Florida Orlando Temple

 Lots of developments this week! First off, we had interviews with President Ashcraft which were great as always! Then, we have a friend who recently got baptized that we are teaching about the temple. We decided to take him on a temple grounds tour but for the past month we haven't been able to make it happen because we needed to find a member to drive us. After sacrament last week a member just went right up and said he could drive and also invited the non member brother along! Between then and Wednesday (the day of the tour), we decided to invite more people so we got another recent convert to come along as well as the two other elders in Deltona. We had quite the procession going to the temple and it was beautiful! I really miss having the opportunity to go inside. The whole experience has been a great testimony builder of member missionary work. Members really can do what we can't.

Otherwise, we had some interesting experiences talking to people in a park where the first person was interested but visiting from another state, the second person was an inactive member of MANY years, and and third one was a little tipsy but more than happy to give us their number (as they always are)! I have also come to find out that Marijuana is very liberally used here in Deltona, frequently we will smell it pungent just driving down the road. Luckily, no one we are teaching has had a big problem with it yet!!

Love you all!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - teaching early morning seminary on a P-day

Pic #2 - waiting our turn to talk to President Ashcraft

Pic #3 - at the temple with our friends

"Creepy Calling"

 We have had some miracles this week! Getting people to come to church has always been a struggle. Each week we send out more than twenty different invitations but this week was the first time we have had anyone come in over a month! One of the two who attended was in person with the other over zoom. The one who came in person is on date for baptism and the one who attended over zoom ensured us that he would watch weekly from now on!!

When you can no longer tract, there is a challenge in staying busy. Ideally, we have lessons all through out the day with only little gaps we fill by finding over Facebook or visiting people who said they were interested back when they were taught a long time ago. Occasionally though, we have long stretches of time we need to fill with finding. After having knocked literally every door we are allowed to with COVID, and sending so many friend requests Facebook blocks us for the day, we decided to try just calling one of the people who left us on read when we saw they were active on Facebook. It was pretty awkward as it rang, but they never picked up and it got the conversation rolling again, so it was actually effective. The method is called creepy calling. Let's just say I am excited for when we can knock doors again though!

The work is going well here!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - a blue tailed lizard we found on our step, the blue doesn't show up super well over camera but just trust me

Pic #2 - the moment elder Murphy realized that finishing his second plate of food was not going to be easy. In his defense this member PILES on the plate and won't let us leave without cleaning our plate at least twice

Pic #3 - a picture of me in the backup cam, we were trying to think of Facebook post ideas, this one wasn't a winner

Like Father, Like Son....

 Elder Matthew S. Holland came and spoke to our mission this week for a mission tour! To prepare, we were asked to read his most recent conference talk but I went back and watched his first talk that he gave when he was a teenager as well. We had two zoom devotionals with him and a four hour mission conference. It was incredibly uplifting spiritually and motivating physically. He is extremely similar to his dad Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in alot of ways, with the most important one being his deep qnd contagious love for the Savior!

As far as what I learned, this week I have really come to be FAR more familiar with the Book of Mormon. I have been reading it daily of course, but Elder Murphy and I also had the chance to join an MTC workshop that talked about the timeline and authors of the Book of Mormon. I would highly recommend studying the topic, it is really fascinating when you discover just how complex it is. It speaks volumes as to the authenticity of the scripture! Elder Holland focused in the topic alot as well and encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon with our Investigators more and trust it to bring the Spirit!

I don't want to countdown my days left on Florida because I fear it will make them pass faster, but I was recently mailed a list of to do items before I leave. It really made it seem so much more real! Elder Murphy and I have a goal to help someone be baptized before I go and I pray we can accomplish it! Thank you for all the birthday wishes as well everyone, it was a really amazing one!!

Sincerely,

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - birthday lunch from a Dominican food place called unidos

Pic #2 - selfie with my mtc comp who is also originally assigned to Birmingham England, we saw each other at zone conference

Pic #3 - the zone conference Pic, here is half of our mission, have fun finding me

Social Media, Miracles and stuff

 Elder Murphy and I are really starting to hit our stride with Facebook! We have been working hard on it for awhile now with few results, but recently things have been picking up!! With us still being unable to knock just any door, we spend alot of time with social media and following up on people who were taught in the past but are no longer interested. It is easy to start a conversation, easy to keep it going, easy to start discussing the gospel, but incredibly difficult to set up an in-person meeting or video call. We are still working on that bit.

