Hello everyone!

Things are going very well here in the 2nd and 3rd wards in Gainesville! Yes, it's exactly what you are thinking, my work load just doubled. I have been in a trio with Elder Forsyth and Elder Gao. Is this even work?? I'm having so much fun with them! Elder Welsh went home last week and tomorrow, I drive to Jacksonville once again to pick up my new Greenie! Yes I got the call to be a trainer again so that means I'll be serving here in Gainesville for a total of 7 1/2 months! I know this ward inside and out! Everyone calls me family ha ha. This ward is the best! We have previous Quorum of the Seventy members, and previous Stake Presidents, so the ward are really the best.  

This week has been exciting! Elder Gao is from China and so he has a sick sense for Chinese people here in Florida. We will be knocking doors and then he takes a deep breath and says, "MMMMMM, I smell Chinese people". The next door we knock at ends up being a family from Taiwan! Crazy!! Just like my dad, I'm learning to speak Mandarin. Sometimes the people cant even speak a lick of English and so Elder Forsyth and I will just be sitting there looking at each other while the whole lesson is being taught in Mandarin. Gotta love it! I did have a really cool experience where I was listening and I could understand words here and there. Almost as if I could see the letters forming right out of Elder Gao's mouth. I understand this insane language through the spirit! What an amazing gift! It only works if we are talking about gospel topics of course. I never would have guessed I would have the chance to experience this on my mission! A mission is always full of surprises.

We have a few new investigators. Nobody that we are constantly teaching, but we are working with less actives and recent converts a lot! "Every new member we have a goal to retain".

The weather has been typical Florida weather. Rain coming down in buckets each and everyday! I still don't find the need for a rain jacket though, I love knocking on doors soaking wet. Anyway, I'm kind of limited on time and thoughts aren't really coming to me right now so I love you all and I will tell you if I like my new "greenie" next week or not! I am sure he will be great

Love,

Elder Greenlaw

Elder Forsyth, me, and Elder Gao in a trio! 

Hello everyone!

I look back at my last letter I wrote and I feel bad because I probably made it sound like the mission is the worst thing ever. Well don't worry, even though you will definitely have your hard weeks and companions, the lessons and teaching learned in those experiences bring the most joy and the most gratitude. Gratitude for the Lord and his mercy! His willingness to forgive and to bless you! For the rules and knowing that they are only there for your benefit. For the knowledge, strength, patience, love, the list goes on and on. This last week has yet again been really hard. But my whole mind set has changed and I realized that I was dwelling too much on the bad times and the problems that were going on such as: We still have no investigators to teach, the weather is HOT, appointments fell through, and investigators are being dropped. 

I am now trying to focus on the good, and the miracles that are happening around us that we don't always pick up! Even in my journal, everyday I write three positive things that I learned or experiences that happened and I find myself noticing all the good that I am still doing!

For example: A woman in our ward that has been a member about 2 years. We love her dearly! Recently we found out that she has been having a really hard time. Her understanding of the gospel and all of the principles missionaries had taught her had been forgotten. She hasn't taken the sacrament for over 2 months now because she's always "LATE", and she doesn't read her scriptures very often. This is definitely a problem so we decided to re-teach her the lessons, and set her up with a Book of Mormon mentor. (Member who reads and discusses the BOM with them often to help them understand better) I was pondering and praying on who would be right for the job! After a few people came to mind, one specific name stuck. I was shocked and wondered if this was right because I'll be honest, we don't really have the best past. She almost got me emergency transferred for telling the bishop I was flirting with the young woman. BUT I WASNT DON'T WORRY! Anyway, I called her up that night and told her another member was coming to my mind for some reason. A week later she told me that she used to be her home teaching companion so they were really close. She went over to her house that night I called to receive a key and ended up discussing the BOM mentor. Finds out that this other member has been really struggling lately and this is exactly what she needed. What a miracle! The lord is merciful and blesses us with miracles each and everyday! we must only open our spiritual eyes and see them! 

Elder Welsh and I get along fantastic. We have never gotten into a fight or even had an argument since being companions. We have an identical pasts, which is quite freaky, and so we understand life and each other in ways others don't. We have become really close in our experiences and are planning on going hunting when we get home ha ha. We both are now self conscious about our weight and so we are working out hard now with our bench and squat rack that we stole from some other Elders. Soon most likely we are going to steal a Bow flex from the YSA sisters ha ha I will send you picks. We are drinking protein again and eating a lot better. Planning on dropping 20 lbs in 2 weeks!

On the 4th of July I went to a members home that I have grown close with and had a mini firework show ha ha. Its nothing like home but I still had a great time. Monday night I also had my amazing uncle Brian and kids set me up for dinner! You should have seen my face as I though I was opening "Brother Jones" car door when I saw that it was Brian ha ha. I could not believe it!! He gave me good incites and a boost to keep pressing on in finding the people I promised to meet in the pre-existence! My family never fails to surprise me!

 Love you all! Talk to you next week.

