Skyping and Christmas

Dear Family and Friends

Elder Sirrine Skyping

Family Skyping back

Elder Sirrine Saying Goodbye

Jennings District

Elder Sirrine at the Gulf of Mexico beach

This week was full of happiness and a little bit of homesickness for
Christmas and snow. I hope all of you had a great Christmas. Christmas
morning here was 85 degrees with 100% humidity. So that is not fun and
I miss the snow a lot.

Monday was a boring p day and not much happened. So nothing to report there.

Tuesday was awesome! We drove up to a little town in our area and we
found a person named Terry. She is 55 years old and invited us right
in when she saw us outside. I was a little weirded out at first
because, NO ONE lets you in their house here, especially non members.
We got to know her and taught her the first lesson. It was very
powerful and I invited her to be baptized and she accepted. She is out
of town right now but, when she gets back she is having us over and we
will commit her to a date. That was a miracle! We also played
basketball with members from the ward and a lot of investigators. We
got a bunch of appointments with the investigators that came to
basketball because we beat them so that's awesome!

Wednesday we went to a dinner at a members house and her son was there
that was not a member. We had a really good conversation with him. He
wants to have us come over. I have seen on my mission so far I am more
of a seed planter in a lot of people then getting people baptized but
that is ok!

Thursday we had dinner at The stake presidents house, he is a really
nice man. We had gumbo and gumbo is always amazing. And Friday we went
to the Sweenys house, they are members. We skyped there and it was
awesome to see my family. We also went and knocked a couple doors on
Christmas Day which isn't really a thing most missionaries do. But, we
found some AMAZING families. One family we met the dads name is Jake.
He has 7 children and they are all not members and we taught them the
first lesson and we were all crying. It was one of the most powerful
moments I have been in on my mission so far. Next lesson we will
commit them all to baptism hopefully!

Sunday was good! Church was awesome and we went around visiting less
actives. We invited one family that had not been to church in 3 years
to come back with us this past Sunday and they came! It was awesome!
They said they loved it and are excited to start coming again! That
was a miracle.

Christmas here in Sulphur, Louisiana could not have been better. I am
loving this work more and more as each day goes by. I really
appreciate all the packages and letters I got from all of those back
home and the personal emails as well. I love you all and may the lord
bless you. Have a great week! Happy New Year! Until next week.

Love all of you!
Elder Sirrine

Christmas Week

Dear Family and Friends

This week was pretty good! We found a lot of great people and we are
doing work in our area! It is beginning to become fun, still hard but,
fun!

Monday, after I emailed we went to the Gulf Of Mexico! It was awesome.
We hung out on the beach for a while and just relaxed. Then we went to
dinner at the Caple's which was awesome. We had craw fish boil which is
amazing. Cajun food is the greatest thing ever.

Tuesday we went finding and found a couple of really good people. One
person decided to have a bible bash with us which was pretty fun. I
prayed and asked the Lord to help me not have any fear in talking to
people and to help me be bold. I got my answer. I have now said things
to people which were very bold but, in a good way. If you open your
mouth the Lord really does fill it with words.

Wednesday we had mission Christmas conference with the entire mission!
We had to wake up at 4am to get to it on time because it was on the
other side of the mission, that killed me but, It was awesome to see
everyone and we listened to some peoples conversion stories which was
so powerful! We had a good lunch and then watched a movie called "The
Cokeville Miracle" or something like that, it was really good! That was

Elder Sirrine with two other Elders visit the Gulf

Elder Sirrine on the beach, Gulf of Mexico

Elder Sirrine and Sister Sessions

a fun day!

Thursday our hour of power was amazing!! We had 20 contacts, taught 4
lessons, gave out 10 BOMs and got 13 return appointments!! It was
amazing! We are going to see all of them this week so hopefully that
goes well! We met one person who's name is Kelsey, she is awesome and
her and her family are really interested. They were so nice and let us
into their home and we taught them. The spirit was so strong and we
are going back on Wednesday. Hour of power is so awesome every week!

Friday was just more finding and sorta a hard day with getting doors
slammed in our face and it was raining so not much to talk about
there!

Saturday we went and did service for a lady in the ward! It was hard
work. We had to tear out carpet, tear up wood and tile and clean it
up. It was a lot harder then it sounds. We also played basketball with
a less active family and I sprained my wrist pretty bad but, it's all
good!

Sunday was awesome. I love church and partaking of the sacrament. We
went finding and visited less actives rest of day.

I love you all and I appreciate the support so much! I hope you all
have a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Love you all! Until next week!

Elder Sirrine







\

Two Months!!

Dear Family and Friends

Elder Sirrine on Overpass

Elder Scherry Santa and Elder Sirrine

Today I have been a missionary for 2 months! Crazy to think about! It has already been full of ups and downs, and very big trials of my faith!

Me and my companion were white washed into Sulphur, Louisiana! Our area book had absolutely no investigators or anything so we had to completely start over with this area. My companion, this is his last transfer then he goes home but, I have to literally do everything. He has some challenges which aren't his fault, so me as a brand new missionary has to set up appointments, contact everyone, teach all the lessons, plan everything, it has been really stressful! The Lord is teaching me things from it though, especially patience and love. I still love my companion! Let's get into the week now.

Wednesday we met a member family, the Morris', they are awesome. We also went bike contacting and found a man named Robert. He is really interested and loves having us over. He is confused of why he would have to be baptized again and things which is really fun to discuss. Then we went to Brother Caple's (Brother of Brother Caple in Jennings) house and discussed how we can get this area back to getting people baptized!

Thursday we knocked doors pretty much the entire day. Most people just yelled " I'm already saved, I don't need you or your church", and shut the door. I think it's pretty funny when people do that. We talked to
one women who thinks Jesus Christ is a behavior and not a person, and also thinks that God is black and a women, that was a fun conversation.

Friday we had the ward Christmas party which was really fun. At the party we met a women who was invited by a friend and she is not a member. I talked with her for a while and she got teary eyed and said
" I have been waiting to meet you my whole life". I was so overwhelmed with the spirit. We have taught her a few more times since then but she is moving so that's sad. Hopefully she will be baptized! Her name
was Caitlyn! She was awesome!

Saturday we met a less active family from Puerto Rico! They love me and my comp. I tricked them into thinking I was from Puerto Rico which was funny. They are awesome! And because of us they are coming back to
church next Sunday! I am so grateful for that! Their name is the Laracuentes!

Sunday was a good day at church, the ward is about 220 people which is awesome! But there are a lot of less actives, we then went and met with brother kandik who is a ward missionary. He is awesome and 70 years old but, he still acts young. We talked with him about
missionary work for a while. I am grateful for all of you and your personal emails! I am grateful to be in Sulphur, no matter how challenging it is. I am grateful I can be out on a mission. I love you all so much and hopefully this week we can find some people! Love you all! Until next week!
Elder Sirrine

Transfer to Sulphur Louisiana

Dear Family and Friends

Brother Caple and Elder Sirrine

Elder Hobbs and Toby and Elder Sirrine

Brother Nae and his Mom Elder Sirrine, Elder Hobbs

Elder Sirrine with Jennings Branch YM

Hey everyone! My new area is Sulphur Louisiana! It is only about 45 miles away from my first area but, I am still in Louisiana which is pretty cool! I would love anything that y'all would send me!

This past week was not really that eventful before I got transferred. Me and Elder Hobbs just went contacting and saw less actives. Toby and his mom and daughter are hopefully going to be baptized soon! On
Saturday we got a call from President Drake and he said " Elder Hobbs, you are staying, and Elder Sirrine, you are being transferred". It shocked both of us and everyone I told that I was leaving but, Hobbs was staying. It is really rare that a missionary who has only been out in the field for 6 weeks is transferred to a new area that quick so I guess I'm special haha.

On Sunday I went to church in Jennings for the last time and everyone was so sad I was already leaving. I was sad too, because I was just getting used to and comfortable and I loved everyone. I went and said
bye to Nae, the deaf member, Toby, and the Caples which was really hard for me.

My new companion is Elder Scherry from Brigham City, Utah. He is different... And is odd and all he talks about is mine craft..... This is his last transfer and then he goes home. So in 6 weeks I will have another new companion. The Elders that were in Sulphur both got transferred and they had only 1 real investigator for us, so we have to pretty much start over with this area. I heard the ward here is 200 members which is a lot better then Jennings which was about 20 or 30. Our ward mission leader is Brother Caples brother which I am so happy about! He is awesome and I'm grateful I still have a Caple with me haha. This next week and transfer should be interesting. I am really
nervous and scared because we know nothing, but also excited.

I appreciate all your emails and letters and prayers more than you know! They help so much. Congratulation to my brother Elder Austin Larson for getting a
baptism!! Hopefully I can get one soon!

Love you all! Until next week.
Elder Sirrine