конец и начало

Wow I can't believe it. It is hard saying bye to people, it's more like a see you later. I am grateful I got to serve here because I know I can come back any time and visit these people. I have truly found everlasting joy serving the Lord as a full-time missionary.
This week was sweet. On one of the nights last week we stopped by a less actives house who I hadn't ever heard of before. We knocked on her door and she said I knew you guys would show up. She said she had been having some spiritual experiences and knew the missionaries would show up! She said it was time for her to come back. It was so awesome how Heavenly Father leads us to His children.
I LOVED general conference! It is always so spiritually uplifting. I love the things that were taught and for the principles we can apply to our everyday lives. I love it!  It is so wonderful that we are asked to receive a Spiritual confirmation for things and not just believe someone because they said so, and I didn't know if the men called were apostles, but after hearing their testimonies I know that they are truly called by God to be special witnesses of Jesus Christ. They talked about that a lot actually receiving your own spiritual testimony. That's so important to do.
It was interesting because there were a couple people we ran into that had a lot of anti material. And it can be convincing. But because of the power of the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of ALL things. It was interesting we ran into that garbage plus other trials and distractions, because when I finished the Book of Mormon, I of course prayed about it and I felt like I needed to look up 3 Nephi 26:11 "11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people." I will try the faith of my people. This past week and over the course of my mission my faith has been tested. I know though, because of the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is indeed our Savior and Redeemer. He is our older brother and His love is infinite. I know that Joseph Smith prayed to know what church to join and I know that God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Him. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and another testament of Jesus Christ and is indeed a companion to the Bible. I know that President Monson is God's prophet on the earth today. I know that Heavenly Father  wants us engaged in His work, to love, lift, serve, bless, inspire and invite others to come closer to Christ. It is so simple. It all starts with Charity. That pure love.
I am excited for the miracles that will happen this week. I am so grateful for a loving forgiving Heavenly Father who wants to shape us, if we allow Him, to become like He is.
I love you all
I love the Lord. I love Kalispell and I love this work.
See you soon!
Love Elder David Witt

Kalispell is so awesome

Yesterday at church there were so many less actives and investigators there! I was filled with "exceedingly great joy". It was awesome to see so many people progress and know that they are where they need to be, partaking of the sacrament and being fed by the good word of God.

Sister Cuthbert, a less active who I tried forever to meet her, then finally did and she is changing her life around, bore her testimony yesterday, it was awesome!

We had some sweet visits and lessons this week

One cool experience, our investigator Scott called us and said he needed help and couldn't overcome his word of wisdom temptations by himself. We met with him and gave him a blessing, he was really grateful for it and the next couple days he was doing good, but unfortunately we aren't able to get ahold of him, and the family he was staying with doesn't know where he is. Hopefully we will be able to see him again.

We have been visiting people with the right members and it is so awesome to see priesthood keys align, those of the bishop and stake president and with the mission president. When all working together great things happen.
We are trying to visit part member and less active families with their home and visiting teaching, most of the families who have been restricted or baptized would have been a while ago if there were active home and visiting teachers. And there to help the person, not there visiting them as an assignment. It is the love that we show the help we give other to  feel Jesus Christ's love is what it's all about.

I am so pumped for general conference. It seems to always get better and better.
Love you all and have a great week!

Another pic from last week, I love the Ciks. 

Love Elder David Witt 

Another good week in the MBM

Round 2 McDonald's lake

We were at the church about to go on some splits, and there were some
people waiting in the foyer. We taught them the restoration and had a
sweet discussion. These guys were with a friend who is less active and
was in an interview with Bishop, he came out and said he wants to come
back to church and has a girlfriend who wants to learn more. So we are
excited about that.
A few weeks ago we were with the relief society presidency visiting
people, there was this lady who walked up to one of the counselors,
she was a former investigator and this member was her fellowshipper,
it was awesome, so we taught this former investigator again and had a
sweet lesson. She is super open and said she would get baptized if she
found out it was true.
We visited the Irwin's this last week, they are doing pretty good. It
made me so happy to hear they have gospel discussions and were
planning on going to the temple this past weekend! They were excited
about it. It made me happy knowing that they were happy.
Last night we finally got to a less active families house, we have
been trying for a while. They said they were glad to see us and want
us so start teaching them.
Yesterday we also went to lakeside, it was a good last sacrament
there, seeing we will be in second ward this next Sunday, then general
conference.
Today we went to glacier, it was the last time as a missionary. It was
really cool to see it in the fall. It is so beautiful and I can't wait
to spend all day up there. It was fun.
Love you all and hope you have a great week
Love Elder David Witt