We had some miracles this week. There are a couple people who we simply cannot get in touch with, but after having some stuff fall through and ending up on the opposite side of town we planned on, Elder Murphy and I strongly felt that we should try again. Well, we did just that and happened to catch one of of out doing yardwork, and the other answered the door. We had amazing conversations with them and will plan on staying in touch. Sadly, there was one person we met who has an amazing testimony in Christ, wants to meet with us, and defends our church valiantly, but he told us we shouldn't come back because missionaries in the past have met with him and he believes everything but doesn't want to get baptized because he has really strong connections with his current church and doesn't want to offend them. It is a hard situation, I am hoping we can stay in touch with him. He is the sweetest old man and told us to come back if we EVER need anything.

The work goes well here though and I have a testimony that God knows our weaknesses perfectly not so he can help us avoid them, but so he can help us get rid of them. In Helaman, Nephi laments over how wicked the people are and wishes he could live back when his ancestors first left Jerusalem. The Lord speaks to him however and thanks him for pressing forward steadfastly. There are always trials, but God knows what is best for us!

Have an amazing week!!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - pday picture! with only elders in the district we go hard in all the sports we play

Pic #2 - Elder Murphy and I out on another boardwalk, we tried doing some street contacting but got pretty avoided

Pic #3 - a member dropped off groceries but we are trying to at least pretend to be healthy, so rather than snack on the oreos throughout the week we decided to be mature, healthy adults and eat them like cereal late at night all in one sitting

This is why we have comps......

Let's just start it off with the biggest thing that happened this week. The Deland Florida Stake held its stake conference. I watched the adult session while on exchanges with Elder Robinson. He has only been out a week and is being trained by the district leader. We watched that first session over zoom while we sent text messages to people. We actually found two people to start teaching from it. The talks given were outstanding as well. They had the general authority William K. Jackson of the seventy come and speak. The man is a brilliant orator. 

For the Sunday general session we carpooled with the other Deltona Elders down to Deland to attend in person. We invited almost all the people we are teaching to watch. In the middle of one particularly profound talk one of those friends actually texted us to tell us how much she was enjoying said talk. The last speaker was Elder William K. Jackson himself so I got ready to really pay attention. After talking for about five minutes he invited Sister Ashcraft (the mission president's wife) to come up and bear here testimony on the spot. She did so and then after she closed Elder Jackson whispered with her for a second and then asked, "Would Elder Killian come up and bear his testimony as well?" The problem was, I didn't hear my name, I heard Elder Gileed or something like that, so Elder Murphy saved the day and elbowed me to let me know he asked me! It caught me off guard to say the least. I actually distinctly remember thinking how surprising that would be to be asked by  a general authority to bear your testimony in front of the entire stake on the fly when he asked Sister Ashcraft to do it. The first words out of my mouth at the pulpit were, "My heart is full," but the more truthful statement would have been "My mind is blank." 

I just opened my mouth though and spoke my honest testimony. The Spirit definitely helped. It was quite the experience but it really made me appreciate the fact that we never know when we will be called upon the share our beliefs. It may not be in front of a congregation like that, but God expects all of us to be prepared when opportunities arise!

Also, my plane to England leaves October 6th, this is my last transfer in Florida,

Love you all!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - playing gatorball with the new "dude"-strict

Pic #2 - we unknowingly parked in front of a members house to walk around a block knocking knocking few doors and when we came back she gave us this box of goldfish, she is SUPER nice

Pic #3 - exchanges with Elder Robinson

Across the Pond!!!

 

                                                             Birmingham, England

Better Than We Found It!!

 Another great week here in Deltona! Transfers happen this Tuesday but Elder Murphy and I are staying together. They are taking the one companionship of sisters we have out of this area and replacing it with elders though, so now it is an elders only area! We are actually ward sharing with the sisters now so they have an apartment and we have a separate house. Now that it will only be elders here they may consolidate us all into one house, we will have to wait and see!

We had plenty of exciting opportunities to find and teach this week. We once again struggled helping our friends get to church but this time our friend Francisco walked in just in time to partake of the sacrament, otherwise we would have had no one there. We are going to shift our focus this week to working with the ward more. The Deltona ward has alot of amazing members. When they come and introduce themselves to the people we are teaching, or volunteer to join us with lessons, the work goes so much better. So many people don't realize that they are welcome and wanted at church. When the invite comes from us missionaries, no matter how sincere it is, it still may seem like we are still just "doing our job". So when the invite comes from another member of the community, it seems far more genuine! So I would challenge all of you to talk with the missionaries this week and see if they have a lesson you could sit in on. Your testimony has the ability to work miracles if you share it!

Keep in touch,

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - a portable air filter since ours was apparently super nasty. The temporary one is nice, but way loud

Pic #2 - Elder Murphy and myself on our way to go grocery shopping this P-day, we went to Publix

Pic #3 - this is one way we teach the plan of salvation or the plan of "love"