Man this week has been an amazing week!! Being able to talk to the family was definitely the Highlight! I only shed a couple of tears so that was pretty good haha. I am glad that all of you had a great Christmas! It was a super special one for me being able to spend it out here on the mission. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ! Because of him we can have happiness and hope in this life and I am so grateful for that.

So on Christmas we went to the Israelsens family. That was super fun. There were 4 other families there as well and that was super fun because they were all really young families and it was super fun being with them all day. After I got done calling, I went down stairs and I heard one of the little kids yell, "He is coming!!" I was kind of confused but as I turned the corner I saw that about 10 people were waiting for me with some pretty intense nerf guns! I tried to hide behind this little kid that was about 3 years old but he wasn't the best shield... I got shot pretty good haha. It was pretty funny. After we played ping pong on this tiny table with tiny paddles. We had a tournament and in the first round I beat this Japanese lady so I was feeling pretty good. But in the next round I lost to Brother Israesen... I was sticking with him pretty well but halfway through he turned his hat around backwards... And I didn't stand a chance after that haha.

On Saturday we were able to teach the whole entire Clark family!! It was so awesome. Lamont, Sonja and Lester were all there. It made a huge difference teaching with Lester there. We talked about baptism and they said that whatever they did, they wanted to make sure that they did it as a family! That was really cool because Elder Taylor and I were going to invite them to do everything as a family. I ended up giving them the Book of Mormon that you sent me with all of your testimonies written in it. It was so cool because I was able to testify of how the Gospel has blessed our family so much! And they will be able to read your testimonies as well and I know that they will be able to feel of the spirit as they do so. 

So on Sunday we got a text from our mission President asking if he could meet with us before church. When we met with him he told us that I was going to be transferred out of the area when Elder Taylor goes home next week. That was super surprising news. I thought I was  going to be here for a lot longer since this is my first area. I am going to miss all the people that I have been able to meet. This part of Pittsburgh has really felt like home to me. They are going to be closing down our apartment so this next week we will have to be preparing it to be given back to the land lord. So that will be a huge project. My last week I wish I could be teaching instead of cleaning an apartment and getting rid of all the furniture and everything. But I know that it will all work out. 

The hard part for me is leaving my investigators. The missionaries that are replacing us are going to be working in the mission office all of the time and they won't even be living in our area. So I guess the sisters will be teaching them. I just hope that everything works out and nothing stops them from progressing. The Clark family and Craig are really coming a long right now and they have that desire to find the truth. But I read a scripture in D&C a while ago that I keep turning back to. It is D&C 123:17. that scripture has really helped me out and I know if that I have the faith, it will all work out.

I am so grateful for the mission. I KNOW that this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he loves each of us more then we could ever imagine. I have been thinking about how Jesus Christ was chosen in the Pre-Earth life to be our savior. He was chosen and he said he would give ALL of the glory to the Father. If he didn't get any glory, or fame then why did he do it? Why did he choose to come to earth and choose to suffer more then we could imagine and eventually die for us? It was all because Jesus Christ is our brother and he loves us. That is why he did what he did. I hope that all of us will stive to be more kind and show that love to others. I am so grateful for the examples that you all are!

Elder May

Hey everyone!

Can you believe that Christmas is this week!? I am really excited to be able to call home and talk to you! It is definitely weird having Christmas out here. I have really been able to focus so much more about Jesus Christ this year and that is something that I am super grateful for! I will probably keep this email shorter since i will be talking to you in a couple of days :)

Well this week has been super awesome! We have been so blessed out here and even though we are walking everywhere, we still are able to teach and meet the people that the Lord has prepared for us to meet. On Tuesday we went and knocked on the door of a family that we had helped move in a couple of months ago. Chi Chi answered the door and she let us in. We were able to show her he is the Gift and she loved it. We asked her when we could come back and she said on Thursday. Before we left she started talking about the Book of Mormon we had left her after we had helped mover her family in. She said that she loved it and that it was super powerful. I am way excited to go teach her again.

On Saturday Elder Taylor and I and the Sister Missionaries went caroling to a care center. It was a super special experience. Some of the people there started crying as we asked if we could sing a carol to them. It was cool to see and feel of the love that the Savior has for them. I was able to talk with so many of them and get to know them and they are so cool. One lady was saying that she knew me from Highschool or something. I'm guessing probably not since there is probably like a 70 year difference between us. But I didn't tell her that haha. I just had a good conversation with her on how she knew me. It was one of the coolest experiences that I have had and It definitely made this Christmas extra special.

Well I hope that you all will have an amazing Christmas and always remember why we celebrate it. Jesus Christ is truly the greatest gift of all. I know that because Heavenly Father loved us enough, we are able to feel of the happiness and peace and hope that can only come through the Atonemnet of Jesus Christ. Have a Merry CHRISTmas everybody.

