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 :) :) :) :) :) :)

Cory's Address while he serves in the Utah, St. George Mission

Elder Cory Austin Vernon

Utah St. George Mission

107 S. 1470 E. Suite 304

St. George, UT 84790

Arrived in Salina, Utah- Trainer is Elder Betham from Hawaii

Ollo Family! :)

This is Elder Cory Vernon. I am now in the Salina, Utah Stake and my companion and I are over 8 wards and 3 towns in central Utah (Salina, Redmond, and Aurora). One guy I talked to said that Brother Richard Johnson was his nephew so is Brother Johnson from Aurora Utah? My trainer and companion is Elder Betham and he is from Hawaii, Oahu is the island he is from. He really connects well with the people we teach which is cool. The mission President is President Center and I think President and Sister Center know the Sabey's somehow. I also still get language study time even though no one speaks Portuguese. I am currently striving to find someone that speaks Portuguese to so I don't forget everything I learned in the MTC. :)

The first day there was a bit of training and then we met our companions and then drove to Salina. We have a car that we use which was a bit of a surprise too, I don't drive it since all the visa waiters could be shipped off anytime they don't want us using the cars, so my companion drives everywhere.

It is strange being in Utah where it seems like everyone is Mormon; it is way different than at home because there are lots of people who just don't go to church, but there are also a bunch that do stuff. Everyone seems really nice and practically knows everybody else in their towns and are always happy to talk to the missionaries. We teach fairly consistently which is nice too.  I've even seen snow falling on my mission which came as a little of a surprise until I remembered that Salina is in the mountains. We get fed well, one time I ate 3 Navajo tacos followed by 3 scones. :)

One spiritual thing that happened is that Elder Betham and I were at a rodeo talking to some people that Elder Betham baptized in his last area and a lady came up and asked us to give her a blessing. It is a really strange but neat experience to give other people blessings because you rely on the Lord to know to say the right things.

We are also teaching a fun family named the Butterfields. It is fun talking to them and they really like learning about the gospel. We had a yummy dinner with them and watched some of the I'm a Mormon videos with them. Brother Butterfield is in the Elder's Quorum and seems super excited about church and stuff which is fun and cool. :)

There was a baptism for Matti Morayle my first weekend here so that was neat too. Her dad baptized her and she had lots of family supporting her and her sister. :)

Tchau! Tchau! Ate logo!

Elder Cory Vernon has a temporary reassignment- this is what he wrote!

My visa :) hasn't come yet so tonight my district and I opened our temporary :) reassignment missions that we will be serving in! I :) am being reassigned to the Boise Idaho Mission! Just kidding! 

My reassignment is the Utah Saint George Mission! I :) checked the map and Toquerville is in it so I might run into Aunt :) Jan and the McCombs and Grandma Giles! Love you family! I leave the MTC Early Wednesday morning so I will have my normal P-Day this week on Tuesday and then I don't know the other information stuff! Tchau! :D

Elder :) Cory :) Vernon! :)

*he tricked me!  If you've seen Singles Ward you will know why he is obsessed with Boise. (Tina)

Last week in the Mission Training Center

This week has been awesome like every other week.

I like how we go to the temple to start off each preparation day at the MTC! :)

Last Tuesday Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the :) Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came and spoke to us for devotional. My companion was mega excited because he was named after Elder Dallin H. Oaks. He talked about how as missionaries we need to respect other religions and ideas but also to declare what we believe. It is cool how much choice and agency and free will were emphasized. He also talked about how as Mormons :) we have a unique testimony of Jesus Christ because he lives! :)

Another devotional was by Elder Stephen B. Allen :) (I think he is President Allen's Dad and Bryce and Justin's Grandpa; he was funny and cool and spiritual like the Allen's; and then I didn't go up and saw hi to him like I said I would to Bishop Allen because one of the rules is that we are not supposed to go up to the speakers and stop them from going where they need to go). He talked about how we need to be under-shepherds to the Savior who is the good shepherd and help in finding the lost one of the ninety and nine. It is important for us to help people to be happy and recognize that their Heavenly Father loves them and wants the best for them. :)

