Picssss - 3.25.13

This is elder nelson. It's elder byrd's "son"... meaning he is training him. 

Me and my new comp. 

me and the byrd man. reunited. 

pictures. - 3.18.13

last p day in edmond. miss em

the gauvin boys!!!

These two were so good to us. they'll be baptized someday. Paula is like my mom out here. I love her. haha this is her daughter olivia. She is super cool too! and their dog petey was the CUTEST dog i have ever seen. 

This is from edmond love these guys

kade eubanks. super awesome kid. he's 13. 

This family was from edmond. we set a baptismal date for may 4 ;) right before I left. They are one awesome family. love them. Hank and Donna Bell. :)

The BIGGEST reeses ever. thanks for fattening me up kara :)

Does anyone recognize those dang finger puppets? Elder Roundy and Elder Sewell. 

its just soda. i priomise. thats elder roundy and elder sewell. :)

more soda. i love these elders.

 this is my newest companero. :) elder mcmillan

snapbacks back. this one goes out to jadon ;)

This week was NUTS. - 3.18.13

This week was the CRAZIEST week of my mission. It felt like a year long and at the same time, it felt like it sped by. This was just ridiculous. Filled with crazy things!! So on wednesday I got to see elder Byrd at the temple and a couple of the ward members from edmond 3rd....that was definitely the highlight of my week. It was so good to see all of them, especially in the temple...gave me a good picture of what heaven will be like someday ;) I guess before I get into the spiritual aspect of my mission...I might as well tell you about the craziest thing that has ever happened to me ever. Literally.

So thursday me and elder McMillan decided to tract a street that we had a good feeling about. Anyways, we knocked like 12 doors in a row and none of them answered....yet they were all home #classic. We got to the last door and knocked it hoping someone would answer....well someone did and lets just call her Micah for now even though thats not her name. She answered and we asked if we could say a prayer with her. She was in her early 20's and so she just kinda smiled and thought it was weird. She told us that she was a hopeless cause and we told her that she wasn't. She said that she had made really bad decisions in her life and told us a little bit about her past. She had a ROUGH life. We prayed with her and had the most spiritual experience though...it was really cool. She told us after the prayer that she had never felt this good in her life before. She was crying and it was hard to get her to stop. She asked if we could come by tomorrow and teach her. When we left that doorstep we thought that this girl was the miracle girl we always dream of...haha little did I know. So we go back friday at 1pm. I did an exchange with Elder Roundy so I took him with me. She wasn't there so we left a card saying we would try back later. Well we went back later that evening and she was a little tipsy. She asked us to say a prayer, but this time...she wanted to hold our hands while we prayed. Lets just say, this is where I began to be very uncomfortable because she wasn't just holding my hand. We quickly prayed with her and said we needed to go and that we would come back on saturday morning to teach her as long as she was sober. She agreed. We went back saturday with an Ex Marine to teach her and she was sober. She invited us in and the lesson was going really well. She was asking tons of questions about the atonement and how she could change her life. But then, apparently she couldn't stand the spirit anymore and she broke down. She just cried. And then she randomly got up and went to her refrgierator and started drinking. She came back and we continued to teach her but then she got up again and took another drink. I finally had a sudden urge to leave. I interruppted Elder Roundy and told her that we needed to go. This is when it got bad. She got mad at me for telling her that we had to go. She started asking really weird questions like how old I was and if i was married and stuff like that. She then started telling me that I was not allowed to leave and that "she wanted me to stay with her". I obviously told her we had to go and stood up to leave. She started yelling and saying, "i want you to stay with me!! I want to be with you" and got up and started getting pretty violent and flailing her arms around. She then looked at my companion and the member and yelled at them to leave. She said "i want to be alone with him and I want you to leave". We didn't know what to do because she was literally guarding the door and telling everyone that they had to go NOW but she wanted me to stay. So I told her okay, we can talk alone outside but only if they can sit in the car and roll their windows down. She agreed and we all went outside and they got in the car and rolled their windows down. Lets just say it went downhill from there and she tried to get me to come into her apartment again...I had never felt so dark in my life and all of a sudden I had a feeling to just run. So I turned and ran. literally and she chased after me. I jumped into the truck and we booked it out of there. Man I had never in my life been more UNCOMFORTABLE in my life. So I called President and he said I needed to leave the area for at least 24 hours. I got emergency exchanged to Moore, Oklahoma for 24 hours. Well now I am back, and we will NEVER be going back to that area where she lived again. I am telling you, I don;t know what it is with me and crazy people in oklahoma. My goodness. Do not put this story on my blog. 

