Hellloooo!

So the mission is still awesome. Im loving this so much. Time is flying by though and it's a little freaky. Elder Lira and I are tight like unto a dish and are seeing a lot of success. Elder Lira will be going home this transfer along with a lot of other missionaries I know. One thing that I have learned from Elder Lira is that when it's time to go home, it's time to go home. Some missionaries get to the end and they love the mission so much that they want to just stay out for ever and have a really hard time going home. Elder Lira is someone who realizes the importance of progression. He is excited to go home and progress in life and he knows that you don't need a name tag to be a missionary. I have really tried to let that become engraved in my heart. I will always be a missionary whether I have a tag or not. No, that doesnt mean that we have to go around preaching all day every day haha but we have been asked as children of God to be examples to our fellow brethren. To take upon us the name of Christ, and be ready always to comfort those that stand in need of comfort, mourn with those that mourn, and always be ready and willing to follow the direction that God would have us take. That is the path that will bring us the most happiness. I wonder how much greater the world would be if we each looked for opportunities to serve others each day, and then follow the opportunities that we see and do them. I know that there will never be a time when we serve someone else that we will not be blessed for it. If the love of Christ was brought into every relationship and every family, we would, as a world, be lifted out of poverty, freed from disputations and needless arguments, and truly be a happy people. 

Sincerely Elder Irvine.

Just a few pics this week

I don't have time to write today, but here's a few pics of the beautiful ladies we baptized Saturday night and an amazing hike we went on our P-day.  Life is so Good!!

Hey Ya'll

Ok so...I am missing southern cooking now. But, it's ok. They do their best here! :D 

My companion and I are giving talks in sacrament next week and we have two people set to be baptized on the 28th at 7. Super excited. Elder Lira  and I ride our bikes on this one road a lot and it's super fun because there is this truck that every time it passes, it tries to fling gravel at us with its tires. haha It's super funny. It just makes me want to chase the truck and talk to him about Jesus Christ! :) 

Anyways, I'm loving it out here. I'm almost to 6 months. That's very strange. I'm almost 1/4th of the way done with my mission....WOAH. I guess it is a good thing it's going by fast. I really hope I can continue in my learning and growth after my mission. 

I think it's interesting when I hear someone say they have been "saved" but they are the same person they were before. If you haven't changed at all then what have you been "saved" from? Im not sure if that makes sense but I hope it does. We are meant to become better by following Jesus Christ and becoming more like him. Do our best and He will do the rest. But it's important to do our best. I don't think He said "follow me"  or "if ye love me, keep my commandments" just for fun. I think He meant it. "Be ye therefor perfect, even as your Father, which is in Heaven is perfect." Through the enabling power and saving power of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us, we can be made perfect. But we have a part to play too, otherwise He wouldn't have need to tell us anything. 

Anyways love yall! 

Your friend, Elder Sawyer Irvine.

Hey Ya'll

Hallo! 

This is Elder Irvine. So I am now serving right next to downtown Boise but not in it. I can honestly say that there are some strange people in BOISE, but most of Idaho is cool :) I love my new area it is so much fun to meet new people and have new experiences. 

I want to encourage everyone to read Exodus 31 : 13. It talks about what the Sabbath day is and what the Lord wants it to be. Sabbath is so important. Inspiring and spiritually rejuvenating, the Sabbath day is essential for Christians to keep the spiritual power they need in order to combat each and every week against the temptations and negative influences we face that attempt to draw us away from the Savior.

 Brothers and Sisters, make time for the Sabbath. Now sometimes there are responsibilities that some of us hold which is understandable. However, I promise that when the time is made to dedicate yourself as much as you can to keeping the reverence of the Sabbath day each and every week, the Lord will ensure the blessings of Heaven to you and your family. I don't know any worldly or temporal pleasure or thing that is greater or more joyful than bringing  the promised blessings of Heaven in this life and in the life to come. That is my testimony of the Sabbath day. I encourage you all to gain the same testimony if you haven't already and then increase your testimony and become immovable and always abounding in good works as it says in Mosiah 5: 15. Yall should read that scripture too, out of the Book of Mormon. 

My message in sticks!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Irvine

Friends

Fishing on P-day, caught a Bass :)

Did all of you know that you are my friends? I wasn't sure, so I wanted to make sure ya'll knew. I know I don't know everyone super well but that's ok because you're still my friends. Friends to me have always meant support, help, lift, inspiration, protection and love. But, I suppose that really everything that I listed comes from love? All you really need is love. Do we love our friends? I do.  I love all ya'll!  Maybe I love some more than others but that's just because I know some better. 

