Wipeout!

*The title of this post probably refers to Elder Duron crashing on his bike, but he doesn't mention it in his letter*


   This Week has had it is share of ups and downs. To sum it up it would be to put it into pharses like this " You Behave and be a good Missionary" - bro Bill, "The power of the holy Ghost will tell you the Truth of all things- Moroni ", "I have been waiting for this my whole life!- Eric " and "Clowns can't die "- Kid


    Lets Start with "You behave"  Brother Bill is a recent convert who stiudied the Chruch for 30 years and got baptized 3 months ago. He is a funny guy. He calls me brother Elder Dainels. Keep him in yalls prayers

   Then Comes  the  promise from Moroni which I have seen proven true again and again.We have a few people we are teaching that have said "I know its true,

and you can feel the honesty from it." The book of Mormon is so true, trying to say it's false is like saying the sun is blue.


   Speaking of the Holy Ghost, it led someone to us. His name Eric. He has been coming to church for the past three weeks and got baptized on Saturday. He is an Engilsh professor at one of the colleges here and an ex-teacher at a Methodist church. He says he was not getting fed at any of those churches   until he came here and feels full.


   I know that living a happy life starts with your thoughts. I have been focusing on how to keep good
thoughts and how use the Gospel to do that. I will send a letter about that.


   The last phrase came from a boy who I asked " what should I do for a job when I get back home"? he said a space man or a clown because clowns don't die.

Love y'all
Elder (Ryan) Duron

No Capes!!! Or black ties...

 If I could think of how to sum up this week it would be, No Black Ties! or I Gotta Rock. Which pretty much means it was a hard but funny week.
  This past week we have been hitting the pavement trying to find new people and get people to come to church. One of the funny things that happend was on Wednesday. We were driving and we saw Bro Bill. We pulled over and started talking with him when this guy walks over and says "Yall missionaires?" I said yeah. He then handed me a rock and said " here is an Arkansas rock." and walked away. As we ended our talk with bro Bill and drove off, we thought that he had just given us a ju ju Voodu rock... so we threw it away.
   We came to find out later that he is a member who has been less active for years and wants to learn what church believes again. Good thing he has not asked what we did to the rock...

   We have found out why people may not be talking with us in black ties. Turns out whites shirts and ties + name tag means you're a mormon. White shirt + black tie means  you are from another relgion that goes door to door. So no more black ties I guess.
  All in all fun week.  Keep these people in y'all's prayers- Steve and Anggie, Monica, Tim Gray, Bro Bill, and the Lamberts the last is a member family in the branch who the wife just passed away last night. I will keep praying  for y'all if you keep praying for these peeps-deal? just Joshing I will always pray for y'all

.
 Form  Elder (Ryan) Duron

And it came to pass...

Man this week was another missionary week. We both got sick, it was 10000 dregess and I think it was national don't answer the door day. That's fine though. We had some legit lessons and learned some things.

    We got to teach Steve and Angie,  a 60 year old man and his 30 year old daughter. Steve had a dream that we would knock on their door and leave a prayer with them. About a week ago that dream came true,and they have been awesome. they ask all the right questions and they have a date for 13 of September. Remember them in your prayers.

    We have a general  authority coming in September. Elder Zwick, the 70 that give the "what are you thinking" talk is coming to check our mission out. We can't wait for it.

   I have been reading in Ether, and man for being a small book it is legit. It has me helped keep hope and stay strong this hard week. I loved the part where the Lord promises " signs shall follow those that believe." I have seen that hand of God prepare and lead us though rain and heat. I love how small thing sometimes are the things that matter most in the gospel
    

Love y'all. Stay rested but not arrested...that would not be a fun Email.
from Elder (Ryan) Duron

Me and my comp Elder Brekenridge on P-day

Same as it ever was…NOT!

This week has been a missionary week. Translation: full of hard work. we walked, talked, biked, drove, and.... Then we did it again. 

   We have been working on using and working with the members. So, know how to make a missionary's day? Say you have some one you want them to talk too. If they are good missionaries they will always crack a smile.

