HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

The time has come, I Honestly would be totally okay if this time never ever came, But I am being transferred out of the Swift Creek Ward. Boi can I just say that the past 7 and a half months have truly been some of the best times of My life. I have meet some of the greatest people and hopefully have been able to touch the lives of those here,as much as they touch mine. I just want to say thanks for everything the people in the Colonial Heights and Chester Area have given me! I was able to bare my testimony on Sunday but again I just want to let you all know that I love this work, and especially love this work when I am able to work with the members in the Swift Creek ward. So much I have learned in the past 7 and a half months I feel I could never give it all back :)

With that, I am excited and a little nervous to see where the Lord wants me next. We find out tomorrow so hopefully I can get the new address on here asap. I know I will definitely need those encouraging letters these next couple weeks. Sorry it is short but HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Wild on the East Coast

HAHA, So sorry everyone that it has taken so long for me to get on here and write another email. monday was a holiday, Tuesday we emailed for a little but had lessons, so here we are today. Boi has it been the craziest past couple weeks ever! From people going to jail, to going and coming from psych wards, all the way to teaching intoxicated people, a man recently baptized had a stroke, then some people having babies. It has definitely kept me on my toes :) and so much I have learned!

- Been doing lots of Family History, since we don't spend lots of time on technology and I'll admit I go through some withdrawals from it. Doing Family History allows you on a computer to do the Lords work. So now I have just grown to love doing family history for anyone and everyone!

- So sad story this past week. As we were knocking on a members door one morning, she is like "what happened to your car"..... There was a huge dent and scratches on it! Like really. I guess someone must have side swiped us while we were parked at a lesson the previous night and not had the dignity to leave a note..... PEOPLE these days!

- I don't know if any of you have seen the pamphlets that we use as missionaries. I always thought they were nice but never really use them until this past week. With our goal to find the 'Ones God has prepared" We began giving people these to read before the Book of Mormon and boi did it help out. When we came back, those that actually read it were so excited for us to give them The Book of Mormon and it was great to see the commitment. Commitment is one of the hardest parts of a mission, not only always being 100 committed to the mission, but discerning the commitment level for those you work with.

- Now for the hardest lesson of the week, and we honestly get these lessons every so often. A member invites us over to teach there friend. I really like to ask questions just to track where people on with their spirituality. Well lets just say that teaching people that don't have a desire to go anywhere after this life makes things really hard!  I have not find out how to really touch these peoples hearts yet, I guess it will come to them in time. But I do have to say it totally grinds my gears when people don't care about life. I guess they don't realize how much of a privilege it is!

- We meet this sweet guy this week. He is head of finances for the Department of Agriculture. he is literally the one that takes money in and out of the economy, and if any of you were wondering. He is a very religious guy! Always goes to church, loves God, but very busy. Hopefully we can continue to share more with him though!

- Many of you have asked, How the weather?? Well this week the weather has been so awesome! Actually the past couple of weeks have been so great! Nothing beats doing missionary work when the weather is nice outside. It really does make people happier!

- Last, with getting done with the Book of Mormon reading and back into "normal" study, I have loved studying even more! This past couple weeks have been some of the best studies of me mission! to share a few things of what I learned;

Time Heals All. This has come up in my studies so much this week either while reading the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, or out teaching. God's timing is everything, and we just have to do our best to find it out!

We are to all raise a voice of warning! This was a great study that I had all about it is our DUTY to raise this voice of warning. This a responsibility and I am sure God will hold us accountable if we warned our neighbors. Hit up Warnings in the Topical Guide for a good study.

As members of the church we are only building their knowledge. Should not be taking any away. We are adding to it and maybe sometimes we do have to mold it. I have found this to be so true as we teach. Showing people this is not totally new, but just NEW AND IMPROVED (if that makes since).

Last today I studied about the Work of Salvation, specifically the Less-Active work that we do. It is true that members of the church are held to a higher standard than the world. We have made the promise at baptism and even more in the temple. it is my goal to remember this. WE HAVE TO LIVE TO A HIGHER STANDARD. And I hope that u all can strive to do the same.