Friends are really important because you have to have love in your life. If you don't then it just ain't gonna work out too well. So, let's make sure we love our friends, all of them. It doesn't mean you have to take cookies over but I do hope that everyone knows that if they needed some advice or an ear to listen, that I would love to. And I'm hopeful that everyone could say that to me and to one another. As a missionary, that's what we do every day. We listen. We support. We Love. I would challenge everyone to keep each other in mind a little more this week and hopefully build on becoming everyone's friend. Thank you everyone for your support. 

Love, Your friend

Elder Irvine

Finally I can Write

I'm soaking all the pity I can get!

Hey everyone.

I'm sorry I couldn't email the last two weeks. My head was introduced to a wooden board at high speeds and I got a concussion last weekend. I was out and in bed all week. Really boring!  I don't recommend a concussion. 

Yeah we have a car since I got a concussion for a week or so :)

I thought I would share a quick scripture from the Book of Mormon. Its something I have committed to memory and have done my best to apply it in my actions. A captain of good guys in Alma chapter 46 verse 12 in the Book of Mormon writes a "title of liberty" on a rent cloth. The reason he is doing it is because a lot of bad guys are coming to battle against the good guys and they are really evil. They want to kill and enslave all the good guys. So Captain Moroni ( the good guy's leader ) Erects this "title of Liberty" as a statute for the good guys to fight and live by. This is what it says.

"In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children."

- Captain Moroni, Book of Alma chapter 46 verse 12 in the Book of Mormon. 

I love that title. It's simple but true.  It's pure, it's loving, and I believe it should be a way for us to guide and direct our lives. In each of our actions may we think of how it will show respect for and affect the name and image of our God, religion, freedom, peace, wives, and our children. 

If you are addicted to anything, you are not free because you are bound to something that causes you to make decisions based on if that addiction will still be available to you. I encourage you all to observe your actions and find out who you are, by what or rather who, you are acting for. 

I love you all and hope you enjoyed that scripture. 

Love,

Elder Sawyer Irvine

A Bump on the Head

Well I don't like having to write for Sawyer 2 weeks in a row, but this week he's not able due to a bump on the head and 5 staples in the head.   Boys!!!

Apparently he was trying to help a lady take apart some furniture so they could toss in a dumpster and when he hit a piece of the furniture with whatever he had in his hands...a board from the furniture flipped around and hit his head.  Why do boys enjoy destroying things????

Unfortunately, he has been placed on bed rest until he is symptom free (no nausea and no headache) for 24 hours.  Before the bump however he had a great week.  He was able to go hiking with his district last P-day and sent some great pics.

Sword fighting

Boys being boys!

My cutie pie!

Thank you everyone for your support.  Sawyer sends his love!

Monica

Too busy to write

My little friend

Talking to my family on Mother's Day

Hello,

Sawyer was too busy to write a letter this week but he wanted me to express to his friends, family, his ward family, Bishop Pickett & his Ragnar team that he speaks of you often and tells many stories of the influence you all have had on his life to the people he meets.






He is overwhelmed by how fast his mission is going which he says, "Makes me see what a small sacrifice in reality this mission is."  Although his mom does not see it as a small sacrifice, it is good that Sawyer is humbled by the magnitude of the blessings he feels from the Lord by comparison to this sacrifice.  He loves his mission.

Please continue to keep him in your prayers and keep in mind that he truly loves to hear from you.

Thank you for the support,
Monica

A much needed day with friends

Getting ready for day of service cutting trees

This is a good friend of mine! We are from the same ward haha. He is really awesome and he looks good! We were sitting while emailing and all of the sudden he stood up and I turned around and there he was! HE WAS BEHIND ME FOR LIKE 40 MINUTES OR MORE! Haha His name is Elder Avery and he is a boss! He picked me up on his shoulder, haha, which brought back memories! He has been out just over a year.   So I got here the transfer before his year mark! Isnt that awesome! He will still be here for a good bit of my mission.  haha Thats really cool. 

Finding a little piece of Home with Elder Avery!

Good to know some things never Change!!

We should all look for God's hand in our life more. If we do, we will see why it really is easy to be positive a lot more. Its really nice! :) 

I love yall! Hope everyone is doing wonderful.  But if not, look for God's hand in your life.  I promise your spirit will be lifted. It's awesome. 

Me being a boss spraying some poison for Service.

Awesome cowboy boots given to me by a Vietnam Vet!  Yes, I did wear them.

Something that reminded me of home.

Love,

Elder Irvine

Elder Irvine!

Third Month Accomplished

Always on the Bike!

So my third month has been done. It has been a blast. The fun never stops on your mission haha if you make it so. I honestly am so happy every day. Like even when I'm tired and like mellow I'm really happy inside. I just cant show it because I am too tired!  Working out every day and then biking every day is really good at keeping fit! All ya'll should try it! 

