May 7

Hey family! 

It has been a great week! I will give you a nice recap in the provided essay below. Hope you enjoy since I am taking time to write this.

Monday: We had preparation day. We went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my birthday! That was super fun! Then that night we went to the Carsons (a family that was baptized in November) for dinner. They made a super good salad! I ate like 5 plates of it! It was super good! 

Tuesday: We had interviews in the Columbus South zones. So Elder K and I went down to the good ol'e Reynoldsburg for interviews. It was a pretty awesome time! Interviews are super fun because you get to see all the missionaries and get to know them better when you do small group trainings. Then later that night did some proselyting in our area. We also had to figure out district meeting topics for the next day. Then that night we had to make an hour and a half drive out to  Dayton to a place called Piqua to drop off a car to some missionaries. 

Wednesday: Was just kind of a normal day. We had office work in the morning and proselyting in the evening. Nothing to great! Then that night we had to again drive out to Dayton to set up for interviews on Thursday. We stayed the night at some elder's apartment in the area. 

Thursday: We had interviews in the Dayton East Zones. This was super fun again. I loved getting to see and talk with a lot of old companions. It is amazing to talk with old companions and see how they have grown from when you served with them. I cool quote that I got out a Thursday was, "Life is short but it will define all eternity" Not sure where it came from it is just written in my planner. I thought it was pretty sweet though! So later that night we had a few lessons. Then we drove down to OSU to set up for new missionary training down at OSU campus. So we set it up and then again slept on the floor of another elder's apartment.

Friday: This was the day of New missionary training. New missionary training is where we have all the new missionaries from the past transfer and their trainers come down to OSU and we training them on different things. The thing I was in charge of was running the contacting rotation. Basically missionaries would go out and contact on campus. Contacting on campus is super fun! You meet some pretty interesting people doing it. After new missionary training we went out to lunch with President and Sister Nilsen. We went to this Thai Bistro. It was so good! Then we did some more awesome proselyting in our area. 

Saturday: Most of the day was spent doing service. A member in Delaware called me and said a friend in Powell was moving and needed help. So we went and helped them. They were so appreciative it was ridiculous. They literal could not believe that we were there to help them. It was so fun and see how service touches the hearts of others.  Later that night we ran down to a Stake Conference. We were there to assist President and Sister Nilsen with some media they wanted to show during their talks. After the conference we had an emergency transfer that we had to aid in. So again we made a trip out to Dayton. 

Sunday: It was pretty crazy! Everyone that we had lined up for church that morning fell through. So we were able to get someone to come to church at the other ward. The rest of the day was spent proselyting and such. Just doing the grand missionary thing. 

Monday: This also was a pretty crazy day. So in the morning we made again and the final time for the week, another drive to Dayton because an elder was going home. So we picked up the elders and drove back to the office. Then we played some basketball and soccer between the four of us. Then that night we got a call from president letting us know that mission leadership council was going to be somewhere different. So the rest of the night was planning mlc. 

Tuesday: This was a highlight of my week and a highlight of my mission. So for mission leadership council we went to the mounds! These are places that are highly speculated to be the ancient civilizations of the people in the Book of Mormon. We talked all about the physical proof of the Book of Mormon. For example: The Hebrew syntax/culture/war strategies found within the Book. The fact that they have found other plates of metal that were engraven into in a place called Coshocton, Ohio. The fact that the mounds throughout Ohio match the description of Moroni building up mounds of earth round about the cities for protection. The fact that 2 tribes of Hopewells existed (the north and the south) and then they came together (Mulekites and the Nephites). Then there is the mystic symbol and  I could go on about all the physical evidences that PROVE the Book of Mormon to be true and correct. But that does not matter. Never has nor will a miracle or physical proof create faith or a testimony. Yes miracles and physical proof can strengthen our faith and testimony. But our faith and testimony has to come from a manifestation of the Spirit. Being there at the mounds was amazing but more amazing then that was that same night elder Pike and I finished the Book of Mormon. The spirit found within the Book of Mormon is unlike any other. Alma says, "Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me." It is amazing to me that a man like Alma that had seen many miracles says the way he knows of truth is by the spirit of revelation. I can tell you the same thing as Alma did that my testimony of the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel of Christ was made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God.  The Book of Mormon is true and it is the evidence that the Church of Christ need to be and was restored back upon the face of the earth. 

