on the promised land. Brother Brittian (the legend) took us out for lunch to Phils BBQ it was soooo good I got this burger that was huge! they literally stabbed a steak knife through it and Elder Maughan and I had to wear bibs because we were in our white shirts. 

We also had the opportunity to visit the stake president (super amazing guy) and after we shared a message with his family his youngest son asked for a priesthood blessing. so president Clyde asked who he wanted to give the blessing... the son literally look directly at me, now I did something that is regretted immediately, I pointed at Elder Maughan under my belt so nobody else saw. once I did it I felt so bad not because it was it was a bad thing but I had the opportunity to bless somebody to help them and I in a way turned it down. after I told Elder Maughan about it and we laughed for like 5 mins straight.

We also got to teach Chris this week! We went there planning on teaching the restoration. but as we were talking to him I felt like we should teach the plan of salvation. but since I still am pretty new I was to scared to tell Elder Maughan or just start the lesson with the first point of the plan of salvation so I said nothing. when it came time to start the lesson Elder Maughan told Chris that today we are going to be discussion the plan of salvation. I love how the holy ghost impressed upon both Elder Maughan's and my mind that Chris needed the plan of salvation.  As we taught the lesson we showed Chris some scriptures form the Book of Mormon and he would say "man that is some good stuff" he even asked for a copy before we could offer one to him. he has a super busy work schedule but he said that he is going to try and move things around so he can attend church with us this next coming week. 

We also visited a man who we have been trying to teach and the second he opened the door he invited us in. he said he only had a few minutes to chat. we had gone over a few times before and each time he invited us in even though he had no time. it amazed me how even though he was a busy man with kids and a job he was never to busy to let somebody into his home for literally just a few minutes. It really made me think about when I get home how I want to have a open door to everyone. and let everyone in for even just a few minutes even when I am busy like making supper, just sitting down for dinner, or putting the kids to bed. those where all times that he let us in by the way.

So I invite anyone who reads this to invite someone over for dinner or take them out to dinner...no matter how busy you are.

On Sunday our PQ3 ward had a sacrament meeting with only hymns a person would get up and talk about why they chose the song and then the congregation would sing the first and last verse. It was a really cool experience and I recommend it. Elder Maughan got to play his guitar in sacrament meeting at the pulpit so that was pretty neat not to mention the guitar he has, he found in a dumpster and had to duck tape it back together. 

We had exchanges yesterday with the District leaders and I had the opportunity to take over the area... so basically I was freaking out because I had no idea what to do. so anyways one thing on my mission that I have been struggling with is knocking on doors. It literally terrifies me to death I don't know why. I think it is because I'm scared of the door getting slammed in my face or a few choice words. Like the hundreds of doors we have come up on these last few months I was literally shaking and praying nobody answered. But long story short I was super unsettled about knocking on some doors today and Elder Burton noticed I was more uneasy today than usual and thought maybe we should say a prayer. The rest of the day was so fun and when we came up to a door I was not nervous at all I was completely calm it had taken me two months to get over this fear but that day was the day I felt like I overcame my fear of knocking on doors. I know God answers prayers even though they may seem small and insignificant because he answers mine.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8

   7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

   8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

We may have heard days, months, years and lives but if keep a eternal perspective on our lives we will come to realize that our lives a but a small moment in our our existence. "birth and death are mile stones in our eternal journey" and "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience we are spiritual beings having a human experience" 

Love Elder Palmer

God is a God of Miracles

Hey sorry this is going to be short I have literally no time.

So last week we had a super good lesson with Michael and it really made I'm think, to the point where he said "I should really study the book of Mormon and figure this out" so we are excited as we watch him progress

Chris the man we street contacted like 5 weeks ago. We have been trying to Meet with him for so long but he would. Never answer. So we assumed he ran Into anti material. But we were walking around yesterday and walked at his house (which is gated so we can't knock) and as we passed Elder Maughan look back right as we were rounding the corner to. See. The garage door open. So we stopped and turned around to go talk to him. Turns out he works a lot like 15 hour days and 6-7 days a week. So we set an appointment to meet with him on Thursday! 

I want you to all know I am loving my mission not because it is fun or easy but because I love seeing how I can improve myself to become the disciple of Jesus Christ that God want me to be, but my favourite part is after a long hard day looking back to see the hand of God in my day. It takes time at first to recognize it but I promise as you pay attention to the details you will see the daily miracles In your life. God is a God of miracles but he works according to our faith.

