So I got my quad. Thank you so much. I almost haven't put it down since I got it. It's so cool to be able to flip through page after page and just learn what God wants and has for us. I made a sweet box for it out of a priority mail box, so now it looks real nice too :) haha
Soooo, tomorrow I'm going to richmond for 4 days for leadership training. It's pretty much 4 straight days where all the district leaders, zone leaders, trainers, and a few others who Pres. Perry invites all get together and listen to him and the APs train and teach us on what we're not doing right and what we need to do better. It involves a lot of roleplays and stretch breaks, cause we're sitting in the chapel from 10 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. So it should be way fun. My companion isn't exactly happy because he has to stay with Elder Beckman for the 4 days, and Elder Beckman has a reputation in the mission for being the ultimate 1 up-er. And it's true. But I told him "it'll be fun if you make it that way."
So we had a miracle find on Sunday night. All our plans had fallen through and we were like "What do we need to do!?" And then I thought about this guy that Elder Agustin and I found back in the first week of december who we never talked to again. So we drive over there and knock on his door and he's like "oh hey, come on in." So we sat down with him and talked for like an hour, and then he goes "So my wife and I have always wondered. What happens to us after we die?" He said that they'll lay there at night and she'll ask him what's after this life. So we set up another appointment. Well, we taught him first and then we set up another appointment. It was SWEET! We're struggling sooo much with new investigators. We can't find ANY! And when we do, they never keep their return appointment.
In other news, actually thats all the news. Umm, don't really know what else to tell you. Same old same old. The district is doing good. The hermanas were supposed to have a baptism yesterday but the guy just didn't show up. But he called them yesterday and said "I stilll want to get baptized." So we have hope. THey're so legit.
Well, I hope you're all great and have a wonderful week. May all your wishes come true.
PS- I just gained a testimony of the Law of Chastity this week. Pretty sweet. I'll tell you the story if you want.
Elder Campbell
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
18 Jan 2011
Hello everybody. How are you all this week?
So, this week has been... good? I guess. It hasn't been bad by any means. Just, good. We're still struggling with investigators, but we've seen a little bit of success in the member referrals department. My district is doing great, not thanks to me, but because they're all just such great missionaries. Our car is filthy, not thanks to me. The elder who had it before me was in that car for 11 months, and he wasn't the cleanest of elders. THere are stains all over the seat and floors, so it's pretty gross.
Good news, we have 5 people again in the apartment. It's much more of a party when it's 5. And the greenie that the zone leaders are step training is actually on his way to Brazil. He's waiting for his visa, so he's just stopped off in Virginia in the meantime. So I've learned a little bit of portugese from him. Just a little bit though. In other good news, Elder Wiles and I found 2 lunchboxes and 4 ice packs in teh apartment, so we're going to start bringing dinner along with us, because I've gotta start losing weight or I'm hosed! Lets just say it's not so good...
Mallory- It's funny you share that story of Michael with me. We've been studying light a lot lately and how other people can notice it, and I was just telling my mission president about how i Didn't quite understand light, and then I read that email from you. That's why the other people came to him. Because he has light and they noticed it. By living the gospel and being obedient, we gain more light, and other people notice it. that's what they notice in him. I just thought that was pretty cool.
So we played basketball for 3 hours yesterday, and 4 of the missionaries there had played ball in college. So it was way intense. Don't worry, I didnt' get hurt. But I definitely haven't played that hard in my entire mission. It was wayyyyyyy fun though. We have district meeting tomorrow, so that should be exciting. I love district meetings. The spirit is always so strong there.
Ok, so I found a scripture that I think applies to all of us.
2 Corinthians 9:6
Read it. Study it. Pray about it. Apply it.
Sound good? Good.
Well, I love you all, hope you have a great week
Elder Campbell
Monday, January 10, 2011
10 Jan 2011
Note from mom: Some weeks I want to spank him for his lack of anything to say to us! But last weeks letter makes up for todays! Totally changed my spiritual perspective last week, and I hope, forever!
Hey hello howdy.
So yeah, I got my suit cleaned. I still need to get the other shipped off to Missionary Mall. But P-Day is so short sometimes! haha
So we got transfer calls last night. Elder Agustin was originally told that he was going to Virginia Beach with my son, Elder Andrade-Estrada. As soon as he got off the phone, I go "Dude, both of you are illegal. Who's going to drive?" To which he replied "I don't know." So then like, 45 minutes later, the AP calls again and says "Elder Campbell, I'm going to take a mulligan with that call I made to elder Agustin." And I told him "I know, I know." So then he got told that he's going to Nags Head, North Carolina to work in a zebra companionship! He's going to learn so much english! I'm so stoked for him! My last 2 companions have gone to Nags Head! Weird, right? I'm staying here, I'm getting Elder Wiles, who was already here as well. He's so cool though, one of my favorite missionaries, and he's my missionary brother, both trained by Elder Gleave. Weird, right? So yeah, that's the exciting news. Not much else from over here. It's freezing cold, but we just got a new ward mission leader, so that's sweet! He's way pumped to get to work! And Sis. Vazquez in my district is training and also Elder Taylor! So we're going to have 2 greenies in the district! It's great! Well, I think that's about all I got for this week. Don't know what else to really say.