Elder May

This has been a great week out here in Pittsburgh! I am not getting transferred either! I am going to be with Elder Taylor until he leaves in 3 weeks. I don't know what will happen then, but that doesn't matter. I am so grateful I get to stay in this awesome ward for christmas!  I think that the Lord is holding off on the snow until we get our car back haha. Well that's what I like to think at least! Today it is like 50 degrees! I'm not even wearing a jacket or anything! It has been awesome! And even when it is cold, we are walking up hills the size of Everest so we keep warm that way!

On Tuesday we walked to see our investigators that lived the furthest away. Once we got up there, we knocked on their doors, and they weren't home. It is hard because they never answer the phone so we have to try to catch them at home, and we don't have the best of luck. But it is okay, I know that if we  have the faith, it doesn't matter, all will work out. A huge miracle occurred! As we were waking back from one of our investigators house, we saw Neicey again! She is the one who came to the Halloween Party and loved everything about the church but we could never get in contact with her again. It was so crazy running into her because she was super far away form her house as well. She was so happy to see us and she kept saying how Whenever she is going through a hard time, we just seem to show up. We were able to pray with her and she said that she wanted us to keep in touch. That was a huge miracle and even though we weren't able to see any of our investigators, we were out there for a reason. It was awesome! And the miracles just kept coming after that. Before we began the long trek home to complete our 14 mile journey, we found a soda machine that sold soda's for 50 cents! I couldn't believe it! So many miracles haha.

On Thursday we were able to teach Sonja again! It was another awesome, spiritual lesson. We read 3 Nephi 11 with her and the spirit was awesome. We invited her and her family to be baptized. She said that she would pray about it and see. I want to be able to teach there whole family. We can never get them all there at the same time is the only problem. I know that they are prepared and teaching them as a family is what is going to help them progress. We will have to figure something out there! 

On Friday we were walking and we saw a former investigator that we have talked to a couple of times, changing his breaks. So we asked if we could help. It was pretty fun I thought changing breaks again. He was changing the back breaks though and that was a little tricky. But we figured it out after a while and he was super grateful for the help. He had been working on them for 4 days and he said that he wouldn't have been able to do it without our help. So far I have changed a ladies tire, and helped change breaks. So obviously all of my car problems back home were just preparing me for the mission! It was so funny, last week we were on a team up with a member and his car wouldn't start. It felt just like the good old ddays. The best part was that his door didn't open from the outside, so I had to reach over and open it for him, Just like my car. I loved it! So many good memories!

On Sunday we had a Stake Christmas Concert. Elder Taylor and I went up to sing the one song we knew, but after that everyone else stayed up and they started singing  a bunch of songs that we had never even heard before. So we kind of just stood up there and pretended like we knew what we were doing. It was pretty fun.

Well I just want all of you to know that I am loving it out here so much. I know everyone says this, but I love the people so much. I love everything about Pittsburgh and I know that this is where I am supposed to be serving. So if I don't come home in a couple of years, It is because I love it out here to much haha. Just kidding mom I'll come home!  But I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. Nothing has brought me as much comfort and peace and happiness and hope as the knowledge of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and his church. I love you all. Have a great week.

Elder May

 

Elder Taylor and Elder May

Elder May holding a dead raccoon

Missionaries in the area

Hey everyone!

I hope everyone had a great week. So is there no snow yet in Utah either? It is crazy how late it is in the year and the weather that we are having. But I am grateful for it since Elder Taylor and I are really getting our walk on without the good old car.

This week has been pretty hard and it has required a lot of change on our part. We have to walk everywhere and our apartment isn't even in our area so we have to walk three miles to even get into our area. So we can't really go home during the day unless we get a ride from a member. We had to tie garbage sacks on out bags one day because we didn't have enough room for everything we needed to carry. But it has been kind of fun. We get to talk to a lot more people this way. I know that so many blessings can come from this experience if we just have the faith.

We had Zone conference on Tuesday which was pretty cool. We learned so much and we even got mentioned in the vehicle safety section! Now like everyone knows that we got in a wreck. Elder Taylor gave his departing testimony. I am really going to miss him when he leaves. I don't even know if I will be his companion after this week. But we will see how things turn out.

On Wednesday we walked about 9 miles to one of our area's and back. We were able to teach a Less Active member and then after we taught he asked if he could go on a team-up with us. That was awesome. So we taught him and then took him to teach someone else. That was a huge blessing right there! After we had gift cards to Olive Garden so we went to eat there and the Manager even gave us dessert for free! That day was just so full of miracles haha!

Friday was tough... We walked a total of 12 miles and it was raining the whole entire day. We were so exhausted by the end of the day, but that is a good thing as a missionary. The hard thing was that we walked all the way out there to see Amy and Craig and neither of them were home. So after that we had to just walk back. It was really dissapointing. We had such awesome lessons with both Amy and Craig and we haven't even been able to see them since. It is hard because I want to see them so badly and without a car we have to walk like 2 hours just to knock on there door whether or not they are even home. We will have to figure out something. I know the Lord has prepared both of them and it is hard not being able to see them. That night after we walked 11 miles, we were going to be late for a team up we had so we had to run from our apartment to the church in the rain and with all of our bags. So it was a pretty exhausting day.

