Sunday, October 29, 2017

Jacob's happenings in July

July 2, 2017

   
Thats so exciting how many young peoples are going on the missions! It's going to be pretty crazy soon, when Elder Williamson gets home then me and Elder Montandon will be the only missionaries from or ward for a time! It's been so great being able to serve around him. We've hung out every P-day and i see him on Wednesdays, and its so cool to see his progression in the gospel. He has matured a lot. Sadly, he has a really difficult companion right now who loves to sleep in and who isn’t very diligent, but he's hanging in there. 
     
So the pictures, the one with me throwing an ax throwy thing. I went on exchanges this past Wednesday, and we were at a less actives member home, and we threw those! It was pretty sweet! That exchange was pretty amazing. We went out and did work, and we found how elect Albemarle is! I see such great potential here! The other picture is of me retrieving a frisbee from a roof. It was very scary lol, but i had a lot of big missionaries help me up.
     
The members here are amazing too. They are very friendly and the love the missionaries. They help out a lot with the missionary effort, and deal a lot with us. The bishop is a pretty cool guy as well. He is from Czechoslovakia and is the sweetest guy you could meet.  
     
My new companion is great. Hes a very punny guy and we get along well. Its going to be sad to see him go in a few weeks. I just want to help him to sprint to the end so he could be as strong as possible when he enters back into the world. Something else new! My MTC companion, the one that went home early, is engaged now! It's so weird cuz he was my age, and my companion, and he's probably going to have a kid before i get back! So that’ll be cool to see.
   
I saw that Ash met one of my friends from EFY! How did she like it? That’s nice to hear that they were asking about me.
   
Little spiritual thought. We were talking in Sunday school yesterday about the word remember. Ezra Taft Benson said that remember is the most important word in the dictionary. Its even said in the sacrament prayer twice. So a little assignment. As you read the book of Mormon, point out how many times it says remember, then apply it to you by thinking what things you need to remember. I love you all and I’ll talk to soon!


-Elder Beaulieu






July 10, 2017

This week started off amazingly on Wednesday. We went on exchanges with the Elders in Concord, and we got to light a paper lantern that night! It was amazing, I didn’t think those actually worked! The next day, I got to be with Elder Fox, an Elder I came out with. Sadly we did not have a car, so we walked a total of 6 miles that day, and it was hot too! Our Zone leader recommended getting a something called the witch doctor from a nearby restaurant! I got really excited because i was hungry, and this sounded like a fancy burger. Well, we walked the 2 miles to get there, and it turned out to be a mix of cheerwine (famous soda of the south) + Lemon + Pickle Juice. It was nasty, hence our faces. Not worth walking 2 miles for.

    On the way home, my companion picked up one of our AP's. He’s a unique case, only for this transfer, there are 3 AP's. and his job is to go on exchanges, basically the whole transfer. It was great to have him, i learned a lot from him, and we got a lot of work done together!

      Thursday, we had interviews with President. It was probably the most powerful interview I’ve been in. Not any special reason, but the Spirit was really strong in that room. We had district meeting right after, and that was a very powerful district meeting as well! That was an overall amazing day. 

      I also got to ride around on my tricycle for a while, which is tough! You gotta move your legs so fast to get going on that thing! 

      The picture at the top, is my MTC companion, the one that went home. And we found out that he is engaged! It's so weird, everyone here that knew him is freaking out! But im excited for him! 

      Some new things that have happened:
-I got a haircut! As you can see its very short now, but I like it! :)
-Today, I started a diet! I have a plan and everything! I started by buying a lot of healthy food and healthy snacks!
-This Saturday we, as a mission, are starting a reading challenge. Starting 6/15->11/10 we will be reading the Book of Mormon, studying the Christlike attributes. 

Recently, something I’ve been learning about, is who we were before this life, and even more of who I was. Also, more about what’s going to happen after this life as well. I've also been able to get good study habits started, which i think will be one of the most important things when I get home. I've learned to love the scriptures, and I’m understanding them a lot better. I'm looking forward to what more treasures and waiting on my mission.

