Snow Storm!!

Hey Mom!

The snow was crazy this weekend! I mean, there was like barely any snow, but we were not allowed to drive anywhere or bike, so we walked for three days! Friday was when it really started, and everything was covered in good snow, it was perfect! And then Saturday it was freezing rain, and it just looked miserable... Everything was slick, and people didn't want to leave their houses. Apparently the government was telling everyone to stay inside! Then they canceled church on Sunday, but it was even that bad outside! Most of the Newport News stake canceled church... oh Virginia!

Jonny's District

My new companion is Elder Sorensen. We get along fairly well... He is super super obedient, like to the "T" on everything. So in a sense that's good right? haha. He's from
Salt Lake City and he's been out for 6 months, but he also went to a year of school at BYU before he left. The one thing I'm nervous about is our relationship we have with the people that we are teaching... I can't believe I've been in Poquoson for a transfer already too! But then again, it's only been one, and I don't know much about the area. The snow didn't help because we were confined to walking around our apartment complexes. But we did a lot of service! And introduced some of the members to Elder Sorensen. The members are so great in this ward! Members are key to doing missionary work.

Jonny And Elder Hailstone

Jonny let his companion cut his hair

I cannot believe that there is a new stake! At least I know everyone in the Stake Presidency! It'll be weird to come back to a new stake President though. I'm so excited for Uncle Kevin! They've got a big job ahead of them but they will be able to do it!

I hope everything goes well with Grandma and Grandpa's house. They have lived in that house for over 50 years! That is crazy.

I'm glad Steven and Raime are doing good! They still put Sisters there in the summer, and Elders there in the winter, I think that might just be regular protocol haha! 

I've been keeping warm! My snow gear is all pretty good, and I don't think I'll need anything new. Oooooo birthday... that's a tough one. My watch broke, so maybe a new watch? And my oil vial also broke (long story) so maybe a new one of those too! And I haven't gotten my iPod yet, is that in the mail? I can't believe Sammy is going to be 17... that is crazy!

This week has felt pretty long but it's been good. Last Monday, when I was still with Elder Hailstone, he sprained his foot when we were with the some other missionaries, so the mission nurse told him to stay off of it. We had to cancel some of our appointments, but still went to the essential ones! But Tuesday, we were in the apartment almost all day, and I was going to a little stir crazy. I was able to put all the members in my new GPS though so that was good. But we finally got to go out on Tuesday and have a lesson with one of our investigators, who is doing super well! We finally talked about the law of chastity, and we're hoping that he can see the importance of it. He was also really sad to see Elder Hailstone go. But he's happy that at least I'm staying. I love Ted, he's so cool!

Wednesday was a super cool experience. WE had a World Wide mission training broadcast for every missionary in the world! Every single one of us was watching the broadcast at the exact same time. The title was "Teach Repentance, and Baptize Converts". I learned a lot from that, and It's always nice to hear trainings from the General Authorities who don't use the "Missionary Voice" when they teach. The power of the spirit doesn't change depending on how we talk! But after that broadcast, we had transfers take place, and I hung out in Portsmouth with a temporary companion for 4 hours until Elder Sorensen got up from North Carolina. We tracted, and tracted. and tracted. We actually got a lot of names and phone numbers so it was pretty nice!

I already talked about the snow, but it was super fun, and then it wasn't super fun... I slipped so many times on the ice! But I didn't fall! Until today when I was walking to go email... haha! We didn't have any investigators at sacrament meeting because well... there was no church! I hope that they will be able to come to church next week! It's been a pretty crazy week, but nothing that I can't handle. You see so many crazy things on a mission!

Something that stood out in my studies the other day was in 2 Nephi 33:4, and I've decided to ponderize that scripture this week. "And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal." The part stood out was the first sentence "I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people." Just that simple testimony that Nephi puts in there. I can add my testimony to Nephi's. I know that prayers are answered. I also know that the rest of the scripture is true, as long as those things that we have "written" or spoken, are about Jesus Christ, those things will be made strong. The Spirit will be there! 

I love being on a mission, even though it is hard. No work is more gratifying than this. 

I love you Mom, and I'm so grateful for the example that you and Dad have set for me! The church is true!

Talk to you next week.

Love, your son,

Elder Collier