Once Again, a quick one

Monday, July 27, 2009 4:44 AM
Well there's only one computer working right now in the cafe so I've got to be quick so E. Byrd can write. Not much happened over the weekend anyhow. Unfortunately we aren't holding a baptismal service this weekend. She decided the time wasn't right for her to join the Church. She's been receiving a lot of opposition so it hasn't been easy for her.
Everyone else is doing alright, progressing well and enjoying what we've shared with them. It's been very wet the past couple weeks, but today it's a bit clear so that's a relief. I haven't got much else to update you on. This week we've got Zone Conference on Wednesday in Poole so that'll be great. Its President Shamo's first official (normal) zone conference. I'm looking forward to it. I'll take a few minutes to try to read through my e-mails from last week and this week. Sorry my correspondence has been poor. I'll try to do better this moves. I've got a surprise on the way though mum so that should make ya happy. Take care for now. Love ya!
-E. Warner

Familiar face

Thursday, July 23, 2009 9:57 AM
Well, Moves news: E. McLachlan has left me to go to Eastbourne to be with E. Meats. I'm now with E. Byrd from Dallas, Texas. I served around him when I was in Oxford and he was in Newbury so things should go pretty well this moves. We shouldn't take much time getting to know each other either. My time is short so I'll just give you some quick updates.
We've dropped the baptismal date with one woman because she wants to take it a bit slow. The younger woman that we're teaching is doing alright in progressing towards baptism on the first of August. We're going to hopefully set a couple more dates this next week and have a successful next moves. It's nice finally having things moving a bit in the area after working it for 3 months. Heavenly Father has really blessed us and his children.
We've been working with a woman who (I think I've already mentioned) was less-active for many years and is now coming back to the Church. It's been the most rewarding experience of my time here in Newton Abbot. We taught her the Plan of Salvation yesterday and it was very spiritual. When we finished she asked something like, "What about children who die young?" That's when the Book of Mormon comes in to answer a question of the soul. As I read to her from Moroni 8 the Spirit filled the room and tears came from her eyes as she gained a sure witness that her baby boy whom she lost years and years ago is with Heavenly Father, waiting for her.
I was deeply humbled by this experience bringing her back. She's a wonderful lady with loads of faith. I love it. I'm so grateful to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. Sorry to make it short. I've got a lot to read so I'll hear from you again on Monday! Love ya!
Elder Warner

Miracles

Monday, July 13, 2009 5:21 AM
Well I'll be brief because it's our last p-day before moves. That means that next week I'll be e-mailing on Thursday. I honestly don't know who will be leaving, if anyone. I could see us both staying so we'll see. I'd be willing to stay another moves. Its great here, nothing to complain about.
Well where do I begin? Tuesday we had an exchange. I had a nice little reunion with E. Dutson. It was good fun to work together again a year later. He taught me a lot then and taught me a lot on our exchange. We had some miracles. We knocked into a couple and gave them a Book of Mormon. If anything develops it will take another week or so. We popped by since then and they were doing well, but still no appointment to share more. We taught a new woman who lives in a village we wouldn't normally go to, but we were directed by a member to knock to find someone they knew. E. McLachlan and I knocked some of the village and met this woman. We found out yesterday at Church that it was who we were sent to find. (We didn't have an address, just the name of the village. The spirit did the directing.) We taught her again on Sat. at the Church and she's now preparing for baptism on the 1st of Aug. A-mazing blessings!
Wednesday we met some really good people and set up some appointments for Thursday and this week. We picked up 4 new people on Thursday. One is the daughter of a member who's now coming back to Church and she is preparing for the 1st as well. So many of our prayers, your prayers, and a couple of our fasts were answered this week. The rest of this moves should be pretty busy.
Our Zone Meeting was on Friday. It was great. We introduced ourselves and our area to President Shamo and he instructed us for an hour or so. It was great. My first interview with him was really good. He too encouraged me to take more pictures (Kami and mom should be happy :-).
I'm excited for this week. We've got a lot of work to do still. We've had a lot of good experiences this week, many testimony builders too.
I know this work is led by Christ. The Spirit really does do all the hard work. I'm very grateful to be tagging along in the work and love it. Take care and we'll talk to you THURSDAY.
Love ya!
Elder Warner

Short one (Sorry, I forgot to post this one last week!)

Monday, July 6, 2009 4:34 AM
Heya! Not too much to report on this week, unfortunately. It must have been one of those weeks of the trial of our faith...Of course we did see miracles though. We met a bunch of YM age guys on Wednesday and had a good chat. We told them about Youth and invited them to come. One of them came riding after us on his bike about 10 min. later and we spoke to him by our car a bit longer. We gave him a Book of Mormon and invited him to Church. He came too. It was really amazing. He's really interested. We're just waiting on his mom's permission to teach him because he's only 14. We'll see how that develops. We're hopeful.
Thursday we travelled to Poole to meet the Shamo's. They're great. They bring a great Spirit with them. The Zone Conference was very powerful and I'm excited to serve under them for the remainder of my mission. He actually served in our part of the mission 40 yrs ago. Trained in Paignton. I stayed the night in Exeter with E. Roth and we worked together in Exeter all day Friday. It was a good day. We had some quality street contacting and set a baptismal date with one of their investigators. We had a nice 4th of July dinner with the Wood family on Saturday which was fun. They had a load of American food.
That's pretty much my week. Sorry it's so short. I'm on a 15 min. computer so I'll try to hop to another and read and respond to your e-mails. Love you all loads!
Elder Warner

