The Salt Lake temple took 40 years to build. At first they just wanted to get it done, without sizing the pieces of granite and without a lot of planning and preparation. They worked extremely hard and they thought they were doing it right. After burying and unburying it, they began to feel like this was an impossible task, but they continued anyway. Later they noticed that the foundation had cracks. All hope was lost...so they thought. Instead of giving up, they took out the foundation to resize and fix the broken pieces. They decided that they didn't want to mess up again, so they paid close attention and continued to build the temple. They had to remove the foundation in order to complete a marvelous and beautiful temple. Had they continued with the project without removing the foundation, the temple would have had many more complications and eventually the temple would have crumbled. Just to let everyone know, I got released from being a full-time missionary. In order to build a beautiful temple and proceed with life, I need to fix my foundation. I would really appreciate your support.

LETTER FROM NOV, 17 2014

Hello Family!!!

This was another okay week.. Nothing too exciting.  We had zone conference in Moncton, which is a 2 hour drive from Charlottetown.  I had to drive again, but that wasn't the worst part...So you know how it costs 45$ to get off the island...we try and save money by carpooling, so we squished 6 big missionaries in a tiny truck, 3 in front, 3 in back.  #ClownCar.  The actual conference was good.  President Leavitt is an absolutely amazing teacher, I love him!  The conference went til 4:30, but I wanted to talk to him afterwords, which lasted another hour, then everyone was hungry after that, so we went to Dairy Queen, for another hour.  We all decided to eat in the car, I didn't realize I ordered so much food for me though.  How am I supposed to drive 2 hours home with delicious food waiting for me in an extremely squished car?  I had Elder Blum, he was sitting right next to me in the front, feed me.  When it got time for me to eat the ice cream, I put it on cruise control and had him steer while I ate my ice cream...It was so funny, but I was so exhausted by the time we got home.  The rest of the week was pretty normal.  I don't want to be the stereotypical missionary who writes emails like: "I got a new investigator, they are doing well." "I taught my investigator today"...So briefly, ALL OF OUR INVESTIGATORS ARE DOING REALLY WELL, THEY ARE STILL ON-DATE. Nothing too exciting...Oh, E was baptized Saturday and can I just honestly say everything went wrong that day...Elder Balle and I got to the church at 5 to start filling up the font, one problem, NO HOT WATER..Here I am trying to call bishop and everyone else, then my phone dies.  I have no idea what to do now.  We actually didn't have any numbers written down any where so I couldn't even call from the Church's phone.  So, I got on Facebook to try and message people, and I see that E is on.  I wanted to warn her that the hot water was not working.  Bless her soul, she still wanted to get baptized that night cold or warm water, she was ready.  One of my messages I sent her, really funny, I said "You know why everything is going wrong, It's the devil not wanting you to get baptized. TELL HIM TO GO TO HELL, THIS IS YOUR DAY, NOT HIS!" She laughed and said everything will be Okay...HOW THE HECK IS SHE STAYING SO CALM, I WAS SO STRESSED AND FREAKING OUT? Everything ended up working out and as she came up out of the water she took a deep breath because it was so cold.  I felt so bad for her, but it was a great service.  I actually had the opportunity to confirm her on Sunday, that was a very powerful experience.  

This area is still doing really well, and I pray that it will continue to do well. 

That was my week...Like always it had its ups and downs.

Love you all,

-Elder King

LETTER FROM NOV. 11, 2014

Good Morning Family!

This has been a very stressful week!  We were preparing for M's baptism most of the week.  We met with him everyday so that he would be able to stay on track.  The day of his baptism, we were setting up everything a few hours before and he called us...At this point I was FREAKING out.  I had no idea what he was about to say.  He called and said that he was getting cold feet, he didn't want to continue with the baptism.  My heart was broken.  He agreed to come meet with us at the church with his parents.  Now I'm really starting to freak out.  They came over and surprisingly enough, his parents, who are Catholic, were extremely supportive.  He just had a few concerns that we resolved within the hour he was there.  After the meeting he agreed to be baptized that night! woohoo! Can I honestly say that was a really nerve racking moment.  He got me all worked and nervous for the actual baptism.  I had the biggest headache, but it was such a good experience.  Few things almost went wrong during the baptism...first, I slaughtered his last name, M , then I forgot to tell him to bend his knees, the font here is SMALL, so I had to turn him diagonally towards the stairs.  He almost hit his head on the stairs and the wall, but he didn't.  It was a really cool experience. It was a fantastic service, Elder Raymant and Sister Lewis sang a duet, the speakers were really good, and m''s whole family came to support him.  O and quite a few non-members were there, including one of our neighbors.  

