WEEK 8 MENA (WEEK 47 OF MISSION)

Mena Stays Up :)

HEY earthlings!!!!! Another great week!!!!

Man we had another great week!!! A whole bunch of stories to tell today!!!

First off what I am most stoked about is the progression of our dear friend Webb (Michael). He is doing so good he came to church and we had him all suited in our clothes so he had a shirt and tie and slacks and belt and shoes and everything haha. Nobody in the branch even knew he was an investigator and he loved church and it was so awesome to just see the smile on his face and everything! He and Jason are scheduled for baptism on July 30th and we could not be more excited about that!!!

Hmm this week we had the privilege of the Zone Leaders coming down to Mena which was super nice because it can get very lonely out here never seeing any missionaries or really members for that matter haha but that was awesome to have those guys down here! They are some of my really good friends too so I was loving that. The next day on Friday me and Elder Doman headed to Gore, Oklahoma to blitz the Gore area and that went really well and there was a talent show in their ward that night and so we did the classic fake cooking show with the people being your arms from behind you. AS MADE FAMOUS BY CAM SMITH AND PARKER ATKIN I would not ever want to steal any of their credit. I got it directly from them and it was hilarious when they did it and so shoutout to them for the awesome idea and I stole it and the Gore ward was loving it so thank you Cam and Big P’s army. 

We taught a whole bunch of people this week and it actually was a very eventful week. A lot of our investigators kind of fell off though this week. But Adam is doing well and Donny is still awesome and he drove us to Fort Smith haha. One of our investigators is such a nice guy he took us the hour and a half drive to our zone meeting!!!!

Well Lately I have been thinking a lot about loving the moment that I am in. I feel like a lot of times on my mission I catch myself thinking like, “oh if I can just get home then this or that will get better.” Or, “oh man this area just is no good and as soon as I am transferred things will be better,” and this and that and whatever. I feel like I am realizing that the grass will always be greener somewhere else. In the modern world I see this as almost a plague with social media and everything else it can almost seem as though everybody's lives are all better than ours. If we let ourselves get into that mindset the sad thing is is that everybody's lives will look better than ours and we will spend our whole lives endlessly chasing somebody else’s life or somebody else’s success or style when what Heavenly Father wants is for us to love the life we have! And love the people he gave you! I am grateful for the life that I have and the chances I have! I try to remember this quote when I get feeling sorry for myself "There’s no such thing as a life that’s better than yours." Anyway there is my two cents! 

I love you all hope everybody is doing well! Shoutout to one of my best friends and longest childhood friends, TJ on getting married to Stacy! Love you both and that is so awesome to hear TJ my man I love you thanks for being such a good role model and friend all my life! Also love you Mike and Dana and the whole crew!!!! 

Well this is pretty long haha love you guys!!! Later

Elder Green 

WEEK 7 MENA (WEEK 46 OF MSSION)

Oh How Great it is to be a Father!!!

Mikey in his special shirt from Walmart haha

HELLO!!! Man what a week to remember. So transfer calls came in and sadly Elder Durrant had to leave me and go to Bentonville... and Elder Green got his first greenie and is now training Elder Doman! In the mission field everybody jokes that when you train somebody they are your son and I am very grateful that I have my first son out here in the field haha and yes Elder Doman is related to the great Brandon Doman. Brandon is his uncle. I cordially thanked him for his uncle’s diving efforts in beating the filthy Utes back in the day! hahaha anyways things are good! 

 

Mikey's Son, Elder Doman, with "Hess Daddy" and Mikey

So Durrant left and I feel terrible for Durrant because right as he left it seems all of our grind started to pay off. As soon as Doman got in here things have just been rolling. We have been finding people to teach and people have been agreeing to baptism.  We have been busy and have been teaching a whole lot of lessons and it has just been great! Doman is an awesome missionary and he is adjusting very quickly and I am taking oh so excellent care of him.

 

Time to get serious!

Durrant and Mikey at good old Denny's

Saying goodbye to the District.

Missionary Selfies

A miracle from this week was when we were driving around trying to pick up investigators for church and they weren’t coming out we saw this nice looking girl just standing outside and we were with Rick (Brother Davis) and she waved to us haha so we scrrreeech to a stop and turn around to go say hi. We taught her later that day and turns out her dad is Mormon and there is a long line of LDS faith in her family and she has been looking for a church lately!!!!

 

A snake they killed!

Things are going great we are hopeful to have a lot of people enter into the covenant of baptism this transfer and we have been seeing a whole bunch of miracles!!! It has been awesome!!!

