weekly update

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII FAMILYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week was great! The last zone conference was great I am still learning from it the more I ponder about it. It has helped strengthen Elder Sherrard's and my companionship. Infact Elder Sherrard wrote a song about the whole thing it is really good! He'll have to show it to you sometime. It's called "The Pathway to the Promise."

On Friday, Elder Hanchett came to Southport on exchange. We had a day Booked with Appointments we ended up skipping Lunch and only having a Half hour lunch. But it felt good to know that we had so many appointments to go to. And they were all really good Investigators! I'll skip Lunch anyday to have a day like this! Luke was one of the Great appointments. He was really good. I wasn't there when they contacted him on the street because i was on exchange in Wigan with Elder Winward, But Luke stopped Elders Sherrard, Caballero, and Bore on the street and was curious about the church. He was willing to keep all the commitments we left him. He wants to go to church but he has work. He wants to go so much that he was willing to go to a night time church if we had one.

After the Exchange we went to helping hands. At first our investigator, Jamil, wasn't planning on going but we taught him about the spirit of service. And by the end of the lesson he was eager to go to the helping hands project. The project was great! We Got to Play in the dirt (Dig Trenches for a natural irrigation System). Jamil also had a great time. when we took a break to have lunch. Jamil was really eager to get back to work. Not only was the project fun, but the spirit was there. I felt so good to be able to help out.

Southport is amazing! The weather has been great. Better yet the people are great! And for the most part people pretty open to our great message. The Ward members are so nice to us and we try to help them as much as we can.

Elder Sherrard and I are doing great. Everyday is a learning experiance for me. Missionary work is the best work ever!

Don't Worry I just sent a Fathersday card! I didn't forget. Sorry it's late again dad!

That's so cool to hear about zak. I will definately write him! Jeff's Smoked pork is amazing! To bad missed out. South port has a ward, it is called the southport ward. You can search for it on lds.org i think. We have had many dinner appointments. Yesterday we were at the Bishops house and we had Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, and veggies.

Sister Bullock had a training about eating healthy last thursday. Mom you would be proud of the way i have been eating recently!

Thanks for your support everyone. Keep me updated! you all!
,
Elder Ballantyne

England

update

Dear Family,

Sorry about last week, the Internet place we went to made us get off so they could fix some kind of gas problem. We tried again this week and it turns out the place closed down for good it looks like. so I almost wasn't able to do emails today.

Well this week has been a great week! I got to go on exchange with Elder Winward on Thurs. We went to his area of Wigan. It was nice to see another area. And to see how different it is compared to southport. It is a lot more busy than Southport. During the exchange I learned quite a lot from Elder Winward. Like to be more Bold when I talk to people. Elder Winward is a Great District Leader.

I time when I really noticed the hand of the lord this week was; we had two potentials to go to, but they both fell through unfortunately but we were talking to people around the area of the second potential and we spoke to a man named josh. I know we were Guided to Josh by the spirit. Josh was having many problems with loosing his feonce' and many of his other friends as well as his family, he was feeling alone. We weren't able to set an appointment with him. So we were walking away and Elder Sherrard and I felt promted to run back to josh we didn't have any idea what we were going to say when we caught up to him. We ended up just giving him a book of mormon and a chapter to read. We still had no luck in setting an appointment with him but we felt really good after we did that. We knew that we did what the lord wanted us to do.

Here is the poem that I talked about a couple of weeks ago:
The Oak Tree
by Johnny Ray Ryder, Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
Then snapped its bough and pulled its bark
until the oak was tired and stark

But still the oak tree held its ground
whlie other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?

The oak tree said, I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway

But i have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me

Until today, I wasn't sure
Oh just how much i could endure
But now I've Found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew
That was perfect for what happened the night before, with the charity workers. What I got from that is, we shouldn't let those winds blow us over, we should endure. We might not realize how strong we are until things push us to our limits. You would be surprised at how strong each of us really are. Satan Knows we are strong so he will send his best to push us to our limits. But We shouldn't give up so easily, because God won't allow anything to happen that we can't over come.