Being Blunt and Honest This Week

Hello everyone!

I'm sure you were pretty upset that I didn't write a letter last week. I could list off many excuses of why I didn't, but, lets be very blunt and honest this week. These last few weeks have been the hardest weeks of my life. I have never gone through so much stress, disappointment, sorrow, and regret than ever before. I'm sitting here at a library on campus with ten other Elders around me all writing to their families telling them of all the fabulous experiences they have had and how much they have grown. They sugar coat all of their experiences to make it sound like they are just having the best time... But me... For some reason I don't feel like doing that this week. I have done it at times in the past, because let's be honest, nobody wants to write people over and over again and tell them they are having a really hard time out here. My first "Son" or greenie that I trained, Elder Tubbs, told me he wanted to go home after 3 days. That pretty much stinted the work for the rest of the week. Then I get a new companion who is my "Step Son". He has been out two and a half months. I am finishing training him. Elder Welsh is a fantastic missionary. Better than me. He is a fabulous teacher and really loves the people. He became so close to people in his first area, that he was absolutely pissed that he had to get transferred here to Gainesville. He is now starting to like it, but a few days ago he told me he was thinking of going home also. He is naturally one of the most disobedient missionaries I know that listens to the nearby radio station, walks around in his G's and does not want to follow the rules. As for me, not being a good companion, I stoop to his level, and now we have been really disobedient. Nothing bad enough to get us sent home or anything. Don't worry. I hope every missionary has to go through something like this because it sucks, and it makes you feel like your waisting your time out here when your disobedient.  The AP's called only 15 missionaries in the whole mission to participate in a 40 day purification fast. Coincidentally, they called me right at this time? Yeah I don't think so... So I have promised the Lord to repent and strive to overcome the sins, temptations, and other things that poke at my spiritual sensitivity. Since yesterday I have been striving for exactly obedience and I have experienced the Atonement in a new way. There is a huge difference in our success as we are obedient, faithful, and confident in the Lord's promises. I have already seen the Lord being merciful to me, and we had a miracle investigator come into our life yesterday. We met a man that has been prepared by the Lord for several weeks now. I'm pretty sure he will get baptized in three weeks. WE have NO teaching pool right now, and we are fighting against the natural man, but still striving to stand above the world and to declare repentance until these my brethren. God is love and mercy. He knows each of us better than we know ourselves, and we is waiting to bless our lives we just have to be willing to accept these gifts. We can, and we should experience the Atonement each and everyday. Yes, even missionaries make mistakes ha ha. 

Love you all! Happy 4th

Elder Tubbs and Elder Greenlaw

Gainesville Zone Conference

GAINESVILLE ZONE

Gainesville is a college town, home of the University of Florida. This zone takes up the south west area of the mission. It a huge geographic area with college, city and country areas. You can see everything in this zone - especially conversions! The zone leaders are Elder Bennion and Elder Suttner.  The zone conference was held in the Institute Building on the UF campus.

Here are a few pictures I found on Elder Greenlaw's mission blog. 

Back standing: Elder Bennion, Elder Burgan, Elder Huntington, Elder Joseph, Elder Phelps, Elder Williams, Elder Herrick, Elder Jenkins, Elder Ball, Elder Green, Elder Solomon; 
Front standing: Elder Greenlaw, Elder Saynes, Sister Major, Sister Carlson, Sister McCann, Sister Carrigan, Sister Pettingill, Sister Toledo, Sister K.Jensen, Sister Hale, President Colvin; 
Seated: Elder Forsyth, Elder Tuft, Sister and Elder Foulconer, Pres and Sister Barry, Sister and Elder Troy, Elder Housel, Elder Rockwood; 
Floor: Elder Calder, Elder Moser, Elder Lee, Elder Hernandez, Elder Suttner, Elder Cancel, Elder Perry

Elder Greenlaw, Elder Ball, Elder Moser

                                    Left: Elder Greenlaw showing strength exercises.  Elder Jenkins is in the middle showing stretches. 

Feeling the spirit!

Here is a picture of Elder Greenlaw and Elder Jenkins with the Steve White family.

The Power of a White Shirt and Tie

Hello everyone!

The power behind a white shirt and tie! The other day I was going to do some service so I was in my tee shirt and basketball shorts. The woman we were going to serve ended up canceling with us so we decided to go knock some doors around her and see a potential investigator. Mind you that we were in the ghetto, so the people were pretty sketchy. For some reason I didn't feel safe, and realized that it was because we are some white guys walking through a ghetto and nobody recognized us because I wasn't in my white shirt and tie!

Wow! Can you believe that I've only been out three months, and I was called to be a trainer!? In only five days I have learned things about myself that I never knew before. This has been such an amazing experience, I truly understand my purpose now, and I have experienced the atonement in a new way! I love and miss Elder Jenkins, who is now in St. Augustine, but for some reason with him he made me very timid and shy at times. Now that he is gone I am forced to open my mouth more often because my new companion Elder Tubbs hardly says a word! We get along just fine though. 

