Hello Everyone,

 

So this week was great we had the opportunity to go to one of our new district leaders district meetings!  Elder Young who is in Wide Ruins!  It was great he is an awesome leader and he will do a great job!  He is also from Idaho Falls, ID!  He trained about how to build companionship unity!  it was great!  I think it was awesome because almost everyone in our zone got a new companion this last transfer so it helped us out a lot!  I don't think Elder Young knows it but he might be doing that same training at the next zone training haha but all in all it was great!  Then the highlight of the week was definitely getting to go to Farmington and listen to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on Saturday!  As me and Elder Gnehm went in and sat down I started looking around and all of the sudden I saw my Lukachukai friends there!  The Daines were there that was so cool to see them I have missed them so much and also paige norcross was there and what was so cool to see was Alison was there as well!  Alison is the girl who got baptized in march when I was in Lukachukai!  It was so special to see someone you taught the gospel to sitting in a meeting with you with Elder Holland!  We were able to have Elder Robins there of the presidency of the 70 and Elder Catcher who is in the chorum of the 70!  Elder Holland was so amazing to listen too!  It was cool to see when he walked into the room we all stood up and just watched him walk up to the stand!  That feeling was awesome! Elder Holland spoke and man he is a powerful speaker!  I took lots of notes that I will never forget as long as I live!  One thing he talked about that stuck in my mind was he said the phrase that "we are our own first convert" if we are not willing to convert ourselves fully to the gospel how do we expect to convert others!  He also mentioned that that is the number one priority of why we go on missions is to convert ourselves and by so doing it will convert our future families, wife, kids, etc.! The most powerful thing that he said to me was when he was closing he bore such a strong testimony he talked about how the church cant afford to lose one single one of us and how we shouldn't ever question going home from our mission early he stressed over and over again how important we are to this work!  Then he said this and this is what I will never forget for as long as I live he said "we cannot afford to lose one of you."  Then he pounded the pulpit not even kidding and in the most loving loud voice he said "salvation is at stake not only in your life but the lives of those you are sent to find" then with a finger pointing right at us he said "if at any time your testimony weakens I want you to fall on mine" then he testified of the savior and the church so powerfully and the words that I have had stuck in my mind ever since then is when he said "I DID NOT GIVE MY LIFE FOR A FAIRYTALE" he said "this work is real and I would not be here if it wasn't"  That phrase I did not give my life for a fairytale struck me Elder Holland has been an apostle for a long time now he has given a large part of his life to the church! He wouldn't just do it for a fairytale so that was cool!  I love Elder Holland!  It was awesome!  Anyway I heard there was some change back home to the stake presidency and all I can say is it sounds like a great stake presidency I am excited to be able to meet them here in a couple months! I would like to thank President Anderson, Hillman, and Thompson for all that they have done They have done a lot for the stake and they will be missed!  I would also like to thank Bishop day for what he has done for the Thomas 6th ward he and bishop Mathews are part of the reason im out here on a mission today so thank you for that you will be missed!  Hope all is well take care and have a great week!

 

Love Elder Rushton