I am Getting Transferred to Rigby

Hello!
How is it going?
Idaho is hot but awesome!
It is funny many people hate California up here. It makes me laugh:)
This last week we were able to find many new people to teach. There is a family that we are going to help be sealed in the temple and their son be baptized. He is scheduled to be baptized on July 30. SO we have 5 baptisms coming up but I am getting transferred to Rigby on Wednesday! It will be great! I will be serving with Elder Welling. He has been out for 6 months.
Funny story of the week. We were walking down the street the other day and we hear this dude yell, "Hey Missionaries" We both looked around because we didn't see anyone. But there was a little window that was eye level about chest up. We spotted the man there and guess what, he was taking a shower, so we did the missionary thing and preceded to talk to him!
It was hilarious!
I was thinking about becoming better the other day. How I can be more like our Savior. I remember this saying" Don't let others agency (choices) effect your happiness!" I really really really like that. We often let others discourage us, especially in missionary work. But that doesn't mean we cannot be happy and find success!
I hope you are doing well

Love,

Elder Rush

Father's Day with the William's family. Elder Rush holding a picture of their Elder who is serving in Thailand.

Last picture with Sister Rawlins who completed her mission.

Milkshakes with Elder Sincere before Elder Rush was transferred.

​

We Taught the Plan of Salvation with Chalk

Hello,

How are you all doing?

Life here in Idaho is going well!

We have been working hard and trying to find new people to teach. This

last week we were able to set a baptismal date with a lady named Katie.

She is super awesome. She is having a baby in a few weeks, please pray for a quick recovery.

Things are going well here. Elder Sincere is stressed out about going home on August 11. He does not want to stop being a missionary. It has been rubbing off on me. I do no want this to end either and I am sad it has already been 9 and half months:(  I was looking at pictures of Kate (my niece) that Kris sent and I was imagining meeting her for the first time at the airport and introducing myself as Uncle Mitchell instead of Elder Rush. I almost started crying at my computer. I really do love being able to serve God. Though some days I do wish it would be over, the majority of days I never want to end. Truly the happiness we can have in the service of God by serving our fellow beings is the greatest thing God can offer us. I know that God is our Heavenly Father and because of Christ's atoning sacrifice me and everyone else in the world can overcome any obstacle we face. I may not be a perfect missionary or know all the answers or be the best at talking to everyone but I am striving to be what God wants me to be. I wish everyone understood that as we put God first in our lives everything else just falls into place. It is a promise HE is wanting to fulfill. It breaks my heart to see people rearrange their priorities.

1 John 3:22-24

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his

commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of

his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us the commandment.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in

him. And hereby we know that he abidethin us, by the Spirit which he

hath given us.

We are doing well, working hard!

Love,

Elder Rush

Elder Rush in the famous Idaho Pocatello Mission Duck Blanket!

We taught the plan of Salvation with Chalk.

Elder Sincere and I were able to teach a family because he knows how to draw graffiti.

P-day zone fun! Half of the Zone.

We Golfed in a Lighting Storm, It was Fantastic!

Hello!
Hope you are all doing well.
This last week was awesome!
There have been many miracles.
Monday we had the opportunity to go golf in a lightning storm! It was
fantastic. I actually did not fail. I shot 3 over par!
Tuesday I went on exchanges with Elder Earley again! It was sweet! All
6'10" of him made me feel short!
Thursday and Friday we had Zone Conference with all the missionaries
north of Idaho Falls and Mission Leadership Council!
They were super uplifting meetings. I was having trouble with the
success of our zone. I felt that it rested all on my shoulders. But I
learned something that changed how I felt, which I will talk about
later!
Elder Sincere and I have been trying to talk to everyone. In doing so
we have been seeing many many more miracles! I have 5 new and
potential investigators from the past 2 days. Heavenly Father is very
loving to show us such miracles!
We have been able to help the Halkars more! It still looks like they
will be baptized on the 27th. It is awesome to witness how the Gospel
of Jesus Christ really does change families! It makes me so happy!
Also a missionary that went home a couple months ago came back to
visit. He actually trained Elder Sincere and came to a lesson with us.
We taught a lady named Janet. She has seen the gospel bless her life.
As we walked in and sat down,  she told us that she is ready to be
baptized! She will also be baptized on the 27th. Please keep them all
in your prayers!
So finally that something that helped me get out of my funk!
The Holy Ghost!
I have been thinking a lot of the Spirit. Something that I
forgot was we truly are nothing as Ammon states in Alma 26:12
" Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;
therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for
in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles
we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name
forever."
AS we follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost quickly and without
delay we see miracles!
I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I know because
the Holy Ghost witnessed to me the truth when I"ve asked.
Keep up the good work
Love,
Elder Rush

