Love This Guy So Much

  Happy 30th Anniversary Mom and Dad. I'm sure it will be a memorable one being in New Orleans. That is so neat to hear that Tanner was able to be there to help with the baptism of that man and to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. We have had the most amazing miracles and I have some big news this week. Two weeks ago a young man who was the grandson of the Graffs, who is a senior couple working in the office came teaching with us. He was unsure about going out on a mission but wanted to come teach with us to see what it was like. He came out with us and as Elder Crapo and I taught the lesson the Spirit was there but not very strong. Then, when he bore his testimony on prayer, the Spirit was so strong. Then today, two weeks later, Sister Graff came in to the office and said that she wanted to thank us for something. She explained that last night Keaton went to talk with his bishop and is putting his mission papers in in two weeks. She asked him what the defining moment was for him, then she looked at us and started crying and said, "He told me it was Minnesota." I was so pumped. I'm emailing him today to tell him how excited I am for him that he is going. It will no doubt change his life forever. 

     Another neat experience from this last Friday. I was on an exchange with an Elder and we went to see a referral in an apartment building. The referral wasn't there so we knocked on all the doors right next to and across from his. A couple people rejected us and so we started walking out, but the both of us still felt that there was someone that we needed to find in the building. So I asked him to pray for a specific number that we should go knock on. He came up with 319. So we go knock on the door and my heart was pumping pretty hard because I was really hoping it would work for this kid. Of course nobody answered. So we start to head out again when he says, "Wait let's knock one more door." The next door we knock was perfect. A lady in her young 30's opened the door and we made fun of her having so many cats(She had like 4 cats but it turned out she was just cat sitting for someone else.) She laughed and then told us she had just moved into the area a month ago and was looking for a church. She agreed to come to church the following Sunday and to bring her kid. Elder Boekweg and I looked at each other after she closed the door with our jaws open. Then ran outside and started yelling we were so excited. Some old man across the street jumped pretty bad which was funny. I was so excited for Elder B to be able to see that on our exchange. It helped me out and so I'm sure it was good for him as well.

     The big news though is that I'm getting transferred. I am going back to Eastside St. Paul. Back to my birth place for the last transfer. I really couldn't have asked for anything better. It was where I started, and where it all ends. As I was thinking about my last transfer and having all these worries about if I would be able to do all that I wanted to and if I would be lazy or if I would work hard, I had a really sweet revelation, it was, "If Christ had quit the last month of His mission, what would have happened?" So if things get hard this last transfer, I'll just remember that, and I think I'll be fine.

     Anyways, I love you all and hope things go well. Thanks for the package and whatnot. My birthday was superb. Short summary, did like 6 hours of office work for transfers, went to church, and a bunch of elders snuck into our apartment and suprised me with cake and a song, and then took me golfing today. So it was nice. J Dub, that is the most awesome birthday gift. I will probably forget in the coming weeks, so you need to remind me. Don't know when you'll be in Utah, but we'll make it happen. Good luck Tan and Misa in Med School. Libby, you are looking so old now it is crazy. James and Charlie look nothing like when I started (partially because Charlie wasn't born.) Love you all and happy August.

-Elder Muaj Zoo Vwj

Pics: This is a pic of Brooks and me, the man getting baptized August 16th. Love this guy so much.

It Was So Powerful

     Tony went through with his baptism this Saturday and it went really well. We had a huge turnout from the ward because Tony has been learning for over a year and a half. After his baptism he bore his testimony and it was so powerful. He began by saying thanks to everyone and then said, "I really do just want to thank you all for saving my soul." Then he burst into tears. It made everything worth it. I love this guy so much. I told him that I will be back in a year when he and his wife Danita are sealed in the temple. They are both going Wednesday night to get temple recommends to go do baptisms for the dead. They have progressed so far in the gospel and are ready to receive callings, hold the priesthood (for Tony), and go to the temple which is exciting.

