Another week gone by Aug.17, 2015

Hello Familia!

So last Tuesday was solid. We had District meeting. We talked about the importance of extending commitments and what commitments we are keeping ourselves. I ended up Giving Elder Black a haircut. I am the go to guy from cutting hair now... I guess I got to by my own set of clippers haha! We had interviews with President Smith later that day. So I walk into my interview and he looks at my shoes and tells me I need to polish them. He then randomly pulls out Minc Oil from his backpack and starts polishing them for me. He makes me polish my right shoe while he did the left. So here we are during an interview polishing my shoes... It was so stinking funny!! He is such a stud though!!! 

We met with Jay C. for the first time in a while on Wednesday. We got to talking about how is "search" is going. He told us that the mormons are still his #1! haha So sick!

Thursday night a single elderly lady from 1st ward took us out to dinner. During dinner she was asking Farney and I what we wanted to do when we got home (even though that is so far for me). After I tell her my plans she says "Now Elder Baldwin, you are an astonishing good looking man, girls are going to be flocking to you when you get home. I know that you will be very successful in what ever career you choose because people will just want to be around your good looks." Uggghhh thanks Sister Loquercio hahahah!!! It was so awkward. Farsnworth was just dying laughing... It was interesting haha! I LOVVVEEEE MY MISSIONNNN!!!!

Thursday night I had a dream that I got called up to the MLB to the Angels. My first at bat I hit a single up the middle. Next batter hit a double off the wall, so I moved to third. I ended up scoring... So sick. So I was playing 3rd on defense. First ball hit to me, I made the routine out. Next ball hit to me.... i made an error. Then I woke up. Worst way to end a dream ever!!! We had a lesson with Brian B. on Firday. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and we actually extended the baptismal invitation. HE ACCPETED IT!! It was so cool!! We have some more lessons to teach him but we are working on setting a date with him right now!!

Saturday was crazy. This member that has been struggling with a lot of things calls us and tells us that he is commit suicide. Oh heck no.... not on my watch. We make him meet us at the church building. he shows us the rope that he is going to hang himself with. i took it from him and put it in my backpack. We went into the building and had such a spiritual experience. It was an aggressive lesson for sure. I can tell that it slapped him in the face... He didn't know what to say and he was embarrassed for his actions. We left the building laughing and joking with him. Definitely thankful that he had the courage to call us. It was so crazy. 

On Sunday we went to go pick up Brian B. for church.. he didnt show up.. AHHH such a bummer! I brought clothes for him to wear because he asked me too and he didnt show up... Ah i was so bummed out! But it is okay!!! After church we went across the street from the church to the Grave families place. Such an awesome Southern Hospitality family. Tim Graves is the biggest Nascar fan... he had the race on and he made us watch it with him haha! NOONE INTERRUPTS THE RACE he says hahah! 

This morning we went out to the beach to go fishing with Dave Liufau and his brothers that are visiting him. It was super sick! This crazy storm came in and hit us. Lightning was striking like 50 feet away from us... ughhh it was time to go hahah!! SO cool though!!!

Well it was a good week! Hope all is well with everyone!! Love you all!! Remember, we are never alone in any situation. There is always ONE being who knows exactly what we are going through. Its just up to our courage, faith, and humility to go to him. 

Love, Elder Baldwin

Me fishing this morning on Pday

Mellow Week Aug. 10, 2015

hello there! Another week and more blessings!!!

My heart just has been full of love and gratitude this week. I love my mission so so much. I never want to come home ;)... sorry mom. There was just something about this week. I was just so at peace and so calm. It was amazing. i loved it.

