Scatter Sunshine

We went up to Mount Shasta, caving! Don't worry, Mom it wasn't like crawling around and stuff. It was a huge cave like 20 feet tall the whole way to the end, but you need flash lights because it is pitch black. I for sure want to do that in the summer when we come back! It was really fun. 

But anyway our week hasn't been the best, but things will always look up. There has been a hymn on my mind lately and a few things that I want to share today. Hopefully that is okay. So the song Scatter Sunshine in the hymn book is like never played. I haven't heard it really ever until I got here in Redding. It is one of those hymns that is like "oh that is a weird one", but I was reading the lyrics and it is amazing. It says that we need to cheer, bless and brighten to every one we meet. It talks about how our care can help eliminate the world's sorrow. What an amazing message. It is such a blessing to us and to others to be able to scatter sunshine and help someone out by offering them help or even a simple smile. I imagine Christ walking around with a great big smile on, not a frown. He was looking for people to help and uplift. I have been thinking a lot lately that this world we live in is really sad and down. Especially in Redding, this town is just down. Everyone is always mad or just sad because life just isn't great. One of my favorite feelings is to bring joy to someone by just talking to them and asking them about their life. And I pray each time I do that, that they can feel even a tenth of the love God has for them. I have such a testimony of scattering sunshine. it may sound dorky or kind of weird but I'm dorky and weird so that is okay. But really we can help God's children by just being happy and offering service. If we have a true love of God we will have love for His children. I'm thankful for this song that isn't played too often that I got to hear it and have the spirit touch me and teach me that scattering sunshine is what we can do to do missionary work. We are to lift people up. 

Sorry that was my little rant for the week. I don't know why I always do those. But anyway the baptismal date we had dropped but that is okay. We will reset another date with him hopefully soon. He is a great guy but is struggling with some things right now. We are working with some great less actives that I love to death! I will tell you more about them soon hopefully! But I love you all and I'm thankful for your faithfulness and diligence in following Christ our Savior! Have a great day!

I want to be diligent in every calling

[Editor's Note: We have been out of town, so a little behind in posting, but I wanted to share the following from a letter Elder Simons wrote to us. He hasn't skipped a week in both emailing and handwriting a letter to us! I never would have taken him to be much of a letter-writer before his mission! :)]

Hey parents,

So hopefully I didn't hurt any one's feelings on my email. I do feel though that we are kinda lazy! We have the truth! I want to be diligent in every calling I have. Dad, I need a calling the week I get back. Give me someone to go home teach starting the month of May. I need to be serving. 

Right now I'm in Alma 45. So really close to you! I'm really trying to get the most out of the war chapters. I'm trying to take it slow. 

Anyway, my companion and I are doing great! We are working so hard! Its sweet. We have some great investigators with some awesome potential. This work is great. I can't believe I've been with Elder Coburn for two months. Time really flies. Am I really about at my 15 month mark? Holy cow. I can't believe that! 

Hello, Bob. How are you doing?

Hey parents!! How are we doing? Hopefully good

Anyway, this week has been a roller coaster. Its had its ups and its had its downs. Which should i explain first? Well i guess i will just do the bads so we can finish with the goods! So first, Bob Thompson, the 94 year old who just got baptized March 3rd passed away Thursday night. He was in the hospital on Monday for something minor and was expected to be released Friday morning, but Thursday evening while sleeping he slipped away. We found out about forty minutes before we were going over to his apartment so we had no idea. Bob was such a great man. His story truly testifies of the statement that its never too late. Bob was set in his ways for years. And he was fine with it, he didn't feel like he needed to change. But with the wonderful example of his family he realized there was something better in life. So at age 94 he took the lessons and was baptized. What a turn around. Its almost like the prodigal son, but in reverse with the prodigal father. Its an amazing story. I loved going over to his apartment and him showing us his simple picture of Jesus, smiling. He would always say "its like he is saying Hello Bob how are you doing?" and he would always talk about how excited he was to see Jesus. I know that the Plan of Salvation is real. It is true. How lucky we are that we have our eternal plan basically mapped out for us. Life on earth isn't even that mapped out. I feel like I have come to understand the Plan of Salvation more in my life, and it has given me so much peace and help during times of need. Bob was a great man. He is happy and healthy now, and that is awesome to me! He is in a better place.

Moving on, (so this is my last down which also turns into a good) so this weekend i was just feeling spiritually...whats the word I'm looking for?....down, I guess you could say. I had no idea why. It was frustrating me. Especially because I'm trying to work as hard as i can to get the spirit with me always so i can be aware of what our Lord wants me to do. Saturday night while pondering on my mission and what it means to me, my mind turned to the following day and how I was able to partake of the Sacrament, and i was like "hmm it seems like such a long time since i had the Sacrament" and it was because of the stake conference we had. That's why i felt spiritually down was because i wasn't able to partake of the Sacrament and renew my covenants with the Lord and receive the promise that i will always have his spirit to be with me. What a promise I have taken for granted. I need that spirit. Without it, i was emotionally and physically not feeling right. But when i partook of it on Sunday the spirit just flooded back. What an amazing experience that was for me.

So another up... our investigator's mom wants us to come over for dinner again, so we are doing that tonight. I'm pretty excited! Our investigator is still doing great. Her testimony is as strong as ever. 


So we had a lesson with another one of our investigators and it went really well. She is progressing great. We are hoping to set a date soon. So she can start receiving the blessings of membership. 


We helped with Mormon Helping Hands this weekend. We had a ton of fun. We helped clean up a park and get it ready for bark. We had a good time mingling with the other missionaries and members from the stake.

It is crazy that I get to talk to you guys again in two Sundays? That's so crazy. I can't believe that. It feels like we just skyped for Christmas. Time flies! Anyway i better go. I love you guys!!!