Lessons from Branding Cattle

One thing I've been lucky to have the chance to do while serving in Montana is branding cattle.  I remember first watching a calve being branded and thinking "what in the world is going on?!"  My first branding was with the branch president up here in Roundup, MT.  When it was time for me to wrestle the calve, I was probably a pretty comical sight for many of the people there, even little kids, who had been branding before.  My missionary companion at the time, Elder Owens, had already worked cattle and knew what he was doing.  He tried to reassure me that it would be no big deal and I would do fine.  I am glad that he couldn't see my feet shaking in my boots with fear!  We later talked to some members of the branch who would be branding that day with us.  They said they would bring a helmet for me to use.  "Wait, what?" I learned they were joking with me, but it may "come in handy." "Peachy."

My nerves were running for quite a while.  I questioned how this experience was gong to go down.  I was praying hard that I would be able to work hard, and not get run over by a horse or chased off by the calves.  Plus, I would be wearing a helmet.  What could go wrong?

      Well, now several hundred head of cattle later, i am very happy to say that I now know how to throw a calve (kind of) and I didn't get run over by a horse! 

This experience has brought a few gospel-related lessons to mind.  One is that of faith.  We are told in Ether 12:6 that we must, on occasion, take a blind step of faith and trust in the Lord.  James 2: 17 says "even so, faith without works is dead."  I could have prayed all day for the Lord to bless me to be a good worker, but unless I get out and give it my best shot after having said that prayer, I would get nowhere.

      Another lesson I learned is that of progression.  No matter what we do, our first shot at anything, whether it be school or branding cattle will not always be perfect.  That is why we learn.  Even the most perfect person to walk on earth, Jesus Christ learned while in this life.  Hebrews 5, 8-9 reads "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."  Christ learned from His challenges, and so can we.  Every calve I try to wrestle, will help me to do it better the next time.

       Another lesson I learned is patience.  I was frustrated a few times that I hadn't done as good of a job that I wanted to with one calve.  I had to learn to be patient with myself when I didn't measure up to my own standards. 

     All in all, I am so very grateful that I was blessed with this opportunity to learn.  I love working cattle, now!  I am also very grateful for the people that showed me how to brand and were patient with me as I learned.  i am also grateful that the helmet was not needed! 

     This is one of the experiences I have been blessed to have while serving the Lord!  I hope I get to have more experiences like it!

The Refiner's Fire

Dahl fire
Location: Bull Mountains South of Roundup
Cause: Lightning
Acreage burned: +22,045 acres
Residences destroyed: +72
Casualties: 0

The past few weeks, my companion and I have been very busy as the Dahl fire threatened the residents of Roundup.  So many things have happened and so many people have been involved in efforts of relief for those affected by this fire.  This is my account.  Many people of the community are involved in this account, but all names will remain anonimous.

Tuesday, June 26.
Slow morning.  My companion and I were not having very good luck finding anybody home.  The appointments fell through and nobody was behind the doors we knocked on.  We sweated out in the Roundup sun until 3 in the afternoon when we ate lunch / dinner. 

Tuesday, driving twoards the fire: 15 miles away

It is usually mellow in the little cafe we went to.  Not today; the owner / cook had a phone on each ear and we found out that he was looking for a horse trailer to evacuate some animals.  He told us there was a fire growing like crazy, south of Roundup.  After we ate, we looked outside and sure enough, I was the biggest pillar of smoke covering the sun.  "Oh boy, " was my fist response.
About an hour later, the phone rang.  One of our frineds who we have been teaching called and in tears said "it's gone.  It's all gone.  Why would God let this happen?"
A question that a lot of people had.
We were calling everybody and anybody to find out more information.  We were supposed to help a family in the branch move, but learned that they were evacuating too.  We tried calling everybody, but nobody would answer the phone; Mission President, his Assistants, our Zone Leaders, were all busy.  After looking at my companion and sharing a look of "what do we do now?" we got tired of waiting.

LDS Church serving as a donation center

He went and put his work clothes on.  I put gatorades and a first-aid kit in my backpack, we said a prayer and got in the truck.  We headed out twoards the fire.  From 5 until 10 at night, we charged up and down the roads close to the burn, offering help to anybody that needed it.  After we had checked on members of the branch and helped as many people as we could find, we heard that another area had been put on stand-by evacuation order.  We headed up to that area and halped a member in the branch bring his horses down off the mountain.  We then helped his neighors do the same. 
After all that excitment, we went to the church building to see if any branch members had lost their homes.  There were no members there whoi had been displaced by the fire.  A member in the branch presidency spent the night at the church.

