Hello Everybody!
Sorry for the late email. We went out to the space center and it was awesome.
I'm still alive!!! If you haven't heard but I'm sure you all have been informed that last Friday hurricane Mathew hit Florida. Everything up to Friday and after it has been pretty intense. Please keep all the families that have been effect by Mathew in your prayers especially people in Haiti, Jamaica, and the other countries in that area.
We found out about Mathew Saturday afternoon. The projections then were saying that it wouldn't hit us. We didn't worry about it to much cause it was at a cat 3. Even if it changed and would it us it would have weakened by the time it got to us. Tuesday comes and things change. We start hearing that it will hit us but by the time it does it will get stronger. Wednesday comes and we plan to do our regular work. Out at 10 and as we are seeing people we then get the word that we need to prepare for Mathew cause it was going to hit us. We finished seeing the couple people that morning then went home and started prepping.
We went over to members houses to help them get ready for the Mathew. Wednesday night we went and stayed at the other elders apartment in Titusville. We had to be in by noon Thursday so that morning we went to help a couple other members get ready. At this point I still couldn't grasp that this was actually happening. We then get back from service and are eating lunch and then we get a call from the mission office. They then tell us we need to head to Orlando. The projections were then saying that the eye of Mathew would come right over our area. We then grabbed our stuff and booked out of there. Of course everyone else is leaving cause of Mathew so it took for ever to get to Orlando but got there safely.
On Wednesday when we got to the Titusville apartment I got a call from Brother Nelson in the Longwood ward in the Lake Marry stake. He then asked me if I was safe cause my mom was freaking out about me. That's ok though cause that's what moms do. Plus I'm now hoping to get to that ward to meet Brother Nelson. We then waited the storm out in Orlando. We only got the edge part of the storm but was still pretty intense. Had a hard time sleeping so didn't get much sleep Thursday into Friday morning.
We got back o our house Saturday afternoon and then our Bishop picked us up and went to work. Went to Merritt Island to help members there cause that's were the majority of the storm hit. The northern part Florida of us got hit worse than us. Sunday we had sacrament meeting so just an hour. The people that's were going to help clean after that could come in work clothes. This will probably be the first and last time I would wear normal clothes to church. It felt very weird since been a missionary and always in white shirts and ties and now everyone sees us in regular clothes.
Worked really hard and were able to help a lot of people. Not sure what is still left to be done but was awesome to help those in need. We also did get to wear the helping hands shirts so that will be a cool souvenir. Don't worry I have plenty of pics that I will send from this past week.
Thank you for the many prayers and hope you have a great week.
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
10502 Satellite Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32837
Called to serve the Florida Orlando Mission
Monday, October 10, 2016
Week #53 -- Hurricane Emails
Email 10/5/16
Dear Parents,
In the Florida Orlando Mission we are preparing for the oncoming tropical storm to insure the safety of the missionaries. All missionaries have been contacted and provided with specific instructions for emergency preparedness. For those missionaries living near the coast, evacuations have been planned to provide a safe place for them to stay until the storm ends. We will keep you informed as to the safety of all our missionaries.
Thank you for your concerns and prayers.
Sister Rasmussen , Secretary
Florida Orlando Mission
Email 10/6/16
Dear Parents,
All missionaries are accounted for and are safe. Many have been relocated to provide for their safety. They are prepared with food, water, flashlights, and given instructions to keep their phones charged if possible. We will continue to keep you informed as long as we have power. Thank you again for your prayers.
Sister Rasmussen , Secretary
Florida Orlando Mission
Email 10/7/16
Dear Parents,
We are grateful for your prayers as we continue to stay inside and weather out the storm. The missionaries have reported in and all are safe.
Sister Rasmussen , Secretary
Florida Orlando Mission
Monday, October 3, 2016
Week #52 -- #Conference Weekend #Hurricane
Hello Everybody!
Hope you all had a great week! If not let's make this week great!!
To start off the week we did service for a nonmember. We didn't know what she was going to have us do until we got there. She then told us that she wanted us to clean out the rats nest under her house!! The first thought came to my head was like heck no!! We pulled all the grass out and then sprayed it with weed killer. Luckily we never saw it which was good and didn't have to crawl under the house. Crawling underneath a house especially in Florida isn't the best idea cause you never know what you will find under there. We then finished some other things that she needed done. We then had a talk with her about the gospel. Her husband was a member but past away like a year ago. We talked about the Plan Of Salvation cause she was talking to us about how much she loved her husband. We figure that talking about them being together for eternity would hit home. It did and we tied it to the Book of Mormon and gave her one. She said she will read it. Can't wait to see her this week.