Anyways, I have gained an interesting perspective on the Atonement this week. I have never felt so empowered before. We have worked so hard this week and it seems like every thing we set up fell through. No one answered the door, everyone yelled at us and called us names, we couldn't find anyone to teach...yet I felt strong. I felt strengthened. The Lord has been teaching me alot about the empowering motivating power of the Atonement of Christ. I have a testimony that not only can the Atonement wash us of our sins and comfort us, but it can also motivate and empower us to become more like Christ. I want to share a scripture I have been studying lately. 3 Nephi 27:15 

15 And for this cause have I been ^alifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their ^bworks.

Its cool that He uses the term "draw men in". Its almost like to persuade men to come. The atonement has an amzing power to DRAW us into Christ. His love makes us want to become like Him. It motivates us. It moves us to become as He would have us become. Its like a gravitational pull that the atonement has on us if we will let it.

I have seen this in my life so many times. I fell like I am at the end and then when I look back, I was strengthened to become better to go over and beyond. Christ will give us power even when we feel like we can't make it anymore. He doesn't expect us to go through life alone or on sheer will power or grit, He expects us to use His atonement to get through life and overcome our "natural man" tendencies. Trust Him. 

I love you guys!! Hope all is well wherever yall are!! Write me!!!

Elder Cutler

Funny stories and miracles. - 3.18.13

So I will start out with the funny one. :)

This week we went to an investigators house and his wife DESPISES us hahah it is the funniest thing ever. Anyways, she has one leg and is in a wheelchair. Just always mad and frowning. So me being super happy constantly, I tried to brighten her mood and failed miserably. I don't even know why it came out of my mouth. haha K so we walk in, and we say hi to Albert and his wife Agnes. We could tell that they were pretty sad about something because they just seemed down. We sat down and I tried to be excited and said "what's wrong guys?! its a beuitiful day!! is everything okay?!" Agnes then ripped me one and yelled "what the H*** do you think is wrong....do you see what's missing?!" now heres the part where I am supposed to say, "no i don't" or "no what's missing"....instead, and I have no idea why I said enthusiasticly...."ohhhh your leg!!" hahah omg i got THE dirtiest look i have ever recieved. I was supposed to notice that their dog had died and was missing...not the leg. so basically, we will never be back there again. She was pretty pissed. hahahaha so FUNNY though. 

Anyways, so many good times out here. 

So on friday we had a bunch of appointments set in stone and members coming out with us to each one. Well, all 6 of them fell through and we had nothing to do. I was so frustrated that all 6 and 6 back up plans fell through. I got rebuked in the end though. So I decided to go back to the apartment and just pray. So we knelt down and prayed and asked Heavenly Father where he wanted uis to be. Then we whipped out a map and I felt that we needed to go down a street called Juniper. So we biked over there and on the way, i felt prompted to turn around and go down a different street. (it was called Hillcrest btw, yeah I know ironic). We knocked a house that stood out to me and this lady shut the door on us. so we walked back to our bikes and then her husband pulled up. So we walked up to him and started talking to him hoping this was maybe the reason we needed to be there. Turns out, he is very anti. And he yelled at us and told us how blind and stupid we were. So we walked away yet again back to our bikes to continue to Juniper. Well as we got on, his next door neighbor pulled up in his driveway and i was feeling pretty stupid. I didn't want to go talk to him and neither did elder mcmillan, but I had another feeling to talk to him. So we got off our bikes again and walked up to him. We started talking to him and he said, "you know what guys, this isnt a coincidence, i had been praying that God would show me my next step recently" he then went on to tell us that he started to believe in God after a feeling he got when he was 17. he described it as warm and chilling. Obviously the Holy Ghost. He then said, "guys I am getting that same feeling talking to you and its creeping me out". We identified it as the Holy Spirit and we are now teaching him and he has committed to baptism. 

Another miracle shows the growth of this area if we dillgently work and are obbedient. This area has always struggled because of disobedient and lazy missionaries. It had zeros and low numbers for the past couple of years. Well this week, we set 3 bpatimsal dates, had 15 member present lessons, 5 investigators at church, we found 10 new investigators and had 15 less actives at church. The highest numbers this area has ever seen. It showed us all how powerful the Lord is when we do the small and simple things like waking up on time, doing studies etc.

