Taking a Selfie

I asked Elder Greenlaw to send me a selfie. Here it is! He told me he and his comp have created a great workout routine! Every morning they get up and run about a 5k. Then every other day they get up a little earlier and lift weights at the gym too. He's lost 15-20 pounds or so now! He says his suit isn't so tight anymore. haha

Incredible Week in Gainesville

Hey ya'll!

It has been another incredible week here in Gainesville. We have been working very hard and we are seeing the fruits of our labors. After many hours of tracking, we have been led to some elect families that we are now teaching. The latest one was Friday afternoon. The following week we had gone to visit a less active family. We invited their daughter to the Young Single Adult activities and offered service, but there was no interest. So we started knocking doors close by. We had a few good conversations, but nothing special. After a while, it was getting dark and we had about 45 minutes left of the day. We hopped in the car and were about to pull out of the neighborhood when we both got the impression, we missed a house! So we drove back and the first home we were led to was a woman named Carol Barlow. She has fallen in love with the family history center of the church and it was perfect timing because her membership that she had paid for, expired the following month. We told her all the access at the church was free and now shes gone a few times and wishes she could be there all day. What a miracle! We were then impressed to keep knocking on doors in that neighborhood another day. Friday, we went back and found the elect Crawford Family. They recently left the Methodist church because they didn't agreed with the way they performed baptism. John Crawford gave us a book he wrote and a video talking about his beliefs and why Covenants are so important. After sitting down and basically teaching the first three discussions in one night to them, we are scheduled to come back Thursday and have another discussion over dinner.

We've talked to a lot of Hindu and Muslim faiths recently. About 10 percent of the student population at the University of Florida are Indian, with a Hindu background. It's quite difficult getting through to them since they can hardly grasp the concept of a Heavenly Father and prayer. After much trial and error and because they are such friendly people always willing to listen, we have decided to bare fervent testimony to them about the Love of God and it seems to be more effective. We also realized that if you are ever feeling down, just bare your testimony and then you become filled with the spirit and great peace and comfort overcome you, allowing you to continue on in confidence.

We are striving our best to get these families taught into members homes. As we do this, it strengthens and fellowships not only the non member families but the active members too. It also gives them the example of a happy Christ centered home, and the benefits of raising children up in a home with the gospel. 

I bare witness that God Lives and Jesus is the Christ. They are all knowing and unconditionally loving!

Take care ya'll and Endure to the End!

Elder Greenlaw

Panda Fighting Moves

Elder Greenlaw and Elder Tuft

Elder Greenlaw shows off his panda moves! 

Crackers and Coke

Hey y'all, hands down this has been the greatest week and a half of my mission. I've never had such a spiritual connection with a companion. The Lord has blessed us so much, there's not enough room to receive it all. Where do I even begin! 

I guess I'll start with the spiritual "AH HA" moments. Elder Tuft from Casper Wyoming, and I have gained such a greater understanding of pride and how it kills our faith. There is seriously so much I could say but I'll try to keep it short and then leave it up to y'all to study it more and apply it in your life. Pride is our greatest enemy, it is the natural man in us. Naturally we want to get gain, do things for our own good and bask in our glory. Wow, I am just amazing right now, there's nothing that can stop me! As soon as we have that thought cross our mind, things slowly start to slip. It is because the Lord then tries to humble us. God created the universe and everything within it. He creates us out of his own image. It is completely, utterly, impossible to repay him. We own him everything, including all the success we have. When life seems great and we easily overcome trials, we owe it strictly to the Lord because it was Him that gave us the strength and courage to overcome. When we don't recognize that, and forget to thank The Lord, those blessings start to disappear and our burden becomes heavier. 

Elder Tuft and I have given it all to the Lord this work. We easily rode 20-30 miles on our bikes each day, and worked non stop, always being greeted with a miracle around the corner. These Christlike attributes are nothing new: faith, hope, charity, diligence, humility, gratitude, and patience. We have gained such greater understanding of them in these past few weeks from being in Gainesville. My life has been changed forever. The Lord has blessed us with 11 new investigators this week. I'll try to focus on just a few. 

First, we started to tract in the Ghetto and we came across Yaziria. She is a single mother of two, who questions what the purpose of her life is, and how she can find peace and lasting happiness. She has struggled with drugs, alcohol, and with keeping her home nice and clean. During our second visit with her, we invited to her to be baptized! After a long pause, she said she would like to have us in her home but it has been a mess for weeks now and has never has time to clean. We immediately offered to clean her house. She stepped outside and watched us wash her dishes, fold her clothes, organize, sweep and mop her floors to where it was almost spotless. The entire time she was blasting praise music and telling all her neighbors what we were doing! They all loved us and afterwards it felt like a home and not so much like the ghetto anymore. She then repaid us with crackers and coke, and we were on our way.

