SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER SEVEN

Slidellutations, yet again my friends,

If you're reading this email it means one of two things.. 1.) We have survived the aftermath of the MEGA transfer and are finally settled into our humble abode here in the promised land of Slidell. 2.) Elder Cox is actually an incognito Quantico agent sent by the feds to uncover the secret formula behind the booming missionary work here... and is typing this in the third person to throw you clever Cajuns off the scent. Take your pick- and welcome to the SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER SEVEN.

It's been a bonkers week here in the bodacious bayou. Transfer stress intermingled with humidity and a gnarly sunburn have made for quite the adventure this week- thankfully this is God's work, and when he is at the helm.. all suffering is temporary. SO, we just suffer from joy- and in that, we carve in ourselves a greater capacity to receive the blessings of our Heavenly Father. We had a member this week ask us a pretty deep question:

*reference Psalm 23* 

If your cup is overflowing with blessings.. is that a good, or a bad thing?

My thought was.. maybe you need a bigger cup. 

I was thinking about this, this past week- and I think the Spirit impressed me with some great thoughts and questions. I've been thinking about this question and how I can apply it in my own life and missionary work-

So how do we enlarge our cups? What IS our cup? And in not as metaphorical of a sense.. how do we increase our personal capacity to receive all of the blessings the Lord has in store for us? Just some stuff to ponder about this week...

ANYWAYS, Elder Cox, Slidell, good week, yes. 

Allow me to pimp** out my "son" [insert mom comment: **modern slang that means "great" or "cool"]-

Elder Cox, what a legend. My first impression was immediate.. wow, he EXUDES joy. As I've gotten to know him better I have seen how he reflects that joy on me and those we teach. He's a charismatic chap who is so, "down for anything." He loves cinnamon toast, the book of 2 Nephi, and, "balling with the boys." In our short time together he has already taught me SO much. He's already such a wonderful missionary, and the spirit in which he testifies is tangible and genuine. We have had the BEST time so far together, and I have the biggest testimony of the Lord qualifying who he calls. Somewhere along the line... I feel like a better missionary. My greenie fire is HERE, SO LOOK OUT SLIDELL BECAUSE WE'RE IGNITED AND READY TO BURN. Yeah, Elder Cox is such a good guy... and we have similar interests, and can laugh about everything, and both really like White Collar and baths- so it's finna be a good six weeks. Not to mention, the incredible lessons we had this week...

THE LESSONS

Right off the bullet train from transfers, we have whisked away into a beautiful combination of the spirit and service. One of the ladies who is a caretaker for one of our people invited us over for rotisserie chicken and the Gospel. Name a more dynamic duo... I'll wait. We also ended up fixing her swing- sponsored by harbor freight rope and zip ties- and taught Elder Cox's first lesson in the mission. What a WAY to start- she was crying the entire time... and while I watched Elder Cox bear testimony, I felt yet another confirming witness that this is the true church. She invited us to come back next week to share some more and said we'd be seeing her at church. What a blessing that day was...

I gave Elder Cox the grand tour of our wonderful people and area. I don't think he believed me when I said, "we minister among the elect here, Elder," but BOY did he believe me when he met our all-star team. Our ladies on date for the next couple weeks did not disappoint in impressing my sonny boy... One of them had started a Pinterest board for LDS quotes and pictures of temples, and since the last time we saw her, had read up to section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. She's been strengthened against temptation regarding the word of wisdom and is honestly just SO ready for baptism. Our other girl is just the same, except, instead of reading Doctrine and Covenants.. she read all of 3 Nephi. She is ALSO progressing so nicely, by keeping the word of Wisdom, and they both have attended church every week for the past five weeks. When they said the elect are prepared and ready.. they weren't kidding. 

An inactive member who gives us free slushies at the local gas station every time we show up, traveled through a choo-choo-train of calls to ask us to give her husband a blessing before rehab. There is so much beauty in this situation. She hasn't been to church in a GOOD minute, yet.. she knew, and her husband knew, the priesthood would be there for her. She knew who she needed to call and knew that she could depend on the church to deliver. Not only was it a BEAUTIFUL blessing, ordained of God, but she and her family are going to come to church this Sunday.. for this first time in a long.... long... time. 