That was the first day.  For the next few weeks, my companion and I have been everywhere.  We have cooked meals at the Catholic church for fire victims and the National Guard, we have worked at our church which is serving as a donation center, we have worked with the fire and sheriff's departments and have helped anybody that needs it. 
During this entire event, I have been able to meet so many people and make so many new friends.  I have been able to work beside members of all faiths and shared beliefs while talking with them.  The entire community of Roundup has joined together during this disaster as opposed to pulling apart.  It is sad that a disaster has to be the cause of bringing people together, but at least it is doing that. 

Us and Pat Perrella at the St. Benedicts Catholic Church

I have been blessed to make many new friends while working and dispel rumors such as "Mormons have horns." I have met many firefighters, red-cross workers, Law Enforcement personnel, dozens of volunteers that worked for more than 50 hours a week, stayed awake for more than 36 hours without sleep; the heroic acts of the Roundup people and volunteers from outside continues on farther than I have room to write.
I have seen miracles and God's hand in protecting and preserving. 
I have seen amazing, even heroic, efforts by people everywhere.  Whether they were working in the kitchen at the Catholic church, overseeing donations at the LDS church, working on the fire department or for the sheriff, or the National Guard protecting homes.  It is especially amazing to see how generous the people of Roundup, Billings, and all over Montana have been as there are more donations than the LDS church has the capacity to store. 
I was touched by how generous people were.  People from Lewistown, Laurel, Billings and even fire victims were donating what they had to those who were affected.  One person spent $2,000 on clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.  That was only one example among many.  
I saw God's hand everywhere I turned.
And everywhere I turned, I could imagine Jesus Christ himself working beside people, as they move donations, cook meals, deliver supplies or just give a hug.

And today, almost four weeks later, though the fire has been contained the acts of compassion haven't stopped.  God's hand is still visible.

"Why would God let this happen?"
It is easy for any of us to ask this question, most especially when one's home has been burnt to the foundation. 
I pose to you a similar question;
"How is coal refined into diamonds?"
In the Old Testament, Job understands how this works.  He was a man that demonstrated how pain brings growth, how stones in the river are tossed and turned until they become smooth.
This is the same concept of how pruning branches off of a tree brings about more productive growth.
Just as the Lord tells Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 122, adversity will give us experience and be for our good.  Not for our pleasure.  
We can rebuild homes, but we cannot replace lives. 
It sure hasn't been fun, but this experience is more valuable than we often care to see.
It may not be our homes burning down, it may be our hope or faith. 
Just like the pioneers, we must keep going, relying on God to help us.
I am sure that our Savior Jesus Christ did not enjoy the pains He went through, but He kept on going. 
And look at the good that came from it.
Whether it be a forest fire or a hurtful situation, keep going.  It will be for the better.

You'll make it.  He knows you can.
To all who were affected, sorry for your losses, thank you for your heroics, and may God bless you as you rely on Him during your life.  Though it may be rough right now, you will come forth as gold.

Sacrifice and Blessings

With Memorial Day, I was thinking a lot about the sacrifices that so many people make everyday to ensure the safety of the land I live in and the freedom i enjoy.  My cousin recently joined the ranks of those who sacrifice so much for what i am able to enjoy.  While he is in the Marine Corp, he will learn many things and gain a lot of good experiences, while giving up other things such as time with family and friends.  It reminds me of missionary life; how we sacrifice what may be comfortable and dear to us to come out and do some good.  It is interesting that these sacrifices bring about great blessings.
That is the way God works.
He asks to do some things, like pay tithing, go to church on Sunday for 3 hours, give up some habits that he knows will hurt us, etc. but always compromises us with many more blessings.
One of these sacrifices He asks of us is fasting. 
There have been many cases lately where my testimony of fasting has been built.
For example, lately there was a young man who wanted to receive the Priesthood.  He was ready and worthy to receive it, but some of his family were holding him back.  My companion and I fasted with him for a day to open the hearts of those holding him back from receiving the Priesthood.  About three weeks later, this young man was given permission to receive the Priesthood!  It was great to see that young man's face after he heard this good news!  He was glowing with excitement.
That is just one example of how fasting has helped build my faith.
We are told that obedience to God's commandments will always bring blessings.  He cannot bless us unless we are obedient (see Doctrine and Covenants 130: 20-21). 
It is the same way as with our country's freedom.  We will not have it if we do not work for it.
That is what our country was born on.  Had the early Americans not fought for freedom from England's oppression, we would not be the people we are today.  We may not even have the religion we have today.  it was necessary that the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullest happen on free soil.
I am so grateful for the sacrifices that have been made by the American soldier.  I am so grateful to those early Americans who had the courage to fight for what they knew was right. 
I hold a lot of respect to my cousins and family who fight for the freedom I enjoy and i know that God will bless them and watch over them. 
I am very grateful also to the early saints who went through the hardship to bring Jesus Christ's true church back to the earth.
I know that sacrifices bring blessings.  They may not be fun, but they are worth it.


