E-mail 02/29/2016

Hello! It's me, your favorite missionary in Kentucky!

This week has probably been one of the toughest so far.

Monday was really good, all of the Elders in the Louisville area got together to play a game. There are a ton. Well we all had a blast and no one got hurt, one elder did get clothes lined, but he was ok.

Tuesday was going to be a great day. First we did our weekly service, then we had a few appointments fall through which isn't unusual, but then we were on one side of our area and realized that we had an appointment in 30 min on the other side of our area and we were meeting a member there. So we biked the 3 miles as fast as our bikes could take us. Well we made it, and when we got there the member and investigator were already talking, so that was great. We locked up our bikes and went in. The lesson went well and the guy is still blown away about a modern day prophet. Well afterwords we were going to have a lesson in a members home with the Adams, but an hour before, we got a text from them and they dumped us! So that put a damper on the day.

Wednesday, we taught someone who is mildly interested, but his grandma is making it very hard to do anything with him. I guess that means we will be able to see how interested he really is. Later we had our weekly planning and had dinner with a sweet old lady in the Branch that loves to feed missionaries and is a great member missionary.

Thursday, we started an exchange with the Zone Leaders, and like normal I was in my area. Well it was a good exchange, but I had gotten a cold from another Elder, so I was coughing a lot, we had no phone, and it was really cold. We were able to see Dennie and reset his baptismal date, then had another lesson with someone new and set a date with him. So it was a good day, even though my voice hurt.

Friday, I woke up with no voice for the first time in my life, and it would be interview day too... it was probably some of the shortest interviews in my life. Oh well. We did teach someone later that day, so we were able to teach someone. Then the assistants picked us up so Elder Memmott could give a baptismal interview to someone.

Saturday, we didn't do much, both of us were not feeling well. We did go to a funeral of a member who had recently past away, then had a member from a different ward take us home. He first wanted to take us to lunch, so he took us to a Greek restaurant and it was really good. Later we had dinner with a member and they had us play a game with them that was like the jelly beans in Harry Potter, I won :)

Sunday was good, we ended up missing the sacrament because we were getting an investigator to church, but he wasn't home. Then the member started going the wrong way, so in short we were late. The rest of the day wasn't that good, because we couldn't get in with anyone.

Monday, today, I have one really good thing to say. As we were getting ready for the day, Sister Adams called us!!!!!!! They want us to come back, and they want to be baptized (We determined that Sister Adams wasn't baptized) So we are seeing them tomorrow!!!

Love you all!
Have a a great week!

Elder Durrant

(Samuel is in the green LDS shirt.)

Us and the assistants to the mission president!

E-mail 02/22/2016

Kentucky can't figure out if it's 20 or 75 degrees.

Tuesday morning, we did our regular service. Then in the evening we went with the Roy's to see the Adams, and we talked more with them about the Temple. They told us that that was their long term goal, is to get to the temple as a family!

Wednesday, was probably the least good day of the week. Most of our appointments fell through, and we got cussed at by an investigator's mom for no reason, and by other people we tried to talk with on the street. But we have to have the bad to remind us about how great the good is.

Thursday, we had district meeting and started an exchange, I was in my area like normal with Elder Lane, he has only one transfer younger then me. Well like most of the time when we do exchanges, everything fell through, but we were able to pop in on one investigator and had a lesson with him.

Friday we went to see some potentials, but none of them were home, so we went back for lunch and ended the exchange when the others got there. That evening Elder Memmott did a baptismal interview, but the person decided not to get baptized. Oh well.

Saturday, we did a lot of service. Instead of taking furniture somewhere, we picked it up. Later a member took us out for lunch, and then on the way back there was a car crash, so we had to go WAY around it. That evening we had a lesson with the Adams, and it was their three week mark until their baptism! I'm so excited and nervous for them.

Sunday was good, the Adams came to church and they loved it. After church Sis. Adams dragged us to the bulletin board and asked us who was in charge of it, we told her no one really was, so she now really wants to take care of it and told us to give her number to the branch president and have him call her. So later that day we called him and told him what happened and he loved it!   All in all, it's been another good week.

