Arizona

Week 42

     I would hate to be in Flagstaff after going though the summer here.  Let's see what is going on here. I'm in a new area, so hopefully you didn't send any Halloween packages to me there.  If you did it's not a big deal, I'll get them eventually.  Transfers are in a week, so I'll just wait till it happens before I send you my new address, because it could change.  We had a baptism on Saturday.  She was a 60 year old women named Glenda, who loved the way she felt when around LDS people and says that she could see the spirit with them and that's why she was interested.  She also described her feelings after baptism as floating on a cloud and can't wait for Sundays, to take the sacrament and feel like that every week.
     There is another baptism scheduled for the 9th, a 14 year old girl named Jenny.  I could get transferred next week, so I might not be here for that.  Jenny's mom is a less active member who is pretty much active now.  Facebook is going really well it's a great tool.  Teaching in person is always better than teaching online.  I haven't done any church tours since I have been in this mission, but I only did like 1 or 2 in the other mission; but there are some areas that do like Flagstaff YSA ward missionaries. They do their studies at the church and anyone can just go in from like 8-10 Tuesday through Saturday, I think, and get a church tour.  That just depends I guess on the area.  It could start to happen more places, I don't know though.
      I haven't seen an age group that has more success than others and the same with money (even though I'm sure there is a difference when people have a lot of money), but I just got put in one of the most rich areas in our mission and haven't noticed a difference at all.  Then again I have only been here for almost a week now, so I can't really say.  We always have more focus on the Book of Mormon because that's what everything depends on.  If it is true or not.  If they know it's true then everything else should (not always, because people are stupid) be easy.  There isn't one thing that is hard for people to accept, some are completely fine with tithing and some aren't.  Some believe in Joseph Smith right away and others take more time. There really isn't any trend at all.  I don't have a favorite thing to teach.
     Yes I would say my testimony has grown even though I haven't learned a whole lot of new things. Like I would say when I was growing up in primary, I didn't like the classes at church because they were boring and the same every year.   Good thing they completely changed the whole program only a couple of months ago.  It will be so much better now.  The gospel is pretty simple and that's how it should be.  By trying to make it complicated we just miss what's important: Our testimony and how we feel.  Often it's not things that we learn that have a great impact on us, but the things that we have always known.  We just need to hear them or read them at the right time, to get the greatest effect.  Or that's how it is for me.  I hardly learn something new (I do learn new things, but it's not constant).  But just being reminded of things that I all ready knew, just might not have thought about in a while, have an impart on me.  Besides it really doesn't matter what deep doctrine I might learn.  There's not any deep doctrine that is necessary for anyone to know.  Like I said the gospel is simple, the commandments are simple and the question everyone needs to answer for themselves is simple, Do I know my Savoir?  I hope we can all answer this last question with a yes, whenever we hear something that is true we will surely know it.  Knowing the Savoir will lead us to have a desire to do his will and follow him.  Knowing our Savoir means wanting to give anything up to follow him the best we can.  So do you know your Savior?

From,

Elder Swift

Arizona 21 Oct 2013

Week 41

Yes I had a great day on my birthday, it wasn't a zone meeting, but zone interview.  They are almost the same thing though.  The sock game is a game that Sister Taylor made and its all about table manners and the correct things to do when this or that happens.  Like when to arrive, what to do if you get a phone call, and what to do if you get food that you don't like.  I did get my birthday card I think the next day on Thursday.  Well on face-book we do a lot of things.  We can set up appointments, we can challenge members to share videos and links online, and we can get on chat and have lessons with people.  Feel free to send anyone to look at my face-book page, just make sure to tell them to send me a message if they want to add me as a friend:, because without a message I will most likely ignore it.  Feel free to send them on my page just to look at it and learn.  Even more better I think would be to send them to your favorite video on mormon.org or lds.org.   After spending all summer here it can feel kind of cold when it's in the 70's.  It's ridiculous.  Nothing really exciting about investigators, but we have found many people who seem very interested, just haven't had a lesson with them yet.  Side bag; I don't think I need one, only the new missionaries, but if I do I'll just let you know that I need one or that I just got one.  Don't worry about it for now.  Make sure to send some pictures of what the hair salon looks like now, I really liked the old look a lot.  So hopefully it will look even better.  Hope you have a great week! (Exclamation Point!, conference joke)

From,

Elder Swift

Birthday

This is a picture of Caleb at Zone interviews on his birthday!!!!

