The Spirit Can Work Miracles

Soooo where do I start... last Monday was chill! Played some basketball and then crashed at the Carter's for the whole night, did FHE and had dinner/cake! Was awesome. Tuesday was fun! We had an early morning stake meeting, but we got sonic breakfast after which I haven't had in forever!! We taught a lesson to a recent convert, Scott and the spirit was so strong! He was tearing up and Bro. Bischoff was with us and started talking about the Atonement, so powerful. Then we heard about a video released by the church about Temple Garments! We watched it and it was so neat! They actually show the robes and the garments! I was so shocked they released that but it makes sense so that people respect how sacred it is to us! It just came out so idk if a lot of people know about it, but its on LDS newsroom and youtube! Wednesday we helped build the house some more, and this little blonde girl who is 4 and 1/2 was so cute ahah. She picked me a flower and we played jump rope with her and "raced" her lol. She was fun. Made me really anxious to have a family and a daughter some day!! Thursday night we were on splits with the High Priests (the old men in this ward are soo awesome and have hilarious sense of humors) and Elder Cook was with Bro. Bausman teaching Harry and Jackie and when I walked in towards the end of the lesson after being out visiting, Jackie points at me and says "if I am ever baptized I want Elder Bean to do it because he got me to really open up" and I was so stunned by that statement! Then Friday we had a lesson with Jackie, and she walks in and says to me "Are you ready to baptize me? Cause I know I need to be and I want to do it". WOW. I was so shocked I had this huge grin on my face. This lady a couple weeks ago was so against Harry's baptism and her whole family is like anti-Mormon. The Spirit worked miracles in her! And in her family! She told me she prayed all night and got her answer that she needed to do it, and then her husband was talking with her the next day and said "You know, if being Mormon is something you would want to do, go ahead. Whatever makes you happy"!! The spirit completely softened his heart! Harry set such a huge example with his baptism!!! So amazing. Then She told us Sunday that she talked with her husband the night after she told us she wants to be baptized and told him about it and she said they had a great conversation and he wants to come!! I was so ecstatic!! Seeing the hand of the Lord in their lives is so amazing...knowing that I truly am out here for a reason because people are being prepared that only I can reach! She said it herself, that she wants me to baptize her because I was what changed her heart. SO spiritually uplifting for me to know my prayers are being answered and that I am an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I cannot wait! We set the date for Nov. 8th! My first time actually baptizing someone on my mission! So great to be able to bless people's lives. I love it out here. Truly do and my testimony was so strengthened this week!!! Love and miss y'all so much. Much Love,

Elder Bean II

 Link to the video Noah referenced in his email.

I Love My Mission!!!!

Hey!!! My week was so great. Had its ups and downs like all weeks, but I loved it :) I really am starting to love my mission more and more! I think now that I am in my second transfer things aren't so "new" to me and I realize this is my lifestyle! We got a new set of Elder's in our district! They are cool, one is a greeny so now I feel like an old missionary haha. Monday we had FHE with Harry and his mom Jackie! It was fun, we watched the D&C Joseph smith video and had popcorn and drinks :) Jackie is really starting to come around! We taught her the plan of salvation this week and she likes that and agrees with it! I read from the Book of Mormon during the lessons and she is starting to realize that the B.O.M is from god! It is neat to see her progress :) We are starting the lessons with Mardall!  We taught lesson one and hopefully she will be baptized and give up some of her habits! She is "Momma Mardall", love her. She has been through a lot but it is really looking up for her lately! She got a puppy, and got approved on her disability/SS!! So great. Wednesday the wind blew sooooo hard! I know what they mean now when they say Idaho is windy ahah. It caused like a dust storm and trash cans to tumble down the road! I could barely walk in it haha. Thursday I had a good experience! We have been trying to talk with this family, the Cosky's, and we finally got in their door!! We chatted for a bit and they are a fun, pretty, young family! Saturday was an adventure! We helped out this sweet lady with her yard(trimmed grass with scissors ahhhaha). She is from Peru and is so springy and fun! A member in our ward lent our services out to her and it was great! She is so nice and will most likely be open to hearing the gospel! Then we helped out this family in the 2nd ward! We went with the other Elder's and worked for 4 hours helping build their house! It got damaged by a fire a while ago and they are rebuilding it so now I know how to build a frame of a house and the roof! It is actually do-able, just looks complicated! So that was a cool experience! Sunday was greattt!! Troy and April Carter came to sacrament!!! Big step for April cause she is pregnant and gets anxiety in church, but it was great to see them. Haha I was standing there with them, and someone thought that Troy was my companion! We laughed about it all day and then when we went over to their house last night we were still laughing about it. But I had a great week! Really love everyone here. I love my mission!!! I always miss Texas though :) Love and miss y'all!!!