Love,
Elder Durrant
Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

Morrow sent this to me!
So true, so true.

E-mail 02/15/2016

Hi Everyone! I'm frozen, but still here!

To start the Week off. We had dinner with the Roys then coordination afterwards. Right before we were going to bed, I realized that I forgot my handbook at his house, and it had my bus pass in it. So that has made for an interesting week, but he let me know today that he found it.

Tuesday, We did a lot of service in the morning, then we were able to teach someone new, (We have been getting a lot of new investigators the past few weeks) he was blown away about the whole restoration and said he would read and pray. Later we got a call from a less active asking if we could come over, so we did, and we read some scriptures with him. He is working on being fully reactivated, just a few more bumps to go.

Wednesday, we were confirming plans for the day, when Bro. Roy texts us asking if we were going to help at the Bishops food truck. We had forgotten, and we were able to, so all we told him was yes. That made our morning fun, because we had a lesson before hand which was clear on the opposite end of our area, so we had him pick us up. Later we had several lessons, including with the Adams. I love the Adams, they are awesome! Brother Adams is set on being Baptized on March 12th!

Thursday, we had our weekly planning, then we had a miracle, every lesson happened! That is so rare, I loved it! We were even able to set 2 more baptismal dates with people. God is good, The Church is true, and the Book is True.

Friday, we had Zone Meeting and it was once again very amazing! We then went on an exchange, I was in my area, and we went to a media referral. As we were giving her, her bible, she asked us what the Book of Mormon was? So we boldly testified to her what the Book of Mormon was, we shared with her passages in it, and she was blown away and asked if she could have one. We quickly gave her one and she said we could come back and share more, and she would read from it before then! I love missionary work!

Saturday was the least greatest day of the week. The Zone leaders were having a baptism and we tried so hard to get people there, the worst part of it was that, President came and we were the only missionaries without an investigator. Oh well. That night, when we ended the exchange, we were stranded at the mission office, so we called the zone leaders and they were able to pick us up. Well none of us had hit our talking with people goal, so we went to UofL and Elder Memmott went with Elder Chandler to a lesson and I went with Elder Asay, and we hit our goals! And got some cool pictures too.

Sunday the Adams were at church and they loved it, then we had pot luck. After that there was a kid baptized, so the Adams got to see a baptism! Well we then went out with a member to go see a deaf sister who hadn't been feeling well, we got there right before a fire truck so the member got to interpret for them. We gave her a blessing and when we did it the member stood in front and signed, it was an amazing experience.

Love you all!

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

E-mail 02/08/2016

Hello Everybody!

This has been a really good week.

Monday night we taught the Adams and had an awesome lesson, he only has a few more things to do and then he can get baptized!

Tuesday, Elder Robinson and I went and did service, and Bro. Roy took Elder Morrow and Elder Mutelau to transfers. We got back and waited until our new companions came. I Am with Elder Memmott and he is just as amazing as all of my past companions. That night we had another lesson with the Adams.

Wednesday, I was introducing Elder Memmott to some of our investigators, like Dennie, who we are having to reteach most things, but he is doing well.

Thursday, we had district meeting and Elder Memmott challenged all of us to hit our weekly talking with people goal, we set a district goal, and then we all went out to work. The rest of the day, we had no set appointments, so we went and tried a ton of potentials and talked with A LOT of people! That's still something I'm working on, but I'm definitely doing better with Elder Memmott.

Friday, we had several people we went by that we talked to Thursday, but none of them were home, so that was disappointing, but we move on and find those who are prepared. Well we then went home and had our weekly planning. That evening we had a lesson with a guy who was a member referral, and the member even showed up without us knowing he was coming. It was a good lesson, the guy said we could come back, but he will definitely need some work.

Saturday was going to be a super busy day, but every single set appointment fell through. We did meet a cool guy in the park next to the library, so that was a blessing. The Lord doth provide for those that work their tail off.