Well thanks so much for reading, It was nice and long :0 There will be some more pictures up here soon. Sorry it has taken so long! Oh, and it is transfers this week and there is a chance i will leave. So maybe wait to send letters, but still write them in preparation to send :0 love you all and Good Luck with your week!

- Elder CJ Young

Loved Conference

I do not even know where to start this week! It really has been a trip, haha! BUT I LOVED CONFERENCE SOOOOO MUCH! The Prophets definitely spoke some true words there. I don't have lots of time to email this week just cause of lessons to teach. But we were able to watch the upcoming movie Meet The Mormons. It is a good movie. I would recommend it. I am excited to see what kind of impact it will have on people and on the church in the worlds eyes. The stories told in it were true. This gospel is true and that why those people live such peaceful lives in this cray cray world.

I will write a  nice email next weeks with the details of this week but till then, LISTEN TO THE PROPHETS VOICE.

LOVE elder young

Roller Coster

Well. This week has been one GREAT week. I was just thinking..... I don't know how i could measure how one specific week goes as a missionary. I guess that I look at it as more, if there were more good things that went on than poor! If thats the case, this week was so great!

To start off i want to tell yall a little bit about what we are doing in the Richmond Virginia mission this week. To help strengthen our love for the Book of Mormon, and our testimony of it..... WE ARE READING IT ALL THE TIME. Like for reals, any time that we don not have a set appointment, we are reading. We started this yesterday with a special fast and it goes until General Conference weekend! I am so excited to see my testimony grow and what new stuff I learn. Definitely invite any of you to join along and see what we can learn. I definitely know that it is the best book I could read in this life :)

I have to say that we found a sweet new sister that is looking into the church! She is 19 and moved up to the area just 6 months ago. She is super excited to learn what this church is all about and she even wants her dad to come along!!! YEAH YEAH!!!!

We had one day this week where we literally had perfect weather! It was so great! And, to add to that excited it was a great day as far as missionary work goes also! This is such a great time to be in Virginia, I LOVE IT! If any of you want to travel somewhere with nice weather right now, COME HERE!

Remember that lady that i told you about maybe last week. The one that cussed me out 6 months ago? Yeah she has read almost 10 chapters in the Book of Mormon and is now ready to receive this gospel. I can say that God put me in this area for a reason. I am the type of person that has trouble letting go of things, so when I met someone I try and never give up on them..... Well look what has come with it :0 The Lord's timing means everything!

Oh, and that girl that I wrote about above..... Yeah she dropped us after going to the woman's meeting on Saturday night because she wants to be BAPTIST! Like really?? How about u be more Christian instead? Anyways i was bummed about that one but life moves on!

HAHAH Thanks for reading, sorry it was short. Have a good week and GoodLUCK!!

- Elder Cj Young

Ups and Downs

Hey everyone, I am so grateful for the week that I had to be a missionary this week in the Chester area of Virginia. If you would have asked my half way through this week I would have probably said the total opposite but hey; Always got to end the week on a good note!

Cool experiences and life lessons learned throughout the week;

• We were taught in a Stake general Priesthood session last night about how we always have to be striving. Realizing that we are not perfect is one thing, but always striving to be in another. WE HAVE TO STRIVE. One of my favorite teachers in High School had on her Web page, "never let it rest, till you good is better, and you better is best." I see this to be totally true, if I personally am not constantly pushing myself, than God is going  to start the Humbling process :)
• To go along with that; that the Lords work that is going on right now in the earth was and is on his timing. if he wants his work to hasten it is going to hasten with or with out us. haha I saw a Webpage titled how to stop the Mormon Media Increase :) fun to see all these people that THINK they can do something against the hastening of this work! We as people that are on gods team have to be the ones to keep up with God. he is moving at an ever increasing speed and we have to step up to the level he wants. The stake Presidency applied the specifically last night to the work of salvation at a whole. If you don't know what it is u can hit up this past ensign! 
• Taking something not intended as an insult, as an insult...... is your problem. Get over things and move on with life. There are always bigger and better things ahead! 
• I beat this drunk guy in horse shoes the other day :0 that was cool cuz i dont even think I have ever played a legit game of horse shoes in my life. Haha then the first thing he says after I bet him, "I can't believe I just lost to a minister!" Classic Missionary moment #godonmyside
• We went and talked to the sweetest lady yesterday. She lives next to a family in the ward and the last time we talked to her she just cussed me out and was pissed, well needless to say, after 3 months of not seeing her; we had the greatest lesson with her ever! She began to cry and was just so happy that we never gave up on her! The greatest Part of the mission is seeing the Lords timing in things. This was totally in the lords hands and now she is humbled and ready to feel the spirit more in her life!

