Another Corona Quarantine Week!

Well hello family and friends! 

This week has been quite interesting! It's been good to be in the apartment at times because I get to learn different things and better my Missionary skills. I'm learning some Spanish so I can talk to people whee Spanish is their first language.  I am learning Spanish phrases to use when I teach them or contact them on the streets or at their houses which is muy Divertido! (Super fun) I was also to memorize more scriptures this week because I have been quarantined in our apartment.  

At MLC- before the Corona Quarantine

We are using technology to stay in contact with people we have been teaching.  We had some good lessons on the phone via video chat! Technology likes to not work sometimes but we get through it! We also had a good lesson with some members and with Joe and Joyce this Sunday! That's was cool! 

I know God cares about each of us even though it seems rough at the moment. I was pretty upset with this whole staying-inside-thing for a day or two (until I adjusted my attitude) but I am learning to enjoy it!  My companion and I have made some videos- go check them out on my Facebook page or my mom's if you haven't yet!  They were pretty fun to make.  I have also been using my time to practice the piano- I know you love that mom.  

 As  Zone Leader, I had an idea that would bring my Zone together.  We are doing the Book of Mormon "Easter Challenge 2020!"  It is called "Book of Mormon Baseball"  Elder Kehl and I made a video and sent it out to the Elders and Sisters in the Zone.  They are to practice this week and then next Monday we are going to have the Tournament!  When I talked with my brothers today via FB messenger, Tyler and I went a couple of rounds with the baseball game.  We tied the first round and the second round Tyler won- that dog. hahaha  Kyle was kind of guessing too.  Trevor wasn't on yet so I will give him a pass.  It was fun battling against my returned-missionary brother! 

The APs and Elder Cahoon

I know God has a purpose and plan for everyone! Stay safe and love all of you!! Have a great week! 

Elder Cahoon 

What A Difference A Week Makes With The Corona Virus!

Dear Friends and family,

I'm not in the mood to write this letter right now-we have so much to do today and I'm so tired. But because my Mom wants me too, I will! 

 Geek Reference to DragonBall Z

This week was sweet!! We had some great lessons! It's been a little crazy for the whole world about the Corona Virus. But I'm straight chillin' our here in Florida! I have modern-day prophets and apostles on my side!!  I feel peace and keep praying that peace will overtake the panic and that faith will rise above the fear!  I actually have seen blessings because of the virus!  I knew the Lord knows what will happen and that He is in control!  

One of the ways the virus has brought blessings is with our investigators.   We have several people on date for baptism this month.  Since they need to come to Sacrament meeting in order to be baptized we have to think outside the box because there is no official Sacrament meetings being held because church is not meeting at all due to the virus.  What a difference a week makes!  Well, we have contacted various ward members to ask if they could have us and the investigators over to hold Sacrament meeting with them.  They have all been wonderful and have been excited to have us!  You see, sometimes investigators aren't able to attend Sacrament meeting because they work but for the next several weeks, the time isn't an issue!  We are able to work our in-home Sacrament Meeting around our investigators!  Blessings!!  

Elders Kehl and Cahoon

Our Mission has been fervently praying to find the elect that are read to accept the Gospel or for them to find us missionaries.  Well, the Mission has had a "Miracle March" and we have almost doubled the number of people we normally baptize.  I know this is a direct result from our faithful and fervent prayers! More Blessings amid this craziness of the virus!!  

We had a good lesson with our friend Ray! He believes the Book of Mormon to be true! So now we are trying to work with him on setting a baptismal date!! 

We also had a super cool church tour Sunday night! We taught a women who has been praying to know which church to join. We met her a few weeks ago- we happened to be on her drive way when she came home. She loved the church and felt the Spirit very strongly! She started to cry when we talked about how God listens to prayers. She has been reading the Book of Mormon as well!!! She is awesome! 

Love you all have a great week!! Sorry for the short weekly email!! Thank you all for all the things you do for me!!! I love you all!!!

Elder Cahoon

So Many New Friends!

It's been a wild one ladies and Gentlemen!! Nothing better than seeing God fullfill his promises!! This week was amazing!! It's truly a blessing to serve here in Florida! I'm sorry for not going into much depth with these stories, but just know they are amazing and each has been an amazing experience! 

As for some wonderful miracles this week!!! We are teaching an older couple named Joe and Joyce and we had a wonderful lesson with them this week! Their faith is growing and they are wanting to learn more and more. We hope to set a baptismal date with them soon! They invited their daughter to come to the lesson and she was very interested to learn more! The daughter even came to church this Sunday for the first time!! We had 6 of our friends we are teaching come to church! 3 of them were first timers! All from different families! 

One guy that came to church today only had one lesson with us. We found him by knocking on his door and then having a quick church tour with him. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he was so antsy to read it! He left on a trip that he was very scared to go on because of past bad decisions.  But he read the Book of Mormon everyday while he was away and he said that he felt so safe and felt so much peace. He even sent us a picture of the Book of Mormon in his suitcase before he left on his trip!  He was so excited to be at church yesterday and he told us about his experience! He will be coming next week and we will be seeing before Sunday! 

