We Got Cows

So here's what's been going on in Wyoming!

This week has been a trying one for sure. We did finally come to the conclusion to drop our investigators because they weren't progressing. The beginning of the week was pretty discouraging but we buckled down and brainstormed some ideas, talked to our ward mission leader, and also our bishop for some time. I went to the Lord in prayer early in the week and made a promise with him. It was if I did my absolute best with my obedience that he would help us find someone new to teach. I got a confirmation that he agreed to my request from the spirit. It's been amazing to see the blessings he's giving us the past 2 or 3 days with 6 referrals and members inviting friends to dinner that we were able to teach. When we wrote down our actual goals we accomplished this week I was really please with how much work we were able to do even though it felt like we had nothing to work with. The Lord truly does answer prayers!

Elder Ehlert and I are doing great! We have such a strong relationship and get along pretty much all the time. Heavenly Father has definitely been blessing us for the unity in our efforts together to serve our Savior. I think the coolest thing with our companionship is how much we both love helping people and we'll do whatever we can to succeed in this process.

Personal study has been going great. I've made a goal this week to study out of The Book of Mormon, The Bible, and PMG everyday and have been doing a good job with that goal.

So a pretty funny thing happened while we were waaaay far out of town. We were going to see a less active member that lives probably 25 minutes out of town going 60mph. Idk how many miles but it takes a while. It's so far out the highway turns into a dirt road and there is absolutely nothing out here except ranches and farms. Right as we make the last turn before her house there's a herd of cattle coming against us being moved to a ranch about 2 miles up the road. It's really easy going against the grain in a car through a bunch of cows so that wasn't to bad. We did get to see Sister Allred but she doesn't really want us teaching her or helping her with anything so we weren't there very long. So this is the fun part! The dang cows weren't even half way to the ranch yet so I had to manuver my way through the dang cows again but they're not looking backwards so they don't want to move! I sure did it though with no kicks, licks, or poo on the car (well there was poo on the tires)!

Elder Ehlert now has taught me how to draw bodies! So here's a picture of captain morgan! He took me step by step but I actually drew it! Woo! Also Elder Ehlert and I both after a dinner appointment we had our ears sucked clean of whatever junk is in our ears?? It felt so weird but it was awesome! Sister Ryberg calls them ear candles probably for a good reason after you see the picture!

 

We were able to attend ward council this week with our ward mission leader and I'm very grateful for that opportunity we had. Like I said earlier, we talked to the bishop and our ward mission leader about how the work is going and some ideas we could start implementing and because of that in ward council not only I but our ward mission leader and the bishop all were able to testify that we need to follow the advice we received from stake conference and unity the efforts of the full-time missionaries and the ward members to see a change in the progression of the work in our area. It was a very powerful meeting with such a strong spirit.

The most spiritual experience I've had this week was last night when we were teaching a guy named Ryan at our dinner appointment. His wife and daughter are members but he's been holding off and hasn't been to interested with us teaching him. So I knew this was a rare chance we had to invite the spirit into his life to testify of the truths we teach. We taught the Plan of Salvation and had great involvement from Brother and Sister Andersen and their kids and also Ryan's daughter asked some great questions. At the end of the lesson I was able to bare a strong witness of the lesson, The Book of Mormon, and Jesus Christ as our savior with the spirit the strongest I've felt in a very long time. I know it's because I have been working hard to strive for exact obedience and Heavenly Father has blessed me with an abundance of his spirit to be with me as a consequence.

I've loved this week and hope I will be able to keep it in my memory forever. I've learned so much and been able to grow to a new level. I've relearned and grown a stronger love for this work and a love for serving my savior.

Jacob's Baptism

So what's going on up here? Well for me I'm really excited as of now about how the work is progressing in the area. After Jacob's baptism I realized we don't have any solid progressing investigators. I was put down that afternoon feeling like there wasn't much I could do but I asked Elder Ehlert for a blessing of comfort and we went out to find people Sunday prayerfully and faithfully seeing some success!