Try it out!  Don't take my word for it.

The Pioneer Challenge

We interrupt the area reports for this message.  Not to worry!  The area reports will continue after a few weeks.
In my last area, we knocked on a man's door who did NOT want to hear from us.
He talked of how Joseph Smith was a fraud, he talked of how he deceived millions of people, including ourselves.  He talked of the pioneers who crossed the plains walking to their death in a hope of reaching a land where they could pray in peace.  These pioneers, he claimed, were blinded and led to their death by a fraudulent book and its' author.
I heard the opinion of this man with sorrow, and disappointment.  However, I found it interesting how with his words, he proved true exactly what he felt was false.
The fact that the pioneers went through what they did is positive proof for me that they knew what they were sacrificing for was right and true.
For those who have a hard time discovering the truthfulness of this church, or at least have a hard time finding respect for those who gave their lives for it, below is a challenge I offer to you.
Put yourself in this situation:
You live a comfortable life.  You have a beautiful home in an area surrounded by friends and family that love you.  You have been blessed with a happy, comfortable life for which you are very grateful for and would be heartbroken if you left it behind.  The ties to your life here in this area are stronger than anything you have ever experienced before.
Until...
One day, a nice young man comes to you and your beautiful family with a book and a message.  This message fills your soul with more joy and more happiness than you had before, even when you thought your happiness could not increase.
However, your family, friends, community, government, nation, see this joy in a different way.
They see your joy as demonic possession.  You try to share it with your loved ones, only to have those whom you love and respect dearly, spit in your face, stab you in the back and make threats on your life.
This becomes much more than just hurtful words with no action.  They start to turn into what only could be thought of in nightmares.  People you had respect and love for now threaten the lives of you and your children.
Your family and all those who have discovered and accepted this new happiness and ideas are forced by the government to move away from your home.  The government, which was originally written for religious acceptance, treats you as hostile, doing the very thing they were designed not to do.
You have little or no frontier experience, which means you will be learning by trial and error.
You must travel across the country in a harsh and unfriendly environment.
You and your family must experience the most extreme conditions of
thirst, hunger, fatigue.  Your food per day will average 10 ounces of flour mixed with water, and will go below this average as you continue, becoming more and more weak.
Not to mention diseases that escalate your conditions, snakes and wolves, uncharted terrain, violent Indians and mobs, several experiences that strike fear into the hearts of you, or your little ones.
Did I mention that you will be doing this on foot?  The only things you can bring are those that you can carry.
All of this will be done in weather that chaps the hide of coyote and rattlesnakes.
Extreme heat, dust, wind.  Freezing cold, blizzards, hail.  The temperature will be well below freezing.  The snow will be more than 18 inches deep multiple times.  The only shelter you will find from this will be in natural mountain coves or under the contraption you built by hand to carry your supplies, or the bodies of those who have passed on.  You will find several rivers, streams, rocks, mountains, blocking your way.  In the middle of the harsh weather and living conditions you are suffering, you must cross these frozen rivers, climb these mountains, etc.  Doing so will most likely cause physical injury, disease and death.  Not only must you get your family and luggage across this river, but you must also help strangers you are traveling with to cross this river.
Not only must you take your family on this journey, but you will help others along the way out of kindness, not strength. Your clothing will have no technology to block out the weather.  It must be cotton or wool.  Your shoes will in no ways be ergonomic.  They will be built by hand.
All of these conditions will take the lives of your loved ones; spouse, children, parents, dearest and closest friends, etc.  The image of your loved ones lying dead by the side of the trail will haunt you for the rest of your life.
You will travel thousands of miles to a land you have heard nothing of, with people you have never met, arriving jobless and homeless at your destination, tearing your family and yourself apart all because of the book you read and the ideas you accepted.
You must do all of this willingly, relying on God to get you there.
Would you do this for something you knew were not true?
There is only one answer to the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ; it happened!
If it did not, those who believe it to be false must explain what caused so many people to pursue this journey, and it is not enough to simply declare so many good Christian people as possessed by demonic evils.
Have some respect for those who did this because they knew it was right.  They were guided by the hand of God on their journey, and they saw the miracles to prove its truth.

AREA 3- Belgrade!