Saturday we were so excited because we were going to teach the Clark Family who is Lamont, Lester, and Sonja. They are so cool and the other week we had the most spiritual restoration lesson with them. But we haven't been able to see them since either. They keep cancelling because work comes up, but they keep coming to church. It is so weird having them come to church and then not being able to teach them. We need to see them this week so that we can invite them to be baptized!!

I was reading in Ether 12 a couple of days ago and it talked about going through the trial of our faith. That really helped me this week because it has been pretty challenging, but i know that I just need to have faith in the Lord and work as hard as I possibly can and all will work out. I also like in chapter 12 how it talks about all the amazing things that happened because of their faith that they had. I know that we can do miracles according to our faith and that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are with us every single step of the way. I know if I can work hard and be the missionary Heavelny Father wants me to be, we will be blessed. Have a great week

Elder May

Badminton Thursdays live on!

Just a lonely vagabond

Hey Everyone!! 

I hope that everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving, and didn't miss me too much! Well I have like zero minutes to write. Apparently we are getting picked up really soon!

So Thanksgiving was great! We played football in the morning and  then we had dinner at the Rossignoli's house! We actually ended up playing Badminton in there living room! That was really fun! 

On Saturday we got in a car wreck! We are both fine, are car isn't too good though. So we have to walk every where now. Which isn't to bad but our apartment isn't even in our area. We have to walk an hour to get into our area. So we have to tie plastic sacks onto our bags because so we can hold everything thing we need to get through the day. It is actually kind of funny. I will send you a picture when I can.

I know that this week will be a challenge but I know that it can also be one of the best weeks as well. We will have to have lots of faith and work harder then we ever have before. And I know that the Lord will provide a way. Oh by the way, I wasn't driving. 

Sunday was amazing! Lester and Sonja came to church and we weren't even able to see them this week with the whole car situation! I am so grateful for everything the Lord does for us.

I hope that everyone has a great week! Sorry for the short email!

Elder May

Hey everyone!!

I hope that all is going well! I can't believe that it is already almost December. Thanksgiving this week and then Christmas coming up soon! It will be interesting to experience these holidays as a missionary! Elder Taylor and I have been blessed soooo much this week! It was incredible! The Lord is really preparing people out here and it is awesome to be a part of that.

On Tuesday our heater broke in our apartment! It was so cold!! I had my coat on and two pairs of socks on, including my wool ones! I thought we were going to die for sure! But luckily a repair guy came and saved us. We were almost running out of hot chocolate to drink. It was a close call but we made it. haha

 Later on in we were looking for a former investigator named Amy. We were walking down the street looking for her house when someone stuck there head out of the window of their house and said Hello to us and asked us how we were doing. As we talked to her we realized that it was Amy and that she had been the one to find us! That was super cool! She invited us into her house and we were able to talk to her for a little bit and we were able to teach her a lesson. She said that missionaries in the past had taught her and that she even had a baptismal date! But her husband didn't want her to, and said the missionaries couldn't come over. She said that she had gotten divorced to we could teach her now!! But Amy is so awesome! She was asking us questions like how much of the Book of Mormon we wanted her to read and if we could come see her again that week. And then to top it all off she said that she was thinking that she wanted to be Baptized!! I couldn't believe it. Usually we are the ones that are supposed to ask all those questions, but she was asking them to us! It was so awesome to see how the Lord prepares people! She is ready for the Gospel in her life right now! I am so grateful for the promptings of the Holy ghost and it's influence in our lives.

On Wednesday I was on exchanges with Elder Ginos! It was a pretty good exchange! He is a super hard working missionary! I really learned a lot from him! He did bite me a couple of times though... So I had to stay on my guard! I was tempted to sleep with a nerf gun under my pillow, but that wasn't necessary haha. On our exchange we went to visit this Potential investigator named Craig. When we walked into his house his living room wall blew me away. It was like the stroy of his life on his wall and he had glued things and drawn things all over it! I will have to send you a picture of it. But we taught Craig the Restoration. He said what we were saying made sense. I love teaching about Joseph Smith! I feel the spirit so strongly every time I do. I know that as a 14 year old boy he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for all that he did. Craig said that he would read and pray about the Book of Mormon! I can't wait to visit him again! He is super cool!

On Thursday we had probably the most spiritual lesson I have had so far! We were teaching Sonja, who is Lamont's mom. We were teaching her the restoration as well! We watched the restoration DVD and the spirit was so strong. I looked over at Sanja and she was crying during the First Vision! After the movie Elder Taylor and I shared our testimonies about the BOM and Joseph Smith! I love bearing my testimony because it is of what I know to be true. Know one can deny a sincere Testimony! Sonja shared some spiritual experiences she had that she hadn't even told her husband before! It was crazy that she trusted us that much to tell us them. Then she told us that before her and her family had moved, they had decided that they needed to find a different church to go to once they had moved. They had prayed about it and then while they were moving into their new house, Elder Taylor and I saw and helped them move in!! She said that they hadn't even moved into their new house before their prayers were answered. I hope that she can remember those experiences and feelings she had!