Elder Balle is my new companion.  He is really nice.  He has only been out 6 transfers, so we both aren't that super experienced.  I pray that this will be a good transfer.

Other than that my week was pretty normal.  O, one last thing, R and S asked if I could baptize them on Dec 13....AHHHH- No I am excited, just nervous and stressed. HELP! HAHA

I hope you guys have a great week lots of love

-Elder King

I want a snake when I get home!

Hello Family! 

This has been a very busy week!  We have been blessed to teach a lot of lessons this week.  Monday was a very special day.  We had a dinner appointment with R, one of our investigators.  She has a "zoo" in her home: a ton of snakes, lizards, birds, and a few cats.  Throughout the whole lesson I just had a snake wrapped around my neck, pretty cool!  Mom, I am GETTING a snake when I get home. haha.  Later that day, we had a great lesson with the J, a less-active older couple.  We went home teaching with Elder Watson, a senior missionary.  Right after the Js we went over to the M's, another less-active couple, and can I just tell you, they are absolutely amazing people.  I connect well with them and the whole time we were there, it was only me and Elder Watson teaching the lesson.  Really spiritual moment.  Tuesday we had a lesson with M again.  He is so ready for baptism this Wednesday!!!  Later that evening, we were knocking this one street and we got let in by this really nice man.  He let us in and we didn't really have a lesson with him: 1st- he wasn't really interested, he was just being polite, and 2nd- he was in the middle of making 10+ gallons of alcohol.  As we were leaving, we noticed a few marijuana plants, he says "oh, sorry don't mind my pot plants, your'e not going to tell are ya?"  Kinda a funny situation, #Clueless #Didn'tKnowWhatToDo  haha.  The rest of the week was pretty boring.  We spent all Halloween planning for the week. Oh and we had another lesson with M to go over his baptism program...He asked me to baptize him! :)  I am kinda nervous and excited at the same time.  I will definitely send you pictures next week!!!  Yesterday was a CES devotional and it was stake conference as well, so we basically spent the whole day at the church, besides leaving for the 2 dinner appointments we scheduled accidentally...I am still full!  It was a pretty full week.  We got transfer letters and WOOHOO I am staying in Charlottetown with my new companion Elder Balle.  I will tell you how he is next week.

I hope all of you had a great week!!!

Love

-Elder King

LETTER FROM OCT. 20TH

Hello Everyone! So this week was alright.  This whole transfer we were focused on getting this area organized.  We have been putting up a new wall-map and organizing the area book.  These two activities have been extremely time consuming and, at some times, frustrating, but it will all be worth it.  This whole week we were dedicated in finishing it, so we didn't have much time to proselyte.  We actually finished it on Thursday, and I am so grateful for the time and energy we put into it, because it makes everything so much easier!

Unfortunately, J, our 10-year-old investigator, dropped us this week.  His mom just randomly texted us and dropped us.  Please keep her in your prayers so that her heart will be softened, he was supposed to be baptized next Wednesday.  M has been doing really well though.  His friends, who live in Texas, bought him the Quad for his baptism and he was super stoked about that!  

We have been doing things kinda differently here in Charlottetown.  Every one of our (sisters and us) investigators have been being co-taught by all of us.  OUR investigators are THEIR investigators.  So we have also been teaching E and R as well.  E is doing well, her and I connect really well and the last lesson we had with her was an emotional and powerful lesson.  The only reason she is being taught is because of a member.  #MemberMissionaryWork  E is pretty solid, she has great fellowships and she is strengthening her testimony each day through prayer and reading.  She has a few concerns that we are doing are best to resolve but she is great!  Now let me tell you about R.  I absolutely love her.  She started investigation because she saw an ad for a free Bible and she grew curious about what we believe.  She is just so great!  Every lesson she pulls out this book absolutely FULL of questions that she writes down as she reads from the Book of Mormon.  She is far more advanced than I can handle. Before investigating, she STUDIED, and I mean STUDIED the Bible.  Each day she just confirms that the Book of Mormon AND Bible go hand-in-hand.  She is so great, she just always brings a smile to my face.  She is actually getting her husband to investigate as well!

