25 February 2013

What a week!!!!

First off it snowed like 6 inches the other day!!  It was fun!  We had a big snow ball fight! Walking around in the snow wasn't the best but it’s all good!  The snow melted within two days and now it feels like summer here!  The weather is so weird here!!!

So the big miracle for the week is AJ and Alyssa's step dad, Scott is now set for baptism for March 23rd!!  It’s great!  Monday night he asked us if we could come over and talk with him, so we did.  We ended up sharing the restoration and talked a lot about baptism.  He told us that he has been thinking a lot about baptism especially in our church.  So we committed him to baptism!  Then he told us that the reason that Elder Scholes and I stayed is to baptize him!  It was really cool!! 

AJ gets the priesthood this week some time!  He is so excited to be able to pass the sacrament! That family is doing so great!  I love them a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so glad that I stayed in Tehachapi!  I’m glad that I’m able to teach Scott now and help his family all come unto this true gospel. 

So the mission is splitting!!!  I’m excited about it, wouldn't mind staying in the Bakersfield mission because I started my mission there but I would like to stay in the Ventura mission because I spent the most time on the coast ... but I’ll only have a month left when it happens ... oh well!

Well family I love you all!!!  Hope all is well.

Elder Blake Garrett

AJ & Alyssa Baptism

18 February 2013

Well I’m staying in Tehachapi!!!!!!! And I’m staying with Elder Scholes!!!  I’m so excited.  This transfer is going to be the best transfer ever!!  Let me tell you why!

So last Saturday was AJ and Alyssa's baptism!  It went so well, they had a lot of family there and a lot of the ward came out.  The spirit was really strong and touched everyone that was there ... including the nonmember step dad of AJ and Alyssa!!  He was really feeling it and now is interested in learning more!!  We are meeting with him and the family tonight!!  Plus he already told his wife (a member) that he would come to church!!!  I’m really excited about it!  I really want to help complete the family!!!

Yesterday we were walking to our dinner appointment and we saw this young couple walking down the street, they were pushing a stroller and had a little girl with them as well.  Before we could start talking to them they started talking to us!!!  We brought up families and how we believe they can and will be eternal.  Then they asked us to come by!  But they said give them a week or two, so in my head I was thinking oh great another person not interested ... but they said they just had a baby like a day and a half ago and they need time to settle in and stuff!  It was perfect!!!  I’m so excited to go and teach them now!

Good things are happening in our area!  I’m so excited and happy to see what happens!! 

It sounds like all of you are doing well!  I’m glad that things back home are so great!  I love you all and miss you tons.  Time is going so fast now!  Within no time I will be back home with all of you!!!

Love Elder Garrett

11 February 2013

Hello family!!!!

So the baptism went really well!  The whole ward showed up for it and supported her!  That is awesome. The spirit was so strong there!  Her nonmember parents were there and during the baptism I saw them tearing up, they were feeling the spirit there big time!  So we are hoping soon that we will be able to unit them as a family in the gospel! 

This Saturday we have the baptism of AJ and Alyssa!  They are doing so good!  They understand everything and are really excited to be baptized!  Their uncle from out of town is coming to do the actual baptism and confirmation!  It’s going to be really good!  I’m so excited for them! 

Next week is transfers!!  I can’t believe it, time is going by so fast here!  I’m really enjoying the people here and the town!  It’s a small town and everyone is so nice! 

So last Wednesday we went on an exchange, I went down to Bakersfield!!!  It was awesome to be back!!!  I really have missed that place.  We had such a good day!  We taught tons of lessons and set a few people with a date!  The missionary I was with was new into the mission and had what we call "Greenie Fire!!"  It was nice to feel the excitement of a new missionary again and work really hard! 

I’m doing great!  Things out here are perfect!  I have a good companion and a great area! 

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!!! 

Love you all,

Elder Garrett

Riley Baptism

Blake and Elder Tincher

Blake with Amanda and David in Santa Barbara (she was baptized a week ago)

4 February 2013

Hello!!!!

This week was a fun week! 

Elder Scholes had a birthday and we were able to go down to the temple on Wednesday, I love the temple and the spirit found in it.  I learn so much every time Ii go there! I was lucky to have a companion who had a birthday this last month.  On the way back our driver fell asleep and we almost crashed ... and then 5 minutes later we got a flat tire .... so we got stuck at a Costco in Lancaster for like a hour or so ... It was an eventful day!!! haha

We also taught AJ and Alyssa, we shared the plan of salvation. We drew it out on a chalk board so they would be able to visualize it and understand it better. They started asking a lot of questions that would lead into the next points of the lesson!  It was perfect.  I love those two kids! And they came to church this week!  That is a miracle! OH ... and CHURCH happened to be a special stake conference where Na apostle of the lord spoke to us!  We were able to have elder L Tom Perry speak to us through satellite. 

Elder Perry talked about missionary work and pretty much called out the members for not giving referrals to us the missionaries. It was funny!  So I’m hoping and praying that the members will listen!!!  He also spoke about the future of missionaries. How there will be at least one set of missionaries in each ward soon!  It was pretty awesome!

This Saturday we are having the baptism of Riley, she made her own baptismal program and everything!  She is so excited to get baptized.  It’s going to be this Saturday at 12.  It’s good because one of the members that she is close to is going to baptize her, and he happens to be in the bishopric.  She will have a really strong fellowship in the ward now because of that and will be more likely to stay active!!

The other day we got asked to help someone move by the other missionaries.  So we went over and there was no one there helping this couple and her two friends move.  Everyone was busy because it was super bowl weekend ... so because they liked us and wanted to pay us back they invited us over for dinner.  It was fun!  Everyone was getting along really well and they were asking questions about the church and stuff.  One of them knew a lot about the church and seemed really excited we were over.  So later I felt the spirit tell me to ask him if he is a member, he started tearing up and whispered yes ... and that he has been less active for like 30 some odd years, he wants to come back now.  It was such a testimony builder to me on how the spirit really works!

Well family! I love you all so much and miss you tons!!!  I can’t wait to see you all in 6 months!!!!!

Love Elder Blake Garrett