Well I hope that everyone has a great week and a wonderful thanksgiving. I love this time of year when we get to remember all that the Lord has done to bless us in our lives! He has done so much and when we realize that, we are so much happier in our lives. I know that this church is true and I love being a missionary! 

Elder May

 

Hey everyone!!

 I hope that everyone had a great week! Everything out here in Pittsburgh is going great! I love the people I meet out here! They are so fun to talk to! I am going to have lots of stories to tell by the time my two years are up.

On Tuesday Elder Taylor and I went out to teach Marlon and it was a really tough lesson... There were so many distractions. His mom was watching T.V and that was really loud and Marlon's Ipad kept freaking out on him so he was focused on that the whole time we were trying to teach him. It was a rough lesson but Elder Taylor and I were able to learn from it. Marlon is a super great guy and I really care about him. I don't know when he will be ready for baptism but we will keep teaching him and do our best to teach by the spirit when we are there.

On Tuesday we were able to teach Lamont as well. When we got there his mom was there this time and we invited her to come in for the lesson. She came in and joined us for the lesson and it was awesome!! We taught the Plan of Salvation and she was asking a bunch of questions and Lamont was saying that what we were teaching just made sense. At the end of the lesson she was saying how she had been looking for something different in her life. She said that she was looking for something different from what her church had to offer. We bore our testimony's about how we knew what we were teaching was true and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. We invited her to come to church and she said that she would come with Lamont!! It was so sweet! She is humble and is super nice! I love that whole family

On thursday we were able to teach Billy again. He had been making some real progress with his faith and he comitted to pray and he said he was thinking that he might come to church again someday. But when we met him this week he was back to where he started. He said he just didn't know about religion anymore and that he didn't believe it. It was sad to hear but I was able to bear my testimony that I knew that Christ will one day come again. And that we will all stand before him to be judged and that whether or not he believed, it didn't change that it was going to happen. We have grown super close to Billy and he is still a super good friend. I know that he will come around eventually.

On Saturday there was a Stake youth activity at the church. They played a game called stump the missionaries. They had to bring a random Item from home and we had to somehow relate that item to a principle or scripture. It was really fun and we were able to relate all of them! I was pretty proud of ourselves haha.

Sunday was one of the greatest days ever. We called Sonja, who is Lamont's mom, and she didn't answer. So we didn't know what to do. But like an hour before church she called and said that Lamont couldn't come... But that her and her husband were going to be there! I was so pumped to hear that. Even though Lamont couldn't come she still wanted to come and she brought her husband.

At church we had Sonja, Lester, and Marlon there! I can't believe how much we have been blessed out here. I was sitting next to Lester and he kept nodding at things that were being said and he even was singing the hymns. After sacrament they had to leave, but they said that they were going to be back next week with Lamont as well, and we got a return apointment. This family is one of the nicest families I know and I know that they have been prepared by Heavenly Father.

In Sunday school we were learning about the pre earth life. I realized something that really stood out to me. When the Savior presented his plan, he said that he would come down and atone for the world and then give ALL the glory to the father. If he was willing to give all the glory to hevenly Father, then what were his motives in being the Savior of the World? The only reason he did was because of out of the love he has for every single one of us. I am so grateful for my savior an I know that he lives. I hope you all have great week!

Elder May

Hey everyone!!

This week has been such an amazing week! There have been so many miracles that have happened!

Tuesday we really focused on talking to more people that we came into contact with. We were able to get to know so many new people and some people invited us to come back and visit them. 

Wednesday was an awesome day. I had one of the coolest spiritual experiences! We were teaching Lamont and it was an awesome lesson. The spirit was so strong as we talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and if we endure to the end, all of us have the opportunity to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again! We were going to ask him to be baptized, but we didn't for some reason. Both of us knew that was what the plan was and both of us didn't ask him. As we were leaving I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was bothering me so much. I knew that we were supposed to ask him to be baptized. As we were driving away I said to Elder Taylor, "I feel like we should go back and ask him to be baptized."

I thought he was going to think that I was crazy but he said he had just barely thought the same thing. So we pulled over to the side of the road and prayed about what we should do. I mean it is kind of different to knock on someone's door and just ask them to be baptized! But we prayed and we both knew that is what we needed to do.

So we drove back and knocked on his door. He was surprised to see us again. But Elder Taylor didn't wait he just said," Lamont, will you be baptized?"

The spirit was so strong when he asked that. He looked at us for a second and I told him that after we left that we felt like we needed to come back and ask him that. He is a spiritual guy and he believed that we were prompted to come back and ask him that. He said that he would pray about it and see how he felt. 

