Baptisms already! (LHC wk#2)

Hi everyone!

I'm done with my first full week with Elder Welch in the Left-Hand Creek ward in Longmont! It's been awesome! This ward hasn't had a baptism in like 2 years, but not anymore!! :) It was probably one of the coolest weeks I have had as a missionary. Elder Welch is awesome. It has been great getting to know him this week. We have been on the same page about a lot of things and I'm grateful to be his companion for sure. We have worked somewhat together for the last number of months, but I never put in the effort to get to know him and honestly didn't think I liked him. I'm glad that I was open enough to get to know him and am PUMPED to be his companion this transfer. Yay having people be more awesome that you expected beforehand.

This was a pretty exciting crazy week! We didn't teach tons of people, but we did help some prepare to be baptized - so that was awesome! My first night in this area we had an appointment with Mindy, the top progressing investigator. It was weird cuz 2 other missionaries came too (transfers) and we had to leave early and go to dinner. One of those was Elder Johnson who served in this ward his last two transfers. After we left, he set her with a baptismal date! She moved it back a week since Tuesday, but she is excited to be baptized on July 18th!!

The other crazy thing started the next night for an appointment with the two other progressing investigators. Elder Welch and Elder Johnson had planned to move their baptismal date back from Friday June 26 to this week or next week. However when we talked about it on Wednesday night, Katie and Riley wanted to be baptized on Friday! They had already been pre-interviewed and taught everything... so at 9:20pm, we agreed to do everything we could to pull off a baptism happening two days later. The challenge was they are 18 & 19 and live in Boulder... haha. In the church's organization, it is designed for us to be in congregations where we live! So Thursday morning we had to call our Bishop who called the Stake President and the YSA Bishop in Boulder to figure out how to proceed. We got a baptismal interview set up for both of them for Thursday. Lots and lots of other hoops we jumped through. When we went over what we needed to do for it to happen on Wednesday night in planning, it was just receive permission, reserve the room, and have them interviewed. Doesn't seem that hard! Yet the amount of time we had to put in throughout Thursday and Friday was significant! Suffice to say that it was DEFINITELY a miracle for all of boundary issues to be resolved between 8am and 4pm on Thursday, to get a room reserved at 5:30pm, and have both interviews done that same day. Thursday night, we were kinda in disbelief that we were able to pull that off. We couldn't believe that the program was almost done as well and that the baptism really was going to be able to happen the following day. The fellowshipping family didn't really believe we could pull it off either! It was a miracle!

The other awesome miracle in the baptism... Katie and Riley were introduced to the church by a coworker at Boulder Pools. Sierra lives with her parents in the Left-Hand Creek ward and they were taught primarily in their home. Sierra's family has a tradition of getting their children nice leather full set of scriptures with their name embossed on it when they are baptized. But they had no way of driving down to Denver to the church bookstore to make that happen in the 2 days between the appointment and baptism. Miraculously, the family I had just lived with in Loveland - the Lamarrs - goes to the Denver Temple every Friday morning! They finished up around 1 or 2 pm and were able to purchase the specific set of scriptures for Katie and Riley! We were able to have them drive through Longmont on their way home and get the scriptures from them at 4pm!! Sierra's family couldn't believe we were able to pull that off for them! It was awesome. :)

For the baptism itself, Katie and Riley forgot extra underwear and towels. We brought extra towels and a member ran over to the store to get them some before the baptism started. One person baptizing them forgot extra underwear too and had to drive home and drive back for the baptism. I was giving a talk before the baptism and had to add additional content so he had enough time to get back and baptize Riley! My talk and the other talk were barely planned ahead. The person conducting the meeting had never really conducted one before. The Bishop was notified he was speaking 10 minutes before he spoke. It was crazy how many things we were able to handle to enable the baptism to happen. More miraculously, the YSA in Boulder was notified and sent 5 people up to Longmont to go and a couple who serve there came too. There were about 20 people from our congregation that made it in addition to 10 others including missionaries and their investigators. It wasn't packed, but it wasn't 5 people. It was amazing how many people were able to come being notified just the day before or possibly the day of! We went from one family, Kaite and Riley, and ourselves knowing about the baptism to all those people there in less than 48 hours! Super awesome. :)

The last miracle relating to this story was the Spirit at the baptism. Everyone who attended the baptism shared how great the Spirit was there. The overall feeling of love and joy they felt. That was definitely the most important most amazing part. Knowing that God was able to allow all the attendees to feel of His love during the service that was all pulled together hours before it started. The Spirit bore witness to us of the truth. No one really noticed all of the things going on behind the scene because of the Spirit that prevailed. Everyone I have talked to has felt spiritually recharged and filled from the baptism. :) It's so humbling to know that God truly does make up the difference and is the real cause of miracles to happen!