Oh, the lady that you added on facebook came up to me at church and sneak attacked me. She grabbed my backpack and goes "Elder Campbell, your mom facebooked me last week." I just kind of stared blankly at her, because I totally forgot that you told me about doing that, and she goes "I'm from Reno, born and raised. I graduated from Wooster." I was like, "Oh yeah, my mom told me about that!" and she says "If you ever need anything, I got your back." What was her name? I totally forgot!
Thank you so much for hooking me up with the recipe for arroz con leche and what not. I'm going to make some this week.
Umm, well, I love you all a ton and think you're the greatest. Have a great week, and I'll talk to you soon
Elder Campbell
Hey hello howdy.
So yeah, I got my suit cleaned. I still need to get the other shipped off to Missionary Mall. But P-Day is so short sometimes! haha
So we got transfer calls last night. Elder Agustin was originally told that he was going to Virginia Beach with my son, Elder Andrade-Estrada. As soon as he got off the phone, I go "Dude, both of you are illegal. Who's going to drive?" To which he replied "I don't know." So then like, 45 minutes later, the AP calls again and says "Elder Campbell, I'm going to take a mulligan with that call I made to elder Agustin." And I told him "I know, I know." So then he got told that he's going to Nags Head, North Carolina to work in a zebra companionship! He's going to learn so much english! I'm so stoked for him! My last 2 companions have gone to Nags Head! Weird, right? I'm staying here, I'm getting Elder Wiles, who was already here as well. He's so cool though, one of my favorite missionaries, and he's my missionary brother, both trained by Elder Gleave. Weird, right? So yeah, that's the exciting news. Not much else from over here. It's freezing cold, but we just got a new ward mission leader, so that's sweet! He's way pumped to get to work! And Sis. Vazquez in my district is training and also Elder Taylor! So we're going to have 2 greenies in the district! It's great! Well, I think that's about all I got for this week. Don't know what else to really say.
Oh, the lady that you added on facebook came up to me at church and sneak attacked me. She grabbed my backpack and goes "Elder Campbell, your mom facebooked me last week." I just kind of stared blankly at her, because I totally forgot that you told me about doing that, and she goes "I'm from Reno, born and raised. I graduated from Wooster." I was like, "Oh yeah, my mom told me about that!" and she says "If you ever need anything, I got your back." What was her name? I totally forgot!
Thank you so much for hooking me up with the recipe for arroz con leche and what not. I'm going to make some this week.
Umm, well, I love you all a ton and think you're the greatest. Have a great week, and I'll talk to you soon
Elder Campbell
Monday, January 3, 2011
3 Jan 2011
Hey hey hey, how's everyone doing?
So, this last week has been super hard, but it's all looking better. I've been thinking alot lately about these last 5 weeks here in Charlottesville. They've been I think some of the hardest of my mission. We've been talking to everyone we can and we've been trying to work hard and effectively, and on top of that, I've been taking care of my district and planning meetings. I've been way busy and I was thinking "What do I have to show for all that time? We don't have any investigators, we don't have any progressings, and we are still at square 1?" It seemed like this transfer was just a waste up until now.
I went on an exchange with Elder Barson the other day, one of the zone leaders, and we got to talking about the area, and I told him "I just keep thinking about a quote from Pres. Perry at mission conference, and it's what keeps me going everyday. Pres. Perry said 'Sometimes the Lord just wants you in Liberty Jail." I had been thinking a lot about what was going wrong and why. I felt like I was a failure. I felt like I was just working for nothing. I felt like I was in LIberty Jail. But then this morning, I had the prompting to study section 121 of Doctrine and Covenants. I was thinking, "Ok, the Lord had a purpose in putting Joseph Smith in here, to give him some of the greatest doctrine we have in the church. So why has the Lord put me in here?" and as I was reading, it seemed that all my troubles and cares just disappeared. I got to verse 29, and I was absolutely blown away.
All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I thought to myself "Wow, what a promise!!! Everything that God has ever done, and everything He ever will do, will be revealed and set forth upon those who endure VALIANTLY for the gospel of Jesus Christ." And then I continued reading and picked up on something new in verse 39
We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.
That little tidbit in there, 'as they suppose' really caught my attention. I realized that I, as a district leader, don't really have any authority. I have no real power in and of myself. Others may see it as that, but I have no power to act upon anything by myself. My call and the power that I have to effect any good work inside this office comes directly from the Lord. He is the one who really effects the work and makes things happen, I am just the vehicle through whcih he works. So all my worries about my district, how to help them, that will all be taken care of by the Lord. Then, it came back to me. My pride. My pride is what keeps me from using the priesthood to it's full potential. My pride and imagination, that I have some authority, just a little bit, keeps me from being all that the Lord wants me to be, and in the long run is keeping from my district help and blessings from Heaven. I don't really feel that I've exercised unrighteous dominion since I've become a district leader, but I know now that I have to constantly guard myself from that. It isn't just at the beginning. It's throughout my entire tenure in a leadership position.
