A Special Missionary Experience

This is the email that we received from Elder Rushforth this week. It talks about a very special experience that he had and I knew he wanted me to share it because he sent it to me twice...the second time he had gone through and fixed some of the spelling. :) Get your tissues out because I don't know how you can NOT cry at this tender missionary experience.

"We have been having a wonderful time and I probably had one of the best experiences of my mission this past week, although I have had lots of cool things happen on my mission. When my companion Elder Schneider and I were out on exchanges with the High Priest group leader we were teaching a lesson to some investigators outside and a young lady walks out of her apartment and goes and sits on the hood of her car and begins smoking. As we taught I looked back at her and noticed her look over a few times and after we had a prayer with the two we were teaching we were walking back to our car and I asked how she was, although I could already tell she was gloomy and sad. At that point it is all I said we got in the car and left and I felt a longing to go back but it was too late and we went home for the night and decided we would stop by the next day, Sunday, after church. We went and knocked on her door and when she opened up I think she was shocked to see us their but we talked to her briefly then asked if she ever considered what the purpose of life is? she told us she had no remote idea what her purpose could be. We began teaching on the door step and talked about how she is a child of God and He knows and loves her. When we got to the first vision and gave her a picture of it as we talked of Josephs experience she started to cry and didn't stop from then to the end. It was probably the most spiritual lesson I have taught. We gave her a book of Mormon and taught her about prayer and how we pray then asked her to pray to God for the strength and peace she desired. The hymn "Prayer is the souls sincere desire" is the only way to explain her prayer. She wants to know her purpose and feel God love for her and know that she is a daughter of God. I truly believe that she will be baptized if she keeps reading and praying to know the truth. We will find out more tomorrow when the other elders go and teach her since she is twenty and so she is YSA age, but I don't care. I am grateful for the opportunity that we had to teach and meet her and to feel of her spirit. My favorite part was the smile that we got from her as we left!! a complete 180 degrees. I know that it was God that placed her in our paths and I know that my desire to share the gospel and the ability of knowing the promptings of the spirit has increased ten times on my mission. I want people to be happy and I know that the gospel can do that because we know WHO WE ARE!! CHILDREN OF A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER!!!!! and may we never forget that because HE will NEVER forget us.

How great is my calling

Love,

Elder Rushforth

p.s. Who would have ever thought I could go up to complete strangers and want to talk to them and get to know them!! It is probably because I loved talking to people and was very social before my mission!! NOT!!! blessings of serving:). "

Same Area, New Companion

These last transfers, Elder Rushforth found out he was staying in Pendleton, Oregon and he was getting a new companion. In fact, he was getting a Greenie. I can't think of anyone better to show Elder Schneider the ropes.

Elder Rushforth recently sent home some pictures(gotta love email). I think it's safe to say he's really enjoying his time with the members in Pendleton.

Elder Rushforth taking a breather after helping to remove a truck bed.

Elder Baumgarte(the former companion), President Wood(former Stake President), Tyler Goodman(not sure about the backstory there) and Elder Rushforth.

The "Greenie", Elder Schneider, unpacking

A Baptism and a Calf

Elder Rushforth sent pictures with his last email. Recently, he had the opportunity to participate in a baptism. He's had other investigators be baptized, but this is the first time he's been an active participant. He and his companion baptized two brothers, Dante and Keyshawn Jackson.

He also got to feed a calf. He didn't give me a lot of details on the back story of the calf-feeding. But he sent a picture.

As always, he's got a great attitude and is working hard! He's still in Pendleton and should be there for another five or six weeks at least. And he's very grateful for that as he loves Pendleton and the people he's met.

Every Missionary Has One of These Stories...

Here is an excerpt from Elder Rushforth's recent email...(complete with original spelling and grammar in true missionary fashion!)

"Well, I hope that everything is going good for you all! We have had a great week! This Saturday is the baptism of the eleven year-old and her brother who is eight! It has been awesome teaching the kids since we have to teach with simplicity. We also got a new investigator in the Pendleton first ward a young single mother with three kids who is looking for a church that not only she will enjoy and believes but that her kids will like and that will bless her family! What more could this church offer than everything she wants:) We are really excited to teach her and watch the change that will bless her and her kids lives! I love working with families!! Okay now for a good story! yesterday we went tracing and in Pendleton thier are no side walks on the out skirt of towns so we parked infront of a house on dirt like everyone does and went tracting. After coming back we had a letter telling us not to park there and dog dudu and leaves on our car so we get in and the lady that we tracted into first comes out and starts throwing yogurt at us! Luckily we were in our car and so nothing got on us. What a crazy experience I now understand a little well a very little about what Aaron and his brothers must have felt like as they were thrown out of cities and into prisons:) "

It's a good thing Elder Rushforth has a good attitude about pretty much everything!

Happy Birthday!

Today Elder Rushforth turns 20!!! He's no longer a teenager(although he did tell me he had another year before he came home and he was going to take his time "growing up").

Of course the other implication of the event is that it's been almost a year since he's been out on his mission. Nearly half way(a couple more weeks to go).

He's still as optimistic as ever and a super hard worker! I'm sure he's touching many lives!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER RUSHFORTH!
We're all thinking of you!

'Tis The Season...

...To get Transferred...Again!

Elder Rushforth is on the move again! The Lord needs him in Pendleton, Oregon. He's really getting to see a lot of his mission! Of course, Elder Rushforth has a great attitude and is willing to serve where ever the Lord needs him. But I'm sure he's sad to be leaving another area so quickly again. Especially since, as indicated by the following pictures, he and Elder Gibson have had a lot of fun doing the Lord's Work in Walla Walla, WA!

Elder Rushforth would like me to tell you that he scored a 179 here. If you ever saw him bowl before, you know he was doing good to break 100...with bumpers! He's really proud of his 179!

Anyway, he will be spending Christmas with his new companion in Pendleton. We're thinking he'll be there for more than one transfer because this is his new companion's last transfer. Regardless of his location, we know Tyler is working hard to bring many sheep into the fold!

E-I-E-I-O

Old MacDonald had a farm, and I think Elder Rushforth might be living there. Last week's email had the following information:

"So I was a farmer for a few days while the members that we live with were out of town so we took care of chickens and ducks and a dog and a horse! All lived excepted one chicken so I guess I am not a very good farmer after all but I guess something has been getting at the chickens recently. I thought of cooking one but instead I am going to grow my own like Hortin the Elephant did I am sitting on a chicken egg! I hope it will hatch I am doing the best I can:) I love my new area and hope that I stay here longer than my last area!"

Sounds like an interesting experience for Elder Rushforth. I'll see if I can get some more details out of him and update accordingly. I'll encourage him to take pictures of his adventures on the farm, as well.