On Tuesday morning, or really good friend Trenidy Thomas took us to the beach to go running. I ran about a mile and a half and just died... I sat at the shore break and just couldn't breathe haha it was miserable!!! i had the weirdest dream that night. I got home from my mission but I couldn't remember anything from it. i kept asking if i had served a full two years because nothing was coming to my mind about a mission... It was s o weird hahah! on Wednesday night we and the Spanish elders taught English class at the church! It was hilarious! So one of the teachers that is a member started teaching the class how to say "He smoked the weed in his house" I was like nooooo this is not happening right now!! It was so stinking funny! i dont know what gave him the idea to teach Mexicans how to say that in english!!  Not good!

On Thursday I had an awesome personal study. I read from mosiah 15 to Mosiah 22. Such solid chapters. in Chapter 17, Abinadi is burned to death for his "false" teachings. While he was being put into the pit to be burned he told the king that he was about to shed innocent blood. Everything that Abinadi taught, he testified of it's truth and he was not going to take back what he had taught. his foundation was set in Christ and he was immmovable. Such a stud!! Farnsworth's year mark was Thursday so we burned some stuff on our porch at night haha it was tiiigghhhtt!

Friday morning we helped this non member Bill help move. it was cool cuz he collected everything sports! he had a Pete Rose Authentic jersey that was signed.... It was too sick! I almost stole it for you Dad!! ahha! Trenidy picked us up later that day for dinner back at his house!! He made us spaghetti with ribs as the meat... it was bomb!! We had such a solid lesson with him! I lvoe the guy so so much! 

Saturday we had trade offs with the zone leaders. It was super good! Everyone keeps telling me i am going zone leader next transfer... NOOO!! 

Oh man its so rough being over two wards!! Everyone thinks that missionaries are indestructible!! Its quite sressful! So 2nd ward didnt have a gospel principles teacher... In the middle of 1st ward PEC meeting members of 2nd ward pull me out and expect me to drop what I am doing to go teach... I told them i was in the middle of a meeting. Oh they got sooo dang mad! And then i start feling super bad and guilty... it was a mess. the Stevens family finally got back in town! they went on a 4 week vacation! Missed them so much! We went to their place after church and they showed us the billion photos they took haha! looked fun! 

I am so happy today is PDay though!! i love pdays! haha

Hope everyone is doing good! Love you all so so much! 

Love,

Elder Baldwin

Share a Coke with your BRO

Trade off with the Zone Leaders

Amazing Week Aug. 3, 2015

This week was amazing!!! Elder Farnsworth and I killed it! It was so much fun!!!

On Tuesday we got invited as a district to go sing at another nursing home hah! The old people just love us so much!!!! We went and tried to contact potential investigators later that day. We came across this 16 year old girl named Chyann ... SHe answered the door and she was so high! hahah it was so funny! She was so awkward though! We went contacting later that night at a trailer park. Thats Farnsworth and I's gold mine... trailer Park.. we try to hit one every night haha! While we were biking this dude pulls over and yells at me "hey man who gives a *** about our Lord and Savior?" I said "Oh man you need Jesus" He said "NO I DONT" and drove away... sad man..

Wednesday we had a lesson with Allen. The lesson was going so solid. It was so solid that I felt impressed to invite him to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and be baptized... he straight up said "No"..... It was awkward hahahah! it was awesome!!!! We had a lesson with this mid 20's man named Willy. He is straight a thug. he would give Farnsowrht and I this death stare for like a minute straight! It was sketchy!!!

"there are two kinds of people in this world. Those who are acted upon and those who act." I read that during studies one morning. So we got a refferal for this man named David B.. We taught him the first two lessons... After the plan of salvation lesson we asked him how everything was sounding.. he said "you know, it sounds like the things i heard when I was bap[tized." Farney looked at me and we just laughed. The dude was already a member!! We were teaching him like he was an investigator! Bummer!!!!

On Saturday we were supposed to have a lesson with this man Bryan that we met in a trailer park. We biked all the way to his place for him to cancel on us. He told us "man, I dont feel like talking about Jesus while tipping back on some beer is okay" hahah it was so funny! he was so drunk it was great!!!! 

Our investgator Nicole B. showed up to church yesterday! heather R. showed up also!! So cool!!! 

