Season 2: Clark Lake. Episode 7: The Temple is amazing :D‏

Here are some awesome pictures taken this morning by Elder Buchanan's camera.

Howdy Howdy!  

Today during P-Day we went to the Seattle Washington Temple! It was great! I loved it so much! As we were coming up to it, I was just filled with joy about having the opportunity to go into such a beautiful and sacred structure. This temples location is a great one. It is right by some main roads with heavy traffic. I am positive many people have passed by it and wondered what it was, which causes me to ask the question "How many people have been able to be converted to the gospel simply because of its presence?" The temple is amazing and I would encourage every single one of you to do as much as you can to be worthy when you have the opportunity to go into it and for those who have already had this opportunity to enter it, enter it again sometime this week.  I got a haircut yesterday, we all did. We had a wonderful member in the ward do it for us.   She used to have a salon.

Elder Buchanan is the who has joined us! He is from Magna, Utah and has been serving in the mission for 14 months. He has been in almost all biking areas until now and he is very grateful to be in a car area. He also makes some pretty great food :D

I had an idea for a great amazing video that would invite the "feels" (or a great opportunity to touch your heart) for The Book of Mormon. I dont know if it exists, but if it does, let me know. Send me a link via email to it (it would have to be onlds.org or mormon channel for me to be able to watch it).

So here is the video. It would be a compilation of a whole bunch of clips from different things. One clip would be from Elder Hollands talk about The Book of Mormon, "Safety for the soul" where he is saying"Never mind that their wives are about to be widows and their children fatherless. Never mind that their little..." and it would go from that part until the end. Another clip would be a clip from the "Praise to the Man" restoration video of Joseph and his bretheren going to Carthage. Another clip would be about the pioneers (probably from Ephraims Rescue or 17 Miracles) and the hardships and hard parts of their journey.  When I imagine all of those powerful clips coming together, it just gives me chills. I would name the video..."The Book of Mormon Restoration Combo Throwdown Testimony Build Power 9000" video :D.

Love,

Elder Sumsion

Season 2: Clark Lake. Episode 6: The Carnivorous Birds That Are Over The Ocean‏

Elder Graham and I at Brother Jamias' baptism

Seahawkes themed car that is tall and pretty cool

Transfers are going on today. Elder Graham and I are staying together for this next transfer in the same area. We are excited for this next transfer together, but something will be different...

We are getting another companion! We haven't met him yet, but through the help of science and missionary.lds.org we have found out that it will be an Elder Buchanan. We will be meeting him in about 2 hours from now. I am excited to be in a trio and to have that experience. It will definitely switch things up.

 

On Sunday Elder Graham and I had a great experience.

It was after church at about 2pm. We only had like an hour and a half to actually be out and proselyting that day due to meetings and other scheduled things. At that time there was a seahawkes game going on.

 

I haven't talked about it at all, but the seahawkes are a HUGE BIG DEAL in Washington. There is so much seahawkes "swag" (meaning car decorations, house decorations, street advertisements, house décor, clothing people wear, clothing accessories, etc)  all around where I have been. You know how in Provo and Utah Valley how there is a whole bunch of BYU "swag?" Just imagine that x 10 and that's what you have here in Washington. There is so much fandom and the number "12" here in Washington.

Now back to our sponsor haha :D

 

On Sunday at that time we were walking around trying to meet with a couple of members in an apartment complex called "Arbor Chase" (there are a lot of apartment complexes here and that's where most of our work is). The big seahawkes game was going on at the same time we were walking around. The game going on was to determine if they go to the super bowl. It was the last 10 minutes and if you kept up with the game it was apparently pretty intense. Elder Graham and I could tell. It was so funny for me while we were walking around because whenever there was a score or a mistake or bad call (or just anything) there would be people all around cheering, yelling, screaming, banging on windows, and all manner of noise. It was very funny :D

After the game was over and the seahawkes had won, there were literraly kids running around in celebration yelling "the seahawkes won!", fans in an apartment hugging and yelling "we made it to the super bowl!" It was funny for us.

That is an experience of what happened to us. The most we were able to do was contact some folks walking around who weren't so interested in the game.

 

While driving to our next thing, we talked about what we could have done better or best. That's something we do a lot after appointments so we can be sure to see where we can approve and do better at.

I would refer you to Elder Oaks' talk of "Good, Better, Best." if you would like to learn more about what Elder Graham and I do and also if you would just like more dialogue and doctrine about the experience I mentioned. As I am short on time.

 

 Last night we knocked on a door of a Hispanic mans apartment looking for someone. He let us in because it was cold and he was just super kind to us and gave us a glass of cold water. We were able to sing "hark all ye nations" and testify of the gospel to his family.  It was a very kind of them. We sent a referral to the Spanish Elders for him. This morning I was reading in the book of Matthew chapter 10 during my personal study and discovered these scriptures.

40 "He that receiveth‍ you receiveth‍ me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

42 "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water‍ only in the name‍ of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose‍ his reward."

It was amazing to read those words and have that very same experience the day before. Its so wonderful :D

 

I love my last name. People often make some puns or some joke from it. They be makin' "aSumsions" about me or calling me "Elder Sunshine." Oh the adventures :D

 

That's all for today, I have got to go.

God be with you.

