Week 29 - February 27, 2017

Good morning everyone!! It is a nice morning here in Hammond. Transfers are coming up next week and Elder Israelsen and I are both hoping that he stays here for one more transfer. Elder Israelsen is getting the feeling that he is out but I think that he is staying one more with me.

This past week was pretty slow again but we got to do some cool things. This Friday we got to go to the temple with a member from our ward, Brother Abel. He is an awesome guy. We work with him a lot and visit people with him. We got to go to lunch with him before and then go and do a session in the temple. It was Elder Israelsen's first time being able to go to the temple. It is really nice getting to go. I feel that it helps me get my focus back as a missionary and I always feel better after going.

The other cool thing that happened this past week was that we had a great lesson with our investigator, Brandon. He has been coming to church with his girlfriend and we started teaching him last week. This week we taught the Plan of Salvation. That is my favorite lesson to teach. The lesson went really well. Brandon said that he enjoyed it and that it all made sense to him. He still isn't for sure how he feels in regards to being baptized and joining the church but he is thinking about it pretty hard and he is interested in what we teach. 

Other than that this week was slow again. Not too many people here are too interested in what we have to say but hey, as long as we are trying there is always someone to find. I hope y'all are having a great week!!

Week 28 - February 20, 2017

Hello again from Hammond!!

This week has been a pretty good week. The only thing too crazy about it is the weather. You never know what the weather here plans on doing. One day is is nice weather, not too hot, not too cold and then the next it decides to be cold and raining!! It is so weird!!

On Wednesdays we work with the local Kiwanis Club at a local school. We do what they call 'Happy Packs.' They are for the kindergarten kids. In their backpack we give them a book, juice, applesauce, snacks and some other food since many of them come from families with limited income. All the kids love it! They want to high five me and Israelsen all the time and this past week we had some kids come run up to us and hug us and thank us for the Happy Packs. It is really cool to do this for them and they really appreciate it.   

So this weekend Elder Israelsen and I did quite a bit of service as well. On Friday we went and helped a member of our ward, Gale, remove a miniature palm tree kind of thing from her yard. I don't remember what she called it though, it was some weird name. It took some time to get the roots out be Elder Israelsen and I powered it out in about 30 or so minutes. Then on Saturday we did about 8 hours of service. First, at about 9, we went to help Brother Fletcher's friend Brian move back into his house that was flooded and that he has been out of for a few months. We got the opportunity to talk with the other people that were there helping and tell them about what we do as missionaries and they all thought it was really cool what we do. After that service we went and helped a family from our ward put new insulation in their home. It was kind of cool to do and I am glad that I know how to do it now but three hours of it was crazy! I am still sore from bending to put it in!

This week we got a new investigator. His name is Brandon. His girlfriend is LDS and so he has been coming to church and to institute with her. We started teaching him yesterday. He was raised Baptist by his Grandmother and is a very religious man. We don't have a return appointment at this point because he wants to think about what we have taught him and to see if it is something that he truly wants to pursue learning the Gospel. We gave him our number and he said that he plans of texting us sometime this week with whatever he decides. He seems interested and I can tell that he is willing to follow the invitation that we gave him at the end which was to pray about the message that we gave him and about the things that he has already learned and to see if this is something he wants to do. I will keep yall up to date on how things with him go.

Well that is about it for this week! I hope all yall are having a great week and that the Lord is blessing yall in many ways

Week 27 - February 13, 2017

Good Morning yall!! Its been another good week here in Hammond.

So this week I got to go to a "practice" crawfish boil. Brother Abel had Elder Israelsen and me over for crawfish and taught us how to go about opening the crawfish to get the meat. I must say I have never liked seafood or anything like it but it was really good!! The way that they cook the crawfish in the boil makes it taste really good and it doesn't have a really strong seafood flavor. I cant wait for my first full scale boil! It should be a lot of fun!

So the excitement for the week was definitely being on lockdown because of tornado warnings all across the mission. We went out at 7:30 that morning to give a blessing and got back to the apartment around 8:30 and at 9 got a call saying that we were on lockdown until 12. That gave us some extra time to study and yes maybe we did take a nap too! The tornadoes didn't really effect the area around Hammond but New Orleans did get hit. New Orleans really can't seem to get a break.

The other big thing that happened this week was that me and my comp got asked to give a talk in church! Yay!! My absolute favorite! Haha. It was actually a pretty easy topic that I was given. I was asked to talk about how members and missionaries can work together. That is a really easy thing to talk about as a missionary lol. My companion was asked to talk on the focus of missionary work and to give a little rundown of our changes of schedule so that the members would know as well.

That is about it for this week! I hope yall are doing well! Have a great week!

Week 26 - February 6, 2017

Hello again from Hammond Louisiana! I am going to apologize in advance, this letter is probably going to be really short. This past week was pretty slow.

The best thing from this week was our lesson with the Strausbaugh's(I think I spelled that right). The father is a less-active member that is working on getting active again. He has three sons. Two 13 year old twins and a five year old. The 13 year olds are working towards baptism. Elder Moody, from the senior couple in our district, went with us. The lesson was on chastity, which I am sure was an awkward topic for two 13 year olds but we had a really good lesson. On of the twins is still on the fence about being baptized but he is really considering it and I think he will make the decision to be baptized.

