Monday, October 31, 2016

Halloween - Lewisburg, Tennessee


Hello Everyone!

Today has been an interesting day. We actually went out working this morning since we will be stuck inside all night. We had a pretty fantastic lesson reading the Book of Mormon with our investigator. We read the story of Lehi's dream and she loved how much it reminded her of her own life. I love reading the Book of Mormon with her because she does a wonderful job of likening them unto herself and really learning from the stories. She has such a strong testimony on the scriptures and I enjoy hearing how they have helped her so many times to find joy in life.

Afterwards, we helped the Spanish sisters move into a new apartment. Of course none of them had any idea how to assemble bed frames or pack boxes so that was an adventure. Now at last we are beginning our P-Day. After shopping we will go bowling and afterwards hand out candy to small children who knock on our door.

We had the very best Halloween costumes ever that we wore to the ward trunk or treat. Unfortunately I do not have the pictures yet. We are waiting for a member to email them to us so you will have to get them next week. Sorry to disappoint you but I promise it will be worth it when you get the pictures. Have a great week! Love you all!

Elder Basham



Well here are our costumes. We decided to all go as Disney characters together. Obviously the sisters did a little better than us, but it is very hard to find a costume that includes a white shirt and tie. I was trying to be Christopher Robin and thankfully most all of the members got that and thought it was cute. Elder Thompson was supposed to be Christoff from Frozen, but as you see that didn't quite work out. Anyway it was fun.
From left to right:
Sister Degraffenried - Aurora
Hermana Elliot - Jane, from Tarzan
Sister Wellisch -  Snow White
Hermana Hill - Belle

Monday, October 24, 2016

Goats! - Lewisburg, Tennessee

 We went on a field trip as a district today and milked some goats! It was great. Now we have half a gallon of goat milk and we are going to make yogurt. I am so excited!



So I found out that they normally sell the goats milk for $10 a gallon. It is pretty cool that we got all of this. It is actually quite delicious!


Monday, October 17, 2016

540,000 Minutes - Lewisburg, Tennessee

Hello everybody,

It appears that I was so excited about the goats last week that I entirely forgot about my year mark. How weird. I have been out for over a year now. It really doesn't feel like that. I have enjoyed it fantastically and look forward to one more awesome year.

Speaking of memories, this is my companion from the MTC, Elder Melville from Utah. I can still clearly remember the first time I met him last October 7 at about 2:00 PM MST. I was in the computer classroom on the fifth floor of the large building on the south side of the MTC. He walked in and we were introduced. It was a really cool moment for me. I realized then that I was actually on a mission and I had my very own companion to be with all the time. (Much later it dawned on me just how much "all the time" is and it kind of freaked me out. Although I am used to it by now. It will be really weird to go home and be alone again. Ewww.) Unfortunately, Elder Melville had to go home our second week there and never made it out to Tennessee. That is until now. One year later he has made it back out on his mission and is right here with us. His picture was taken at zone conference last week. It was super cool to see him again and he is so happy to be able to serve a mission.



Here are the rest of zone conference pictures:




This last week was fantastic. One really cool miracle lead us to a couple who are engaged and preparing for their marriage. They had heard of the church before and asked us the question "Don't you guys believe in sealing families?" It was absolutely wonderful. We testified of the truth of eternal families and the joy of being linked through the generations. They loved it and really felt the spirit and asked how it could be possible for their own family. We taught them the message of the restoration. As we explained that the priesthood keys held by Jesus Christ and His apostles of old were given to Joseph smith, they saw the wondrous joy. The power to bind families together really is upon the earth today. By the atonement and authority of Jesus Christ, we are able to overcome sin and death to live together with Him once again. I know that this is true. This is His church and His missionary work. I am so grateful to be part of it and very blessed to see His power changing the lives of those I serve. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Elder Basham

PS. At least every single week of the summer -- and sometimes multiple times a day -- I have found a new bug or spider that I have never before seen in my life. I keep thinking that Tennessee will eventually run out of new bugs and after a whole year I would have seen them all. No such luck.




