22 Days!!

Dear Mom and Dad,
22 days! Ahh oh man that is NO time at all...Yes I admit it has been an emotional struggle for me to expect and anticipate the release of "Elder Muirhead" haha. I trust in the Lord to show me the way and direct me through the unknown future as I accomplish new goals. I can't wait to be back and learn from you and Dad how to prepare for well...everything! 

Today I finished my Home coming talk, the spirit was flowing through me as I was writing it out. I am very excited to express my love and experiences of the such an amazing 2 years. 

Last week was an amazing one, I was able to go on exchanges back to St.Thomas. I was able to get in contact with some of my previous investigators that I was very dearly close with, Mary and James. We saw Mary and she has been through a lot in the last year with many health concerns, she fell away from her spiritual progress after Elder Bradford and I left town. I was able to pronounce a blessing upon her and promised many wonderful heartfelt words from the Lord, of which I hold as a dear and sacred experience. After her blessing she turned to the other Elder serving there and said "I will make you a deal that if you come by and teach us this week, I will come too church next week!" Amazing miracles and expression of faith and repentance. The Elder was astounded and speechless and agreed of course. I hope that I can return to witness her baptism in the future, I got a picture with her and her son Jeremy. 

Zanai Unfortunately didn't make it out to church this week due to assisting a friend out of town that has undergone surgery.....We will be seeing her on Tuesday and be praying for this weeks attendance.

Another Muirhead baby!! YES!! Wow that is incredible to hear, I'm excited for Conor and Katie.  Hahaha Lola that is so funny! I will do what I can I guess to supply you with a baby to play with someday
. 

Love you all 

Elder Muirhead 

OH! I forgot to mention that they sent me my flight itinerary this week I didn't bring it with me today, I will take a pic of it for you next week so you get the times and gates etc. 

Mom I wouldn't expect less from you then camping out at the airport a week ahead of time, haha I will look for the tent and crazy bed head. XO!

Greetings from Tillsonburg

Dear Mom and Dad,
Tillsonburg is a great place! It is out in the country and the branch is made up of more elderly people than my past areas, they are so amazing. We get fed all the time here, we have more investigators on our board than I have ever seen before, and we get lots of service opportunities chopping wood, burning leaves, and more. I am digging it here! 

My companion is Elder Allred from Wyoming. I like him, he is kinda quite and in his own way, but I like it. He has been out for 3 months, so I am not training him (I was misinformed). The area is fairly new so our apartment has a Few things in it. When I first stepped in the place was a dump! The Elder I replaced was heading home and left it a pig sty. Before we did anything that day we cleaned up the place and made it the way we wanted it for like 2-3 hours...ew just gross. Now it is nice!

I can't wait to hear those missionary experiences from you and Josh in your regular letters. As well as going on Vacation to California! YEAH YEAH! I'm Stoked to go with you guys.

New address is 70 Devonshire Ave # 309 -N4G C53   

This morning I was working on my home coming talk, I am pretty excited to share it when it is well and finished. 

Guitars oh geez don't temp me yet, haha I can't wait to get back on it. 

I am more and more pumped to get so many things done when I return and just achieve all that I need too accomplish. I have a list of things to do this summer, and beyond haha. Most important is going to the Temple every so often with some family names. It will be nice to go with more than just you, me and Dad, but the boys can join it the work too. That will be an amazing family activity to do, can't wait.

One of our investigators Zanai is from Cuba, and we have been teaching her for a few weeks. She has a real desire to change her life around and set a goal for baptism on May 14th. Hoping to see at least one more baptism before going home that would be a real spiritual treat.

I am happy, going hard and keeping the faith...and cleanly in the apartment. These few weeks are going to be some of the best yet I can feel it. 

Elder Muirhead

P.S. pics for you next week, it was too crazy last week to take any.

29 days till HOME!

LAST TRANSFER!

Dear Mom, 
Well, I received my last transfer call last night and I am going to...Tillsonburg, it's just outside of St.Thomas. I'm heading back to my old battle grounds. I will be finishing training for a new Elder, So for the next 5 weeks his feet are going to be burning haha I'm going to work him good. :)

35 days till home, huh wow mind blown!

I have been amazed thinking back to the start of this whole adventure 2 years ago and can't even believe thats  I was able to cram so many experiences into 2 small years, so many amazing things never to forget. 

Summer Vacation sounds nice, Please choose somewhere sunny maybe a beach. I am so done with snow for a while hahaha

Hawaii...Mexico...California  Doesn't matter just as long as 1) I got my family and 2) SUNSHINE WEATHER!

The Temple trip this week was amazing, I felt a great spirit there and was able to teach about temples and Family History last night to a family with a more burning testimony of that divine work to be done.

Sending another package of my stuff back this week to you. (dont worry not as heavy as the last one).