It's so crazy to think that my birthday's coming up soon! I'm also about to hit my 10 month mark on Saturday! I love the mission so much, and it's going by so fast. The sad part is that I heard after the year mark, it only goes by faster. I’ve learned so much so far, and I’m becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I love you all and hope yall had fun in Colorado!

-Elder Beaulieu












July 17, 2017

Hello Family!

I got the package! Thank you so much! The extensions should work, but I haven’t driven with them yet, because my comp is still the designated driver. It's so crazy that I’ll be dropping him off at the mission office 2 weeks from tomorrow to go home! It's kinda weird having a companion who’s just about to go home, it makes me think about home a little, but I’m still focused on the work! The shorts fit as well! 

      This last week was great, but a little slow. Nothing too crazy happened, except my companion got food poisoning. He was in another area on exchanges, and a member had taken them to golden corral. The night he got back he was on the toilet all night, and it wasn’t pretty. So the next couple days we spent around the house until he felt better. It was kinda a bummer not being able to go out to work at all, but I was able to get a lot of extra studying done!

      Our mission just started another Book of Mormon read, I may have already told you this, but were reading it with an emphasis on the Christlike attributes! We recently started, but I’m already learning a lot from it! That's something I wish I could’ve gotten more into back home, was reading more. It really helps a lot all around. And I love the promise President Monson gave regarding it, and I’ve found it to be true:
   
 "I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."
     
 My whole mission I was always worried about not being the best I could, or going home and going less active. But the biggest difference I’ve seen from those powerful missionaries, and those that are just here, is their quality of prayer and diligence in reading the Book of Mormon. Our mission President always repeats, that the Book of Mormon combined with the Spirit is our most powerful tool in the conversion process. And I’ve developed a hopefully lifelong habit of reading it every day, and I know that as yall do it as well, you will see President Monson’s promise come to pass in your lives. I love yall, and I just thought I’d end with that spiritual thought! Have a great week!

-Elder Beaulieu










July 24, 2017


Hello Again Family! 

Much has happened this week, so that is good! I drop off my companion at the mission office a week from tomorrow, which is crazy. It's weird for me, even though it's not me going home, it feels kinda strange lol. 
   
This past Thursday we had an amazing Zone Conference. Our mission President showed us a clip from the last mission presidents training in the MTC, and I think everyone will agree when I say it was the best missionary talk. It was pretty great, talking mainly about having the companionship of the Spirit. Really showing the missionaries how important it is to have the Spirit when teaching. After that me and Elder Montandon went on exchanges again! We spent the time in my area this time, and I drove! It was kinda scary at first, but I drove the trip to zone conference both ways, which was an hour drive each ways, so i got pretty confident afterwards. We were able to have dinner at a wonderful family’s house. They loved me an Elder Montandon and fit right in with our personalities. We did see some other pretty amazing people on the exchange, but sadly, it had to end. 
     
This Sunday was pretty amazing. There was nothing special to it, but it was very spiritual to me. I think it was because I started preparing for the sacrament earlier in the week, but it was amazing. There was a wonderful turnout, and we learned about the importance of hard work in Sunday school. Which was something I really struggled with at home, and I think I’ve improved a lot since I’ve came on the mission! It's definitely an attribute I need to keep working on, but the mission field is the best place to do that. 
     
 Happy Birthday Dad! I hope you had an amazing birthday even though you didn't have all the kids. Only 1 more birthday without me then ill be there! It's crazy that your already 47, and that’s great how you’re going the extra distance in your calling with the little ones. I hope for you to have an amazing nother year!
     
And bro has a girlfriend? That's so crazy! I so happy for you Brother! That's really weird to think that your dating someone, but keep in mind, you have brother. You can put that out there to all your other friend girls, especially the single part. Ya know, your getting kinda old brother, you think it's about time for marriage yet? Do you think shes the one? lol
     
Mother! I'm sorry that you’ve been feeling so sick! Ya'll have been in my prayers every night, so I hope that’ll help. And I know what you said is very true. The book of Mormon does help will all of that. I have seen the difference, and I know how much of an importance it is to us now. So even though sometimes it’s tough, keep reading! There are wonderful blessings in store!
     
