Oh boyyyy...Transfers

Ok folks, 

Lots of big news this week. We got transfer calls. My 6-month career in Cheney is over :( I will getting transferred to Clarkston, WA. It's about 2.5 hours south of where I am right now. I am SO sad to leave Cheney. I will be sweeping into the area, meaning that there isn't a companion there waiting for me. I will also be training a new missionary... again. Hahaha. While I am very excited for this chance, I am terrified. Not only does my companion not know the area, but he also doesn't know how to be  missionary. Oh great. I could really use your prayers this week. 

Also I am broke. I run out of money early every month because the only thing worse than my budgeting skills is my singing voice. So I will attempt to survive a week with whatever food I can bring with me from this apartment. If you feel so inclined to donate to a missionary in need, please send all donations to 1308 15th St, Clarkston, WA 99403. Much obliged. [Editor's Note: Elder Rapier will be ok.] 

Pretty much my stress is paramount at this point in time. On top of all of that, I was told by my President that I am being sent into a dead area as his "last hope." That is encouraging. As much as I am stressed, I am living evidence that the Lord sustains his servants. He has held me up time and time again. 

Also, sidenote - we baptized Lexi this week. It was a good way to end my time here. 

The other good news is, Elder Brinkerhoff and I dropped a spiritual bomb on the city of Cheney. We put 5 people on date this week in just the YSA ward. That is absolutely bananas. I guess I can say I left on a high point. Let's hope Elder Brinkerhoff keeps it rolling next transfer. I witnessed miracles in the janky little city of Cheney. I am so grateful for the different missionary this city has helped me become.

I have such a strong testimony of the power of change through the atonement of Christ. Not only from bad to good, but from good to better, and better to best. I know how possible it is to change. I have also come to realize how judgments are an evidence of a lack of faith in Christ. When we believe in His atonement, then we also believe in its transforming powers; therefore, we must believe in change and progression beyond mistakes and sins of the past. I invite each of you to remove the judgments you have cast by your faith in the Atonement of Jesus. 

I love each of you. I also love this work, and I testify of its reality.

-E.Rapier

Elders Brinkerhoff and Rapier at Lexi's baptism

Da Boyz

Last Week in Cheney...Maybe...

Hey y'all. 

So solid out here in Cheney WA. This is likely my last week here. I have now been here 6 months and transfers are next week. Elder Brinkerhoff and I are getting work put in! I love this area. Covering 3 wards has us SO busy. We found 4 more investigators this week! 

Also big news - we are getting smartphones in December. Not sure how I feel about that. I like old fashioned missionary work. 

Update on our investigators: 

We went to the temple with John this week! He is so solid. He really liked it, he is really excited to do his family history and get them baptized. He went to Utah and walked around temple square and tried to convert his little brother. Lol, he kills me.

Bryan is doing good. No new news for him. 

Cesear came to church again, had a migraine, and had to go home early. He gave up coffee before we even taught the word of wisdom and was having withdrawals. Wow, blessing. 

Ed and Kristen, the family from Alaska, came to church. All of them - all 7 of them. Yeesh. Also we put them on date for baptism in November. Literally we are so blessed. This area is known for being a black hole for missionary work. The Lord is out here preparing people. I testify of that fo'sure. There is no way we could be getting this done by ourselves. 

We also had a couple less-active people we have been teaching come to church. Literally I can see the Lord's hand every day. I am so thankful for him.

Lexi is going to get baptized this Saturday! It will be a good way to leave Cheney! 

Elder Brinkerhoff and I have been trying to read 5 pages of the Book of Mormon everyday in our companionship. One huge thing I have noticed is literally how many references there are to Jesus Christ. Anyone who claims that the Book of Mormon slights Jesus Christ has not read the book. The Book must speak for itself. I invite each of you to READ IT. 

Have a good week :) I love being a missionary!

-E.Rapier

At the Spokane Temple with John the kayaker.

WE ARE ON FIRE!

Hey y'all -

It has been a lit week, hahaha. Ok, I will stop with the dad humor. For those of you who don't know, more than half of our mission is on fire! We were told to stay inside for like 2 days so we didn't get bronchitis and die.  Elder Brinkerhoff and I had too much going on, so we stayed outside anyway. 

Covering three areas led to straight miracles this week. We found 8 new investigators...WHATTT?? Yeah, I couldn't believe it. We found a family of 5 people - holy cow, they have been prepared. They live in a trailer park and moved down from Alaska like a year ago. They are Christians looking for a church. We were able to teach them the restoration, and they fed us dinner!! Man, God was looking out for us this week in a major way. 

We have a YSA investigator named Lexi who's been being taught for a long time. She finally committed to a date in 2 weeks and we will be baptizing her then. 

Blessings on blessings, we found a little mexican guy named Caesar and put him on date for next month. He begged us to be able to come to church and asked us how to pay tithing. It was awesome. 

In one week we metaphorically and spiritually speaking lit the town of Cheney on fire. I can't describe the joy I have felt from seeing the results of obedience and diligence. :) 

I wanna just talk about the process. I know the Lord works over time and I am so glad to see progress both in myself spiritually and in my growing up. I am definitely still childish but I am just glad that the Lord loves me enough to refine me. We were reading about being a true disciple on Sunday in Elder's Quorum; the process of discipleship is refining and testing. In short, it isn't easy but it is always worth it.

I love you all, work hard :)

-E.Rapier

Pacific Northwest on fire = bad air quality

This Elder is outstanding in his field

R & B SOLUTIONS

Hey Y'all! 

We had a great week here. Lots of fun stuff happening, so I will try to catch you up. 

In YSA Ward news we found out that Cierra is moving to Idaho and is leaving her fiance. So that was rough. She did some stand up comedy for us the night before she left. I was DYING. Also we met with Krissy, and she is still working towards baptism :) We have a church tour with her next week, and she will be getting work off on Sunday to come to church :))) YAY. 

We didn't find any new investigators this week in the YSA Ward. We didn't really have time, to be honest. We were running all over the place. In the 2nd Ward we found a new investigator. He believes that the Book of Mormon is true, and let us right in to teach him Saturday night. He talked A TON, so we didn't get a ton taught. But we went over the outline of the restoration and left him with a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to read for next time. 

Bryan and John are both doing good. We are going to the temple with John in a couple of weeks; he's out of town right now. Bryan is going to college and quitting his fast food job. He bore his testimony like always and he LOVES missionary work. He went into downtown with a copy of the Book of Mormon in his backpack to try to pass it out. What a champion. He really inspires me. 

In other news, I went on exchanges with the coolest zone leader ever this week. His name is Elder Bowman; he is from Kanab Utah. He taught me a lot and now I feel like there is so much to work on. I didn't take a picture, ugh, sorry. 

Anyway - about the title of the email - Elder Brinkerhoff and I have started our own company called R&B Solutions. We plan to be going global here shortly. We made a logo and everything. We are definitely weirdos. 

Now this big news for the week - we are the last missionaries standing in Cheney. We are now also covering Cheney 1st Ward Last night President called the Cheney 1st Elders and told them that he needed to close an area due to other missionaries elsewhere in the mission going home. So now we are taking over the 1st ward too. Yeesh. It should be fun :) I am always around for an adventure, so this should keep us on our toes. 

I love you. If you have a second I would love to hear from you :) 

-E.Rapier