Week 7 | Aug. 29, 2016

Zone

Email from Conner about Simon

Conner’s mission president gave him permission to write home about Simon’s passing.  Here is his email.

President Clark is allowing me to respond home in correspondence to this incident. This just makes my heart ache. How is his family doing? Please give me updates on the family and let me know if I can help in any way! We are all given the same amount of time in a day but not in a lifetime! I learned a lot yesterday about using our time wisely and how important it is to use our timely wisely while on a mission and in life! Time is a blessing of God--let us not miss a moment to say I love you and treasure that time spent with those we love! I hope you all know how much I love you all!!! I hope you do as I have and rely on our Savior for help through this time of trial! I know that we have a just and loving Father in Heaven who judges us on our hearts! Simon had a good heart and I think anyone who met him will agree! I will miss him but I know I will see him again and that he is in a place where he isn't alone, lost, or depressed--he is surrounded by those who love and care about him! I encourage you all to stop focusing on how you feel but help others understand the amazing principle of the Plan of Salvation! I'm not worried because I know this true! I know we have a Savior that wants to help us and will if we turn to him through faith and prayer! I love you all! Update me please! Big hugs!!

Elder Conner Tracy 

Week 6 | Aug. 22, 2016

What an absolutely amazing week it has been!!!  It has been car week so we got a lot more work done this week which is so refreshing!  This week has been very unusual starting with exchanges on Tuesday!  I love exchanges and the miracles that come from them!  I really focused on faith during this exchange with Elder Lyon!  He is from Germany and is just a really funny, really friendly guy and such an amazing missionary!  So anyway, I was in Daytona North and we prayed to have strong faith and to see miracles that day.  We did this in every single prayer!!!  It was amazing!!! Well, my testimony grew in leaps and bounds in that 24 hour period!  Miracles truly happened!  And I was able to teach with power unlike every before!  We taught 10 lessons, put in 2 hours of service at this homeless shelter and I was able to commit 2 individuals to baptism!!!   It was amazing!!!   Well it wasn't really me it was the spirit that came as I testified of the truthfulness of this amazing gospel!!!   It was amazing!!!!  I grew to love those people so much within just one meeting with them!!!  It was crazy I would turn to Elder Lyon and say I have faith we can teach 3 people at this apartment complex, we'd go in start teaching an investigator and then out of no where two other people walk by and join in the lesson.... Or Elder Lyon prayed for a upgrade on his guitar... And what do you know some random dude gave him this $250 guitar as a gift... It was old and needed a fix up but it was mind blowing to see how God was sending people our way left and right and how he answered EVERY SINGLE PRAYER that day!!!  Even a silly plea for a guitar....

The next day we had district meeting and I learned that my cousin Simon had passed away! It was really hard but I was comforted throughout the day.  It's hard to explain how I was feeling but I wasn't alone!  I thought about it and realized every reason I had to be sad were all selfish reasons!  I know that I'll see him again and that our Heavenly Father has a plan for him and each of us!  Simon was needed in the spirit world and I know he is doing missionary work there just like I am here!  The rest of the week I was blessed with so many people to teach, I didn't have much time to dwell on it I just knew it was part of God's plan!

We had a trainer follow-up on Thursday and I got to see Elder Fine again which was super nice and I learned a lot about faith... Again!!!On Friday WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!!! I love the temple!  We had to wake up at 4:00am to get there for our session but it was amazing to be there with so many missionaries!  The celestial room was filled with the spirit stronger than I have felt ever before!!!  Well, I wish I had more time!  We had an amazing experience with our investigator on Sunday but I'll save it for next weeks email! Cause it's AWESOME!!! But, we are going to go play some more street ball and hopefully teach a lesson to them after.  We have to bike there so I got to go... Just know I LOVE this gospel!  I know that if we have the faith that miracles will happen, then miracles WILL happen!

The church is so true and I love it, don't forget it!

Elder Tracy