Monday, August 13, 2018

Come What May and Love It! Last week in Mesa #105

Hi Mom!

This is my last email as a missionary :/ Kind of a weird thought I know. I feel like this has been my whole life haha, it will be different not being in Mesa anymore. 

The reoccurring subject that I noticed in our 3 wards on Sunday was CHANGE. How change is uncomfortable, scary, intimidating, etc. It's not something that we necessarily enjoy, BUT it is something that helps us learn and grow. It's scary making the change back to regular life because all I know is how to be a missionary right now😂. When we view change, we need to have the outcome in mind. Understand that Heavenly Father knows what is best for YOU and YOUR life. As we trust him, he will make the best outcome for us. "COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT". I know that God will always make change a positive experience for us as we trust in Him and live our best. 

Answers to your questions: 
1. So we are going to the mission home tonight for dinner with our mission President and then I don't know what they are going to do after that haha
2. I've said most of my goodbyes already:( 
3. Yep my stuff fits! (in his suitcases)
4. I'm handling everything okay, I'm sad but that's how it is with any goodbye
5. Is there anything you can do for me? Hmmm, not really Haha! You've done it all😁😁

 I have really enjoyed serving here. I have a hard time putting into words how I feel about this place and the people especially. They all mean so much to me and have impacted me in every way possible. You know, they say that the people you meet on your mission will become friends for the eternities and I definitely believe that. Especially in this last area, being in YSA I've made so many close friends. I'm basically leaving a piece of my heart here. I will miss them soooooo much. 

I love you Momma! Thanks for supporting me for a good two years. Can't wait to see ya! Bye!
Love, Elder Findlay

a few final goodbyes.....

Garner Family



My comp from last summer, Elder Nuttal
came to visit me on my last p-day



Monday, August 6, 2018

Last Week...Ruh Roh...Week #104

Hey!

Ha I was reading my first email that I sent out when I got to Mesa and I was like "I can't believe I've already been out a whole week!!". Haha now I only have one left :( oh well, it has to end sometime right? It's been a roller coaster of mixed emotions as my leave date has been getting closer.  It's been weird, I just feel like I'm always going to be here😂 I forgot about my former life! 
 
So this last week was a huge miracle week. Remember that referral we received last week from a member? Yeah well we've met with her 3 times now and she is way prepared. She is seriously probably the most prepared person that I've taught in my mission. 

Her name is Paul, and in our first lesson with her she told us how much she knows about the church. She said she's been going to church for the last 8 months, she reads the Book of Mormon everyday, SHE HAS HER OWN PREACH MY GOSPEL THAT SHE STUDIES to help prepare her for her mission that she is planning on serving, and she wants to be baptized super bad. She is so awesome! Her family doesn't support her too much in her desire to become a member of the church so that's hard for her, but she is moving forward anyway. She is going to be baptized on August 25th and it's going to be LEGIT. 

Sunday was a cool experience, especially since it was my last fast Sunday as a missionary :/ I was able to share my testimony in my wards. Paul came to the YSA for the first time. She even got up to bear her testimony!! SHE ISN'T EVEN A MEMBER YET. Her testimony was so pure and strong I'm pretty sure everyone was crying their eyes out. She basically announced her baptism over the pulpit, it was super cool. That was probably the most special sacrament meeting that I've been in on my mission. 

Ever since I've been teaching Pauly, Heavenly Father has reminded me that he sends people to Mesa SPECIFICALLY so that they can receive the Gospel. The people here are prepared, all we have to do is find them and help them receive it.

This is why I love missionary work. Being a part of someone's conversion to the Gospel is an amazing experience. It blesses you with an undeniable witness of Gods love for his children. That's the most special feeling in the world folks. If you haven't felt that in a while, you need to remember what that feels like and do all that you can to feel it again. I love the Gospel! It's AMAZING. It's real, don't ever second guess that. 

I love you Momma! I love emailing you but I'm glad that I won't have to anymore lol :) have a good week! See you soon!
Love Elder Findlay
P-day crafts with a member.
 They made leather scripture cases.
The members have been so kind and
generous to Elder Findlay

This is Pauly and her friends :)

YSA District.
Best place to be in my opinion!

My homie Uncle Drew...Can't see the
movie so this will have to do for now ;)

Major haboobs this week in Mesa...

This was during the day! Crazy weather

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Byes...Week #103

Hey!!!
 YEP! it's been blazing hot here, and we've also been having some gnarly monsoons. It's pretty fun, I love/hate the summer here. Hate, because it's unbelievably hot and love, because the monsoons are SICK. They are pretty fun to be in for some reason...probably because it's the only change in weather that we get. 9 months out of the year it's just straight sun...its rare to even see a cloud...its nice to see clouds again😂

We are meeting with a guy named Jacob, he is super cool. We've been teaching him over Skype and it's been really great actually. He comes to church and stuff, it's just hard to meet with him during the week. So we do Skype lessons. And on Friday we put him on date for the 11th! Super sweet. Hopefully that works out, it would be cool to end with a baptism :) he's been preparing for a long time for this and he didn't even know it. 

We received some super solid referrals this week! One girl texted us and said that she wants to get baptized asap, so we have a lesson with her tomorrow! YSA is THE BEST.

So this week was Annie's farewell :( All of our homies are leaving on missions and to school. It's been sad haha. She is going to be a REALLY good missionary in Ohio. We all went over to her house Sunday night and talked about the hilarious moments we've had together since we started teaching Summer😂 They are literally the funniest group of people I've been around in Mesa😂 Anyways we had to say our last goodbyes and that was it! See ya in 1&1/2 years!! 

We also met with Marqus this week. He's doing just swimmingly. He has a calling, goes to the temple often, and he's got a super solid girlfriend😂 He's safe. Anyways we talked about Patriarchal blessings and how they are a road map to our lives. We should read our blessings, I think, DAILY. It helps us keep a vision in our minds of the person that Heavenly Father sees us becoming. I love reading mine and seeing how I can improve. It is such a blessing to have. So Marqus is going to get his as soon as he gets in touch with Bishop. Dillon was there too, he's a G. They want to get everyone together again one last time before I head home to have dinner. So I'm excited about that. Man I'm going to really miss the people here :(

I think that's about it! I love being a missionary in Mesa. Best thing ever. I couldn't be more happy :) I love you Mom! Have a great week! 
Bye Bye Annie. Good luck on your mission!

The "tri-panionship"
Elder's Findlay, Burningham and Matthews

Marcus and Dillon

Shark Week

Bye Bye Mesa Temple Visitors Center :(