Great Week And A New Area!

Aloha! Family and Friends!! 

Remember when we went to Hawaii and we would shout Aaalllooooohhaaaa! Do you remember? I don't know why that came to me just now but it did!  Maybe it is because I can see the ocean!  So I hope all is going well!! This week was extremely good- as usual!!  It was a bit unusual as some kinda out-of-the-ordinary happened this week!  Oh, and Happy Anniversary to you two!  Poor Pops.  Too bad he had to work so much.

So what happened was I got emergency transferred over here to South Tampa!  Now just because I said "emergency transfer," don't think it was a bad thing okay?!  Nothing bad happened.  An Elder here in South Tampa needed to go home for a little bit (he will be returning and he is a really good guy).  But because me and my two companions were in a trio, President Cooper asked me to come over here to South Tampa with Elder Hall!  President called me on Saturday morning and then Saturday evening we drove to my new companion! I love Elder Hall by the way!! He is awesome and he served with my two buds Elder Cox and Elder Jarrett.  He is the Zone Leader here in the Tampa Zone and he is a super fun and an amazing man!! I will be learning more from his trainings I am sure.  I was and am still kinda sad I had to leave Brandon. I was so close to getting a few to baptism and I really had a great love for those that I was teaching! I also really loved my companions! But the Lord was pleased with my work and needed me to labor elsewhere!  I did call my two companions in Brandon Sunday night to check on them and see how they were doing. hahaha   Also, I was released of my duties as District Leader since I am no longer in that District.  So here I am in Tampa- in a big city (we also have part of the peninsula) and I am able to see the ocean!  I'm super excited to be here in South Tampa! I have already learned so much from Elder Hall!  But hey, Elder Zygmont,  my MTC companion, is here in the District so I will be able to see him!! I'm pretty excited to see him more!

This week we had Zone Conference and it was wonderful as usual.  I love seeing the Elders and President and Sister Cooper!  We talked about repentance and my impressions and take-aways from the conference were to use the pamphlets more in my teaching to help make this concept easier to understand by using the visuals and to  help people better understand the importance of repentance and how they can access it through the atonement by making it more simple and clear.   

Our lessons this week were great! We taught Celene- which is the one who has been preparing for baptism and she has been doing really good! Her faith is amazing!! She really has been increasing her faith and love with her Heavenly Father! She has been praying to understand better the Plan of Salvation and God's plan for us! She said her prayers have been great and she has been receiving alot of peace when she does so!  She is great and I'm so excited for her to be baptized here soon! 

We also had a great lesson with the man named Jason! We have been teaching him for a bit now and he is progressing pretty well!  We shared our testimonies of the Book of Mormon with him and he is excited to read it more! He is a great man and I really do hope he reads and continues to pray about it! He is really cool and I am going to miss him a lot!  

Well on Saturday we had a Mini MTC for the youth and it was really fun!! I remember my experiences with those and how it really helped me so I wanted to help all the other kids and teach them! It was an amazing experience! I'm happy to have been able to have such a wonderful opportunity to teach at the mini MTC as it was a good final experience in Brandon!  Good memories of that area!  After the mini MTC, we headed to the mission office where I then got a ride to South Tampa. 

We have had an some really cool miracles happen to us so far in such a short period! One of them was we were walking down the street and we heard a guy behind us yelling and running to us! We turned around and this guy wanted to know if we were"Mormons." We said, "Yes, we are missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!"  He was super happy to see us! He was Jewish and knew all about the church and loved what we do in the church to teach about love and Christ! He said he has a great respect for us! He said he was reading a book about the early church members and how they were treated in Missouri and then he saw us walk by and felt it was no coincidence!  We shared with him our personal conversion stories and he felt like he should read the Book of Mormon. The Spirit was really strong! And we gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and said good bye soon after. It was short and powerful.  One of my favorite things about missionary work is talking with people and sharing my testimony!  Elder Hall and I have been contacting a lot of people and I love it!! 

