What up everyone!
So I think that the only words that could describe the events of this week would be "Oh My Gosh." Which is surprising because I was sick all week!! But on Thursday we had a dinner appointment with the sisters just down the road from Karl "the Mailman" Malone. Now from day one here in Ruston people have been telling us to just go over there and try to knock on his door and he would let us in. Now, I was pretty sure that he, Karl, was a super nice guy, but people, THIS IS KARL MALONE. Like one of my child hood heros. Like half of "Stockton-to-Malone." I am not going to just go over and knock on his door. I mean buzz him at his gate, his house is fenced in! But a couple of weeks ago we met this super nice lady at Karl's restaurant who turned out to be his wife who gave us the O.K., so we went for it. And wouldn't you know it, we got in!! And not only did we get in, but we sat in Karl Malones living room and talked about almost everything. For an hour and a half! By the time that we left I felt like I had a close friend in Karl Malone. His and his wife's personalities are such that we, the missionaries, all felt like if we ever needed anything, we could go to the Malone house! Real cool. And that, arguably, wasn't the highlight of our week! So because I was a bit under the weather, Elder Rose and I couldn't go out too much. But miraculasly, three of our investigators showed up at church! It was a tender mercy from the Lord to say the least. But because of my sickness, I was able to read the Book Of Mormon a lot! And it was so amazing to take that time and read through so much of it. It was an additional testimony strengthener for me, and helped to reemphasized to me that what I am doing is the Lords work! Gosh I love my mission!
~Elder Maddox
Monday, March 18, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
A New Picture!
I love when I am just going about my day and I receive a text or an email from someone I don't know, sending me a note or picture of my son! It is so awesome to hear how Steven has touched some one's life. I think he is an incredible person but it sure is amazing to hear it from others. I am grateful for the experiences he is having and for the great people he has been able to meet. Each one has touched his life in countless ways. I am thankful to each person who has taken the time to show such kindness to my son. Last night, as I going to do another load of laundry, I received a text with a new picture of Elder Maddox he looks so happy and that made me happy too!
~Lisa
~Lisa
Monday, March 11, 2013
Letter #37 (Ruston, LA)
Whats up everybody!
Another incredible week that was filled with miracle after miracle! While, yes mom, I have taken the time to write them down in my journal, if I was to take the time here to type them all out then we would be here for A LONG TIME! But I will talk to something that was taught to me this week that took me up till now to learn.
So something that I have struggled with my whole mission is inviting people to be baptized on the first visit with faith. I don't know if it was fear or just didn't think about it, but very rarely did I ever do it. But this week I decided to try to invite EVERY TIME. Now this was something that Elder Larsen, who is one of my very good friends out here, is very good at and has been encouraging me to become better at it, and this week I took his advice. And what a change it has had on myself. See I think what my problem was, is that I was always waiting around for the Spirit to say "Invite them." This should never have been the case. Because the Spirit should never have to say it because the Apostles have already said it! But because of this new found idea, thats not novel or anything, the area assigned to Elder Rose and I is thriving. It has renewed our energy and we are destroying right now! great feeling!
~Elder Maddox
Another incredible week that was filled with miracle after miracle! While, yes mom, I have taken the time to write them down in my journal, if I was to take the time here to type them all out then we would be here for A LONG TIME! But I will talk to something that was taught to me this week that took me up till now to learn.
So something that I have struggled with my whole mission is inviting people to be baptized on the first visit with faith. I don't know if it was fear or just didn't think about it, but very rarely did I ever do it. But this week I decided to try to invite EVERY TIME. Now this was something that Elder Larsen, who is one of my very good friends out here, is very good at and has been encouraging me to become better at it, and this week I took his advice. And what a change it has had on myself. See I think what my problem was, is that I was always waiting around for the Spirit to say "Invite them." This should never have been the case. Because the Spirit should never have to say it because the Apostles have already said it! But because of this new found idea, thats not novel or anything, the area assigned to Elder Rose and I is thriving. It has renewed our energy and we are destroying right now! great feeling!
~Elder Maddox
Monday, March 4, 2013
Letter #36 (Ruston,LA)
Hey everyone!
