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

Pure Love of Chirst

DANG, this past week tots just flew by! There has been lots of quality stuff going on this week. Eldder Goold and I are settled in and back to teaching lots :) so, as far as the good stuff;

- We have been busy every morning this week. Doing service or having meetings. I definitively can say that I love doing service :) 

- Finished the NEW Testament finally. I love the New Testament so much! 

- I found a Less-Active member of the ward that loves computer more than me! hahah it was great to talk with him about all that good stuff, and now we are friends :) haha

- Got to go up and be a witness at Rachel's baptism. She is the sister of a Recent Convert in the ward and was sweet to see how excited she was to "come closer to Christ" even with some family against it :)

- Glad to hear that Kevin love is on the Cavs #I<3LeBron haha it will be interesting to hear how well they work together, someone plz keep me updated! 

- One of my roommates got 230 Chigga bits hahahahahahahahahah #ohkellis

- We started helping this nice man open up on of his Res truants. It is called Ninja Go-go. So that is one of our man service projects.

- One of our Investigators pulled out a book "Why I am Nazarene and not ____" and went though the big religion and tells why one is a Nazarene and not the others..... Really? Would a real Christian person write a book like that? #realtalk

- Ate a huge burger this past week :0 ready for this? 1/2lb burger, bacon, lettus, egg, and instead of buns, it had 2 full size grilled cheese sandwiches. Dang it was good. Oh, and that was at Brass Monkey. Definitively check it out if your in the area :) great fry's and BBQ sauce. 

Last I just wanted to mention something that tots grind my gears! WHEN PEOPLE DON"T COME TO CHURCH, so yeah. This si the goal this week to help people realize the importance of Church attendance, not only is it a commandment, but it is fun! Learn to enjoy it :) Well I pray some of u write me a letter, would really like that, <3 U

- Elder Young

Sorry, Pics next week. Camera is having problems :( 

Also, in letters that u send, u can include ur favorite Talks!

August, WHA!?!?!?!?

WoW! I honestly can not believe that it is August. I was writing August 1st in my journal the other day and it hit me. I only have a YEAR LEFT in this wonderful experience of a life time. Last year this time I was just being lazy, wondering how I could ever survive for two years in the Philippines, and morning my two good friends leaving on their missions. A year later I am in Virginia, having the time of my life. Be able to share the fullness of the gospel to the great people of Virginia! Being able to be a part of seeing peoples lives change, their priorities change into seeing things at an eternal Perspective total makes this mission worth it.

We had a sister return home from her mission in the ward yesterday. And she gave a testimony on how she thought that she was giving up so much to go on this mission. When really she could not have imagined life without going on a mission and learning all those great life skills. Missions do pay off, not only with temporal needs, but Spiritual. Anyways;

So we just had transfers, and Elder Tirrell left..... But, My new companion is Elder Goold. He has only been out for three months and seems great He is a soccer player so no complaint there :0 and he is from Riverton, Utah!

As far as teaching lesson to our investigators this week, lots of them were out of town taking their last minute vacations. So that was a bummer. An even  bigger bummer though, we helped a crazy lady clean up her house after she flooded it hahaha That is the mormon life :)

K so a though that I have been thinking about today. Many good books and stories have a "Good and Happy" ending... Well the Book of Mormon does not..... Unless you look at what that book has accomplished now. The Book of Mormon was written for us to read to help us find happiness. Mormon did not want to conclude the book with a sad ending, but God made him cuz he know that down the road it would make more people happy than Mormon could have ever imagined.

Anywho, That probably doesn't make since. I feel like everything I type is just BLAH :( so you guys should send me a letter because I will be in this area at least  5 more weeks :)

Love Elder Young

PS pics will come next week

PSS, I need to revamp my tie wardrobe.... I need some bright colored ones, to make people happy to see me :) so send some my way if you would like me to help make people's day brighter :)

Tots

WAAAAHHHAAA! I am statying in the Swift Creek ward for at least SIX more weeks and I am soooo excited. Especially cuz we just had another great week. HAHA it flew by! Run down for the week;

- Happy Pioneer day. Saying that to people here we just got ratch looks. Oh well. They will get with the program someday :)

Reping double flag attire when playing basketball on Pioneer day! 

