Hello ma!
Well, this week was awesome. I'm so glad you got to have a good birthday! Jer sent me a pic of his new quad.... what the craP! I'm glad you liked the story I sent you. I have read it like a million times and every time I tear up! It makes me mad!... I'M A MAN! Anyways, this week I have not done anything too stupid. I worked out my legs hard core, so the next morning I was so sore and had to walk over 10 miles.... that was very exciting! This recent convert named Eric Dormyer is really struggling with money and his wife. We go over to see him as much as we can. He called me yesterday and asked if we would workout with him everyday. It's going to be awesome! Otherwise, he is so hard to get a hold of! If we see him everyday and teach him while we workout! mmm yep amazing. It should go pretty well! We are playing football again today so I hope i don't get smashed! haha. There has been a lot of wind and that's pretty much about it! No rain or snow which I'm pretty thankful for! I'm not being transferred. We are both staying here. I'm pretty excited about that! I love you all so much. I hope this week is awesome! KEEP THAT QUOTE IN YOUR HEAD! People ask me why I laugh so much! There is so much to smile for and laugh at! We are alive and healthy! I love you!
Love, Elder Naylor
This is the story Elder Naylor mentioned in the above letter:
The following event took place in SLC in 1974. It occurred during a Sacrament meeting and was told by a Regional Rep of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in Sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following testimony: Brothers and Sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I've been waiting on my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same excitement and anticipation that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream, I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement, my friend and I opened my letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it out loud. You've been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born into the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will be born in a land of plenty, in a land of Freedom! You will go to the earth in the United States of America. My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave the letter to me to read out loud. His letter said: You've been called to go to earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties-which will hinder the work of the Lord; you will be born in Costa Rica. We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said" When we are down on earth, you in your choice land, and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me." Then this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said; "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call, I am going to Costa Rica." There is a sequel to this story. About a year after the Sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet in capital letters was written four words: I FOUND MY FRIEND!
The quote that was referred to in the above letter:
"The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache." Marjorie Pay Hinckley
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
An Amazing Story...
By Brother Barrand
On Tues night I was scheduled to go with the missionaries to visit an investigator lady, but she cancelled because of a family emergency. She was in the hospital with her 15 year old daughter who had tried to commit suicide that afternoon by slitting her wrists. We offered to visit them in the hospital and the mom agreed. It was quite a scene at the emergency room. The daughter was a beautiful girl with these large bandages across her wrists and a crushingly sad look in her eyes. She pronounced that there was no God but she and her friends knew there was a Satan because her friend worshiped the devil. I was stunned and my mind went blank and I couldn’t think of anything to say (that doesn’t happen very often). What to say to this young daughter of God who earlier that day had wanted to take her own life and leave this world. The weight of confusion and probably guilt and a dulled conscious had brought her to the edge of a horrible horrible tragedy. She had been flirting with the most serious of sin – the taking of a life but as I watched her face I saw something remarkable.
The young Elder Naylor squatted down at the foot of that girl’s hospital bed and began to teach the gospel of love and repentance and hope and the atonement. His thoughtful act of getting eye level with this girl was so powerful. It directed all her attention to what he was saying and the policeman in the corner and the nurses coming in and out of the room weren’t distractions. Even when the mom interrupted the elder, the daughter said, “Quiet mom, I want to hear what the missionary is saying!” Only hours before she was willing to lose her place on this earth. Now at that moment her shrinking and starving spirit was trying to drink in hope of a loving Heavenly Father and the presence of good in this world. It was a remarkable thing to witness. Then his companion Elder Boyer read a few scriptures from the Book of Mormon that expressed hope and joy and you could see the profound and positive effect of this spiritual food on a famished soul. I talked a little of the power of the Atonement and it’s promise, that He has paid for our sins and that He will never leave us alone. No matter how stained or troubled our lives have become. The Elders gave her a blessing, and we headed out.
It was so funny, I entered and left that hospital with two young 20 year old goofballs, but while we were in that hospital room, when the Savior needed to be there to buoy up a lost soul, they became valiant representatives of Jesus Christ and spoke with the voices of angels. It was an honor to be there with them.
