Goodbye Elder & Sister Gochnour - 9-26-24

JACE - So...It's Been a While

 September 24, 2024

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I haven't wrote in a couple weeks. Time just slips away some times on the beloved P-Days. Things have been going pretty well here in Faribault.

The most interesting part of this transfers is the fact that I am training a new missionary. His name is Elder Mallonee! He's from Spokane, WA and we have been having a great time. We get along pretty well and we have a lot of the same interests! It was pretty weird going into pretty much teaching a missionaries job, but luckily I've been on the position of teaching jobs to others before.

Most of the other things are pretty standard for missionary work. We have a friend named Adam, and we have him on date for baptism in November. But, he's made some choices in his past that makes him have to meet with the Mission President for his baptismal interview. I keep praying that things can keep going well, but it might be pushed back. He's been on date before a long time ago, but the Elders at the time weren't straight forward with him as to why they were pushing back his baptism. At least we're being truthful with him, and he really appreciates it. And he just finished 1 Nephi today! So pray for Adam!

Now, we have a not very fun topic to cover. Last week, we got an email that told us we were having a special mission conference and shifting our p-day over, hence why I'm emailing today. We all were wondering if it was a general authority or if we were gonna get chastised for something. But we couldn't guess what it actually was. On Sunday night, President and Sister Gochnour let us know that something had developed with President's health and that they had to go home and be released because of it. When they said that, it felt like a rock dropped in my heart. I love them so much, and they've been amazing examples of Christ-Like love and service. At that special mission conference, they had some great "last words." Sister Gochnour even said that it felt weird to be at their own funeral. They wanted to hear all of our testimonies of Christ, and every single one was aimed at them. They've told us who our new mission leaders will be, and President and Sister Gochnour will be released on the 1st. It hurts, but God has a plan for all of us, even when it doesn't make sense. At least they will be able to come to as many homecomings as possible!

So yeah, the moral of the story can just be to appreciate what and who you have before they are gone. You never know how things are gonna go. They'll be able to be other people's miracles, so I challenge you to find ways to be miracles for others!

Love you guys! Look for and be miracles!

Sincerely,

Elder Buchanan

JACE - Approaching Another Month Mark

 September 2, 2024

Hey, Everyone!

Not gonna lie, not a lot has happened this week. Lessons falling through and just being able to work as hard as I would like. But I try to do my best. That's all I can do. 

We decided to do an extra exchange this week, so I got to go to Mankato again. Elder Jarman and I did some good ol' knocking, Facebook and calls. Good work. We even found them somebody through knocking! His name is Leo, and we were able to talk to him and his son about the church, and he said he was even willing to come to church. Hopefully things can work out there. 

Like I said, a lot of our own stuff has not been working out. But it does give me a lot more time to practice my faith in the work. It has been interesting to take more time to study and reflect on my decision to be a better disciple. I've come to a realization of the closeness between faith and effort. "The Lord loves effort," is one of the Prophet's favorite lines. I can testify that effort and faith are so intertwined, you cannot have one without the other! Remember that!!!

Love y'all!

Sincerely,

Elder Buchanan