-Elder Bean II

I am playing piano again!! Well, trying to at least. I can play Teach Me to Walk in the Light, Oh Come all Ye Faithful, and my favorite: Nearer my God to Thee! I can play that one the best :)

Whenever we are at a church or something and waiting, I will always start playing! And the bishops wife tells me to go play on her piano when I am over there!

Baptism and First Transfer, Staying in Twin Falls

This week was great! Went to Shoshone Falls and Dierkey's Lake on Monday and hiked around and stuff! Was really fun. Elder Cook and I had a long talk at night and we understand each other a lot better now and get a long a lot better! Wednesday I had a good experience! We went to go contact a referral, but couldn't find the address so we went to the closest address to the one we were looking for and met this guy named Derek! Turns out he is less active and his family is active somewhere else in Idaho! He was really open and cool with us and told us to stop by sometime later when his wife was home cause she is a nonmember! Kind of cool to find them :) The whole week I was missing hugging my momma! Idk I just saw a bunch of hugs and made me miss it lol. But Friday I felt the Spirit really strong all day and it was great! Met some good people! Saturday was a great day!! Elder Golden, from the seventy, and on the priesthood committee for the church, came on a tour of our mission! He spoke with us and was so bold! It was awesome to hear him and how spiritually powerful he was. Opened my mind to the Atonement and Priesthood so much more!! It was life changing. Then we baptized Harry that night! Was so great and his mom Jackie, who is non member, said she felt something like never before!! It was great. Then I got to confirm Harry on Sunday!! I was so nervous but everyone said the blessing was beautiful :) It was a neat experience for the both of us. So then we went to the Carter's last night and had Biscuits and Gravy!! It is their special meal that all the missionaries love and it was sooo good. They are like our Idaho family haha. Jesse, the daughter, is planning on getting baptized soon and in a year they are gonna be sealed as a family! So awesome :) Troy, the dad, is healthy and April, the mom, is having a healthy pregnancy so far! She is expecting in June or July (I told her June 9th cause its my birthday). It was an awesome week and we got transfer calls last night and Elder Cook and I are both staying!!! Can't believe I am already done with a transfer... Time flies! Anyways much love from Idaho! :) Miss y'all

-Elder Bean II

Shoshone Falls

Hiking around Dierkey's Lake and Shoshone Falls

Harry's baptism

General Conference Weekend!!

I had an awesome week! Hard to remember a lot of it cause it went by so fast!! So Monday we went bowling with Harry and his family and then had dinner with them! Harry is super strong and is fully committed to his baptism on Saturday despite his family's disapproval! He is way fun to meet with every day. We helped out and did service a lot! We did the Salvation Army soup kitchen for lunch and dinner and it was fun to serve these people in need! Then Thursday we went to the Temple!! It was a beautiful day and way awesome :) Before the Temple we went to eat at Cafe Rio with our district of 6 missionaries. This lady turned to me and said "I will pay for all of your meals" It was so nice!!! Best act of kindest ever. Then if her paying for us wasn't enough, she bought us all $10 gift cards and brought them and set them down by me! She wrote in each one "Work Hard!" I loved it. People are so kind and it makes us want to work so much harder and show people our example when they do stuff like that for us. It really touched my heart. She was from out of town too! It was a neat experience especially before the Temple. The Temple was very spiritual and peaceful! I loved it and had a great experience! Much needed! Friday we had a zone meeting on " Talking with Every one" and that is our focus for the month is to not pass any up but to always share our message or just talk with them!! Kinda like Bednar's talk yesterday on sharing what makes us happy and has blessed our lives so much! I loved General Conference this weekend! It was way cool to watch on my mission because I apply the things I learned differently! We watched the afternoon session yesterday with the Bishop's family and they are awesome! He is a great guy and loves us!! :) Oh and on Saturday we went with Bro. Jones, the second counselor to the Bishop, to the Priesthood session! He took us out for milkshakes afterwards and reminded me of when we used to go out for Chili's Molten Chocolate Cake after with Jed, Cade, Greg, and others! Oh and the missionaries in the choir singing for the priesthood session was cool cause I recognized a bunch from the MTC!!! Also I liked Elder Cook's talk about Logan, UT :) Especially Merlin Olsen since we lived next to the park named after him!! Pretty neat. Anyways things are going well! Idaho is still awesome :) This week should be good we are working on finding more people to teach since we are baptizing them all haha. We have 2 this weekend hopefully if all goes as planned!  I miss Texas and the family so much! Love y'all.

-Elder Bean II

Elder Bednar's talk Sunday afternoon (at the 1:33 mark) is addressed specifically to people not members of our church who wonder why we like to share our beliefs. 

Here is a link to the General Conference talks.

Twin Falls Idaho Temple