- This week we had a sweet lesson with one of the investigator we just found the week before. So stopped by to find him smoking outside..... now usually you dont teach the Word of Wisdom the 2nd lesson but we did. Spirit must of said something to us ;) But it was a solid lesson and he promised to continue to work toward his baptismal date

- Also something cool we just found of about this investigator. His step mom is a less-active member of the church that we don't have on her records :0 it turn that u can't hid from the church cuz it will find you! :0

- Cut a nice mans lawn with a weed eater.... cuz lets be real. Most of the yards out here are weeds!

Got these nice pants after i ripped my Suit pants. I cant tell if I like the Cuff. I do like the Clothes Brand Elwood

- So cool story. We have been teaching this cousin of the two kdis we just baptized and first she was all against church, and totally against baptizing her kid when he turns 8. Well they have gone to two baptism in the past week and BAMM!!!!! the kid want to get tized on his birthday!!!! Dang, I love this area!  

- We taught a sweet lesson the a recent convert's mom who has been totally anti. In the last the other missionaries went in guns blazing and ready to RIP her haha. But our first lesson with her yesterday I would say went really well. Its turn what they say in the District, The more u care, the easier it gets :) 

- Learned a nice lesson in church yesterday. The speaker talked about how the lord is going to let us do everything we can! And then "kick-in", He talked about how some people just want blessing to be healed and dont go to the doctor or do the things the doctor say to be healed. pretty much the doctors and technology we have now. God gave us and are inspired to help us. SO USE THEM! 

- Um last, so remember that sweet family we found like a month ago. Well probably not cuz I have told you all about lots of those. Anyways, we went to there house, saw one member of the family pulling out of the drive-way and he said others are inside. So we go knock on the door and....... well they tots ignored us! UGHHHHHHHHH!

Anyway, i am at the same address another transfer so sent letters my way. love u all!

- Elder CJ Young

bapTISM

Hey everyone. K just being real, but this past week has been super long. Not because it has been slow but just so much has gone on and we were able to accomplish SO MUCH! SO big things this week;

Elder Taylor and I in out Cat dew

Going to miss this man. See u in Dallas

Haha the pride of this religons pastor.....

Selfie :)

- Demarco and Santana both got Baptized yesterday! Love these two kids to death and was honored to be able to know them! (i will get pics of all of us soon)

Demarco and Santana Brother John hahah

- I got to go on Fort Lee this week while I was on exchanges with Elder Strung. Fort lee is the Military base down the street. I was with elder Struning! It was sweet!

Fun exchanges with these CATzz

Love me some german

- Mowed in lawn in my dress clothes #lifeofamissionary

- Wanted to mention a little about the  Riding OUR garments of there blood. That is what I feel like am doing out here on the mission. Because I have been blessed by being a member in the church and able to see so many miracles, God has given me the responsibility to find and bring back his children to him. Now i can't make his children come back to him.... But I have to make sure I do my part so I can say I did my best and will not have any regrets. IDK if that makes since but its cool to think about!

- Went on exchanges with the Aps this week. Elder Collie (the BYU football player) and I taught some great lessons and set 4 people on date to be baptized. Learned a lot from him but main points. Be chill, Be yourself, and SMILE!

- Last I wanted to share a little memory I had With Matt Palmer. As many of you know that he passed away on his mission a few weeks ago. When I found out, I could not believe it! But even more crazy was when I was with some members a few night ago and we were talking about our favorite lessons that we were taught in seminary. And the wife mentioned her favorite was the one you do with Donuts, Push-Ups, and the Atonement of Christ. And it HIT ME. Last time I did that in seminary. Matt was the one that "suffered" for everyone in my class so we could get a doughnut. Even those that didn't want to make him work.... he did the push-ups for them because that is how it works. Not comparing Matt to the savior, but That hit me so hard that both are now dead, but LIVE AGAIN! We all live again so live life, be nice, have fun, and smile

Love Elder Young

The iPads are coming, the iPads are coming!!