I love you family! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Baird 

April 28

Hey family! 

So it was another great week! I wanted to make sure this was a great email since last weeks was pretty wimpy

Monday: Elder K and I prepared to travel part of the mission. So we set sail towards the most Eastern part of the mission (like 20ish minutes away from West Virginia). So Monday night we packed and made the 2 hour drive to Cambridge Ohio. All week we just would show up to a companionship's apartment to surprise them.

Tuesday: We spent most the day in Cambridge. So super cool experience: Elder Hogan and I were knocking in a small town outside Cambridge called New Concord! We knocked on the last door (by the way it is always the last door no matter which way you knock). This lady answers the door and we start to talk about who we are. She mentions that her husband is a Presbyterian Pastor. Then mid sentence she says would you like to come in and have dinner. Elder Hogan and I looked at each other and in my head I am thinking "Did she really just ask that? No one ever asks that!" We say yes of course! We go in and have an amazing dinner. We are having small talk during dinner and afterward about our families and such. Then again mid sentence the lady says "Alright boys lets get down to brass tax and talk about the word." So then we share with them the restoration and show the video Because He lives. We get a return appointment for tomorrow! It was amazing! After that I went down to Zanesville.

Wednesday: I was in Zanesville (my 3rd area)! It was super weird to be back in an old area. It was a super fun day. As a missionary in the USA for the most part you know it is hard to find people to talk to between the hours of 1-3. Well while we were there I felt impressed to go visit a part-member family and it was at like 2 in the afternoon. I had never met the non member of the family. Well we went there and the non member was home. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and got a return appointment! It was super cool! 

Thursday: It was my Birthday! Nothing to exciting just some awesome texts and calls from Sister and President Nilsen. That day I was in Moundbuilders area for the day. I met a cool guy named Jacob. After Moundbuilders we actually drove home and surprised our companions! I then opened my presents that were sent! Thank you to everyone that sent presents! It was a great Birthday! It is weird to think I am now 20! 

Friday: Friday morning Elder K and I took out our dirty laundry from our bags, packed fresh clothes, then head off to Marion. This was the funniest experience of the week. So surprised Elder Woodland and Elder Afalava. Elder Woodland and I went out knocking. This lady starts to talk to us. We find out that she believes God has called her to be a pastor. We start to talk about the Book of Mormon. She then told me that she had to go check on dinner so she had to go. Well I told her to go check and dinner and come back cause there was one thing I had to tell her!  So she went to check on dinner. She came back and I told her about the concept of divine positioning (meaning God places certain people to cross paths with certain people so they can learn from each other). Well after I told this too her she started to wail and cray. Not only that she was jumping up and down all over her house making weird noises as well. The whole time "praising" God. It was super weird yet kinda funny. Not gonna lie I was not quite sure what to do so I just sat their and watched her. This went on for about 10 minutes then she came back to the door huffing and puffing. After she got a hold of herself we exchanged numbers and we left. 

Saturday: So Elder K and I went back to Powell Saturday afternoon. Elder K, Elder Pike and I were asked to do a special musical number for a baptism in the ward (it was a baptism for the sisters) So we came up with a rendition of Sweet Hour of Prayer. Elder K was on the Violin, I was on the piano, and Elder Pike was singing. It was so awesome!!! Then later that night our bishop and his wife took us out to Ruth's Christ for dinner! It was so good!

