Happy Canada Day!

Dear Family,

This week was kinda slow as far as teaching, but we have been trying to work more and more with members. Statistics show that missionaries who do trackting and contacting will baptize 1:50 people, But missionaries who get member/ fellowship referrals bumps that number to 1:10!!! WHAT!!! Crazy change. 

Canada day was pretty fun, that morning I made Classic Muirhead Eggs Benedict and it was so good!!! We rocked red ties and went out. Lots of people were out of town, there was however a big party in a park where they had set up lots of blow up bounce houses and fire works. Took some pics for that day.

Yup as you have read I have been having some major back pain issues the last bit started in Toronto, thought it wasn't anything. Yet it has been growing more and more lame. I have exercises, anti inflammatory pills and the heating bag going on each morning. I called the nurse only on Saturday but they want to see if it will get better with this routine. Trying not to carry anything around with me all day haha. Guess I am getting old or something.

Frank as I mentioned in my last letter had dipped into Anti material and eventually dug way to deep and we weren't able to see him at all, we did have a hopeful phone call where we answered a ton of his concerns and false doctrine readings, he came to the conclusion that he needs to have a better knowledge before meeting with us, we accepted and pray he will learn when ready in the future.  

On Saturday we went to Port Stanley which is on Lake Erie, it is so cool! We handed out cards like candy, we walked close to the sandy beach and geez was it hard to not go play some volleyball haha. We loved out trip out there for a change of scenery, reminded me of the ocean a lot though. missed being able to attempt surfing and getting drilled in the head again, but then again maybe that is a good reason why I am out here haha brain damage from surf boards.

I had a few really interesting studies this week, One was on Humility which is something that I felt that I am lacking a bit. As I read into it the spirit reassured me that I could do it and that if I work hard I could be where I need to be. The scripture that really touched me was Proverbs 15:32-33. I want to be able to give up my desires for the Lord, I know that through sacrifice comes blessings. The other cool study was actually on the Telestial kingdom and outer darkness. I was interested to know what the different conditions for qualifying for those places were and what happens while there. I learned a lot and I am excited to more to the part 2 of that study for the Celestial and Terrestrial kingdoms. Section 76 was a huge help with this topic of the Kingdoms of God.

Well I pray that you are all doing well and that you can continue to have great spiritual experiences with others around you! 

Loves

Elder Muirhead

Ps. Glad you didn't get your legs swiped off by a bear mama! lol - your story about that made me laugh.

This is that asylum that is here it is HUGE!!

Mom and Dad Combo Letter

Dear Mom and Dad,

St.Thomas week 2, well to paint a good picture of the town, we have a downtown. The only problem is that it is only one street long haha it goes for like 16 blocks. Here there are 139 different church buildings in the area, lots of Anti Mormon feelings from people. The greatest part is that St.Thomas had a huge mental institute, the remaining building we call Arkam Asylum. It is shut down and the people are loose to do as they will, except the Dangerous ones they have their own place. Our ward is full of super fun people! As couple young families something we hope to change. The church building has a fun story of its construction which happened when Thomas S. Monson was Mission President here. They didn't have enough members and resources to build the church so for a while they met in a bank basement. One day the bishop requested more missionaries and looked up all the things that they needed a plumber, carpenter ect, and they sent the missionaries to go convert them and build the church...and here it is! Amazing! 

Our Bishop seems like a really cool guy he seems to be really into the missionary spirit in all phases of the work, which makes me happy, he is a truck driver and wears cowboy boots to church. Our ward mission leader is one of my all time favorite people that I have ever met on my mission, His name is Brother Maclean and he was a bishop here before, so he knows everyone, everything, and how to make the work move right. He is a prison guard and has some good respect shown to him by his prisoners haha I wouldn't mess with him either. We asked him once if anyone has ever broken out of the max security prison he works in his response is perfect, "Nope, that's against the rules.." HAHAHA. Another fun thing that he says is "the second coming is on this Tuesday", It is hilarious, but at the same time I love it because we should always looking to be prepared for when the Lord does come and we aren't a couple penitent steps behind, something I will continue on in my life to say. "He is coming on Tuesday".

My companion Elder Bradford is a very hard working Elder, so we keep each other moving forward each day till we drop dead at the end of the day. He is from Salt Lake, only 19, yet he is one of the most devoted guys out here, so I guess I will keep him. He is one of those very by the book elders which is okay sometimes, except when it is just ridiculous! We laugh and joke all the time about the people here, which is nice because we get shut down a lot here so it is always good to laugh it off. 

 This week it has been raining all weekend, but still the work goes on! Trackting in the rain we went yesterday and I was prompted to go to a certain bunch of town houses and we knocked and found a lot of mean people and 1 nice person. Half way through I was getting annoyed at people and wanted to jet, but we felt we should press on. The last door we knocked there was a lady we handed a card to earlier this week named Paige, best part is she doesn't even live there she was house sitting for the weekend. We got her address and set up a time to meet up this week. Miracles for the win! I am not a very patient person but I am glad that I was at that moment. 

We met a very solid family named Frank and Helena, we gave a very powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon with them and they are searching for a church at the moment. A couple of days after we left he called with concerns, he researched online about the Book and found Anti and lots of false teaching by other people about us. I calmly went over a couple concerns with him over the phone and managed to know how to help him out and we will be seeing him tomorrow. Please pray for them they are really amazing, I hope we can reach them at this time. 

Josh dude you are 14 now!! Geez you will be driving around here soon how epic is that! when I get home I will teach you how to drift the Van haha. Hope that your big day was great! I sent a little something something for you in the mail hope you get it when you get back home. Remember I loves yous lil man! 