Faith Promoting Experiences

Elder Hastings (served in Kalispell zone) me, elder McGrath (ap) elder wolf

Below me and elder decker 

This week was excellent, minus lots of driving and a little sickness,
I learned so much this past week!
We had MLC and it was probably one of the best councils I've been to.
It was sad saying bye to some of the missionaries, one of them being
Elder Decker, ha he is so funny and I am so proud of how far he has
come, he is a great missionary. There was a lot of training and great
information that was shared. One great thing President Wadsworth said
that stood out to me that I'll share is, "Everyday you are entitled to
have faith promoting experiences" it is so true and I think it's safe
to say, that's not just for missionaries. We either aren't praying for
them or not recognizing them, but they happen every day.
Daily Miracles//
Sister Cuthbert finally after everything we had taught, was listening
to someone share the story about Jesus telling a man to take up his
bed and walk. She realized that is what she needed to do. All of the
other lessons and other hints we had shared, even though it may not
have seemed to have such a great impact it did, line upon line,
precept upon precept. She wants to live the word of wisdom and start
changing her life around. I am so excited for her. We were on splits
when she got a priesthood blessing, I wanted to be there, but I heard
it was great and she is excited.
Our truck was getting fixed so we rode our bikes everywhere for a few
days. We were going to an appointment after pretty much all of our
other appointments for the day had fallen through, when we were riding
and we felt like we should stop at a part members house, we did and
they weren't home..why did we stop? We felt like we needed to be some
where in the area we were in though, so we were looking through our
area book and low and behold the non member husband pulls in, helps us
tighten up some bolts on our bikes, then his wife pulled in, she went
inside, but we were able to teach the restoration to him, he said he
has heard a lot of different things about our church, but wants to
learn for himself. It was great, hopefully we can see him again this
week.
Another time we were riding our bikes, we were on the bike path and I
really didn't want to, but Elder Wolf pulled over and started talking
to this dude. Turns out he is religious but there are so many churches
he thinks it's all for the money. He is very knowledgeable and wants
to meet with us on "the path" ha this week.
We had an awesome lesson with Gabe and his brother, Gabe is always
wanting his little brother to go to church, it is awesome. We taught
about the tree of life with the Luis' and had them hold onto a broom,
as the iron rod. They really enjoyed it and I think they got a lot out
of that lesson, we need to hold on with both hands no matter what!
Saturday was a packed day! We had zone training and covered a lot, but
it was very inspirational and I am so excited for all of these new
missionaries. Planning and receiving revelation is so essential.
Working with members and "calling upon the name of Christ" (priesthood
blessings) are also vital.
So that is what we have done, started working better with members, I
feel like with Preisdent Mecham, missionaries felt like they couldn't
have a relationship with members because they might get too
comfortable and not follow their purpose. But we have to balance
ourselves and be wise, we are working with the members and helping
them with their work, because it is their work. Help them with their
home and visiting teaching, especially focusing on part member and
less active families. Also getting priesthood blessings to help us
with this work, obviously we aren't supposed to treat priesthood
blessings with lightness, but we take for granted the power of the
priesthood.
We tried the Russian family and it came so easy this time, it was
awesome. Gave them the Russian copy of the Book of Mormon and they
said they would read it and we could come back and see how they liked
