I Feel Like I Have Not Emailed for a Couple of Months!

I just want to say I am alive! Not sure how long I will have to email! I will make a longer one next week! LOve you!

This is the email I got last week! Come to find out Elder Rush was made an Assistant to President Hancock. He will be one busy boy! So proud of him!

I did get a few pictures from my Idaho Angels.

Transfer Day 

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are doing well! 

This last week was pretty busy! I feel like I have not emailed for a couple of months!

So we had transfers and we had to take the missionaries going home to the airport and pick the new ones up. 

Two experiences I wanted to share real quick are the following:

1. Elder Fontes (my new companion from Brazil) and I had not done any proselyting all day Tuesday because we were with the new missionaries! So we said a prayer and I asked Elder Fontes where we should go. He said a gas station and as soon as he said that a girl popped into my head that I had met earlier that week. So we drove to that gas station and she was just getting off work! We talked to her and now we have an appointment for sometime this week! It was awesome!

2. Two days ago we were driving around looking for an apartment complex. We could not find it to save our lives! However we drove around and just decided to pull over. While we sat there Elder Fontes saw a door and instantly said we should go knock on it! We knocked on the door and this lady named Mary opened it. She was super skinny and had a lot of evidence on her body of drug addiction. We talked to her about Jesus Christ and how he helps us overcome all our trials in life and how much He loves us. We stopped for a moment and she just started crying. She told us she wants to quit her addictions and was not sure how. She told us we were an answer to her prayers! It was a great experience! I am hoping to be able to talk to her more about Jesus Christ!

Moral of the story, having Jesus Christ in your life will change everything. He gives us hope, peace, joy, happiness, and everything!

I love Him. And there is nothing I would rather be doing!

I love you all.

Love,

Elder Rush

This amazing quote is from the Sister"s Conference held last Saturday, 9-26-2015.

From one of my Idaho Angels, Tracy!

Laura, 

As I was checking out at Costco, I saw Elders buying lunch and crossed my fingers that yours would be one of them! We were in luck ❤️

The letter from Elder Rush's Mission President.

 Dear Elder Mitchell David Emerson Rush,

This letter is to inform you that your son has been called to serve as assistant to the president of the Idaho Pocatello Mission.  He has been chosen because he has been valiant in his calling as a missionary and has been exemplary in his leadership assignments.

The assignment to serve as an assistant carries with it a high degree of trust and responsibility.  He will be a visible example to the entire mission.  His duties will include: maintaining a successful proselyting area;  conducting and training in zone conferences, zone leader councils, and new missionary orientations; regular communication with zone leaders and other missionaries, and other duties as assigned.

I look forward to this special association as we serve the Lord, the missionaries, members and non-members in the Idaho Pocatello Mission.



Sincerely,

Gene E Hancock 

Mission President

 Elder Rush lives just a few blocks from where I lived years ago during my elementary school days.

Elder Rush lives on Princeton where the red bubble is. I lived on the left on Stanford. In the last 2 houses at the end of the street next to Bartz Way.

They cover 2 Young Single Adult Wards and 1 family Ward in the Pocatello East Stake.

 

We had a lot of little moments that showed me how to grow!

Hello!
Hope you had a good week!
This last week was a good one. We had a lot of little moments that showed me how to grow!
We were driving around one night and it was 8:45 so we had 15 minutes left in the day. We said a prayer because we wanted to talk to one last person! Elder Duff and I got the same impression to talk to the same person. We drove over there and no one was home! However on the way there was a house with a light on, we both felt that was the place to go! The person was not interested in talking to us but I felt great that we did what God wanted us too! Another experience this week. We had a feeling to go knock on a random door so we did. The man opened it, yelled at us and closed it! I was so pumped after that  because we did what God wanted us to! It is strange to say but I was happy. I think this scripture explains it!

Mosiah 2:41
 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

We gave talks in one of our wards as well!

My thoughts have been centered a lot on integrity lately. It is sad to see people only make good choices when people are watching.

"To me, integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more importantly, in our thoughts and in our hearts. Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant."

God has provided a way for us to have integrity.

“It is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, Is how unto  you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

“But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.” Moroni 7:3, 15-17

My hope is that we all try to do a little better and keep the commandments of God, no matter how small, when only He is watching!

I love and miss you all!!