I have been studying the Book of Mormon lately and have been in Nephi and I have been thinking lately a lot about how Nephi was so faithful and why I can't be like him. I often wonder if Nephi is only writing the miracles though. I feel that way about missionary work like a lot of times I will only write home about the awesome things that happen but not about the trials of my faith that come before the miracles. I think the scriptures are that way too a lot of the times. Anyways I love you all and hope you have a great week!!! 

Love Elder Green!!!

WEEK 6 MENA (WEEK 45 OF MISSION)

Shout Out to the Forefathers!!!

Mikey and Elder Hess 4th of July

Super long alien worm that tried to make it's way into the crib to infect me and Durrant but we stopped that right in it's tracks!

Brotherly Love!  Hess, Durrant and Mikey on Pday.

More Haircuts by Mikey.
Doesn't this look like the WORST blanket to use as a cape, haha!!!

Well Well Well here we are again!!! haha another week in Mena!!!! 

Last week was a little rougher as you heard and this week we were on the grind!!! I think I learned a very valuable lesson last week and something that my main man Rick Davis was telling me was that missionary work is the absolute hardest work you will do in your life. You are trying to talk about a subject that nobody likes to talk about and have people change their lives. So if you aren’t involving the Lord of course you won’t be able to find people and of course you won’t see success. That is something I really have been trying to be better about is instead of just relying on myself and my own thinking of what we should be doing I need to pray more and ask our Father in Heaven. So Elder Durrant and I did that this week and things actually got better. Funny how that works.

This week we were knocking so many doors but making sure that we were praying first to know where we needed to be and we ended up finding something like 8 new people that wanted us to come back and that included one family as well! On Sunday we were set to have something like 12 investigators at church!

So we call and guess what? haha None of them want to come or they don’t pick up the phone etc. etc. haha So me and elder Durrant and Brother Davis all head out to the one person who actually did pick up and say that he might come and so we drive to this guy’s house and he had fallen back asleep since we called and woke him up haha. But he comes out and actually ends up coming to church haha. He woke up at 9:55 and was at chuch by 10 haha it was awesome but man Jason ended up loving church and we discussed baptism and he is going to work towards being baptized soon. He also told us to go see one of his friends and make sure that he comes to church.

While door knocking too we found this guy named Michael but he goes by Web hahaha which is a long story, but he told us that he wanted to come to church so we got his number and said we would call and then be there to pick him up on Sunday.  Well he didn’t pick up when we called but we swung by Web's house and he actually couldn’t come to church because he had to go to work at KFC and he actually just recently got out of prison and we had a good emotional talk with him. Later that day Web texted us and told us how he never expected us to actually come and try to pick him up for church and that nobody has ever cared enough to try to take him to church and it was just super cool to see how excited he was!

Tasha is doing pretty well and will be baptized, she just has a couple of steps to take before we can really get things moving for her and her daughter. 

We are still pushing hard haha I have started to keep track of the statistics of when I door knock because I want to record it so I can see myself improve in letting people feel the Savior’s love when I stand at their door. After praying about where we should go and who we should see this week was just a ton better and Elder Durrant is awesome at following the spirit and I am super lucky to have him as my comp!

I love you all happy 4th yesterday I had an awesome day!!! We got together as a zone and it was super fun!!! 

Congrats to Lori and Lee on the marriage love you guys and miss you! Also I realized I never shouted out Anna's birthday on here and can’t believe I spaced shouting her out! I miss all the Livingston/Messervy crew and Anna! 2nd family right there :)

Love you guys take care have a great week!

Love Elder GREEN 

WEEK 5 MENA (WEEK 44 OF MISISON)

Some Setbacks

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!

This week was an absolutely rough one. I think basically all of our investigators dropped us. We had taken this lady's cigarettes from her so she could quit smoking. We told her we would bring them back the next day and then she could tell us if she really needed them back. She did... and said she didn’t want to try to change and that she is happy where she is. It was really hard to see. 

Me and Elder Durrant have been tracting all day every day this past week. We actually knocked into a couple of really cool people with return appointments this next week! It can get pretty discouraging when you knock all day every day and get kicked off of everybody's porch hahaha but you gotta keep trying. Our next push will be to try and get help with the ward and we are going to try to get some people called as ward missionaries because Mena is so small their is nobody without at least 2 or 3 callings so things can get lonely haha. BUUUTTT we will do alright and keep working.

This is the Restoration Lesson they carry around with
them while they knock doors!!!

Also a quick update on the bug situation: it has gone to a whole 'nother level! 

Chiggers: 10

Elder Green: 0

However, me and Elder Durrant are coming back with absolute vengeance this week.  

This week I got to go to the Gore area twice on exchanges with Elder McArthur and then Elder Wilson. It was really cool to see a different area again and get to work with some of their investigators. While I was there we actually set up a couple of people for baptism and that was an awesome miracle!!!

