I apparently don't have the best luck with bikes...

Hello!!!

Think week has been mostly good with a couple of bummer things. On Saturday, we came to the library to email the branch council about our investigators. We were there for not even an hour and our bikes had been stolen. We made a police report which is about all that we can do. I will be sure to buy a bike lock now. We haven't really been able to get one int the past and when we have been in a place to get a bike lock, we haven't thought about it. I will be sure to get one now. 

Other than that, it has been a good week. We were able to find 8 new investigators! We are really happy about that because now we have people to teach! Our teaching pool is growing! It is nice to know who it is that you can help.

There was a BYU Devotional that I found this week that I highly recommend. It is called "The Power of Not Knowing." I really liked it because it talks about the kind of leader that is able to get the most from the people that they are leading. These are the people who allow all of the intelligence of a team to flow and to help build what they are working on. I want to be this kind of leader, the kind of leader who is able to multiply peoples efforts by using their intelligence to help everyone. 

Thank you for all that you do for me! I love you!

Elder Hayden Cannon

P.S.

Here is the link to the BYU Devotional if you would like to read it. 

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/liz-wiseman_the-power-of-not-knowing/

Wait... A year has gone by???

Hello Everyone!!!

Things have been interesting here in New Castle. This week was full of some ups and downs. At the beginning of the week, we get a call from a member of the branch here saying that the guy who is installing his TV and phone is interested in learning more about the church. We talked with him and he seemed like a really good guy with a very nice family! Him and his family were supposed to come to church, but unfortunately he was called into work unexpectedly. We are meeting with him today though. Even though we had that awesome experience at the beginning of the week, on Friday our most progressing investigator dropped us. "I just don't want to be a Mormon." That was what he said. The thing that bothered him is the churches "view" of homosexuality, which I don't think he understands because if he did I don't think he would have a problem with it. We have been trying to meet with him, but I think he is avoiding us at this point. But Heavenly Father works in strange ways, he opened a door for us before the other door even closed. We are excited for the things to come in the coming weeks here in New Castle. 

I can't believe that I have been on my mission for a year!!! It seems like it was yesterday that I was in Crittenden, Kentucky. I can't believe the things that I have been able to do as a missionary. I have been able to see a change in so many people and especially myself. I am not the same person I was a year ago because now I am a dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ and it is through him that any lasting change will take place. I love this work!!! I love being a missionary! Thank you for all of the support that you have shown to me.

Thank you! I love you!

Elder Hayden Cannon

Hmmm....

This has been an interesting week. Honestly, it has been a slow week. We are getting used to some changes in the mission and it seems like there has been no one for us to talk to while we are walking trying to find new investigators. It has been interesting. There are some changes that need to happen. We are going to try and work with more less active members. We haven't been doing as good of a job at that. There is a saying in our mission, "Every missionary is a leader who changes patterns." There are some patterns that need to change in this area and with ourselves but we will make those changes.  

Marie, the 88 year old woman, finally was baptized!!! She was baptized on Friday! I am really excited for her. Her baptism was very interesting. She had to be dipped 3 times because of some complications with the first two times. What was funny though was that the first time they tried, she thought it was done and just started shouting, "Hallelujah, Praise Jesus! I can feel the Lord!" She has Pentecostal background. It was really sweet though. It was also funny, after her confirmation, she started talking in front of the whole branch, weirdly bearing her testimony. Like I said before, it was sweet. We are excited for her.   

Thank you for everything that you do! I love you!

Elder Hayden Cannon

Study vs. Read

Hello! 

This has been an interesting week. Our 88 year old investigator had a very interesting week. She was supposed to be baptized on Saturday but she was going through some anxiety and it was effecting her blood pressure. When we received the call from her son saying that she couldn't get baptized, I actually felt a lot of relief. I don't know if the relief is from a feeling of her not being ready for baptism or because of lack of planning for the baptism. We have somethings to do with her baptism. 

Anyway, to change the subject a little, I had a thought. As I have been on my mission I realized that I love the scriptures and I was wondering what has changed. I thought about it and the difference was before my mission all I really did with the scriptures was read them. Now that I am on a mission I am studying the scriptures. I love studying the scriptures. I get so much more out of them. It isn't an academic study though, it is one of those studies where you just start learning about something that you enjoy but it isn't for any reason other than to learn for yourself. That has been a fun realization. 

Thank you for everything! I love you!
Elder Hayden Cannon