Another Week in Good Ole Greybull

 

What is good guy mys! This week has come and gone pretty gosh dang quick! 

We threw an awesome Barbecue for all the high school kids in Burlington, which was a good ole time. Firepit, 9 square, s'mores and hotdogs. Members and nonmembers. It was a good time!

Had a crazy Sunday yesterday, spoke in basin ward at 9. Went to Greybull ward at 10:30, then drove 30 min to Burlington to teach Otto wards 2nd hour, and then did Burlington 2nd ward. And a bunch of MCMs... always doing something haha

Other than that, just a lot of visiting people and helping them progress. Had a couple more barbecues and service. Done a lot of ad creation/management this week. Just trying to keep up with everything!!!

Hope everyone has a killer week!

Brandin for Jesus

 

What's poppin' cowboys🤠 This week is packed with adventure! 

The biggest highlight of the week has to be BRANDIN. We had the privilege to go out in the foggy foothills of the Bighorns and brand roughly 300 calves Saturday. It was a blast! I got to sit in the chute and hold all the steers legs as they were getting castrated. I was in the strike zone! There was some big ole steers! The ranch was right underneath the "Wyoming W" as I call it (you can kind of see it in the photo, stupid fog) the mountains make a cool little W that looks over the whole basin, kinda neat right? Just a grand ole time, It was great to relive some childhood memories and get covered in manure lol

We also had exchanges with the ZLs, so I got to go up to Powell and have some fun up there. Also had Zone conference which is always super nice. Always good to get reenergized and refocused! Panda is a nice lil' cherry on top...

And yeah, just have had a lot of meetings and working on ads/FB. Really freaking tough to multitask 5 wards, training, and ads/mission wide trainings, but we are figuring it out! Should be a good time!

Fruitful Increase

A common sight in the historic Bighorn Basin is the vast expanses of scattered crop. Acres upon acres of growth and livelihood. Flora, fauna, and farmers are resurrected in the spring. Along with the tractors and grain carts that travel the old highways like worker ants. The atmosphere is filled with dust and dedication from the continual plowing and planting. One cannot spend any length of time here and not notice this essential trend. And as my tenure in the Basin has stretched, I have come to realize how telling this annual story truly us.

The Basin is a product of tested pioneer patterns. However, it continues to tell a unique and ancient pattern that is relevant to us, in our own life. The pattern of change, and growth is told so beautifully in the tapestry of the frontier. And so as we pioneer our own tested testimonies, let's be careful to see that "...all things denote there is a God" - Alma 30:44

In order to have fruitful increase, a farmer must prepare his field in a multitude of ways:

-He must till and plow to loosen the dirt for planting, and to break apart weeds that prevent growth. Preparatory to adding neccessary nutrients into the soil, and preparing for needed moisture

-He might even burn his field, to improve the overall health and remove old growth. Removing pests that seem to destroy so much almost invisibly.

-He will sow good seeds packed with promise. With patience and persistence he will nurture every individual seed until it has reached its potential

How identifiable all of this really is!

In order to have a fruitful increase, a beloved child of God must prepare his proverbial "field" in a multitude of ways:

- He must anxiously prepare his life in a way that prepares himself to receive the "gospel seed". He must move a rock here, add some fertilizer and attention there. Measure and manage every square inch of his life to get his mortal meadow ready for much needed change

- He must purge his life of the numerous worldly weeds that hold him back. An engulfing fire, know as repentance, must be stoked and fed in his life. Yes, from the view of the passing by, it may seem hindering, but if only they knew how enabling this process truly is!

- And finally, he must plant his seed. "Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness" -Alma 34:4 He needs to establish good roots in his heart, deeply. So that non else can take their place.

The pattern is set before us. There is simply no other way. All 3 must take action in our lives to see growth. A farmer could sow seeds on an uncultivated field, brimming with weeds, but this would end in vain. Or work vigorously to prepare his field for planting, but sow bad seeds, or no seeds at all. So it is with all of us. We need to nurture our spiritual saplings and see them to the end. We must realize that all 3 have their equal part in the pattern of personal progress.

However, the most striking part of this account, is about the hands that empower such change.

Such hands seem to take a backseat, unseen by the yield of the crop. But as I shake calloused hands every Sunday, I'm reminded of a breathtaking eternal truth. The hands that labor diligently to provide growth and progression, are not pretty. It takes work. Hours upon hours, days, months and years are spent toiling for the benefit of becoming. The required amount of effort is truly daunting...

However, we can take comfort in knowing that they are careful hands, hands that know what they are doing. Hands that have seen droughts and storms, failures and disappointment. "But because the Lord loved you...hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you" - Deuteronomy 7:8

It is not an easy nor pretty routine. But it is a redemptive one. Pain and work is the process, but profit is the product. I am so grateful for the many chances the Lord has given me to regrow my roots in rich gospel soil. All through the rains may come and wash me out, I know that there are careful hands ready to replant me!

"How comforting it is to know that God will take us by the hand and lift us to new levels of attitude and achievement if we will but let Him!" - Marvin J Ashton

Glory Days

What is good everyone! This week has been spectacular🤩

We have been busy busy busy. We've done a lot of service, both fun and not so fun Have done a lot of planting and gardening out in Burlington (fun), and some trash removal in Basin (not so fun), one of the grossest moments in my life! I will spare you all from the nasty details lol 

We've had some great lessons this week! We've been able to make a big impact. Sharing the gospel definitely has its perks. One of our friends we're working with, is reading the Book of Mormon, and coming to church now! Not only that, but we got to feed his Mules, and now use his creek whenever we want! The law of equivalent exchange

I've also been mad busy with a bunch of page admin calls this week, learning how to best help out the missionaries throughout the mission. Trying to figure out how to make effective ads and share the gospel on technology! It ain't easy, but it is really fun!

That's pretty much it! Had another Barbecue, mowed a lawn, just the usual. We have zone conference, and exchanges this week so stay tuned!

The car is OK👌

 

What is up gamers! This week has been great! Sit back, and watch the show!

We have been doing a ton of service so far, things are warming up and so peeps need a lot more help! Other than that, just trying to get in the door with some people and trying to help those we do know progress. It ain't easy but it is honest work 

We had Zone council in Lovell this week which was a blast! Got to see some old friends and got uplifted a lil bit! I also found out that next transfer I will be over the ad/data for the whole mission, so that's kinda hype. I'll be getting trained this transfer virtually by the Elder I'm replacing Not sure how we will fit it into the Greybull schedule, but we will make it work 

Other than that, haven't been up to much. I completely nailed a pheasant on the way to church in Burlington yesterday. Had a conversation about muskrat prices... saw antelope fight on our commute. Did some roadside assistance, just the usual for the Elders in Wyoming

Hope you all have a splendid week! 

The Greybull Mish Lives On! (×2)

 

Alrightry folks, this week has been killer! We've got transfer news, Barbecues, Thermopolis, and the Bighorn Mountains!

So I am officially President of the Greybull mission for another 6 weeks! Pretty hyped because we have a few progressing people that I have loved helping out! We had a whole new family come to church yesterday which was dope! Lots of work to be done!

We have had many adventures this past week! Elder Segler and I were able to visit the Bighorns this week, and they are my happy place now! So massive and pretty, but also empty from people. Heaven on earth! We also went down to Thermopolis with the district which was hype! Went to the dinosaur museum, screwed around, just the usual lol

We had a giant barbecue with one of our wards which was super fun! Did a lot of service as always. Had some lessons, lots of contacting and planning, just the usual from da Greybull mish!

That's all folks! Hope you all have a great week!