Hunter's Baptism.  Mikey helped teach him a little.

I know somebody is ready for the gospel in my area I think we just need to be more faithful in our finding! This next week will be one full of miracles I can already tell.

Good luck to my dear friend miss Kara Baker this week as she leaves on her mission crazy to think her time has finally come and I am excited for her! She will do awesome things!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my main man C-Livi this week I sure do miss him and he is just my bestest mench! Have an excellent time in Hawaii man Love you fam #trew 

Anyways love you all!!! Hope you have a great week!!!! 

love Elder Green 

WEEK 4 MENA (WEEK 43 OF MISSION)

However, I will put some Lowry salt on these burgers...LOWRY (the trew crew will understand)

HELLO EARTHLINGS!!!!

The picture Rosie Davis sent me (Emily).

Elder Durrant channeling his inner Arkansan!

What a week what a week man oh man! First things first since I had no idea it was Fathers day until yesterday morning I would like to wish a big ole happy fathers day to my old man!!! Love you Dadio! Hope you had fun with Park out there in Michigan and hey maybe one day me and you can come stay in Mena haha. One of my favorite memories of my dad was this one time my mom was really upset about something and I can’t remember what but in hindsight it wasn’t a big deal. For instance, I think something got spilled on the carpet and she was really mad and I was arguing with my mom about how she shouldn’t be so upset. My dad pulled me aside and was like "Mikey it doesn't matter okay? Just help your mother. I know she shouldn’t be upset but it doesn't matter just go help." He said this with like these wide eyes that I could tell he had developed from past experiences. My dad is so awesome with his willingness to do that though. To just help. I can’t tell you the amount of times I have seen my dad do things that I am sure he didn’t like but did them just for us as a family to have fun! I love you Tim! (inside joke)    

This week was an awesome one!!!!!! Tuesday we drove all the way to OKC haha they kinda overstocked the one van that we drove in and I got stuck with the seat on the ground pinched between the door and seats haha.  It was okay though we all had fun with it. The 4-hour drive was a little long though. In the end it was worth it for the sight I got to experience as I saw the temple for the first time in 9 months now!!!! It was so good to be back! There isn’t a temple in our mission and so it is rare to get to go as a whole mission. I was so grateful President let us go. After growing up with what felt like 50 temples within 5 minutes it is weird to never see them anymore. It was so cool to get to participate in the ordinances in the temple I have missed it so much! Super cool though.

 

The ride was like.....

A sight for sore eyes!

Next big item from the week was that the Lowry boys got baptized! I baptized Cole and Elder Durrant baptized Noah! The Lowry family has got to be one of the coolest families I have met on my mission. Just to see the foundation the gospel has given them and how awesome they just soak it all in and apply it to their situation is so sweet!!! 

 

The Squad before the baptisms.

Mikey's best friend, Baby Memphis.

I have been reading out of Jesus the Christ a lot lately and I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven and want to thank him as well on this Father’s Day for giving us his son! I love the plan that Heavenly Father has given us, its so essential for us to understand why our father sent us to earth. We had an awesome lesson with our investigators Sunday at church taught by Brother Davis about how we need to know the plan of salvation! Well I am just rambling on!!! Have a good week everybody! I am doing great still!

Me and Elder Durrant have started to fight the bugs back, we have taken a slight lead! 

There were a couple Brown Recluse in the baptismal font!

Last night when I walked out of MCM with brother Davis I saw a certain something on the television that I just have to comment on. I saw THE KING knocking down some free throws to seal his rightful place on the throne of the NBA!  Congrats to my mentor and friend Lebron James. #LongLiveTheKing 

Also I hope you all are enjoying the summer I know I am! I mean it only got up to 114 last week... 

Love elder GREEN 

WEEK 3 MENA (WEEK 42 OF MISSION)

Wild Wild Week

FAM AND FRIENDS WHATS UP?

Man Elder Durrant and I had a very, very busy week this week that went something like this: 

Road Trippin all weeeeeeeekkkk!

Tuesday: Drive an hour and a half to Sallisaw to work with the Sallisaw elders, sleep in Fort Smith apartments that night. 

Wednesday: Drive an hour and a half with Elder Gehring back to Mena for him to interview the Lowry kids for baptism, then drive an hour and a half back to Fort smith and work there the rest of the day.  Sleep in Fort Smith.

Thursday: Drive the hour and a half drive to Bentonville for Zone Conference, see all my old friends and get awesome instruction from President and Sister Loveland, then after that traffic and construction is too bad to start the drive back to Mena so I go with my old companion Elder Lopez back to my old area of Metfield and work there for a while. Then Elder Durrant and I make the 3+ hours drive back to Mena and get home late on Thursday.