My area here is really nice.  My apartment is nice and has a little gym so I like that!  I love all the cool buildings and seeing the ocean!  I will send pictures later!  I love Florida but hey, I love NM and wouldn't mind living there! I think NM is great!  

Mom, I think that the YSA Conference sounds great!  What a great idea!  What amazing missionary opportunities it will hold!  I also like how you talked to your coworkers about Easter.  You are a good missionary, Mom!  

Well, I love you all and hope all is well!! Have a great week!! God is Good! 

Elder Cahoon 

Good People + Good Lessons= GREAT week!

Hello Friends and Family!! 

I hope you all are doing good! I have been doing Super! I absolutely love the growth and things that I have been learning!! This week was a great week! We had some cool experiences! 

So this week was super spiritual and really fun! I have 2 companions- Elder Leavitt and Elder Scoresby. Now these two Elders are super fun and they have a lot of knowledge! I love them a lot. I was able to attend a Stake Easter activity with the others elders in the Stake.  I included the picture.  It was nice to help out.  

We helped a member with moving some stuff and he was very grateful and wanted to take us out for food. Now this member is super funny and a very loud man! Let's just say it was super fun and very interesting! He is a convert and his story is insane (I don't have time to tell you about it today)! Well he took us to eat at this super good Cuban style place!  After we are finished and begin heading home, he begins driving the opposite way. So we ask where he is going and he doesn't really say what he is doing.  I was kinda getting worried for a sec but he pulls into a Honda dealership and drives to the back.  Me and my companions are just so confused and then he pulls up to Honda's Car wash drive through.  This car wash however is there to wash THEIR CARS (the dealership cars)!!  Well, he drives up to it, washes his car and then drives off!  What??!!  That car wash is for the dealership cars only- not for street cars!  I have never been so confused or dying with laughter in my life! We were all laughing so hard. After the car wash he takes us home. It was a good time. 

We work hard in our mission but we also have a blast out here! Florida is full of super fun people!!  We also had some really cool miracles this week!  So we had a lesson with the lady that is preparing to be baptized.  We explained about coffee and tea and about the commandment of the Word of Wisdom and why we are not to drink it.  When we told her she was surprised and said, "WHAT?!"   So we were a little scared that this commandment would be too difficult for her and she might not decide to be baptized but as we continued to explain and had the Spirit to guides us, her response was awesome.  She said, "Well okay. Bear with me through these withdrawals."  She was so willing to do what the Lord asks of her and she was ready to give it up. It was so cool!!  In fact, she actually just called as I was typing this!!  We just had a little lesson with her! We read some of the Book of Mormon with her and she was so happy!! She said she got offered tea yesterday and she turned it down. Awesome!  She has been doing really good with keeping the Commandments!! I'm so excited for her! 

There have been other good lessons we have had with some really cool, solid people! We talked to this one guy about the Book of Mormon and he was super excited to learn more about Jesus Christ!! We are going to be seeing him on Thursday! 

I love being able to testify of the Book of Mormon! I love when the Spirit just hits people! It's one of my favorite things to witness!! I really do know that the Book of Mormon is true- every single person should read it and find out for themselves. Anyone can know it's true. 

I had a District Training that I did (as a District Leader) and the Assistants to the President came.  They said they liked it and that I did a good job.  I appreciated their words.  I really like both of them!  

Well I hope you all are doing amazing!! Stay safe and love you all!! Have a great week you all!! 

Elder Cahoon /Calzone

ps. Elder Scoresby calls me Elder Calzone. hahaha  It's all good because it is food related we everyone knows how much I love food.  

Elders Leavitt, Scoresby and Cahoon

Elders in the Stake

Amazing Elders and the Awesome Hursts!

Goofing Around

The Baptism Was Great! And More To Come!!

An Eagle Scout Honoring The Flag Wherever It Is

God Bless America and The Missionaries

 

 

Hello Family and Friends!!