Second, we tracked into a part member family that we had no idea about. The wife Makita was raised in Sandy Utah! She moved to Lake City, Florida and married Deon and became less active. Deon was raised in the hood, but has shaken the ghetto out of him. He found Jesus as a college student and only wants to raise his two children up in a church. He told us that he had never seen such dedicated young men before and as we watched us ride our bikes down the street, he thought to himself, I could see our family being a part of their church. So praise The Lord! We are hoping to have the first discussion with the entire family in a members home this week.

Third, we had the most awful lesson of our entire missions with a woman named Becky. Afterwards, we felt a strong confirmation that she was going to be baptized. She is supposedly atheist, and when we went over to her home, she was drinking a beer the entire time, cussing like a sailor. Her home was filled with lizards, snakes, and large spiders. We asked her what was most important to her in her life and she said her kids. She is divorced and the kids stay with the father. The entire time we were there, she was yelling, "I'm so happy! I will tell the world how happy I am!" We immediately realized that she was depressed, miserable, and in total denial that her life has gone to the pits. After struggling to have a lesson with no sense of direction, she whipped out the board game Candyland and we were forced to play....... After driving all the way home and never planning on going back, I stepped out of the car and realized I had left my iPad on her couch.... We were then late for curfew, BUT Becky then invites us back to tell her why each of us are serving a mission. So everything happens for a reason. We went back yesterday and found out that she had read the Book of Mormon. She's crazy but has a true desire to learn and become happier. 

The stories go on and on this week. I had the chance to go on two trade offs with missionaries back into the 2nd ward, my first area. I was able to visit many of our old investigators and members that I loved. It felt like a family reunion it was great! At the same time, I came to find out that those people I had taught, were falling back into their old habits. One woman we came in contact with had a boy who was going through chemo for his brain cancer. She looked us straight in the eyes, while being drunk, or high, or something, and said he's going to die. I got the impression that she has lost her faith and desire to live. It was very sad, and the worst part of it all is I felt like there was nothing I could do. She had received a Priesthood blessing, but it seemed hopeless... Many others have fallen back into their addictions of smoking. I felt some Godly sorrow that day.

We also were invited to the church Spirit of Faith by one of our investigators. It was TERRIBLE! I felt like I was at a concert. They disgraced the name of Jesus the entire time. They had a full band blasting worship music and repetitious chants. Theh service was filled with adrenaline and NOT the spirit of God. And ohhhhh the Pastor. He and his wife, who looked just like Beyoncé, got up and told the congregation to take their phones out and take photos of them posing and kissing on the cheek. They bragged about how great their love is and told the congregation to invite all their friends to come to the church to become as amazing as them! Most prideful man I had ever met. Half of his sermon was convincing the congregation, just like a skilled business man, to have faith in God and give him their Tithes and Offerings. He said, don't worry about where your money is going (as if he was being accused). Look at this band, look at these huge speakers, this is where your money is going! To build the church! 20 minutes earlier he had publicly thanked the crew members for setting up the tents and said he was taking them all out to lunch. Their tithing was also going towards lunch!! Hahaha wow it was an experience I'll tell ya.

So are you bored yet? This is very long I know, but there's more I wish I could share.

Remember the church is true, it is pure sacrifice. No one gets paid. The Lord has restored all the Priesthood keys and saving ordinances necessary to return to His presence and enjoy eternal life. I bare witness this is true along with Joseph Smith as a true prophet of God. Through the gift and power of God the Book of Mormon has been translated to be another testament of Jesus Christ, and we are able to receive personal revelation from our divine Creator. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

With Love, 

Elder Greenlaw

Elder Greenlaw and Elder Tuft emailing from their iPads

Fleming Island Assignment - Pictures from St. John's Florida.

Here are a few pictures of Elder Greenlaw in his last area with his companion Elder Huxford. 

P-Day! Elder Huxford, Elder Jensen, and Elder Greenlaw in St John's Florida

With Sister Emily Blotter, Elder Anderson, Elder Williams, Sister Davidson, Elder Eppley, Elder Greenlaw, and Elder Huxford in St. Johns, Florida

Elder Bennett with Elder Greenlaw

First Week In Gaineville, Florida

Hey y'all, 

So this past week has seemed like an eternity. So much has happened, I don't even know where to begin! 