I'm grateful I was sent here just in time to be a part of it and help pull it together! The sacrament meeting yesterday was filled with the Spirit as well due to a missionary farewell (he is going to Japan tomorrow for his mission) and the confirmations of Riley and Katie. I even got to confirm Riley even though I met her 4 days before that! It was sweet. :) We are excited for good things to come this transfer. I definitely saw God's hand in this week all over the place (more things than just the baptism happened, but I'm out of time and space to share it).

Have an amazing week! :) Miracles happen for sure!

Elder Jeff Campbell

Left to right: Elder Welch, Katie, Riley, myself

Me with Brother and Sister Lamarr

Transfer time! Family Ward Bound!

Hi Everyone!

This week has been an adventure. I'm being transferred to another ward! I will sure miss the Twin Peaks YSA. It has been my favorite place to serve because I have become more able to love while serving here. I love so many things about the Loveland Stake and this ward. President Crane and Brother LaMarr - who we work with on missionary work for the stake - are AMAZING. They are some of the best examples of loving leaders I have met. The missionaries I have been able to work with for the last 5+ months have been great too. It' s been a lot of fun to serve here without even including the ward! But I have been privileged to serve in this YSA for so long. I couldn't make a list of all the people that I love here because there are so many! One thing that makes it different leaving here is that I have spent time consistently every week with a lot of people here for the last 4-5 months. It is hard saying goodbye to people that have genuinely become friends because of the time that you have spent with them. It's also weird that I'm not moving far... to the Left Hand Creek ward in the Longmont Stake. The Twin Peaks YSA covers the Loveland and Longmont stake, so this is part of the area I have been covering for the last 5 months! But whatever! It should be good.

One cool thing I learned this week... I finally finished reading through the Book of Mormon! That was awesome. I learned a lot from reading it this time. The last thing that I learned is something I need to develop more faith in. Unintentionally, I have justified myself in committing sin or not doing my best. I have said/thought, "I'm not perfect." But in reality I began to use it as a crutch and not put in the effort I know I could! At the very end of the Book of Mormon it said how we need to love God with all our might, mind and strength (Moroni 10:32). While reading that I asked, "Is it really possible to love God with ALL of my might, might, and strength?" If the scriptures are saying that I need to, then I know that it must be true! However, I have never genuinely believed that I was capable of doing that! Personally, giving "all of me" is a scary thought. It scares me thinking about it while I'm writing this! I think one of the reasons is because deep down I feel like if I did that I would be missing out on something or be required to do more than that I am able. I know the scriptures say, "the Lord gives no commandment unto the children of men save He shall prepare a way for them to accomplish the thing that He commands them." (1 Nephi 3:7), but really BELIEVING that in your heart is different. So I guess I share this with you to ponder about it in your life as I ponder about how this is possible and have my heart changed so I can do that! I do know that I have made tremendous strides in the right direction, but there is still room to grow! The coolest thing is that the process to do that is SUPER SIMPLE; it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You first develop more faith in Christ by reading the scriptures, praying, attending church, and serving others. You then recognize areas to improve and seek Christ's help to change. Finally you experience greater love and the Spirit more in your life, which in turn causes you to develop more faith! I love how simple the Gospel is and how we can truly have our natures changed (and you will read more about an example of someone who had that shortly...).

 Awesome missionary experiences... We got to meet up with Jen Mallory this week at the Turner's home (3rd time teaching Jen at their home) and it was AWESOME! The Sister Turner really has connected with Jen. We just talked about the role of the Holy Ghost, recognizing the Holy Ghost, and receiving answers to our prayers. After talking for a while, Sister Turner asked Jen, "So where are you at with all this?" Jen said she recently developed real intent, or the desire to truly know for herself that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is what we claim it is. Before she hadn't received an answer and didn't want one. But as she gained that, she did receive an answer to know that it is true!! :) She has one last thing to do/know. As it is, she has a very limited relationship with her mom. She is scared that being baptized into the church will sever all that remains of that relationship. We invited her to pray to know what God would have her do and for the courage to do it.

Interestingly, Jen shared about one of her friends with us that helped her come to receive that answer. Jen's friend was one of her best friends in high school who was also not a Mormon (in South East Idaho, they were two of the only ones in the whole school that weren't Mormon). Jen and her friend were the wild girls. They were Goth and lots of stuff. That friend became interested in the church at the end of high school and ended up going to BYU-Idaho. Jen says that if she didn't know for a fact that this friend of hers was the same girl from high school, she wouldn't believe it. Her friend has made a complete 180 for the better in her life. She truly has had her nature changed by Christ becoming someone who is not mean like she used to be. (Jen said that you really didn't want to cross her!) She has becoming a loving person who experiences true joy and happiness in her life. I asked Jen how this friend's family reacted... not well!! Her parents didn't talk to her for a couple years. The dad is now talking to her. I asked, "Despite this, she still is in a much better place than ever?" "Yes. The only difference in her life is that she chose to join the church. That is what made the change in her life." We definitely hope that the experience of her friend will give Jen the strength and courage to make a hard decision knowing that it will work out for the best!

