Email to Jason (Jason wanted it on the blog)

Dear Jason,

It's cool to hear that you have a chance to lead in the church. Don't let this time pass by. You will eventually be released and then you will wonder, "what more could I have done" read Jacob chapter 5, and look for the verse that says that. read the whole chapter and try and see what they are talking about in it. It is a really good chapter in the book of mormon, one of the most important. after you read that one, I have a few others that are really good too.

I am a district leader right now, and I help missionaries teach people that are in their areas. It is just like any other calling in the church, it comes, and goes, but while you have the chance to serve, do everything that you can.

Keep up the good work, enjoy your time while you have it, don't waste it on things that aren't important to you.

Love,

Elder Strong

November 18, 2013

Dear Loved Ones,

I hope everything is going well for you. Life has been just about the same over here. One of my best friends from the MTC (Elder Neal) got emergency transferred into becoming a Zone Leader. He was serving here in San Marcos as the DL for another District so I was able to serve around him for a little, but, it was a sad trick to pull a fast one on us and take him out. He is serving in Fallbrook now.

I have been in this ward for a long time, for most of my mission. I have a lot of close ties with the ward council and other members. We were at the retirement home that our Relief Society President manages, helping a lady by cleaning her cupboards and putting away all of her dishes because she had a small roach problem (yeah, our lives are really glamorous) and Sister Wilson was helping and explaining to the lady who we were.

"do I need to give them a tip?, do they work here?" the lady asked

"No, these are my two young friends who are missionaries for my church. They help me out here a lot, and they love to do it" Sister Wilson explained

She then stated: "Oh, well I am Presbyterian, and I don't really want to speak about religion.."   

"Don't worry about it Ingred, they aren't like that, they are only here to help you."

"Oh, okay, well I should at least invite them for some coffee." 

Well, you know how the rest of the story goes.

Sister Wilson has only been the RSP for about 4 or 5 months, and that was after she had just moved into the ward. We have worked together a lot with her, to serve the sisters in the ward. And someone who I have met with almost every week, is going through the temple for the first time! Vella is 86 and grew up in Salt Lake, but married a non member. She is going through on the 6th of december to recieve her endowment and get sealed to her husband. She is really really funny, I wish I could email a video of one of our lessons to you, she has a very innocent and curious view of the gospel. 

Tomorrow Elder Packer of the Seventy is coming to our Zone Conference, and I have to put something together for it now. so BYE

Love you 

Elder James Riley Strong

November 12, 2013 - THIS WEEK ON: THE DISTRICT

Something amazing happened. I was on exchanges with Elder Petersen, Elder Boehme was together with Elder English in our area. They had an appointment with one of our new investigators. Elder Boehme has only been out for 6 days and Elder English 6 weeks, but I felt that I should put them together and let them try to do it on their own. They planned the lesson all on their own, and taught her with a member with them. They set a baptismal date! I didn't even tell them that they should try to! they did it all on their own, and the member told me that they did very well in the lesson.

Ahh... it feels good to see my posterity shine haha..... there is some missionary cheese for ya.

There are a ton of good things happening in the district. Hopefully we can keep it going, I am really extra busy for the next 4 weeks with exchanges and planning for district meetings, I like it because it feels like I have a ton more investigators than I actually do.

Sorry that I forgot to tell you that I was going to email today instead of Monday. Basically, if it is a holiday on Monday, P-day will be on Tuesday.

no cool pictures this week, but I found a good way to study the New Testament . Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Thank you Library lost and found.

Love you!

November 4, 2013 - Pictures

 Escondido North District before transfers

 B...... at the Halloween party, trunk or treat

"stay Strong and read English".... get it? Elder Strong and Elder English?

November 4, 2013

wow, its November already?

This week we had a trunk or treat at the church. We put out a really big banner to invite everyone, and we called it a "community trunk or treat" and LOTS of guests were there. We even had a few lds families from other wards get invited to it by non members, and when they got there they were very surprised to find it at our building haha. it worked! our ward mission leader didn't know what to do because it never works!

also, something cool I found out: a month or two ago, we went to a members house for dinner, and their 16 year old daughter had a friend over, we will call her "Jane", she was visiting for the week from Oregon. They gave us the heads up that she would be there, so we planned a great lesson that we thought she would like. After the dinner, we had the lesson and the spirit was really strong. I knew that without a doubt that she could feel it. She went to church the next day and the speakers were really good, a new couple who had just moved into the ward, recently married, and graduated from BYU, RM, all of that good mormon stuff. and Jane looks at her friend and says "I want to get baptized" she went back home monday morning, The family sent missionaries to her house, and 3 or 4 weeks later, she was baptized. I love it when things like this happen!

Love you all! Halloween was really fun! not the same, and a little sad, but still fun. 

Gotta go!

Elder James Riley Strong