Sunday: Sunday was a pretty good day as well! We again did a special musical number but this time it was a combination of Joseph Smith's First Prayer and Come thou Fount. It was super cool! One of the best parts about it was Sally Dubanowich came down from Radnor to come listen to me! I was so happy to see her! Then that night there was a mission home open house. Again Elder K, Elder Pike and I performed a few numbers. Once president found out we had a small band he has used us a lot. It makes me super happy! 

That is my week in a nutshell! This week should be fun with 4 zones being interviewed and new missionary training down at OSU campus. Hope you all had a great week! 

Love,

Elder Baird 

Oh What a Life It Is.....

Hey family! 

So I am just loving life right now! Lack of sleep and never caught up on anything is pretty fun! Just kidding about that but kinda seriously! 

So this past weekish has been full of interviews in almost half of the zones! It is pretty fun to work the interviews. While interviews are taking place we get to train the missionaries! It is super fun to see missionaries that I have served around and how much they have grown. 

So here is a nice update on the work in Powell! So to start off we had a great lesson last night. We went over to the Pohmer family to teach them. It was a crazy lesson. The girls were all over the place and puppets were everywhere. But the Spirit was there! And they excepted baptism on April 26th! We are super stoked and see the miracle the Lord has blessed us with. Another great think that is happening is we are working with the awesome italian lady named Stefania! She is awesome! She has been taking the lessons for like the past 6 months. So we decided to bring over her baptismal program for an invitation to her baptism. She actually accepted it quite well! So we are really going to focus on helping here enter into the waters of baptism on  May 3rd! The work is going very well! It is definitely different then Delaware but it is a great place! 

I am loving it here on my mission! The one thing lately I have been thinking about is envisioning success. We need to look towards the positive. Worry is mentally practicing failure. We need to envision where we went to be or what we want to do. We have been doing this lately for our area. We all fasted together last Sunday and before we started our fast on Saturday night I asked if we could fast for a specific family. I asked if we could fast for a family with a Husband and wife in their 30's and two kids, one boy and one girl, between the ages of 10 and 12. This family will be looking for a church. So that is what we fasted for and that is what we are praying for. The Lord will provide if it is his will. But this simple thought of this simple, prepared family has driven me the last few days because I am going to find them!

Well I hope you all had a great week! It has been a great week here in Ohio! 

Love,

Elder Baird 

April 10: Life is Crazy

Hello Family! 

It has been one crazy past week and 1/2ish! So the new area I am is Powell! It is a sweet place! We are in a 4 some. My companions are Elders Kujanpaa, Nygren, and Pike! I love them! We get along so well! It is super fun also to live in a 4 pad. We are the only one in the mission and it is super fun! I worked with Elders Kujanpaa and Nygren while I was in Delaware so we already were great friends. Elder Pike and I went to the MTC around the same time so we will actually go home together!  

The work here in Powell is different then in Delaware! In Delaware you can go knocking and have success in a half hour, now in Powell it takes a little longer! But it is an amazing place to be!! 

We are working with this really cool family named the Pohmers. They are friends with President and Sister Nilsen! The crazy thing is Mr. Pohmer works with one of my college roommates dads! Super small world! They are an amazing family! They are totally going to get baptized! They have 4 little girls! They all call me Elder "Bear". They just never would put a "d" at the end! It is super funny! 

We are working also with a few Mexican families that live in our apartment complex! I am getting to use the Spanish from high school with a combination of the Portuguese learned at the MTC! 

All and all it has been a great week! I loved Conference! Elder Bednar and Elder Holland's talks were my favorite! It is great to know we have living prophets and apostles on the earth. Only if people would read the bible and see the Lord has established his church based off the structure of apostle and prophets! 

Hope you all have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Baird 

April 2: Leaving Delaware But I Did Not Cry

Dear Family!

Well it is true... I am leaving Delaware. It is pretty crazy to say the least! I am going to miss the place so much! This place is like home to me! Never have a met some many amazing people in one place! I have been blessed greatly for having the opportunity to serve here in Delaware! But I guess you know you got to go when you don't need to use the GPS to get anywhere! 

