February 18, 2014

This week we had Zone Conference and those are great!! Any time you get to hear President Ames speak and address us is a great day! He is defiantly called of God and receives revelation for this mission and all the missionaries who are within it. President Ames big focus was on member work and helping them understand their role on the work of salvation. That was a big thing with Elder Brown and I because we struggle with getting members involved with the work of salvation. He also talked about how important our calls are and that he receives revelation on where missionaries will be most effective at. Then Sister Ames talked about how she loves "The Transfer Zone" that president Ames goes in. That is the time where he spends about 5-6 hours a day looking, thinking, pondering, praying, and then acting on the promptings he gets. She said she loves it because of the spirit in that room is so strong. I know that President Ames is called of God. I know that he loves all his missionaries and wants the best for us. Elder Brown and I also won the cleanest car award. They said that it was the cleanest car they have ever seen in the mission. We babied our car so much that week. We would take our shoes off and put them into bags whenever we got into the car.

First Date on Mission ;) So on Valentines day during our dinner we went to an old folks home and have a dinner/date with one of the residents. It was so fun and my date was hot haha My dates name was Judy Silvertooth and she was 92 years old. I love the people in the old folks home! They are so fun to go and talk to and see how the generations have changed. I'm pretty sure I heard the same story at least four times and she also sang to me haha I love them!! 

Cool thing about our Zone is that we have 17 projected baptism for the month of march and 11 of them will be on march 1st!! The work is growing in the Killeen Zone. Elder Brown and I with the help of the Spirit we have projected 5 Baptisms for March. I'm pretty sure I've said this a ton but Lampasas is a very fruitful place. This is the Lords Work and We Are His Tools Being Lead By the Spirit!!!!! Hurrah for Israel!!

Love 

 Elder Winterbottom & Elder Brown

 Serving in Lampasas

 The Lord's Vineyard

February 10, 2014

 The Lords Work and We Are His Tools

Elder Brown and I had two really great experiences this week!! One of them were with an investigator this week and another was during our tracting Saturday. Julio was set for the eightieth of march and we were to his house to teach him and after the lesson we were talking with him and sharing our testimonies and then he said "Elders, I think we should move my date up a week. I got an answer and it came to me at work. I was sitting at work and thinking about my baptism and I just started to cry." Has he was telling us this he was crying, his wife was crying, Elder Brown was crying, and I was crying!! The spirit was so strong and he is so ready!! He then told us that he has stopped smocking, drinking, and has stopped drinking tea since he has got his answer. So we moved his date a week ahead and now he is set for the the 1st of march!! And we have 4 other baptism set for march :) On Saturday we were driving around driving to find a street to tract and Elder Brown randomly stops at a house in the middle of the street and says that we need to knock on this house. So we did being lead by the spirit and we meet this guy Adrian and taught him right there on his doorsteps. we taught him the plan of salvation and what it mean for him and then we asked him to pray in front of us and listen to feelings he had after. So he did and he said a great prayer. and after he was crying and asked us to come back next Saturday.  This is the Lords Work and We Are His Tools Being Lead By the Spirit!!!!! Hurrah for Israel!!

Love,

 Elder Winterbotttom & Elder Brown

 Serving In Lampasas 

 The Lords vineyard

Hey P 

that was a cool pinewood car! it looked great thanks for making it after me :) I hope i can life up to that car. Dude i heard about you;r knee.. Tha'ts a bummer man but I know you will get better. just stay positive and relax. I know it is going to be heard abut if you will stay off it as much as possible you will get better soon. Later P. Be good.

 

 

February 3, 2014

One Down and Many More

This week was the first time I have read through the Book of Mormon on my mission! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and it is the word of God but you should always do the invitation that Moroni gives in 10:3-5 and reconvert yourself. I Love the time I get to study, ponder, and read from the Book of Mormon. I know that it is inspiration from God for our day. I have grown so much and I will continue grow by receiving revaluation through reading the Book of Mormon. I know that the Book of Mormon is convincing evidence that Joesph Smith was a prophet in this last dispensation and I know that the Book of Mormon is the key stone of our religion and goes hand in hand with the Bible. My testimony will continue to grow along with my understanding and knowledge that God gives me. I Know that the Book is true and I know that this is the True church!!

This week we set 4 baptismal dates. I am so excited for the investigators. They are doing so good and I love to see the change they are making to come closer to God and Jesus Christ. two of those dates are a family, one is a teenage girl and one is a lay that is in her 50's. I love them all!!! They are all get and I'm so happy for them. We had an experience after district meeting. After district meeting was over there was this guy that walked into the church and said that he wanted to be baptized!! How cool was that. It was a miracle that missionaries were there and he showed up at the right time too. This is definitely Gods work and we are his tools! I love this church and I know without a doubt that this is the ONE TRUE CHURCH!! 

Love Elder Winterbottom

 

 

January 27, 2014

No letter today, only pictures.  And the mama ain't happy. 

