SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER NINE

Howdy homo sapiens, 

I have received the utmost conviction that I was sent to this very special part of Louisiana for a reason. I will go as far as to say I KNOW I was foreordained to serve the people of Slidell, and Thibodaux, and Chalmette. I know that the promises I make here and the promises I made before this life have an eternal influence. It brings me great comfort to know that I have met these people, because it subsequently means, I am fulfilling my foreordination. Boyd K. Packer put it best when he said,  

"It is important for a … missionary … to know that the Holy Ghost can work through the Light of Christ. A teacher of gospel truths is not planting something foreign or even new into an adult or a child. Rather, the missionary or teacher is making contact with the Spirit of Christ already there. The gospel will have a familiar ‘ring’ to them”

...and I'll add to it- it is important for MEMBERS and CHILDREN OF GOD to know that the Holy Ghost can work through the Light of Christ. The best definition I have heard thus far on the light of Christ is a spiritual endowment of light and conscience. I recognize these investigators, and it is in that that I know this Gospel is true. We are all children of God. He knows us, he loves us, and he has plans for us to fulfill in this life. We ourselves are answers to so many prayers and tender mercies to so many lives. I think if we had God's goggles to view ourselves as he would, we would never have any doubt in our minds that we are of divine and infinite worth. Josh Groban said it best, "YOU ARE LOVED."  These were just a few thoughts I had as I reminisced about the many miracles I have seen in Slidell these past couple of weeks.. and on that note, WELCOME FRIENDS TO SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER NINE.

This past week we were pleased to magnify the Zone Leader responsibility and go on exchanges with some stellar Elders. I'm pretty positive the Elder I went on exchanges with, is my Uncle Ben. He kinda looks like him (devilishly handsome), he's from Colorado Springs, and he loves diet Mt. Dew. For any of you who know my Uncle Ben, that is basically a carbon copy description, haha. 

ANYWAYS, exchanges are awesome because it's yet another wonderful opportunity to, 1.) Serve other missionaries and 2.) Brag about the promised land of Slidell and prove its promised land-ness. I took Elder Lakey on an elect roller coaster of sorts, introducing him to all of the lovely miracles we have met down here. Introducing him, prompted a lot of reflection and introspection on my part-- as I thought about the blessings I have encountered here, and on my mission in general...

I love Elder Cox. I feel like a trainee all over again as I learn something new from him every day. God really does bless the trainers of the mission, or at least THIS trainer, with trainees who have more to teach than they themselves do. The second I looked at this responsibility as an opportunity to learn, the second God paved the way for me to become an even better missionary and person through the advice and example of Elder Cox. I honestly feel myself improving more and more every day as I observe and apply the things he teaches me. He doesn't even need to use his words- Elder Uchtdorf once said, "preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words." Elder Cox is a great example to me and I am beyond fortunate to be his companion. 

In other news, we had Zone Conference this past week! I guess my emails are a foreshadow for the mission because the theme was LOVE AND MIRACLES. There is so much love in this mission y'all- it inspires me to pray more for the gift of charity and to be more patient and understanding with the people we teach and the people I love back at home. Love is the motivation for missionary work and the entire essence of the Gospel. I think the best missionaries are those who love the most. A nugget from this past Zone Conference that I thought I would share is something I have been thinking a lot about recently. 

As missionaries, one of our primary responsibilities is to create member missionaries. Not only are we to be striving to be Preach my Gospel missionaries, but to create preach my gospel members. Members are truly the gateway to miracles. 

District Council:

Sister Adams and Elder Boyd @ Zone Conference

...and that statement is proved through the events of this past weekend.

God blessed us with another baptism! I had the sincere pleasure of being apart of her beautiful journey and being the one to baptize her in the end. When we got out of the font, I turned to her and said, "how do you feel?" To which she responded, "WET." Haha, she's a hoot and we have been so blessed to meet and teach her. She embodies perseverance and enduring to the end. Satan has done EVERYTHING in his power to try and prevent her from being baptized- whether it was familial conflict, doubt, temptation... he threw everything at her, but she took it like the champion that she is. I know she will be such a special member of the church and that she is already a beautiful daughter of God. We are so proud of her and are sincerely blessed with the best down here in Slidell. 

Well y'all, it was a crazy week yet again, but we were able to see the blessings of hard work above all of it. I hope you all find ways to fulfill your foreordination and be preach my gospel members this week! And take heart if you feel like things aren't going your way or you're not good enough, PRAY! I have the biggest testimony that prayer really does work and increases our access to miracles and God's power. Elder Holland says it much better than I ever could- 

“God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as he always has. But he can't if you don't pray, and he can't if you don't dream. In short, he can't if you don't believe.”  

Have a blessed week y'all. Elder Boyd loves you!

From a blessed soul in a blessed land,

Elder Boyd

This week's FB Post:

When life gets too hard to stand, kneel.
I'm not gonna lie, I didnt pray as much as I should have before I served a mission. I wasted the all access pass I had to communicate with my Heavenly Father. It was like having seasons tickets and never attending a single game. Prayer is a privilege. And now that I am serving I have never prayed more NOR have I ever felt prayed FOR more. There is power in sincere prayer, and I have learned very personally that it is ALWAYS worth it to use those season tickets.Prayer is such a beautiful thing.
I encourage each and every one of you to callous those knees and have a conversation with your Heavenly Father. He already knows everything you dont want anyone to know, and loves you still.
There is no bitter hour to pray..
Because every hour is a sweet hour for prayer.
#LBRMSingingSunday

SLIDELL SCROLLS:CHAPTER EIGHT

Greetings little flock,

I thought I would start this week out with a quote that has really resonated with me this week, and pretty much sums up the events of our scroll-

From Elder Holland

"Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead."