Good ol' Belgrade!  I just came from you, and you will always hold a special place in my heart!
Well, this was my second area on my mission.  When i got the call, I was NOT excited to have to leave Kalispell, at all.  I was afraid of it being a place filled with scary people, unfriendly scenery, and I don't know what else I was afraid of while moving there.
However, when I got there, I was pleasantly surprised!  I had an awesome time at Belgrade!  I loved the mountains around us.  It seems that every morning there was another sunrise that was even more epic than the one I saw the other day!  The Gallatin Valley, where Belgrade and Bozeman reside, is one of the prettiest valleys I have seen in Montana.
I quickly made a lot of friends in Belgrade.  Just like Kalispell, the ward members were amazing.  I look up to the little wards in Belgrade and all of the people there.  I made good friends with our host family, the Bakers!  Joel Baker and I quickly became friends when he showed me his guitar and we had a short jampsession the first night I was there!  I had so much fun living with the good Baker family and will always be grateful to them, just as I was with the Moss family, my host family in Kalispell.
In Belgrade, I learned of perseverance.  When I first cam there, I was having a hard time with my mission.  I was wondering if I would make it.  I set the goal to go to my 6 month mark, take a look and inventory of myself and make a decision from there of either staying or packing up and leaving my nametag behind.  Well, in the 3 months of being in Belgrade, with the help of good friends in the wards, other missionaries including my mission president, and all of the fun I had with my companion, Elder Hokanson, I was surprised to find that 3 months in Belgrade went really fast because of the good times we had.
There were still hard days in Belgrade.  Those will happen no matter where you are!  One of the things that pulled me through those were visits with an elderly member of the Belgrade war, Helen Jensen.  This good lady has been a good friend to missionaries for a long time, and I feel very blessed to have met that good lady!  She made me laugh many times, sometimes when I most needed it.

I LOVE Belgrade!  I will be returning for sure; partly because of the 3 ski resorts that surround the Belgrade/Bozeman area.  But until then, Belgrade and the good people that live there, will always have another special place in my heart!  The one right next to Kalispell.

AREA 2- Kalispell

So, technically, this should be AREA 1, but then I would have to change the MTC to AREA .5 and I don't want to do that. 

This is where my mission began!  My first area, and I can't imagine a better place to start out!\

Kalispell is special to me for many reasons.  I guess this sentimentality caame from the trials I had of adjusting from the life I was living and the life I would be living. 

Some of the hardest of trials and gloomiest of times happened here in Kali.  However, those dark times cannot hide the light!  Just as you can't darken a room with a "flash-dark" instead of a flashlight.  Darkness is simply the absence of light.  And there most certainly is light in beautiful Kalispell.

And this is the place where it all began.  This is the starting line, the beginning of the runway, the first stage of the flight. 

Were there rough times?  Of course.  There are rough times everywhere.  Apparently, they weren't rough enough to make this airplane crash though!

One of the things that really pulled me through, and that I miss about Kalispell, is the friendships I formed there.  The members and nonmembers of the church that I was able to talk with and laugh with will always hold a special place in my heart.  That is one thing that kept me there!

\I have learned from Kalispell that no matter how different we all are from each other, we can still be friends.  I learned to be patient as a missionary.  I learned that miracles happen every day!

I spent Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas up in Kalispell.  Each holiday was spent with a member family to whom I will always be grateful for their hospitality and letting us be a part of their lives for the time we were there.

I had a hard time leaving Kalispell.  That is something about missions that I am not fond of; how we have to say goodbye to so much, so often!  The time I spent in Kalispell, I will not have it again, but I will always remember it and smile!

Kalispell was great!
And they opened a Panda Express while I was there too!  Can't complain about that!

Mission Briefing - AREA 1

This morning, I was thinking about how much I love the area I am serving in.  I thought of transfers (tomorrow) and how much I hope that my companion and I get to stay here.  I thought of how much I have loved every area I have served in, how much I have learned in each area, and the friends I have made.  So I have discovered a grand idea!  I shall do a report of each area that I have served in!
And it begins now!
And here is a picture of a jet.

AREA 1: Missionary Training Center, Provo, UT
This place was only 7 miles away from my house (also known as home-base!).  I could have run to my grandparent's house for lunch and made it back in time.
I have a love-hate relationship with this place. 
I had a hard time staying inside for so long, reading so much, trying to learn as much as I could while there.  It was a hard adjustment for me.  I think of it as the pre-mission briefing on an aircraft carrier.  I was nervous, uncertain and unaware of what would happen.
That is why I have this picture of an F-14 tomcat on an aircraft carrier.  That's something I wanted to do if I grew up.
What I loved about the MTC (aside from free BYU ice cream on Wednesdays) is the spirit that was there.  I learned and grew so much from that not-so-fun experience.  I learned how to fully trust in the Lord; it would have been hard not to!
That was the takeoff point of this mission.
What can be learned is that we as people can do ANYTHING if we trust in God.  We may not think that we can do it ourselves, but if we just move forward with our trust in the Lord, one day we will look back and see how far we have flown!