Choose Eternal Life

Things are going well on the mission. I am really learning to love the area that I'm serving in. The members are wonderful and I am really getting to know the members well. We have only been in the Marsh Creek ward for a few weeks now but the ward has really given us a warm welcome. These last few weeks have been pretty difficult as to find new people to teach but we were really blessed yesterday and we found a new person to teach. His name is Abraham. He is planning on attending FHE with the singles ward tonight. Serving in the singles ward is a unique assignment because we find people to teach mostly through members. In my last area we had a few college campuses that we could contact but here in this area there isn't really anything like that. BUT things are going really well.

The missionaries in the Zone have been working really hard! as a Zone we have been able to really achieve some great goals!

My reading of the Book of Mormon has been getting better and better each day. I am doing a really awesome challenge and as I have really been diving into my reading, my testimony of the Book of Mormon has strengthened so much!! It makes such a big difference as I really study the things that the book is teaching us! It has been really awesome.. I was reading in a talk the other day and I found a really awesome quote..

"Am I seeking divine direction through daily scripture study, pondering, and prayer, or have I chosen to be so busy or apathetic that I don’t take time to study the words of Christ, ponder them, and converse with my Heavenly Father?

-Am I choosing to follow the counsel of living prophets of God, or am I following the worldly ways and the opposing opinions of others?

-Am I seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost daily in what I choose to think about, feel, and do?

-Am I consistently reaching out to assist, serve, or help rescue others?

Your eternal destiny will not be the result of chance but of choice. It is never too late to begin to choose eternal life!

anyways I hope you all have a wonderful week!!

Love

Hiking and Whatnot

Things have been going really well. Today we had a Zone activity - we went hiking near some old mine shafts.. it was really fun. This last week we have been focusing alot on finding new people to teach. We have been doing alot of tracting and its been really great. We are teaching some recent converts in the area that are really awesome, so that has been fun.

I started over reading the Book of Mormon at the beginning of the month and it has been really wonderful to see my testimony grow of the power of the Book of Mormon! Each day I have been keeping a journal of the things that I have been reading and the scriptures have really come alive for me. Its funny, ever since I have been a young child I have attempted to read the Book of Mormon, I must have read 1 Nephi chapters 1-10 a thousand times! But this last time I started the Book of Mormon it was different. The familiar words of those first few chapters have brought so much more meaning to my life as I have pondered and tried to understand the messages they contain. I really Love the Book of Mormon so much.

I have a new companion.. ( I have had a new companion almost every transfer! ) His name is Elder Killpack. He is pretty great.

Anyways this week was really great for our Zone. We had a goal of finding new investigators this last week and the missionaries did a great job of focusing on our goals and we were able to achieve and surpass our goals!!

Anyways, I'm really grateful for all the Love and support from home!! I really love this Gospel alot. I know that this is Gods kingdom established on the earth today. I am grateful to be a servant of the Lord. it is not always easy but it is worth it.

Love,

Elder Blandon

Happy New Year

Dearest mother and family and friends
so this week was really good.. well interesting.. so my companion and I are both new to the area so they call that a "white washing" or "shot gunning" the area.. its been really cool because its a fresh start on the work. we get to visit all the members and get to know everybody and its all new faces. so that is what we have been doing in the area (marsh creek ward) this last week.

The other night one of the companionships got in a small car crash and they called us to come help - we got the call at about 9:30pm and headed over to the area. both the missionaries are Asian and don't speak great english especially when a police officer is asking them questions, so when we arrived it was a pretty big relief since I know all about talking with police :)..haha jk.. anyways I have really felt the responsibility of helping the missionaries of this zone, I am really learning the importance of loving and uplifting those around me. I have set some really great goals for this year of what attributes I would like to develop. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the ability and opportunity it gives me to over come my weaknesses.

For new years we had a zone activity!!! we had a wonderful member (bro.mason) who offered his home to 30 missionaries! and let us come and watch movies at his house. our mission Pres. approved afew movies that we could watch for our activity. we got to watch Cars 2 and Kung fu Panda 2. it was alot of fun! since I did most of the planning and organized the activity it was hard for me to relax and enjoy my self.. but the missionaries had a great time and we all got home safe.

last week I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON!! ...AGAIN!! haha it was awesome.. so now I am starting over.. for those of you who would like to join me in reading the Book of Mormon I will be reading two chapters a day. I really love the Book of Mormon. my testimony really has strengthened so much of the truthfulness of the principles that are taught in the Book of Mormon and I have really been able to better understand how to apply the teachings into my life. My love for the Savior and my love fot those around me grows so much as I read and pray.

Anyways life is great. I really love this work. I cant imagine being anywhere else but here doing what Im doing now.

Have a wonderful week!!

Love, Elder Blandon