More Tracting

Hello Family,

I wanted to say thanks for the pictures that you sent last week.  I'm glad that you have had a good time with Grandma and Grandpa Price.  Sorry I haven't sent more pictures back, but like I said before, my camera is broken.  I'm glad to hear that Josh, Ben, Evelyn, and Abby are doing so good. That is a real burden taken off my shoulders. They have been on my mind a lot lately.  It's so cool that Josh and Ben get to here from Elder Holland in a few weeks.  Tell them to take notes so they can remember what he has to say.  Also, please have Josh and Ben email me this week so that I can save their email addresses and start talking to them that way from now on.  Thanks for the added money this month, I've had to replace a lot of stuff this week.

I know that you guys have been reading and studying D&C as a family.  When you get done, you should really study Preach My Gospel and Jesus the Christ.  They are Great!!

My companion and I are still having a hard time talking to anyone new.  But, we did have 3 lessons this week.  Less active people, nobody new.  We are still getting used to each other as companions.  We get along ok, so that is good.  We spent most of this week visiting some new towns in our area.  We have been walking around knocking on doors and being told to go away.  I will continue to have faith and work and I know The Lord will send me in the right direction.  Please keep praying for us out here in the mission field.

Love Elder Butler

Making Adjustments

Hello Everyone,

 

President Morgan called me this morning and let me know that Grandpa Stan had passed away.  Just wanted you to know that he had talked to me about it.  We watched conference last week at our Branch Building.  What have you heard about the people that gave that opposing vote to sustaining The First Presidency?  My new companion is Elder Keel.  He is from California.  We get along OK I guess, but we don't really have anything in common.  We are working and trying really hard to get along.  He is like the smartest person that I have ever met.  Everything he does and the way he looks at me makes me think three times harder about everything I do.   

 

I have not been doing so good lately because of stress and my body is falling apart because I was not physically prepared to do what I am doing.  I miss the mountains.  I feel kind of exposed here.  A lot of the people here have not been very nice to us.  There are a lot of people here who are Pastors or training to be Pastors, or are related to a Pastor.  They don't treat us very nicely.  We have come across a lot of people that seem slow to remember The Lord their God.  So many of the people that do remember God fear Him and are motivated by fear rather than by love.  So many people that have been converted to the church end up leaving because they feel that the church expects too much out of them.  They don't understand God and His dealings with the children of men. 

 

Thanks for the encouragement and for the money that you have given me.  I don't like asking you for stuff but I am tight on money this month because none of the members feed us, so i have to pay for all three meals per day.  I have some thing wrong with my feet, so I had to buy shoe inserts.  All my stuff is breaking.  I broke my first watch, then my last comp said i could have his watch, then I broke that one and had to buy a new one. Now my camera is broken. It seems like all the things I use on a regular basis are falling apart. Even one of my suit pants is busting from the seams because of my fat butt.  :)

 

Family, some of the things I have learned on mission; seek truth from the book of Mormon, pray always, seek counsel from God, He can help you remove any stumbling block placed in front of you.  Please do not worry about me, but continue to pray for me.  That I will be able to adjust emotionally, physically and mentally.

 

Love Elder Butler

 

 

 

 

The Fight is Real

Hello Everyone.

Sorry I haven't written more lately.  I haven't had a lot to say.  As far as what I am doing, it is very different than what I expected it would be before I left.  I find my self constantly fighting the adversary every step of the way because he does not want me to do what I am doing. He is exerting all the powers that he has to stop me but so far he has been unsuccessful in stopping me from continuing  with The Lord's work.  He has tried to pull so many tricks all ready that I can not count, but most of the time he tries to scare me, telling me that if I go and do the work, he will make life absolutely terrible.  Fairly recently, we were praying and when I looked up, and I could swear that  I saw a demon down the hall. It looked at me and then went into the back bed room. My companion and I blessed our apartment and it is gone but the fight is real and it has been a struggle because Satan doesn't want us to continue and will stop at nothing to make us give up.  But, the work will never stop, not until the sons of  Levi give an offering of righteousness at the last day.

This past week has been a little hard because my first companion Elder Branham is going home, and I will kind of be left here to my own devices because I will have a new companion that won't know anything about the area and I will have to teach him.  Elder Branham and I have had some struggles lately because we are teaching quite a few people, but we are just struggling to get them to keep the commitments they make. 

Life here in Sparta, Illinois is ok.  I'm not used to the humidity.  It saps the life out of you :)  Missionary work is very hard, but that is mostly because I make it hard on myself.  Elder Branham has been a big help to me mostly because he has been so willing to put up with my crap :)

I miss my friends and family.  I miss all of the encouraging and comforting words.  I hope that you all are striving to come closer to Christ.  That you are using His atonement to be changed by Christ and to become a new creature in Him.  For no unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God, but no unchanged thing will want to be with Him.  I want you all to want to be in the presence of God and to be changed by His grace.  I know that I have said a lot of strange things, but I know that these things can help all of you and I want the best for you all because I love you with all my heart. 

Love Elder Butler

New Companion Coming

I'm so glad to hear that you are all doing so well.  I lost my companion today.  His mission is over.  I will miss Elder Branham, but I am excited to meet my new companion on Wednesday.  The worst part is that now I don't have a GPS because Elder Branham took his home with him.  :( 
I love you all, and will write again to you all soon. 

Still Working in the Midwest

 

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Things are going really good here.  I got a letter from Dad today and I will try to reply to it. We aren't really teaching anyone new lately because we are trying to focus on the people that we have already been teaching at the moment.  We have a current teaching pool of about 13 people/families.   So many people here really like what we have to say but they don't want to do anything about it, especially going to church. We have been experiencing this phenomena where we work really hard to get someone close to baptism, and then they seem to just drop off the face of the Earth.  This can be frustrating but we are thankful for the opportunities to teach.  Please pray for us that we might help our investigators come to church and reach baptism.  We are feeding ourselves very well, but we don't often eat with members because most of the active members live so far away. It takes about an hour to get to most of them.  One funny thing that has happened is that our stake canceled  church for two weeks in a row, even  though there was no snow.  I'm glad that you guys got the package I sent.  I thought that the boys would like what I put in there.  I just saw everything at Wal-Mart and thought of you guys.   I mostly bought the book as a souvenir for when I get home but the things I sent are for all of us and I will continue to occasionally mail stuff like that home. 

 

Love Elder Butler 

New letters from Elder Bulter!!!

Today Elder Butler sent two new letters home that we will share with you here:

Dear Dad,

There has not been much new going on as of late.  Please don't worry about me.  I am doing just fine.  I have been stressed out lately, but that is only because I don't know how to relieve stress very well, but I am doing better.  The Mission President has given us a book for new missionaries to learn how to relieve stress.  I am getting all of your letters and I have ben meaning to reply back.  It's just hard to right hand written letters.  As for E-mails, it seems very hard only for the reason that I don't know what to say.  As far as what I'm studying, I have just been reading in the Book of Mormon and through the Missionary White Handbook.  I am glad that you are taking your calling so seriously.  The Prophets have told us to magnify our callings and all that means is to do our jobs.  To the our best to serve and do what our calling is asking for.  I just wanted to let you know that as you stay with the church and magnify your calling that your whole demeanor will change. 

"Those lives touched by the Gospel change to resemble Christ's life" Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

 I know as you try to have those Christ like attributes, that your life will be impacted for the better. 

Love you Son

Elder Butler


Dear Mom,

I am sorry for not writing as you as much as you write to me.  It's just that its hard for me to write sometimes as you know.  Me and my companion get along just fine.  He has helped me out a lot and I have helped him.  I enjoy the letters you guys send me and they give me great comfort, especially when you tell me about Abby.  I love to hear about her, and about what Josh, Ben, and Evelyn are doing. 

With all my love,

Elder Butler

Umm... Hi...We are Marman Mercinaries....

I attended a district meeting on February 24, 2015. We sang Called to Serve in Japanize for the opening song. I gave the opening prayer. Elder Branham did the training. We discussed the biggest obstacle for an investigator and what their next step should be after a date is set for baptism. We also discussed our personal reading goals for the Book Of Mormon by March 3rd. We had some fun making companionship flags! Love to you all!

Elder Butler