So we had 2 Halloween parties this week. One with the YSA and one with the ward.  Both were really fun.  We also went to a fireside last night and I would suggest that everyone looks at this website: Shropshiremusicfoundation,org...It was an informational fireside about how kids all over the world are being raised in a war-filled environment and poverty.  Sister Shropsire, a missionary who served here many years ago, started an organization about how music can lift the spirits of those kids.  It was such a great fireside, it made me realize how blessed we truly are to live in a free country.  It also just affirmed how music can really affect the lives of so many.  I know that music has most definitely played a huge roll on my life.

I am doing really well!  I feel better about everything and I am a lot happier.  One scripture that I have been focusing on this week is 2Nephi 31:20...Its talks about hope, faith, and enduring...I Can and Will endure if I put my Faith in Christ.

I hope Everyone is doing well

Love you

Elder King

LOVE!

Re: Elder King!

Hello Family!

Exciting news, this has been a great week! Extremely busy and full of lessons! It started off with great Thanksgiving dinners on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with the members!  We provided service to a less active who was living in filth. (I'll show you before and after pictures)  We've been continually meeting with M, who is still on-date for Nov 5 (Along with 2 others getting baptized that day!) M came to church for the first time yesterday and loved it!  He is just so awesome!  We also taught J, a ten-year-old investigator who is getting baptized as well.  Elder Raymant and I picked up 2 new investigators this week! (Not sure how solid they are yet, I guess we'll find out!)  Also we co-taught with the sister's new investigators, who is on-date for Nov. 29 : ) Really busy and great week!  Lots of great lessons, we were seriously running late for appointments because we had so many.

Love You All
-Elder King

So this week I was studying love and charity and the atonement and I realized something, I really lack love.  I need to love the people I am serving and I wasn't!  I need to love the Lord, but it was hard to feel the love back.  After a week of studying love, I now understand why I was feeling down, I just needed to love!  These past few days have been great because I applied love and the atonement to my life and it has really been a blessing.  Instead of teaching lessons, I'm teaching people.  I am really making that connection with them and I am starting to love them.  Loving the people I serve is helping them understand how to love the Lord.  IF ANYONE LACKS LOVE I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACCEPT THE ATONEMENT.  "Our love increases when we remember we are all God's children and that He loves us.  The love that results from this realization has the power to transcend all boundaries of nations, creed, and color."  

I really used the atonement in my life and I have seen the blessings that came from it.  I not only feel happier I AM Happier!  This area is really progressing right now and we are finding the lost sheep.-Luke 15. This success is because of His love.  Love is endless.  We need to love our neighbors, families, and people we are serving NO MATTER WHAT!

I bear my testimony, That I Know He loves each and everyone of His children no matter what mistakes we have made or people we've wronged. HE LOVES US, we now need to love Him and when we do, you Will receive blessings. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, amen.

THANKSGIVING IN CANADA

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! O WAIT, I'M IN CANADA.  

I hope you all had a great week!  My week was interesting.  Monday and Tuesday were regular days, nothing new and exciting happened.  Wednesday-Thursday I was on an exchange in Montague, this tiny little area where almost no one resides, only extremely old people.  I didn't really like that exchange, the area was small.  Things started to get better by the end of the week when Elder Raymant came back from New Brunswick.  So I sang with Elder Raymant, Sister Bowden and Lewis yesterday during sacrament.  Elder Raymant has 'GOLDEN' pipes.  He can sing really well!!!  Also yesterday we scheduled 2 dinner appointments, oops #NotComplaining.  So we had 2 really good Thanksgiving meals, and we are having another one tonight.  

Working through and with members is the best, and only effective way!!!  This whole transfer we made it a goal to only work with members.  We knock only where members reside and only do work through the members.  So far, it's working!  We have had a ton of dinner appointments (DA) and have got referred to a lot of receptive people.

Nothing too exciting this week! 

Love you all, 

Elder King