Week 13: Confirmation of the truth

Hey guys!

Sounds like your all having a lot of fun with the puppy and the dishwasher! Before I forget again mom for me to be able to drive in the mission I need you to go to the DMV and get my motor vehicle record. And then send that to me so I can get it to the mission office missionaries. I was supposed to be driving this transfer but that didn't happen.

Besides that I apologize for the lack of pictures. I scrubbed out. This week has just flown by. A new missionary is in our zone and he is dope. His name is Elder Ellison and he is going to be playing college basketball for Westminster when he gets back. That's exciting. We had exchanged with them this week . We worked so hard and found some new people to teach. Unfortunately our baptism fell through and we don't know when it will happen now. Transfers are in two weeks and it's being predicted that I may leave and train a new missionary but we will see what happens. I love Murfreesboro but I am ready for a change.

P days are a blast now because we have enough people to play football or basketball. I finished the Book of Mormon all the way through this week and prayed right after. And I just had an overwhelming feeling of knowing. I knew the book of Mormon was true and this is just confirmation to me. I'm also half way through the New Testament. There is so many gems in there it's crazy. It's been a warm and sunny 60 degrees mostly hear but the temperature is supposed to drop these next couple days.

We set up family mission plans with all the family's in our ward. It's really easy things y'all can do to serve and be good examples. Like pray for missionary experiences. And pray for people investigating the church. Do you guys have missionaries in our ward? It's really cool to hear about all of your missionary experiences. Keep up the good work!

Love you guys. Hopefully I'll have some good pictures and stories next week!

Week 12: Feeling the sprit

Must be from Utah....this ain't snow!

Here's the experience. Me and Elder Taylor were walking and talking and I had a feeling that we should go try this lady that we tracked into that was a member but didn't go to church anymore. So we walked to her place and I showed her the video, it's a Mormon message called "A shower of heavenly blessings". While watching the video she began to shake and cry and had to hand my tablet back to me so I held it for her and she watched the rest. She really felt the spirit and I testified to her that no matter what we are going through our Jesus knows our pains, and Jesus and heavenly father want us to get back on the right path. So I told her that and told her that we as missionaries would love to help her get back on the path. She through tears told me that she really wanted that. And we set up a time to come back and then said a prayer with her. Honestly that is one of the only times I can recall where the spirit clearly directed me to one of God's children who needed a message. It reminds me of President Monson saying"I feel I've done some good today. I am excited to keep teaching this amazing lady and help her become reconverted to the gospel.

Right after that we were knocking doors again and when a man opened the door he stared at us and he had some college girls inside said, "Come in, we are drunk!"And then another one said come get drunk with us! And me and Elder Taylor laughed and left them with our card. Maybe we should have just told them we didn't drink but we'd like to share a video with them. But that's alright. It was still way funny.

It literally snowed 3 inches here and everything is closed.

Love you guys and hope you have a good week!

Week 11: 3rd and long

Hi family! Sounds like things are going really good for y'all. It's cool to see all of the blessings that come your way. This week has been solid. The area is now split and I'm still with Elder Taylor. And Elder Bollinger is with Elder Murphy. We have been knocking doors so much to find people to teach that my knuckles are bruised. Hopefully my first baptism will be in two weeks and I'm really looking forward to that.

Still no snow here, nor do I think there ever will be. It's was way funny me and Elder Taylor were out tracting a couple days ago and the Titans were playing. And it was there first play off game and everyone was going nuts in their houses and we got invited by tons of people to come in off the street and watch the game. But we didn't of course. They won that game and now they play the Patriots so lots of people are giving up hope.

I'm super excited to hear that you guys got a puppy. That's makes me so happy. It looks like a cute one to.
Really I can't focus to much today on what to say because of the experience I had today. All four of us elders went to the temple and things were going swell. We were almost done with our session and right before we made it to the celestial room. My companion got sick. He went from standing and looking pale to his eyes rolling back and he went from standing to the ground way fast and hit his neck and back. He seems to be fine we are just at the hospital right now. We might not be able to work for the next couple days until he recovers. Super scary though. Luckily we had an er doctor in the temple so he came and got the situation figured out. So that's been the adventure for today.

I'm gonna send a picture of me holding a dog dressed up. That is sister Taylor's dog. The Taylor's are a couple in our ward who are just bomb missionaries. So we were setting up a family mission plan with them and she said look I dressed my dog up like a missionary. She was close, so we counted it. That's the update for me this week love you all and I hope y'all have a good week.

Week 10: Divide and conquer

Hi family! So yesterday we had transfer calls and I'll be staying  in Murfreesboro with Elder Taylor as my companion still. But my other trainer Elder Bollinger will be training a new elder from the mtc. So there will be four of us in the same apartment but we will be separate companionship.

Yesterday I also had the opportunity to go on exchanges with my district leader Elder Acosta in the YSA branch of the Murfreesboro area. So we were knocking doors on campus all day. And that was a really fun experience. While we were walking we saw this gentlemen on his bike riding by. So I gave him a friendly smile and wave. I guess it's possible I could have given off the wrong signals because five seconds later he looked back at us and yelled "you guys have really nice buts". We were so surprised by this that we didn't know how to respond. That is the first time I've been hit on by a man and hopefully it will be the last time. That same day we got to teach the first lesson 3 times to people who let us in there home.

Also another fun experience. So we got a call from some Elders in Nashville that they had a blessing referral for us to do. Which just means someone got a hold of them and asked them for a blessing. And it was in our area. So we went and found this guy named R., and when he answered the door he was shirtless and something seemed off. So we walked in side and he fell on his couch. He was pretty drunk and then he started crying. Anyhow needless to say he was a less active member who is now a cocaine addict and was trying to quit. So we gave him a blessing and the he hugged me and cried on my shoulder. That was a new experience for me. He had a cool little dog tho that kept on biting me.

Hopefully with getting a new missionary we will get a full time car to split between the companionship. We went shopping today and I had to get a scarf and some way clearance pants. And now I'm going to get my hair cut.

I hope your trip was fun for you guys and I hope that everyone has been having fun out of school. How much snow do we have back home and what has everyone been up to? What's the rest of the family up to?  Love you guys and can't wait to here from you!

Elder Swanton with Brian Regan

Too much egg nog?

Week 9: Merry Christmas

Sounds like you guys are having loads of fun. And looks like you found a good place to hide from the cold! Love you guys lots and hope you have a good week!

Note from Mom: The highlight of my Christmas was seeing Michael. Listening to him and seeing how well he looked calmed my anxiety over him being so far away from home. He is doing well and working hard. He loves the Lord and it shows when he speaks of the work he is trying to accomplish in Tennessee. 

My apartment complex flooding

veiw from patio

trail access

trail access