So all of this combined, I got to thinking "What is my purpose in coming here to Charlottesville? What have I learned since I got here?" And I got my answer.
Since I came back to Charlottesville, I've found a faith in the Lord that I never knew that I had before. I've been praying more than I ever have in my entire life, and they are more sincer prayers than I knew I could offer. I've felt the Spirit more and been able to recognize His influence in my life, and I've felt the love of God in ways I never have before. I've learned to see the answers to my prayers, and to recognize that those answers only come from one source. I've gained a testimony of prayer and that the Lord answers prayers when He needs to, not when we ask Him to. He's always there for us wehn we humbly seek Him. And that's the key right there. Back to humility. I've had a few experiences in the past few weeks that have really humbled me, from Elder Barson asking me if I needed a blessing when I was too prideful to ask for one, to one of the sisters in my district comitting me to share the gospel with english people on their doorsteps, no matter how scary that 72 year old grandma who answers the door may be to me. I've truly seen the gospel at work in my life, and I know that it's through the gospel that I've been able to keep going, in spite of all the trials and difficulties we've been seeing lately. I'm thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who is mindful of what I need and knows exactly how to teach us in the way that's best going to grab our attention. I'm thankful for zone leaders who are in tune with the spirit to teach me to my needs and help change my mission. And I'm thankful for parents who raised me right and set me on the right course for the rest of my life.
Hope you all have a great week, and I love you all a ton.
Elder Campbell
So, this last week has been super hard, but it's all looking better. I've been thinking alot lately about these last 5 weeks here in Charlottesville. They've been I think some of the hardest of my mission. We've been talking to everyone we can and we've been trying to work hard and effectively, and on top of that, I've been taking care of my district and planning meetings. I've been way busy and I was thinking "What do I have to show for all that time? We don't have any investigators, we don't have any progressings, and we are still at square 1?" It seemed like this transfer was just a waste up until now.
I went on an exchange with Elder Barson the other day, one of the zone leaders, and we got to talking about the area, and I told him "I just keep thinking about a quote from Pres. Perry at mission conference, and it's what keeps me going everyday. Pres. Perry said 'Sometimes the Lord just wants you in Liberty Jail." I had been thinking a lot about what was going wrong and why. I felt like I was a failure. I felt like I was just working for nothing. I felt like I was in LIberty Jail. But then this morning, I had the prompting to study section 121 of Doctrine and Covenants. I was thinking, "Ok, the Lord had a purpose in putting Joseph Smith in here, to give him some of the greatest doctrine we have in the church. So why has the Lord put me in here?" and as I was reading, it seemed that all my troubles and cares just disappeared. I got to verse 29, and I was absolutely blown away.
All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I thought to myself "Wow, what a promise!!! Everything that God has ever done, and everything He ever will do, will be revealed and set forth upon those who endure VALIANTLY for the gospel of Jesus Christ." And then I continued reading and picked up on something new in verse 39
We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.
That little tidbit in there, 'as they suppose' really caught my attention. I realized that I, as a district leader, don't really have any authority. I have no real power in and of myself. Others may see it as that, but I have no power to act upon anything by myself. My call and the power that I have to effect any good work inside this office comes directly from the Lord. He is the one who really effects the work and makes things happen, I am just the vehicle through whcih he works. So all my worries about my district, how to help them, that will all be taken care of by the Lord. Then, it came back to me. My pride. My pride is what keeps me from using the priesthood to it's full potential. My pride and imagination, that I have some authority, just a little bit, keeps me from being all that the Lord wants me to be, and in the long run is keeping from my district help and blessings from Heaven. I don't really feel that I've exercised unrighteous dominion since I've become a district leader, but I know now that I have to constantly guard myself from that. It isn't just at the beginning. It's throughout my entire tenure in a leadership position.
So all of this combined, I got to thinking "What is my purpose in coming here to Charlottesville? What have I learned since I got here?" And I got my answer.
Since I came back to Charlottesville, I've found a faith in the Lord that I never knew that I had before. I've been praying more than I ever have in my entire life, and they are more sincer prayers than I knew I could offer. I've felt the Spirit more and been able to recognize His influence in my life, and I've felt the love of God in ways I never have before. I've learned to see the answers to my prayers, and to recognize that those answers only come from one source. I've gained a testimony of prayer and that the Lord answers prayers when He needs to, not when we ask Him to. He's always there for us wehn we humbly seek Him. And that's the key right there. Back to humility. I've had a few experiences in the past few weeks that have really humbled me, from Elder Barson asking me if I needed a blessing when I was too prideful to ask for one, to one of the sisters in my district comitting me to share the gospel with english people on their doorsteps, no matter how scary that 72 year old grandma who answers the door may be to me. I've truly seen the gospel at work in my life, and I know that it's through the gospel that I've been able to keep going, in spite of all the trials and difficulties we've been seeing lately. I'm thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who is mindful of what I need and knows exactly how to teach us in the way that's best going to grab our attention. I'm thankful for zone leaders who are in tune with the spirit to teach me to my needs and help change my mission. And I'm thankful for parents who raised me right and set me on the right course for the rest of my life.
Hope you all have a great week, and I love you all a ton.
Elder Campbell
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