I am so grateful for this chance that I have to be a missionary, especially at this time in the world when the lord is requiring more and more of us each and every day. I am so grateful for all the great example that I have in my life. Looking forward to the "war" that will take place in the future, I am glad to have you all on my side. I would love a letter more than anything from each of u, and your prays! Thanks for reading and have a great week! Good Luck!!!


Ps this is my new favorite Video!



http://bcove.me/0djeoayt

Loving the Crazy Life!!!!

What a trip of a week. My mind is just finally winding down from the stressful week this has been :/ haha so transfer took place and we have two brand new missionaries in the ward and house with us. And one of them is even brand new. One is from Canada and the other from central Utah. Both are hard working missionaries and clean so no complaints there :) But his week has been full of ups, downs, and really just dealing with drama I want to say. After this week I would say that being a missionary, is worse than a high school senior as far as hearing gossip and people crazy stories go :0 but its fun none the less! A few powerful lessons that I learned this week;

The Power of Pray. One of the days this week we picked to go back and see a person we are working with that we have not had contact with to much but wants to get baptized none the less in the coming weeks. We don't really know what to tell her and how to go about it but we had a pray in the car before we go into the lesson. I am telling you, that pray made the lesson 10 fold better. We were able to discern her and her kids needs to learn how to help them see the blessing of baptism. I will say that I am not the Best at praying before I go into lessons, really just because I am so excited and forget to think about it. Well this was another humbling things to realize that we can't get anywhere if we leave the Lord out of these lessons. We have to bring him so they can see the blessings to come with the Holy Ghost. Needless to say I will be working on praying before each lesson and relying on the Spirit more :)

Also had one of our more solid investigators drop us this week. It was sad, like the saddest thing i have ever been though in my life. Screw breaking up with GFs. "Breaking up" with someone you are help progress to a better life is way worse, definitively takes more out of you. Anyways we moved on and will continue to pray for him. i bet he will come around, just wait for it :) they all come running back :0 hahahahahahahahahah

Last, we have had the great chance to have awesome lessons at members home this week. I can say that having lessons in the homes where the Spirit is already so strong totally helps one see the blessing that God wants to bless them with. I am so grateful for the members here and the chance I have to help their friends be in the CK with them! #loveswiftcreek

Thanks for reading. I hop you enjoy the pictures :0 there is lots, sorry It took so long to get them up. Write me in you have time and love me :)

- Elder CJ Young

love life, and good things will come

In the middle of looming this sweet awesome hat :)

haha me and my smile. 

It all started one day, on September 11th, 2013

And the 1st year ended September 11th 2014

One year is gone. SO one more to go HARD!

It all began with a desire to grow :) 

Cheesy smiles for Lyfe :0 

Learning how to loom

Still have that Woods Cross Pride

No looking back now, so just love life

If you did not know, missionaries at....

.... One year Burn a shirt! 

Hump Day on the 11th

I can't believe that this day is already here. This just does not seems right! Haha 9 months ago I thought this day would never come. Now as this week especially, I’m looked back on the last half of my mission and boy has it been a trip! Let me tell u a little about this week before I get more into that.

- This week I learned to knit and loom. So I am looming this sweet woods cross colored hat and will start on a Utah state colored one after :) they look good and they are not to hard :) something you all could look into! It's fun!!!

- We had two people that we are working really closely with go to the temple. Wow,  they totally enjoyed it I would say :) just seeing them at church yesterday, they had a totally different attitude and it was a huge miracle. I will definitely be trying to get more people i work with to the temple so they can just feel what that building brings to the world!  