 

Sorry it is short 

Love 

Elder Palm-tree 

God still speaks

I literally don't remember anything from this week. We had another lesson with Tiffany where we kinda realized that we had been teaching maybe to simple. With her because she opened up a bit about the resurrection and the second coming which was kinda cool to hear the different beliefs of the second coming. But we also realized that, that knowledge isn't what helps her come closer to Christ. So we kinda twisted it into the plan of Salvation. 

We do, do lots of service but it is not a crazy amount we are just always asking everyone if there is anything we can help them with. And service is a really good way to find because it is non threatening and you both are stuck there for an hour or so. 

Our lesson with Michael fell through last week but we are going to teach him today and he is a lot more enthusiastic about it today because he watched a lot of conference so he has some questions. 

So usually everyday we visit lots of formers and will drop in on some random members for a few minutes but 

Yesterday we decided. To visit nobody and just walk around allllllllllll day. We started right after lunch and worked until dinner we talked to 10 people on the street! I know that sounds like a low number but you have to understand that nobody is ever outside. And when we knock on the doors to track literally everyone is at work. This may sound weird but it felt so good to have my legs burning, we didn't stop once to take a break because for some reason we felt like we where in a very urgent hurry everywhere. So we walked from noon to about 6 for a dinner then we walked for two more hours. I'm not complaining i am just stating that for some reason elder Maughan and I just couldn't stop walking even when we were about to, we would run into somebody. It was a really fun day to we met a lot of cool people but I just wish they could understand how the restored gospel of Jesus Christ would bless their everyday life. 

Conference was so amazing i loved literally every talk. I can't remember exactly what each talk was about but I just remember the feeling I had the whole time that God still speaks and the heavens are open.

My favorite talk was Elder Rasband's about how we have no need to fear. Because fear is not of God. I will send you some more of my thoughts from his talk next week when they come out onto gospel library. 

And of course when President Nelson gave his talks i was paying very close attention, his main talk was on on the name correction though and I thought it was really cool how President Nelson explained how this isn't a whim, a rebranding, or cosmetic it is not inconsequential. And my favorite part of course is the promise... 

“I promise you that if we will do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church, He whose Church this is will pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen,” President Nelson said. “We will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”

These are exciting times but we can't expect to sit around waiting for God to do his will. D+C 123:17 

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power, then may we stand still with the utmost assurance to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

Love Elder Palmer 

HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING!!

Six weeks

And thus ended my first transfer of the rein of Stubbs.

Wow that was fast. This transfer the mission opened 10 new biking areas. And they reopened some areas/split some because we have about 150 missionaries compared to the 200 we used to have at the beginning of the year.

So we taught Micheal again on Wednesday the plan of salvation and it went pretty well except we had to do it outside and it was so cold, it was getting down to 65. I was actually shivering...with a blanket on. But he is a super nice kid and is very spiritual. He has a lot of things going for him. 

We also taught a lady named Tiffany this week and it was a really good lesson. She came to church on Sunday for the first time in 3 months!

Oh not that it is a big deal but I'm getting a flu shot today because apparently San Diego got hit really hard last year with the flu about a third of the missionaries were sick at a time and it cycled through 80% of the missionaries or something like that.

I'm so excited for conference! I have heard all the rumours too. But I think it is important to remember why we actually watch it's ... not to hear the new changes(if there are any) but to hear the word of God. Remember during the apostasy, the priesthood (the power and authority to act in God's name was taken from the earth) so nobody could say "thus saith the Lord..." but today we have that priesthood authority and it has been given to our leaders so we must remember that it is God speaking to us. Addressing problems of our daily lives. I am excited to see if there are any big announcements but let's not forget that we watch it to learn how we can change and how we can closer align our will with our fathers through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Now the spirit constrains me from writing more concerning the work of salvation among San Diego.

Love Elder Palmer 

Where to start

Wow not sure where to start. Transfers are next week. And I still am just as clueless as day 1

This week was pretty eventful. Um so first off we started off our week by helping an elderly woman unpack her WHOLE garage which was full to the top with boxes of things from the 60s up to now. I even tried on a pair of retro roller skates. But we were helping her go through boxes. So we would open a box full of broken tiles or literally garbage. then she would spot a calculator in the corner of the box and say. " that is useful we might need that someday , take the whole box in the house"

I didn't know there was pretty much a calculator in every single box...WOW.

