South Carolina Columbia

April 29 Hi Everyone, This week was pretty great.  We met the nicest family.  They are an older couple and live about 30 min from Statesboro.  The husband is sick and is on an oxygen tank.  They needed help moving a cabinet.  They called us up and we went over to help them.  Afterwards, they gave us lunch, 2 beanies, a new water bottle, and a straw cleaner.  They kept giving us stuff and wouldn't take no for an answer.  They were so wholesome.  They were so thoughtful and had a real sense of southern hospitality.  They have met with missionaries on and off for years.  They are just so good .. I know one day they will accept the gospel.  They said we could go fishing in their pond sometime and we'll definitely take them up on that one pday.  On the other side of the spectrum, we went to a house that didn't answer their door and instead let their dog out and it almost bit Elder Richardson. ...

April 22 Hi Everyone, This week was a very busy week.  We got a lot done.  We had a zone meeting that was a lot of fun.  The Mission President came down and we learned a lot of great things.    We helped a family cement their pole supports and I got covered in cement.   It was really bad but I was able to get the cement to set.  This is the family with the two teenagers that have been attending church and want to get baptized. It was a lot of fun and they are a really great family.     Georgia Southern University is in Statesboro.  The semester is ending here and there are a lot of events.  We spent a lot of time this week stuck in traffic because of the big events.  They even shut down the main street and all the side streets were packed .. but the work must go on.   Earlier today,  I learned that a man I gave a blessing to passed away.  I was really sorry to hear that.  I know a lo...

April 15 Hi Everyone,   This week was a very interesting week. We had transfers and I learned that I am staying in Statesboro another 6 weeks.  It should be a lot of fun and it is cool to serve in my first area for 6 months.     Since some people were leaving for transfers and were driving by our place, some of the Elders slept at our apartment.  We even had time to show them around Statesboro.    This Sunday was pretty great.  We had a lot of people we are working with show up for church.  Two are unbaptized youth ages 13 and 17.  They even stayed for the ward choir after.  It was great and I was very grateful to see that they enjoyed church and connected with members.  They live pretty far from the church and transportation is an issue.  I hope that we can figure out ways to help them to keep coming .. we will need help from the members.     But this week was great and I'm looking forward to another g...

April 8 Hi everyone!   The last two weeks have been a lot of fun.  We had exchanges twice.  Two weeks ago the Zone Leader from Savannah came here so I got to hang out with Elder Mclelland.  We were able to give a man a blessing.  It was really amazing to be able to feel the Spirit like that and to see how it made his family feel.     This week we had exchanges with the Elders in Hinesville so I was able to go down to Hinesville with Elder Robinison.  It is the very edge of the mission.  Hinesville has a Military base and I was able to eat dinner with a family on the base.  We had to go through a checkpoint; it was really cool.     General Conference was great and I was able to learn so many things.  We watched a few of the sessions at the church but were able to watch two of them with members at their homes.  That was nice.     I'm excited for a new week.  We actually have transfers so we...