I love love love ya. 

Elder Muirhead

Wow thanks Dad that means a ton I am also super stoked to talk about our missions together and go baptize some people out in Victoria with you ;) 

Friday I got to go to the Temple and was able to bring one of your ancestors with me, it was a powerful experience as it was my first family name brought with me to the Temple. I felt that Brother John Black accepted the Endowment that I was able to provide for him. What a great spirit! I put all your names on Prayer roll in theToronto temple <3 I also send my personal prayers that the Lord will uphold you. 

Currently I'm reading the end of Mormon and starting Ether. Man oh man Mormon to Moroni is my favorite part, so much power, promises and love given to all those who just read the book. 

I love the Lord, I love his mission and I love his gospel!

And I love you Dad thank you for getting me here! You're amazing!

Elder Muirhead

A Strong Foundation

Spring Conference Weekend

Dear Family,
What an amazing conference week! 

I sensed that the whole theme was the Plan of Salvation from President Erying's opening on the preexistence to opposition, choices, families, resurrection, temples etc. 

I loved Gary E. Stevenson's talk on priesthood keys, and his analogy on the car being a nice hunk of metal of great potential until you have the keys to operate it. The Gospel is restored...fact.

President Nelson in priesthood session was excellent as well on the role of men of God, and increasing in power from on high.

My favorite address was Elder Holland at the very end. His scripture reference to Joshua 3:5 answered a lot of questions and worries about these next few years."Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do a wonders among you"

Ah I loved it all! All my questions were answered and I was able to pray and search my patriarchal blessing for further personal perspective on the things spoken. I feel like I now have a better view of my priorities to work towards and also a peace in knowing that the Lord will be guiding the next chapter in my life.

The Biggest surprise to us missionaries in Toronto was that our mission president was called as a member of the 70! We saw him there it was so cool! "Hey there he is I recognize that shiny head of his." We are all so excited for him, he will be leaving to Salt Lake on July 1st.

I know that these men are called of God! I sustain them and pray for them. 

One thing that was crazy is that it snowed during conference on Saturday A ton! like instantly was several inches from nothing before, dang it! 

Love you all have a great week!

Elder Muirhead

Easter Miracles and Testimony

Dear Family,
Wow I got an email today from the church for the Myplan post mission program. I have been feeling like the end is coming so fast, and now even faster as I am making plans now to return. I know that it will bless me however as I dive into the next chapter of life. 

Easter was great, talks were powerful, the classes were great, we went to the Bishop's home for an early dinner, went to the stake center for a Easter music presentation from the stake choir which was lovely. 

I had a miracle happen this week which I keep very dear as another reminder of the truthfulness of this gospel and the priesthood which is given to those who are worthy to bear it. I share this with the intent to show how much God truly is present in our lives and that He is indeed a God of miracles. Please don't look at this as anything that I personally have done, but what the Lord did with us as his mouth and vessel. 

During our Gospel principles class Easter Sunday, one of the members in the room (a recent convert whom I won't use a name) started to have very strong pains in their head from what that member expressed was due to a large tumor that was in the persons head. That person had been off chemotherapy and was told that the tumor may get more aggressive. As she was in tears of pain holding her head, we asked if she would like to receive a priesthood blessing from us 4 Elders. She agreed, it was us senior companions that were giving her the anointing and blessing. I was sealing and pronouncing many blessings which came to me by the spirit. I told her that her problem would go away and that the doctors would know how to help treat her current condition, ect. Afterwards she went to the hospital for 8 hours wait getting checked up on. The next day I was prompted to call her and see how she was doing and if we could help at all, she told me that while she was at the hospital that the doctors told her that her tumor was gone, not to be seen. She still had a migraine, but she was amazed and surprised to the response that she received. 

I bear testimony of the power of God in our lives and hope that we all may receive that witness, not by signs or miracles but by the power of the Holy Ghost which truly makes those manifestations possible because of the reception of the knowledge of the Saviour Jesus Christ by that very spirit. I would urge all to continue to be able to be constantly repentant and worthy to bear arms of the priesthood, because you never know when you will need to perform a miracle for the Lord's children. (Alma 42:30)

I love my Saviour so much, he has brought me countless times to my feet in humility to receive his love and guidance which is always present in every souls mortal existence every step of the way. 

The Atonement is a fact, the Lord is real and risen. I don't need evidence to prove it to my temporal eyes, for because of my mission I have seen him with us with my spiritual eyes of sorts. The Restoration is a fact, this church isn't just any old church. It bears the mark of authorization and authenticity of Heaven. Prophets real, apostles real, revelations real, individual worthy and expectations to live the gospel also real. I am so blessed to receive so much in my short days. 

Easter isn't about the bunny, it is about the Lamb of God!