We were grinding the midnight oil.. with only ten minutes of proselyting left. We were in the "ghetto" part of town, and the sun was saying its final goodbye. We both felt prompted to knock one FINAL door.. and lo and behold, God had a great surprise in store for us. We were jazzed for the whole night after this lesson. He was a Baptist who adored the Bible... but felt like something was missing. When we shared the Book of Mormon and the Joseph Smith story with him, he felt that something... he felt complete... he felt something, he hadn't felt in a while... a testimony of truth. When he found out he give out free copies of the Book of Mormon, he CAPITALIZED on the opportunity and told us, "alright gentleman- I'm gonna read this book, and I want you to come back every week, every Sunday to teach me about it. And I'm gonna invite my sons cause I know they need these feelings you have given me tonight.." We couldn't stop smiling, Elder Cox and I. I have already seen so much progression between the way he taught in the first lesson of our time together.. and the way he taught this man. He is turning into quite the fine missionary. :) 

Finally, we visited one of our... not as promising people. And no, that doesn't mean that WE as her missionaries didn't have faith in her, rather, she didn't have faith in herself. Well, it was a typical SCORCHING Louisiana day, and just our luck... her A/C unit had blown earlier that week. So we sat outside in what felt like lava steel chairs, and read the Book of Mormon with her. It didn't matter that we were sweating.. or exhausted.. or burnt like a fine over-fried chicken.. the Spirit was there- and we felt it, and knew she did too. In fact, the spirit was so strong, she agreed to be baptized and attend church with her two kids this week! Y'all, I have such a testimony that God sees our suffering... he sees our attitudes... and he sees our rewards. In this case, it was so WORTH it to burn my behind in order to help this woman and her family receive the restored gospel. 

Now if that isn't a fan-flipping fantastic introduction to the mission, I don't know what is! I told poor Elder Cox that he's starting at the top... and it's all downhill from here, haha. :) No, but in all seriousness, we are so blessed. It's been another amazing week, and I only expect them to keep getting better. We may have to learn Spanish, and bike for five days.. but this work couldn't be better. Thanks, Y'all, yet again, for the thoughts and prayers- they are appreciated and felt more than you know. I know this Gospel and this work is true.. and I can't wait to spend another week, "ministering among the Lord's elect." Have a blessed week Y'all. ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU!!

From a very proud "father,"

Elder Boyd

Pictures/Videos from this week:

Picture courtesy of President/Sister Varner:

Cool Pic:

Elder Boyd, his "son" (aka 1st trainee) Elder Cox, and Elder Orison (Elder Boyd's 1st trainer)

 I think this picture illustrates Elder Boyd's sadness to see Elder Orison going home after serving 2 years in LA

Pic courtesy from a member who text me this pis:

Small World:

Elder Boyd is holding a pic of one of the Spanish Elder's serving in his home ward/area while eating dinner at his* cousin's home in Slidell, LA (his*=Spanish Elder serving here in WA).

SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER SIX: mega transfer edition.

Well, Y'all,

(Side note.. this is the second draft, so excuse the monotony- Google has a way of changing inspired weeklies..)

Many a legend will be told of the "mega transfer" week in the Louisiana Baton Rouge mission. Critics have said, "there will never be another transfer quite like this one in the space-time continuum of the South." Others have noted, "never will a mission feel more unified than through the converging of the twain- that is, Mississippi and Louisiana. For if ye are not one, ye are not mine." To quote the Mission President, President Varner, "we're so excited. We know it and we know you know it too." Yes, Y'all. They don't call it a mega transfer for nothing.. so lets MEGA get into it.. with our SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER SIX: mega transfer edition. 

I guess God thinks the fire on my head isn't trial by fire enough. You should be very careful about what you pray for- be it, Christlike attributes, continued discipleship and progression, complete consecration- God will prepare a way, usually involving fire, for you to achieve those blessings you pray for. For example- when I prayed to God to know what more I could consecrate to become a better missionary. The mission came out with the rule that we weren't allowed to use musical instruments in our apartments. Coincidence? I think not. Should've seen it coming.. And NOW, as I have progressed in my mission and pondered upon how I can become more like the Savior.. my prayers have lead me to this point... as President Farrell from Chalmette would call it, "trial by fire." 

First off, I'm staying in Slidell- which is a tender mercy for SURE because of the events of this past week (see rest of weekly.) ...but everyone else is leaving. Everyone but me and Sister Adams in the District is headed to some sort of exile in Mississippi or New Orleans. AT LEAST I still get to spend another transfer with Sister Adam's, big ole tender mercy right there, who has become one of my best friends in the mission, but everyone else is leaving on a jet plane, set to return in an undetermined amount of time. Elder Spencer to Arkansas, Hernandez to New Orleans, and Taylor to Mississippi. BUT WAIT, there's more... 

Not only am I staying, but the time has now come for me to be a "father" in Israel. Yes, that's right ladies and gentleman, I'm "giving birth" to a "son", come Wednesday. I'm staying in Slidell, as the Zone Leader, training a new missionary (aka "son" whose name and Latin of origin is still unknown), and taking over all of the work the Spanish Elders were doing here in the promised land. So, the FUEGO IGNITES AND THE TRIAL ENSUES. However, if I'm honest, I'm really excited about all of this responsibility. I know it is Gods way of preparing me for some sort of something in life. Thank goodness this is His work, and HE is the one qualifying his instruments. 