     Also our date set Brooks moved his date from August 23rd to August 16th. He called the first missionary who taught him about three years ago to come baptize him and that was the day that worked. Brooks has changed my whole life. He has a rare condition that the doctors haven't been able to identify yet which makes his muscles slowly deteriorate. He can move his neck and use four of his fingers on both hands. When he contracted the disease his wife left him and took his 14 year old son with her. He has had one of the hardest lives, but I have never heard him complain once. He has the brightest smile every time we talk and I can't wait for him to enter the waters of baptism. the whole ward loves him and they have one family a week go over and do family home evening at his house. 

     Last night we held a fireside where we have 4 or 5 recent converts in the mission share their conversion experience and missionaries come with their investigators. One of the recent converts from the Hmong Branch, Nalee Xiong, spoke about her story. She had met with the missionaries for about 4 years when she finally decided to be baptized. She said the thing that helped her most was when she finally decided not just to pick and choose the things that she liked, but to just accept the whole truth and bring her life to God's rather than try and change God. That experience really helped to understand the sons of Mosiah a little bit better. There was so many recent converts there and so many investigators that it made me wish I could serve for 14 years and just continue to teach people this message. Things are going well though and love y'all. Have a good week. 

Reading The Book Of Mormon In Hmong

  Elder Crapo and I have been up in Duluth for the past couple days doing exchanges with all of the different sets of missionaries up here. It is about 3 hours north of our area and is one of my favorite places in Minnesota. Yesterday was one of the most spiritual exchanges I have had yet. I went with a zone leader named Elder Winder who is an absolute boss. At the end of the day we taught a lady named Mia who had been taught by the missionaries 1 year ago but just wasn't ready to follow through with baptism. This last Saturday she called the missionaries because she is looking for truth and is just confused about all the hard times that she has hit and feels that God might have forced her to go through those things. The missionaries had taught her the Restoration in the last lesson and so we decided to teach about the Book of Mormon. We had planned to share with her our favorite scripture and how we came to know that the verse we had read was true. I shared with her Chandler's story and about how I was in desperate need at the time he died for God to reach out and help me, and God directed me to the Book of Mormon, and I felt that I found the answers to my questions there. And because of that experience, I have never been able to doubt the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. She paused for a moment and then I invited her to read Mosiah chapter 4 verse 9 which says 9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has allwisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. 

     Right after she finished reading she said, "I know what this verse says is true, I really can't understand everything that God has in store for us." She looked up smiling and we invited her to be baptized right then and there and she accepted. It was a powerful experience for me.

     So after having that sweet experience, this morning I finally finished reading the Book of Mormon in Hmong which has been a mission goal of mine since day 3 of my mission. It was the most amazing experience. We are staying in an apartment that had 8 other missionaries in it and as I was reading 1 of them asked me to read the last chapter out loud in Hmong because he wanted to test and see if you could feel the spirit of the Book of Mormon even if you can't understand it, so I read it to all the missionaries there and they just sat in silence and listened. As I read the last first the Spirit was there so strong if you opened your mouth you could probably taste it. 

      We have a baptism this Saturday as well with a man that I have been teaching since day 1 in Bloomington. He has had an amazing journey overcoming trials but has one of the strongest testimonies out of anyone that I have taught. He has had such a great impact on my life and I feel like the two of us have gone through a ton together so I'm really excited to see him make the next step. But yeah, things are going well and I'm lovin the North. Have a good week.

                                                                                                                -Elder Henrie

P.S. Mom, you should read chapter 3 and 6 in Preach My Gospel. You'll love them.

Hmong People Rule!

       If your wondering why that's the title of my letter, it is for two reasons, #1. Is that one of my favorite people on my mission finally got baptized this past Saturday, and #2 Somebody stole my wallet which had my temple reccomend in it :'(  Worth at least 500 billion. So yeah dad don't worry I am still being obedient and did not spend like 500 bucks onhobbytron.com

       This week was really spiritual and I feel like I learned so much. The baptism of M was so amazing and he bore the coolest testimony. He has come to church for almost a year and read all the way up to Moroni before his dad would let him be baptized. He is such a good example to the whole branch and they all look up to him a ton. When he bore his testimony he cried the whole time and he talked about how grateful he was for Jesus Christ in his life and how happy he was that he could stand in front of God and tell Him that he is clean. It was really neat.