it. It felt so good to write my testimony in Russian and be able to
talk to them.
We went to a priesthood leadership training part of stake conference,
I wish more of the ward mission leaders had been ere, but it was
great. I hope we, as well as other missionaries in the stake can work
better with the ward leaders.
We had some time before the adult evening session and again I didn't
feel like we should go, but elder wolf said we should go try this
family really quick. (Scott, The one we talked to last week on the
side of the road) We drove up and he looked at us and started balling.
He was having an awful day, relapsed into some old ways and wanted to
give up. We talked about the atonement and how Jesus Christ loves him.
He kept saying you guys don't know how blessed you are. We said that's
exactly why we are doing what we are doing, we really don't know but
we have to have the attitude of "because I have been given much I too
must give" he was thankful we stopped by. I felt like I did 18 months
ago when I met Sanya. I promised him, just like we promised Sanya, if
he read the Book of Mormon his life would change for the better. (He
read the Book of Mormon and came to church yesterday) it was just
incredible to know that we needed to be there at that time. It was
incredible to feel the love that Jesus Christ has for him, as well as
the love that we had for him.
We proceeded to stake conference and it was great, it was focused on
"spending the day with the savior". Brother Mathison from our ward
gave a talk, he shared a story.. He said he divided a circle into 24
little sections and had the class fill in their time what they did
each day, they came to realize they were packed with school, homework,
work, athletics, other things. Then he said alright, Jesus is coming
tomorrow, what are you going to rearrange in your schedule to be able
to meet with him for just 30 minutes? They said they would skip out on
anything for 30 minutes to communicate with the Savior. He then said
alright. What are you willing to give up to communicate with the
savior every day rough prayer, and have him communicate with you
through scripture study? It is so easy to not set aside that sacred
time to build our relationship with our Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ.
Yesterday's conference was great too, it was focused on spending a day
with the Savior as well and I remember one part that a girl said,
speaking about not texting during sacrament and church, she posed the
question "what if Jesus was texting on judgement day when you were
getting judged?" You'd say hey uh I need help, please focus! Same
principle for us, we can sacrifice 3 hours and not use our phone.
There was a slot time for "speakers by invitation" and of course,
President Clark invited me to bear my testimony. It was a neat
experience. A little nerve racking, but good ha. I talked about
charity and how that's what sharing this gospel is all about, loving
others. Other great things were shared as well.
During this conference I felt the spirit over and over testifying to
me that this is true, that Jesus is the Christ, our Redeemer and that
Joseph Smith really did see the Father and His Son.
Yesterday I had the privilege to confer the Melchizedek Priesthood to
Eric, it was a neat experience. I am so excited for his desire to want
to go on a mission and progress in the gospel.
We had a sack lunch we were eating at the church and President Clark
said that's all your eating for lunch? Come over to my house. So we
got to talk to him and his wife, and he is such a good leader. So
humble and loves the lord and his gospel. What a fine example.
Last night Sister Luis texted us saying she read a sweet scripture and
how she loves reading and finding things in the scriptures. It is so
awesome to see other peoples testimonies grow!
Thanks for your Prayers and fasting for me, I have been feeling a lot
better, the test results haven't come in yet, but I have a feeling
they might be negative as well, so we will see ha
I love you all and hope you have an awesome week!
Love Elder David Witt