I love being able to write my weekly letters!! Well this week was super good as usual! :)  We had some really amazing miracles and experiences!! AND WE HAD A BAPTISM THIS WEEK!!!!!! It was amazing! But I will get to that in a second! 

First Baptism

 

So to start off, I love Florida and being able to be out here and talk with so many people!! We got put in a tripanionship last week and we cover 2 areas now which are Providence and Brandon. I love the areas!  I love the trio!  By the way, we are not moving so my address in Brandon is the one to use for right now.  Both areas doing well and we should be baptizing next week as well!!!! I'm so excited!!!  There is a lady that has been wanting to be baptized for awhile and she said she is ready!! So we are going to be getting her ready for that- hopefully next week.  She has a hard schedule to work with!  This lady self-referred and has a cool story.  She use to live across from the Mesa, AZ temple and would walk around the grounds frequently because it made her feel good.  She was living with some people at the time but they did not allow her to have the missionaries over.  She eventually moved to Florida where she looked us up and we began teaching her. She wants to be baptized and is planning on next week!  So pumped!  Brandon area hasn't had a baptism in about a year and as a missionary there I have been stressing about what I can do to increase baptisms and how I can help the members.  I am seeing blessings.  We had 10 people that we are teaching come to church yesterday!!!! We go to 2 different sacrament meetings- both Providence and Brandon- because as a trio, we serve in both areas.  So all together we had 10 people come!!

 

So yes this week has been full of great things!! I also was able to do some cool things this week! Because I am a District Leader, I Interview the people that are going to be baptized! It is so cool!  I had the opportunity to interview he Lady that got baptized.  She is so funny!! She told me such wonderful stories and we had fun talking with each other!  She was so excited to get baptized!!  I was also  able to confirm her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  And we were able to bring someone else that we are teaching to the baptism and he really liked it! We met with him this week and he said he definitely wants to be baptized and that he understands the importance of it!  We were so happy to hear that!!  He has lots of questions and he has been learning a lot!! He loves it! We are working with him on coming to church so I'm excited for him! 

We have a great time together as a tripanionship!! I love being able to have so much fun and help serve others at the same time! Thinking about others as well as doing things for people brings such a happiness and joy that one will not receive if you only think of yourself.  I challenge all of you to think of someone you can help and help them! It's amazing to see each other as brothers and sisters!  We have the same Heavenly Father and He loves each and everyone of us. The mission has really helped me see others in this way! 

Serving And Having Fun!!

We're Cool :)

I am not gonna lie but a mission is hard.  There is so much to do and so much to think about- especially as a District Leader.  There are so many responsibilities and things to do that I get stressed at times.  I actually thought a mission would be easy because I have done hard things- with football and with summer sales.  I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father for hearing my prayers and helping me!  I am grateful for good parents that give support through their words and prayers! I am grateful for everyone that prays for me!  Even though it is hard, it is so worth it and I love it!!  I wouldn't want to be doing anything else!!

Love you all!! Have a great week everyone!!! And thank you all for the letters!! 

-Elder Cahoon (Elder Calzone) 

 

United Trio Power!!!

Family!!!! And friends!!!! 

As always this week has been great!! Some out of the blue things and some great surprises!!! So to start off this week we had transfers! I am getting a new companion.  I will also be moving (see paragraph below) so if anyone is going to send a package just send it to the mission office. :)   I will send the new address once I know it.  I am still a District Leader even through all the changes.  

My new companion is super funny and a great guy!! His name is Elder Leavitt!! His Dad, I think, served with Uncle Darin in Chicago.  He and I rode a bus this week and we talked to some people so that was new for me and fun! We have been having a great time together!! So the Spanish Elders that are in our area got some news that affected my companionship.  One of the Spanish Elders is going to have to go home.  He was a great man and he was honorably released this week.  So because the other Spanish Elder does not have a companion at the moment, we got put in a tripanionship!!!  So it's me, Elder Leavitt, and Elder Scoresby!!! Elder Scoresby is the Spanish Elder.  We have been learning a little Spanish which is fun!! I love them both!! We have been laughing so much this week!! It's a great time with them!!! 