       After the baptism we had a slide show with pictures of all the people that were baptized this year and last year and had a few of the recent converts share their conversion story. It was something I will probably never forget and it was so neat to hear their side of the story. I never knew how annoyed our investigators were by us but they all said that in the end it was worth it.

       Miracle of the week was defintely a white dude named J that Elder Moss and I found. We were stopping by a less active who wasn't home and as we were walking back to our car there was a man filling up his car with a gas can and so we walked over to talk to him. Right when we walked up he had the biggest smile on his face. We didn't really have to say anything before he opened up and just started telling his whole life story to us. He had been in the military for over 20 years and had been over seas for more than 10. He had just recently left his church because in his own words,"I'm sick of all the big screens and people passing out and speaking gibberish. Seems like more of a concert than worshipping God to me." He then told us how his wife was addicted to drugs and that he had tried to commit suicide twice in the past week but had failed. After he said that he just paused and no one said anything. The Sprit came so strong and we told him how much God loved him and that we share a message that Christ's church has been brought back. He perked right up after that. He didn't have much more time so we handed him a Restoration pamphlet. As we were walking away we asked if there was anything else we could do for him and I will never forget what he said. He raised the pamphlet in his hand and with a smile/tears on his face said, "No boys, this is all I'll ever need." It was an amazing experience that I don't think I could forget if I tried.

        So yeah things are still steezy in St. Peezy and I hope all of you have an awesome week!

 

   Elder Muaj Zoo

 

P.S. Dad I am glad you got better but I have to say I kind of knew you would. I was reminded of the blessing President Castleton gave to me when I was set apart that my family would be taken care of and sure enough, the Lord never breaks His promise.

P.P.S. Mom I really don't need anything for my birthday I promise. If anything just pray for a girl named J because she has a baptismal date set for August 2nd and I think that is the best present I could ever get.

Pictures are of M at his baptism and of me and the Elders at J-4. Look at the number on 2014. I laughed so hard. Hmong people rule!

Happy Easter!

       Happy Easter Everybody! This was might have been the happiest and one of the most memorable holidays in my entire life. My companion and I were able to confirm 5 people as members of the church (the 4 kids and then another lady who got baptized) and the Spirit was so strong. The young mens president confirmed the son M and in his blessing he talked all about how he would serve a mission and the Holy Ghost would help him have great success as a servant of the Lord. After the confirmations we had a musical program and for some reason they asked Elder Hardy and I to sing in the choir and I don't know why because both of us sound like the Penguin that's been left on the shelf to long in Toy Story when we sing. Also there was only 3 other guys singing with us so I'm pretty sure everyone in the ward heard us but whatevs. It was one of the most spiritual sacrament meetings that I have ever been to. I feel like this last month studying about the Atonement  and the Ressurrection I have truly learned how awesome Christ is and how great of an opportunity we have to learn and grow through his example.

     Had a pretty neat experience with a young hmong guy named K last night too. We have been teaching him and his wife J for about 2 weeks and they haven't really been progressing so Elder Hardy and I felt the need to go in guns blazing last night. When we go in there appartment the craziest scene began to unfold. First of all Hmong people don't believe in air conditioning so it felt like we were in an oven except that it was humid and my companion and I had our suits on. They have four boys all under 6 and they are all naked running around screaming causing a rucus. Needless to say it was gonna be tough to bring the Spirit but my companion is a beast and he had the awesome idea of showing them the Because of Him video to start the lesson. During the video it got quiet and after it ended we all paused and just listened to the Spirit. Everything changed in that house. K and J looked up smiling and we ended up having a super awesome lesson. We committed them for baptism on May 31st so we are really excited for the two of  them. All we have to do is get them married legally before they can be baptized so that will be fun.