Took a couple pics of us in the Down town of St. Thomas, including the old train station they used here.

Love you tons! remember that If you aren't reading the Book of Mormon you are spiritually dying and need to read it :D Love your Elder Muirhead.

Father's Day Week and St. Thomas

Dear Mom,
HOLY COW MOM! YOU GOT HIM A TRUCK!!! .....I want to be a Dad now... HAHA THAT IS SO SWEET! HE DESERVES IT! 

Wow sounds like a ton of fun with the RMs sleepovers and BBQs. So there is a Lan-ia (Landon and Malia) couple over there huh pppffftt I laughed so hard that is just so cute!

 Okay here is the info you have been waiting for... or I could send it next week I guess...on second thought I won't unleash an anger mom on JJ's Birthday.

I have been transferred to a small town called St.Thomas only 36,000 people here haha good thing we cover other towns too, I would go crazy! Speaking of crazy I hit another town of literal crazy people. There is a shut down mental institute in town except for the forensic psych ward luckily enough. Every now and then we bump into some real dandy crazy people, makes life interesting I guess. I do really like it a little more than Toronto though, Toronto was just traffic with everything, including people on the streets. The last couple days have been full of trackting, and here in such a small town there is a lot of rejection haha So I get demolished here pretty quick at times, but it always just gives me really funny stories about people to write in my journal...so totally worth it. At the end of the day I lay in bed and say "Elder Bradford why is it that 4/5 people like to argue and yell at me?" his response "did you know that 56% of statistics are made up on the spot?" LOL

My companion Elder Bradford is another Utah boy straight from Salt lake city, yay another American to sing star spangled banner with in the morning....poorly of course. Haha got to keep up the tradition. Elder Bradford is the district leader here and he has been out for 7 transfers. That makes me so excited because I get to focus on my own personal work without all the stress of being in charge of other people, and still hold the title of seniority as a missionary! (I am 10 transfers in if you haven't been counting). I really like Elder Bradford we laugh and laugh every moment of the day and we got hit the pavement hard each day. 

A miracle that we had this week, well we had an appointment at Tim Hortons with a guy that never showed up so we went outside and right at the door we contacted a guy named Ed and he was interested. Later in the week we saw him again and he said that he invited 2 other guys to join us in our meeting this week, SO SICK!! As we were talking with Ed a lady came by named Jen who started to just join the conversation as if we were talking directly to her, she asked "who are you?" "we are the missionaries!" What's that?" "Well we talk about God and Jesus Christ" "I am not interested"....and so after we continued talking to Ed and asked for an appointment and his info and then Jen mimics the things that Ed says and told us she would see us later. Hahaha. 

The ward seems to be super nice, we get fed here very well. BONUS!!

I got some Pics you will enjoy 

Love you tons!

Transfer Time!

Dear Family!

So I got the call last night and I am leaving Toronto Don Mills areas, and going to a place called "St. Thomas". It is around London ON, it is another tiny town but good news is I get a car again!! yay! 

My new companions name is Elder Bradford... no idea who he is yet but I am excited to see what we can do together. 

i'm going to miss Don Mills but I am so happy I get to move on out of here! I have been there for 6 months now holy cow so nuts! 

Elder Sopal is staying put but he is not to happy I am out of here. He was a super cool companion, we have plans for the future to meet up again after I finish up the Mission. 

I am super pumped for this transfer! I have goals and plans to make it amazing, hopefully the Lord will bless us with much success, I trust he will. 

Tie Collection HAHA!

 What else can I say...

Oh the weirdest thing happened this Saturday we were on our way to a baptism and waiting at the bus stop and a homeless couple came walking by and the woman says "Sir, you have a very nice wedgie and I just really want to pick it!" ..... I told her that was gross and weird hahaha. Just a random moment I thought would make you see what kind of people I deal with each day in the big city. 

We attended a stake priesthood meeting all about helping those in need both Physically and Spiritually. Lots of cool things were mentioned but I think the coolest was a story that was told of a home teacher. A Home teacher had a man who he visited and that brother hadn't been at church for 6 weeks and the Home teacher was concerned for him, so of course as the good saint he was went and visited the man. He went and caught the man at a good time and yet nothing was said by either men. They went into the living room where the man was sitting by a fire and still nothing was said for a while. After a while of silence the home teacher went to the fire with tongs and pulled out a single bright flaming coal and took it and placed it by itself on the table. After watching this coal for 20 minutes or so the little coals brightness and beauty died and turned black and cold. Then the Home teacher took it and placed it back in the fireplace and it regained its flame next to the other coals, then he left. The next week the man came to church realizing that is a member leaves the powerful spirit of his fellow brethren, his spirituality would diminish like that single coal. 

I really really liked that analogy and how true it is that Sabbath Day worship is sooooo essential to maintain our strength together as the Church members of today. Really appreciated that part of last nights meeting. I turned to Elder Sopal after and asked if we could go over to all the Less actives and light coals on their coffee tables ahaha.

   

Guess what I have pictures to send to you this week YAY! 

Hope all is going Fantastic and pray the Lord will bless you every day! 

Dad thank you again for your email last week it is an excellent reminder to do all in my power to insure the best atmosphere for the people I teach. I shall constantly review it to make doubly sure of my efforts being efficient!

LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE YA!

Elder Muirhead  

PS - Super Missionary Mom! that is so cool that you were able to help out the Elders and be an Example of the Believers in front of a bunch of people and to add a testimony to boot, SO PROUD! That's my MAMA!