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Final stretch

Our hike this morning overlooking Kalispell

Hey family

This week I had an awesome experience. We were driving and I saw this
guy walking and I really don't like stopping and talking to people
from the car, but I felt like we should. We did and I asked if we
could share a message about Jesus Christ, at first he said no, then we
started talking and found out he is staying with some investigators we
are teaching. He was like I was just praying to God for help. It was a
testimony builder to me and I am grateful for the promptings of the
Spirit.
This week was transfer so we took some missionaries down and then
drove down again the next day to pick up missionaries that just came
from the MTC. They are a different caliber, I am excited for the
things that they are going to do. We had a great dinner with President
Clark with all of the missionaries and did a little bit of training.

I saw Jackson Buntrock this week, he and his family came to visit.
They took us out to dinner. Ah it was just good to see him again. If
you don't remember, I served with him in in January.
It was a good week and oh yeah we listened to this talk on Charity and
so I have been studying it in my personal study. I love it so much and
it is so important to have Charity in everything we do and with
everyone we meet. It makes life a lot better when you have Charity.
Love you and have a good week
Love Elder David Witt


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The Spirit of Revelation is Awesome

Well it looks like I will be finishing here in Kalispell! Sweet is the work
Found some nice people this week tracting, also found some new less
actives. Hopefully they come to church and progress. A couple have
said they would come but end up having something else going on.
There was this one part member family we were tracting their
neighborhood and felt like we should stop by, so we did and they were
really nice. The wife said she would never be baptized but said we
could come back and said she would go to church of her husband went.
We had a less active young man, maybe 14, came to church on Sunday. I
had stopped by maybe in like April and his parents aren't super
supportive and it is a crazy living situation. But he flipped out on
us a little and so we didn't go back, saw him at the library ask why
we hadn't come back over. Anyway long story short. We went back and
taught him and his little brother who isn't a member. And he came to
church so it was sweet!

Just another day in paradise
Just hangin out at the church

At the meeting with Elder Martino we talked about using the right
member for the people we are teaching. We took some members to these
investigators house and they were perfect. Connected since they both
do garden stuff, family history all that and the member bore his
testimony at the right time. It was great, we have another appointment
with them this week. Brother Wehrli the WML also came with us to a
less active family. They both grew up in Utah. The spirit of
revelation is awesome!
Speaking of which I was with Eric last night and we tried this
potential investigator and she wasn't home, so we weren't sure if we
should tract that street or another one. So we prayed about it and
felt we needed to tract but not in the area we were in. I felt like we
should go to this particular street and even though I had already
knocked on those doors, we did it and just a few doors in we run into
this guy who speaks Russian. It was so awesome, pretty much taught the
restoration in Russian, nor my testimony and prayed with them. They
weren't super interested but at least said I could bring back a
Russian copy of the Book of Mormon. So I am going to do that! Pretty
sweet!  It brought back some weird memories from teaching people in
Ukraine. But it was awesome. The joy I felt when I talked to them was
awesome it was an answer to my prayers. I am so grateful for the
Spirit, when we listen to it  we will surely be happy

Love you all
I am excited to stay in Kalispell
Love Elder David Witt



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GI Doctor

So we had some time last week before one of our appointments and we
tried a perspective elder. Knocked on their door and they were super
nice. Let us sit down and talk to them. They were both raised in Utah
and felt like they had it forced on them, so the last time they
remember going to church was before they made the 3 hour block, where
they went to church went back home, then came back. Also the husband
said he hadn't seen missionaries come by in 10 years, but the wife
said she had seen then stop by a few times. But they both said hey
maybe it's time to start learning again and getting some questions
answered, they had family in town last week so our return appointment
got canceled, so hopefully this week we can meet with them.
About 9 months ago I met this part member family, and they were super
interested in learning more. They were living at the non members
sisters house and she didn't want us coming over so they said they
weren't interested in us coming over. But just last week at the
library I was looking something up and Elder Wolf was talking to
someone, they sounded familiar and the names they were using sounded
familiar, I turned to see who it was, and it was these people who we
had met a long time ago. They are so prepared. We invited them to
church and they came and they said their new job just called them and
wanted them to work, and they said "nope we can't, we are going to
church!" So awesome. And they said they were planning on moving, but
the non member husband said, I think I want to get established in the
church before we move. And they loved church and it was awesome!
Only one sad thing, they aren't in our area so we won't be teaching
them. I am excited to watch their progress though.

We had mission tour and Elder James B. Martino, from the 70 came. It
was awesome. The Spirit was really edifying. 

Charity was talked about,
also members being involved and how the people we teach need to be
taught in the right members home, where they can feel the spirit, and
have a solid fellowship family to answer questions and be there to
help them out when the missionaries aren't there. It was inspiring and
uplifting. President Wadswroth said as we do this, there will be more
success and better retention. He has broadened the vision from a goal
of 1 baptism a month to 4. I am a little sad I won't be here longer to
the the progress and growth that happens in this mission.
After that meeting the zone leaders and sister training leaders got
together and discussed some things we need to work on, the main topic
of planning. I am not the best planner and not too fond of it, but
it's apparent when there is better planning, we are more effective and
happier cause we aren't just wondering what to do next or whatever. I
have seen that so it was a good discussion, we are to come up with
ways to help be more effective planners.
It was cool because Elder and Sister Martino stayed for that.
Afterward President Wadsworth asked if I had received a blessing for
my procedure today. I said I did for the sickness right when it
started but not for today, so I got a blessing from Elder Martino,
President Wadsworth and Elder Wolf. It was really peaceful and
comforting, reminding me that I need to continue to trust in the Lord.
I am grateful for the Priesthood.