 Elder Sincere and Elder Rush's stylish golfing outfits!

Zone Golfing P-day fun!

                                   

                                                             Love their green dinosaur friend!

                                                                     Splits with Elder Earley.

President and Sister Brinkerhoff.

Elder Depperman

Elder Jones

                                                                                 Bunny ears!

Elder Welling

Elder Rush and Elder Sincere switching up their look. Nice jackets!

This Last Week was Good!

Hello!

Hope things are going well!

This last week was good!

We were very busy trying to find time to do everything we had to do. There have been miracles everywhere lately!

 Tuesday we had a lesson planned with the Halkar family. They are preparing to be baptized on June 27th  (Please Pray for them). The lesson was suppose to be at 6pm at the church building. They did not show up...yet. So Elder Sincere and I saw a man outside walking around and we did the missionary thing, we chased him down and talked to him. He was not interested at first because he lost his keys so he was walking around looking for them. We decided to walk a couple of blocks with him. We discussed his life and his beliefs. At first he was closed off but as we talked to him, he opened up and asked where he could find true happiness. So we set up a lesson with him the next day. At the same time, the Halkars showed up and we invited two other people off the street to join us in the lesson and they did! It was awesome!

The rest of the week was good. We met a lot of people and had interesting talks.

On Friday we ran into a man named Mike. The first thing Mike told us was we did not have to waste our time talking to him. But we told him" You know what Mike, we do have to tell you. This is the most important thing that you can ever hear in your life." He opened up a little after that but it reminded me of this talk by President Hinckley. (Elder Anderson also talks about it.)

I'll talk, as my subject today, about something President Hinckley said in General Conference in April of 1973.

I had just returned home from my mission. So much seemed ahead of me. Would I be able to consistently make the right choices throughout my life?

Then-Elder Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of meeting a young naval officer from Asia. The officer was not a  Christian, but during training in the United States, he learned about the Church and was baptized. He was then preparing to return to his native land.

President Hinckley asked the officer: “Your people are not Christians, what will happen when you return home as a Christian, and more particularly, a Mormon Christian?”

The officer’s face clouded, and he replied: “My family will be disappointed. … As for my future and my career, all opportunity may be foreclosed against me.”

President Hinckley asked, “Are you willing to pay so great a price for the gospel?”

With his dark eyes moistened by tears, he answered with a question: “It’s true, isn't it?”

President Hinckley responded, “Yes, it is true.”

To which the officer replied, “Then what else matters?”

Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision. With prayer, study, obedience, and covenants, we build and fortify our faith. Our conviction of the Savior and His latter-day work becomes the powerful lens through which we judge all else. Then, as we find ourselves in the crucible of life, as Elder Oaks explained, we have the strength to take the right course.

President Hinckley said it this way: “When [an individual] is motivated by great and powerful convictions of truth, then he disciplines himself, not because of demands made by the Church but because of the knowledge within his heart.” 

I hope you are all doing well.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God.

And God does have a plan for each of us!

Love,

Elder Rush

 Elder Rush, Elder Sincere Jacob and his friend, Jacob.

Idaho has Actually Been Normal Lately!

Hello!

Hope things are going well!

Idaho has actually been normal lately or not normal either way.

Usually if you do not like the weather wait 10 minutes and it will change.

Well last week it rain the whole week. I am not a fan of the rain.

Elder Sincere is now in Idaho Falls. We started covering a different half of Idaho Falls. There are a vast number of houses. It is all a residential area, and there is little space between houses. I feel lost whenever we go over there! The up side, there is work out the wazoooo! There are many many many people to talk to!

We tried setting our watches back an hour to make more time in the day but it did not work.

Lately I have been thinking about what our purpose is as missionaries. Yes we are here to invite people to come unto Christ and be baptized. Really we are here building eternal families. We are here to help others experience the joy of eternal life with our loved ones. We are here to build up the kingdom of God by helping families becoming closer together.

Families are so scared to God and that means we are doing one of the most important things in the world!

I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ will bring any family closer together as they apply faith, repentance, baptism, and enduring to the end. Our Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. I know that to be true!

I love you all

Elder Rush

Elder Rash returned to the mission with his family. Elder Rush and Elder Rash reunited!

P-Day fun with the Zone

Transfer Day!

Saying goodbye to Elder Dalling.

Elder Rush's new companion, Elder Sincere.

Not sure if Elder Sincere is trying to get warm or dry his tie?

I Am Staying in Idaho Falls

Hello!

How are you all doing?

This last week was crazy! Our phone broke on Monday and it was really nice not having one. Though it was quite difficult to get things done! We did not get another until Friday!

Transfer Update!

I am staying in Idaho Falls and will be serving with Elder Sincere. He is crazy and probably one of the best missionaries in the mission!

Elder Dalling will be serving in Ammon with Elder Fontes.

Things are picking up here. Everyday it has been our goal to invite someone to be baptized. Which is not the easiest thing. Elder Dalling and I pray all the time to be able to accomplish that goal. Last night it was 7:30 and we wanted to invite someone before our appointment at 8:00. The people just walked into us. We actually asked two people. Testimony builder to me how Heavenly Father does answer our prayers!

Life is so much better when we strive to be positive in all that we do. I also have been striving to develop charity. It is not the easiest thing to do but it is the most important thing we can do! 

I have been thinking a lot about conversion, and these two talks helped me!

Hope you have a great week!

Love 

Elder Rush

Here are some really really really good talks. I recommend you listen to them!

What is the Blue Print of Christ's Church? -Elder Tad R. Callister

When Though Art Converted. -Elder D Todd. Christofferson

Elder Dalling was really surprised by the tree falling.

Gas prices in Idaho!

Happy Birthday Elder Rush

Hello!
This last week was crazy busy!
Monday we had the chance to play broom hockey but I actually used a
crutch. Elder Earley, one of our district leaders, had surgery on his
knee and he is 6'10" so his crutches were too tall for me. That was a
weird first experience. We have been going door to door trying to find
people to teach. As most people know, tracting is not very effective.
Everyone we have met is not interested at this time but we did meet
this one guy named John. He is a sports hypnotist. He travels the
world helping people overcome their fears, especially gymnasts. He
talked to us a lot about the brain and how it works. I was quite
fascinated.
This week's missionary work was pretty similar everyday. We have spend
most of our time tracting because our investigators are either moving
or do not want to learn anymore.
The administrative side of things was a little more exciting. We had
interviews with President Brinkerhoff on Thursday. Wednesday night the
assistants to the president called us and told us we had to hold zone
training on May 1 instead of May 8 so we did not get much sleep since
we had 1 day to prepare it. It was awesome anyways.
We are slowly transitioning from the Taylor Mountain Stake to the
Idaho Falls Central Stake. It is sad having to say good bye to people.
It will be really exciting serving in the Central Stake!

Lately I have been pondering about how I can more fully serve God and
those around me. I came across this scripture.
JAMES 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.I have come to realized that as we become like Christ, develop similar
attributes, miracles in our lives increase. What better humble example
do we have to follow then Christ. I plead that we all can strive to be
more Christ-like and come unto Him so that He may heal us!
I love you all! 
Take care.
Elder Rush

Email time! Elder Rush with his infamous photos!

Mitchell's cousin Heather ran into him at a grocery store in Idaho Falls. It made this "mama missing her boy" heart sing!

Happy 20th birthday to my Mitchell! Thanks to Sister Karen Smith Elder Rush had a happy surprise! Angels amount us!