Lemon Grove

Pretty interesting week not exactly sure where to start. Nico's baptism was this week and it was super awesome he has been learning about the church for years but has just never felt worthy to be baptized. But we finally helped understand the importance and helped him meet the requirements for baptism. I Also had the opportunity to confirm Nico to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Something I will never forget as I gave him the blessing was how the words I used were words that came to mind in the moment and not words that I thought about before the blessing they came naturally and powerfully. 

Daisy is being baptized this upcoming week and it will be a really awesome baptism she has wanted to be baptized for some time now but for various reason it hasn't worked out, such as a broken collar bone. But this is the week! After these long couple of hard months it is finally here.

So we met this street person that was riding a bike and stopped to ask us if he could set a tire for "his" bike...we told him that he could buy one at the bike shop. We asked if he would like us to patch his bike tire quick for him...but he told us "No I just picked this bike up from off that lawn over there and I gotta move before they notice" yup he openly admitted that he stole the bike then started running down the street  with the bike. 

That story pretty much sums up Lemon grove and spring valley area😂

2 Nephi 9: 14-15

Something that really struck me this last week was the doctrine of the resurrection. That because Christ has risen we to will also rise and our spirit and mortal body will be reunited for eternity. I have heard this a lot growing up in the church but I realized how critical the resurrection is. If we are not resurrected then why do we have a physical body? Why did God create Adam and Eve with mortal Bodies if the body is something that causes only pain and is to be sluffed off after we die?  The creation of the Body was not a mistake it is a Gift that if we did not have, we could not reach our divine potential. I strongly urge you to ponder the significance of the resurrection of the Saviour and our own resurrection in a coming day. As you do The Great Plan of Salvation will become so crystal clear. 

Love Elder Palmer

First week in Sweetwater

Well this week was pretty great we were kept pretty busy over these last few days and I can only imagine that this transfer will also zip by.

So this last Wednesday there was a priest quorum from Arizona of about 22 kids that came to San Diego for a week and on Wednesday they wanted to do a day in the mission. So at about 9 in the morning we had this young boy dropped off at our door step like a Amazon package(Brock). He was really quiet at first being he was only 15 and the youngest priest in his quorum. He was also open with us that he did not want to serve a mission sadly. We did studies with him and then headed out to a lesson with a man named John, a street person. Basically John is this crazy old guy that we thought it would be fun for Brock to meet and have story to tell later... well it worked and we had a interesting experience and Brock couldn't stop talking about it. We had a really good day that we mixed in all the parts of missionary work teaching, finding, visiting and laughing. We often forget that last one to often.

At the end of the day I asked him again if he planned on serving a mission his answer "OH definitely, I have not felt the spirit this strong in my life before and I want this feeling more often" 

Good kid and I'm glad I got to have a small impact on him. 

This John Guy we taught we actually got to church this Sunday and it was a struggle since he is in a large wheel chair and can't get into a car by himself. So we had to pull some strings to get him a ride to church and back. Well we got him there. But later that night we missed a call from him saying that we didn't check on something at church so we "broke our promise" and that he didn't want us around no more if we didn't keep our promises...(we were very confused because we worked hard to help.him have a good time we couldn't think of anything we promise)

So he continued to cuss us out over the phone and cursed us with the apostles curse (the one where they dust off their shoes) still not sure what happened but he definitely doesn't want us stopping by anymore.

We also stopped by this random returning member that is a super cool guy turns out he is a vigilante that goes under cover in Mexico and does a little shady stuff to stop human trafficking super cool guy and he came to church also after about 5 years. 

I love being able to help people and help them see the love that God has for them, they literally gain a sparkle in their eye and their view of the world and themselves changes. Nothing is as simple yet profound as the gospel of Jesus Christ. It shapes individuals, families, communities and nations. Let it shape you! 

Alma 31:5

Love Elder Palmer

Joy

So I have been transferred to the Sweetwater ward it covers Lemon Grove and part of Spring Valley... Biking!!! Going to be interesting it is starting to get hot here it hit triple digits the day before I got transferred. 

It will be pretty fun though I will be with Elder Farmer, he is from Sacramento California and he is going home this transfer so I will be killing him we have about 36 missionaries going home next transfer and we are gaining about 22 and only 7 English Elders... so good chance in will be trading again since the mission is dying, we also lose another 20 next transfer. 

Anyways I love being a missionary my last week in Alpine was pretty Amazing got to see a lot of miracles, and help people out battling addiction and suicidal thoughts, these were just normal people and I have never felt so incompetent. I'm literally just a 19 year old boy out of a small town and I am supposed to somehow help these people. With some real life problems and struggles. It was very eye opening and in a very sacred way I got to wipe away the tears of the broken, And in the same day be cussed out and called "sons of the devil" I love my mission and I love Serving my Lord and Savior being cast out in his name is some how a joy it is hard to describe.

Love Elder Palmer

If it is easy...you are doing it wrong

Elder Gull and Elder Palmer overlooking Alpine

So this transfer has seriously flew by the last 4 transfers in alpine have been the fastest 6 months of my life! 

let's see so Nico is on track to be Baptized on June 23rd, we moved it back a few weeks to make sure he understood what he was getting himself into.

Daisy's collar bone has finally healed so we will be setting her with a date to works towards hopefully this week. Only problem is now they have moved out of our area so we will be referring them on to a lock companionship. But it is kinda weird because they still sorta live in Alpine. I will Keep you updated on her.

So we were in Jacumba area and we taught a lesson to friend of ours in ...a cave (I will send pictures again of it). We were in a straight up cave teaching about the Book of Mormon to a cliche mountain man. it was awesome! I have a video of the cave. 

We went on a blitz with the Spanish Elders again in Jacumba and  we realized that I had never been in Mexico. So we marched the 100 yards to the border and slid our arms into Mexico through then big ole wall.

I love Being a missionary, Everyday is it's own adventure, even with its ups and downs one of my favorite quotes that I try to live my mission by is "if it is easy...you are doing it wrong" 

Been thinking a lot about why bad things happen to good people, and why we suffer with trials.

Hebrews


12 is a amazing chapter I highly recommend that you read it with a humble heart. But if you choose not to like half then people we teach hear is a couple highlights that I found to be very powerful. (There is way more in the chapter) 

Heb12:1

"let us run with patience the race that is set before us"

Heb12-11

"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

One of God blessings is the storms and tribulations that come our way. I now know that sometimes you need to be broken so you can be rebuilt into something a lot greater.

I Love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Love Elder Palmer