sunburns

Hello everyone,

This email will be a little short because we are emailing from the Church because everywhere else is closed! I hope you all had as good of a week as we did! It was so hot this week, and I had the bright idea to tell my comps to put on tanning oil for our car fast day!! Needless to say we got fried...it was a long hot day, but we were able to talk to so many people! We had a lot of fun trekking around. We were able to see Lisa multiple times this week, she is doing so well with quitting smoking. She also came to church this week, and loved it. She is so prepared and her heart is so changed, I love to see the light in her eyes every time we go over. We also found an awesome family this week, last night we stopped by our recent converts house, and he wasn't home,  but we saw a guy outside and I felt like we needed to talk to him, so we approached him and introduced ourselves, and asked if we could share our message more with him, and he invited us right inside. We sat down and began to teach him, and he explained how he had a hole in his heart that he didn't know how to fill, we testified of the Book of Mormon, and taught him the restoration, and as we paused after we shared the first vision, he just sat there and was like...wow...it was so powerful. He said that he would come to church so that we can teach him and his family. It was so amazing!! This week I also got to see Paul from North Platte, he came up to do baptisms in the temple, and I got invited to go with him. And much to my surprise when I got there I was asked to do some baptisms because of the lack of people in the group. It was such an awesome experience. Sadly we got transfer calls this morning, I am staying for my 5th transfer. Both of my companions are being transferred, so that is sad, but my new comp is from Rexburg his name is Elder Winfree, he did a few years of college before and he is a really good missionary! I can't believe how fast time is going, it makes me sick, but I know that it will be a good thing. I am looking forward to seeing you all! I hope that you have a great week! I love you! 

Elder Kirby 

zoo trip

Hello everyone,

Well I cannot believe that it is P day again, it seems like I was just here last week typing my weekly. Needless to say, this week FLEW by! It is crazy how fast the time seems to go. We had a lot of fun this week, received some awesome revelation, and had some bomb lessons. So this week we had our zone conference, and it was so awesome,  loved all of the trainings. Sister Gardner gave one about being a child of God that really touched me, and it was on my mind for the rest of the week. Which leads into the next cool thing that happened this week, as I was praying this week, I was asking Heavenly Father what I could do to help the zone, I asked him to teach me. Well my answer came at around 12 a.m. it was so cool, I guess revelation doesnt wait for sleep lol. I quickly scribbled down the things coming to my mind. The next day we had what we call "family council" which is where the District Leaders and the STL's meet for a quick meeting and discuss what needs to happen in our zone. I was then happy to share the revelation that I received, and we were able to council and discuss all about it! It was so amazing to feel the spirit, and also to learn to receive revelation! I am so thankful for Heavenly Father and His loving guidance. Anyhow, the rest of the week was equally as amazing, we are teaching some pretty amazing people, Lisa is still doing good, she is working so hard to stop smoking, she always tells us that her motivation is her baptism. We are also teaching a pretty sweet family now, and they are doing well, we have an appointment with them this evening.  We went to the Zoo today, we got to go with the Winter Quarters Elders, Elder Brinkerhoff and Elder Johnson, it was a blast. At one of the gorilla exhibits, one of the male gorillas took our white shirts as a threat and charged the glass a couple of times, and then it would just follow us around the cage haha it was so awesome, kinda scary, but legit none the less. We also met a random member that worked there, and she hooked us up with some free sky safari tickets haha! Super sweet! Anyhow, this week was awesome, we are looking forward to yet again a busy week full of meetings and hard work. I cant believe that this is the last week of the transfer. Time flies. Anyhow, thank you for all that you do, I love you all! Have a great week!

Love Elder Kirby

Thunder

Hello everyone,

Happy mothers day! This week was an awesome week, we are seeing so many cool things happen here! First of all, being able to talk to my family, and actually see them was a huge blessing, i am so grateful for technology. It was good to see them. 

So we had a pretty busy week full of odds and ends, but we had a lot of really cool spiritual experiences this week as well. We had interviews this week, and that was amazing as always, its so awesome to be able to spend a little time with President Gardner one on one! He is amazing. We also managed to get everyone interviewed in an organized manner too haha. #miracles. Along with getting to spend time with President this week, we also got to spend time with our stake President, he had all of the Zone Leaders and the STLs in our stake over to have breakfast in his home. It was a good time, he works for Union Pacific, and knows quite a few people from Soda! He is awesome, and we had a really good time. This week we were blessed in finding a new family to teach, the Karen Elders met them, and referred them to us. Well we hadnt even taught them the Restoration yet, but the mom and the 10 year old daughter came to church this last Sunday, and loved it! Later that night we taught the Restoration to the whole family, and set the Mom, Dad, and daughter for baptism in June. It was so amazing, and definitely a miracle from Heavenly Father, as we have continued to pray for prepared individuals to teach!! Lisa is still doing well, she wasnt at church this week, but we are still working with her, and we are helping her prepare for baptism here soon! Last night we had a huge thunder storm, it was so loud that it shook our house, and woke us all up at 3:30 in the morning. It was so wild. This morning, we went and helped one of our members load a moving truck, and the we went shed hunting in the forest right around where we helped move. We didnt find any sheds, but we did see some deer, and also a coyote. And then we wrapped up by playing some basketball at the Stake Center. Overall it was a fun week! This next week should be pretty fun as well, we have our zone conference this week with car inspections, so that will be fun! Anyhow, thank you to all for your prayers and your support. I love you all! 