It was such an awesome experience to receive such a direct prompting from the spirit like that. I love knowing that it is God's work out here and so he will help and guide us so that we will be able to do the things that he has asked us to.

On Thursday we went to teach Marlon. His Mom even let us in the house this time! Usually we teach them on there porch. But I guess his mom believes we don't have Ebola so she was willing to let us in. It has been great getting to know her better and she is really starting to trust us and open up to us. I know that eventually she will feel the spirit and hopefully she will come to church with Marlon.

On Sunday we were in Mckee's Rocks which is where Lamont lives so we decided to stop by and share a quick mormon message with him. His mom was there and she hadn't seen us since we helped them move in a couple of months ago. But when she saw us she was so happy and was saying how glad she was to see us. So she was able to see the message as well and we all got to bear our testimonies afterwards. When we left I realized that I left my bag in their house. So we had to go back and get that... I have done that quite a few times. I need to keep better track of that thing.

I love being out here and being a missionay. In Helaman 5:6-7; it talks about how Nephi and Lehi were named after the original Nephi and Lehi. He says that he gave them those names so that they can remember the good works of those two. Then he challenges them to continually do good so that when people think of their names, they remember them by their good works. I challenge you to continually exercise your faith and do good works so that when people think about you and remember you, they remember you as someone who was faithful in all things, a disciple of Christ. 

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder May 

This was probably the best week so far!! It was so great. Elder Taylor and I have been truly blessed.

On Tuesday we were going to teach this single lady so we got a team up to go with us. His name is Brother Paul and he is this old guy in his 70's. So we got there and the lady had a note on her door saying that she was sorry but she couldn't be there today. So we decided to visit this Less active lady we saw in our area book. She lived in the projects and when we knocked on the door the person who answered said that she had moved to a different apartment complex. So we went around talking to all these people trying to figure out where she lived. It was pretty funny because Brother Paul was just treking around with us in this sketchier area. Two missionaries in suits and an old guy definitely looked out of place. People thought that we were the FBI haha. But the amazing thing was that we found this lady. We talked to people and then we got to the apartment complex she was in and we knocked on doors until we found her! She was super surprised to see us. She is from Sudan Africa and she loved the church. When she moved though the church lost contact with her and she was so happy when we showed up to see her. She was an awesome lady and said that she would be at church. So we got her a ride and everything. It was cool to see through perseverance that we were able to find her. She was so happy to see us and I know that the Lord was guiding us.

On Wednesday we taught Lemont! I love teaching him. He is so receptive to what we have to teach and he says that he wants to know for himself if what we are teaching is true. Which is exactly what we were going to tell him but he beat us to it. We invited him to church and he said that he would come. I love seeing the Lords hand in everything that we do. We found Lemont by helping his family move in to there house the first week I was there. I love knowing that we are out here doing the Lords work, not our own. We are his hands out here and we just need to listen to the Holy Ghost and to act on those promptings.

Thursday we had the opportunity to teach Billy again. I love teaching him. He is super nice to us. He has problems with faith and he says that he doesn't think that he can ever come back to the church. Elder Taylor and I were able to testify to him about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He had gone through some super hard things that really shook his faith. We told him that he didn't need to go through those things alone and that the savior was there for him. And that the savior is still there waiting for him. The spirit was so strong and he said he would pray this week which is something that he hasn't done for 10 years. 

I love seeing the power of the Holy Ghost. It isn't us that are the teachers. I am so grateful that it isn't just Elder May out there teaching. It would not be a good experience if it was. Through the power of the Holy Ghost anything can happen.

Sunday was the best day by far. Lemont and Marlon came to church. It was a testimony meeting and so many of the ward members testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon which is something that was perfect for Lemont. After church he said that he really liked it and that he hoped to come back. It was so awesome and I can't wait to teach him again this week. 

Marlon is still doing awesome! He is excited for his baptism and is willing to do what it takes to be ready for that. I love those two so much and when I think about the love that the savior has for them, and when I can feel a small portion of that love, it makes missionary work the greatest thing in the world.

As we were coming home from church Sister Kronk called and asked if we had dinner tonight and so she invited us over again. The Kronk family is amazing! They have dinner every sunday with all their kids and their grand kids and they invite us all the time. It is so fun to be with them all and they really make us feel like family. I just feel so at home all the way over here in PA! I love it out here.

I just want everyone to know that the church is true. I love going out and testifying to people of what I KNOW to be true. Every time I do it just strengthens my own testimony. 

Well I love all yinz n' that (There's a little Pittsburghese for you haha)

Love, Elder May

Hey everyone!

I can't believe that it is already the last week of transfers! It has been going by so fast out here! This week has been such an amazing week!

