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!