Wednesday and Thursday was so cramped with people to see cause Conference was that weekend. Just saw a handful because we don't have very many investigators to teach right now.
Conference was so amazing!!! I loved it so much and can't wait till they come out so I can read them and apply the message into my life. It is so hard to choose my fav one cause they all are so good. I did like the one given by Elder Stevenson about the Book of Mormon. The one question he asked was, can you see the Book of Mormon as the keystone of your testimony? Ask your self this question and ponder on it. If your answer is no to this then use your agency to change that so it is the keystone of your testimony of the savior. I can promise you that as a servant of the lord Jesus Christ anything is possible through Jesus Christ.
I love you all!! Would love to hear from you all!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Hope you all had a great week! If not let's make this week great!!
To start off the week we did service for a nonmember. We didn't know what she was going to have us do until we got there. She then told us that she wanted us to clean out the rats nest under her house!! The first thought came to my head was like heck no!! We pulled all the grass out and then sprayed it with weed killer. Luckily we never saw it which was good and didn't have to crawl under the house. Crawling underneath a house especially in Florida isn't the best idea cause you never know what you will find under there. We then finished some other things that she needed done. We then had a talk with her about the gospel. Her husband was a member but past away like a year ago. We talked about the Plan Of Salvation cause she was talking to us about how much she loved her husband. We figure that talking about them being together for eternity would hit home. It did and we tied it to the Book of Mormon and gave her one. She said she will read it. Can't wait to see her this week.
Wednesday and Thursday was so cramped with people to see cause Conference was that weekend. Just saw a handful because we don't have very many investigators to teach right now.
Conference was so amazing!!! I loved it so much and can't wait till they come out so I can read them and apply the message into my life. It is so hard to choose my fav one cause they all are so good. I did like the one given by Elder Stevenson about the Book of Mormon. The one question he asked was, can you see the Book of Mormon as the keystone of your testimony? Ask your self this question and ponder on it. If your answer is no to this then use your agency to change that so it is the keystone of your testimony of the savior. I can promise you that as a servant of the lord Jesus Christ anything is possible through Jesus Christ.
I love you all!! Would love to hear from you all!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Monday, September 26, 2016
Week #51 -- Thunder??
Hello Everybody!
Oh my! A lot has happened this week. There has been a lot of laughter, spiritual experience, sarcasm, and being out for one year!!The time I have been with Elder Thayne, my sarcasm has come out a lot more than usual and it's great cause he gives it right back. If I could record the entire day of Elder Thayne and I, it would just be us laughing the entire time. It's great!
The laughter part was mainly Elder Thayne laughing I wasn't. This last Thursday night we had a big storm that came in. Around 10 it was lighting pretty good but there wasn't any thunder. It was cool when outside and took pics. Then it started getting closer to us and the thunder was pretty loud. I then told Elder Thayne that it's going to crack thunder and lighting at the same time and the power will go out. IT DID!! I can't tell you how bad it scared me. I was freaking out so bad that I scared Elder Thayne more than the thunder. The worst part is that it happened AGAIN!!!! I didn't sleep very well that night. I might send the videos that we took while this was happening.
It has been a year!!! I can honestly say it hasn't felt like I have been out for a year. It has been the greatest experience ever. I have loved every minute of it. It has had its hard times but have learned a lot.
The spiritual experience this week was found in the Book of Mormon. I restarted reading the Book of Mormon and posed a question at the beginning of it. I have heard of people doing this before and them having a cool experience from it. Every time I read it I read something that answers that question in some way. It is amazing. The Book of Mormon is true and can help anyone in times of struggle.
I love you all and have a great week!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Oh my! A lot has happened this week. There has been a lot of laughter, spiritual experience, sarcasm, and being out for one year!!The time I have been with Elder Thayne, my sarcasm has come out a lot more than usual and it's great cause he gives it right back. If I could record the entire day of Elder Thayne and I, it would just be us laughing the entire time. It's great!