On Tuesday Elder Taylor and I hadn't been able to talk with anyone all day. No one was home. So we prayed that we would be able to find someone that the Lord wanted us to meet! We got out of the car and we started walking to the next person we were going to visit. But the thing was that I had remembered the address wrong so we were walking around looking for a place that didn't even exist. But as were walking around a lady came up and started talking about how she thought that it was so cool to see people walking around representing Jesus Christ. We talked to her about Christ for a bit and his atonement and what it meant to each of us. As we were talking to her she started crying and she said that she was going through some hard time and that she prayed that she could have help and find someone to talk to! She said that she knew we were the answer to her prayers. As we were talking to her another lady walked by and asked if we were talking about Jesus. We said that we were so she was like "Well I want to join!" So we had a mini testimony meeting right there! It was the coolest experience! We were all standing out in the rain talking about Jesus Christ. The spirit was so strong there! It was such a testimony builder to me to know that Heavenly Father not only answers my prayers, but all of his children's prayers.

We had exchanges this week and I was pretty nervous because I would be the one in charge of our area! But I prayed for the strength to do it and it ended up being an amazing experience! I learned that It is not about what I can or can't do, that doesn't matter at all because the Lord can do ALL things! I was able to go out and have confidence and I loved the experience.

For our ward Halloween Party Elder Taylor and I invited everyone we meat with. We called the Lady we talked to in the rain and she came with her four kids. We also invited Al and he came with his 2 kids!! It was so awesome having the two families there. The ward was so nice to them and really made them feel welcome! Al and Bro Matson challenged us to a 2 on 2 game some time! He was talking some major trash on Elder Taylor and I haha. It was pretty funny! We are good friends with Al and he has been taught by Missionaries in the past and he said that we were definitely his missionaries! That was really cool!

I just want to let you all know how much I love this work! I was reading in Alma 37 and verse 45 really hit me today! I invite you all to read it! It talks about the Liahona but then it says that the words of Christ can guide us to a far better promised land. I know that to be true! Being out here has really strengthened my testimony on how this church brings us happiness. I am so grateful for it and i love getting to share this wonderful news to everyone. This is the Christ's church and because of him we all can hope in this life! I love you all!

Elder May

This week has been such an amazing week! Pday was awesome last monday! All the missionaries close by come to the church and we play volleyball and a bunch of other games. Afterwards I accidentally took the wrong phone.... So when we got to our dinner appointment that was like 30 min away I realized that I had taken the wrong phone... so that was fun trying to figure out who had who's phone and meet up somewhere to swap them back.

On Tuesday we visited a family and the wife was from utah and the husband was from pittsburgh. He was making fun of her about growing up in a small town and so I told him about our neighborhood and what it was like. He thought it was so funny that we had to chase pigs and goats and donkeys out of our yard. He couldnt stop laughing. But they are an awesome family! We had an amazing lesson on prayer and they want us to come back and keep teaching them. I have learned that if you act like normal people and actually talk to them before you try to teach them, they are so much more receptive to what you are teaching. They said that is what we needed at that time. I love being able to meet all of these amazing people out here. I definitely know that I was sent here for a reason.

On Wednesday, we taught Marlon again! He is really coming a long and he is so humble. When he prays he never prays for himself. He always prays for his family and Elder Taylor and I. He is such a sincere person and I love being able to talk to him and to teach him. During the lesson though his mom came outside and started to get mad at us because I guess she thought we had ebolla or something because we talk to a lot of people. We reassured her that we didn't and she was good after that. I guess this ebolla thing is a big deal or something.

Later that night we were able to teach Billy. He is less active and has been through a lot. When we first went to teach him he was very certain that he would never come back to church. But we just talk to him and are his friend and his heart has been softening. He says he thinks about coming to church now. I love being able to teach him because the spirit is so strong everytime. We testified that the Atonement of Jesus Christ will heal all wounds if we turn to him. It was a great experience.

On thursday we taught this Japanese guy named Jim. The first time we went there he talked a lot so we decided to read the scriptures with him. We read 2 Nephi 31 and he loved how plainly everything was taught. We testified of baptism and then he asked him to be baptized and he accepted. He knew that is what he needed to do to follow Jesus Christ. I love how powerful the scriptures are! There is no way Elder Taylor and I could have taught it that powerful or that simple. The Book of Mormon is the mos powerful tool that we have. It is my favorite book that I have ever read. I took it for granted before my mission but I have changed so much through that book.

We had a miracle happen to us on Friday. In one of our areas, Mckee's Rock's, we didn't have anything going on there. So Elder Taylor and I prayed that when we went there on Friday, we could find a new investigator. I have been reading in Alma right now and it talks so much about how miracles are performed through faith. So I decided to exercise my faith and go out and do all we could to find a new investigator and we would be blessed with one.

