Dec, 23, 2013
This week was awesome! Just like every other week! :)

It was sad when a bunch of lessons and visits fell through but we also met with a bunch of people who we have started teaching and set a few baptismal date goals with people! :) We do splits often so that we can :) teach more people and cover more of the stake.

We ate at a family who has a missionary serving in Brazil (I think in the mission I was originally called to) now which was cool to talk to them about. :)

One lesson that was really spiritual was talking with a lady who was unsure about baptism. She shared how she feels people don't always live like they should after their baptisms and she doesn't want to end up being like that. So Elder Betham and I read :) through 2 Nephi chapter 31 with her and shared personal experiences and how Jesus is our example; we also talked about choosing to be an example for others despite the difficulties and adversities that come up in life.

Another lesson this week was with a non-member who was at the home of another person that we are teaching with. Elder Betham used her phone to text her Mormon friend who is going on a mission that we are working with her for her to be baptized. So her friend immediately called her phone and talked with it. It was a unique situation and caught everyone off guard a little bit, but then we all decided that working for baptism would be a good thing! :) It is amazing how the Lord lets us know his love for us in funny (yet serious) ways! :)

On one of the splits we did I taught with one of the cool priests that does splits with us about baptism and it was especially awesome :) because during the lesson the young man we are teaching's grandparents talked a bunch too about how much baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost help us in life and the difficulties of life. Then the guy we are teaching said a prayer which was beautiful--you could really feel how he was talking to God as a friend and a son of him, and you could also tell how much he cared about his prayer. It was his first time praying out loud since he was about 8! :)

Also a fun family we are teaching went to church with us! :)

Feliz Natal! Merry Christmas! :) :)

Com muitos sorrisos! :)

With many smiles! :)

Elder Cory Vernon! :)

Christmas in Salina, Utah

This is a real cow, Cory says that some people even try even take pictures of themselves sitting on its back.

November 18, 2013  ST GEORGE MISSION

This week I went on two more exchanges. One with Elder Smith (one of the Zone Leaders) in Monroe Utah and again with Elder Patterson in Richfield. 

With Elder Smith we talked to a pastor of another faith, it was really cool at first since the guy really likes talking to missionaries, but then turned into a this scripture says (back and forth a little bit) so we bore our testimonies and left since arguing in any form isn't conducive to the Spirit. We also taught a cool family about Tithing and faith and they said how they not only want to get baptized but also want to work to go to the temple when they can! :)

With Elder Patterson we taught Karter about how the church has the priesthood, prophets and apostles, and Revelation and how it wouldn't work without them. We balanced three knives on three cups like a table for it and talked about how the Lord restored his church through Joseph Smith. Another cool thing is some nice old people bought us lunch from a nice Chinese restaurant. :)

On one day we had interview with President Center so that was cool. :)

Back in Salina we are still teaching a bunch of people and trying to keep busy with them; we also set up for teaching a mission preparation class thing on Thursdays in the seminary building. One family we talked to was like, "we're getting married next week so we can be baptized the next week" which was cool since they were going to wait until March.

Elder Betham and I also talked in one of the Redmond Wards. I talked about how being grateful can help us grow through the grace of Christ's Atonement. I got the idea from reading in my Portuguese scriptures "acao de gracas" which means "action of graces" but in English is "thanksgiving." It is cool how just being grateful and appreciative can make us better people. :)

Elder Vernon :) :) :) :) :) :)