Other than that the other cool thing that happened was that yesterday at a dinner appointment that we had I got to do the toothpick challenge for a hot sauce. I forgot how high it was on the Scoville heat scale but it was really really hot. It is definitely the hottest thing that I have had here but most of the others at the appointment were disappointed by my reaction because I didn't freak out because of the heat.

Well that is about all for this week. Again I am sorry for the shortness of the letter! 

Have a great week everyone!    

NOTE FROM NATHAN'S DAD: We heard there were tornadoes touching down in the New Orleans area today but from what we can see they were near by where Elder Stoddard is serving but not the same town.

Week 25 - January 31, 2017

Hola de Hammond!

So it is my first P-Day here in Hammond and I must say I really like it here! There is actually some Spanish work here! Not much but any work is more than what I had in Opelousas. I think my Spanish will get better here! It is a bigger city than Opelousas was and Southeastern Louisiana University really close to us so there are a lot more people here to talk with and the ward is bigger than in Opelousas. I do miss Opelousas but I really like Hammond so it is all good!

My new companion is Elder Israelsen! He is a really awesome guy! We are both pretty laid back and we get along really well together. He is from Logan Utah. His birthday is June 24th! So close to having the same birthday! (Nathan's b-day is June 25) Our Spanish is at about the same level so we will have to work hard to make sure that our Spanish is good enough to talk to people! It should be a really good learning experience for us.

So just some cool stories from my week here. So on Friday pretty much all of our appointments got canceled for the evening so we decided to go to Walmart and buy some groceries. While we were there we wandered through the electronic section because it is fun and started talking to this young couple that was looking at movies. Their names were Andrew and Katie. They asked us about what movies we like and if we had any suggestions for what to watch. We talked for a while and the questions went to what we were dressed up for and we figured out that Katie had been baptized. Andrew had a lot of questions for us and invited us over to teach him the next day! It was really cool! When we taught him he seemed pretty interested and took a Book of Mormon from us.

The next cool thing that happened while I have been here actually happened about 20 minutes after we met Andrew and Katie. When we left Walmart we decided to go to Hibbett Sports and look around for a minute. We started talking with the workers, Karlin and Chris, and ended up talking with them for about an hour. So the really cool thing about Chris is that he just signed to play his rookie year with the Seattle Seahawks!! Him and Karlin are two of the coolest guys I have ever met! They both had so many questions for my companion and I and were impressed by what we are out here doing! They both knew a little bit about Mormons and want us to come back when they are both working and talk with them more!

All in all it has been a pretty good week. I am enjoying the area and cant wait to see what Isrealsen and I are able to get done together!

I hope all yall have a great week! Talk to yall later! 

Week 24 - January 24, 2017

Well hello again everyone!

So here is the news for transfers...... I am leaving Opelousas and Elder Bean is staying here. I don't know where I am going or who my new comp will be but I am excited to go to a new area. I am sad to leave the people of Opelousas but hopefully I will be back here again some time on my mission.

This week has been pretty uneventful. The coolest thing that I got to do was go to the Temple in Baton Rouge this past Saturday. It was my first time since I got into the mission field. It was a really fun time. We went with members of our ward for the ward temple trip. I really enjoy going to the temple. It is always so peaceful there and you get time to think and to be away from the stresses of the world. 

I am sorry that this email is so short, right now I honestly cant think of anything to say other than that we went to the temple and that I am getting transferred.

Well I hope all of you have a great week! I will definitely have more to talk about next week being in a new area and all.

Elder Stoddard

 

 

Week 23 - January 16, 2017

Hello again everyone!!

So this past week has definitely been an exciting one. First off this Wednesday we got in a car crash!! YAY!! So fun! Elder Bean and I were driving down to Lafayette area to meet with a potential investigator. On the way down a guy cut us off and hit his breaks. To not hit him Elder Bean had to hit our breaks pretty hard and then we got rear ended. It turned out to be a 4 car pile up. The only car that got really damaged was the one who hit us. Our bike rack definitely saved our car some damage. So that was definitely not a fun experience and now we just hope that our car doesn't have to stay in the shop for a long time.   Editors Note: No one was hurt in this accident.

The next good thing this week was the appointment that we were on our way to when we got in the crash. Sister Freebairn set up an appointment with her friend Mary who is interested in religion and in finding a religion. Mary is the first Spanish speaking investigator that we have had since Fransisco on my first transfer. We weren't able to meet with Mary again this past week because of Zone Meetings but Sister Freebairn is in contact with her and planning another time that we can all go over to meet with her. 

And just when I thought that nothing worse could happen on Wednesday than getting in a car crash, I got asked to give a talk. Yay! My favorite thing to do! I was asked to speak on repentance. Specifically the need and the proper method of repentance. I was hoping that I might get out of Opelousas without speaking. I mean I had already gone four months here and I had never been asked but Sister Gelwix ratted me out. Oh well I really was nice to speak to everyone and I enjoy writing a talk because it allows me to focus my study on a specific topic.

Other than those things this week has been pretty standard. Just trying to spread the Good News of the Gospel.

Alma 42:27

 27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.

The redemption and atonement of Christ is open to all that seek it but God will now force something on us that we are not willing to seek. Always seek the things of God and he will bless you in ways that you may not understand or see but those blessings are always for your good.

Elder Stoddard