So while we were out there we got a prompting to visit this house of these people we helped move in about a month ago. We went to the house and there son answered the door. He recognized us and we talked for a while and just got to know him. After a while HE asked US what we believed in and what we taught. So he pretty much started the lesson and was super receptive to the whole thing! When we talked about the first vision the spirit was super strong. When we started talking about the Book of Mormon he said that he was constantly praying to know how to grow closer to Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon might do that for him. He said that he would pray about because he wanted to know what we were saying was true. We didnt do anything, he was prepared to hear what we had to teach. I can't describe how much of a testimony builder that was for me. God answered our prayers. I know without a doubt that when we pray he is there listening to our prayers.

On Sunday Marlon came to church. He loved it there and the members really made him feel welcome. After church we got about 5 bags full of groceries and from members. Apparently people are announcing in all of our meetings to help feed the missionaries. In Elder's quorum it was announced that we only new how to make waffles and cereal. So I dont know what stories are going around about us. But i'm not complaining! Free Food haha.

In the Book of Mormon I have been reading about Ammon and his missionary work among the Nephites. I love how before he does anything he tells king Lamoni I want to be your servant. Ammon is such a great example to me. He is obedient to everything that he is commanded to do and you can see the love he has for those that he teaches. I want to invite you all to look for opportunities you have to serve others. You will feel God's love he has for those people and you will feel a peace that you can't receive from anything else.

Well I better go, I need to go beat Elder Taylor's butt in tennis before it rains. I love you all.

Elder May

Hey everyone!

This week has been great! I'm really getting the hang of things. There is still so much that I need to learn but I love being able to serve out here.

Tuesday was a pretty eventful day! It started off with Elder Taylor and I locking ourselves out of our apartment. When we went to work out in the morning we forgot to grab our keys and apparently you need those to get back in your apartment! So we decided to break in. So we walked around back and decided to break in through our patio door. I climbed on Elder Taylor's shoulders I could barely reach the patio so using my crazy upper body strength I pulled myself up and we got in through the back door haha. We locked ourselves out again later on in the week but some nice guy let us in through his apartment. Obviously I haven't changed much since I left haha.

But later on in the day we were walking around visiting people and it started to rain on us. Elder Taylor had an umbrella but I got soaked. We were in a part of town with a bunch of gangsta type people and we were trying to talk to them and I was getting frustrated because I felt we were just wasting our time because no one was interested in what we had to say. But after being out for a couple of hours when we got back to our truck, the person we had try to visit earlier was standing outside. We were able to talk to her and she said that the missionaries always show up when she needs it most. We talked for a while and we invited her to conference and she said to call and visit her again sometime. If we hadn't been walking around in the rain earlier we would have missed seeing her. I know that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing and that if we are doing what we are suppose to, he will bless us.. a lot!!

Later on that day we visited this guy named Dan. He has had so many challenges in his life because of his choices. His life is better now and he just talked to us about everything. Afterwards he told us how impressed he was with us for being able to just listen to him and that he was so impressed that we were just 18 and 20 years old. He said he could tell there was something different about us. The spirit was strong there and we just testified of Heavenly Father's love for him. He invited us back and gave us these way sweet Steeler's hoodies.

On Wednesday we visited an older lady in the ward. She was having phone troubles so she asked me to call customer service and try to figure it out for her. So for the next our I talked to an Indian guy on the phone and didn't understand anything he was saying. Elder Taylor and the lady were just laughing at me because I couldn't understand anything they were saying. I say "what" at least a million times. But afterwards she told us of this guy in the apartment building next to us who was interested in the church. She had no idea where his apartment was. So we decided to knock on doors until we found him. We went to the 2nd floor in the building and the first door we knocked on was his. That was such a miracle as well. Heavenly Father is seriously blessing us so much out here. I can't even begin to describe how grateful I am for him.

So for conference I say you mom and dad! It was so weird but I couldnt stop smiling for the rest of the day. I am glad that I was able to see you and I bunch of other people I knew in it.

We also had one of our investigators show up to one session of conference.We invited 50 people and two came! it was so worth it. Our investigator named Marlon really liked what he heard and he stayed around and talked a while after as well. We also had a less active person we have become really good friends with ask for work off so he could come.

The work is amazing out here and I love it so much. I love this Gospel. It brings so much peace in my life and being able to share that peace with others is the best thing there is. Jesus Christ is our Savior and he lives. Through him we can change ourselves and become who God meant for us to be. I love you all.

Elder May

                                                

Me and Elder Tripp at the MTC

Well I survived my first week in the mission field and it was crazy!! I am serving in Pittsburgh! Everyone from the MTC wanted to go to Pittsburgh and I am the one who got it! I am right outside of Downtown so I see it quite a bit driving around. I just wanted to make sure Jeff knows that so he can be super Jealous haha. I am  the Pittsburgh 6th ward. And my address is

136 Oakville Drive

 Apartment 1-C

Green Tree, PA

15220

So on Monday we had to wake up at 2 in the morning to make our flight for Detroit. We had about an hour layover in Detroit and then about another hour to Pittsburgh. When we arrived at the mission home we just relaxed and ate pizza. It was fun to meet the Mission President. They are awesome. That night I actually got banished to sleep in the AP's apartment instead of the mission home. I slept on the floor. And I honestly slept better then I have in a long time.

