Monday, February 24, 2014

I'm Turning 19!


to my mama, who kisses hands like a raccoon:)
      I'm Turning 19 mom......... Wow. I can't even believe if it wasn't for the revelation for young men to go out when they are 18 I would STILL be home. BLEH God gave us the BIGGEST tender mercy of the Lord by doing so. Who knows where I would of been right now if it wasn't for that call. 
      I love Alma, You can thank Alma Mom for getting me out on a mission.  I changed up some scriptures in Alma, and I compared them to me and my friends saying.  (Alma 17:2-3) 
2.          Now these friends were with Travis at the time the spirit of the lord first appeared unto him; therefore Travis did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren, and what added more to his joy. they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea and they did waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently', that they might know the word of God. 
3.          But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting, and singing; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.
           Our investigators are doing well, 2 are getting baptized on march 8th so woop woop! and others are getting baptized this month as well! Well we have to bunch, 
 Love you!
-Elder Herdt

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Me Oh My Oh Pizza PieO!

       ME OH MY OH PIZZA PIEO!!!!
       So that statement has nothing to do with my week but it came to mind so that's why I wrote it:)
Life has been crazy and good, Its Crazy Good. We got in with a less active and as I've been getting to know him, we found out that we was a huge rock star back in the 70's. It was great, That's where the picture with the Gibson came from. xP  
       This week we had a Zone Training meeting and it was just amazing Like any other time, President Fenn is going to be an Apostle just you wait. Then you'll all understand why I love that man so much! He taught us about "Prayer and how it is the Laboratory where we learn how to temper our minds"
       For our progressing investigators 2 have taken the spotlight this week. The First is Gianaurre Shaviss, who has been reading the lessons on his own, mind you he is 15 years old and looks forward to our lessons each week more than he looks forward to us just going by! hahaha. The second is Nancy Johnson she is just about the most Golden investigator out there. She reads all of the lessons before hand and studies intently on the Doctrine. She commits herself to do things, like going to church, praying every night and reading the book of Mormon and so on and this past Friday she shot us a email and said she was praying that morning and the spirit told her she needed to be baptized so we are now working with her to set her up for baptism. 
        We also Had Brother Don Coleman's Funeral this week. It was a good one with a lot of non-members there. Elder Palmer Gave the invocation, Brother Filio gave a talk about the plan of salvation and compared it to a GPS or Gods Plan of Salvation. One thing I really enjoyed about his talk was he said in this life to have JOY we must put Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. and to improve my saying, It takes a tribe to raise a village idiot. He said "it take a village to raise a boy but it Takes a ward Family to save souls. Don's daughters played one of Don's favorite sons,"lullaby" by Billy Joel and afterward, I gave the benediction. With the passing of Don the thing that has Truly got me through has been the scriptures and the Doctrine of the Plan of Salvation. Because of this Doctrine, I don't have to worry what is going to happen to the ones I Love, I wont worry about where I'm going as long as I know I did my best on this Earth because while on this Earth is when we prepare to meet God and If we do all the needful things while on this earth we will enter into the rest of God. This Scripture from the Old Testament has given me the most strength; Psalms 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints" which was the Psalm that Jesus Christ sang while going after the last supper right before his own death. I know that Jesus is our savior and redeemer and that because of his Death and Resurrection we may all break the bands of death, which I do testify in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Plan of Salvation Made Real!

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skys are grey.
    The chapters found in the book of Mormon Alma 36-43 are ranked some of the most sacred of all scripture. I found true comfort through out my life and especially this week.
This last Friday night when we were going to do our daily check up on Brother Coleman, we found he had passed away on his bed. It was a pretty big shock to the system. I didn't expect him pass away so soon because we were there the night before and he didn't seem any better or worse than he had in the past weeks.  I was happy though that I was the one to find him, because I would of hated if a sister in the ward found him and wouldn't be able to handle it where I could. I felt more worried for my new companion; no missionary, let alone a new one should need to see that. I'm glad this last month and a half I've been studying the plan of salvation because that is what really helped me out in getting through this trial. One of the most comforting doctrine is that the lord will not take the righteous before their time. So I know he was ready to go. I'm happy he doesn't have to deal with the pain anymore.
           So beside that , training is going great, I really Like Elder Palmer, He is a great missionary and really knows his Book of Mormon, he came out pre-trained so It's great! We have been exactly obedient and have been working hard. We have 5 almost 6 people on date! yeah Last week I ran out of time and had to drive up to Schamburg to do exchanges so I didn't get to write a general email. I've been a little busy with being district leader and training but loving the mission.
             
-Elder Herdt. 


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Ole!


So I'm Surviving quite well here in Bloomingdale. To be honest the cold isn't too bad, as long as you layer up you're fine. This next Wednesday and Tuesday we're going to get around 22-26 inches of snow! That's going to be crazy! I bet we won't be able to go outside on those days. 
Well teaching is going amazing! We have a family that is going to be baptized and another lady named Nancy! If every investigator in the world was like her, missions would be the easiest thing ever. She studies all the lessons before we teach it to her. She memorizes vocabulary words and when we ask her questions like  "what is the apostasy" she gives us dictionary type answers, Just the greatest. Don the man with the cancer is doing the best for a man with cancer can do. He was going to start another round of chemo this week but because he is in such bad shape he thinks he might just not do it because another treatment might kill him. So we visit him every day at the end of our day to see how he is doing, to check up on him and to tend to his needs. I love that man to death and would do anything for him; even dump a bed pan. I almost threw up. But I did it because he needed it done! Speak of throw up. yesterday we had a lunch appointment with the bishop then a 30 minute lesson with the family who is getting baptized and a dinner with a less active returning to recovery and I over ate... well elder brown was volunteering me to eat more.... and more and I couldn't say no. So as I was backing elder brown out for the persons house I blew chucks it the snow banks, I felt a lot better after but I learned its okay to say I had enough. To answer your question about numbers of people where teaching.... lets just say they will be splitting the area soon:)!!!
We'll I'm happy to hear that you are loving the Harvesters. (A publication his mission president sends out weekly)  President is an inspired man and just being in his mission has changed my life. I've learned things here that I bet I wouldn't be able to learn anywhere else. He Influences so many lives. I am dumb struck every time I see him. I'm really looking forward to this Sunday because he'll be speaking in our ward. 
I'm going to try my hardest to get everyone of our investigators there. 
So transfers are tomorrow and.........
Elder brown is leaving and..........
I'll be training a new missionary!!!!!
I cant believe it! President Fenn must trust me because that is the most responsible calling in a mission. I hope I do well.
Thanks for the ensign talk and I'm going to read it tomorrow! It goes hand in hand with what I studied today which was temperance, which is self mastery .(I told Elder Herdt about an article written by Elder Neal A Maxwell about putting off the natural man and coming off conqueror. It was in the Nov 1990 ensign)
Well love you mom!! I miss you much but I got a hand with a kiss on it to hold me over till I get home! I pray a blessing to be upon our family! 
-Elder Herdt