Love Elder Kirby

exchanges

Hello Everyone,

The cornhusker state is heating up! Its been so awesome to enjoy the nice and sunny weather. We had a lot of fun this week, and saw some pretty amazing miracles. First things first, we had exchanges this week with the Winter Quarters Elders. Elder Brinkerhoff and Johnson. Needless to say it was legendary as always. We went in a trio, me and Elder Brinkerhoff and Elder Ombach. We had a blast working hard, we taught a couple of people and had a ton of fun. The next day, we finished studies, and had district meeting with the Eagle Run District, it was great, Elder Brinkerhoff got everyone hyped, and it was a ton of fun being there. After that, we went on our exchange with the Assistants. It was so much fun, i got to go with Elder Moore this time, he is from Arizona, we had a great day talking to people! We also had dinner at culvers, and that was amazing too! The next morning we drove home and started our weekly planning! So this week was pretty busy, but also full of small miracles as well! We had another experience this week in which we prayed and asked Heavenly Father to lead and guide us to someone who had a desire to be baptized. And sure enough, we were walking on the same street that we saw our first miracle, and i received a prompting to knock on a house. We were late to an appointment, and had no intentions of stopping, but we decided to try anyways. As we were greeted at the door, a very nice lady let us into her home, and agreed to hear our message. As we taught about the Restoration, we explained to her that she could come closer to Heavenly Father by being baptized, and that we were going to invite her to follow the Savior and be baptized at the end of the lesson. Well this sparked her interest, and she told us that she had never been baptized, but that it was something that she would like to do! Wow..i was so amazed that Heavenly Father was leading us to so many prepared people. Truly a blessing and a miracle. We also had another cool tender mercy, as we have been praying to find prepared individuals, we were led to another lady who agreed to listen to our message. We taught her about the Book of Mormon, and she interrupted us and said: "Does the baptist church preach this?" we answered no, but it was the unique and special part of our message. She then went on to tell us about how everyone needed this. She accepted a copy and also a return appointment for this evening. Our investigator Lisa is still doing well, she is in Alma in the Book of Mormon, and has made major improvements in her smoking. She also attended church this week, and had an amazing time. She is so sweet, and wants to be baptized so bad. Its just amazing to see the light in her eyes as she has been reading and praying everyday. The Book of Mormon has so much power, and it can truly speak for itself. I love the chance that i have to read it and share it every day. Its so true, i know it and i love it. To end i just want to give a shout out to my momma, happy mothers day, and happy mothers day to all of the other moms! I love you all and hope that you have a good week! 

Elder Kirby

ministering

Hello everyone,

This week was definitely one for the books. We had a full week full of hype, ministering, and miracles. First things first, the weather was amazing this week, and everything is finally starting to turn green. So we are talking to a ton of people, and having a blast! My companions and I are working hard and having fun. We had exchanges this week with the Karen Elders. I went wih elder Bahlmaan who is actually my grandson, Elder Stokes trained him. We had a great exchange, and saw miracles with setting an investigator couple for baptism. The lesson was super awesome, as we explained that the father could baptize his seven year old twins when they turned eight. So that was definitely the highlight. Then we went to a fancy Asian restaurant, where I had the privilege of trying  a lot of different food haha! It was all really good! We ended our night by teaching another one of our investigators. So i'll get right into the coolest miracle. We have had an emphasis on teaching with a vision to baptize lately, so we thought that we would incorporate it into all phases of missionary work. Before we left our apartment, we prayed that we would be led to someone who had the desire to be baptized. So we went out to try and contact some of our investigators, and we didn't have much success. However we were led to a potentials house who happened to be home, and she let us right in. After some small talk and a prayer, our previous prayer was answered. She asked us all about baptism, and explained that she had a great desire to change, and for her sons to change, so that she could be baptized. I was like what...I literally just sat there staring at her in silence. SHE HADN'T EVEN BEEN TAUGHT ANYTHING, but wanted to be baptized. So we proceeded to teach her the message of the Restoration, and set her and one of her sons for baptism on the 26th of this month. Truly a miracle from the Lord. He knows our desires and will always lead us as we have faith. Another sweet miracle took place over the course of three days this week. Lisa our investigator has been progressing well, reading everyday, and quitting smoking. Well she has gotten down to 4 a day from about 40 a day three weeks ago. So she is crushing it, but this week she came to the trail center for a tour on Friday, a baptism on Saturday, and then church on Sunday..it was so amazing to see the light in her eyes as she felt the spirit all three days. She is so amazing, and I am excited to continue to work with her! We were also blessed to find new investigators and have a chance to minister to some Elders in our zone, on a side note, we also got 4 papa Murphy's pizzas for free...(thats a miracles in and of itself) So that was legit. Overall, it was an amazing week, and I had a lot of fun. Overall, I am enjoying my time, and having a lot of fun. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father guides us in this work, and is helping us to find the one everyday. I would encourage each of you to ask Heavenly Father for guidance to one individual that you can minister every day, he will always lead those who are willing. I love you all, and hope that you have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Kirby

Alma 5:7