April 28th, 2014

Hello again! It's been another wonderful week as a missionary! 

We have two investigators on date now for baptism. We have one coming up this week and another for the following week! I contribute this to wonderful members in this area helping us out. We couldn't do it without them. The members are the missionaries and we are the back-up. As missionaries we are set apart to teach the gospel, but things don't work out as well when we have to do it alone. When members can help us with the inspiration they receive, we are no longer separated members and missionaries, but we are one unit working for the salvation of souls. Why have just 80,000 missionaries worldwide when we could have 16 million? I am really starting to see the hastening of the Lord's work on the Earth.

President Deiter F. Uchtdorf said, 

"We Are Living in the Time of the Restoration. Sometimes we think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that is complete, already behind us—Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received priesthood keys, the Church was organized. In reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now.It includes “all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,” and the“many great and important things” that “He will yet reveal.” Brethren, the exciting developments of today are part of that long foretold period of preparation that will culminate in the glorious Second  Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is one of the most remarkable periods of the world’s history! Ancient prophets yearned to see our day."

Sometimes we think that the restoration was done happening when the priesthood was restored. We think that those early saints and pioneers were it. But we must remember that the restoration is continuing. There is still so much more to find. The lost tribes have not all been found and brought into the fold.

"And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred,tongue, and people."

Mosiah 15:28

This has not yet happened. There are still people who do not know about this gospel. But I can see how things have changed and we are going faster than ever before in the work of the Lord. We just have to remember that we are all responsible for this work.

We are having a crazy spring here. It still snows every once in a while, then the next day it will be hot, then cold, then snow, then hot, then rain, and lots of wind! They say it snows sometimes on the 4th of July. I don't know if I will be here for that. 

I hope everyone is doing well!

Elder Garceau

(I love you mom~!)

April 21st, 2014

Hello everyone! Here is my weekly email!

Things are going just fine here where I'm at. We think the weather has started to warm up for good, but you can never get too comfortable. It could snow out of nowhere. Gotta keep my eyes peeled.

So we got this hat from my Mom and I wasn't sure exactly how I was supposed to wear it because it kept going down over my eyes... And when I tried rolling it up like normal, I looked like a ridiculous Mongolian. Well, this morning Elder Decker figured it out! It's an overhat! It makes perfect sense now! Thank you Mom for sending me an extra hat to wear on top of my hat!

Now, drum roll please.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................(and I mean drum roll) ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ (still rolling) .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

 The greatest news in the history of my mission and the Aagard family! Arthur Aagard has been baptized! Bishop Hatch in the Byron Ward had the honor of baptizing and I Elder Garceau was given the opportunity to do the laying on of hands to give Arthur the Holy Ghost and seal the deal! It was a wonderful service. One that some had been waiting 10 or more years to come.It makes me so happy to know that Arthur has worked towards this because I know that his baptism has opened the gates to eternal life for him. And in a year's time he can go to the temple to receive his endowment for more light and truth and to be sealed to his family for time and all eternity!

We had a wonderful Easter Devotional yesterday morning as a district in which we did a lot of talking about the atonement and we watched the "because of him" video. It was a wonderful devotional and we felt the spirit very strongly. It was also great because in Easter sacrament meeting in Byron we were able to give Arthur the Holy Ghost. We thought it would be really cool to confirm him on the day of Pentecost (the day the Earth received the Holy Ghost) but Easter Sunday was appropriate too seeing as it is the day we celebrate the atonement of Christ. A perfect Weekend for a baptism!

Also something that I think was a little inspired and made me go nuts, How many times was "Hymn 200 Christ the Lord is Risen Today" played yesterday? Well in the Lovell stake it was heard at least 16 times. it was also the first song the tabernacle choir sang on Music and the Spoken Word (I would know, our dinner appointment played it for us). I would venture to guess that most if not all wards in the church sang that song in sacrament meeting. Tell me if you did!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Elder Garceau

(Love you Mom!)

April 7th, 2014

Greetings all! I have a lot to catch up to! The reason I didn't send a weekly email last week was due to the fact that we went to the temple! Our mission president has decided it is good for us to go to the temple every once in a while. Our district got to go last week on Wednesday. When we go to the temple we give up our preparation day, so that's why I didn't email. Small sacrifices! It was wonderful as I got to take my ancestor Joseph Garceau to recieve his covenants.

 

We aslo had a zone conference just the week before. We talked a lot about The Book of Mormon. We were split up into groups and read the entire Book of Mormon in one day! I can testify to you if you read The Book of Mormon, you will gain a witness from the holy spirit that it is the word of God, and it is true.

 

On Tuesday before we went to the temple, we saw Brainy smurf sitting on top of the other plushies in the claw machine at minchows food court. We knew that he just needed to hear the gospel. I put 50 cents in... and missed. I put another 50 cents in... and could only move him just a little bit. The next 50 cents we were certain I would get him, but we barely missed again. This did not discourage me though! The next 50 cents was enough for me to grab him! We hooked him by his glasses and he was brought to the door where the claw kept hold of him. Elder Dalton took out his camera, snapped a photo and said,"I'm suing." I put in two more quarters and opened the claw to drop brainy by the door. $2.50 from starting, we finally got him out of the machine. He has been converted to the gospel and is now the newest missionary in the Montana Billings Mission. He is our cars mascot (we have a blue chevy cruz). :) (no tithing funds were used in the process of saving brainy smurf). Now all we need is a missionary tag to put on him.

 

It snowed again for about two days and melted as soon as it happened, but there were still some accidents on the road because some people may have become just a little cocky with their winter driving. A man had bought a brand new manual pickup from the dealership. He told them he knew how to drive stick, but he really didn't . He decided to try to learn how while he drove it on the road and went off the road landing it on it's side. This was without snow on the road.

The picture I have taken is from our ride to Billings the day it snowed.

 

Our mission president has us flooding the mission with pamphlets. So far my companion and I have given out more pamphlets than anyone else in the district. Not sure about our zone. We have made it a competition between the districts in our zone to see who can hand out the most. We are very determined to win this! Elder Decker and I are going to go crazy handing these out!

 

How did everyone like General conference? I think I paid more attention to this one than any other I have seen so far. I really liked what Elder W. Craig Zwick said,"transform corrupt communication into ministering grace." Often times we feel like we must use harsh words with those whom we correct. We feel like we must,"put them in their place" for them to listen to us better and do what we say. Most people are humble enough to accept correction if it is done in a loving way. How can you feed the Lord's sheep if you give them reason to resist? Always be understanding and nonjudging when you help others fix thier problems. Maybe think of it this way, how would Jesus help others? Always do you best to make sure your words minister grace to the hearer.

 

In between conference sessions on Saturday, we went walking to hand out pamphlets. We saw a man and a women working in their yard and we asked to help them. In our suits, we helped them to rake up their leaves and put them into bags. The man's name was Patrick and he is completely blind. He does very well regardless. He has very good hearing and can hear where everything is. He is really very high functioning for a blind man. He really admires missoinaries for going on missions and helping people. He wishes he could do the same thing we do because he loves to help others. He says he is agnostic, but is actively seeking to know if God is real. He said that we can come by his house and visit with him, I look forward to talking to him again this week!

 

I hope everyone is doing well! Remember you are the Lord's hands! Help the Lord by touching someone with an act of charity!

Elder Garceau

(I love you mom!)