Sadly, Elder Tubbs made the decision to go home. The third day in, after we do weekly planning, we have a companionship inventory, and this is when we talk about all of the things that we don't like about each other( which were none). But as a trainer, I have the gift of discernment where I can tell if something is wrong or not. I forced him to open up, and he said he's been really struggling and doesn't think a mission is for him. I know that God placed us together for a reason so I could get him to open up and try to understand his needs. He has been talking to President Barry everyday since, and this morning he finally made the decision to go home. I am not sure when his flight will be and who my new companion will end up being. 

There are miracles happening here! I have another baptism this Saturday! I got a phone call yesterday morning from an Elder in a different area saying they have been teaching a man named Chris and he is getting baptized into our ward! Best phone call ever right!! Also, I had an amazing experience with a black man named Ronald. Yesterday right before church. I felt impressed to knock on his door, and we ended up having an amazing lesson with him! Everything we taught him, he absorbed like a sponge and is truly an elect individual. He is searching for the truth, but didn't know where to find it! It was really spiritual for me because everything I said was strictly by the spirit. The spirit was pulling scriptures out of  my head like no other, and I honestly can't tell you what I even said during that lesson. I even made him tear up! ha ha Anyway, Happy Fathers Day to all those dads out there reading this, and I'll talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Greenlaw

Saying Goodbye to My Companion and Trainer

Hello everyone,

WOW, This week has been an interesting one. I've been stuck on an emotional roller coaster! As I told y'all I got the call to be a trainer! Its crazy how the tables have turned and that only 3 months ago I was leaving the MTC  and getting ready to meet my trainer! There are times when I feel afraid to train a brand new missionary, wondering if I really have what it takes, and wondering if I can make this new missionary find the love for the work. This truly is a sacred calling that I have received, and this new missionary's experience out in the field will all be determined on how his first 3 months of training go.  By the Holy Spirit I have received a witness that everything will be okay, and the Lord will make up the difference despite my many weaknesses. Through the Lord I can do all things! And for with God, nothing shall be impossible! Luke 1:37 

As a way of numbers, this week was really rough, Elder Jenkins at times has gotten trunky knowing that he's been here for 6 months in the same ward, and now he's leaving. Last night on the Mission wide conference call, we found out that he is getting transferred to St. Augustine! He's getting way pumped! Gainesville, and St Augustine are the best places to be in the mission! As a companionship we have found a new love for each other. Realizing how good we have had it. Looking back at all of the fantastic memories we have had together, there are so many. I will be really sad to see him go! But at the same time I am so excited to get my Greenie! 

I'd like to share a miracle we had last night. We had a dinner appointment with some members. As we walked through the door, we noticed that they had brought another family there to have dinner and join in on the lesson! They are the Clark family, and Steve, the father, related a lot to me. For about an hour we talked about Motorcross and injuries and such. Wow did it feel good to finally relate to someone about that out here! His brother has recently passed away, and he is devastated. We talked about the Love of God and how families can be together forever. The Spirit was so strong in that home as people shared experiences and testified. I love this family so much already, and they said they want to hear more! What a miracle that was! As of right now we have very few Gators(investigators) and are really struggling in finding people to teach.

I had the most difficult night of my mission last night. Elder Jenkins and I were saying our last goodbyes when we arrived to the Stackhouse's. Remember this is the family that Elder Jenkins baptized right before I came. When we showed up, Darius was freaking out at us. Telling us how he is going to divorce his wife Marcella because he woke up in the morning with the kids gone. He tried calling her to find out what's going on but she had been lying all day about what was really going on. Roosevelt, Marcella's oldest son walks into the house, and they start to yell and curse and flip out at each other. We walk out of the house because we didn't want to be there and decided to drive away. As we were driving down the street, we stopped and looked back. They had taken the fight outside, so we decided to go help brake it up and have Elder Jenkins say his last goodbyes. We are both already heart broken at the time. So we broke them up and Elder Jenkins goes into the house with Darius and I stay outside with Roosevelt. We cool them down for a moment, and at that time Roosevelt was carrying around a knife, ready to fight again. I beg him not to use it and to take a step back and pray for help in this rough situation. Marcella pulls into the drive way with her 2 year old son Jeremiah sloppy drunk. She should not have been driving at all. Darius runs out of the house and starts yelling and cursing at her! They were both saying TERRIBLE things to each other that I cannot repeat until Darius takes the kids and drives away, telling everyone that he is never coming back.....   That day I looked the Devil right in the face through Darius and Marcella. It's amazing how much you can fall in love with people out here, and the Stackhouse family was definitely one of them. We are both just heart broken. What a wonderful way to say goodbye to a family, right?

Anyway... I can't wait to tell y'all about my new Greenie and the experiences I have with him. Until next time.

With Love,

Elder Greenlaw

Elder Jenkins and I in a photo shoot. Our 1 and only shot for the big leagues so we took it very seriously.