We may be dropping S here soon. She's more than willing to learn about the gospel all day long but she doesn't act on anything we're asking her to do. She's been sick this week so we haven't been able to meet with her.

We may also be dropping T as well but we're going to try to see her at least one more time to see if there's been any changes in her since she went to her brothers baptism. The spirit was so incredibly strong during that baptismal meeting I can't imagine her not wanting to learn more. We'll just have to wait and see.

Elder Ehlert and I are doing the best work we've ever done together. We're having great mornings, effective studies, we're busy most all days, and most importantly I think is that we're trying new things and involving the members in our finding efforts now. The Lord has definitely been a helping hand in our area this past week.

The most spiritual experience this week was definitely Jacob's baptism. During any baptism the spirit is so strong but I loved this one first of all because Jacob finally made the choice to be baptized, but his parents and sister and two family friends  came and I know they felt the spirit! It was so incredible to see someone I love and have been teaching for almost 5 months now finally make that covenant with Heavenly Father!

I Love you guys!!

Elder Ehlert's teaching me how to draw! It came out to be Obama unintentionally!

Modeling at the Duffey's on their new porch ;)

This Sunday we went over to Jacob's house for lunch and we all passed out. It was great. His wife took pictures haha :)

Oh yeah, I'm driving a different car now. A 2013 Chevy Cruze. It's waaay fun to drive haha. It's like a tiny race car but there's no leg room in the back seat! We're going on a road trip next Thursday the 30th to Rapid City, South Dakota to have a quad zone conference. There's going to be a lot of missionaries there so I'm pretty excited! Oh and my MTC companion is in Buffalo, Wy now! I get to see him on Fridays when we have district meetings! It's way cool to catch up and see how much we've grown!

The sunrise in Sheridan!

Blades of Glory

Me- HIIIII!! :) YOU'RE THE BEST! Hahaha :) Check it out!

So we've been seeing small but more consistent blessings in our area this past week. We've been really working on our obedience and trying to become as perfect as we can be and I can notice a huge difference in the area in the people we've been finding and the power in my own personal teaching. We've been able to find and teach former investigators that I found in the Area Book from a couple years ago. We're finding more less-actives with potential to come back. We're also using our time wisely and limiting the visits or dropping those who aren't progressing anymore.

Jacob is doing amazing! He's had some hurdles thrown at him this week that potentially could have hindered him from his baptism this Saturday but he recognized that it was Satan in his life trying to distract him and make him angry but he overcame it and couldn't be doing better! He also gave me a sheath knife for my birthday! It's legit. I actually have 4 knives now. I don't know how I ended up with so many but it's cool. :)

In my personal studies I've been reading the New Testament. I finished Acts last weekend and I'm now in Romans chp. 11. I read the talk called "Missionary Work and the Atonement" by Elder Holland this morning out of the Leadership Binder. I really liked how much he stressed the importance of making sure our investigators and ourselves have faith in our Savior and his atonement and to testify of both frequently.

My favorite spiritual experience this week was when we were walking back to our car after a lesson with a lady in a heath care center we walked past a lady we was sitting on a bench outside by herself. We got into the car and I couldn't stop thinking about this lady so I told Elder Ehlert, "You see that lady on the bench there? I feel like we need to go talk to her and give her a Book of Mormon". I really liked Elder Ehlert's response, he perked up, opened the door and said, "let's go then"! So we went over and talked to her, she said she was Catholic and was going to stay that way but I persisted and kept talking to her and found out her son is a member and eventually gave her a Book of Mormon. We also were able to say a prayer with her then we left. I felt so good and happy that I listened to the spirit to give this lady a Book of Mormon!

I love you mi familia!

Elder Autrey

Ps. that's Elder Rasmussen when we were cleaning a building that burned on the inside haha :)