- As of right now we have baptisms lined up the next 3 weeks. Hahah it has been too long since a baptismal service. So pray for those that made this decision in there life! I know that it will bless them. Best part is that 2 of the 3 have families that will see the blessings the temple can bring immediately. :)

- So one day this week we were sitting at Waffle House, eating so decent waffle when two girls just came up to us and started asking some pretty sincere question. As we talked they said you guys look like you represent something good. Well that made me happy :) as we read our white handbook, it just says make sure ur dress it nice, and professional. Even though that means buying new clothes which I am sure my parents hate me for. I am glad to be able to wear the name tag and represent something so amazing!!!!

- As missionaries. U have the privilege/burden to know almost everything that is going on in the ward. So with that comes the responsibly we get to do our best to help out everyone. At first I love knowing lots but have come to realize that :/ it comes with all this pressure. Anyway this just came up cuz. We got caught in the middle of a situation this week and it was not the greatest.

So this week especially I have looked over the past year of my life. In some ways I felt a little regret. Just cuz I feel like  I am such a better missionary now, and wish I could have been that in my past areas :) well here we go. I feel as though I am ready to concentrate all that I have been given for the next year of my life. I am ready to see the miracles come :) exhaust every chance I have for The Lord. This is once in a lifetime so goin HAM, goin YOLO and finishing this next year with no regrets. Love you guys and keep ur heads up! Good luck!!!!!

Elder young

Busy like a BEE!

Dang ladies and gentleman, this has been one of those BUSY weeks in the mission field. So much has happened; embarrassing stuff, fun stuff, sad stuff and just plain CRAY CRAY stuff! So I will get down to it :) 

• So this week a member made us like the best dinner ever and it was Phillippino! hahah Definitely was some good stuff, kind of wish iI was eating it everyday :0 @goodstuff

• So school is just barely getting in session down here... I know it is weird! But last night Elder Goold and I had the great chance to give 8 or so blessing to a family in preparation for this new school year. I have to say that it was a testimony builder for me more than anything just to see how the Lord wanted each kid to hear something different, they each had there own special one! 

• I have to tell you all about this lady we found the other day. It was Saturday and we are just walking through one of our favorite apartment complexes like normal when someone calls out to us....... "are you'all church people" and I was like "heck yeah want to talk?" and then she came out and we had a good conversation, the low down is that she is crazy but wanted to come to church so we set her up with a ride. So she actually came to church and followed up on her commitment which I can not complain about :) but she talked the whole time during church! LIKE THE WHOLE TIME!!!!! Members kept giving her dirty looks and I was like for real! Ahhhhh, one of those days! Anyway, I will get over it :)

• We helped put a roof of the shed on a car that a member built from the ground up, so that was cool to help out where we could!

• I was able to go on an exchange with Elder Murdock the week. He is from Bountiful so I am sure lots of you know him. haha it was fun to talk about how much we have both changed and come so far in out lives since the mission! #niceguy

• Another thing crazy that happened this week. on the way home from church this past Sunday one of your recent convert's car got car off the road. He is a 70'y year old man but he is okay. pray for him! His name is Tim. 

• The restaurant that we have been help getting opened finally is opening its doors. It is called Ninja Go-go. check it out if your ever in the area!  http://ninja-gogo.com/

• We totally moved a mattress on top of our car this week for Sister Heacock. I think she posted a picture on instagram so you can check that out. @chandles_i_luv_u She is always posting others so yeah :) 

• Elder Goold and I have been doing lots of work with Family History in the ward. I truly do love doing family history, especially everyone else is. I have to thank my good daddyo for getting me started on it!

• Last just wanted to tell a nice experience we have had with this nice man. Just someone that we knocked into and started talking to. We talk for a good solid hour about like everything. He has read every possible anti-Mormon material out there but still wants to truly know what we are about. Well after our long conversation we just finish with this Book of Mormon is a perfect book with nothing to contradict the Bible. I never realized that until I told him, but that makes me so happy! You can't have the Book of Mormon alone, nor can we have the Bible, we need them both. And they both run in prefect harmony with each other!

Well thanks for reading, I hope that you enjoyed! much love!

- Elder CJ Young

P.S. Hump day is in 9 days! Holla Holla! Time is flying by way to fast!

Busy CRAY CRAY busy!

Holy cow, What a week it has been! Definitly one of the most busy weeks on the mission! 

