September 8th, 2014~ More Service! Building muscle and relationships.

Hello everyone! 

This week has been just about the same as every other week. On Monday we did the usual stuff and I think I told you about it in last weeks letter. Monday night we did exchanges.  Elder Newbold from Arcade came over to Springville with me and Elder Vickers went to Arcade with Elder Richins. We went and taught Chuck and he was doing well as usual. We invited him to church but he couldn't come because his shop is open seven days a week. We went and contacted some referrals that we got but the both said that they were busy so we couldn't talk to them. That night we went to Kelly Meyers and helped her and Jim with chores and then she fed us. He daughters and Jim's son were there to so we got to meet them. It's kind of an interesting family.

Wednesday we went to the auction to look for an investigator we had but gave is the wrong number and to find new investigators. Nobody was interested though. It's kind of like a huge garage sale and they have people there selling stuff that is new too. I bought a baseball mitt for 4 dollars and so did Elder Richins for game night. I also got a couple of small things. Then we went and tried to contact a couple of less- actives again in west valley but they weren't home.

Thursday we had zone conference in Orchard Park. That was pretty awesome. We were taught a bunch of different things and I got to meet a lot of the other missionaries in the buffalo south zone. We learned a lot and all of us missionaries had a really good time. When we got back we went and picked up a player piano for the Owens. Yes I said a piano! It made our little truck squat almost all of the way to the ground. Then we carried it up one set of stairs into their house. We are going back tonight for FHE and to carry it to the top floor, so that's going to be fun!!

Friday we did the normal stuff but nothing too exciting.

Saturday we walked around town looking for more people to teach. We met one guy that talked with us for a while named Roger and said his son (also named Roger) might be interested so he gave is his address. Then we went it this Christian aid center place and signed up to volunteer. We are going tomorrow morning to help. Hopefully people will ask about our church and we will get a little more involved in the community so people will like us a little more. Hopefully then more people will be willing to listen.

Sunday we did the normal stuff, then after church went to Holland to find some less-actives that we have never met. We went to Alan Laufer’s and he wasn't home but we met his wife and she isn't a member and we taught her a little and she seemed really interested and talked about how some of her relatives are members so hopefully we can work with her and her husband on coming back to church and see of she is interested in becoming a member. That's pretty much it for this week.

Love you guys!

Elder Daugs

Bonus letter to his dad:

Hello dad,

Yeah we've been doing quite a bit of service because that's all we really have to do right now. We don't have many teaching appointments. I think we taught six lessons last week so that's not even one a day. We've spent the past few days trying to go around and find more people to teach but most people don't want to listen. There are only four member families in our area. The rest live in the Arcade Elders area.

We haven't knocked on too many doors because people don't answer when they see it's us so it's not very effective. We are allowed to do pretty much anything we want to find people and teach. We just do whatever we think works best. I know in some areas they still do a lot of knocking. Elder Vickers and I get along really well. He reminds me a lot of Nate Gunderson. We don't have a washer and dryer so we have

to go to the laundry mat. It costs around seven dollars to do my laundry there though so it's kind of expensive. Since I have to do two loads and one dryer. That's pretty much it.

Elder Daugs (coffee boy)

September 1st, 2014 ~ More service and a new truck!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

September 1^st, 2014

This week flew by so fast probably because we were so busy and had lots to do. On Monday we went to the Owens as usual and some of her family from Buffalo came over to and they aren't members so we got to talk with them a little bit.

Tuesday we went and taught Sister Costa the new member lessons and we are working in getting her prepared to go to the temple. Then we went and hauled hay for Brother Becker for most of the day. He is 81 years old and can't do it any more so we hauled it all. His trackers are the really old ones from way back like in the 1940s so it's kind of hard to keep everything running and going smooth.

His neighbor came and bailed it then we hauled it to his barn and put it up in the loft. So, we did that for seven hours on Tuesday. We only had a little trailer pulled by his ancient tractor to haul it all so that's why it took forever. Out here you have to get all of the hay in right after you bail it because it's too humid to leave it out over

night so we had to just get it in the barn before night. We went back the next day and finished stacking it.

Wednesday we went and taught Chuck again in his shop. That went well and he's slowly moving along. Then we went back to the Backers and finished staking the hay.

Thursday morning we had to wake up early because we had some meetings

in Buffalo. We rode with the Freedom Elders up there to the meeting; they have been giving us rides around for he past week. We usually do things together most days anyways so it wasn't any different than normal, plus they had a meeting right after us. So on the way to Buffalo we drove past the Bills stadium so that was pretty cool. Buffalo is a pretty cool city, there are lots of old factories and stuff like that which they don't have in Utah. Then the gps took us through the ghetto for some reason, it took us right through the projects! Them we had our meetings then afterword we went to eat with 8 other missionaries at Chucks. It's this cool little place right in town that has wings and pizza. I got some pizza and it was pretty good. They say it's supposed to be a lot better than west coast pizza but the only thing I noticed was it was a lot greasier. It was still really good though. It was about a block away from the anchor bar, which is the place where Buffalo wings originated. We were going to go there but we didn’t have time, and we didn't know if we should go to a bar. So on the way back to Springville we picked up our new truck from West Seneca. It's a silver Colorado.

Friday we were supposed to have an appointment with Sean but we called to confirm and he gave us a fake phone number! So we went and helped the Gonzales' move just a couple of miles away. They are members from Puerto Rico and speak

perfect English though. 

Saturday we had to go help sister costa move her washer and dryer to her new house. Then, after that we went and helped finish moving the Gonzales. I think that people figured out that both sets of missionaries have trucks that are just the right size for moving so we've been doing a lot of that. Then back by our apartment there were a bunch of guys playing basketball at the park so we went to go talk to them. They weren't very interested in hearing a message but they wanted to play basketball. Since we were already in out basketball clothes played for a while. They all had really bad language and the people on the sides were all doing drugs and smoking, and all of that stuff. Even the girls, the younger kids and teenagers so that's pretty sad to see all of them doing that. They all started to like us once we got playing though. It was nice to go play basketball; I haven't done that in a while! Still not quite used to the humidity though, playing basketball and hauling hay got me a lot more hot and sweaty than home! Later that night after basketball, the branch president, President Miess called and asked Elder Vickers and me to speak the next day. So that was a surprise! 

Sunday at church it was Elder Vickers, the Owens oldest daughter, Lynette who spoke and me. She's waiting for a mission call soon.  She also has a brother and sister already in missions right now. That's not why she was speaking; I just thought I'd let you know. Then, Elder Vickers and I taught the gospel principles class after so it was a busy day. I'm getting along really well with Elder Vickers and we’re having lots of fun. We are really similar I think. This morning we did our usual p- day stuff then Elder Snyder, the senior couple missionary, us and the Freedom Elders went golfing! We got it approved by he AP’s so that was pretty fun. I'm not the best but I got better by the last hole. Then when we got back, Sister Snyder had made us homemade cookies so that was great.

Well, that's my week. I hope you guys have a good week!

Love ya,

Elder Daugs

Addison, New York   ( Addison just found it on the map )

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.