Love,

Elder Rush

Integrity

Elder Rush and his District

Elder Scotty Sincere visited the mission.

Haircuts and shopping p-day

We Played Basketball, and I Can Still Dunk!

Hope things are going well!
We played basketball last week and I can still dunk!!!!!! Yes!
Other than that we did a lot of missionary work!
Elder Martino of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy came and spoke to us.
I learned a lot and was reminded of the importance of trusting in the Lord!
I love the Lord and really appreciate what I learned this last week.
We had a cool experience with one of our investiagators. We were talking about the organization of Christ church. She asked if there was any place in the Bible where it talked about Christ appointing a Seventy(Seventies are called to proclaim the gospel and build up the Church. They work under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Presidency of the Seventy)

I knew it was in one of the 4 Gospels but did not remember where. I seriously opened my scriptures and it fell on Luke Chapter 10 . The exact chapter I was looking for. God is so great! I love being a missionary! It is very important to Trust in GOD! The only way to become what HE needs us to be is through Him.

Moses 6:31-34
 31 And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?

 32 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.

 33 Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.

 34 Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.

God Loves us so he sent His Son!!!

Christ has restored his Church once again to the Earth!

Love,

Elder Rush

An email from the Hall's in Pocatello. Touched my heart!

Hi Sister Rush, 

I'm Brooke Hall, my husband and I just moved to Pocatello from Logan where I graduated with my masters in Speech Language Pathology, and my husband just started his Doctorate in physical therapy at Idaho state! 

We just had your sweet boy over for dinner. We ate pulled pork nachos and Oreo truffles and he told us he loved it! They said they'd been at Zone conference today and seemed to learn a lot! We went with him  and lder duff to a lesson last night, as well. Your son is incredibly intuitive, has an amazing knowledge of the gospel, and truly adds a kind and comforting spirit to the room. He is companions with elder duff who is a trial missionary right now, as you probably know, he is so kind and patient and teaches him so much! You raised your boy right! Let me know if you have any questions or need anything!

 I can understand the "man of few words" thing, that's my husband. So I'll give you as many updates as I can! My husband is ward mission leader so we hope to see these Elders often! Last night, when we were with that investigator, she is kind of confrontational and seeking for a 'book club' to discuss the bible more so than teachings if that makes sense. Anyway, there was a point when she contradicted the Elders by saying "now Jesus had twelve apostles but there was no seventy" and I literally saw Elder Rush flip straight to a scripture as he read aloud from the bible how Christ had called and gathered his seventies then referenced it to the book of Mormon where the same was done. She was humbled, I was blown away, and my husband just smiled and nodded his head :) afterward, outside, we commended him on his scripture knowledge and he said, "that was all Heavenly Father-I just prayed I could find it, I knew generally where it was and I turned right to it...then said thanks Heavenly Father". Seems like a little thing but it just illustrated to me how much he trusts his Father and I believe it helped this investigator gain more respect and trust of his knowledge as a servant of the Lord. Anyway, hope that's a good story for ya! 

Elder Rush, Elder Duff and Brother Hall

My cousin, Dana had Elder Rush and Elder Duff over for dinner. The amazing Hardy family!

The Halls

God is Definitely Good!

Hello!
Hope you are doing well. This last week has been awesome. I have felt
the Spirit's influence so much more this past week. I see it work
through me, bringing things to memory that I did not know where they
came from. I definitely have felt how we are instruments in God's hand
and we can do anything with his help if we are willing to sacrifice
our will to do his. We had a lesson with a girl named Korina this last
week. She has been through a lot in her life. We had that chance to
testify of Jesus Christ and how we can all overcome trials with his
help ! It was a great experience.
Also that day we were walking around and a member Sister Wolfley came
up and told us that she was scared to do missionary work. We shared a
scripture with her D&C 6:33-37
33 Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye
also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your
reward.

34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell
combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot
prevail.

35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform
with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the
nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye
shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen.

When we do God's work we should not be afraid. Christ has overcome the
World and He will help us overcome our trials.
Anyway later that day Sister Wolfley found us and told us that she had
set up two teaching appointments for us! It was amazing!
God is definitely good!
I love you!
Elder Rush 

This week has been good. We went on exchanges and Elder Duff led out the area with another greenie. He did great! I felt like a separated father, it was wierd!