I hope everyone has a great week!!!

John Camp and I

Had to mark my territory on the desk in our apartment

Miracle of the Week July 27,2015

So we got this refferal from our zone leaders for this girl named Heather on Friday. So I gave her a call that day and she answers and we talk for a little bit. She starts texting us like crazy about the Book of Mormon... We were like dang this lady is legit!! She was asking us what scriptures we would have her read so we gave her a ton haha! She then asks us "so when is church?" Oh my gosh Farnsworth and I seriosuly started dancing when we got that message haaha! We gave her the address to the church and she replies with "wow thats only 3 minutes away so there is no excuse to me not going" OHHH MYYY GOSHHHHH!!!! PUMPED!! She showed up to church Sunday... I introduced Heather to the relief society president and she took her around! We met with Heather after church for like an hour and it was so solid!! i loved it so much! It was so powerful! She is definitely going to come back so I can't wait to see how it goes!! I love my mission so much its unreal!!!! 

New Companion July 27, 2015

So i got my new companion! Elder Drew Farnsworth from Mesa Arizona! He is such a stud! I love him so much! We have been doing work already in these past few days together!! We have 3 new investigators and 7 new potential investigators! It's so amazing!! I love it!!!

At transfers President Smith makes me stand up in front of the whole mission and calls me out about my hair hahah! My hair has gotten lighter out here on the mission! He was like elder whats wrong with your hair? I was like Its vitamin D! hahah! he laughed so hard and then had me sit down! It was too funny but so embarrassing!!!

On Thursday we did weekly planning and I had to do it by myslef because Farnsworth doesnt know the area. It was so hard but it was so solid! its crazy that i am over this area already after one transfer! Its super fun though because i get to call the shots ;) 

On Friday we biked like 3 or 4 miles to a return appointment from last week. We gave him a Book of Mormon and set up a lesson for that day. Well we bike to his house and he wasn't there... sweet. I called him but he didnt answer and hasn't called back so i am bummed about that. Dave, in the 1st ward from Anaheim CA, came up to me during volleyball later that night and gives me this big leather Angels A patch! Its the sickest thing ever! I love it so much! I was pumped and still am about it haha!

On Saturday we helped our investigator Nicole move from her little town home to an actual home! Her husband is currently deployed so we did work!!! She was too excited and so great full for our help! She was surprised that we actually do the service we talk oh so much about!! It impressed her a ton! We had a Book of Mormon refferal for this black man named Bernard. he is a boss!!! We were teachiong him in his garage and it was so flipping hot and humid it felt as if we were in a sauna... I felt sweat dripping down my legs.. ahh it was terrible but the spirit was so strong!! We committed him to read Moroni's promise and to find out for himself if the Book is true! 

So we were supposed to have 4 investigators show up for church yesterday... Only one showed up haha. Kind of a big bummer but its okay!! We went and tried to see a guy we contacted on the street last Sunday but he wasn't home, but his niece was! She actually used to take the discussions and SHE set a return appointment with us! Super cool!

Spanish elders spent the night at our place last night and it was a party... of course. We woke up this morning and got some serious pumping done... we are all huge right now! Looking like studs! 

Hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Baldwin

Zone day at the Beach

Me and the Angels "A" patch

July 20, 2015

So we got a call late last night saying that Elders Kalama, and Inbody are getting transferred... and since Elder Miller is going home... I am taking over the area here in Fort Walton Beach.. Crazy because I have only been out for 6 weeks and I am already in charge of an area! I find out who my new companion is this Wednesday so I am super excited and nervous!! I hope he is cool or else I am coming home ;) just kidding!!

Recently I have been getting up at like 6 and getting a solid workout in.. I have seen the biggest change in my days! Its amazing! I just have felt more in tune with the spirit because of how awake I am!

We had an appointment with a less active member Billy...  We went to Buffalo Wild Wings with Brother Brill after for dinner! Super fun!!