Always enjoy doing some service

In fact, I have a challenge to issue to everyone this week. I have started reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible side by side with these 5 things in mind:

1) Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement(Yellow)

2) Repentance (green) 

3) Baptism(blue)

4) Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost(red)

5) Enduring to the End(purple)

 

As you can see each topic has a color after it. Now you can use any colored pencils you want, however I use these and as I read through the words of God and see a scripture that describes faith, or receiving or listening to the Holy Ghost or baptism, I mark that scripture with the corresponding color. This has caused a furthering in my testimony that the Bible and the Book of Mormon strongly testify of a Living Savior who is Jesus Christ. 

I encourage you all to begin this marking in your scripture study of the Bible and Book of Mormon. If you dont study the scriptures, now is a wonderful time to begin and witness the blessings that shower from heaven as you apply this joyful good news that is the Gospel of Christ in your every day life. I know that many of you are so so happy and have great joy. However, there is a fullness of joy that can only be expressed and felt in the Restoration of the Gospel on the Earth today. 

I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that by applying its teaching to your life, you can experience a fullness of joy. A joy and knowledge that God lives and through His Son we are saved. I bear witness along side the Bible and Book of Mormon that there is a living prophet on the Earth today and God leads His church in everlasting life through His Prophets. In this is my testimony and knowledge and I promise that by reading and experimenting upon the words of the Book of Mormon and modern day proghets you can know for your self that the Fullness of the Gospel is here today. 

In the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Irvine

For a Free copy of the Book of Mormon, click here:  http://www.mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon?CID=99110174&s_kwcid=AL!3737!10!3326888536!20473785836&ef_id=VTVKtQAABA72NS85:20150420185133:s

I know this is a good look for me...pants leg roled up to keep it out of the stokes, rake in one hand and doing my best to steer with the other hand.  #lifeasamissionary

Got to Love It!

This is Dinky.  A present from my family for Easter.

The mission is going great. There has been a lot of success and a lot of work. We had service work from about 10 to about 5 the other day which was very fun and exhausting haha. I love the mission work so much. I have never felt so successful. The work the missionaries do is so great and hard that it just about knocks you out, but it is so much fun and rewarding to so many more people than yourself. 

For some reason this week there was a larger population of people than normal that yelled out "Hail Satan" at my companion and I. I wonder if that really brings them joy?   How sad and miserable their lives must be that they try to drag others down. Obviosley they have never talked to missionaries because if they had, they would know that we only ever always and forever talk about Jesus Christ. We talk about the great and lasting atonement, his taking upon himself our sins and sorrows, so that he may help us and save us. 

I love Jesus Christ. We are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are not Mormons.  We are Disciples of Christ doing our best to follow in His foot steps and keep His commandments because He loves us. And then blessings are promised. 

Thank you everyone for all of your support and kind attitudes. I hope everyone realizes what the mission requires from young women and men that take them on. They are setting aside their lives for two years trusting everything to the Lord because missionaries Love you and just want to share some of the happiness they have come to know with you. If anyone doesnt desire the message, just give the missionaries some water at least and politely speak to them. If anyone tried to follow Jesus Christ as we invited them to, they would come to know why we are so so happy and they would want to share it with the world too.

I love my Savior Jesus Christ and know that He lives. I testify of the saving and enabling power of His atonement and promise that when you follow His commandments because you love him, blessings will be given to you and your family. 

Yes, this is me cutting my poor companions Hair.  Supposedly, he trust me...Foolish!

Real concentration.  Did I tell you this was my first haircut!

Sincerely Elder Irvine

Happy Easter

So this week was very wonderful. We were super busy throughout the whole week and then had a great weekend with General Conference (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2015/04?cid=HP_SU_4-5-2015_dPTH_fGC_xLIDyL1-B_&lang=eng). It was awesome. I'm so greatful to have a living prophet on the Earth today with Apostles to guide and lead the church as God directs. The talks were so amazing. 

I told the family that I was watching it with, that if each of them asked me one question, that with the help of General Conference, we could find the answers. After the First session of General Conference, All of the questions were answered. It was amazing. It shows that the talks given were inspired. It was truly amazing. 

I hope that anyone who did not watch General Conference will take the opportunity on lds.org to watch the talks given. It was so wonderful when they spoke about eternal families, marriage and the promises given to those by God through scripture who love Him and keep His commandments.

 I am running a little low on time but I will say this. 

I know that the Prophets are called of God and that they are the reason this Church flourishes and that its members are so blessed. I have never been so happy. This gospel is true and its fruits are good and ready to be partaken of. 

Happy Easter. 

Sincerely, 

Elder Irvine

On P-day (preparation day) last week, we were able to do a little hiking.  These pics are from this little adventure.