• Start off with the best part of the week. We had a tri-stake Zone conference that Elder Anderson of the 70ty spoke at. He talkesd about many gret things their! A few of my favorite thoughts include;

• Flooding the earth. if you were able to watch elder Bednar's recent devotional given at BYU education week, it was on flooding the earth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Well on friday we related that to the 2 other times in church history when a prophet has used that term. 1st in moses case, and the 2nd in President Bensons case refering to flooding the earth with The Book of Mormon.

• Talked about the power of the church does not come from the leaders of the church, but in the members sustaining the leaders.

• and last It does not matter how much experience we have when we recieve callings in church, setting apart is what gives us the power to fulfil that calling. 

• I am finally getting the hang of doing family history. I have sat down with some members in the past week and are finally getting the hang of it and feel comfortable teaching people how to do it. Hopefully this can lead to teaching members not even of the church hw to do it!

• We have had awesoem success finding this week. I learned at the Conference that Bishops and Stake Presidents have the "Keys" for missionary work in our respective areas. With this our bishop asked us to work in one specific area of the ward and SUCCESS had COME! 

• Found a Part-member family in the ward that no one even knew about. The GF is not a member but wants the family that she sees in members of the church. It was cool that I felt totally comfortable promissing her that this church is here to help you raise a family with the foundation of Christ!

• Also had a guy just stop us on the side of the road to say hi. he is also a member but we had no idea about him! Hasn't come to church is a very long time but always a time to start :) 

• So after not going to this area for the first 4 months I was in the ward. Now 5 out fo the 7 days of the week are there!

• Totall had a ladt "break-up" with us this week. We were walking past this lady we gave a Boof of Mormon to a few days before and she just said never come over again, I am not interested. So for some reason i did not push her but just decided #ontothenextone P.S. I miss that song :) 

• Found out two of out solid potential investigators are Best friends so thats already so good fellowship! 

• We went over to see a sister in the ward that just moved in and has never been to church. Well the visit in a nutshell was bad :( it was soooo awkward and what made it worse, she was a return missionary and when we invited her to church she just said I am in-active...... HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN! Ahhhh blew my mind how someone could serve the Lord for a year and a half and come back and forget everything they commit those people to do...... Cracy Cray

• HAHAH last we just had a lesson with  a single mom yesterday whose both kids recently got baptized into the the church but he is..... NAZERINE! hahah we have decent lessons with her but everytime she just starts crying saying how sad and sorry she is for us that we are so decieved! I honestly just have to laugh! I am like u can be serious! This is Chirst church, thanks goodness I am not decieved! IDK but she will come around with a softened heart and lots of prays!

Anyways, thanks for reading. Love u all and feel free to write me! Oh, and include any good pranks I could do...... I have been in this home for 5 months and need to spice things up :) 
Love Elder Young

Me last week after I got my teeth worked on for 2 hours :''(

Cut my hair :( 

WoW great time to take a picture :) this is all the elders in the house!

:/

Well everyone, this week has been a very interesting week. Some good days, some bad, Some painful, some sad...... But HEY being a missionary is all about throwing up the DEUCES to the bad days and go on to the PARTY ones! (ps, party as a missionary is teaching lessons all day everyday) 

- First, I have had AWFUL allergies this week :( so yeah, that has been one downer this week :) 

- Grilled one of our INV for not coming to church, just to follow up on last weeks last post. We did have more peoplea at church this week but hery, we can always do better! 

- We are continuing to help this restruant get open. Sould be opening this week! #ninjagogo

- Well lets just say that Thrusday this past week was Hell! I had to get 5 Cavities filled all because of my crave for Mountain Dew. Well I am tots cutting back on it cuz that was not worth it! 

- Cleaned an INV carpets this week.

- I do have to saw that i have been chilling poolside a lot lately teaching so good lessons! You defintiyl find INV that way :) 

- If u ever come to the east coast you have to go to WAWA or Sheetz, both are great place to get a sub!

- So yeah, and then this morning I finished Doctrine Covenants so that is sweet.

Well that the run down of the week. We also found 3 New sweet HUMBLE Investigators ready to receive the message we have to share :0 so I love that!

Anyways hope Everyone has a good week, preparing to get back into school! DO WERK and have fun! and write me letters :) 

- Elder Young