Whats up everyone!
Well greetings from nothing but rain Ruston, Louisiana! And what a crazy week it has been. It feels like I start many of my weekly letters like that, but they all seem to go faster, and get crazier as the months progress. Crazy factoid of the day, I hit 10 months today. Doesn't seem real! But hey, when your having fun time flies or something like that!
So since being here in Ruston, a lot has happened. With the opening of an area, things usually take a minute or two to get going, but this area is prepared for success before I even got here. That was made apparent to me when we got here. One of the first things that we did when we first got here, was try to contact some of the people who the sisters had been working with, but were now people on our half of Ruston. One of the people who they were teaching was Isaiah. Isaiah is the son of lady who was baptized exactly three years ago on Valentines day. So when we got to Ruston about three weeks before the fourteenth of February, Isaiah as well as his mother were hoping that he, Isaiah, could be baptized on the three year anniversary of his mothers baptism. We were happy to work with them, and on February 14th he was baptized. It was so amazing to spend Valentines day the BEST way that I know how! And what made it even more amazing was that Isaiah asked Elder Rose to baptize him. It was so amazing to see how excited Elder Rose was when Isaiah asked him. So it was a highlight for both of us. And before I forget, congrats to Future Elder Caleb Reber, and his call to serve in California! Congrats! I am sure that you will love it just as your cousins now serving, love their respective areas. As for me and Elder Rose, we keep working hard, and continue to do all that we can to bring more people to the restored gospel. It is a pleasure to serve each and every day!
~Elder Maddox
Monday, February 25, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
A Picture!
I received this picture today from Steven's mission President's wife, Sis. McDonough. I love it!
It made my day! ~Lisa
It made my day! ~Lisa
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| Elder Maddox and Elder Rose |
Monday, February 4, 2013
Letter #35 (Ruston, LA)
What up World,
First off, sorry for my lack of letter last week, we were on an adventure to Shreveport with the senior couple, The States. They were dying to make a Golden Corral run and they were so kind as to invite Elder Rose and myself with them. And once we got back it was about 3 and we had appointments for the rest of the day. It was a lot of fun, but at the same time, one of the stranger moments of my life to date. See, Shreveport is where I was trained. Almost 10 months ago. And so to go back to Shreveport and have the thought running through my head, plus to be with a companion that I am training...crazy. It was almost as if it had all come full circle. It felt like maybe two days passed since I left, when in actuality it was nearly six months. People often say live each day as if it's your last, and out here on the mission that cliche has taken a new effect. Because rather than my time being cut short due to an injury and what not, my time will be cut short because the time goes by way too fast. So word to those of you getting close to going, keep in mind that looking forward will seem like forever, but the day to day goes by way too fast. As for the area of Ruston, Elder Rose and I have spent almost all of our time knocking on doors, and working with less actives. We are still getting going as far as investigators and working with the ward. The sisters who we split the city with had one investigator named Isiah who we took over the teaching for. He has a baptismal date for the 14th of February, which is exactly three years to the day that his mom was baptized. Very cool family that we are very blessed to work with. As for back home I heard that my little brother Travis started working on his papers yesterday. Absolutely amazing. The work is truly hastening and those who get to be apart of it will be talked about for eternity to come.
~Elder Maddox
First off, sorry for my lack of letter last week, we were on an adventure to Shreveport with the senior couple, The States. They were dying to make a Golden Corral run and they were so kind as to invite Elder Rose and myself with them. And once we got back it was about 3 and we had appointments for the rest of the day. It was a lot of fun, but at the same time, one of the stranger moments of my life to date. See, Shreveport is where I was trained. Almost 10 months ago. And so to go back to Shreveport and have the thought running through my head, plus to be with a companion that I am training...crazy. It was almost as if it had all come full circle. It felt like maybe two days passed since I left, when in actuality it was nearly six months. People often say live each day as if it's your last, and out here on the mission that cliche has taken a new effect. Because rather than my time being cut short due to an injury and what not, my time will be cut short because the time goes by way too fast. So word to those of you getting close to going, keep in mind that looking forward will seem like forever, but the day to day goes by way too fast. As for the area of Ruston, Elder Rose and I have spent almost all of our time knocking on doors, and working with less actives. We are still getting going as far as investigators and working with the ward. The sisters who we split the city with had one investigator named Isiah who we took over the teaching for. He has a baptismal date for the 14th of February, which is exactly three years to the day that his mom was baptized. Very cool family that we are very blessed to work with. As for back home I heard that my little brother Travis started working on his papers yesterday. Absolutely amazing. The work is truly hastening and those who get to be apart of it will be talked about for eternity to come.