One lesson I take from my experience with Jen since I've been here is that I'm not the converter! We asked her, "what questions do you have?" when we met this week and she didn't have any because she asks her Mormon friends those questions. How sweet is that? She has been emailing a couple of her friends who are on missions and talked on the phone to some others. I have never seen her so convinced of the power of the Gospel in someone's life as she was when she shared that above story. I couldn't give her any of these experiences! She has been prepared and placed in situations in her life that would enable her to learn and grow. Not that I didn't help, Jen texted us last night saying, "And if I don't see Elder Campbell again, let him know that he has greatly impacted my life for the better, thank you!" But I know that if I was the only one impacting her life that it wouldn't have made this significant a difference. It is humbling and awesome to be on the same team as God who does all these marvelous works without us knowing! He softens hearts and puts situations in people's lives that facilitate their belief in Him. I have been privileged to be there and witness this change in Jen's life as I have witnessed it in Ruth McGaughey's life and Kellen Brumley's life. It's the best experience ever!

Another experience on Sunday, I was introduced to a guy who came to church for the first time - the friend of a girl named Elle from church. He told me that while he is not religious, he believes in God because he has seen miracles happen in his family. His mom miraculously overcame a deadly/debilitating disease, his brother fell asleep at the wheel and rolled his truck 3 times without being seriously injured. He has witnessed the hand of God. It is SOOOOO cool to see God's hand and know that he is the one of moves missionary work forward as we develop faith in him. Perhaps that guy came to church because we had the BEST meetings before church started ever! We committed to do missionary work as a ward. We are having a fast for missionary work on the first Sunday of July and focusing on inviting nonmember friends to our fun activities. Immediately after we decided to exercise our faith and believe that there is missionary work to be done here, we meet a guy after church who is interested! Coincidence, I think not! That has literally happened every time I have become more committed to doing God's will - a miracle happens and we find someone prepared to receive the Gospel.

Lastly, I had the opportunity to share my testimony at the close of church on Sunday (though it already ran SUPER over... it started at 11 and ended after 1230... haha). Two people shared what they had learned in the mission field as they returned in the last month. It was powerful for them to share the miracles they had witnessed in the parts of the world they were sent (I think one was in Northern Idaho and the other in Mexico). What I closed with was basically, "I love hearing about the missionary work going forth in other places as we have recently returned missionaries share. But I testify that the field is white here. There are people being prepared right here to receive the Gospel and have their lives changed. I have seen it and taught people who are experiencing changes today." :) And I know that's true wherever we are! There is truly work to be had anywhere where we exercise faith. God has prepared people to receive His Gospel.

Have the best week of your life!

Elder Jeff Campbell

P.S. You can reply to the email if you want to. ;)

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Hiking today! (Lvlnd pt2 wk#24)

Hey all!

I'm alive! Just didn't have any time to be online. I went on a hike in the Rocky Mountain national park at 5am and got back at 4. Long day! I have a short message...

We got a new investigator this week: Jared, a friend of Chris (he was baptized in Longmont the same day as Kellen 2 weeks ago, but is graduated from high school so has come to the YSA now!). We met up with him 2x this week and he is actually interested! They weren't sure because he first came to support Chris at his baptism. At the end of our first visit with him we told him to be careful of what he reads on the church online. Interestingly he said, "Your church now has over 15 million members, right? My church (the United Methodist Church) went below 15 million members in the last year. There must be something to the growth of your church while mine is dying."

He is right. The Book of Mormon really is another Testament of Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the original restored church. It has the apostles, it has the authority, it has current revelation from God, it has the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel, it has focus on the family unit, and it has the ordinances for deceased ancestors. And we can know by reading the Book of Mormon.

I love Jesus Christ and am humbled and grateful to be a representative of Him today helping people come to Him.

Have a great week!

Elder Campbell

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Another AWESOME week! (Lvlnd pt2 wk#22)

Hi super awesome people!!

I know I said a couple weeks ago that it was my best week as a missionary, but this week was at least as awesome if not more!!

The most exciting parts of this week were on exchanges (when I'm with a different missionary for 24 hours). On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to go out with Elder K Campbell to his area in Stetson Creek. LEGIT. We worked arguably harder in that day than I ever have before as a missionary! We walked for 9 miles (he usually walks 15 in a day). I was kinda dying... haha. BUT we really talked to everyone. We started at 2pm, talked to the neighbor across the street a little, a guy flagged us down because he had questions (he saw E K Campbell walking by his house almost every day for 3 months), and we talked to 2 girls who just graduated from High School. That was all in the first 1 hour. The 2 girls had awesome questions and we shared the Plan of Salvation with them. It is so much fun to meet new people and share truth with them in a way that connects with them! Later, We dropped by a less-active lady whose son and friend we shared the Restoration with - new investigators! It was a bit miraculous because we almost left when we found out that the lady was too busy, but we engaged in small talk and asked if we could share a short video. Frequently since I have a car, I don't just go out and talk to people on the street. I was reminded this day how fulfilling and AWESOME it is to just open your mouth and talk with people. When you are sincerely seeking to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord, there will be prepared people that you come in contact with that have quesitons!

