Week Forty Four - Moving to Odessa / Midland 7/13

Dear friends and family,

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord in building up His Kingdom. I love that we have a living Prophet to guide Christ's church in His way. Texas and New Mexico have a part of my heart, and that will never change. I am so thankful for these experiences. Please do not take your time here on earth to Serve the Lord for granted. He has done so much for us. Do something for Him today. I love you all and y'all are in my prayers.

Elder Shawn Murray

We had transfers this week and I am leaving Amarillo.  I will be going to Odessa / Midland area.  I have loved Amarillo and will miss so many wonderful people.   I am excited for my new adventure.  

Here is my new mailing address:

601 George Ave. #111 Midland TX 79705

And if you want to email me:

shawn.murray@myldsmail.net

PS - 

A member sent these pictures to me Friday and Sunday of Shawn just out doing great things... mowing lawns and also over to her house for dinner.  

Week Forty Three - Hiking and the Fourth 7/6

Hello Friends and Family,

So this week we went to Palo Duro Canyon and it was so much fun! It's

this huge canyon with red rocks! I wish we could have been there

longer!

Also the Fourth was super fun! All day we went around to members and

just had fun!  Then later that night all of the Missionaries got

together in the stake center and played soccer all night long!

I love this country.  I love the religious freedom we have that

prepared the way for Christ to restore His church on the earth.  I am

so thankful for all of those who will, who are, and have served for my

rights to be protected.

I thank you all for your support at this time. I love you.

Write me if you can.

Elder Shawn Michael Murray

Week Forty Two - On the Bright Side, we Found out the Church is Soundproof 6/29

 Alma 50:1-6 Talks about making preparations for War both by being

defensive and offensive. That is what we talked about with some of the

Families in our ward this week. We should all try and evaluate the

strength of our fortifications keeping us from Satan. They are the

schoolbook answers that we all know; Daily Prayer and Daily Scripture

Study, Church, Etc. It got us in some pretty sticky situations (such

as a Nerf War).

   The we also did a lesson on Faith with some primary Kids and we

planted some seeds (grass) in cups of Dirt (theirs are all growing...

I think we killed ours). It was super cool. They wall are the best

little missionaries ever. A bunch of them brought friends to church.

   Then we got this new investigator named Yisrael. She is an awesome

single mom. She is a Firefighter and has a Heart of a Lion. We are

super excited for her.

   Also had a super spiritual lesson with this Less Active member and

his Non Member wife about being Parents to our children like God is to

Us. We watched the Mormon Message Earthly Father Heavenly Father! It

was awesome!

   Lastly we had some excitement at church. We got to church at

8:30AM and watched one of 1st Wards old Investigators walking out on

the sidewalk in front of the church! We were so excited he was coming

to church.... Until he pulled out a Mega Phone and started Yelling

Anti at everyone coming in... He did that until about 3:30PM. Cool

Move... Right?

On the bright side, we found out the church is soundproof.

  We also had another successful Meet the Mormon's night with the

investigators we had! They loved it. And I only cried once. It was

constant, but it was only once. (Just kidding... But the end gets me

every-time!)

Week Forty One - Finding a Wheelchair to Scare Mom 6/22

Dear Friends & Family,

So this week we had a missionary homecoming in our ward!

  

It was really funny seeing him try to think and speak in English,

and it not working out. He went to Peru, and totally acted and spoke

like it. It was super cool though. It was the first time EVER their

eternal family had been together. It was the Bishops Son. They adopted

a little Girl from China while he was out and She is the Cutest thing

ever. She draws me pictures that are up in our apartment! It was super

cool to see that a family was united, never to be broken apart.

  

We just have been working our butts off, dying in the heat other

than that. We've done a few moves (I am a master Truck packer...

Tetris, you gonna get it when I get home), We have biked ALOT, and I

have been getting eaten alive by all the Mosquitoes. Because we have

had so much rain it is super Humid.

  

ALSO! I found a wheelchair and it's my new study chair. It's the

little things in life that make it worth it.

I love you all. Write me.

Elder Shawn Murray

PS - I figured I'd sent the first picture just to scare my Mom.  

Week Forty - We didn't get a letter 6/15

Week Thirty Nine - Not a lot going on 6/8

This week has been pretty great!

Elder Brown is so funny. He just does Puns all day. And we are working hard!

Everyday this week was 95+. It was hot and the Mosquitoes are out everywhere!!

We have this new Investigator named Johnna! She is a single mom, who

is giving her life to God! She is committing to Baptism, and I am so

excited!!

Not much else this week! As a lot of you probably know, Riley Rugg,

one of my brothers, has gone into the Marines. Please keep him in your

prayers.

I know that our Savior loves us, and will help us, if we only ask. I

testify that we are truly of the most worth of any of God's creations.

We must act like it.

I love you all, and you are in my prayers.

Elder Shawn Murray.

Week Thirty Eight - Waffle Love and Transfers 6/1

This week was crazy!  So we got our transfer calls, and I am staying in Amarillo 3rd ward. I have a new companion named Elder Brown. Elder Lund is our new District Leader this transfer.

So I am pretty sore. We moved two people out of their houses on Friday, and one into their new house on Saturday! It was a lot of Stairs, Boxes, and furniture. A lot.

I also got to do my first Baptismal Interview, which went super well.  It is always so cool to see someone about to Covenant with the Lord testify of Him and His power!

We also got to have some Waffle Love! It is so good. Who new that my first waffle love would be in Texas? Haha. The best was seeing those guys in their shorts and T-shirts walk into Sacrement the next day. It was awesome, when we got our waffles the guy (in front of the food network camera) yelled "Woooo! Go serve the Lord! Best work you could be doing!" (I also heard the guy in the back say 'Hurray for Israel')

This week we had two lessons.  One with the Bishop and Stake President and his Family, to a guy named Todd. It was pretty nerve racking. But the lesson went SUPER well. He even committed to be baptized. We are so excited!  The other lesson was during church. The Vivint guys... are awesome.  The last 3 weeks, they've brought 6 non-members to church! This week we taught them the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was sweet. There were 7 Returned Missionaries and their 2  friends. Phenomenal Lesson.

I know that this is the greatest work that mankind has embarked on. We will not stop until it is finished, or we die trying. The Lord is our leader and we will follow His every command. I testify that He lives.  He will guide us through all things, If we will only let Him.

Love Elder Murray