New Companion, Elder Leavitt

Trading Ties

Awesome Trio Power!

So the Tripanionship is going great!  Both of these elders are great leaders and great teachers. I have learned a lot from them already!! We have a chess board and I'm actually getting okay at chess!! I'm not the best but Elder Scoresby and I play sometimes at night!!  Papaw will be glad I am learning chess.  

So some great surprises happened that ensure me that the Lord's work is moving forward!!!! I love it!! So as a District Leader, I do interviews with the people that are going to be baptized! And this week we are having a baptism!!!! I didn't teach her but she was taught by Elder Scoresby and she will be baptized this week!  The interview allowed me to get to know her some so that was nice.  Super excited for her baptism!!! 

We taught some great lessons this week and a we had quite a few people come to General Conference this week!!! General Conference happens twice a year when the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from all over the world watch (via satellite or on their own TVs or computers) the Prophet of our Church and the Apostles and various other leaders as they speak and teach what the Lord wants us to hear/learn/remember.  I was very happy that we had people show up at church and listen with us!!  We also taught some members referrals and they went great!! These are people that know members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the members refer them to the missionaries.  Then we missionaries stop by and talk to them and ask them if that would like to learn more or we share a thought with them and they desire to learn more.  I'm excited to see the Lord's work move forward! I have a lot of good feelings about this Trio!! 

This General Conference was AMAZING!!! I loved the messages that the servants of Jesus Christ gave!! These current living Prophet and apostles are such great men and are truly called of God! In the Saturday morning session President Eyring (Second Counselor) gave a challenge to better sustain the General Authorities (The Prophet, his 1st and 2nd Counselors, the 12 Apostles and members of the Seventy). I accepted the challenge and it was a great experience! I felt a great confirmation from God that these are truly servants of Jesus Christ and are called of God. 

We went to a members home to eat after the Conference.  They are such loving and amazing members!! They have such great desires to be good followers of Christ and they are amazing examples to me and they are really good parents too! Sister Huezo made us dinner!! It was super good!!! I actually was able to get full!!! So I was super pumped about that!  She is Hispanic and made some Mexican food!  And y'all ready know how l love Mexican food!  Needless to say, I ate a ton!!  Hispanics know how to cook!  Yum!! 

My mission has been going by so quickly!  Good thing I have two years!  It needs to slow down!  I have been learning a lot since being out on my mission.  Not because I didn't want to learn before my mission but because I have just been given a great time period of time to learn more and grow spiritually and I am taking advantage of that!!  For all those who remember the person I used to be I want to say that my knowledge of the Savior has increased and my love for Him has deepened!  I know the eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ is REAL!  I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and the only one who could have changed the sad, pathetic soul I once was. I have changed because I have a honest and true desire to come closer to Jesus Christ!  My hope and desire is that I will continue to change throughout my mission and throughout my life- coming closer to Him, being more obedient in keeping the commandments and understanding the Spirit better.  Anyone who seeks for the knowledge of Him can receive it by searching the words of God through His prophets. 

So to answer some of your questions mom- no I don't need music I have plenty! I just listen to hymns and different church- produced music by different artists. Please send more ties to me stat!  Also, I could use those peanut butter snacks as well!!  Oh also, I would love love love to have a hard copy of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price!! If you can't get a hard copy of all three then I just want one of the Book of Mormon. I know I already have stuff and again I am so so grateful for the things you do for me as my parents!! 

ON THE OTHER HAND I AM A LITTLE DEPPRESSED!!! DAD GOT A TRUCK!!!!!! That's super awesome and crazy!! It's a really nice one too!!  Although I am quite upset you sold my wonderful Suburban!! You didn't need to sell it!! 😭 I know you needed it gone but I am bummed I am not coming back to it! I love that car! She probably misses me! 