First of all, I'm loving it here in Gainesville again. I guess I'm a true Gator now! I'll most likely be serving half my mission here. I'm serving in the 3rd, and oh how different the work is here. Elder Tuft has never had such a hard time in an area. The people here are very friendly and willing to talk but seem to lack the real desire to change anything. On one side of the street we have the ghetto, boot-leg and all. For those that don't know what that is, it's where people sell all kinds of goodies out of their home, from snacks to drugs and alcohol. Don't ask me how I know that haha. Anyways, on the other side of the street you have the rich neighborhoods, million dollar homes on a plantation. You can definitely say we have diversity in this area. People say that this area is impossible to baptize in, since it's been well over a year. Part of this is the ward. It's hard at times to have trust in the members and our investigators fitting in and enjoying the congregation. About half of the ward have been residents for two years and then they are gone. It's also a very young ward. It's hard to concentrate in the meetings with the millions of crying, screaming, kids. Here in Gainesville there are so many different churches all around. Two major ones right beside our church building. Many people aren't looking for true doctrine, only looking for a Pastor that keeps them entertained, or wherever the rest of their family goes. They say that they only want to go to a church that preaches straight for the Bible, nothing else, but yet when we teach them repentance and the standards of living that Christ has set out for us, they aren't willing to change their lives. We know that the only way we will be able to bring in new converts is with the help of the ward members. Meaning getting them out with us in teaching appointments and loving these people just as Christ would. It's the only way. Brothers and Sisters of the church, the unity of members and missionaries is the only way that the work of the Lord will progress like God needs it to! Are you willing to help?

Most of our time has been contacting and knocking doors. I've tried so many contact approaches but Elder Tuft has opened my eyes on the success of asking inspired and provoking questions. Recently we've tried the approach of saying, "Imagine if you had the chance to sit down and talk with Christ, what would you ask him?" Also, "If you were to take one thing to heaven, what would it be?" And the classic, "What do you feel is the purpose of this life?" It's amazing to hear the responses people give, and right off the bat we can recognize their interest level and what they care about most in this life. Which makes it a little easier to open up a discussion. So we've been sifting through investigators left and right, finding the elect and the people with true sincere desires to serve God. 

I bare witness that I know that God lives. He knows us individually and He loves us so much that he has created a way for us to return to him again, along with finding peace and happiness in this life and the life to come. Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He is central to this plan and his Atonement is real. I am living proof that the Gospel of Jesus Christ allows us to change. "If you are in a place where you shouldn't be, then get out!," - President Thomas S. Monson. 

Have a great week and I'll talk to y'all later!

Love Elder Greenlaw

Being Transferred to Gainesville... Again!

Hey y'all,

It's been a few weeks since I've done an update, I'm sorry. There's a lot going on right now. I hope I can get it all in today. It is transfer week. I've been in Fleming Island for 6 months now so I was pretty much expecting to leave. The biggest surprise is that they are white washing his place, meaning bringing in 2 new missionaries. I'm pretty bummed because we've got a lot going for us right now. 

Last week we had the opportunity of talking to Daphne's daughter Kailey. Daphne is the postal worker we've been trying to get to church more than once for the past six months. We haven't completely given up on her but Kailey is an elect daughter of God. Immediately she recognized us as disciples of Jesus Christ and wanted to learn about the gospel. When I was on a trade off Tuesday night with Bro Delgado, their neighbor two doors down, was interested in chatting with us. I gave her an Ensign, one of many of the church's monthly magazine. She soaked it right up by reading the entire thing in a few hours. We then stopped by and gave her a Book of Mormon. We haven't even had e chance to teach her anything but when she attended a baptism of the Sisters in our ward and then church, she asked us to be baptized. We committed her for 2 weeks from now. Since both Elder Huxford and I are leaving, the other missionaries will teach her and either one of us will come back and physically baptize her. Since Huxford hasn't had one yet, I volunteered him to get in white. Haha. We are hoping through this experience her mother Daphne and brother Landan will come around and accept baptism also.

Saturday was a glorious day, Tiffany and Johnny Brown got married. They held the ceremony at the church and we got to meet a lot of their family. As we were sitting down talking during the reception, Tony, Tiffany's brother accepted a visit by us to talk with him more about the church. It was a great opportunity to share the gospel, when they were sitting right there in the church!

Back to transfers, I'm going BACK to Gainesville! Serving in the 3rd ward this time with Elder Tuft who got released as the AP 6 months ago or so. I served in the 2nd ward 7 1/2 months, and during that time I went on so many trade offs in that ward it's ridiculous! When my first two sons, Elders Tubbs and Welsh went home early during their training I had the chance to work both of these wards in a trio for 3 weeks. So I already know this Bishop, ward mission leader, and a bunch of members. I feel like I've already served here! I had a tough time
sleeping last night because my mind has been weighing on so many faces and people I know in that area already. Hopefully we will get the chance to meet them again.

Well it's sad to leave Fleming Island. I have gained so many friends and become part of some great families.( I've pretty much been adopted) at the same time I'm glad to get a fresh start with an area I know pretty well and a new companion. I'll fixin to send my new address to y'all soon.

Take care, and remember The Lord in all things.

Elder Greenlaw

Elder Greenlaw helping someone move!

Elder Huxford and Elder Greenlaw literally glowing!