Elder Hull and I taught Dálise this week about recognizing the Spirit. We had already taught him about Joseph Smith and the First Vision, and we also told him 

I should get travel information for Brazil if my visa has gone through or a reassignment to somewhere in the United States (until the visa goes through) on Thursday! I know the Lord will put me where I need to be to help serve others! :)

Sincerely,

Elder (Cory) Vernon

This week was awesome! On this Monday my companion and i decided to spend the second half of the day only speaking Portuguese! It was hard but we were super successful and only needed to revert to English to get our point across I think only two or three times. We are planning on speaking only Portuguese the entire day next Monday. So far I've got the First Vision, Doctrine and Covenants Section 4, the baptismal prayer, how to invite people to be baptized, James 1:5, and the missionary purpose memorized in Portuguese. The Lord really helps out with learning the language!

I really liked General Conference. One of my favorite talks was the one where Elder Perry talked about the Articles of Faith and how they teach the doctrine of the gospel in a concise way. It reminded me of the time that he talked to me when I served him a lunch when he was in Fort Collins for a Priesthood leadership training thing; and asked to see if I knew the Articles of Faith. Shortly thereafter he had me recite the thirteenth one :) After that he explained how the Articles of Faith teach the Gospel of Christ in the order that we normally end up learning it. In his talk he shared how the Articles of Faith teach us basic things like the nature of the Godhead, that we are responsible for what we do, and that we need the Atonement of Christ. It was extra cool to hear it in conference since it was kind of like a little spiritual nudge of 'Hey! Don't forget the Articles of Faith, they will help you and others be happier!" The other General Conference talks were really good too, but it would take more than the email time I have to say how awesome they all were!

One thing that I forgot to put in the main letter about general conference that was cool was that in Elder Neil L Anderson's talk the family that he talked about is my mission presidents family! I didn't hear much more than that about the story Elder Anderson said since my district and I were muttering hushed excited whispers to each other such as... " LOOK! its our Mission President up there on the screen in General Conference!" We probably should  of paid more attention to what was actually said but it was still really cool to have our Mission President's picture just show up in General Conference! :)

This is an addition put in by Cory's Mom.  It is a really awesome story about  Cory's future mission president's family.  His name is Adalton Parrella.  This is from the talk by Neil L. Anderson on Priesthod Power.

  "“We lived several years in Brazil. Soon after arriving, I met Adelson Parrella, who was serving as a Seventy, and his brother Adilson, who was serving in our stake presidency. Later I met their brother Adalton, serving as a stake president in Florianopolis, and another brother Adelmo, serving as a bishop. I was impressed by the faith of these brothers, and I asked about their parents.

The family was baptized in Santos, Brazil, 42 years ago. Adilson Parrella said, “At first, Father seemed very excited about joining the Church. However, he [soon] became less active and asked our mother not to attend church.”

Adilson told me that his mother sewed clothing for the neighbors to pay for her children’s bus fare to church. The four little boys walked together over a mile to another town, boarded the bus for 45 minutes, and then walked another 20 minutes to the chapel.

Although unable to go to church with her children, Sister Parrella read the scriptures with her sons and daughters, taught them the gospel, and prayed with them. Their humble home was filled with the rich blessings of priesthood power. The little boys grew up, served missions, were educated, and married in the temple. The blessings of the priesthood filled their homes.

Years later, as a single sister, Vany Parrella entered the temple for her own endowment and, later still, served three missions in Brazil. She is now 84 years old, and her faith continues to bless the generations that have followed her.”

