September 15, 2014

My hump day was just like every other day. Not going to lie I hate
knowing when I'm going home and I don't like being reminded.... I love
it out here!! The lady who has the 8 year old is a member we think..
Its a long story and very confusing!! We are still teaching them just
like investigators until we know for sure. We really don't have any
other progressing investigators. this area is by far the hardest but
has long as we are obedient the lord will bless us. Living with
members is weird. I don't know if I Like it or not. Its cool cause we
can go and talk to them when we want to talk to someone other then
your companion but then you are always on your best behavior and I
feel like and I can never relax down. you never want to disappoint
them. we have one room to ourselves and that's it.  There are no
basements in Texas. all two story houses.

The week was a week of sweet exchanges! I went on an exchange with
our zone leaders on Tuesday to Wednesday. Elder weaver is awesome. He
is probably the most respected Elder in the mission field because of
the love for the work he is great at teaching. He taught me how
important pray is. I knew how important it is but he took it to a
whole new level for me and understanding that god answers prayers, we
just have to ask and if its God's will and timing we will see
miracles.  He also was great at understanding the same and simple
things in missionary work. He realizes the blessing and miracles and I
really need to work on that. God has his hand in everything we do. On
Thursday to Friday went on an exchange with Elder Parkinson. This is
his first transfer in the field and it took me back to when I was
training. Wow, was I inadequate to train but the lord took a chance on
me to help Elder Brown. I have learned so much and I pray that I
taught my son what he needs. Elder Parkinson is a good missionary and
is still learning what to say and not to say haha he is a good guy and
has a great trainer. I realized the best way to be a trainer is to be
an example and be exactly obedient. It was a good little reminder for
me. We also had zone training/council this week. It was on how do we
help our investigators. And it all came back to us.  We have to
convert ourselves before we can convert someone else. What was cool is
that I studied that a week before zone council. I'll share that study
with you next week.
I'm so excited for this week. We have interviews with president Ames
this week. I love talking to him!! I might not email you until the
26th because I'm trying to go to the temple.

Love,
Elder Winterbottom & Elder Harris-Coons
Serving in Flower Mound
The Lord's Vineyard

This week it got into the 70's and we were cold so we put on our
sweaters. I'm a true Texan haha

September 8, 2014

"I thought I would never see one of these again!!! This was the Candy
that I got in England!!"

This week I want to share with you my studies that I had. Last week
when I when on an exchange with Elder Hendricks he said something that
made me think of what I need to study to get me to the next point in
my progression as a missionary, as a better person, and as a disciple
of Jesus Christ.  The thing that came to mind was my Ordinances and
the covenants that I have made and the blessing that follow has I keep
and honor them. Some of which and sacred to me and I apologize because
I'm not going to share everything.
My first thought was to look up 2 Nephi 28:30. For behold, thus saith
the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line,
precept‍ upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed
are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my
counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth‍ I
will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from
them shall be taken away even that which they have. Now from here I
thought as I grow in the church and the gospel, I will continue to
grow, learn, and strengthen my faith and relationship with my father
in heaven: line upon line ,precepts upon precepts, here a little and
there a little. Making saving ordinances and making and keeping
covenants. Next thought was what are these ordinances and covenants?
Think about the ones you have made and what is your next ordinance
that you need.
Ordinances
           Covenants
Baptism & Gift of the Holy Ghost
Take upon you the name of Christ (Mosiah 5:7-10)

                    Keep His Commandments

                    Serve Him to the end (Mosiah 18:8-9)
Priesthood (for men)
       Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood (D&C 84:33-44)
Temple ordinances
      Found in the temple

I pray you will study the blessings that have been granted to you and
recognize them in your life. But the greatest gift you will have
granted to you will be Exaltation, if you live worthy of it. We need
to keep all our covenants to receive exaltation. Endure to the End!!
Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are and what we can
become. they remind us of our duty to God. Now the question I ask
myself and I pray they you will ponder and think about it too. Am I
(you) keeping and faithfully serving and keeping my covenants? If not
what are you doing to repent and change your life so that you are?
Repentance is a good thing because we are changing our view (worldly
view) to God's will.

Love,
Elder Winterbottom & Elder Harris-Coons
Serving in Flower Mound

Preparing to draw the Plan of Salvation

September 2, 2014

The area that I'm in is pretty dead with investigators and on one is
really looking for the gospel but I am seeing miracles happen
everyday! This past Saturday we were walking through a apartment
complex the lady flagged us down from her car and we started to talk.
She wanted to pass out pamphlets for us and she isn't even a member.
So we gave her a couple and asked if we could teach her about them.
She said yes so we taught her and she loved the message. Cool thing
was that we meet her Saturday, invited her to come to church, and she
came the next day and loved it and so did her eight year old daughter.
She is from Germany. Looks like I don't need to go out of the country
to teach all nationality of people. She has already told us that she
wants to be a member!  Pray and simple going out to work even if you
feel like there is nothing to do, the Lord will bless you for it.
James 1:6 we read about how we are to petition God for answers to the
desires of our hearts. We are taught to, “ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed.” Perhaps there is a lesson in this scripture
teaching us how to invite those we serve. Let us ask in faith, nothing
wavering, for opportunity to share the message of the gospel and for
them to make commitments to the Lord. There is times where I feel like
I cant do anything more and I don't know what to do. I have found that
those are the times I need to rely on the Lord that most through pray
and simple going out and working. This Scripture really hit me this
week with how much faith we really need to put into pray. This is my
commitment for this week.