Love,

Elder Sumsion

 

Small World Moments:

At Choir practice I met a Elder Brandon Chambers who graduated from Springville High School last year. He knew my Cousin Tyler Sumsion who is currently Elder Sumsion.

I also met an Elder Tan who is visa waiting for Taipe, Taiwan (where my cousin is currently serving). He knew Elder Sumsion in the MTC.

Season 1: Clark Lake. Episode 5: Sometimes titles wont be clever..

Howdy and Hello!

Brother J was baptized on Saturday the 10th and confirmed in sacrament meeting on the 11th :D

There were pictures taken. They didn't turn out super great, but I will get them posted next week.

There is a powerful concept that I have heard that I feel I need to talk about.

The worlds goal is to change your behavior and what you are on the outside.

Christ's goal is to change your nature and what you are on the inside.

That idea put simply like that has invoked a lot of thought and inspiration I have received. Here is a little portion of my thoughts and truth I have received as I have thought about that.

When we teach people Christ does not want them to be baptized and go back into their old habits of smoking, breaking the law of chastity, or other sins. He wants them to stay in the fold, to really repent and give up those things they promised they would. We want a change the inside character of them, not simply what they do. He wants an actual change of a person. He wants it so that when the missionaries, parents, or seminary teachers are gone that they will continue to choose the right. He doesn't want them for a week, a year, or for their life. He wants them for eternity.

After Christ died, Peter's "missionary, parent, and seminary teacher" Peter went back to doing the very same thing he was doing before Christ called him to "walk with Him." 

After Christ's resurrection He talks to Peter about going back to what he was doing before.

Elder Holland talks about that conversation between Christ and Peter in his talk "The First Great Commandment."

 “Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn't it obvious then and isn't it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our 

Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world."

Not only is this work to "change the world" it is to change you.

As you read Mosiah 3:19, insert your name where there is a space.

"For the natural ________‍ is an enemy‍ to God, and has been from the fall‍ of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless ________ yields‍ to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth‍ off the natural‍ ________ and becometh a saint‍ through theatonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

The Scriptures are powerful as we "expound" them unto our day and your self just as Christ did unto the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 26:1).

I hope and pray that the spirit will speak to you and that you will listen 100% to it.

Love, 

Elder Sumsion 

New Pictures

Pictures

Here is a picture of Elder Graham and I at the missionary Christmas party.

This here is a picture of one of our trees at the apartment! I love it so much :D

Season 2: Clark Lake. Episode 4: Experience and Consecration‏

Howdy and Hello!

Surprise news! We have a baptism coming up this Saturday, the 10th!

You may be tempted to say "Now Elder Sumsion, why didn't you tell us about this sooner?"

The reason why is because he committed to be baptized that day yesterday  haha :D

Here is the story.

Brother J is married to a member and they have three baptized children. His wife has been a member all growing up. Sister J has been wanting very much for him to be baptized and to join the church. Brother J wants to be baptized. In November when his son was being baptized he wanted to get into the water that day. He felt so good about it as he was helping his son get ready.

We met with him and his family one evening because we heard about his experience and his desire. He talked to us about that experience and that he wanted to baptized. He is super golden.

While on exchanges with the Zone Leaders, Elder Graham and Elder Wilcox, visited him again. They had a super powerful lesson where they were able to address his concern and bear powerful testimony. One of his concerns was that he didn't feel like he was fully repented and didn't fully understand the atonement. He had tried to give up addiction before, but succumbed to it after he told Heavenly Father that he wouldn't do it again. He felt bad and guilty and that he had lied to Him. They bore testimony about the Atonement and that he was forgiven as long as he repented sincerely. He could be free from these addictions. He could break this "flaxen cord" that bound him, because Jesus Christ had lived, suffered, and died so that he could.

They invited him to pray about a date.

Elder Graham and I had our follow up appointment/dinner with them yesterday. Our Ward Mission Leader came with us. Our WML is solid and super committed to the work. He gets it and is very inspiring.

We started with the plan of salvation and talked about the Atonement section. We testified about it again, reminding him about what had been said. We followed up on the commitment for them to pray and he said February 5th. He wanted to get baptized soon and he thought that was pretty close to the soonest he could do it. Our WML is a bold man and invited him to a closer date, January 17th. Brother J was willing and our WML went sooner. Brother J accepted and is super duper excited about it! He felt good. The spirit was there and present. Elder Graham and I have some solid work we need to do with him before Saturday. It is all so great.

Hope that all made sense :D

I hope you thought about the idea last week.

Heavenly Father owns everything. He controls it all. Except our agency. We can give him time, but it is still his. We can give him our tithing, but that's only 10% of what is already his. The only true gift that we can give him that he does not already have is our will/agency/choices. That is consecration. Giving our will to God.

Give something up for God this year. Choose one better thing to do. Do one more thing that will help you become more Christlike.

And after you have chosen that one thing, make a plan on how to give it up.

Then ACT.

I love you all. I love being on a mission. It is the hardest thing I have ever done in life, but it is also the best thing I have ever done.

Love,

Elder Sumsion

Small World Moment:

We went and visited the Fulton's and when I said I was from Provo, Sister Fulton asked me if I knew any Duncan's. Sister Fulton is Emily Duncan's, one of my friends from choir, cousin.

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