Well let me sum up my week for ya! So this week has been a week FULL of exchanges! From Tuesday to Wednesday we went down to Lewis Center to help Elder Bean and Elder Monahan. Elder Bean and I were together! We got to make a pie and we gave it to the bishop in their ward. Then from Wednesday to Thursday Elder Geist and Caulderwood from Worthington came up to Delaware. It was super fun! We were able to see some awesome investigators named Tina and Wesley! They are so prepared! Then from Thursday to Friday we were down in OSU which was super fun! It is really fun street contacting and talking to people about the church right in the middle of a college campus! Then on Saturday Elder Bean and Elder Monahan came up to Delaware which was cool! We got to do some service in the rain! Then from Sunday night to Monday we went to OSU again with another companionship! Basically we did a Zone tour! It was super fun to able to work with so many different elders! 

Some other great news is spring is coming! It has been really nice lately! Yesterday we got up to like 72 degrees! I am super stoked for spring! 

So the personal insight I received this week was concerning the scripture find in Doctrine and Covenants 1:38. It is mainly talking about prophets and the last little bit that states, "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants it is the same" usually to me that means whether God literally says it or if the Prophet says it it is the same thing. But what I learned was you could also take it a different way. That we as member of the church can receive personal revelation for ourselves and the prophet receives revelation for the church as a whole. Prior to that little bit the Lord says, "My word shall pass away but shall all be fulfilled" I think the Lord also is saying that his word will not fail whether it be through personal revelation through the Holy Ghost or through the words of the prophets. Also I believe the Lord is letting us know the 2 lines of revelation, the personal line and the priesthood line. 

Well I hope you have a wonderful day!! 

Love,

Elder Baird 

March 24: Not Much in Just a Few Short Days

Hey family!

Not much has happened in the past 4 days! 

Thursdays was transfers. I am staying here in Delaware which I was really excited about. I got two new companions which makes companions 12 and 13 along with this being my 5th tripanionship.

Elder Motes is from Thatcher Arizona. He was down at OSU in the Zone for the past 6 months so I know him very well! He is awesome! He was one person I was hoping I would get to serve with. Elder Jensen is a greenie. He is from Provo. Elder Motes is training him, so in missionary terms that means I am a mom! 

Saturday was a really fun day. We went on a day exchange with the assistants. Mike Thomas (the coolest guy ever) went down with us. He took us out to lunch then was with Elder Nygren and I the rest of the day. We got to go a baptism where I sung with Elder Campbell and Elder Calderwood. It was a lot of fun. Funny story. So Elder Campbell got transferred to a new zone. That made me really sad because he is like a brother to me. But he came back to baptize the guy. Well Elder Campbell forgot to bring another shirt. So he came out of the bathroom with his suit on over his wet shirt. I could not let him go to a dinner with an investigator and two more appointments with a wet shirt. By parents and grandparents raised me better then that. So we switched shirts and I go to go home with a wet shirt. Luckily we ended the exchange after the baptism and we went straight home so I could switch my shirt. 

Sunday was pretty sweet as well. I realized how much I am going to miss this ward once I leave. Many of the ward members have become like family now. Sunday night there was a mission home open house where you could bring investigators and recent converts. Well we went with Chelsea. It was loads of fun for me because all I did was play the piano. But even better was Elder Kujanpaa played the violin with me. We played for about an hour and half straight. Then President Nilsen came up to us and said, "Elders I need 2 musical numbers." I said "give us 4 minutes" He said, "I will give you 3" Then he walked away with a smile. So Elder Kujanpaa and I created a version of "If you could hie to Kolob" and played for like 50 people! It was so fun! I could have played all night with Elder Kujanpaa! 

So my gospel insight for the week was today. So today and tomorrow I am studying the temple since we are going tomorrow. And it never dawned on me that temple work for the dead was done till after Christ's resurrection. He had not yet opened the way as it talks in 1 Peter 3. Prior to Christ, the temple was used for just receiving personal ordinances.  

Hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Elder Baird