I hope everyone has a great week!!  I love you all- both family and friends!!!  

-Elder Cahoon 

New Learning Opportunities As A District Leader!

Hello Family and friends!! 

Last Sunday Allen and Cahoon will be together

Please tell Brody, Cade and Canton I said Hi!  This week has been great!! Time doesn't exists here by the way! I can't believe that I am already going into my third transfer!! That's so weird! But anyways, this week has been full of hardship and discouragement as well as many miracles!  Also a bit of my faith has been tried.  Even though this week was tough, it was great at the same time!!! Christ and His great Grace can work in us!! I know it because I have felt His Grace in abundance this week!!

I just received some news- I am going to be the new District Leader!  It is a little stressful but I'm excited to learn and grow as a leader. I also got some very sad news- my companion, Elder Allen, will be transferred to Riverview.  I love him and that is sad we won't be together but I'm excited for him because he is going to do great!!  So some more good news- I am staying in my area!!!  I am so excited!  I get a new companion and I am looking forward to meeting him.  He is going to be a pretty new missionary as well.  

So to start off, this great week we had some good lessons and met some great people! So there is a man we are teaching that doesn't believe in God but has been reading the Book of Mormon and praying! He has been one of my favorites to teach! He reminds me of myself back in high school so I have been so grateful to teach him!  We read  Alma 22 with him. He liked it a lot!! He has seen some really cool miracles happen in his life since he has begun to pray and to read the Book of Mormon!! We are now trying to get him to church! 

We also had some great lessons with some members this week! I love the members here! They are super great!! We also did a little service for a family here that was fun because we moved chopped wood!  It is always good to build yourself spiritually and physically!! 

We also found a family yesterday that invited us back to their home and to teach them and their family! They are a Muslim family.  They are very kind.  The mother from the Muslim family grew up In New York where her mother converted to Christianity.  The NY mother would have the missionaries over and they would talk about their missionary experiences and the Muslim little girl would listen to the missionary stories.  The Muslim mother grew up and moved to Florida with her own family.  When we ran into the family, the mother (who used to be the little girl) invited us over for dinner and she wants to hear about our experiences as missionaries!  She said she hasn't seen in missionaries since being in Florida and she misses them!  Even though she isn't Christian, she wants to hear about our Christian experiences and have her family hear about them as well!   How great is that?  I hope to be able to influence them!   

I love the people here but if you know me, you know I love animals!!  Florida is full of some cool animals! I have been taking some pictures with them!  hahaha  So that's fun!!

Elder Cahoon and a Frog (or is it a Toad?)

The Horse Next Door To The Church

Let me just tell you doing missionary work and serving others is amazing!! Even if I am having a hard time or feeling down, I just go and serve and talk with people! Then those feeling just go away!! It's great!! Jesus Christ Himself says it best, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Mathew 10: 39) I have really come to understand this scripture and I have a knowledge of this!!  I understood it back when I was younger but now as I have I grown up and have been out on my mission and have put Christ at the CENTER of my life, I have come to truly better understand this scripture!  Having Him at the center of our lives is very, very important. It brings joy, happiness, peace, increased knowledge, stronger faith, repentance, long suffering, patience, virtue, and every other Christ-like attribute!  As I have focused my life on Him I have come to understand so much more. I learn everyday because I focus everything on Him. 

Another scripture I love is Isaiah 64:8 (But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.) We can be molded if we humble ourselves to him. But only if we humble ourselves to Him! So many people (myself included) strive to do this. It is stressful knowing I have increased responsibility for others as a District Leader while I am still learning how to be the best missionary I can be (remember I am only on my 3rd transfer).  The Lord must have confidence in me; He is trying to mold me into the person and missionary he wants.  I am so grateful for these opportunities that I get to see God mold me into the servant that I can be! 

I Love all of you!! Hope everything is going good! Have a great rest of your week everyone!! 

Elder Cahoon