On Tues night I was scheduled to go with the missionaries to visit an investigator lady, but she cancelled because of a family emergency. She was in the hospital with her 15 year old daughter who had tried to commit suicide that afternoon by slitting her wrists. We offered to visit them in the hospital and the mom agreed. It was quite a scene at the emergency room. The daughter was a beautiful girl with these large bandages across her wrists and a crushingly sad look in her eyes. She pronounced that there was no God but she and her friends knew there was a Satan because her friend worshiped the devil. I was stunned and my mind went blank and I couldn’t think of anything to say (that doesn’t happen very often). What to say to this young daughter of God who earlier that day had wanted to take her own life and leave this world. The weight of confusion and probably guilt and a dulled conscious had brought her to the edge of a horrible horrible tragedy. She had been flirting with the most serious of sin – the taking of a life but as I watched her face I saw something remarkable.
The young Elder Naylor squatted down at the foot of that girl’s hospital bed and began to teach the gospel of love and repentance and hope and the atonement. His thoughtful act of getting eye level with this girl was so powerful. It directed all her attention to what he was saying and the policeman in the corner and the nurses coming in and out of the room weren’t distractions. Even when the mom interrupted the elder, the daughter said, “Quiet mom, I want to hear what the missionary is saying!” Only hours before she was willing to lose her place on this earth. Now at that moment her shrinking and starving spirit was trying to drink in hope of a loving Heavenly Father and the presence of good in this world. It was a remarkable thing to witness. Then his companion Elder Boyer read a few scriptures from the Book of Mormon that expressed hope and joy and you could see the profound and positive effect of this spiritual food on a famished soul. I talked a little of the power of the Atonement and it’s promise, that He has paid for our sins and that He will never leave us alone. No matter how stained or troubled our lives have become. The Elders gave her a blessing, and we headed out.
It was so funny, I entered and left that hospital with two young 20 year old goofballs, but while we were in that hospital room, when the Savior needed to be there to buoy up a lost soul, they became valiant representatives of Jesus Christ and spoke with the voices of angels. It was an honor to be there with them.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
January 20, 2010
hello!!!
Well, this week has been pretty good! So Dennis told you about me ripping on some people to actually start working harder on missionary work, huh? It's crazy here. People are too busy to do anything else! I talked to them about it and turned some stuff around! We have met with the mother and daughter (her was in the hospital) again. They are doing a lot better and they are going to try to come to church this week! We have been going on splits a lot with the youth and really getting the singles involved in activities. It's awesome! We are going to play a little football today. they are expecting like 20 plus people to come! I cant wait! We are walking no less than 10 miles a day. We hit pretty close to 13 miles in one day. That was awesome, but I felt like I was gonna die! I have to do ANOTHER training in the district! agh!It's getting stupid!They all have heard me teach already! Anyways, I hope the dog chews up Brielle's shoes soon! haha jk. Give everyone a big hug from me! I love all of you and hope this week is full of progress!
Love,
Elder Naylor
Well, this week has been pretty good! So Dennis told you about me ripping on some people to actually start working harder on missionary work, huh? It's crazy here. People are too busy to do anything else! I talked to them about it and turned some stuff around! We have met with the mother and daughter (her was in the hospital) again. They are doing a lot better and they are going to try to come to church this week! We have been going on splits a lot with the youth and really getting the singles involved in activities. It's awesome! We are going to play a little football today. they are expecting like 20 plus people to come! I cant wait! We are walking no less than 10 miles a day. We hit pretty close to 13 miles in one day. That was awesome, but I felt like I was gonna die! I have to do ANOTHER training in the district! agh!It's getting stupid!They all have heard me teach already! Anyways, I hope the dog chews up Brielle's shoes soon! haha jk. Give everyone a big hug from me! I love all of you and hope this week is full of progress!