(Alma 7:11-13) 

With love,

Elder Muirhead

Snakes and Cow Fields

Dear Mom!
Hallelujah you're healed! I am so relieved to hear that your doing much better now, I have sent a lot of prayers your way for your health and getting rid of that pneumonia. 

Spring is here too, just not the same as out west...It may snow again this week :P But we have had several days of sunshine and + weather.

 I'm so glad you are enjoying the handwritten real mailed letters I will be continuing the weekly ritual of writing you until the end.

This week we taught a man named William, he is a very intelligent guy and loves politics and history. In our discussion recently he was going on lots of rants on those topics and we were agreeing to the things he was talking about by including a "uh huh" or "yes" every so often, then he said "wow you guys sure know a lot I am very impressed." hahaha So funny because we both were lost the majority of the time.

Elder Trump and I found a few really beautiful spots in our area which I will send pics of. I also found a garter snake, I picked him up with a stick but then he jumped away....couldn't keep him I guess.

We went to a members home out in the country, he has a cattle ranch and so we got there and talked to his wife, she told us to go find her husband by listening to the sound of the tractor. We go over and find him scraping cow terds into a mountain haha and he didn't see us waving, so I was like "whatever let's go get him", so we charged into the cow area where there was messy trails to say the least haha. Finally he saw us waving at him and immediately stopped the tractor saying "wow, boys get out of here you don't want to be walking in here you'll smell for a month". We turned around and he came out to chat. Our shoes weren't bad at all, but it was super funny to see his reaction of us coming to get him in our get up. 

Love you, the gospel is true!

Elder Muirhead

My Last Zone Council Meeting

Dear Family,
This week we met with an investigator named Martin and he was referred by his member girlfriend in Montana. He is looking to grow his faith and come to find more joy in his life, we talked about faith, repentance and the word of wisdom. He really enjoyed our conversation till we got to the word of wisdom. "Not going to happen" he said, "I know myself and it won't work for me. I have smoked for 42 years, and drank tea and coffee since I came from the womb, won't happen." We continued to assure him the importance of this commandment was more than just taking the substances themselves, but that we can feel the impressions of the Lord more abundantly in our lives. I told him that his first statement of not being able to quit was a lie from Satan and that he can quit with faith, and we talked about how the Devil wants to make sure he takes as many of us out of God's kingdom as he can due to him hating us (we said this because he said that he didn't think Satan really cared about hurting us individually, again lie). I also told him that "if we indulge in those things it fogs our minds and blinds our spirits, then I asked him if he would feel comfortable crossing the street blind folded? He of course answered "No." I then told him that commandments of God are there to allow us to actually see things in life a lot more clearly and that we can see the WHOLE perspective of our choices in life." He paused, "I never thought of it like that before.." He at least agreed to pray about the option of living this commandment. 

On Wednesday we had our zone council meeting, (My last one) we discussed weekly planning and how it would improve us tremendously in our efforts both here and at home. Truly that hardest moment was sharing our "farewell testimonies" I and some of the missionaries that came with me were called up one last time to bare our testimonies. I was the last to go, which was kinda hard!  I heard everyone talking about their lives, missions, trials, their experiences and favorite scriptures, (story-monies is what I call them.) Maybe that is why I was called last to go. Instead of continuing the same pattern, I bore witness of the Lord and the Atonement, the effects of it, the attribute of Humility, and truly the spirit was strong there. (Elder Trump recorded it so I shall send it to you in Dropbox.) Afterwards I met with President Clayton for my temple recommend interview, he said before we begin  "I loved your testimony Elder, it showed just how much you love your Saviour." OH man that was a hard moment for me to go through! Ahh things are going so fast.

We witnessed a few baptisms, one in Portuguese and another was a member's 8 year old daughter. Both were very nice spirits. It's always a gift to be at a baptism.

One of our recent converts K.... who is attending YSA Branch had us come visit Saturday. She related to us her desire to go to the temple but that there were a few things that may be a hindrance to her going. We talked about it and she said that she had met with others, telling them the same things and they made her feel terrible and judged by them. When we came we were calm, listened and spoke with sincere love. I expressed the doctrinal principles she desired to know more on, and then gave my personal opinion on the matter. I probably quoted 5 LDS presidents haha Yet it was my feeling and it felt strong and true! The one that stuck out to her was "It is better to prepare and prevent, rather to have to repair and repent."-Ezra T. Benson. I also told her that it is probably better to make sure that we are safely living the commandments as close as we can, instead of trying to see how close we can paddle to the edge of the waterfall before accidentally falling off of it. She loved that we came and what we shared with her, it helped out A LOT! She offered to have us for dinner one of these days (YES! BLESSINGS!) . The next day she texted us and told us "Got my recommend!" We were so proud of her example of honesty and determination to be a true disciple!

It has been a good week :) 

Love you guys!

Elder Muirhead

Being Goofy