The laughter part was mainly Elder Thayne laughing I wasn't. This last Thursday night we had a big storm that came in. Around 10 it was lighting pretty good but there wasn't any thunder. It was cool when outside and took pics. Then it started getting closer to us and the thunder was pretty loud. I then told Elder Thayne that it's going to crack thunder and lighting at the same time and the power will go out. IT DID!! I can't tell you how bad it scared me. I was freaking out so bad that I scared Elder Thayne more than the thunder. The worst part is that it happened AGAIN!!!! I didn't sleep very well that night. I might send the videos that we took while this was happening.
It has been a year!!! I can honestly say it hasn't felt like I have been out for a year. It has been the greatest experience ever. I have loved every minute of it. It has had its hard times but have learned a lot.
The spiritual experience this week was found in the Book of Mormon. I restarted reading the Book of Mormon and posed a question at the beginning of it. I have heard of people doing this before and them having a cool experience from it. Every time I read it I read something that answers that question in some way. It is amazing. The Book of Mormon is true and can help anyone in times of struggle.
I love you all and have a great week!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
At the one-year date of being on a mission missionaries burn a shirt and tie.
 |
  |
Monday, September 19, 2016
Week #50 -- New Transfer
Hello Everybody!
I can't tell you how how excited I am for this transfer. This past week was great. I didn't get to see the people we wanted to like the investigators, but did get to see a lot of less actives.
On cool experience this week was on Wednesday. We were stopped at this former investigators house and first thing she said was, "Hi Elders! I was just thinking about you". Let me point out that investigators don't usually call us elders and we go crazy when they say they were thinking about us. As we talked she was saying about when she got baptized and what's been going on in her life. Once she talked about her being baptized we were totally lost of who we were talking to. We figured it out though and had a great talk with her.
To give a little bit of info about my comp. Elder Thayne is from Ogden, UT. He can play the piano very good. It's awesome cause he can give me more pointers. He was in the marching band in high school and played the trumpet. Also he is known back at home for his "selfies" pic that he takes. We are going to take some great pics.
My thought for you all is something that I have been thinking about this week. It's all about agency. I know I have talked about this before but it seems that I learn more and more about it and how it is essential in our heavenly fathers plan. I have been able to understand more of how our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ might feel when his children don't make the best choices but through Christ everything can be changed. We need to forget the mistakes we have made and start now to make the better choices. Christ didn't just suffer for us to not to use the atonement. The atonement is there for us to use. I want you all to know that the atonement works. Just trust him and forgive and forget. He will make you whole again. It has made me whole again. I love you all very much. Please know that. The gospel is true and will bless your life.
Have a great week y'all!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
I can't tell you how how excited I am for this transfer. This past week was great. I didn't get to see the people we wanted to like the investigators, but did get to see a lot of less actives.
On cool experience this week was on Wednesday. We were stopped at this former investigators house and first thing she said was, "Hi Elders! I was just thinking about you". Let me point out that investigators don't usually call us elders and we go crazy when they say they were thinking about us. As we talked she was saying about when she got baptized and what's been going on in her life. Once she talked about her being baptized we were totally lost of who we were talking to. We figured it out though and had a great talk with her.
To give a little bit of info about my comp. Elder Thayne is from Ogden, UT. He can play the piano very good. It's awesome cause he can give me more pointers. He was in the marching band in high school and played the trumpet. Also he is known back at home for his "selfies" pic that he takes. We are going to take some great pics.
My thought for you all is something that I have been thinking about this week. It's all about agency. I know I have talked about this before but it seems that I learn more and more about it and how it is essential in our heavenly fathers plan. I have been able to understand more of how our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ might feel when his children don't make the best choices but through Christ everything can be changed. We need to forget the mistakes we have made and start now to make the better choices. Christ didn't just suffer for us to not to use the atonement. The atonement is there for us to use. I want you all to know that the atonement works. Just trust him and forgive and forget. He will make you whole again. It has made me whole again. I love you all very much. Please know that. The gospel is true and will bless your life.
Have a great week y'all!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Monday, September 12, 2016
Week #49 -- Transfers??
Hello Everyone!
I thought I would let you all know that I will be........STAYING in cocoa for another six weeks with......Elder......Thang! Yes Elder Thang. Which means sadly that Elder Armijo is leaving and will be spending is last two transfers in Conway, it's near Orlando. Had a good time with Elder Armijo and was a good learning experience. I'm super excited to stay here in Cocoa for another six weeks. Gives me more time to help our investigator and others that we are working with.
Speaking of our investigator, we had just an amazing lesson last Wednesday with him and his wife. We focused a lot on faith cause it seemed last time we met with him he didn't have much faith. As we went through the scriptures, we started in Alma 32 were it explains what faith is. I love verse 21, it explains faith perfectly and simple.
21 And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. We then went to Ether 12:6 which says
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
The reason we went to this scripture is because we know that he isn't going to revive his answer to know if the church is true unless he puts everything we have taught him to the test. By reading your
scriptures daily, coming to church, praying, and following the commandments. If he doesn't put it to the test he won't be able to gain his witness. I happy to say that he is. He just has a couple things he is working through.
Sorry this will be a short one. You are all in my prayers and love you all very much. Have a great week!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
I thought I would let you all know that I will be........STAYING in cocoa for another six weeks with......Elder......Thang! Yes Elder Thang. Which means sadly that Elder Armijo is leaving and will be spending is last two transfers in Conway, it's near Orlando. Had a good time with Elder Armijo and was a good learning experience. I'm super excited to stay here in Cocoa for another six weeks. Gives me more time to help our investigator and others that we are working with.
Speaking of our investigator, we had just an amazing lesson last Wednesday with him and his wife. We focused a lot on faith cause it seemed last time we met with him he didn't have much faith. As we went through the scriptures, we started in Alma 32 were it explains what faith is. I love verse 21, it explains faith perfectly and simple.
21 And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. We then went to Ether 12:6 which says
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
The reason we went to this scripture is because we know that he isn't going to revive his answer to know if the church is true unless he puts everything we have taught him to the test. By reading your
scriptures daily, coming to church, praying, and following the commandments. If he doesn't put it to the test he won't be able to gain his witness. I happy to say that he is. He just has a couple things he is working through.
Sorry this will be a short one. You are all in my prayers and love you all very much. Have a great week!!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Monday, September 5, 2016
Week #48 -- Trials
Hello Everyone!
Last week of the transfer is here! I'll let you all know what happens next week. Haven't stayed more than two transfers in an area so we will see if that is still the case.
This past week we got to see an investigator. It was great. Sadly we were an hour and a half late cause we got stuck on the freeway from a car crash that happened. We still made it though which is good. He's been taught all the lessons so we really just wanted to see where he was at and what the next steps where going be. His wife sat in on the lesson which was awesome. She also was a lot more vocal in the lesson than she has been. Talked about what her thoughts and concerns where about
him being baptized. We are meeting with him again this Wednesday.
This past Friday we got to go to the temple. I honestly can't put into words of how great the temple is. It is one of the best places to be. I love being at the temple so much. I can feel the spirit so strong. It is truly the house of the Lord.
Throughout this past week, a lot of what we talked about with investigators or less actives that we saw was about trials and struggles that we go through in this life. In Alma 36:3 it give us some guidelines of what we need to do when we have these struggles. In this scripture Alma is giving his son Helaman some council and this is one of the things he said.
3. And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
We know that trust in God is the same as having faith. Having faith that he will "support" us. The definition for support is, bear all or part of the weight of, or, give assistance to. If we put our trust in
God he will help us. He doesn't want us to fail he wants us to succeed. Ask him for his help and he will give it according to your faith in him.
Have a fantastic week!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Last week of the transfer is here! I'll let you all know what happens next week. Haven't stayed more than two transfers in an area so we will see if that is still the case.
This past week we got to see an investigator. It was great. Sadly we were an hour and a half late cause we got stuck on the freeway from a car crash that happened. We still made it though which is good. He's been taught all the lessons so we really just wanted to see where he was at and what the next steps where going be. His wife sat in on the lesson which was awesome. She also was a lot more vocal in the lesson than she has been. Talked about what her thoughts and concerns where about
him being baptized. We are meeting with him again this Wednesday.
This past Friday we got to go to the temple. I honestly can't put into words of how great the temple is. It is one of the best places to be. I love being at the temple so much. I can feel the spirit so strong. It is truly the house of the Lord.
Throughout this past week, a lot of what we talked about with investigators or less actives that we saw was about trials and struggles that we go through in this life. In Alma 36:3 it give us some guidelines of what we need to do when we have these struggles. In this scripture Alma is giving his son Helaman some council and this is one of the things he said.
3. And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
We know that trust in God is the same as having faith. Having faith that he will "support" us. The definition for support is, bear all or part of the weight of, or, give assistance to. If we put our trust in
God he will help us. He doesn't want us to fail he wants us to succeed. Ask him for his help and he will give it according to your faith in him.
Have a fantastic week!
Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)