Ollo, :) this is Elder Vernon! :)

I love how preparation day begins with going to the temple. The temple is the perfect place to start out the day. :) :) :)

Just :) for clarification, the people that I teach in the MTC are normally teachers or volunteers who most likely are Mormon already, and they normally act like people who they taught on their missions. For instance Marcos, the construction worker guy :) my companion and I were teaching is actually our teacher Irmao Paulich. We treat it as if it is real even though it is a role-play situation. :)

While :) teaching Marcos this week he started to keep his commitments! He read from the Book of Mormon (we challenged him to read in Enos since he wasn't praying; it was the part where Enos is hungry so he goes to hunt beasts in the wilderness, but he instead feels spiritual hunger and prays instead... when the Lord answers his prayer and forgives him of his mistakes and stuff). Marcos also started praying and even accepted the challenge to be baptized and follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Elder Hull and I also started teaching Joao (the a has a squiggly on it). He is a former professional flute player who became paralyzed in a car accident. Our first visit with him was short so we didn't teach a lesson but we did show him a hymn which he really liked and 1 Nephi1:20 where Nephi talks about the tender mercies of the Lord. Joao must of felt the spirit since our Portuguese is only broken present tense so far but he still agreed to another visit for us to teach him more about our church.

I like how we are teaching about the Gospel and the Savior in Portuguese already even though it is only our second week learning the language.

I saw Sister Hardy (from my seminary class) when my district walked around the Provo Temple on Sunday. I also saw Elder Gregorson who I worked in the Denver Temple with before leaving on my mission; it was funny :) :) since I saw him in the Missionary Bookstore and was thinking in my head "Hey! I know you!"

In my :) current personal reading of the Book of Mormon in English I am reading the war chapters! As strange as it is to say I love how those chapters in the Book of Mormon :) :) :)teach us about ourselves and our savior. For instance, when the Nephites start dissenting among themselves is when they start having problems with the Lamanites; and on the other hand when the Nephites are one in purpose and are all nice to each other and what not they are able to defeat the Lamanites by stratagem and (especially) with the Lord's help.

Tchau! Tchau! Pica-pau! (Bye! Bye! Woodpecker! in Portuguese!) :)

-Elder Vernon :D

Video of Cory at the Salt Lake Airport, heading to the Mission Training Center

 This is the day before Cory went to the Mission Training Center.  We had a special time that day.

 Right before Cory got set apart.  This is a picture of what the new Fort Collins Temple will look like.

I thought I got a picture of Cory and Ellaina together but don't seem to have it so this will do.

 Telling our dog Gid goodbye.  Gid's ears are the softest part of him.

 At the Denver Airport.

 He is Smiling!  He wants everyone to be HAPPY.

 Having lunch at JDawgs with his Aunt Anna who took him to the MTC and cousin Charlie.

Being dropped off at the Mission Training Center by my Aunt Anna and cousin Charlie who is 3 yrs old.

Cory's Talk in Church Before Leaving! :)

Leaving On Mission Talk

            I am Cory Vernon and I am called to serve in the Brazil, Santa Maria Mission in southern Brazil’s cowboy “gaucho” country, so I am giving a talk.

In a recent talk President Uchtdorf related his family’s escape from East Germany to West Germany along with stories such as The Wizard of Oz and the Hobbit to illustrate how “we love… stories because we see ourselves in [them]” and are all part of a wonderful story that ideally ends with returning to our Heavenly Father.

            Now here is a fun story of my own, my first Klondike campout I went on with the scout troop. I was 12 years old and excited to go up and play in feet and feet of snow; and I, like any good boy scout worth his pocketknife, was going to be prepared… I got each and every single piece of my snow gear together in preparation for the upcoming winter fun.

            But was I truly prepared?

            I figured that I had everything from my mess kit to my boots. After the drive up to the camping area, I joyfully left the car and began to enjoy the chill air and cool snow as we set up camp. Soon I decided to put on the extra snow gear I thought I had prepped before coming on the campout.

            My winter coat was still at home, carefully placed in a special place so I wouldn’t forget it—I forgot it. Most of my winter gear still found its way up with me; however, incidentally, just because I had some snow gear didn’t mean I was prepared.

The pair of gloves I had chosen to bring for myself failed to wriggle on to my rapidly freezing fingers. The gloves were simply too small to fit on my hands; the last time I had worn the gloves had been about a year earlier! At the time it was frightening because my fingers seemed to swell like hard balloons to twice their normal size as blood flowed through my hands trying to warm them up.

