Week Twenty-Two 12-28-15

 Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!
Well this has been an amazing week! it has had a lot of great moments that were so awesome!

I started the week off running as we had an exchange and i was to stay in Davenport. so i needed to know what we were doing and where to go... it was fun when i still didn't know much about the area yet..... but it was amazing and we gained 2 new investigators!!!! it was great to learn the area quick and get some work done!

Tuesday night was quite an adventure as we sat in a lesson. i was feeling great and fully into the lesson and the spirit. during the lesson our phone kept going off and we just would ignore it. once we figured the lesson was over we came together to close with a prayer. in the middle of the prayer both our and the investigators phone goes off saying there is a tornado warning..... needless to say we closed the prayer, ran out, and found shelter. thankfully there was no Touchdown near us so all is well. but it was fun because that was my first tornado  warning!!!

Christmas Eve was nice, we had meeting during the day and then got to go to some members house for the evening. they had us join with their Christmas tradition of reading scriptures and listening to Handel's "The Messiah" it was amazing!!!!!!

Christmas we woke up and did presents. at about 1:30 we were lucky enough to go to another members home and Skype our families! that is always a great joy! even if my family are a bunch of Paynes ;) then we stayed with that family most of the day and had fun spending the holidays with them and their family!

Then the very next day we were called in the morning to help with some service.... picking up leaves..... in December. never thought i was going to do that in winter but the weather has been so wacky. it was really nice but we filled 22 bags of leaves that day....... it was a lot!

Then at church we were asked to give talks in Sacrament. now i had one prepared and i really liked it. one might say i had great pride in what i has written. well we all know pride is evil so Heavenly Father had to knock me down a few pegs and i forgot my talk at home that morning...... needless to say, i was humbled.... i only pray that it did turn out good and the message i wanted to convey was made known by the spirit!!!

well that's about all for the week, well i guess i must mention one thing...

Today it is freezing Rain.... it looks like snow but it is not. it is almost Hail and sketchy to drive in. good thing we don't even have the car this week! it will be a lot better to walk. but i figured i would let you know that we finally are getting some kind of winter here in Iowa!

Love ya much!! Eldet Payne

Week Twenty-One 12-21-15

well monday night i received the call that I was to be moving areas! so i am now in Davenport Ia!!!

Monday after i left you i was on an exchange with Elder Migliori and it was so much fun! we had a blast going crazy and doing work at the same time. 

Wednesday we went to the temple since it was technically P-day with transfers! such a good day but so sad knowing i wouldn't be around those missionaries for P-days anymore... 

Thursday was Transfers and i left Keokuk for the last time..... at the meeting i was told that i was to go to Davenport with Elder Stoddard! 

DAvenport is a fun area but a lot different from Keokuk. Here i am in a car share so we use the car every other week. other than that we bike or walk. we did a bit of biking but the bikes kept breaking.... looks like we will walk a lot. but it is safer in the cold weather!

Not much to report on however just a new area!

also my mailing address will be the same. it goes to the mission home and then to me at my new place. however if needed you can simply send things to  2330 E Locust Street Apt 209, Davenport Ia (not sure the zip code). it will go straight to my new place

Love you all and i hope you have a merry CHRISTmas!

Elder Payne

Inflatable Chair with Eder Jenkins and Packing for Transfers

Week Twenty 12-14-15

boy time is going by fast! it seems just like a week ago i was writing last.... wait it was! hahaha but in all honesty it has gone by super fast. 

There has been quite a lot that happened this week that was amazing. first being a simple P-day last Monday. After I left all of you last week i went to the local meetinghouse and played all sorts of games with other missionaries here in the area. we went all out and it was soo much fun. by the end a few of us had carpet burns but that would not stop us from going and doing work!!!!!

Wednesday we had the amazing opportunity of going up to Iowa city and listen to Elder Martino, a member of the 70, as he gave a missionary training. it was such an amazing experience ! Elder Martino spoke to us for over 4 hours!!!! it was crazy good! but we were all spiritually drained after that..

The next day we went to a small little town and was able to find two new people who asked us to come back and teach them more! it was so exciting to see the flame light in their eyes!  with those two new investigators it brought our teaching pool to 9 children of God who we are teaching!

With that said we had weekly planning the next day and it took us 6 hours.... it should only take 2 but we had a lot to talk about. needless to say our brains were fried by the end of it!

to add the cherry on top the next day we found a brand new investigator!!! it was hecka crazy! 

Sunday was a bitter sweet day. i had a lot of energy through the day and was really happy but then i kept thinking that it may be my last sunday with these people... it was very sad to think about but at least there is the Christmas Party the day before transfers!

Well in matters of location moving i am still not aware where i will be this time next week. today is the day that we find out if we leave but i will not receive the call until this evening. it is crazy to think i may be moving areas so soon. I have loved serving in Keokuk and will be sad if i leave but i will go where He wants me to go!

I am so thankful for the gospel and the blessings it brings into my life. i know there is no other place for me to be than serving my mission even if i don't know where exactly that is within my mission boundaries. I am so happy to be able to put on my name tag each morning and stand as a witness of Jesus Christ and his true church!

Love you all so Much!!!!

Elder Payne!

Crazy Logan, Planning and Saying Goodbye to Elder Shelley

Elders Jenkins and Payne, Saying goodbye to the Lymans, and Mission Conference for West Side

Sunsets on the Mississippi

Week Nineteen 12-7-15

I don't know what to say..

 

well this week has been crazy week full of missionary work..... yeah that is the best way to put it.

oh i guess i should put more info! unfortunately not much crazy hapened this week.... it was an "normal" week of a missionary. spent a lot of time finding people and teaching. I am very happy to say that the work is moving forward because we have 8 people we are teaching right now! it makes me so happy to know that that many of God's children are willing to learn how to come closer to him!!! 

The highlight of the week was last night. I was able to go to a member's home and watch the Christmas Devotional! that was amazing and so many things spoke to my heart. each and every portion of it, from the talks, the songs and even the prayers, touched my heart so much! i am so thankful for the priesthood on the earth and for the leaders of this church! they are amazing people and i know that they are called of God! Listen to their words and it will help you in anything you need. They are filled with the spirit and are here to help us in these latter days!

Know i love each and every one of you! i hope you have an amazing week!!

Love

 Elder Payne