Another crazy fast week, and another fast one. This week transfers came and went, and wouldn't you know it! I am staying! Glad to still be here in Ruston where the field is white already to harvest! But back to the awesome week! I had a very cool experience that I wish to share
So on Wednesday we were at Rasing Cane's, a place that sells the most delicious chicken fingers ever, with a bunch of missionaries when a man approached Elder Rose, my greenie. He started off just small talking with him but then he started to go all Anti-Mormon on him. Now Elder Rose has been out for a good amount of time, but he is still fresh, so when he looked at me with eyes the size of McDonald's sausage patties, I took pity on him, and went to go see if I couldn't help address some of the "concerns" this gentlemen was bombarding Elder Rose with. As soon as I went over and introduced myself, he quickly turned all of his attention to me thinking me to be the "leader" as he put it. As Elder Rose quietly stepped into the background, John, not his real name, started to go off on his "save all mormon's from their selves" monologue. Now usually I am pretty good about holding my tongue and just letting these anti-mormoners get all their anger out on me, and that was the case this time but with a little twist. See John went on for a good twenty minutes with no sign of stopping. So quickly and quietly I prayed and said "God, give me something to confound this man. You promised me in the scriptures it would happen, and I need some help right about now." All the sudden the most amazing question popped into my mind. I interrupted him in the middle of one of his tangents, and asked "John, have you even read the Book of Mormon?" Suddenly, he lost all steam. He looked at me speechless. He had no answer for me. He remained silent for about ten seconds, and I allowed the Spirit to work on him. After those ten seconds passed, I looked at him and bore my witness that the Book of Mormon was true, gave him a copy, and told him that after he had read it, if he still wished to argue with me that it wasn't true, then my number was on the inside cover, and we could do this all over again. He was furious. He realized that he had no answer for me, for what I shared was true. He stormed out of the restaurant calling me all kinds of names and telling me that the next life wasn't lookin too good for me. All the other missionaries, who were sitting down couldn't stop laughing at the experience. All they saw was him going off on me, then saw him get real quiet, then pick up his stuff and storm out! They loved it. And so did I. It proved too me that God will give us what we need, right as we need it as long as we live worthy of these promises!
In the words of one of the best missionaries I know "keep it holy"!!
~Elder Maddox!
Another crazy fast week, and another fast one. This week transfers came and went, and wouldn't you know it! I am staying! Glad to still be here in Ruston where the field is white already to harvest! But back to the awesome week! I had a very cool experience that I wish to share
So on Wednesday we were at Rasing Cane's, a place that sells the most delicious chicken fingers ever, with a bunch of missionaries when a man approached Elder Rose, my greenie. He started off just small talking with him but then he started to go all Anti-Mormon on him. Now Elder Rose has been out for a good amount of time, but he is still fresh, so when he looked at me with eyes the size of McDonald's sausage patties, I took pity on him, and went to go see if I couldn't help address some of the "concerns" this gentlemen was bombarding Elder Rose with. As soon as I went over and introduced myself, he quickly turned all of his attention to me thinking me to be the "leader" as he put it. As Elder Rose quietly stepped into the background, John, not his real name, started to go off on his "save all mormon's from their selves" monologue. Now usually I am pretty good about holding my tongue and just letting these anti-mormoners get all their anger out on me, and that was the case this time but with a little twist. See John went on for a good twenty minutes with no sign of stopping. So quickly and quietly I prayed and said "God, give me something to confound this man. You promised me in the scriptures it would happen, and I need some help right about now." All the sudden the most amazing question popped into my mind. I interrupted him in the middle of one of his tangents, and asked "John, have you even read the Book of Mormon?" Suddenly, he lost all steam. He looked at me speechless. He had no answer for me. He remained silent for about ten seconds, and I allowed the Spirit to work on him. After those ten seconds passed, I looked at him and bore my witness that the Book of Mormon was true, gave him a copy, and told him that after he had read it, if he still wished to argue with me that it wasn't true, then my number was on the inside cover, and we could do this all over again. He was furious. He realized that he had no answer for me, for what I shared was true. He stormed out of the restaurant calling me all kinds of names and telling me that the next life wasn't lookin too good for me. All the other missionaries, who were sitting down couldn't stop laughing at the experience. All they saw was him going off on me, then saw him get real quiet, then pick up his stuff and storm out! They loved it. And so did I. It proved too me that God will give us what we need, right as we need it as long as we live worthy of these promises!
In the words of one of the best missionaries I know "keep it holy"!!
~Elder Maddox!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Letter #35 (Rulston, LA)
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
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
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
 |
| 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
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