Lightest companionship

And my new companion is Elder Rausch from Riverton pretty awesome Elder he is also my height and weighs 130lbs so we are pretty much twins #lightestcompanionshipinthemission

Give thanks

Transfers are next week so just a heads up I will almost most definitely have no time to call or email. 

this week has blown by we finished up our last 4 of our 8 exchanges...it was a lot extremely exhausting. But it was very fun. the weather here has been interesting it was hot the last few days but now it is going to rain for two days! all of us missionaries are so excited to have some weather that isn't perfect every day... it just gets so exhausting having perfect weather every day :)

this upcoming week is going to be very busy and this Saturday I was asked to be a witness for a recent convert that is being sealed in the temple on Saturday!!! I am so blessed with ample opportunity to meet people and have a small effect on their life but they have a huge effect on my life.

The couple being sealed is the Medina family (not sure I ever talked about them) Esteban was a returning member and his wife was Evelyn who was baptized right before I got into the area (Alpine) but since I was in Alpine for six months We got very close! but I would not have guessed that they would have asked me to witness their sealing!

we should be doing a hike tomorrow with some of the YSA in the rain it will be a party (maybe too much fun) 

I am reading in Ether in the Book of Mormon right now and if you ever read it you will notice it seems very repetitive because... it is, they are righteous they get rich, they get prideful and they become wicked and then they kill each other and they never are content with what they have. then the thought occurred to me that we act in a very similar way, way more often than we would like to admit. a trial comes our way or we have a very moving experience with the spirit and then life gets good and we forget... we forget how we got there we begin to discount our experience and even divine intervention. do yourself a favor and strive every day no matter how bad or good it is to give thanks to The God that lends you each breath. and I promise you you will stay by the tree and not become ashamed of the fruit.

Love Elder Palmer

But thine be done

So we had a lot of exchanges this week and we still have 2 more we. we had 3 this last week and they were all super awesome I love Exchanges because there is so much to learn from the other missionary you are with for the day that it really gives a drive to constantly improve myself. the thing I have learned for myself since being a missionary is what separates the good missionaries from the consecrated missionaries is two things 1. their Love of God and 2. they have a relentless desire to change and become better, they are never satisfied with themselves they can always improve and be more consecrated. One Elder, in particular, was Elder Brown (he doesn't know this) but prior to our Exchange the only thing I knew about him was that he was in our mission because I had seen his name on the transfer Doc. And to boot, I had some Mis judgments of him. Jock, to cool... well we got into the Car and we instantly clicked and had the most uplifting Spiritual Exchange I have ever Had. He was a man of God and he Loved God. he shared with me (and I hope he doesn't mind) that he did not always bare his testimony because he didn't want to say something that had no meaning to him. but now that he has been out for over a year he loves nothing more than Testifying of the Redeeming power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He was a very humble Elder and he kept saying how he needed to work on his Humility...Which made me step back because I thought I was humble but the moment you think you are Humble is the Moment your Pride has gotten to you.

Okay Okay So Big Update!!!! "Alex'' responded to our texts and call.
( he is the one that called us in the middle of the night and was Yelling at our apartment from the bottom of the staircase) He was in the hospital for mental reasons and was very embarrassed by this whole episode so we drove to the hospital and sat down with him. (they took everything from us Phones, Pens keys)

expect My handy dandy Book of Mormon. So we Got to have a good heart to heart with Alex and he was So Glad that we had reached out and other Members of the Ward had reached out because He felt so Completely and Utterly alone. he is doing better now but is still in the hospital until Thursday.

We have been very blessed with many Wonderful Conversations this last week with a good amount of return appointments. Even though it is dark here at 5 and we are finding every day from 5 - 7 people are being a lot nicer than I was expecting since it has gotten dark out.

I unfortunately literally had no time to have personal study this last week and it has really worn on me. I still listen to a talk or read a page from the scriptures. The one thing I have learned though is Even as a Missionary it is so easy to become too caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you can so easily forget to get your daily spiritual sustenance. 

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL whenever I am having a bad day or an off week or sometimes even a thought to point my finger at heaven and ask why? The words of my Savior come to Mind "not my will, but thine be done"  That phrase was carried me through this mission. 

Love Elder Palmer

Ps got a picture with Carl but he refused to look at the camera haha 

Mighty to Save and Cleanse

Well got some Good news! Carl was Baptized on Sunday!!! it was an uplifting baptism and was will forever be a highlight of my mission. Carl is an Older gentleman but has been around members of the church his entire life. his personal favourite latter-day saint is "Porter Rockwell" haha he Loves him for some reason, and brings him up almost every time we stop by to visit. Carl is a very special man and we even had President Stubbs attend his baptism. Carl is hard of hearing and when I got up to give a short dissertation I told Carl one thing..."Carl I need you to do me a favor and let me know if you can not hear me" to which he responded "What???" (there was no jest in his voice) so I ended up sitting on a chair directly in front of him. I read a scripture in Alma 7:14-15 it has a few powerful words that I was keen to point out..."The Lamb of God...who is mighty to save and cleanse from all unrighteousness, and witness unto him This day by going into the water of baptism."

Those words hold so much power that The Atonement of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse from all unrighteousness. As I was able to look a man that had lived a broken life full of pain, regret and loneliness. Carl was Born into a newness of life sluffing off his old life Romans 6. 

The Patanes have officially set a baptismal day for DEC 6th!!! really looking forward to it.

Love Elder Palmer