      Don't have to much else this week, just want you all to know that I think you're awesome and keep up the good work. Also J Dub that's crazy that you built a nuclear submarine. If you have any extra time you should work on building me the rocket ship that Vector has on Despicable Me. Also I wouldn't mind that super sweet white jumpsuit that he has. Libby congrats on getting like 100 eggs this last Easter but when I get back I promise I'm not going easy on you like everybody else. See ya :)

 Some Hmong Kids Tracting With Us

The K Family Baptism

God Really Does Know Each of Us

   First of all before I say anything else. Major shoutout to the BIG BRO for getting into Stanford. That is super awesome and I am way proud (not suprised) and they are lucky to have you.

     Super amazing week this week. To answer your question dad. T did get baptized. She is the wife of the young man in the picture who is baptizing her. It was one of the most spiritual experiences. Honestly the day of the baptism was pretty stressful because we didn't have any jumpsuits and we didn't have the church reserved and all of these people who had planned to help out didn't show up. (I figure this is kind of what a wedding is like and once it's over your happy.) But everything ended up working out find and when she was baptized it was probably one of the happiest moments of my life. She had been investigating the church for about 6 months. It was so amazing to see the change in the 4 weeks that Elder Meyer and I taught her. I really don't know how it happened. She turned from this super shy girl who didn't want to get baptized because of her parents into the most outgoing girl who has one of the strongest testimonies of Jesus Christ that I have heard. She grew up in Thailand and came to America when she was a young teenager. Her family was very devout Buddhist and did not want anything to do with Christianity. Her story of all the miracles that had to happen in order for her to be able to know the gospel and feel the blessings of the Atonement was such a faith builder that God really does know each of us and is closely involved in each of our lives.

    This Sunday was also really neat when we confirmed her a member of the Church and also gave her the Holy Ghost. As we were confirming her it felt like the Spirit just filled my whole soul and that it was literally moving from all of us to her. Super wierd feeling but also powerful and unforgettable.

     The miracle that I want to tell you about this week is about a man named V. We met him in the strangest way possible. Elder Meyer and I were running for our bus (as usual) and there was a man standing in the sidewalk blocking our way. Because of that we ended up missing our bus because we literally ran into him. God works in mysterious ways what can I say. We ended up talking to him for a few minutes and set up an appointment for us to go meet him at his house a few days later. We went to see him and found out quickly that he had quite the mountain to climb. He has struggled with depression his whole life and because of that has drinking, smoking, and other obeidience to commandment issues. He is probably one of my favorite people on the whole earth. He is the most happy jolly guy and can really make anyone smile. The hard part is when he hits one of his depression episodes. It has been so interesting and has built my love for this man so much. I have seen what he could be with the gospel in his life and know that he has the ability to overcome all of his trials. He wants to change but has so much in his life that is trying to pull him down. But we ran into him Tuesday, taught him on Thursday, came to church on Sunday and he'll be a changed man in just a few more Saturdays, a true blessing from the Lord.

      Mom-to answer some of your questions. Day to day life=eat preach sleep. How do I cook=cans of chicken noodle soup and oatmeal. How do I organize my day=daily planning every night. How do I get around= bike walk or bus if its snowing or really far.

      Dad- I honestly have no idea why I thought Libby was getting baptized this year. I totally remember when her Bowen and that other girl got baptized and Tanner had to speak at it. But yes, I have never been more tired in my whole entire life which I guess is probably a good sign. One of the things I have noticed though is that as a missionary falling asleep at 10:30 is like blinking, you don't even have to try.

     Love all of you and congrats to JW. I know he'll make the right choice though and go to the U because the Utes have the greatest college football team known to man. Tell Trevin that I'm proud of him and he will be a great missionary. I know the church is true and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. If it wasn't I wouldn't be here. Christ lives and walks with us daily. Sib ntsib dua kuv tsev neeg. Kuv hlub nej sawv daws. Kuv hais tej yam no los ntawm Yexus Khetos lub npe zoo. Amees. (Note from Erin:  On Google Translate, this translates to:
Goodbye my family. I love all of you. I say these things of Jesus Christ. Amen.)                      
Elder Muaj Zoo Vwj