Church was so edifying yesterday. First, Susie and Bill came to
church! It was awesome! It was so wonderful to see them there. They
enjoyed it. Also Michael, from YSA who I taught a long time ago, was
there, he has been coming but today he had a white shirt and bow tie
and looked happy and wanted to meet with us after church.
The atonement is so magnificent. I am grateful for the redemptive and
enabling powers of the atonement. They are so real and we go through
things in life, but as I was reminded by the Spirit to just keep
going, we with the grace of Jesus Christ, can do all things. I can't
even explain it in words. We also talked about testimonies and ah it's
just so good to be a member of Jesus Christ's church. I love it.

Today I am going to go to the GI doctor, he is in our ward so that's
good. He's gonna do a scope on the upper tract of my system. Hopefully
they can figure out what is going on since all the other tests have
come back negative. I am still able to work though, even though some
days I need a little break. It makes it hard to want to endure to the
end when I don't feel well. But like I mentioned before, the grace of
Jesus Christ is real.

I hope you have a great week.
Я вас люблю
Love Elder David Witt

PS Procedure went well. I went under so I'm still tired, he said some of
it is cause from acid reflux
And going to do a hidascan in a couple weeks


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Life gets better as we live the Gospel

Had breakfast with the senior missionaries, they got their visas to go
to New Zealand so they had a goodbye breakfast. They were awesome

Left to right
Brewster, McKenzie, Hansen, Linney, King, Witt, Osburne's, Wolf,
Hoschouer, Anderson, Jameson

Wowzers

We are on week 5, the transfer is almost over, it's just flying by.

Great week with great lessons

Finally got in to teach the Nicklaus family again, recently baptized,

she has been recovering from surgery and they have been busy with

other stuff, so it was really good. Also had a sweet lesson with

Zairene and Zamuel and their non member mom Irene. A returned

missionary that served in the phillipeans came, and spoke Tagalog with

them so it was awesome.

Tracted into some nice people.

Jan-met not interested at first, said we come back and we brought a

member a few days later and taught her, cleared up some misconceptions

she had about the church.

Said we could come back this week and teach her.

Jim-not religious, but we taught him, said he has been to a lot of

different churches, including ours, he said they are all good

especially if you think it's right for you. Doesn't really have a

belief in God, said he would read the Book of Mormon and we could come

back in a month to see if he did, we'll see where that goes...

I wasn't feeling well Saturday, and people were being people, but we

went to this apartment complex, and this lady walks up to us and

started talking to us, so we taught her yesterday and wants to be

baptized next month. Sister Irwin (first time teaching, and remember

she was just baptized) came to the lesson and bore some pretty

powerful testimony, they connected and it was just so AWESOME!! It was

great to see her testimony grow as she shared it.

Also we were Tracting and talked to these people, we handed them a

Book of Mormon and she said "I have wanted one of these, someone a

couple weeks ago while I was on the airplane was answering some

questions about the gold plates and Joseph smith and such" it was

awesome! We never know what we can do. It is awesome because that

member has no idea how much of an impact he made on her. We went back

last night and she has already read up to chapter 8! And all the

introduction and stuff and was sharing it all with her husband. She

said this is way better than the bible I love it! She was explaining

in detail what she read and it was just awesome. They said they are

looking for religion in their life and are just sweet. Suzie and Bill,

good, humble, happy people

 Such awesome miracles this week and that exceeding glad joy was felt.

You can't feel it anywhere else, doing anything else. It feels so good

to see people get excited about the gospel and see their life change

for the better as they live it.

Love it

Have a good week! Love ya

Love Elder David Witt

Caught the sun this morning


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