Sunday, we had a really good testimony meeting, and being in a branch of about 60-80 people, you can meet most everyone before it even starts. Afterwards the Carbines fed us lunch that was really good, and then we had a member come out with us to see the Adams Family. We set small goals to help him be ready for baptism. Then all four missionaries had dinner with some members, it was really good and we had a good time. We sometimes need to work on remembering who we are, myself included, but the members still love us which is good. That night we found out that the district beat its talk with people goal by almost 200!

Love you all!

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

E-mail 02/01/2016

Wow! What a week! That's original... Anyway! This has been a good week.

Monday, as we were on the bus to go email, we past an apartment building that was surrounded by 15 or so cop cars, with 20 or more cops, and several of them had big guns. What exactly happened, I don't know.

Tuesday, we did our weekly service, but this week we got to go to the "Southern Baptist Theological Seminary" which was funny seeing four Missionaries doing service at a place that trains people to bash with us. Then we got a quick two minute tour of the place. All in all, it was an ok place but not nearly as cool as the MTC. That afternoon an older sister from the branch, who reminds me a lot of Sister Etherington, had all four of us over for lunch. Funny thing is, she wasn't even close to being ready when we got there, but she absolutely refused to let us help, thankfully the sister had invited another sister from the branch to come over. The second sister was able to help her and we ate an hour later than planned, but it was still really good and we were very thankful for her feeding us.

Wednesday, Elder Morrow had his district leader conference call and while he was on that, the bishops food truck showed up two hours early. He finished and we went out and helped. Come to find out, it came exactly when it was supposed to, just no one thought to let us know, so luckily we were there. Later that day we stopped by the Carpenters, because we hadn't seen them in a few weeks, and he was home! So we got to see them and we have started teaching them again. Later we saw the young man we've been teaching, and we ended up playing basketball with him. No one was really keeping score, so shortly before we had to go, we challenged him to a shoot off. He and Elder Morrow then took turns, and after a ton of throws, Elder Morrow managed to get it in first, so we won.

Thursday, we had a great district meeting, then started an exchange. I went with Elder Robinson in his area and we did a lot of biking and riding on the bus, but we did get a lot done. At the end of the night Elder Robinson wanted to race, we were only going a short distance, but his foot slipped, so I won. Then his tire blew out, so that just added to my victory. Lucky we were by a bus stop and we were able to take the buses home. Oh, I almost forgot, at one point we went back home to get more materials, we stopped and talked with a drunk guy. It was kinda weird because of some of the things he was saying, and his dog was very excited to see us. Then the weirdest thing that happened was, he believes that Romans 16:16 is translated correctly, and then he gave us a peck on the neck, which was really creepy but I didn't want to get shot by this guy so we let it happen, then we quickly got to the apartment. When we got there, I put my head in my hands and thought to myself, "The apostasy is so real..." But that was our day.

Friday we had some time before we ended the exchange, they were out of bike patches, so we got on the bus and took it to the bike shop. It was 10:25 and it didn't open until 10:30, so we walked around the block to kill time. When we got there it wasn't open, and they had changed their sign so they don't open until 11:00. We decided to get back on the bus to go back to their area (because the bike shop is in mine) to talk with people, but by the time we got back up, it was time to go back down. We got the patches, went back to the apartment, fixed the bike, and went out to see some people. So that whole adventure took us about an hour and a half all together. Well when we ended the exchange, we had lunch together. When they left we did our weekly planning, Bro. Roy came and we had dinner with his family for Hunter, and we sang happy birthday to him.

Saturday morning we were doing a lot of service and lost track of time, we missed the bus we were supposed to catch, so we ended up being an hour late to our lesson with the Adams, but it was still really good. We even had a member come out with us, they are doing well, still working on some things, but they have the desire. Then all four of us were fed by the first counselor in the branch presidency. Afterwards we had to make our way to our death, oh, I mean to the Relief Society presidents house for our accidental second meal appointment. It wasn't too bad, but were we full! We also got transfer news, I'm staying, Elder Morrow is being sent home. So I will be here for at least 7 more weeks.

Sunday all four missionaries gave talks, they were pretty good. We got to help teach the third hour, and that was interesting. But that's the most exciting things that happened.

Love you all!

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission