August 25th, 2014 ~ A week full of service!!

Hello everyone!                                                                                                            August 25^th, 2014

This past week has been a pretty eventful week! We had family home evening at the Owens on Monday. Their family is awesome, and they have kids that are our age and younger, so it's kind of nice to talk to some one other than old people.

On Tuesday, we went to an investigators antique shop and he had some customers there that we're interested in hearing a message so we went to the back of the shop and taught two people a lesson right in the store. It was pretty cool! We gave them both a Book of Mormon and the one sounded like he was really interested. He said he has read the Koran? I think that's how's it's spelled. So hopefully he feels something while he reads it. We also are going back to the antique shop to teach the owner his third lesson and I feel like he is getting really close because he says our church just makes sense.

Wednesday we went to a non-members house to do service for him. He has a lot of land back in the forest with lots at barns full of old cars. He has three Porsche, a Dalorian, ford model-t, and a bunch more. So we went there and moved a whole dump truck load of dirt with shovels!! We had to move it up the hill into some terraced flowerbed things. It took five hours and I got a couple blisters and my back is so sore! But it's ok, we got to know him better and he is willing to let's us come over again.

Thursday we had district meeting, we went and visited with this really cool member named Dennis. He is a little bit autistic and he repeats himself a lot so it's kind of funny, you can always guess what he's going to say. We just go over and read through doctrine and covenants with him. He is going to the temple for the first time on he thirteenth so hopefully Elder Vickers and I will be able to go with him. Then we have a game night at the church with everyone that wants to come, members and non-members. It's usually just the people from the ages of twelve to twenty-one. We played basketball (outside since the building is so small), football, soccer, etc...

Friday we did he usual stuff, then we had a dinner appointment at the Bartz out in the farm country. We went out there and before dinner she made us clean out her chicken coups and pig pens so that was just fantastic! Sister Bartz is this little old lady on a huge farm so it's kind of hard for her to do everything. It's been a busy week!

Saturday we went to some less actives house and talked and did some service. We had to take the wood siding off of his house and burn it in this huge fire pit out back. We had a huge fire going! Also I think behind every piece of siding there were some bees, so that part wasn't very fun! Back home when you'd talk with people and then ask them if they needed any help with anything, they usually said no, but here every time we ask they say yes and it's usually this huge job! I think we already have service lined up for a couple days next week.

Sunday was branch conference and the stake presidency came and taught amazing lessons. They were such great teachers, it just goes to show that the church is true everywhere. After church we had a

pot-luck with everybody (we were trying to get more people to come to church) so that was good. Also on the way home Elder Vickers decided to crash our truck, so that was eventful!! Everybody is all right and nobody got hurt but I can't say the same for tiny Tim (our truck). He'll be all right though; he should be better in a couple of days. It's kind of hard to get around out here without a car. I'm the designated driver now so that's good. That's about it for this week!

Love y'all

Elder Daugs

Also, it was really humid here this week and a couple of the trees are
starting to turn colors in August so that's not good. That means early
winter and people have been saying that this winter is supposed to be
one of the worst ones ever so that will be something to look forward
to!

MTC DISTRICT

Addison's MTC District! Two instructors in the middle. 

Not in order:

Elder Steven Roberts, Elder Addison Daugs, Elder Houghton, Elder Hunter Kropp, Elder Jones, Elder Rushton, Elder Hunter Miller, Elder Brandt Arthur Bettilyon

Freedom, New York History

Addison is serving in the Freedom, New York Branch for his first area.  This was the first branch established in this dispensation. 

I found some interesting historical accounts of conversions in Freedom during Joseph Smith time. It is too long to attach, but it is an amazing historical read.  Click the link below:

Historical accounts about mormonism in Freedom, New York

( Below is an example of the writings)

 Early Exposure to Mormonism

Warren Cowdery, Freedom’s physician and postmaster, built the town’s first brick home in 1828. He was introduced to Mormonism by Oliver, who kept him abreast of the development of the Church. In turn, Warren shared what he learned with his neighbors. William Hyde, whose family lived next to the Cowderys, wrote that Warren “obtained from his brother, Oliver at an early date some of the proof sheets to the Book of Mormon, some of which we had the privilege of perusing, and we did not peruse any faster than we believed.”4 Warren would have also shared information about the new faith with his neighbor and brother-in-law, Samuel Miles. Warren’s baptism date is not known, but it was before November 1831.5 

In about 1820, the Ira and Wealtha Hatch family settled in Farmersville, situated south of Freedom. They had many dealings with the Seneca tribe, which led to a connection with the Mormons. Their history reads:

Through Wealtha’s friendship with the Indians she was able to borrow one [of the copies of the Book of Mormon] and was the first one of the family to read it and wanted to join the Church immediately. Her husband and near relatives advised waiting a while because of persecution. She decided to take their advice and waited, hoping that more of her immediate family would be converted to the truth, but none of the others, except her husband, were readying themselves to join this unpopular sect. Early in 1832 a hole was cut in the ice on the river, and Wealtha was baptized . . . and confirmed.6 

It is interesting to note how Wealtha received her copy of the Book of Mormon. In late October 1830, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Ziba (Richard) Peterson, and Parley P. Pratt preached to a group of Seneca Indians living on the Cattaraugus Reservation while passing through western New York en route to Missouri on the Lamanitemission. Parley recorded:

After traveling for some days we called on an Indian nation at or near Buffalo; and spent part of a day with them, instructing them in the knowledge of the record of 42 Mormon Historical Studies 

their forefathers. We were kindly received, and much interest was manifested by them on hearing this news. We made a present of two copies of the Book of Mormon to certain of them who could read and repaired to Buffalo.7

Quite possibly, the Book of Mormon loaned to Weltha Hatch was one of those presented to the Senecas by the missionaries to the Lamanites.

Also: Below is a lesson found telling more about Freedom, New York.

The Prophet Joseph Smith received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 106 on November 25, 1834. In this revelation the Lord called Warren Cowdery to preside over the Church in Freedom, New York, and the surrounding communities. The revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 107 was recorded in 1835, but the Lord gave certain parts of it to Joseph Smith at different times. At about the time the revelation was recorded, members of the recently organized Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were preparing to depart on missions. This is the first of three lessons on Doctrine and Covenants 107.

Doctrine and Covenants 106

The Lord calls Warren Cowdery as the presiding high priest in Freedom, New York

Think of a time when a new bishop or branch president has been called. How do you think that person felt?

In 1834 the Church experienced significant growth in the community of Freedom, New York, a little less than 200 miles (approximately 322 kilometers) from Kirtland, Ohio. The Lord called a priesthood leader to preside over the members there. Read Doctrine and Covenants 106:1 to discover whom the Lord appointed to preside.

(click to view larger)

Warren Cowdery was Oliver Cowdery’s older brother. When Warren Cowdery received the calling to serve as a presiding high priest, his feelings might have been similar to those of a new bishop or branch president today. The Lord shared comforting words as Brother Cowdery accepted his new calling. Read Doctrine and Covenants 106:2–3, looking for what the Lord asked Brother Cowdery to do as he presided over the Church members in the area of Freedom, New York.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 106:6, and find what Warren Cowdery had done that led to joy in heaven. As you read, note that a scepter is a staff carried by royalty. It is a symbol of authority. In this verse the phrase “bowed to my scepter” refers to Brother Cowdery humbling himself before God’s power, and the phrase “separated himself from the crafts of men” likely refers to Brother Cowdery removing himself from vain and unrighteous activities.

Consider what you can do to humble yourself before God and separate yourself from unrighteous activities.

In Doctrine and Covenants 106:7–8, we read the Lord’s counsel to Warren Cowdery and His promise to bless Warren for following that counsel. 

August 18th, 2014 Letter Home and picture from the Mission President

August 18th, 2014 ~First email from Springville, New York

Hello family,                                                                                                         August 18^th, 2014

I have so much to tell you and I don't think that I'll be able to tell you everything. So if this email seems really random and out of order that's why.  First we woke up at two thirty at the MTC to head off to New York. We got to Detroit and it was raining pretty hard and that made our flight to New York about four hours late. We got to Rochester and President and sister Francis were waiting there with the AP’s. Some of our luggage got lost, and the AP's had to go back later and get it.

New York is so awesome. It's really humid but I'm used to it now. Everything is super green and there isn't a single thing that is brown? Tons of trees so you can't see very far. Even when you’re by the city you can't really see it until your right in it because of the trees. It has rained at least once everyday since I've been here and I've seen the hardest rainstorm of my life already. Utah rain is no comparison, there is a river down the road and it went up four feet just while we had dinner one night. We went to the mission home which is in Brighton. On the way, we drove through down town Rochester, which was really cool! It is way bigger than Salt Lake and it's a lot different in person than from on the computer. We ate dinner, and stayed the night there all crammed into a room with six beds and two others in another room.  The sisters got the nice bedrooms upstairs.

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast, then we played basketball in the rain for a little bit then we went to go and see the sites. 

We went to Hill Cumorah

Alvin Smiths grave

Martin Harris' farm

Palmyra and the Palmyra Temple

The Smith home

 their second home

and the Sacred Grove!

The sacred grove was awesome! We got to go in there all by our selves with no companions or other visitors in there and just feel the spirit and pray for about half an hour. That's something that not very many people get to do! Next, we went to the mission office and got our companions and were assigned an area. My companion is Elder Vickers and we are in the village of Springville.  Our area is the area for about 20 miles in each direction, so it's mostly farmland.  There are tons of hills everywhere and the roads are like roller coasters because the speed limit is 55 or sixty on all of the roads and if your not careful you'll catch air! It's pretty fun though.

There are only a couple of areas that need bikes in the mission, everyone else drives. All of the mission vehicles are brand new and really nice. Most of them are four-door, Chevy Colorado, and they aren't the basic low end ones, they're pretty nice. Some zone leaders and APs have Chevy Silverado, or Equinox, and like I said, not the low end ones! We have a Nissan Frontier, brand new, only 5,000 miles. We are allowed 1250 miles a month and we've already put 750 on in august. There are not many members here or through out the whole mission. The are 56 churches in the little village of Springville and not one of them is LDS.  No wonder Joseph Smith was confused!!!  We are in the Freedom Branch, the first branch in this dispensation. The building is about 15 miles away and is really small. The chapel, priesthood, Sunday school and relief society rooms are all the same room the size of our multipurpose room!!! I'm eating a ton of food, no wings yet but I've heard they eat them a lot. I've had lots of chicken, deer sausage, and lots of corn.  We go over to the Owens a couple times a week and they are members. They have two daughters around our age so it's nice to talk to someone our age at dinner. I think we are going over there for family home evening tonight. They have this really nice, cool house on Lime Lake. They have this deck over looking the lake where we eat dinner and watch the boats. They have a couple of boats too, but we can't go on them unfortunately! Look up Lime Lake on Google earth so you can see how cool it is!!  I had to buy a GPS because there isn't a single street with a number in it in the whole mission!! We picked it up in Rochester at this really ghetto pawnshop. It was probably stolen but oh well! It was pretty sketchy looking in that part of Rochester but that's fourth wards boundaries so not mine, you don't have to worry mom! Everybody looks at us funny but that's probably because of how we're dressed and because the only other white person I saw the first day was Elder Vickers!  That's only half of what I wanted to tell you but I have to be done. Love you guys!!!!

Oh ya, I also got an iPad!

P.S. to his Dad

The GPS is used and it's from a pawnshop from the super sketchy part of Rochester. It was probably stolen and taken to the pawnshop but it works and it was cheap so that's good. I was a little bit scared walking in that pawnshop since I was the only white person for 40 miles around. It works really well though. Me and my companion are getting along pretty good. I think we have a lot in common. It's hard finding thinks to do though! We've only taught two lessons, one to a new member and one to a Jehovah witness on her porch. That's the only people who want to here about the gospel besides members. You can show mom this and tell her she can put it on the blog if she wants.

Serving in the Buffalo Stake, Freedom Branch .  First Companion in the field is Elder Kaylen Vickers from Stansbury Park, Utah. 

Google Earth Picture of his Church in the Freedom Branch.  First LDS branch in this dispensation!

Boundary line for the Freedom Branch

 Lime Lake near Springville where Addison spends time with the Owen Family who are members of the church.  They are kind enough to feed the missionaries.

First Companion and Address

Sister Daugs,

Elder Daugs' new companion is Elder Vickers.  Their address is 366 W. Main St. #14, Springville, NY 14141.  I'm sure he would be happy to get a package from you any time.  They will be a great companionship and do wonderful work in Springville.  Thanks for your love and support.  We love Elder Daugs already!

Sister Francis

Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, in the United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,596 at the 2010 census.^[1] It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. Springville was originally named "Fiddler's Green" before it was renamed "Springville".

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 4,252 people, 1,705 households, and 1,091 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,164.4 people per square mile (449.8/km²). There were 1,798 housing units at an average density of 492.4 per square mile (190.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.28% White, 0.49% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.

There were 1,705 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.

The population was spread out in the village with 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $38,221, and the median income for a family was $49,422. Males had a median income of $39,452 versus $24,621 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,302. About 5.4% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Below is a "Google Earth" view of his apartment