Hey Ya'll

So this week on the 28th, a 19 year old young man joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was awesome! I just cant even explain the greatness of missionary work. Even when people yell at us or shew us away with their hand and we walk off, it's still awesome! 

This is Brandon who just got baptized!  He's an awesome young
man who wants to serve a mission.

I thought that today I could share a fun experience. We were doing service for a member who has not been to church for a while and she is super nice. Well we were using some tools out of the garage and the door was half way open. I thought I could walk under it without ducking...... Well, I go to walk under the garage door and I punch the door with my face. The garage door won... It was pretty funny. I was laughing and like groaning from pain at the same time but it was great! Any ways, after we served there for a couple of hours like 10 to 2, we then went to another member's house and served for a few more hours :) It was really fun. 

It's good to be a missionary!

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 2 : 17 that talks about how when you are "in the service of your fellow being you are only in the service of your God." It is such a joy to see people light up at work done for them :) I would encourage all of you to do service for someone this week. Big or small, someone you know or someone you don't just do some service and feel the goodness of Christ from loving your fellow being. 

Sincerely, Elder Irvine 

First Baptism

Such a wonderful day!

Alma 17 :11 says, "And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls."  

O what great joy it is to know that as a missionary and that by bringing the good news of the restoration of the Gospel to God's children, you are bringing salvation to the souls of His children. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. 

Lots of selfies

I am so grateful for the joy and happiness I have seen brought into the homes of those we teach. I am so grateful to see every day the endless love God has for His children.

I wake up everyday so happy to serve!

The only way to know for sure if the Gospel has been restored today in its fullness to the earth by God through Joseph Smith with the Book of Mormon is to pray and ask God if it is true. By so doing, wanting to know if it is true ready to act on the answer you receive of its truthfulness, He will manifest the truth of it unto by the power of the Holy Ghost. We know how the Holy Ghost speaks to us from Galations 5: 22 - 23. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. If you feel any, some, or all of these feelings when you pray to know the truth of something then you know the Holy Ghost is manifesting the truth of it unto you. What does it mean when you come to know that the Restored Gospel is true and that we have a living prophet on the earth today? It means that God loved us from the beginning and continues to love us now and wants to help us. It means that there is all new good news to make you happier, to comfort you, to answer your questions, and bring you closer to your Heavenly Father, our living God. I do not know why people would not want this to be true. All I do as a missionary is invite people to pray and ask God if this gospel is true and a living gospel and Christ's gospel on the earth today. They are converted by God and the Holy Ghost, not by me. 

James 1:5 - "If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." If you ask in faith, God will answer you I promise. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Don't think I've changed that much :) and yes, that is a chain saw in my hands.  I'm rocking it!

Idaho really is beautiful

Sincerely, Elder Irvine

My First Baptism Scheduled

So we have a baptism planned this week for Thursday.  I cannot wait!  Its gonna be so great!  I am loving the mission so so much! The 14th was my 2 month mark! AHHH! It's going by so fast! Its super fun!

This is my district

We are so busy every day, running from one place to the next. It is so cool to not only talk to those who are investigating the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but to talk to the members and families in the ward where I serve in. It is so amazing to see families just become happier and feel the spirit increase in their home as we share a message with them or serve them. I love them so much. 

This is me after I cooked Randazzo one night. 

My roommates loved it and me for making it. haha It was really good

One little girl I've met is about 10 years old and is named Taylor. We had to stop by their house to ask them a question one day and when she saw me at the door she yelled, "ELDER IRVINE!" and leaped from her door step and gave me a big hug before I could even react. haha It was adorable. How sweet it is to bring joy and smiles into a family and their children's lives. That is a testimony to me of a GOOD WORK.

I love yall and hope everyone is doing great! 
Elder Irvine

Still Loving It!

Sorry I didnt send out a group email last week.  It was super busy!  We have baptisms coming up this month; on the 19th and on the 28th. Im so excited!!! I hope everyone is doing great! 

My Zone

Sadly my trainer got transferred today. So Im having to take over the area and I am half way through training but it's all good.  Me and my new companion are gonna rock this area! I can't wait.  It's gonna be super fun! I am honestly running low on time already! I will do better next week I promise. haha  These last two weeks have just been super busy but thats a good thing! My first transfer has gone by so fast I cannot believe it! The time is just going by faster and faster. I cant believe it! I love this work. To see people change their lives and just become such happier and lighter people is amazing. I have never seen such a fruitful gospel. It is amazing! 

I teach EVERYONE the gospel :)

I would like everyone to check out this scripture when ya'll can!  2 Nephi 25: 26  "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies  that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."  It's very amazing in telling what the purpose of the Gospel is, what it speaks of and how it can help everyone.  

Don't think I've forgotten where I come from!

Love Yall! 

Elder Irvine