We also had a part-member family we are teaching come to church today as well! The husband loved it and even made very insightful comments during our Priesthood session of Sunday School!! He told of how he knew Joseph Smith was a prophet.  He was so happy to be there at church and is so excited to come back! We will hopefully be setting a baptismal date with him as well! We showed him the baptismal font after church and talked about how we baptize by immersion just like how Jesus Christ was.  We met with him after church and plan on today as well!  

Wonderful miracles have come as Elder Kehl and I have prayed with faith to find the prepared and worked diligently to find them! I know God answers prayers and will help all of us to find the elect! 

This week in church I gave a talk on the blessings of the Book of Mormon.  It was so great to have so many friends there visiting!  I was able to look at each of them as I talked.  Elder Kehl and I serve over 3 wards.  We go to 2 sacrament meetings each week because we can't fit all 3 in.  

I want you to know that I know I'm not the best missionary in the world, but I try to be; and I know because of Christ, He can help me strengthen my weaknesses. I know He helps me because Christ needs me to bring many to the knowledge of the truth. 

Love you all and I'm sorry I couldn't go into to much detail. Thank you all for your support and prayers!! 

Elder Cahoon 

 

Welcome To The Miracle Factory!

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to the Elder Cahoon Miracle Factory!! This is where the fun begins! Miracles and Tender Mercies are abundant and God is so good!! So..... let's break it down to the details! 

We had a great week!!! 

So we were walking in a neighborhood close to the Church around 8:00pm on a Saturday night. No one was answering and the people that did werent to interested. I said to my companion "lets knock one more door!" I told him to pick a house. He spun around and pointed while saying "that one. " We knocked and a guy immediately came out and started talking to us. He was decently religious but he didn't have a Church. We talked for a while and he seemed like a decent guy but not too interested in joining the Church. We gave him our number and left not thinking too much about it. He texted us the next day, which is very unusual for people we meet. He wanted to pray with us before he left for vacation. He originally wanted to meet with us on Tuesday but he wanted to do it sooner. We told him to come to the Church since it was close to his house and said we wanted to show him around the Church and do a tour with him. He arrived and we went in and started showing him a picture of Jesus Christ giving the Apostles the priesthood. We talked to him about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the same as Christ's church that He set up a long time ago. This guy started becoming a little more excited and interested in the Church. We walked with him to the Chapel and flicked on the lights. Immediately, the Spirit just flooded the room! We turned to him and started talking again while standing in the Chapel. We asked him why he felt like meeting with us and why he wanted to pray with us. In an instant, he started tearing up badly and he went on to tell us how the last time he went on vacation he made mistakes that he deeply regretted. He tried everything to get rid of the anguish of his soul and the guilt that followed him everywhere. He said as soon as we started turning the keys in the door to the Church he began to tear up. This man was leaving for vacation again and he was terrified that he was going to make the same mistakes again as he left. We explained that Christ knows exactly what he was going through and that he could only find that relief through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We told him that our sins can become white as snow through the sacrifice of our Savior. He was holding back tears the whole time and he happily accepted a Book of Mormon. He said he would read it every day on vacation and we testified of the power that the Book of Mormon has to help us resist temptation. He said that he really wants to come to our church when he gets back and we prayed with him so he could have a relaxing vacation, free of sin. He was so incredibly happy after talking with us. He left so excited but still crying from the feelings he had. The spirit was so strong as we were teaching him! He texted us a picture of the Book of Mormon in his suitcase the next day as he was leaving!

That same Monday, we did some super fun labor/service for the older couple that we are teaching- Joe and Joyce. We shoveled rocks into buckets and wheel barreled them to his back yard!  We then spread them over an area. It was a little tiring but it was a fun work out!! We saw a mouse and killed it with a rake cause they did not want mice in their yard!! It was pretty nasty. We flung it over their fence into the woods!  They are continuing to progress and we are excited for them!

We are teaching this super-cool young couple!! She is inactive but wants to come back to church and he is interested in learning more! We had them read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon and had them watch the Book of Mormon videos that correlated with the chapter!! They loved it! She came to church this week!!! So great to be with her there!!  He had to work but he's is trying to get off so he can come!

So yesterday (Sunday), as I was sitting in church, I offered a simple but heart-felt prayer about finding people.  I really have a great desire to increase baptisms here!  We have been praying as a mission for us missionaries to find those ready to accept the Gospel or have people find us if we can't find them.  Well, we have been seeing some great success and miracles with that!  That was again on my mind Sunday morning at church when I said my silent prayer before Sacrament meeting.  Well, after Sacrament meeting, I checked my phone and I had a message from a lady that had contacted us asking for us to deliver a Book of Mormon to her!!  I mean how great is God in answering sincere  prayers??!!  Needless to say, we took one over that day and we are meeting again with her to talk more about it tomorrow! 

We had some random people this week pay for our food when we were eating out! We went to Cracker Barrel and this older couple sitting next to us paid our bill! So that was very, very nice!! If you ever pay for missionaries' meals, introduce yourself and let them know!  I wanted to thank them so badly but couldn't! 

So these stories are just a few of our miracles!  We feel so blessed and excited for the work in this area!  Thank you for all of your prayers and help!!! Also for the letters and emails!! Thank you for those as well!! I really do appreciate all of them!! Have a great week and I love you all!! 

Elder Cahoon