Friday: Work in Mena

Saturday: Mena 

Sunday: Mena 

Double Selfie Game

Elder Hewett from the Tulsa Zone Days

The Squad!Mikey reunited with his good friend from home, Elder Degooyer.

Back with Elder Kealer from the MTC

Elder Strobel

Getting to see my Main Man, George Curry!

haha It was a crazy time though running around everywhere! A quick update on the investigators, The Lowry boys would have been baptized this last Saturday but their grandpa actually passed away, super sad and they will now be baptized this Saturday when their mom is back from Kansas, but they are awesome and are the smartest kids ever and they understand the gospel extremely well.

It was a little frustrating this week to be gone so much because I just want to be working in Mena all the time haha but it was still a very good week this week just teaching people everywhere around Arkansas! 

We had an awesome lesson on Saturday with a man named Donny that will be baptized soon. Last Sunday I felt inspired to get up and bear my testimony on the love that God has for his children. I feel this a lot throughout my day to day proselyting and I felt like I should tell the story about John, from Tulsa and how I saw the mighty change of heart in him and how even though his wife had died that he still came to an understanding that God loves him. Donny said that his wife had passed away and that that is exactly how he felt, and that he knows our church is true he just is mad at God. I can’t imagine losing somebody after being with them for 20+ years, I haven’t even lived that long, but I feel how much God loves Donny and our knowledge of temple ordinances and the plan of salvation that Heavenly Father has prepared for all of his children that we shared with Donny really touched his heart and I am so excited for him to see all these blessings

On a funnier note/really not so funny, but anyway Elder Durrant and I are getting wrecked by the bugs out here. haha I am literally itchy everywhere and we have been asking everybody how to deal with it and they all tell us different methods that have been super helpful but when it comes down to it it’s more like a just deal with it sort of thing haha which I am going to have to get used to haha but I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!

"Da Crib"
Note the random stuff everywhere haha
and what's with the guitar???

Mikey is still cutting everyone's hair!
This is his former companion, Hess Daddy.

Also thank you to the Shumways for the package this past week it was soooo awesome and I am wearing one of the shirts right now!

Also Rick (Brother Davis) came by my house this week haha I haven’t heard the end of it since!!! But that reminded me of when Parker's ward mission leader came by our house haha, weird that I am on the other side of things now! 

Brother Rick Davis, Branch Mission Leader.

Also congrats to those that have received their mission calls back home like Mikey Henderson and Hayden Brown! #ParkwayStake hahaha

LOVE YOU GUYS

LOVE YOU MAMA

Elder GREEENNNN

WEEK 2 MENA (WEEK 41 0F MISSION)

Staying Busy in Mena

heeyyyyy friends and family!!!!! Hope you’re all doing excellent!!

Elder Durrant and I had a super good week this week and the work is starting to pick up. It is sooo different from downtown Tulsa where I was with Elder Nau and always having investigators to teach. So Elder Durrant and I spend a lot of time just finding people or at least trying to. We knocked doors for at least 4 hours every day haha and I can see the Lord's hand in blessing us. 

This week was a little rough because there was a town fair called Lum&Abner. So nobody was home on the weekend as we tried to knock doors. A couple investigators told us they didn’t want to see us anymore and it seemed like the odds were stacked against us. But then on Sunday we had a huge miracle and 8 people came to church!!! They all loved it!!! It was crazy. The Saturday before Sunday we literally had people coming up to us and asking us where our church was. A girl named Terri literally knocked on our front door one morning and asked what time church was hahahha super cool!!

There is this family out here named the Lowry's and they were baptized by Elder Nau and man they are the most amazing people and I love them so much. Anyway they have a bunch of kids that are all super cute and funny and we are going to baptize two of the kids on Saturday. 

A sad story that happened was Brother Lowry (Lowry dad) called us one night and said to come over and that his sister was there and needed our help. His sister's husband had just walked out on her and left her all alone with no money and two kids. We went over there and comforted her and read her some scriptures and gave her a blessing!!! The ward then all came together and helped us get food for her and her kids! Then she came to church on Sunday and I think will also be baptized soon :)

I spoke this week in church on how much God love's his children. It really is weird as a missionary because you don’t really ever worry about yourself, it is always about others and just seeing the way that the Lord will put us in somebody's path at the perfect time to meet them is a testimony to me that the Lord loves his children. He will never give up on any of us and there is always a way back to the straight and narrow path. Remember what Christ says in the Sermon on the Mount, wide is the gate that leads to destruction, but narrow is the gate which leadeth unto life. There are a ton of ways to find sadness, misery, and hurt. The gate is wide for those things. But life everlasting can only be found in Jesus Christ! Love you all!!!! 

Have a great week

Elder Green