 Snow in Texas!

January 21, 2014

3rd Transfer comes to an end

To every end of a transfer there is a new beginning and a possibility to be at a new area or even a new companion. But that's not the case with this transfers. We got a call Monday morning from the Zone leaders telling us where we will be serving and with who. Well great news!! I will be staying in Lampasas and I am still training Elder Brown. That's the big new this week. 

So this week we had 2 investigators attend church with us on Sunday. We don't have a baptismal date with them yet because they wanted to attend church first. The family is a part-member family. The mom, Jennifer, is less active and hasn't been to church in over eight years and the dad isn't a member but is taking big step and really looking into the church. They also have two girls that are 9 and 8. Julio, the dad, is the one we are working with and he has been doing that we ask him to do. We asked him to pray during church whether he should be baptized in this church. and in the middle a sacrament he leaned forward and prayed!! He is really searching! then the rest of sacrament all the speakers talked on baptism!!!! If that's not his answer then I don't know what is haha I'm excited to got back and talk with that family. They are even doing good together. They have been praying in the morning as a family and at night and even read together and talk about it. They are a great Family and is doing really well!!

 

Love

Elder Winterbottom

January 13, 2014

Bible Bash Week

The past week Elder Brown and I have been in two bible bashes with the same person. We meet him tracting and when we found him we thought he was solid. He had a Book of Mormon already and had a couple of questions that could be answered thought the lesson 1 which is the restoration. We were so excited to go there teach him because he seemed so solid.  But that quickly changed.  We got there and only into the 2nd principle he started to bible bash.... I know a little in the bible but not enough to bash. We ended up staying there for 3 hours and were late an hour to check into our apartments at night. Then during our studies the very next day he called us to apologize and invite us to dinner and the actually have a chance to share our message. We went back and he is a really cool guy and sweet family. we then started our lesson and we actually listened and we got through the lesson and that was probably the most heart-felt lesson I've had on my mission. But then went into bible bashing again....  again it was 2 hours. But at the end of that lesson he said I would love to come to church and he was at church too. Man this guys confuses me??? Next time we are going to have Brother Hawkins (2nd counselor in bishopric) come with us cause he is really smart in the bible. I hate bible bashes but i have learned so much from studying for them. 

I also went on exchange with my District leader, Elder Yourgason, this week and that was great. I look up to him and respect him a lot!  It was good because he has shown me how much I have grown in 4 months. he  told me, "I went from being quite but very positive to a trainer and showing so much love, encouragement, and want the best for all of our investigators." That means a lot coming from him.  He goes home after this transfer and I'm going to miss his guidance. 

 

January 6, 2014

This week has been really good and some pretty cool events happened!

First: We have been working with Brother and Sister Matheny and they are less active. They she cant go to church because she is bed-ridden and he hasn't been going because she cant. Well we had the bishop come out with us and talk to them about the sacrament and they haven't received the sacrament for over ten years. so the bishop interviewed him to see if he was worthy to pass the sacrament to her. And he is!!! so we went over there on Sunday and helped him and made sure everything was done properly and they both were crying and it  was just a great feeling to so that done and what it means for them. Brother Matheny has promised the bishop that he would come to church every other week too! And the Bishop has a goal for them to get to the temple within 2 years. It will be a challenge with her weight but I know they can make it. 

Second: there was a baptism for the Sisters in our ward on Saturday. That was great but the cool thing was I got to help and see the changes they made in their life. They were first in the Copperas cove 1st ward and the Elders were teaching them and I got to go on an exchange and teach them. They are a great family!! Then they move across the street and moved into the Copperas Cove 2nd ward and now I get to see them every Sunday and help them out when needed. 

Third: Everyone knows I love the Ice-cream down here and how much I love my hair. Well we are working with a family that has a hard time quitting smoking drinking. i have made a commitment with them that if they stop smoking I will stop eating ice-cream...... but every time they smoke and break the commitment I get to break it and have ice-cream for the day. And if they can stop drinking for a whole month I will buzz my head... I hope they can do it!!! Those are the sacrifices that I make for my investigators and families here. They are all great and I love all of them!!!

What are holidays on your mission?? For new years we were in bed and asleep by 10:30 and on new years day i was up at 3:30 to get ready to go to Fort Worth for a meeting. So I don't know what holidays are anymore haha I thought I would like the new set up and time change cause it would be more like back home but I don't. There is less people there at church because of it. 

Love Elder Winterbottom

 hey P!!

How was New Years?? Dang, That game looks so cool!!! Landen has no life if he beat it in 3 hours haha Ghost was my favorite guy in call of duty. My new years I was asleep by 10:30 haha How do you like the new church scheduled? I know my ravens didnt make it... I have people that keep me updated on my teams and all the sports. Who do you want to win the supper bowl? could you have mom send a picture of me with my long hair and then maybe one with it pulled back?