On Wednesday, I went out with a brand new missionary (Elder Minor) to his area in Lakeside. Fortunately I came off working really hard so I decided to make it continue! After having some appointments and stuff for the first couple hours, we started going out of our way to talk to people. We got on a spiritual roll after teaching a powerful lesson on God's pattern and love to a young less-active family. When we arrived at the door of our next appt in an apartment complex, a lady came outside the adjacent door to smoke. We nearly went straight to our appointment, but decided to talk with her. After asking some questions about her family, we shared powerful principles of Christ's love for her. Ultimately, I offered to leave her with a prayer. It was definitely one of the most bold/clear/unscripted prayers I have ever said. She was in tears after. I found myself with watery eyes too; I already loved someone I had only know for 20 minutes! After that conversation, Elder Minor mentioned how he wanted to talk to everyone more. While I was spouting off random stories of talking to everyone, I let a young couple pass us by in the complex without saying anything! Luckily they were still sitting in their car after we unsuccessfully  knocked on our last planned door in the complex. We walked by their car and I knocked on their car window to see if they were interested in having the Gospel of Jesus Christ more in their life. While they said no, I was happy I at least gave them the opportunity! :) From my experience, I get depressed if I felt like talking to someone without saying anything and feel great regardless of the outcome when I open my mouth. After having a couple more sweet Gospel conversations with random people, we pulled up at the house at 8:50pm. As the driver and knowing we should stay out until 9pm, I decided to drive and find someone else to talk to. We drove for a minute and found a guy doing something outside in his garage. We parked one house down and walked over to talk to him! Though he wasn't interested, he was nice and said he'd tell his Mormon coworker that we stopped by!

AND on Thursday, I had another great experience! After teaching a lesson with Elder Proffit in our area, a discouraged companionship asked what they could do from 4pm until their dinner appointment. We picked them up and went on splits, myself going with Elder Parkinson. We had 1 hour and decided to go on a walk down the street to find someone to teach. After about 5 minutes, we found someone doing yard work and had a 30-45 minute conversation with them. He hadn't gone to church for 12 years since he served in the military in the Middle East shortly after September 11th, 2001. After talking with him, he felt the desire to come to church with us the following week (he was helping a friend yesterday). Turns out his neighbors are members and, from this lesson, he planned to talk to them about the church.

I forgot how AWESOME it is to just go out and talk to people about the Gospel. Fortunately in America, a lot of people are still pretty receptive to at least talking with us. Yes, I talked to some people that didn't give us the time of day, but it was still a great experience. We even found out the Lakeside missionaries went on splits with another set of missionaries to help them find new people to teach on Saturday! So awesome to have this type of work happening.

I finally feel like I'm getting a hang of being a leader and helping others do missionary work. This is some seriously fulfilling work! To cap it all off, on Saturday Kellen was baptized! It's weird to me that people tell us "congratulations on having a baptism" because it wasn't us! We were just privileged to be here when Kellen was ready to come into the church. He is funny... we found out in the last week that he had absolutely no desire to join the church the first day he showed up. In the last year, he even laughed seeing the Book of Mormon musical and regularly made fun of Mormons! Yet, he now is a baptized member!

I love the Gospel. I was reminded of one key principle this week in my studies. In our society, we want to 'know' a lot of things, but we don't really do them. There are lots of 'experts' who have never done what they teach! However, that is not the Gospel. Christ was not only our Savior, but also our Exemplar. He never told us, "Do what I say and not what I do." Rather, He invites us to "Follow me," to "go and do likewise," and to "love one another as I have loved you." In personal application, I was reminded that I can't "progress" to a higher level if I'm not diligently doing the little things. I want to learn the mysteries of God!! And I have a more sure knowledge today that I can't learn those if I don't do the simple things (i.e. read scriptures, pray, go to church, and serve others). Soooo let's do them and never feel bad when someone from the pulpit asks us to do those things because we are doing them now!

Hopefully this was as edifying for you to read as it was for me to write! I hope I didn't digress too much. Suffice to say, the Gospel is rolling forth out here as we diligently preach it and that I was reminded to be a "doer of the word and not a hearer only."

AMEN! :)

Have the best week ever!

Elder Jeff Campbell

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Me, (Bishop Depew), Kellen, Elder Proffit