Love,
Elder Naylor
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
January 13, 2010
Well, this week was crazy! Yes, the zone training was very good! I just winged it.... as always! But, it went very well! I have some sad news... there was a kid in Craig thatIi was teaching and helped set with a baptismal date. Two nights ago the zone leader called me at like 11 at night and told me to call my old district leader. I called him and the kid we taught together on splits all the time and I really liked, killed himself 3 days ago.They just baptized him right after I left. That was really hard. Yesterday, an investigator's daughter slit her wrists in school and had to be rushed to the hospital. We went and taught her and she was closed off at first, but after we started teaching and I related to her life in some sense she really opened up and wants to learn more. That was very cool!... in the spiritual fact not the slitting wrists fact!..
That's so cool that we have a pit! It's about time we get a REAL dog in the house! If it really is... I will take it when I get home from the mission! Yeahhhh buddy! We went on spits the other day with a recent rm and he served with Andy Neilson! They went to the mtc together and knew each other really well on the mission! Andy is home now and I want to get a hold of him. Can you try to find him for me?
There are so many people that want us to come back to teach them. They want to learn more and then the next time we talk to them they don't want to hear anymore. It's a pain in the butt! We should be setting 2 people with a date here soon... I hope. I'm excited to teach Dennis and the fam. I have a way good lesson to teach that can relate to everyone!
P-days we play a lot of basketball with rc's and less-actives. It's so fuN! I'm becoming a baller finally! I love you all hope things go well this week!
Love,
Elder Naylor
That's so cool that we have a pit! It's about time we get a REAL dog in the house! If it really is... I will take it when I get home from the mission! Yeahhhh buddy! We went on spits the other day with a recent rm and he served with Andy Neilson! They went to the mtc together and knew each other really well on the mission! Andy is home now and I want to get a hold of him. Can you try to find him for me?
There are so many people that want us to come back to teach them. They want to learn more and then the next time we talk to them they don't want to hear anymore. It's a pain in the butt! We should be setting 2 people with a date here soon... I hope. I'm excited to teach Dennis and the fam. I have a way good lesson to teach that can relate to everyone!
P-days we play a lot of basketball with rc's and less-actives. It's so fuN! I'm becoming a baller finally! I love you all hope things go well this week!
Love,
Elder Naylor
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
January 6, 2010
Hola!
Well, this week has been way fun! Highlands Ranch is supposed to be dead as far as missionary work. Everyone hates serving here!... personally, I think they are full of crap! Tracting is way hard, yes, but all the referrals we get from members are amazing!The key is to gain the members trust and make sure they like you as a missionary. Elder Boyer is a funny kid. He keeps me entertained with his stories, that's for sure. We are doing very good this week. We have been leading the pack! We got to go to the Temple today. It was so fun! Then we were waiting for a ride and a girl was sitting there quietly, so I was like hmmm, maybe I should talk to her. Ii went and sat next to her and what do ya know? She just got baptized and she wanted to learn more about the temple. It was so sweet! So, I went off on some of the stuff I could tell her and set her up withTemple classes. It was awesome! We are at the library with 2 recent converts; Clora and Greg. They are so fun! We are going to make food..... then eat it... I cant wait, hahaha! Well have fun! Love you all!
Love,
Elder Naylor
Well, this week has been way fun! Highlands Ranch is supposed to be dead as far as missionary work. Everyone hates serving here!... personally, I think they are full of crap! Tracting is way hard, yes, but all the referrals we get from members are amazing!The key is to gain the members trust and make sure they like you as a missionary. Elder Boyer is a funny kid. He keeps me entertained with his stories, that's for sure. We are doing very good this week. We have been leading the pack! We got to go to the Temple today. It was so fun! Then we were waiting for a ride and a girl was sitting there quietly, so I was like hmmm, maybe I should talk to her. Ii went and sat next to her and what do ya know? She just got baptized and she wanted to learn more about the temple. It was so sweet! So, I went off on some of the stuff I could tell her and set her up withTemple classes. It was awesome! We are at the library with 2 recent converts; Clora and Greg. They are so fun! We are going to make food..... then eat it... I cant wait, hahaha! Well have fun! Love you all!
Love,
Elder Naylor
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