Arizona

Week 40

     The brownies were really good and yes I did share.  When did you send the card, I think I already got it like a week ago.  I just can't remember right now.  I'll find out before next week though.  Not really teaching anyone new.  One of my old friends is now in the Phillipines so we have talked a little bit online, but because of time difference it doesn't really work well.  Elder L. is from Utah.
     It is cooler at night, but we are not wearing suits.  It doesn't get very cold until 10 or 11 pm so we are already inside by then.  I don't know how many miles we ride a week.  I would say at least 10 a day so at least 70 a week.  Nothing new happens from day to day.  I already told you the missionary schedule.  But on the 10th we did have a little birthday party for another Elder in our house.  We just ate some snacks and played with Nerf Guns (this was after we did all our planning so don't worry). This ward is having a Halloween activity at 6, but the thing is I think the same day at 7 is the stake trunk or treat and the two won't be at the same building.  I doubt that the ward activity would only last 1 hour, but it might.  Is our ward doing anything for Halloween?
      Oh and thanks for saying Happy Birthday!

From,

Elder Swift

Arizona 7 Oct. 2013

Week 39

     This week is going good.  I didn't have a favorite conference talk.  I watched conference at the church like I planned.  We don't make teaching appointments for that time, but we can have appointments to watch conference with the people you teach at their house.  Conference was really good, I think Sunday was better than Saturday though.  Nope we didn't have any investigators at conference this time.
     I did get the package from Talitha.  The picture of Jesus in our window is a regular 5X7 inch picture.  There is also a small temple picture though.  The weather is pretty good, it didn't get that much over 100 on the weekend.  There are still four elders in our house.  There haven't been any good stories about teaching and I can't remember meeting anyone unusual.  But after the first couple of weirdos its just normal to see one now and then.   Right  the Bishop emailed me so I emailed back.  So far I have always emailed everyone back, with a least a short sentence or two.  Not a lot because I know they can read my emails on the blog.  I think Anthony is going into the army or something. There is actual a missionary like calling that you can do while your in the army and stuff.  He might just do that.

From Elder Swift

Arizona 30 Sept 2013

Week 38

     I suppose you can comment on my post, but there really isn't much of a reason to.  But feel free to like the posts and share them and become one of my followers on Facebook.  Haven't taught anyone yet online, but I might have a lesson later today.
      The weather is a lot better now than it was last month.  It's starting to cool down and some days its not even getting into the 90's.  Yes I have gotten sick once or twice, but nothing really bad.  Still worked those days.  Our combined meeting at church was on family history.
    We only cover one ward now, it's the Villa De Paz ward.  The Bishop is great.  I did get a new companion.  Things are going good, not a hole lot of appointment right now.  A lot of people are busy and going out of town.  I haven't heard anything thing about general conference, it will be interesting to see how it goes and what happens.  Member have always been the ones that are suppose to do all the finding.  Not really anything unusual happening, no bike accidents.  I'll be watching general conference at the church.  They our definitely broadcasting Priesthood, but all men are suppose to go to the church to watch anyway.  I think that we are playing some soccer and maybe volley-ball today.

From,

Elder Swift

Arizona 24 September

Week 37

Not much has changed, same amount of tracting, same with half car and same with wards.  The weather did cool down though.  It was nice for Arizona, only 89 for the high a couple of days.  For now, but it could change soon.  Nothing really exciting today.  Transfers are tomorrow, so don't exactly know what's going to happen here.  I'll tell you when we find out.  I really can't think of anything else to say.

From,

 Elder Swift