Week #12 -- Christmas SKYPE

Hello Everybody!!

This past week was awesome!! Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and hope that Santa was good to all of you.

So, I have received word that I am getting transferred to a new area in the Orlando mission. I won't find out who my new companion and what area I will be in till Tuesday. Next week I will let you all know where my new area is. Anyway, this past week was awesome besides that it was Christmas. We got to meet with a part member family. The husband is a member and his wife is a non-member. She has a lot of health problems and really has a hard time with understanding if God is really there for her if all these things have happened to her. She also has a hard time with understanding the Book of Mormon cause of an accident she was in. We then told her that we had Book of Mormon class on Wednesday nights. She didn't come last time but we will try to get her out to it next time. 

We have had a couple media referrals that didn't turn out to be very successful. Like one for example, we saw a lady named Happy Loves. It's not her real name by the way. She has had a really bad life and knows that God doesn't love her cause if he did then he wouldn't allow all the things that she has gone through happen to her. We tried to teach her and help her see that God does love her but she wasn't open to it. I don't think we will be returning. Besides that we had Christmas Eve dinner at a members and she had a non member there. After dinner we showed the video "He is the gift". The spirit was so strong. Powerful testimonies were shared and I knew that she could feel it. I'm really hoping that Elder Gubler and his new companion will be able to go by and teach a lesson.  

Next was Christmas!! We had weekly planing that day so we planned for the next week of who we were going to see and what our goals were going to be and what we needed to do to accomplish them. We then went to a members house so we could skype our family which was awesome!  Saturday we saw some less actives and then hand a recent convert lesson with Danielle. So every time that  someone is baptized the lessons they were taught before are retaught. This helps a of people cause questions might come up this time than before they get baptized.

It is really sad that I will be going to a new area. I never thought how much love I could have for a ward and investigators in a short amount of time. I'm going to miss the lecanto ward very much. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!

Elder Pearson

Florida Orlando Mission

10502 Satellite Blvd. Ste E

Orlando, FL 32837-8479

It was SOOOOOO WONDERFUL to be able to hear his voice and see his face!

We all squeezed in front of the TV so he could see all of us -- best gift ever!!

 

A ward member sent this to me in December -- I love it! 

Funny that we never saw the resemblance!

 

Week #11 -- Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all had a wonderful week and have a wonderful Christmas. I always love the Christmas season. It always seems that more hearts are open. It's wonderful to find new people to teach and for their hearts to be touched by the message we have to share with them.

Throughout this week many things have happened. We took Elder LeCheminant to the mission office in Orlando for him to return home. Sad to see him go and I will miss him. He has taught me so much and have still more to learn.

We saw a lot of less actives this past week and went to finding potential investigators. It's really hard with being Christmas this week when everyone is out of town or all the family is at home and they don't want to be bothered. Didn't have a lot of success there but
we did find a women that seemed interested in the Book of Mormon and we are going to see her on Tuesday.

We also saw Dave many times this past week to help him overcome his Tobacco problem. We think we are making progress and help him with new ways to overcome it, but keeps falling bad into smoking. He really is almost there just needs to push a little more and he will be able to get through it. I can see it in his eyes that he wants to overcome it and with Heavenly Fathers help he can do it.

On Friday, we had a Christmas devotional for our mission. It was awesome!  So many musical talents were shared and the spirit was so strong. Also wonderful messages given by President and Sister Berry. We then got to eat some food and talk with other missionaries
throughout the mission.

Also one exciting news is that one of our investigators was baptized and confirmed a member. What an experience!  It was so cool to see her follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized. It also made me think of the time I was baptized and the promises I made
with God. I have been able to see the blessing in my life and in my family as I have kept those promises. The one thing I love that our Heavenly Father has given us is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost can guide, warn, testify of truth, and  prompt us to do something. What an amazing gift that God has given us. It has helped me in so many ways.

I would like to share with you my testimony of our savior Jesus Christ...

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and is the way to return to our Heavenly Father again. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price by suffering for our sins. He did this because he loves us so much and knew that it was the only way for us to return to our Heavenly Father. He has been through it all. He knows the pains that we feel and the struggles that we go through. Every time that we might fall he is right there helping us back up. I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That the Book of Mormon was translated by prophet named Joseph Smith.  I have asked Heavenly Father through pray if all these things are true and they are.  I would like to ask all of you to ask God as well and have your own witness to know if what I say is true. You will have that answer by the power of the Holy Ghost. It is a warm, peaceful, comforting feeling. It is a feeling that you will never forget.

I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!!

Elder Pearson
Florida Orlando Mission
LeCanto Ward
10502 Satellite Blvd. Ste E
Orlando, FL 32837-8479

Elder Gubler and Elder Pearson on Christmas Day. 

Week #10 -- Baptism

Hello Everybody!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful week. Sad news!! My dad (Senior companion, Elder LeCheminant) is leaving tomorrow to go home!!😢😢😢   He has been a great trainer for me and he is awesome!! When we take him down to the mission office Elder Gubler and I will drive back to LeCanto.  We will have the area on our own for two weeks, then one of us will be transferred to a new area and someone new that has been out longer will come in.

So this last week we did a lot of finding less actives. We have a lot of less actives. President Berry has asked us to teach a lesson with 12 less actives a week. A couple obstacles we have is the area being so big and some less actives we teach have some of the doctrine
mixed up. When we explain correct doctrine it's hard for them to believe it; they have believed it for so long that it hard for them to believe in something else or they really didn't have there own conversion yet.

Great news!! We have a gator that's being baptized this week!! She had her baptismal interview last Friday. She is a super solid investigator. Her entire family are super mad at her for joining another religion. Even though her family is against it she says that she
would never turn away cause of the feelings she has had.  The best part is that her son is 10 and he loves going to church. He wants to do scouts really bad which I love.

Sadly one of our gators had to move his baptism date back cause he wasn't going to be done with smoking in time.  There's no set date for someone to be done with word of wisdom issues, but Elder LeCheminant has found that a week before the baptismal interview is a good amount of time for someone to quit. We really have done all we could. We have given him blessings and ideas to quit; at this point all we can do is encourage him. Any advise would help.

If I do get transferred from this area I'm going to miss the members. The members are so awesome! My testimony has grown a lot from hearing there testimonies and how the gospel has changed their lives.

I love you all so much and have a wonderful week!!!

Love
Elder Pearson

Florida Orlando Mission
LeCanto Ward

Elder Pearson, Elder Gubler and Elder LeCheminant pose for their Christmas card.

Week #9 -- Christmas Devotional

Hello everyone,

Hope you all had a wonderful week.

Hope all of you got to watch the Christmas devotional last night.  My favorite part was giving my Dieter F Uchtdorf and the story he shared. The story he shared was about a man that had to walk around with crutches. He saw some wheelchairs for people to ride in he thought. Oh
how great he thought it would be to be able to move around a lot better in a wheelchair. Once it can to his turn to ride in one, the joy he had as he moved around in that wheelchair.  After riding it around for while he passes his friends and his friends ask him what he's
doing. He told them that he was giving it back so someone else can ride in it. The missionary that was helping pass out the wheelchairs and his friends told him that the wheelchair was his. The mans eyes filled up with tears; he felt so much gratitude for the wheelchair he was
given.  The amount of gratitude this man had for the gift he was given; we too should feel the same toward Jesus Christ for what he did for us.

I want to express to you all how much gratitude I have for my Savior. I love and know that Jesus Christ suffered for me and all of you. He did it for us cause he loved us so much and he wanted us to be able to return to our Heavenly Father again. He is the only one that can know and feel the same feelings and concerns that I have and the same with all of you. All we have to do is ask and that is what I have been doing a lot lately. I can feel of his love and guidance and the strength that he has given me to overcome the temptation that Satan
might throw at me.

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.

Love
Elder Pearson

Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. 

Week #8 -- Time Flys

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving and ate a lot of food! Now on to Christmas! Yay! I can't believe it's almost Christmas. First Christmas in Florida!!