On Tuesday we had our transfer meeting. I got called to serve in Pittsburgh and my companion is Elder Taylor. He is super cool and we pretty much have everything in common. That night we went to a dinner appointment with the Rossignoli's. There was a pretty awkward experience there, I'll have to tell you it when I get home.

Wednesday was my first full day out here. Elder Taylor and I are both brand new to the area so we have to start from scratch pretty much. We had to go around and visit people in the ward and find people to teach. It was fun to get to know everyone. Everyone is seriously so nice out here and they are so fun to talk to. It was cool, we had a goal to place a BOM and we went to a house at like 9:00 and no one was there. So we went next door to a lady sitting on her porch and talked to her and ended up giving her one and we were able to bear our testimonies to her. It was cool to see that heavenly father was aware of our goal and provided a way for us to accomplish it.

On Friday we visited a guy named Billy. He is pretty much the definition of a "Hill Billy" haha. He has gone less active and says he doesn't believe at all anymore. We just talked and we had a good conversation about everything and he said he would watch General Conference.

Saturday was so awesome. We went to a place called McKee's Rocks and it is pretty sketchy there but I love it. When we first got out of our car we were in an all black community kind of like you see on the movie Blind Side. There was just rap music blasting everywhere and the first person we met told us not to talk to him because he was to drunk to remember anything. I love it there. We saw these people trying to move in so we asked if we could help and they were so grateful for the offer. We helped them and they were so impressed that we would do something like that and they wanted our names so they could give us a shout out on facebook. But we just told them about the church and invited them to come. They said they definitely would have to some time. They were so fun to talk to and Im glad we got to talk to them.

Afterwards we were walking around and this lady was sitting on her porch and asked if we wanted a popsicle. So of course we said yes haha. We gave her a pass a long card and she looked at it and said "so what is the book of Mormon?" We told her and gave her a copy and she said she really was going to read it. We are going to set up a time to visit her again this week.

After we went to the Turners house for dinner and then we taught a part member family the Tar's. They are from Africa and are super awesome. We taught them about eternal family's and we watched a video on temples. The spirit was so strong and I know they felt something. We are going to visit the son again this week.

On sunday we went to dinner again. Afterwards I told them that this was so much better then the 1.00 hotdogs we have been living off all week. Elder Taylor was like "yeah he still misses his mom's cooking." (Which I really do.) But we were just joking around but they felt so sorry for me. They treated me like I was a poor little kid. The wife decided they were 0also asked what my mom usually made for me. So I wouldn't be surprised if they show up with tons of dinners for me now. And I can just see them in Relief Society saying "We need to team together and save Elder May from his microwaved hot dogs..." It was so weird, I think that they just feel bad for me because I am new.

I love this work and I love this gospel. I love my personal study time I have every morning. The scriptures bring me so much happiness!! The church is true! Be examples in everything you do!

Elder May

Well the first week of the MTC has been crazy! When you first get here a million things happen at once! I felt like I was on a conveyor belt being taken around everywhere. I met my companions which are Elder Hummer and Elder Bramwell! They are pretty cool and we have a lot in common. 

On Thursday we had class all day long! Well that what it is like everyday! You dont have any free time! You are busy all day long! But I love it! I have changed so much and I love the gospel and this work more then I ever thought I could have. I hope this doesnt make you feel bad, but I havent gotten home sick once this week. I love serving the lord I cant thank him enough for all of the blessings i have recieved from him!

On Thursday I also was made a Zone Leader! Which was crazy because I had absolutley no idea what I was doing! I finally stopped getting lost trying to find my way around only like yesterday. I was so confused haha. But i am grateful for this responsibilty and I know the Lord will be helping me every step of the way, because I know i definitely can't do it on my own. 

On Sunday I had to play the music. So i pulled out my old reliable hymn! Sweet Hour of Prayer. Haha it's my signature one! The devotional Sunday night was great! I learned so much and the spirit is just so great.

On Tuesday we had another devotional and Elder Scott came and Spoke! He talked a lot about prayer and how great it actually is. God is listening to us every time we pray and he hears and WILL answer your prayers. My Faith has increased so much and I am praying all the time. I know he can help me with anything.

 So on monday when i leave I will probably be calling between 6 and7. But have moms phone ready because I could be wrong. We have a layover in Detroit but then its straight to Pittsburgh from there. The church is True I love you all and God loves you too.

Elder May

Hey family!

Everything is going great so far. I love the MTC! The spirit here is so strong. Everyone always says that but it is so true. I have already learned so much and I can feel myself changing. I am in a 3 way companionship. My companions are Elder Bramwell and Elder Hummer. They are awesome Elders and have great testimonies. So far I have only lost the key to my dorm so I'm doing good! I love you all. The gospel is true. Be examples of Christ in all that you do.

Elder May