By the way Jamil is doing great he has commited to give up smoking for good and so far he is doing great! Elder Sherrard and I are so proud of him. He has gone so far! If He continues keeping the Word of Wisdom he will beable to get baptised on the 3rd of July! We Know he can do it, We are constantly praying for him.

Anyway I got to go I hope you enjoy this email. I look forward to reading letters and emails from you all! Thanks for all your support it is helping me a lot! I love and miss you all so much!
Love,
Elder Ballantyne

Weekly Update

Last week was a good week, especially when we got to go on exchange with the Assistants. I learned a lot from Elder Bills, He is a great leader, He taught me a ton even if he doesn't know it. He is a great example to me.

While we were on exchange, we got lost because the area is still pretty new to me. and as we were trying to get back on track we talked to george. He was so good! We asked if he had 15 min. so that we could teach him about the restoration. He said he did so we sat infront of a tesco shop. and taught him the restoration. He was really open to what we had to say. We commited him to baptism, but before Elder Bills could finish the question. He said he would be baptised!

By the way i saw Elder Chad mecham last week at the zone conference. He has Changed a lot since a year ago, when i worked with him! I got a picture with him and i will send it home soon. I am sending a sd card home today but it isn't the one with Elder Chad Mecham on it. But i think it still has a lot of great pictures on it!

I saw the ocean for the first time! Southport has a really long beach before you get to the ocean. Hopefully today i will be able to walk out to the ocean and take pictures.

Sorry this letter is pretty short, nothing is really to new this week. they are kicking me off also so sorry but i have to go

bye i love and miss you all!
Love,
Elder Ballantyne

Update

Dear Family,

Zone Conference literally changed my life and they way i look at missionary work. Elder Sherrard says it was the best zone conference ever. But I'm sure i will enjoy all the zone conferences to come just as much.

Tuesday night we had some people give us a hard time and gave us a lot of grief. It really dicouraged me. But at the zone conference Sister Bullock shared a poem about a tree that stood standing no matter how hard the wind blew. I felt like she was sharing that just for me because i realized I need to be like the tree that stays standing no matter how hard the wind trys to blow it down.

We had the baptism of Kay Longworth on saturday. The spirit definately confirmed to all of us that Kay was doing the right thing. I was so grateful for her decision. The baptism turned out great and the spirit was there to confirm that it was the right thing to do.

On sunday we were able to confirm kay a member of the church. It was my first time being in the circle. I am really gratefull for the opportunity to be able to do that. Also on Sunday, our investigator Jamil decided he wasn't up for going to church. I felt terrible when i found that out. But his fellowshipper asked where he was and decided to text him and ask if he wanted to go to sacrament meeting. so sacrament came around and we couldn't find Jamil or his fellowshipper anywhere. But they both turned up just in time to see kay get confirmed. I don't know How Brother Chalmers did it but I'm so grateful that he was able to get him to come to church.

Yesterday Evening we had the chance to take Jamil to A fireside At the mission Home. Jamil kept saying how he could feel something special about that home. he said that he just felt protected there. we kept telling him that that was the spirit that he was feeling. after that. Jamil commited to go to any meeting we had invited him to, because he said we seem to always know whats best for him. Jamil is so good! He is trying so hard to overcome his addictions to canabis and tobacco. Ever since i met him i could tell he had a great spirit with him.

Anyway How are you all? Let me know how utah is! Cuz England is GREAT!!! Southport in specific is the best area ever! Yesterday we jogged to the beach! I saw the ocean!!!! By the way i Finally go the SD card So i will send the other one home. it has really cool pictures!

I love and miss you all!!!
With Love,
Elder Ballantyne
P.S. The mail you send to the mission office doesn't get to me for quite awhile after it arrives at the office so if you want mail to get here earlier just send them to my flat. The address is: 4 The academy, 20 manchester RD., Southport, England, PR9 9HG