   I have learned that charity never fails. How did I? From Mormon, in the final days of the Nephites. He wrote that while his people were on the road to death; he says he loses his faith in them (Mormon 3:12), Then he has hope for them! (Mormon5:1-2). As I saw this I waited for him to lose his charity for them. But it never happens, Although they are some of the grossest of sinners who murdered, swore against God, and ate babies,  yet Mormon loved his people so much that he lead them to the bitter end. He did not care what happened to him, he even called them fair! 

      We all need this charity. How could we ever think things would or could change without this Chirstlike love? We need to put our friends, family, and those around us first in order for that rock cut without hands to roll forth, not only on the earth but in us .

 I have some names Y'all can pray for: LA, (a.k.a. Kirk) Sarah, and Jackie.

Love Elder (Ryan) Duron

    PS we have a new finding Idea and if it works I will wirte about it next time. But This I can tell you-his name is Tim Gray

PSS I need some socks....could they be nikes?

PSSSS  Tamales

What Have You Learned?

Man,  if I wrote a book it would be called  So They Called You on a Mission; Are You Ready? The thing is, looking back I don't know if I was fully ready then. But if I did not go then I would never have learned what Life, the Gospel, or God was all about.

     Speaking of that it brings me to my topic:  What have you learned? Elder Williams and I both had lunch with president Wakalo. During the lunch president Wakalo asked "what have you learned?"

     I thought about that  with my mission. When I end it,  or see the stake president and he asks me what I learned, what would I say or tell him? What I have learned out here is that God is a real and loving Heavenly Father. He wants us to be happy, that's why he gives us our bodies, earth, chocolate, the Gospel, Prophets, and his Son Jesus Christ. This is the Way that they talk about all the time in the scriptures. It has been brought back again and I know that is true because I can feel it and millions of others have, are, and will!

    I also thought about the end when we see God again. How he might ask the the same thing- What have you learned." It might be a long answer, but it would  basically be about what happiness really is and who you are. That would be a legit day.

      Well,  Elder Williams is getting transfered. So y'all will find out the new guy here is next time. In the same E-mail, same state, same Faith.
oh, and we met a guy who talks like motor mouth- more next time.

    I'm standing next to brother Bill, a 30 year investigator who got baptized by a member in his branch a few weeks ago!

Elder (Ryan) Duron

Boiling heat with full hearted Diligence and a side of Hulk Smash.

   Hey whats going on? Anything new?

 This week was full of this and that. Where do I start?
   I guess with the Hulk smash! We came home one night and there was a HUGE grasshopper in the house. We ran all over the place trying to hunt it down. It became such a problem that I grabbed a water bottle, saw Jiminy  Cricket  on the wall and BAM! I let him have it... and the wall got it too. That is why I went to Ace and got the stuff to fix the hole I made.

    This week it was 80 degrees with 100 % humidity, so it was more like 110. But that can't stop the Lords work, so we hit the pavement hard. When it says serving the Lord with all your heart, might , mind, and strength will bring salvation ( happiness) to your soul, it is not a lie.
   Pray for Becky and Dakota they are a sweet family of grandma and grandson that plan to be baptized this Saturday.

  Work! That is how you get the blessings is by work. You can't teach if you don't go out. You can't have fun and crazy things happen if you sit around, and you cannot see the Lord's hand if  you don't go about his or the Father's  business. This is our father's WORK and glory; we must not sleep though this.
From

 Elder (Ryan E) Duron

Fijians, the 4th July, and the Spirit. Coincidence? I think not!

    Whats up? y'all doing well? Things over here have been pretty good. I think I will start off with the Fijians.

   We had a Zone meeting on the 4th of July where President Wakalo spoke to us. It turns out that he brought  his wife and two kids with him from Fiji. He is different from President Petersen, but there are lots of things I can learn from him too. 

     The rest of the day we tried to visit a lot of people while the fire works went off like crazy. We saw Bro Bill and he made some legit chicken and burgers. We have been looking to get him a home teacher. Then we saw good old Tim, a newly baptized member who is one of the coolest guys ever. He is having a hard time adjusting from a black Baptist church to the branch here. We left him with encouragement and some  scriptures to read.

  We also found a person we have been trying to find forever. We went to their apartment complex and we prayed that we could find her and first door we knocked she opened the door. We were able to get her to come to church and will see her on friday.  

 The Spirit is the tool for missionary work. It allows us to follow God's will and know what he wants us to do.

Elder (Ryan) Duron