Temple trip

Monday, June 29, 2009 6:01 AM
Alrighty. well, as usual, I'll be quick. We had some good miracles this week. We were knocking with absolute no success Monday evening. I was thinking of stopping knocking at certain houses early to head back and make sure we planned for Tuesday on time, but I decided to finish to see if we would have a "last door" experience. We didn't...however, on the way back to our car was a man (just a few feet from the car, actually) sitting on the sidewalk and let’s just say he looked sad. Something was bothering him so we introduced ourselves and started to talk. We spoke to him for a while and taught of the healing power of the Atonement. He said it helped him feel better and agreed to see us later in the week. Unfortunately he decided he couldn't make the changes in his life, but wow what a good seed planted. Tuesday was crazy. We had District Meeting as usual then did a bit of street contacting before going to pack up for the temple trip. We did so, picked up the Sisters from Paignton and took off. We dropped them off with the Sisters in Kingston and we stayed with the 4 Elders in Staines. E. Martin was there so it was good fun to see him again, even though it was after 10 when we got there. In the morning we took off to the temple. The sat-nav that we were using led us on some random roads, probably the longest way possible to the temple and we were 45 minutes late. Fortunately we didn't miss too much. The mission is doing well. As of last night 298 people this year have been converted, baptized, and confirmed. We were 2 off of the half way point for our goal for 600 this year. What a way for the Swintons to leave. They're gone on the 1st and from the sounds of it President Shamo isn't going to change much. This will be an interesting change. The temple session was great. I love the peace of the temple. Take off the watch, relax, and feel the Spirit. We got home around 11 on Wednesday and hurried to bed. Oh yah, we swapped cars with the Bideford Elders so now we've got a manual. I'm happy with that, but I've got to teach E. McLachlan how to drive it. Thursday wasn't bad. we did some service in the morning then finding the rest of the day. We picked up a new guy on Friday, but haven't heard from him since. I'm not sure what we're doing wrong, but not many people are wanting past the 2nd visit. Perhaps life is just bogging them down and the Adversary is working real hard. Yesterday I was asked to give a woman a blessing. It was very spur of the moment so to be honest, I felt unprepared. We offered a prayer to invite the Spirit then I gave the blessing. It was amazing. The words just flowed and I gained a clear witness of the Atonement as I blessed her to understand its healing power. I was quite speechless after. I haven't felt the Spirit like that in a while. I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for restoring his priesthood authority to the earth which allows me to be an instrument in his hands. I know the Spirit is real. I felt it speak through me yesterday. To have this woman who told me nothing of what her situation in life was tell me afterwards that I read her mind was so special-a witness that God knows his children. I don't really remember much of what I said. It changed how I felt during Sacrament meeting. I offered a prayer of thanks for this Gospel and the blessings of partaking of it.
Love ya! talk to you later.
Elder Warner

2 week lesson

Monday, June 22, 2009 6:57 AM
These past two weeks have been great. We've done more work than I have in a long time. I learned that (this is going to sound late) if we just do our best Heavenly Father will do the rest. My faith and trust in that is so strong after these past two weeks. No doubt anymore. In the first three days of this past week we were blessed to pick up 7 new people. Unfortunately 2 have dropped off since, but miracles nonetheless.
Monday we picked up a mother and her daughter. They were excited for a tour of the Chapel, but the husband/father called us up the day of and said they weren't interested anymore. We were knocking in the rain when he called so it was a double whammy. Right after we got off the phone we prayed and somewhat lamented, asking Heavenly Father for us to find more people who would be receptive. 3 doors after the prayer we got in and taught a mother and her 3 sons. They're great people, religious, but not affiliated with any particular organization. Things are going to take a while with them. They have busy lives, but the two older boys should be going to youth tomorrow.
We also taught a really neat lady from Honduras who had already heard of the Church because one of her friends (and her friend’s family) left the Catholic Church to become "Mormons" and were happier. She was excited to hear the Joseph Smith story and to read the Book of Mormon. She too has a hectic work schedule and won't be coming to Church in Newton Abbot for a few weeks.
Those are pretty much the highlights of the week. We just did some finding the rest of the week. Oh, we were in a Tri on Tuesday with E. Bien while E. Roth went to Staines for a leadership meeting. That was good fun. Today we went out to Buckfast Abbey. It was a really cool place. You're not allowed to take pictures inside, but it was unreal. We’ve got a couple hopeful appointments tonight and Wednesday we've got Temple Conference! It should be a really good week.
E. McLachlan, E. Bien, and myself (1st Presidency style :-))
Me this morning at Buckfast Abbey.
Love ya!
Elder Kyle Warner

Quick weekend

Monday, June 15, 2009 3:48 AM
Well hello! Not too much has happened since last Thursday,so I will be quick, attach a photo or two and maybe read the e-mails from last week :-). If I'm lucky you might get a reply...
Well our biggest miracle took place on Saturday. We headed out in the morning and tried our best to talk to as many people as we could. As we were going along the street before the High Street and we stopped a woman who was carrying what looked like heavy bags. We first talked to her about the Book of Mormon and she was interested, but looked like she was in a hurry. We offered to carry her bags back to her flat for her, she accepted, and we headed to her flat. She invited us in; we sat down, prayed, and taught her about the Restoration. It was great! She's from Nigeria and knows of the Church, but never went because she figured that all churches are the same. She is now developing a testimony of the truth. She was excited to come to church, but didn't come because she worked a crazy night shift the night before, hopefully this weekend. It was just the right time to find her. She moved into her current flat last week and because they don't have a washer yet she had to go out and do her laundry. That's when we met her so that's a miracle!
That was pretty much the highlight of our weekend. We've been pushing hard to find people to teach and to follow every prompting of the Spirit. It's difficult, but I really feel we're getting better at it. Well my time is short. We've got a teach at 11:30 and we'll still try to head up to Exeter for a few hours for the rest of p-day if possible.
Love ya!
Elder Warner

Ness Beach in Shaldon
Mclachlan, me, Roth