What a great week I have had being a missionary. Maybe I love being a missionary cuz; i get to meet soooo many great people, see peoples life change before my eyes, sleep in a house with 3 other guys :0 and just do some great activities! This morning we woke up and hit the trails mountain biking in Pocahontas State Park. This had so really solid technical trails there. Good "hill" riding :0 for Virginia haha. I love it here! Other cool stories from this week:

- We have a baptism coming up this week for Demarco and Santana. Two great kids that are just waiting and wanting to get tized! There family is soooooo GREAT!

- We helped move the Cappelli family out of the ward this week. Sure will miss them :) #greatfam

Great Guy! We all looked up to you!!

- Sweet lesson learned this week! We were teaching a recent convert. An older gentle man and he is a talker :) but we get done with the nice long lesson and are about to leave when we ask him if we can help him out with anything. He tells us how he had the idea to put up some bamboo blinds that he recently got. So as we are putting them up his friend walks in and to make a long story short...... We watched the Restoration video and set him on date to be baptized #yolo. So moral of the story..... Service brings great opportunities! 

- One of the investigators that we have been working with recently once everyweek to clean up a local pool; yesterday took us in his house to show us his taxidermy "lab". hahaha I don't know what u call the room but it was so sweet! I will most defintily take some pictures next time to put up. he had fishes, dears, birds, and was currently working on a duck that we got to watch. Again.... an experience worth remembering :)

- Just found out today that the Spanish family that i found and taught a little that moved to Louisiana got baptized this past week!!!!! Four more people I will be in the CK with :) always a good thing

So that was the majority of the week. Hopefully I can get some Moutain Biking pictures up here soon of what we played around on. But until then, enjoy this video of me. I am so excited to do this again when i get back :) 

Love u all, and please write me :) PLEASE!!!!

#eldercj

Light'em up, up up. #4th

What a great week. I hope that all of you had a great 4th of July. The holiday kind of threw off our teach schedule because everyone wanted to party instead of be taught by the missionaries. But really, who can blame them! So, we join in with them and had so great get togethers :) hahah I feel like I have ate so much food this past week that I am going to paglaglag sa CR :) 

This weeks email is going to be short and sweet agian :0 but Just wanted to give a shout out to the BUIS and CAPPELLI families in the Swift Creek Ward. Both are super strong families that the lord has told them they need to be other places! They are a great testimony builder for me. 

I realized another great thing this week. While visiting with the investigaors, Recent Converts, and Less active members I realized that my life would have not been complete if I would have never meet these people. All of these people have made me a better person and could not imagine life without them. They were placed in my path to help me be a better person and so I could help them see the light of the gospel that can not be HIDE. 

Well love you all and take care :) 

- Elder CJ Young

#newshads

#ladygag4lyfe

HAPPY JULY 4th!!!!

Fire works in my hand

"So light 'em up, up, up. Light 'em up, up, up. Light 'em up, up, up. I'm on fire"

Fireworks are just colorful money getting blow 

Hello from Colonial Heights Virginia

New game to calm down at night

#NEWTREND

HELLO *cough*  *cough* 

IF YOU EVER SEE ANIMAL PRINT TIES. I WOULD REALLY LOVE IF YOU SENT ONE TO ME. THEY ARE THE NEW THING I AM COLLECTING 

Just a reminder of how much I ROCK animal Print #throwback

PS. There are many animal print skinny ties on ebay if u would like to Hook me up

Love Yall

#Rollin

Hey everyone. Just going to get in a quick update today. We have had such a great week! Began teaching lots of families, I am excited to see them progress over the next couple of weeks. :) One thing that has definitely become evident while I have been in this area more and more is how I was put here for a reason! Coming into this area, where some GREAT missionaries have served in the past became a little daunting for me for a little while. But meeting all of these people in this area, and many of them saying that they talked to the missionaries last year but did not like the vibe they were getting. They now are letting us in to share a message. Timing is everything, And I know that to be true. Love, Elder Young

Ps All, Y'all to HMU me with some emails please chandler.young@myldsmail.net