Friends in the Celestial Kingdom

Aug 19, 2014

Dear Friends and Family,

    I got like 4 packages this week and that includes the nicest camera ever, and like tons of healthy good stuff that only made me feel kind of like I was fat..but it all works out because I got bow-ties for my duck and he looks pretty darn good that Elder Quack. Anyway, I also think it's pretty great our ward has so many missionaries out as well and it's pretty magical. 

Love Amazon, sent an entire case of oatmeal

 Obviously the oatmeal was meant for Josh/Elder Rush

 Sarah made bow ties for Elder Quack Clean

   We made it through transfers down here! My first transfer is all done and I get to stay with Elder Larkin!!!

   So reasons that Elder Larkin and staying in this area is so awesome. First of all, he is pretty smart and also he talks quickly enough that I keep up and learn a lot. He is from Provo and is going to BYU..which..is..nice..I..guess. BUT he is very kind and thankfully accepts me in all my weirdness and strangeness that I am. It is true that I am who I am and he doesn't like being touched too much or stood close to but he accepts me and loves me anyways so that's all I could ask for in an awesome companion.   

 Albany District

Elder Hillam, Elder Smiley, Elder Rush, Elder Larkin, 

Sister Pearson, Sister Garfield, Sister Smith, Sister McEntire

 Albany and Hammond Districts Together

Hammond District

Elder Beach, Elder Whittier, Elder Brown, Elder Strattford

Sister Worthington and Sister Pike 

     Albany is picking up when it comes to the work y'all, we have Nikki Horton who said yes to baptism and hopefully their family will get a car from good old Jack Murphy who is kind enough to spend all his cents to get them there so she can be baptized. 

    We have a man named Joe who's wife and kids and father in law are members and he actually likes us, I think, as missionaries and wants to take the lessons after his sons finish with their lessons (they were recently baptized). So I mean stuff is getting done and it is really amazing and every day I learn the truth of the work and how happiness is found in giving to other people what they cannot find for themselves, so we can all rest as friends in the Celestial Kingdom.

Sleepover with the Amite Elders

Elder Smiley and Elder Hillam

They sleep over before District Meetings and Transfers to save miles

    I have really been studying Joseph Smith and his words of revelation, he just speaks to me and it is so plain and wonderful and now I know the truth about eternal marriage, of the family and of our worldwide family of Gods' Children. Christ did not die for some of us to get back to him he died for ALL of us! So it is our duty as saints to gather as many as we possibly can to this happy and true fold. I hope and pray that each one of you wants to be a missionary whether it be full time or not, we are all called to this work, we have the knowledge and we can be saved, so why shouldn't we bring everyone else the same joy as we have!? I am having the funnest time and now I have been gone almost 2 months which is insanity that things are fast like this, because some days I feel like the day will never...ever end. But, nonetheless, I live for the good that is in the sorrow because how great was Alma's Joy? It was so much more exceeding than his sorrow, so I am always happy and ready to give and love and support and help. I love it a lot! :D

    So I am really bad at typing for like 2 hours and sometimes I get bored, but I try to remember as much of my week as I can and to give you all highlights and such, but I send so many different people stuff that I am sorry if some don't get like the full picture because my memory is induced at different occasions. Also, eternal truth's are everywhere in every line of the holy scriptures and in our lives. We must search if we are to know so that we can share. Oh how much I miss some of you especially:

My dear Samantha Petersen, I hope you are reading this because you are an amazing and beautiful friend and I love you very much. Keep being wonderful kiddo and I am through my words and prayers ever supporting you.

Bryan Daines, If you are reading this (which you probably aren't you lazy bum) haha then know I love you immensely and your deep and caring friendship we have formed will be with us always through the eternities. I know that is our promise as the Children of God that we may spend time with our families forever, and I hope that you count because in my heart you surely do. 

Good luck all, My burden is indeed light and His yoke is easy. 

-Love 

Elder Joshua Dean Rush