            Suffice it to say, despite my ill-preparedness everything still turned out alright. Yes I faced the embarrassment of going to the lodge to warm up and feel my hands go from painful to clammy to normal, and I had leaders who understood that one of the scouts would probably not bring snow gear on the campout who provided me with the extra coat I needed.

            The rest of the Klondike campout was enjoyable and relatively warm from the pancakes we stirred to the metal beast of a sleigh we hauled around all the way to the frozen Tampico orange juice we ate.

            So now, how does my little experience relate to my going on a mission, the Book of Mormon, and the joys of the Temple?

            The people I teach on my mission will all be at various stages of their own personal stories:

Some will be prepared and feel the spirit as I teach, akin to having all the needed snow gear on my Klondike campout all ready to find the joy of Christ’s gospel.

Others will be at the point that they feel pain and will turn to their Savior regardless of any embarrassment they may have to deal with (although my heading to the lodge hardly compares in difficulty to the change of lifestyle the gospel often requires).

Others will be like I was when I thought I was prepared and will be unwilling or not notice how the gospel and Jesus Christ can help them be happy. They may not even realize how much they need Christ’s love and Atonement

And still others will be perhaps like the cold winter snow, cruel and hurtful as I strive to serve them, but also they are Children of God who like the snow can be soft; they can be welcoming and bring joy in the right setting at the right time.

            The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, akin to the bible, and is the keystone of my faith. It has been said “Take away the Book of Mormon…and where is our religion? We have none.”

            As stated in the introduction to the Book of Mormon, it is the “most correct of any book on earth.” The Book of Mormon tells the true story of God’s people in the America’s and witnesses of Jesus Christ, “contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” and the Book of Mormon stands as the foundation for a testimony in Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon witnesses of Christ’s Atonement!

            In Doctrine and Covenants section 17 verse 6 Christ says that “as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.” The Book of Mormon is true! J

            In the book itself the prophets often retell the purpose of the Book of Mormon. 1^st Nephi chapter 6 verse 4 tells that the Book of Mormon’s “intent is [to] persuade men to come unto… God.”  In Omni chapter 1 verse 26 the challenge is made for all to “come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him.” And the Book of Mormon is written “as if [we] were present” to bring us to Christ in Mormon chapter 8 verse 35.

            The Bible and Book of Mormon work together like in 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 1 as “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” The Book of Mormon and the Bible both testify of Christ.

            In addition to working with the Bible to bring all unto Christ the Book of Mormon also answers what President Ezra Taft Benson says are “the great questions of the soul.”

            The Book of Mormon affirms that there is a God, explains life before and after death, helps us understand the purpose of life, and helps us feel that we are children of our Heavenly Father in addition to answering countless other questions such as: How can a family be happy and united? How can one find peace and joy? And many other personal questions.

            Another cool thing about the Book of Mormon is that its truth confirms the rest of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “…All objections… basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation… The only problem [an] objector has to resolve is whether the Book of Mormon is true. For if the Book of Mormon is true then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, and it is being led by a prophet receiving revelation.”

            Wonderfully, the Book of Mormon also offers for all to learn and exercise faith themselves; Moroni chapter 10 versus 3-5 make the promise that if someone reads the Book of Mormon, prays, and ponders over it,  that they will get an answer of its truth. Moroni writes; “that [if] ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

            The Book of Mormon teaches the Gospel and brings people unto Christ. Faith in the Book of Mormon will lead to baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and eventually to the temple.

            The true focus of sharing the gospel is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”

The temple works in harmony with the purpose of missionarywork. The Book of Mormon draws people unto Christ and so does the Temple. When I teach people on my mission, I hope that they will choose to not only get baptized but to also choose to strive to go to the temple.

In the temple ordinances are performed for the living as well as vicariously for the dead. A phrase that President Gordan B. Hinkley said that I feel describes missionarywork as well as templework is “that which goes on in the House of the Lord… comes nearer to the spirit of sacrifice of the Lord than any activity of which I know. Why? Because it is done by those who give freely of time and substance, without any expectation of thanks or reward, to do for others that which they cannot do for themselves.”