This week I was able to go on a exchange with Elder Hendricks. I can
honestly say that this exchange has changed my mission. He taught me
more about myself, who I am, what I represent and most importantly who
I can become. I felt like I had plateaued for a while now and we
simple just talked about what I needed to do to take the next step. He
referred me to the white handbook page 57 example. He had me read that
and we talked manly about repent and become more like the Savior and
keep covenants. This truly hit me!! He was the example that I needed.
I then got back from that exchange and prayed about what I need to be
doing and what I need to change. Since then I have found a big desired
to be the best example that the Savior wants me to be. I was so
grateful for Elder Hendricks and giving me that encouragement I needed
to the potters clay Jeremiah 18:1-6. Elder Hendricks might not ever
know what he has done for me but I will always be grateful for him.

Love
Elder Winterbottom & Elder Harris-Coons
Serving In Flower Mound
The Lord's Vineyard

August 25, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I want to first start off with happy Birthday mom!!!
The best example with mothers in the scriptures deals with the 2000
stripling soldiers. they give an accounting on how important their
mothers were to them in growing them up properly and the role the
played in their life. Alma 56:48, 57:21
and I want to add my testimony to theirs. I would not be the person I
am today without my mother and her guidance she has given me in the
gospel. Thanks mom and I love you. Have a great rest of the day!!

Every area I have served in has been different in the way missionaries
are to serve. Lampasas was strictly finding because of how new the
area was. Hurst we were teaching all the time because our teaching
pool was so large and I was so blessed to be apart of that amazing
harvest. Now I am in Flower Mound and the work that is going on here
is mainly getting less actives back involved with the church. I can
now say that I have been apart of every form of missionary work. I
pray that I may be able to do my part in this work and even be able to
find people to teach. Its hard to find people to teach cause has you
know we are in the bible belt and it seems like everyone already has a
church they go to and they don't want anything else. Plus it is a
wealth area so the people feel like they already have everything and
don't need anything more. don't get me wrong this is a great area and
the members here are very nice. Just from them past 4-5 days I can
tell that I will be really close to the ward and the members here. The
bishopric have encourage the whole ward to read "The Power of Everyday
Missionaries: The What and How of Sharing the Gospel." We have also
got permission from president Ames to read it as well that why we can
talk to the members about it. The Bishopric is trying to increase the
missionary efforts in the ward and I pray that this book will inspired
them to do so. An on top of my reading that I invited y'all to do (The
Book of Mormon), I invite you to read that book as well.

My new companion is Elder Harris-coons and he is from Tulsa Arizona.
He has been out for 18 months and knows his way around this area.
There is never a dull moment with him. I am always laughing and I go
to bed with my stomach hurting because I've been laughing all day. By
the end of this transfer I will have the ripest abs ever because I'm
always laughing. He is a great missionary. Living with members is very
weird and I'm not to sure if I like that but I need to stay positive
with the blessing that I have.

Love
Elder Winterbottom & Harris-coons
Serving In Flower Mound
The Lord's Vineyard

August 18, 2014

 Birthday Week

Two souls come unto Christ and one through the temple

This week was sweet! (Missy) and (Debbie) both were Baptized on Saturday (Birthday Baptism) and I was able to preform both of the baptisms! It is such a privilege to have the ability to baptize and allowing me to bind on earth and in heaven Matthew 18:18. I'm so Glad God has allowed me the opportunity to be in these peoples life's. The is honestly no greater joy then seeing one of God's children come closer to him! And their is no greater gift then a baptism on your birthday!! And I was able to be apart of two of them! I Love this work! (Sadie) also went to the temple on August 15th and she loved it! She almost didn't go. When you talk about adversity and everything that could go wrong did go wrong and it hit her that day! She was having a terrible day and about 3 o'clock she said to herself that nothing was going to stop her from going and said a prayer and then things got better. She went and had a great time and when the temple started to close she didn't want to leave. She has made so much progress! There is also no better way to leave a area then ending off on a baptisms and someone going  through the temple for the first time. God was able to give me one baptism in Lampasas and now one in Hurst before I left. My new area is Flower mound Texas and my new companion will be Elder Harris-coons. Give you more info about him next week. President Ames has also extended and invitation for the whole mission to read the Book of Mormon before October 16th. We have a member of the quorum of the seventy coming to us that day. We have been invited to do so and I have excepted the invite because i know it will bring me closer to the Savoir and open more mysteries that my father in heaven has for me and I invite y'all to do the same! 