 And Sister! Idk when you'll hear this since your gone, but you’re going back to high school pretty soon right!? That's insane that you'll be a sophomore! Just think, at the start of not this school year, but next, I’ll be home! And then I can take your spot as mascot! Speaking of that, are you excited to go back to mascoting? 
      I Love you all, and hope you’re doing the best! 

-Elder Beaulieu



Excerpt from Elder Greg Montandon’s letter

“And then we had an exchange with the district leader so my companion went with the district leader and I went with the one and only Elder Beaulieu.... we first got back to the apartment and went straight to work using a new tool called smart sort it finds those who have ever gone to church or previously had baptismal dates so we contacted this lady who had been off the radar for a whole year and we started teaching and by the end of the lesson she was excited she was very vocal and ghetto but southern mixed with Baptist she was like preaching....let’s just say the spirit was working with her and she yelled "I KNEW MY PASTOR WAS WRONG" and said she knew there was a need of a restoration so I used my ghetto side to really connect with her and she was giving me handshakes and stuff it was the best anyways and then we went to a dinner appointment and of course me and Elder Beaulieu and I got along we these members a lot we just clicked with them they thought we rehearsed the dinner but it's just we grew up together so it just clicks.... if him and I were companions everyone would be in trouble they would need to build another church building! Him and I just click! Elder Beaulieu shared the book of Mormon challenge going through the mission and then I felt prompted to share the temples and family pamphlet and turns out a couple of the family members aren't members but after our lesson they really wanted to be so I hope they get baptized and go to the temple because they are amazing.

Friday we got up and just went straight back in to the grind with Elder Beaulieu and went visiting and contacting as many people as we could and we found a lot of potential went knocked for a while in the heat and stumbled upon some Part-Member families and it was good.”




July 31, 2017



First off, I drop off my companion tomorrow morning at the mission home! But before I talk about the rest of the crazies this week, I'll tell you about the week.

This last week we have found a lot of people to be teaching in the future! So many people just came out of nowhere, I think whoever is coming here is going to be a spiritual powerhouse because the Lord is preparing the area for him. Nothing too crazy happened... except I got a little boo boo... little. 😅 don't worry though! My companion played doctor, and it seems to be healing well so we don't have to see a doctor! Everything else is just normal missionary things, except this week was weird because my companion was preparing to go home. It made me think of home a little, but I'm still not trunky so it's good! Now this is what I was excited to tell you about, all kinda dealing with the results of the transfer news

Crazy #1: Coming into this district, and finding out Elder Montandon was here was so exciting! But he had already been here a little while, so I was sure he would only get 1 transfer together. However, he was called to be a trainer! Meaning, we should be together for 2 more transfers which is so amazing!

Crazy #2: my companion is going home, which is really weird. Just seeing a missionary getting ready to go home. And this is the wow part. So I do not know my new companion yet, and usually I should, but...... I'm training too! I was so excited to get the call, but also a little nervous, just really I felt everything, couldn't really describe it lol.

Crazy #3: Out of the 3 companionships in the district, 3 people are training. That means half the district will be brand new missionaries. It's gonna be pretty crazy for the district leader, he's got a lot of influence. Teaching 3 brand new missionaries in district meetings, while still doing his own training. So the crazy point I'm getting to, is.... I am the district leader too 

     It's gonna be tough this next transfer, and I will most likely be spending a lot of time on my knees. But I am excited to see the Lord use me for the growth of these missionaries. I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing, it throughout my mission I have grown a strong testimony of those called by church leaders, are truly called by the Lord. I have confidence he will use me in the way he needs, even if I make a lot of mistakes. 

I hope all is well at home! I have missed y'all quite a bit more recently, since my companion had me thinking about home lol. Y'all have constantly been in my prayers and I am looking forward to hearing from you today!

-Elder Beaulieu

-> it was Elder Montandons birthday yesterday and I made a cake for him! I don't know how to do frosting though
-> my comp and bishop

The other pictures are from the ward mission leader who texted us last night. He says he’s enjoying working with the elders!