Prior to my leaving on my mission, I have had the uniquely amazing opportunity to work as an ordinance worker in the Denver Colorado Temple, “I know that the temple is the House of God and that the temple is the place to be. I know that to be worthy of and to hold a temple recommend to enter the temple offers the opportunity to help others as well as learn for oneself more about the Gospel. The temple is a place of joy and a place to glimpse how happiness can continue into eternity. And I know that the Book of Mormon and faith in it eventually leads to faith in Christ and the work that is done in the temple.”

Additionally, family history and genealogical work are like missionarywork and are templework. On my mission I will hopefully provide an environment for the people I teach to be taught by the spirit so that they too can come to love the Book of Mormon and the Temple.  A scripture that is quoted in all of the standard Mormon scriptures is partially fulfilled in the temple; Malachi chapter 4 verses 5 and 6 tell of the spirit of Elijah and how “he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. The Temple is about our savior Jesus Christ and eternal families!

Recently my family and I were invited to attend the Fort Collins Temple Groundbreaking. There was joy at that gathering. While there, it presented a unique time to think about how missionarywork and templework are connected. Heavenly Father loves his children and provides numerous ways for his eternal family to return unto him if they so choose. Again, the temple is about families being together forever, there is something exquisite about having family members in a place that will be used to help other families find lasting joy. I know that my service as a missionary will help other families have the opportunity to be together forever.

On my mission I doubt that I will trudge through feet of snow like I did on my first Klondike. Instead I foresee myself walking and walking and sharing what I know of Jesus Christ and his Atonement, the Book of Mormon, and the joy and peace of the temple with others so that they can have a chance to come unto the Savior. I hope many will choose to accept the invitation to be baptized and much much more. I cannot force or convince anyone to do anything, but I know that by serving others, they will be open to the Spirit and if they so choose, continue on to baptism, the temple, enduring hardships, and being with their families forever!

Bear Testimony J

In the Single’s Ward: I bore my testimony about how I know the Book of Mormon is true, how the temple is awesome, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the Church is true. I also said how I want to share the joy the gospel brings to people.

In the Home Ward: I bore my testimony like in the Single’s Ward but I also quoted hymn #301 I am a Child of God; “I am a child of God, and he has sent me here, has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear, lead me, guide me, walk beside me, teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday.” And talked about how in institute we discussed that “teach me all that I must do” originally had “know” instead of “do” and how a progression from knowing and doing could be to “be” or becoming. I also quoted 1^st Nephi 3:7 (And it came to pass that I Nephi said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way that they may accomplish the things that he commandeth them) because Nephi went and did because he knew what was right and he became a good example of following God.

Other stuff I thought about saying in my testimony but did not say in my talk: Doctrine and Covenants section 88 verse 73 where the Lord talks about hastening the work in his own time. Jacob chapter 5 where the Lord of the vineyard and his servants get more servants to work in the vineyard. Doctrine and Covenants section 84 verse 88 because I know that there will be angels round about me to bear me up on my mission through times of trial and difficulty. Ezekiel 37: 15-17 because it talks about the Book of Mormon and Bible working together as the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim. Moses 1:39 because God’s work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. President Thomas S. Monson’s talk on “Seeing Others as They May Become.” And more! J

            In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Materials I used in preparing this talk include the most recent General Conference Ensign, The Book of Mormon, The Old Testament, The New Testament, the Pear of Great Price, Doctrine and Covenants, Preach My Gospel (especially section 5) seminary scripture mastery cards, and Gospel Doctrine lessons 30 and 40 which are about the temple, and more that I am forgetting at the moment) J

Santa Maria Brazil!

I have been called to serve a two year mission for my church in Santa Maria Brazil starting September 18th 2013!

My Mom took a picture of me by the American Flag

I will be going to the Provo MTC

My visa has not been processed yet so I will be starting my mission at the Provo Utah Missionary Training Center! :)