Another miracle. I believe very strongly in fasting and prayer now that I am out here. I fast every sunday and pray multiple times a day.  Well last sunday I was fasting and praying for families to teach because when i first got here we had like 3 investigators and they weren;t even very interested. Well we got to church and this random lady showed up who said she had been taught by missionaries before. She stayed for church and we got her address. We went by that night and I asked her "have you read the Book of mormon before?" and she said yes...and I just figured that meant a couple of pages. So I was like "how much" and she said " I have read it all and I know its true".... i looked at her kinda gawking... I asked her "wait, did you say you know its true?". She now has a baptismal date for april 13. man it was so cool.

I tell you all these things in hopes that you will realize how AWESOME and POWERFUL God is when we do the little things. He will always show forth His power if we excersise a little faith in Him. Our faith is manifest by our dilligence and obedience. 1 Nephi 7:12 rings true. 

 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

I know that God is real. I know He answers prayers. I know He is able to show forth great power through weak and simple people. I know that as we are obedient and work hard to put our faith and trust in Him...There will never be a need to worry.

I love you guys! I look forward to hearing how you all are doing!!

love,

elder cutler

Punks - 3.11.13

we stole her phone and took a picture on it after dinner once. sister ramsey is awesome

Picture time. So many. - 3.4.13

Kara. enough said.

 This picture makes me tear up a little bit. it was so sad. this night we had dinner and it was the last night I thought i'd see them. the little boy in front of me as I walked out the door started crying and came and gave me a hug. then on sunday he came up to me and asked for my address so he could write me with tears in his eyes. I couldn't help but crying with him. this family is awesome. they are the wilcox family originally from ogden. they are members in the ED3rd ward.

This is my favorite part member family ever. mark to my right is not a member. He's catholic. well we finally got him to start reading the book of mormon and just after I said bye, he told me he would be getting baptized!! it was so cool!! so I will get to come back someday and baptize him!! sister dinges was inactive until we started knocking her door. her daughter harlie is a PAIN. :) but i love them so much!

Me and the Byrd man reppin the jewels... ;) last district meeting with my district

They wanted to do a "first presidency" picture hahahhaha

 at first he was my least favorite companion, now I love the kid to death. so many miracles this transfer

My district and then the zone leaders after the baptism on saturday. dopeeee. I knew elder henderson, the really tall one from BYU

This is the mower family in the ward. craziest family you will ever meet. love them

This is chase and demi. Demi knows nothing about christianity but will be getting baptized soon. chase is a member but is less active, I always give him a hard time about not getting to church.

This was last night. me and bro thomson chillin drinkin an ice cold...what...

I will always stay in touch with this family. The Thomson family. Rachael the girl next to me has the most AMAZING voice ever. it is goddess like. no joke. haha I love this family so much. they are in our ward too.

Update - 2.4.13

Man this week has been emotional for me. I have received so much support and love from this ward. They are truly my family. Yesterday I was able to bear my testimony for the last time in the Edmond 3rd ward and it was the most spiritual experience. I have really appreciated the opportunity my Heavenly Father has given me to serve around these people. I love them. I have had so many great experiences in this area and it feels like I am leaving on another mission this wednesday when I leave. I am being transferred to Mustang, Oklahoma (I need a map haha) where I will basically be running a zone. I will be the district leader of a district of about 12 they said. so 6 companionship's. I am pretty nervous about all that especially since the Assistants and the Zone Leaders will all be in my district. I never feel like I should be the one teaching, but the Lord always seems to qualify those he serves. Other than that, I know my companion will be an Elder Macmillan from who knows where and I know that he has only been out 3 transfers....always get the young ones. It will be a good time. So thats the update for now.. I hope you don't send anymore letters to my edmond address because I will not be there. Send everything to the mission office until I can give yall my address in mustang!! :) I really am thinking alot about you and pray for you every night and fast for you every week. I hope you can feel it. I can feel yours. 

I also have a strong testimony of the reality of the atonement. It is so real. It will change people completely. It is a lifelong pursuit, something that we struggle with all the time. 

I love you all and have so many funny stories to tell you. Oklahoma is classic and I always seem to attract the older women who are thousands of pounds over weight. #missionaryProblems Good times nevertheless and it has been such a privilege to see the Lord work miracles amongst His children in the Edmond 3rd Area.

Love,

Elder Cutler