~Elder Maddox
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Letter #34 (Ruston, LA)
Whats up world??
Alright so a change of scenery has taken place! I left Arkansas and got put back into Louisiana to open up Ruston to Elders. For those of you who are Jazz fans, you will find this cool. Ruston is home to none other than Karl "the mail man" Malone, and rumor has it that he enjoys having the missionaries over for the occasional dinner, so I will make sure to get some pictures during that dinner appointment. In addition to opening up Ruston, President McDounough has given me the opportunity to train again. Elder Rose is an 18 year old missionary from Richfield Utah, and is very excited to get going. Although I always enjoy going to new area's and meeting new people, leaving Ashdown was a bit difficult for me. So many memories, so many friendships took place in my three months up there, and truly, I was expecting a bit more time, maybe another transfer or two. Leaving was difficult, I found myself questioning if I had done all that I could, if I couldn't had worked just a little bit harder. I guess you start to get a bit sentimental when life changes huh? But the most amazing thing happened as Elder Jasperson and I were leaving. I felt the Spirit like crazy, testifying to me that it was indeed my time to go, and more than that, that I had done what I was supposed to accomplish there. What an amazing feeling to know I had fulfilled my mission, at least a few months of it, and to know Christ was pleased with my progress. What a blessing that was. I am really looking forward to these next couple of months with Elder Rose here in Ruston, and hope that when the time comes, that same Spirit will say "well done thy good and faithful servant."
~Elder Maddox
Alright so a change of scenery has taken place! I left Arkansas and got put back into Louisiana to open up Ruston to Elders. For those of you who are Jazz fans, you will find this cool. Ruston is home to none other than Karl "the mail man" Malone, and rumor has it that he enjoys having the missionaries over for the occasional dinner, so I will make sure to get some pictures during that dinner appointment. In addition to opening up Ruston, President McDounough has given me the opportunity to train again. Elder Rose is an 18 year old missionary from Richfield Utah, and is very excited to get going. Although I always enjoy going to new area's and meeting new people, leaving Ashdown was a bit difficult for me. So many memories, so many friendships took place in my three months up there, and truly, I was expecting a bit more time, maybe another transfer or two. Leaving was difficult, I found myself questioning if I had done all that I could, if I couldn't had worked just a little bit harder. I guess you start to get a bit sentimental when life changes huh? But the most amazing thing happened as Elder Jasperson and I were leaving. I felt the Spirit like crazy, testifying to me that it was indeed my time to go, and more than that, that I had done what I was supposed to accomplish there. What an amazing feeling to know I had fulfilled my mission, at least a few months of it, and to know Christ was pleased with my progress. What a blessing that was. I am really looking forward to these next couple of months with Elder Rose here in Ruston, and hope that when the time comes, that same Spirit will say "well done thy good and faithful servant."
~Elder Maddox
Monday, January 7, 2013
Letter #33 (Ashdown, AR)
Alright,
So first of all I apologize for missing last week's letter, but it was New Years Eve, and our day was booked!! We only had about 20 minutes to use the computer at a members because our little library was closed. So I will make up for two weeks I guess. I guess I need to start at Christmas cause that was the last anyone heard of me. Well after talking to the family for a while, I got a little emotional, and a little homesick. Which is to be expected I guess. It was weird to see everyone living their life, and to see that everyone was still the same, but just a little older. Travis was still goofy, the girls cute as ever, and even though Big Al was as tall as momma, he was still little big Al. But like I was saying, emotions were right on the surface. And then something amazing happened. A tender mercy to say the least. I walked outside and there was about 6 inches of snow on the ground. Now here in Arkansas, that doesn't happen. Maybe an inch or two that will stick till the morning. Not a Utah storm. When I saw the snow, it was almost as if God was giving me a little bit of home. Something to make me realize that while home feels far away, I wasn't alone. It was amazing to be able to have a snowball fight, and to have something to take my mind off of missing the family.
The second thing that I wanted to talk about is the outpouring of love and support from both family members and friends. It seemed that everyday we had multiple letters and multiple packages. The mail lady was pretty amazed just how much we received. It amazed us as well. I will do my best at responding to letters, but as my family can attest too, I am not the best and writing back. But thats a perfect resolution, so letter may be flying! Once again I love you, I pray for you, and I hope this new year is one of learning, and one of happiness. The way I see it, the world didn't end in December, so every day from here on in is a gift!