So, yeah, that's the MEGA news of the week. Kinda lives up to its name, don't ya think? BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP US FROM HAVING A MOST INCREDULOUS WEEK FULL OF MIRACLES: 

Allow me to brag about this journal entry worthy week we had here in the holy land: 

We went on more exchanges this week! This time, though, it was a bit of a deja vu companionship as I went on exchanges with Elder Teare, who was not only my zone leader when I came into the mission but also the first exchange I ever went on as a missionary! ONLY this time... I was HIS Zone Leader! Exchangeception... I know. Anyways, I know that God approved of this magic companionship.. because film flam Batman, we saw MIRACLES. We followed in the example of Nephi, 

"(Being) lead by the spirit not knowing beforehand the things which (we) must do."

Spiritual hunches are real-  and Gods way of letting us know what HE wants us to do at that moment. I had a spiritual hunch to visit someone I had never met before and Elder Teare had never met before- but that didn't matter, because God knew him and knew that WE needed to know him. We knocked on his door and immediately the light of Christ hit us like a ton of golden bricks. He let us in... we met his family.. one thing leads to another and soon we intermingled the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a divine football analogy.. and what shortly followed was the best friendship for the ages. Not only did he have questions.. but something you appreciate after serving in the south.. he had GOOD questions that didn't exhibit an underlying motive of uncovering the secret behind an alleged, "cult." Before we knew it, he was agreeing to be baptized next month and to bring the wife and kids to church the following Sunday. He reminded me a lot of the young boy Joseph Smith- hidden from the truth because he knew not where to find it- but once he found it, he saw the buried treasure that it was and was ever so willing to make it his own. And if THAT wasn't magical enough, we did the same thing on another street.. and Y'all, I have such a testimony that there are people prepared to receive this message. We ended up meeting this adorable family, and the daughter has had questions about the Plan of Salvation for as long as she has been alive, and was entirely convinced that no one had the answers... IMAGINE HER SURPRISE WHEN I POPPED OUT THE PLAN OF SALVATION VISUAL AND GAVE HER, NOT OUR ANSWERS, BUT GODS ANSWERS. The spirit was so strong.. so strong in fact that they ALSO committed to following the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized next month. Now, if that isn't God working through able instruments to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.. then I don't know what is. 

And in continuation of our theme from last week- the elect keep getting better. We committed two people this week to live the Word of Wisdom, and they are living miracles let me tell ya. Not ONLY did they both keep their commitments.. but get this- the second I witnessed the event I knew it would go in the weekly. We showed up to share more about the Gospel with one of these elect ladies and PREVIOUSLY we had challenged her to go down to one cup of coffee and prepare to give up sweet tea.. well, when we showed up, little did WE know what we were about to enjoy-

We show up and.. get this.. this is the stuff you hear about in MOVIES- and it's happening, live action, right here in Slidell... 

We showed up and she had already read 40 sections out of the Doctrine and Covenants. Not only that, but in front of she says, "watch this" and proceeds to dump an entire keg of sweet tea down the drain. We stopped by the following day to replace every smidgeon of green tea she had in her house with some herbal tea the sisters left behind at our place. She is now an advocate that, "drinking coffee makes her sick" and has campaigned for the sleep benefits that being sober has brought her. And on TOP OF THAT another investigator swore off coffee and cigarettes.. and Y'all, they both bore their testimonies in Sunday School.. and the blessings they have both received from obeying the commandments EVEN though they don't understand why... are so powerful. It was an emotional hour as they both discussed the sacrifice and benefits that have come from the past week. THE ELECT JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER YALL. 

...and to add to that we had nine of our people come to church this weekend, including this most incredible family who got fellowshipped to infinity and beyond because of the awesome ward we have here. So many miracles, my friends, so much tenderness and love and goodness coming from the blessed holy land of Slidell. 

Well, Y'all. Sorry if this email wasn't as typical as the usual scrolls.. two drafts kinda take a toll on an Elder. Simply put, I'm so stoked to stay in Slidell. I'm so excited to meet my son. And I can't wait to continue pressing forward in the work of the Lord. It's a blessing to be a missionary. Seriously, I would rewrite a thousand weekly's if it meant I got to stay out here and preach the Gospel. Well, STAY BLESSED YALL. HAVE A GREAT WEEK. ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU. 

Love yall, 

Elder Boyd

This Weeks Pics:

Note: The 1st four pics are from an angel of a member who has blessed Elder Boyd's life this week