What A Wonderful World!

Cahoon and Butikofer at Philadelphia Temple

Companions having fun

Hello my most loving and amazing family EVER and friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Oh my goodness what would I do without you guys??!!!  You're always here for me and keeping me in line. I absolutely love you guys!!!!!  It's been great doing missionary work here- I absolutely love it!!!!  Everyone we see may not always accept or do what we say but that's okay, we know the message we share is true and all we can do is invite, ask people to change and improve their lives for the better.  As they do that, they will see the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for them.  I love every single person we see and work with.  They make me so happy- I truly care about them and their welfare. I'm grateful for all the experiences I've been given (good and bad) because they are shaping me into who I want to become.  I say that now but as soon as I go through something rough I sometimes forget that. hahaha

The Beautfiul Philadelphia Temple!

Sorry to hear about football Austi! That stinks bud.  Good for you for working out the day after the loss though.  You and Tyler really are a lot alike!!!  You definitely know how to work hard and do it right! Good for you!!  Such a stud.   I'm so grateful for a brother like you. No one and nothing tears us apart!!!!✊🏻 

I'm sooo jealous that you have Aunt Cami, Todd and Camille coming for Thanksgiving. I wish I could just teleport and be with you guys for the night and then return to PA!!!!!  

So you know how guys asked me what I wanted for Christmas?  I would love some ties!!!  Jerry Garcia ties, any skinny ties that have crazy cool patterns.  I would also love some pretty crazy socks.  I love socks that have multiple color schemes and have a cool pattern to it!  I like AND1 socks or stance socks but pretty much ties and socks with crazy designs!  I will also be fine with some protein for Christmas!!!  I just bought 2 new pairs of shoes that work great for winter & summer so I am good with shoes for now.  

We do have plans for Thanksgiving.  Two families wanted to feed us and we couldn't say no so we signed up for both- one for lunch the other for dinner! Hahaha So we have plenty of plans!!! We will be plenty full!  This week, let me tell you, it was an absolute miracle week!!!! We worked our butts off this week and just really tried to see a lot of people and we did!!!

Elders Cahoon and Richens (MTC Companions)

One day this week was sooo busy.  We had appointment after appointment- just biking like mad men!!!!  We got to see the twins (S, who we are shooting for the temple with, felt like she wasn't doing a good job at keeping the Sabbath Day holy.   She has a husband who watches TV and doesn't go to church so we told her that she can only control her actions not others.  We also told her that she would not be held accountable for others actions.  She felt better about that and came to church on Sunday!!!😊🤗🙌🏻 

We had exchanges after PDAY.  I was with Elder Argyle (he's been out for about 6 months).  It's super weird for me serving around Elders younger than me because I've mainly served around Elders older than me.  He's a little quiet but he is really funny.  I'm glad I got to go with him.  He is such a humble guy; I want to be humble like him.  The next day we went out and had bible study at a senior center we do service at.  I've learned a lot bible verses on my mission and sharing them is great.  I love the New Testament.  As we were reading in Romans 5, the thought came to me to share Doctrine and Covenants 121 (it talks about Joseph Smith in Liberty jail and the counsel that was given to him).  I was like "Whoa, bringing up scripture from the Book of Mormon may be iffy but Doctrine and Covenants?  These guys would not accept that."  I was pretty nervous but I gathered my courage to share it and you know what?  Most of the people there thought it was great advice and a great scripture.  They took it all very well.  I was absolutely amazed!!!! Act on promptings people!!  We had the opportunity to eat lunch with them, talk with them and get to know them better.  They shared some pretty funny stories. 

Missionaries after the All-Mission Conference

We biked down to Lemoyne to visit a family.  We knocked on the door but no one answered.  I had a prompting that we needed to talk to her neighbor whom was outside.  We talked to her, gave her a B.O.M. and asked her if she knew her neighbors.  She told us to try knocking on the back door because they can't hear in front.  So that's what we did.  The lady came to open the door immediately.  As we were talking she mentioned that she was actually upstairs right before we knocked on her door but she felt like she needed to come downstairs and when she did, that was when she heard us knocking on her back door!  A straight miracle!!!!!!! Super sweet!!! We got to talking to her about gaining a testimony and invited her to read Alma 32.

We met with another investigator that mentioned she was having trouble reading in her B.O.M. So we wrote all over her calendar "Read the B.O.M." Hahaha!!!! She thought it was hilarious.  We had a good discussion on reading the B.O.M. even with the busy schedules we have. She told us how she could keep 1 in the car and the other at home so she always had 1 with her wherever she went.  We thought that was a great idea and just cheered her on!!!!!  Most the time I catch myself just listening to people, to their situations and then helping them to recognize what they need to do.  After they make their decision I cheer them on to choose the right!  (That's in Preach My Gospel).  I was talking to Bishop and he says that's exactly what he does with people.   He's such a wise man and I've learned a lot from him.  I am grateful for him. I feel the most good we do as missionaries isn't always giving advice to people but just listening to them and guiding them to what they need to do.  The rest is up to them.  So everyone be that cheerleader! If someone's struggling, try to see where their coming from and cheer them on as they strive to do to things and keep commitments.  

The wonderful Bishop Jenkins and Sister Nelson-
Elder Cahoon served with both in Ambridge.
He ran into them when Elder
Stevenson spoke in Altoona!

We worked real hard this week and we are both super exhausted!  It's Monday and we are dead tired but we feel great for working hard!  The poster in the football locker room says it all, "the pain of hard work vs. the pain of regret." 

One last investigator story:  we met with Robert and he hadn't read out of the B.O.M. and he felt badly.  We asked him if he felt badly because he DIDN'T read out of it or because we would ask him about it.  He said he felt badly because he would tell us no he didn't read it when we came back to ask him.  I felt badly because if someone's going to read the B.O.M. I want them to read it because they want to not because their afraid of when we come back. We then shared what that the B.O.M. testifies of Jesus Christ and it helps us to come to know of Him and His truth and light.  

Ok this is the last story. lol  After Robert, we met with another investigator, Michael.  He is a kid but is already a good missionary!  He had two of his friends at the teaching appointment with him!  We even got to go on a bike ride with him because we had our next appointment in Lemoyne and he rode out with us.  On Sunday before church, Michael called us asking for a ride to church.  Bro. D, a ward member, went and picked him up!!!!!  This is the first investigator I've had come to church and be progressing since I've been here.  YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you guys.  Hope you have a great week.  Take care.  Bye!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

Elder Cahoon the Baboon

The Entire Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Mission!!