Monday, October 10, 2016

Goats! - Lewisburg, Tennessee

Hello everyone!

This week we got to go to the goat festival. It was probably my favorite thing I have done on my mission so far. We had a booth right at the entrance and across from the petting zoo. They had baby goats, a camel, and a zebra. So many members helped us throughout the day and we were able to teach tons of people. We already have one baptismal date from the people we met and a list of almost 20 self-referrals to contact. The Spanish sisters also helped out and were able to find several Spanish speaking families for their teaching pool. It was an absolute blast talking and eating funnel cakes all day while doing missionary work. I am fairly certain Hermana Hill and I each ate about 5 pounds of junk food throughout the day while talking about how Arizona is the greatest place on earth. I had a terrible sugar crash that night, but in the end we gave out over 300 books and pamphlets.


Elder Basham and Elder Thompson at the Lewisburg Goat Festival

Also I did have a great time at the fair. There were tons of people all lined up to watch the goat judging and auctions. There were a lot of seven year old kids bringing in goats bigger than themselves. That was very cute to see. Of course though, the first thing I had to do was find the beekeeper and buy some honey, so that is exactly what I did. There is nothing better than local raw honey, especially since it helps with allergies. I also was handed this little tiny bottle when I asked for hot sauce with my food. It is so cute I nearly died.






We had a really awesome miracle where an investigator decided he wanted to talk to us and we knocked on his door literally 5 seconds later. He thought it was the coolest thing ever. He was literally jumping up and down and yelling thank you up to God. For a long time he has struggled with feeling that God is actually listening to him and will answer his prayers. This really changed his mind and since then he has just been so much happier. Him and his son have been praying each night and can feel the answers. Last night we visited him again and read him Alma 32:27 and he really loved it. He asked me to read it again and he was just shocked at how much it applied to him. He really has the "desire to believe" and wants to read the whole chapter now to learn how to grow that faith. It is awesome!

I am really grateful for this fantastic week and all of the miracles that happened along the way including a new investigator who had already read up to the book of Alma and brought her friend to our second lesson so she could get a book too. I know that the lord's hand really is in this work and he loves the people of Lewisburg Tennessee. I am grateful to be part of this fantastic work and to have a front row seat in each of these miracles. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Basham

PS. Since coming to Lewisburg I have learned about the "War of Northern Aggression." I had never heard anyone call it that before and was kinda surprised at the version of the story I heard. They have a confederate statue in the town square. It is interesting how differently the people see history here.

Monday, October 3, 2016

- Lewisburg, Tennessee

Hello everyone!
Do you know starts with a T and rhymes with four-wheel drive? If you guessed Toyota Tacoma then you probably have no idea how to rhyme, but you would be correct. Yes, I drive a truck now. I never thought I would ever be that cool. I thought life was best with a Kia Soul, but this thing is definitely awesome. We also have a house. This is very different from my mission experience so far, but I am not going to complain.


Toyota Truck and our Lewisburg house

Yes Lewisburg is an awesome place! I am super excited because Saturday we get to go to a goat festival the town is having. Trucks and goats! Adelia would love it here! Here is a picture of us driving back through the woods at night to go visit a member. It was very awesome, though I have never had to use my brights so often before in my life.


Driving through the woods with the brights on.

Wasn't General Conference just amazing! I really loved all of the talks. It is cool how often it felt like they were written just for me. God truly works in wondrous ways. I especially loved President Eyring talking about gratitude and Elder Rasband telling us to remember our blessings, testimonies, andexperiences to find strength now. I have decided to combine these two lessons together and start writing things I am grateful for in my journal each night and recording the miracles I see and feel. It is amazing the difference it made in my attitude after just one night.

I hope you all have a fantastic week. Love you
Elder basham