Milestone --- 1 Year!

Date: Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 1:29 PM

Email #54 – La Grande, OR

Dear Bevell Family,

  On the 13 of this month of October the year 2011, I Brant Standage Bevell son of John Nance Bevell Jr will have been serving as a missionary for the Lord our God for a full year!!!! I am amazed at how fast the time has gone by and how much I have grown. When I left I was a boy looking for answers and seeking how to help others find the truths I have found. Now I have grown more into the man that my Father in Heaven wants me to be. I feel better about myself and my abilities, and I am able to see the blessings that I receive from God on a daily basis.

  Looking back on my life I feel so embarrassed at how foolish and vain I was and some of the choices I have made. I see how if I had simply lived the principles how most of those mistakes could have been easily avoided. Yet I also see how those trials have helped lead me to who I am today. I wish I hadn't had to go through those trials, but I am grateful for what I have learned. So thank you dear family for your patience with me. I love you all so very much.

  Now enough with the mushy stuff, on to the fun!! It is the second week of the transfer and Elder Reinsch and I are getting along great. We are seeing great success in our work as well as some hardships. I will start with a hardship. It came yesterday at a dinner appointment with a new investigator. His name is Theren.  When I set up the dinner appointment he told me that we couldn't share anything from the Book of Mormon, yet his first question for us was why do we need the Book of Mormon? lol. Throughout the whole meal and lesson he kept trying to bash with us. What really frustrated me was that we gave him answers to his questions but he just wouldn't accept them. His biggest question was What is in the Book of Mormon that isn't in the Bible? I challenged him to find out by reading and praying about it, to which he responded "I can't bring myself to read it but I will pray about it." He made me think about Oliver Cowdery when he wanted to translate the plates and all he did was ask. I even read that scripture to him "...you have supposed that I would give it unto you when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But behold,..you must study it out in your mind, then you must ask me if it be right, and if it be right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." D&C 9:7-8. To this he said "Oh I always study it out before I ask."........NO!!!! It doesn't work like that! You have to READ, and then ASK!! Gosh it’s frustrating. lol.

  Anyway, some good things that happened were that we got some referrals!! One from the other elders and one form the MTC. The one form the MTC sounds like a golden investigator. His name is Michael, he has recently had a positive experience with a priesthood blessing and has also come to church and now wants to meet with the missionaries. I am super excited for this! We also have the baptism of Brendon Beucey this Saturday at 11:00. I am also excited for this; Brendon has made some amazing changes in his life. He has quit smoking and drinking, and he is planning on quitting one of his jobs so he can come to church on Sundays. I am always amazed at the changes that people make when they come into this gospel. That's probably because I was raised in the church and that was just my life style. lol.

  Now to your questions. Shoes, I like my hush puppies a lot so go ahead and send me those. I would love to have two pair. Thank you. For pday our plans thus far are to email, shop and probably do some archery! Spiritually I am doing great, we have some seminary teachers in one of our wards who gave me manuals for the old and new testament, the Book of Mormon, D&C and church history. I am working on the New Testament first, so I will keep you posted on how that goes. I am also becoming more detailed in my journal writing. This began happening when as I was writing I thought that my children are going to read this someday and I want them to have something fun to read!! And yes we are very tired when we get back to our apartment at night. The bed never felt better. lol.

  I just knew you would like the family mission plan, and I look forward to hearing how you guys use it! One thing it should do is help you to really get to know the missionaries in our ward. There's always one family in every ward that the missionaries think are awesome because of how much they help out, and I want my family to be that! (no pressure. lol.)

  Also please let me know how the family temple trip goes. I am so excited for Izaak, you’re going to love it little brother!

  I know I didn't answer all your questions, but the other elders are waiting on me now. I take the longest to email, but that's because I just love you all so much and want to tell you as much as I can. I will write you as soon as I get the package; I am assuming there are letters in it. Here's a picture of Elder Reinsch and I that I think you will enjoy. Put it on the blog!

  I love you all, I still pray for you every night and I thank my Father in Heaven for giving me such a loving and wonderful family.

Stay cool!!

                             -Elder Bevell-