Friday we had trade offs with the Spanish elders. Kalama came with miller and I and inbody went to the Spanish side. During personal studies I read the talk "Becoming men and women of integrity" by Tad R. Callister. Such a boss talk!! Everyone should definitely read it!! Kalama Miller and I went to this lady Marsha's house who we had previously met tracting. She would talk and say "You know what God is telling me right now" He is saying: Marsha, everything these boys are teaching is false... I don't need another book to expand the gospel." We were like whhhhaatttt!! The whole conversation she claims God was speaking to her about our "false teachings"... I wanted to be like yeah sorry but that's your self conscience talking hah! She is crazy but I love her!! We thought she was a potential Gator... but nope ha!

We had another BBQ with Wayne and Lima.. They cook the most food ever haha! It was so fun though! The park was super cool but it was infested with bugs which was annoying as heck!!!

Church was good yesterday. Jay met us in the parking lot before church and told us that he is going to go to a different church because he is trying to find the right one for him... It was sad to hear but its okay! He will be back! That's a fact!!! We went tracting and we talked to this catholic lady and she said that we wish we believed in Jesus Christ... I said " Ma'm look whos name is bold on our name tag" She said "Oh" hahah it was funny!

Well it was a good week! I hope you all are doing very good!!!

Love, Elder BALDWIN

Trade offs with Elder Kalama

Big fat blister--EEEWWW!!!

July 13th

Wassup Wassup family!!

So I had my first Zone Training on Tuesday out in NiceVille. Super fun time even though it was 3 hours long haha!! 

On Wednesday I had lunch with Stephanie Given's (from Los Alamitos) parents that live in my area!! Love them so much already! We talked so much! We definitely lost track of time which kind of was bad but it is okay!! haha! We had a solid lesson with Jay later that day! We meet with him every other day now because he handed his company to one of hind friends so he can meet with us more often! Good stuff!! We had dinner at recently baptized Yogi's  house. He cooked us this Deer stew and oh man it was so bomb!! I have to say... It did destroy my stomach haha! 

So on Thursday we were driving around contacting the less actives near our dinner appointments house and we spotted a 6 ft chicken! YES A 6FT CHICKEN! Sickest thing ever! So we went right up the door and knocked to ask if we could take a photo... sadly the lady could care less about what we had to share haha but its okay cuz we got a sick photo!! The chickens name is Rex Goliath haha! SO sick!! 

Friday, I had a super good personal study. I watched The Prophet of the Restoration and then the story of John Tanner. John Tanner is a boss!!!! We went and sung at the old peoples home again and its super cool because some of them are remembering the songs that we sing so they sing along!! We went over to Jays again and taught him the proper prayer technique and then made him pray in front of us haha! AND HE DID!! He said that thats the first time he has prayed out loud! COOL STUFF! We had dinner at the Alba's house and Bro Alba and his son Dawson came and picked us up. I sat in the back next to Dawson in his car seat and he was eating Dorritos... He decides to use my shirt as his napkin so I had Dorritos all over my shirt hahah that little punk!!! 

SO elder kalama crashed his bike and has a hairline fracture in his shoulder hahah! So funny! So he tried to hit this jump on the sidewalk and fell and then his companion falls over him hahahah!! Just a big pile up!!

Jay and his wife Angelica showed up to sacrament meeting and it was so good for them!!! Lima and Wayne showed up to church and I was pumped as ever!! I had to teach Gospel Principles by myself which was very interesting because I got a days notice haha! Good thing the class was participating a lot!! Jay and Angelica had us over for dinner. We had bomb street tacos. We taught them the Restoration and it was so solid. The family was digging it so so hard!!! Baptism is definitely in their heads after the lesson so we are solo happy and excited for them!! 

Well, Thats all for this week!! I love you all and wish you the best for this week!

Love always, Elder Baldwin

6ft Chicken--Rex Goliath

Elder Miller