But the important part is that we were looking for her X-husbands wife's ashes while we where going through boxes...so ya that was fun. 

 

On Sunday we went to visit a less active family. And of course when we knocked on the door nobody answered. So we walked down the stairs back to our car but as Elder Maughan and I grabbed the door handles we looked at each other for moment then we both said "we need to walk around for a bit."  We first started talking to a man that only spoke Spanish and all I'm going to say is the gift of tongues is real...as we started talking to him both Elder Maughan and I realized that we DID NOT HAVE the gift of tongues  so we wished him a good night and moved on haha. But we ran into another man that worked 2 full time jobs everyday of the week and Sunday is his only day off. As we talked to him we learned that he is catholic but doesn't really know if it is true. We had an amazing conversation and gave him a Book of mormon. He so fascinated by the idea that god had prophets in the Americas so he eagerly took the book. 

When we got back to our car we saw a light on in the less active home so we knocked again and set up a return appointment.

It is really cool to see how God works. I am so grateful for the tender mercies that He grants to us daily. 

We also started teaching a young man named Michael he is very smart and has lots of questions but he is progressing well. I'll keep you posted.

I love this scripture on the power of prayer. I know that God answers prayers I wish I could explain how he answers mine but the closer I look at my life and the longer I reflect on my day. The more I see how God is guiding me, motivating me and reaching out to me we just have to grab hold of his hand.

But the reason i love this scripture is that Nephi ,after having been tied up for three days, immediately prayed to god to help ease the storm. After Nephi's prayer there is a great calm. This shows us the power of prayer and when we look to God in some of our most stressful hopeless times that He will guide us to our promise land. He won't take our struggles from us but he will continue to guide us while we are on the great waters. We must turn to God so we don't get swallowed up in the storm of life.

1 Nephi 18

21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.

22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.

23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.

Love

Elder Palmer 

P.S   I genuinely love getting ripped apart by atheists!!! Kinda weird right. They just get so offensive and start trying to say how there is no God by talking about how he hasn't shown himself to them. It actually makes me kinda sad they live their lives with no hope. 

One month in the field

One month in the field!!! Everyday never goes as planned ever. In fact we almost always get a call around 11 for a service project or for something else like a member wanting to take us out for lunch. 

We went to the temple for the first time with a recent convert named Kevin he is 14 and is a super cool kid. It was really neat to see the ward come together and literally drop everything they were doing to make sure he had a good experience. I wish the youth knew how much their leaders actually care about them, think about, and pray for them.

We are going to be teach a high school senior tomorrow he is a boyfriend of a member in our ward and is super smart. So we are excited but the member family is ecstatic and they really want it to go well so I'm feeling a bit of pressure. But it will be fun because we went earlier this week to talk to the family and kinda figure some things out. 

So Chris is a nice guy we met in the street two weeks ago and we have been trying to set up a  appointment with him ever since but he never answered his calls or texts. And his house is gated off so we can't knock on his door without jumping the fence. Which we could but that might make for an awkward conversation if he asks how we got unto his yard. But since he wasn't answering his phone Elder Maughan decide to see if the number was right and when he looked we realized the problem... since it is an area phone there are about 5 Chris's in the contacts and me being the nini I am texted the first Chris that came up.

So we basically have been annoying some random guy for two weeks.

And when we texted the real Chris he answered in 5 minutes. So we are planning on teaching him this week also. 

San Diego is amazing even the people that don't want to listen offer us water all the time. And the ones that really don'


t like us give us friendly honks with a very nice finger in the air. People are too kind 

Since I got here I have had desert everyday with members but this Sunday I broke the almost one month streak! 

I'll just leave you with this thought.

John 7:17 

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

If you exercises faith on the teachings you receive from your teachers but mostly the promptings that are impressed on your hearts and mind you will learn if it is from god or if it be yourself. But remember god loves to sanctify our hearts by trials of faith that way our faith is pure, and when it is  founded on Jesus Christ we will not fall. 

Many heart emojis 

Elder Palmer 

Also I saw some weird elliptical bike thing. Oh and I see a Tesla everyday usually more.