On my birthday we went and taught 4 lessons in the morning and had the baptism at 4 and then went to dinner at the Jackson's home. I love that family so much! They gave me presents and treated me like I was there own kid. Then went back to the church for two more baptisms that the zone was having. then went back home and opened my presents and card from back home. It was a good day and thank you the love and support. 

 

I Love this family to death!! They are so good to me and this is just some of the memorize I have made with them. they also gave me 75 dollars, a stuffed animal turtle and a tie.

August 11, 2014

In those days, I often recalled a childhood memory. The Ed Sullivan Show was one of the most popular programs  on television in the United States. As a variety show, it featured performers with widely divergent talents. One man appeared regularly. A number of poles, perhaps a dozen or more, were set up on stage, with stacks of dinner plates be side them. This agile individual would spin a plate on top of one of the poles and then move to the next pole and spin a second plate and then a third and a fourth. As he proceeded down the line of poles, the rotation of the plates on the first and second poles would begin to slow, and the dishes would be in danger of falling off and crashing to the floor. Seeing this, the man would quickly run back to those poles and with a gentle spin increase the motion that allowed the plate to keep spinning. The excitement of the act was to witness the ability of the performer to expand the number of rotating plates while not letting any fall.

Invariably, a point would be reached where he was not able to keep up. There was a limit to his ability to increase the number and yet properly care for the plates already in motion. The sight of dishes sliding from their precarious perches and the cacophony as they hit the hard floor vividly proved the point that even the most skilled performer has his limits. 

-Seeking a Balanced Life by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom  

We all know this story but our mission is done spinning plates. We are now focusing on "a golf swing or a free throw shot." We get so caught up on spinning one plate that we forget the others and then those plates, fundamental of teaching, becomes weak and suffers. Like any sports team, you are only as strong as your weakest link. Or like the principle of the "golf or free throw shot" if one fundamental is off then the whole swing or shot is off. This is just like missionary work! You could even apply this to your life. Think about how you can apply this in your life because I have seen the blessing of using this in my life and in missionary work. President Ames has come put with a diagram of fundamentals of this mission and build a house out of it. and inside this building of fundamentals we have oxygen which is: P,C,D P-purpose C-contentment D-doctrine and we do this for every lesson. We have been doing this for about 4 months now and it is been the most effective this mission has been so far.  We are also finding by the spirit and finding the elect. We have been asked to teach people that are progressing and to have honest conversations with them to see who is really looking for the Gospel at this time. I love the principles I have learned out here! 

We also had two investigator get interviewed yesterday and the past! their baptism is for August 16th!!  Sadie is also going to the temple august 15th and we are so excited for her!! We wont be able to attend with her because it will be at 8 at night but she is in good hands with this ward!

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Argyle                                                                                                                               Serving in Hurst                                                                                                                                                           The Lord's Vineyard

August 4, 2014

Holy Ghost talk

You have taken upon yourself to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by proper priesthood authority (act in Gods name).

-through this you have made your first convent (promise between you and God)

-that convent is baptism

But its not quite finished yet and the Apostle Paul understood this

-Acts 19:1-6

I want to talk about who is the Holy Ghost and what his role is

-3 member of the Godhead

-personage of spirit and doesn't have a body of flesh and bones

-able to dwell with us and be with us

He is called:

-the Spirit

-the Holy Spirit

-The Spirit of God

- the Spirit of the Lord

-the Comforter

he works in perfect unity with the Father and Jesus Christ to help you live a righteous life and to receive the blessings of the Gospel. His purpose is to:

-testify of the Father and the Son

-to reveal and teach the truths of all things

   -John 14:26

through him you can gain a testimony the the Father is the father of our spirits, Jesus Christ is the savoir and redeemer of the world, and that this is Christ true church on the earth today.

Power of the Holy Ghost

-everyone who is an honest seeker of the truth can feel the influence and power of the Holy Ghost

-this power comes upon someone before baptism

(experience we had with Sadie)

-Moroni 10:5

-now if we do not act on this still small voice/ feeling then this witness will go away.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

-now this is different the the power of the Holy Ghost.

 This wonderful gift is give to members of Christ church by the laying on of hands like Paul did.

 The gift is the right to have the constant companionship as you live worthy life. This means doing the things that got you to your baptism, Enduring to the end, or what (Sadie) says, "walking the walk and talking the talk."

As you live worthily you will be able to receive revelation and the spirit's guidance in your life.

Now most of this talk was bullet points so you have to use your imagination to understand what I was talking about.

This week was great to see her in that water! One of my Sisters is on that straight and narrow path! Everyone who attended was talking about how great it was to be there and to feel of the spirit! She is defiantly apart of this ward already! There is even a temple trip the ward is doing on the 15th and she is going to be able to go to it! She even is doing missionary work already. She invited 5 nonmembers to her baptism and even 3 less active members she works with and they all came!! God has a work for her to do!

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Argyle

Serving in Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard