Josh's Mission June 22 2015

Hello Family!!

wow! it has been such a wonderful week!! there is a lot to tell, not much time to do it, and it's hard to think what is the best things that happened. 

On Saturday the Marston Family was baptized! Missy, Chirstine, Wyatt, and Little Gary all made their covenants. thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts towards them, it was such a miracle to be a part of this. it was a wonderful service! the came about an hour early and we got everything squared away, they were so excited. Gary Jr (their father) was so nervous because he was going to baptize them. finally people started to show up and they got changed. we took some pictures (the computers we are on don't allow downloads though, so I'll have to send them next week), and started the service. 

Sister Marston Sr (Gary Jr's mom) gave a talk on baptism which really set the tone for everything. it was simple and powerful! she recounted the experience that she had when she was baptized. then we went right in to the font. 

for about an 2 hour before we had been filling it up; we wanted it really full so that it wouldn't get cold and Missy is a little bigger. So we had the Hot water turned on full the whole time. Gary Jr. started to go down with little Gary, and he said, "wow it's really hot! it's way too hot!! it's burning my feet!!!" (never had that problem before) apparently the hot water worked too well, we figured that it would cool down as it went, but I guess not. so we had to put cold water into it, but it was still really hot. But anyways, little Gary went first, then Wyatt, Christine next, and Missy last. By the time Missy went, Gary Jr was really choked up! the spirit was so strong!! 

after everyone got changed, we were walking back from the bathroom with Gary Jr. and he said, "Elders, this is the coolest thing that I have ever done. thank you so much! thank you for being here for us. I'm so happy that we got to do this." he has previously talked about how he can't wait till the can all got to the temple and be sealed and he this was the first step!! 

So after everyone got back, we had a talk on the Holy Ghost by Gary Sr. which was really good!! He also talked about when he was baptized at 11 (same age as Wyatt) about half way through his talk we heard a huge storm come in. the lights started to flicker, the wind was howling terribly and it was raining so hard!! The Bishop came in, totally soaked through and told us that we needed to stay here, because there was a tornado Watch, which means that a tornado had been sighted some where near by, and then the storm sirens went off. sister Marston Sr. said well the advesary must not be very happy because we all got  what we wanted! lucky nothing really happened. the storm was pretty bad, it knocked down quite a few trees, and flooding the river a little. oh and the marston's back window on their car got broke. other than that though everything went fine.

so this is the really awesome part. on sunday, we walk in to the church. the Marston's had been there for 45 min already. then a less active/part member family walks in with their recently born baby. and then in walked Colin Smith (the child who has been struggling to get permission from his mom to be baptized) and right behind him, was  his mom. We had gone by early to see if they were coming and he told us that he didn't need a ride and that his mom was coming! it was such a miracle!!! :) We were able to participate in a baby blessing, and four confirmations all in the same day :) it was so wonderful! :) alright, I think that is all... that was a lot :) 

i am so thankful for the gospel! it truly has been like is described in D&C 18 "10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

 11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

 12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

 13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

 14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.

 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

 17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.

 18 Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.

 19 And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing."

I know that is true!! when we allow ourselves to come to Christ and repent, our joy will be so great!! but when we help others to repent and experience the same joy, our Joy will be even greater than we can imagine! I have reflected on the great blessings that I have been given through out my life and I know with out a doubt that Heavenly father is a God of Love and understanding. Sure there have been hard times, but every thing that happens that seems unfair or hard, is always made right by repentance and the application of the Atonement! I love it!!

and to respond to your email mom:

that sounds really great that those kids will be baptized!! you should invite them to sit with you!! :) that would be really great! 

and it sounds like girls camp was great! I remember that one time that I went up and played my trumpet for everyone, that was great :) and Heber valley is a wonderful camp! 

wow! dad's kitchen sounds like it'll be awesome!! that'll be great to see. 

I really love it when everything lines up and seems to relate to each other in lessons and such. It was the same way here. everything that was talked about was centered around following Christ's example and making covenants. it was great! Missy Marston even commented on that, so she noticed it as well. :)

have a great time at Philmont!! that sounds like that will be really awesome!! did I tell you, there was a guy that I taught up in Iowa City that is a huge professional Scouter. He is going to be working at Philmont. If you see him or can talk to him he is a really great guy! His name is wally Wolanin Jr and if you really want to talk to him (which you don't have to) . He's a great guy and knows a lot of LDS people, but hasn't been baptized yet.

Well I think that is it. I'll thank you in advance for the B day gift!! thank you!! oh and I'm sorry dad that I never sent off a father's day card, I was going to and then ran out of time. but know that you are wonderful! thank you so much for your wonderful example and all the lessons that I learned from you! I was reminded the other day of something that you would say all the time "no pain, no brain" and I also heard a quote that rings true for me "Dads are a daughters first love, and a sons first hero" especially the last part is true! I look up to you a lot and I love you! thank you for everything!

I love you all! thank you for everything that you do!! I hope and pray all is well!

ij iokwe eok!!

Merci beaucoup

Elder Broadbent

Josh's Mission June 15, 2015

Hello family!!

wow, it's been a really great week! It seemed to go by so fast! 

early in the week we had exchanges with a couple different elders, which went really well! We found 9 new investigators in a couple of days, and just had a really good time. I was in Warsaw this week, which was really interesting. if you don't know what happened there, in relation to the early Saints, it's really interesting to look up. The people there know all about the church and don't really want to know more. we did talk to this guy who has read part of the Book of Mormon and is interested in hearing more about the Plan of Salvation.

then we had Zone Conference this week! it went so good! it was a very powerful and spiritual meeting. Elder Wardle and I sang "brightly Beams our Father's Mercy" with out a piano. it was really powerful!! We also got trained on what we are going to do at the nauvoo Pageant, which we are so excited for. I hadn't heard that the whole cast was going to be from Scotland, but Elder Wardle said that the cast for the British Pageant will be. that's really cool!

on saturday, elder wardle got a horrible headache, so we had to stay in. but then on Sunday, it was a really great Sabbath! The Marston family had their interviews and they all past, we made the program for their baptism on Saturday. It is so awesome to be a part of all this! We also had a crazy experience last night, we had a less active lady call us and tell us that a child that she babysits passed away while in his sleep. so we went over to her house and just had a really good discussion about the Plan of Salvation. it reminded me of when Ammon talks to king Lamoni about the whole plan. Afterwards, elder Wardle and I just couldn't get over how awesome it was! the Spirit was really strong and definitely directed us.

this gospel is amazing and I know that it's true!! I know that the Plan of Salvation is real  and that when we live the gospel we will be alright. I know that Christ is our Savior. 

thank you all for everything that you do! thank you for your love and prayers and support!! I hope and pray that all is well.

ij iokwe eok!!

Merci beaucoup

Elder Broadbent

Josh's Mission June 8 2015

Hello Family!

it has been a wonderful week!! Mom, your story about Keith Graham is so amazing!! that's great that his children are having such a strong desire to do what is right and follow Christ. that reminds me of the Marston family, they are a part member/returning member family. I think that I've told you a little about them. but Bro Marston has been less active for about 10 years, a couple of months ago the we found him and his family and they've been coming to church ever since. He has a wife (Missy) and 3 kids (Kristen, Wyatt, and Gary) they are the best! this week Bro Marston had an interview with the bishop to get the Melchizedek Priesthood, but he won't be able to get it before their baptism on the 20th. It is just such a big blessing to be a part of their life, every day Elder Wardle and I marvel that we are here, so close to Nauvoo, able to do the Lord's work and to help the people here. Especially families like the Marston's, that's what the gospel is all about. And it all started with an invitation. :) 

We haven't heard everything yet about the new changes,(he is referring to the Sunday training we had in our ward) but we have heard about it. President Jensen had talked with us about it, and I think that training is coming soon for the stake. I love as well that when we are doing what is right there really is only small corrections that we need to make. It's like the talk that President Uchtdorf gave about living the gospel by degrees. It's interesting that when we don't make the small course corrections that the Lord needs us to every day by having greater faith, repenting and forgiving, and remembering and renewing our covenants; that we will eventually fall off course. I'm grateful that the General Authorities have received from Heavenly Father things that will help us to become more like our Savior.  

So this week we were able to go to the temple again! It was so wonderful!! I went through for a man from Germany that was born in about 1850. it was really great!! :) i wish that i could have just stayed in the celestial room for hours, I love the feeling there! I'm so glad that we are so close to it. I was just thinking that is so interesting how those feelings are so often forgotten and easy to lose. But I am so grateful that the Lord has seen fit to allow me to come this place at this time. I know that everything happens for a reason! 

And this next week we have a zone conference in Nauvoo, which will be really awesome! Elder Wardle and I are going to sing in it, so that's gonna be really great :) 

I love you all and I hope and pray that all is well! thank you so much for everything! I can't not express how much I appreciate your love and support and prayers!!

ij iokwe eok!!

Je teaime beaucoup

Elder Broadbent