Speaking of Christmas there is a wonderful video called "The Savior is Born". It is a great video to be able to share with others and a good way to talk about Christ since it's Christmas. It's on the gospel
library app and on the church website to download it. It's a great opportunity to do some missionary work. Pray to know who that Heavenly Father wants you to share the video with. I promise you that is you ask he will guide you to that person and it will be a great experience for you. I challenge you all to do that. I would then love you hear about your experience.

So this past week has been an exciting one and filled with many opportunities to do Heavenly Father will. Just yesterday I was able to use the priesthood, which I hold, to give a less active member a
blessing cause of his health issues he has been struggling with. I am so blessed to have the Melchizedek Priesthood and can see the joy it brings to others. Heavenly Father knows everyone of us on a personal basis. He knows what we are going through and wants to help us. All we have to do is ask for his help through prayer. You can do it anywhere, anytime, and he will be listening. I know he will answer your prayers just like he has done for me. There is a purpose to this life and
where we are going. Just ask to be guided to that truth. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.

Love
Elder Pearson

Week #7 -- Thanksgiving

Hey!!

Hope you all had a great week. Know that I think about and pray for you all.

This past week has been amazing. Heavenly Father is really blessing my companions and I with people to teach. It's so cool how Heavenly Father puts us in the right place at the right time. We are really working hard and is so much fun!!!

One thing that we got to do last week was prep boxes for thanksgiving dinners for those that can't afford it. Then Saturday is when we gave the boxes away. So many of these people don't have much. It made me really think that I should be grateful for what I have and what I have
been given. I have been able to have a wonderful family and have been able to have this wonderful gospel that has given me the knowledge to know my purpose in my life and where I'm going. By knowing this for myself and learning more everyday I can share with others and help them learn of their purpose and where they are going.

I want to express my gratefulness for you all. You all have blessed my life in so many ways I can't even count. Thank you all for all you have done for me. You will be bless for your willingness to teach me and help me grow to who I am today.

I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving!!!🍗🍗

Love
Elder Pearson

Week #6 - We are part of God's Army

Hey everyone,

This past week has been so crazy and so exciting. Also this Tuesday is transfers and it looks like I'll be staying in LeCanto for another month!!!!

To start off my week we had zone conference.  There was so much stuff I was able to learn and be able to become a better missionary. These are some of the questions he asked. Who are we? What is our role? Who do we represent? What does the lord expect of us? How do we go about accomplishing his great work?  We save lives. We are part of Gods army.  We are gatherers, preparers, instruments. We represent God and his church if we are a full time missionary or not.  The lord expects obedience, having faith, teach doctrine of Christ, and teach by the spirit. We also ask for his help to know his will and what he needs to do through us. As we yelled to him we can touch people's lives and can have the truths that we know.

Also last night we had a fireside in Orlando which is a two hour drive from LeCanto and it ends at 9 pm. Anyway it was an awesome fireside. We got to listen to two amazing musicians. Marvin Goldstien and Vanessa Joy. Brother Goldstien  has traveled the world as a pianist and entertainer. He began his musical training at the age of 9 and has won many awards. I advise you all to look him up. His playing is incredible. Sister Joy is a singer and has performed for many places like in Germany, Egypt, Chili, and many more. The spirit was so strong and as they bear there testimonies I could feel the spirit.  As Sister Joy sang some of the words really stood out to me. One was about when she goes to places to sing and only gets to met people for a short moment. "Because I knew you I have been changed for good". There are times that we meet people only for a brief time and that happens a lot as a missionary. We might not realize that we can change people for good. The spirit can testify of what we say to others as long as we listen to the spirit.

Being a missionary is the best thing ever.  It doesn't feel like I have been out for 2 months. Crazy! I love you all and are always in my prayers. I invite you all to always listen to the spirit and be guided to what the Heavenly Father needs done through you. I promise your
testimony will be strengthened and can bless others lives. Hope you guys have a wonderful week. Be good and don't do bad things.

Love you all,
Elder Pearson