Elder Maddox
So first of all I apologize for missing last week's letter, but it was New Years Eve, and our day was booked!! We only had about 20 minutes to use the computer at a members because our little library was closed. So I will make up for two weeks I guess. I guess I need to start at Christmas cause that was the last anyone heard of me. Well after talking to the family for a while, I got a little emotional, and a little homesick. Which is to be expected I guess. It was weird to see everyone living their life, and to see that everyone was still the same, but just a little older. Travis was still goofy, the girls cute as ever, and even though Big Al was as tall as momma, he was still little big Al. But like I was saying, emotions were right on the surface. And then something amazing happened. A tender mercy to say the least. I walked outside and there was about 6 inches of snow on the ground. Now here in Arkansas, that doesn't happen. Maybe an inch or two that will stick till the morning. Not a Utah storm. When I saw the snow, it was almost as if God was giving me a little bit of home. Something to make me realize that while home feels far away, I wasn't alone. It was amazing to be able to have a snowball fight, and to have something to take my mind off of missing the family.
The second thing that I wanted to talk about is the outpouring of love and support from both family members and friends. It seemed that everyday we had multiple letters and multiple packages. The mail lady was pretty amazed just how much we received. It amazed us as well. I will do my best at responding to letters, but as my family can attest too, I am not the best and writing back. But thats a perfect resolution, so letter may be flying! Once again I love you, I pray for you, and I hope this new year is one of learning, and one of happiness. The way I see it, the world didn't end in December, so every day from here on in is a gift!
Elder Maddox
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Skyping with Elder Maddox!
Wow! That was amazing to see Elder Maddox yesterday. We got to Skype when he called home for Christmas It was an awesome day, we even hooked the computer up to the big screen so we could see him really well! It was so good to hear and see him. He seems happy and looks great. The kids were so happy to see him too. Sabrina even sang him a song with her sisters help. It was very sweet. It sounds like he had a wonderful Christmas and was very well cared for. He spent Christmas Eve with the Miller Family and Christmas day with the Bowman family. We are so grateful that these families were willing to have our missionary in their homes and share such a special time.
~Lisa
~Lisa
Friday, December 21, 2012
A Very Special Christmas Card!
Today we went about our family Christmas traditions...on the first day or so of Christmas break, all of the Maddox cousins gather together and make "Christmas Trains" which consist of lots of mini candy bars fixed on a paper plate with frosting. Then decorated with lots of different candies. There were at least 29 cousins participating today, so needless to say it was crazy and fun. While we are often missing a cousin or two, today was especially hard.. missing 4 of our missionary cousins. For me, things seem just a little bit off not having Steven home especially during these family activities. This Christmas was the first time in years that I didn't send out our family Christmas card mostly because it made me too sad to not include him in the family picture. Well, when I got home this evening and began to open the mail, there was a Christmas card and I didn't recognize the name so I assumed that it was from a business associated of Steve's. I started looking at the picture that came with the card. As I looked at each person to see if I recognized any one...I gasped, I was so surprised at who I recognized...it was Boo (Elder Steven Maddox)! He was standing right in the middle of this family! I was so excited! Then, I remembered him mentioning in a letter last week that he would be spending this Christmas with the Bowman Family and how much he liked them. And they had just sent ME a Christmas card with their family and the missionaries in it! I cried when I saw the picture and cried again when I read the special note in the card. I will share it here..
"Dear Bro. and Sis. Maddox,
We wanted to wish your family a Very Merry CHRISTMAS!! We have truly enjoyed getting to know your son, Elder Maddox - what an Awesome Missionary! His excitement for the Gospel has truly touched our family. We have ALL grown to love him as a part of our family. Thank you for teaching him the gospel and for sharing him with us. We pray that your Christmas and New year are full of Blessings!"
~The Bowman Family
Wow! That letter and picture made my day and helped ease, if just a little bit, my sense of missing him so much during these special days. I am glad to know that he will be sharing Christmas with such a wonderful family and again that there are so many kind and generous people watching over my boy.
~Lisa
"Dear Bro. and Sis. Maddox,
We wanted to wish your family a Very Merry CHRISTMAS!! We have truly enjoyed getting to know your son, Elder Maddox - what an Awesome Missionary! His excitement for the Gospel has truly touched our family. We have ALL grown to love him as a part of our family. Thank you for teaching him the gospel and for sharing him with us. We pray that your Christmas and New year are full of Blessings!"
~The Bowman Family
Wow! That letter and picture made my day and helped ease, if just a little bit, my sense of missing him so much during these special days. I am glad to know that he will be sharing Christmas with such a wonderful family and again that there are so many kind and generous people watching over my boy.
~Lisa
Making Christmas trains...
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| The Bowman Family and Elder Jasperson (back left) and Elder Maddox (back center) |
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