We are living in happier days, and the bitter cup has never tasted sweeter. Working hard is always worth it- and even if it takes a 25 mile bike ride and your tire pops and your Gatorade spills all over the place and the doors just won't open, and you lowkey have to use the bathroom but there is not a sheet of toilet paper around.. it is always worth it. Welcome, my friends to SLIDELL SCROLLS: CHAPTER EIGHT. 

I'm gonna rant about miracles again because miracles are so real and so legit. 

MIRACLE #1

The day of miracles has not ceased. This weekend, one of our dear, dear friends made one of the best decisions of her life. I feel so humbled to be a part of such a beautiful occasion... I have learned more about myself and more about the scriptures from her than I ever thought I would on my mission. Shes got quite the investigator resume: She is a bible queen, who prefers doctrine and covenants over music, is willing to go the distance to sacrifice for the word of wisdom. She keeps her commitments, testifies so strongly of the Book of Mormon, and is what we missionaries call... "the elect." The spirit was TANGIBLE, I say, TANGIBLE. And we owe it to the members of the ward- without members, missionary work is near impossible. Make it easy on yourself, and ask a member for help. The ratios are chilling... members are the gateway to miracles. 

MIRACLE #2

This week we also literally, "pedaled to the metal" and had quite the spiritual experience - we were BIKING in the blazing hot sun, and I felt strongly impressed to go knock on these doors in a sketchy neighborhood... I know it wasn't of my own accord, because we purposefully haven't knocked these doors in the past. Anyways, Elder Cox swiftly followed as we skirted around the corner and made our way over to get knocking. Well, about 45 minutes later NOTHING. I mean, we taught someone who had been taught by missionaries before but still wasn't interested. And we answered some questions about Joseph Smith and gave out a copy of the Book of Mormon, but no one was really INTERESTED, ya know? It felt like a divine referral, and yet we saw no fruits in our labors. So, we biked away- and as we were pedaling along, I said a little prayer in my heart for understanding, "God, why were we prompted to go over there? No one was interested..." The answer I received came simultaneously, with a resounding, "I needed you to do that for me.."Immediately, I was humbled. I reflected upon the last 45 minutes, and thought of my commission as a servant of the Lord, and thought, "if God wanted me to plant another seed so that man could be open to the Gospel eventually, I'll do it. If he wants me to answer questions about Joseph Smith and give someone the opportunity to accept the Book of Mormon as the word of God? I'll be there." I learned a very special lesson in tracting that day. God has plans for us and uses us DAILY to bring to pass his eternal purposes. I think I'm going to be much more "easy" when it comes to following his counsel in the future, now that he knows if he needs an errand run, he can depend on Elder Boyd to do the job. And the silver lining of it all.. we finally found, "the hood" which I originally would've skedaddled from, at the very sight... but now, its home. I am Elder Boyd, and I call the swampy slums my home. Those of you who know me, know that is about as likely of a statement as my hypothetical tan lines.  God is working many mighty miracles in me. It's so good to be a missionary.

MIRACLE #3

Okay, last one. We've been trying to get this woman and her two kids to church for WEEKS now, but she always comes up with an excuse. It wasn't until we asked one of our recent converts to go pick her up... and she WAITED OUTSIDE FOR THIRTY MINUTES FOR HER TO GET READY.. that she finally came to church. Right after elder Cox's beautiful confirmation blessing, she came walking in.. and my heart was full. God is SO good y'all. Too good to us. We are in the promised land for real. 

LAST MIRACLE:

We were out tracting in the final minutes of our day, and for SOME reason, I have no idea why we kept running into shirtless geezers with their suspenders. One door after another- another shirtless gentleman would pop out.. Well, we decided- ONE DOOR MORE. Well, we knocked.. and immediately this spooky blue light turns on.. and we look at each other amidst the mood lighting and think, "oh no, its one of THESE houses." Well, we were SO wrong. The lady opens up, IT'S NOT A SHIRTLESS GENTLEMAN, introduces herself, invites us in, makes us some grilled cheeses (more for Elder Cox) hooks us up with some Fiji water, and tells us to relax on her couch bed. She ends up being the most PREPARED woman who has had questions about the church for the longest time. We had an incredible spirit filled lesson about repentance with her, and she said, "that right there, is the reason God sent y'all to me." So yeah, stay tuned for her baptismal date...haha, we love her, and we love working here in Slidell!

Well y'all, its been a good week over here, and I hope the same for all of you. LOOK for the miracles in your life and you will find them. I promise you, miracles are SO true. I love this church, I love missionary work.. and I LOVE ALL OF YOU. HAVE A GREAT WEEK Y'ALL. BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. ENJOY THE BITTER CUP. ELDER BOYD LOVES YOU!!

With sincere and miraculous appreciation,

Elder Boyd