I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED!!! I will leave the tiny apartment of Appleton 1 and go down south to Oshkosh. Oshkosh is arguably the fifth "largest city" in Wisconsin. My new companion is named Elder Stephens and once again I know nothing about him coming into this new companionship. I will remain as District Leader which was contrary to the entire missions guess. By the end of this October-November transfer I will have been a District Leader for an entire year - 8 straight transfers! That is a very long time. I know almost nothing about the Oshkosh ward, but I have been to the building many times because that is where many of the mission training meetings take place. The chapel is very small in that building so it might be a branch, I guess I will find out on Sunday.

The Great Appleton District

General Conference was great and we had a very good week building up to the weekend. We had some more service opportunities with the members. One project was filling in a hole that was dug for some water pipes. That project was back breaking to put it lightly. I was in a lot of pain for many days afterward. The two service projects that we had Wednesday were Salvation Army and filling in this hole. Both required heavy lifting, fast paced work and fun. But I was hurting. The other service that we were able to provide for a member was a Sister that works at one of the hospitals. She was preparing for a run for awareness fundraiser that is coming up in a couple weeks and they needed the t-shirts folded beforehand. So 4 Sisters and 8 Elders lined up and made easy work of it. Our time at St. Vincent de Paul on Friday was also some more productive work.

For the Lord’s service, Elder McMoore and I worked hard to get as many people as we could to watch General Conference with us. Along with this goal we had some very great lessons, had a very good first lesson with a new investigator family and sadly I had to start saying good bye to people. We watched General Conference at an investigators home who has 5 kids. This family is awesome and will someday be baptized, it was really sad to say goodbye to them. But they really enjoyed the Sunday afternoon session and they had some questions for us. My personal thoughts on General Conference: I loved it a lot; I had some questions for the Lord and received many answers to those questions; something that I will be working on between now and next General Conference will be to serve with greater love. I feel that this is something that my ministry has been lacking in for the past couple months. Service to the Lord or service through physical action is what missionaries do best. With love the spirit will be able to guide me better because I will be listening better. Putting those two together will be a big blessing to me and to those who I serve. A common theme that I noticed from General Conference was the “basics”. The Primary answers are the fundamentals to gaining a testimony and this too was a common topic from General Conference. The primary answers are often known as 1) read the scriptures daily 2) pray daily 3) go to church. With General Conference In mind I will add two more to this simple list. 4) pay tithing/fast offerings 5) attend the Temple as often as circumstances permit. These five activities are essential to gaining a testimony of the Restoration, of the Prophet Joseph Smith, of the Book of Mormon. To gain a testimony of the Priesthood, or the Prophet Thomas S. Monson, or any other doctrinal point, one must start with the five basics. Over the past 16 months as a missionary I have come to know from personal experience, and from the experiences of others that these five things are more than fundamentally true. Rather these five things are universally and eternally true. Meaning that it will never change and they are true for everyone - All of His children. I remember back to an experience I had only a couple months ago where I was searching for a greater testimony of these fundamentals. The experience was amazing and simply cannot be shared through written words. The Spirit that I felt that morning was clear and penetrating. I know that if we read, pray, attend church, pay our tithes and offering, and attend the Temple that over time and dedication we will gain a deep and eternal testimony of the Restoration, and all of the fullness of the Gospel as restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.

Only Elders are stupid enough to pull a stunt like this.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and birthday wishes. Enjoy your warm weather J

Scripture for the week: 1 Nephi 10:18-19

18 For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

 19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

Love,

Elder Luymes

Beautiful Fall leaves in Appleton -- enjoy your warm weather at home.