Transferred....Natchitoches, LA

Oct, 19, 2015

Dear friends and Family,

  Apparently the Library in Natchitoches doesn't let us upload photos, so I don't know how I will ever get y'all any more pictures....in any case. I am in Natchitoches, and 9 times out of 10 you are all likely saying it wrong, if you don't know how to say it look it up. (But try saying it like Nack-a-dash). We have a huge ward...not in Utah terms huge, but it was bigger than all the places I have been for my entire mission (when i was in Albany ward there weren't but 40 people or so maybe every week now it's like 150). It threw me off because I won't be able to learn all the members names in like 4 days, like I usually can. 

I think this is Front Street

  We have to bike so we only have time to see investigators half of the time cause it takes awhile between appointments. We have to contact constantly which works well because I love talking to people. It is a car share area but Sister Carpenter's knee is getting a surgery soon, so they kind of need the car, which is no problem, we are just gonna try extra hard, right? 

  Some miracles that happened; We found 3 new investigators one day and 5 the next, we contacted all kinds of people and we got to go to this SUPER AWESOME parade for NSU (Northwestern Louisiana State) Homecoming and then they had this amazing 80's rock concert on this place called Front Street. It's from the year 1800 or something, because Natchitoches is so old, and so beautiful, it's so darn gorgeous up here I'm kind of upset about not having any way to send you all these amazing pictures.

Prudhomme-Rouquier House in Natchitoches, La

   Some amazing things are gonna happen this time around. Elder Chandler Allen is the best companion eva so we are going to see the work explode or die trying. He is from Eagle Point, Utah goin' to BYU and he is quite mellow. So things are good up in the mission dear people. 

Work hard, get blessings, praise the Lord holla

love - elder joshua dean rush

I found some pics to show how pretty Natchitoches is, hopefully we'll figure out something for his pics...Michelle

Fishing, Armadillos and Texas.....

Sept. 28, 2015

We went fishing!

Dear Friends and Family,

  Everything is GOING SUPERB, let me explain to you exactly why. We have about 1 and 1/2 investigators progressing, the doors keep on slammin', until today, it's still been hotter than Hades, and it's still extremely stressful to be a missionary in the Last days. Now that wasn't particularly positive, but splendidly it doesn't have to be, because it's how I feel about these things. 

   I feel stronger, more firm in the faith, more in control and more fired up than I have been on this 2 year excursion. Something happened one day this week, I was really searching my soul for my reasons and my motivation and I have been studying the protestant "salvation by grace" concept (Read john 2:16-19 for salvation) really applying myself with all my heart to access that power that these people seem to have knowing there Saviour, even in the possibly skewed way that they do. They truly know who He is, and what His Spirit feels like. As sudden as a rush of Autumn winds, I felt it. I feel as though weights off my trodden feet and off my hard heart have been lifted. 

  The Love of these people has finally spilled into my own little, over critical, analytical heart, and it feels swell. I've found that the sacred power of the Hymns comes in singing them often, feeling them, applying your heart as you sing them! How important those soft words are to one who is troubled by the hardness of the world. Take it from me, I know those are inspired beautiful pieces of scripture, use them as such.

 We also have been helping a friend of ours quit smoking, which will turn into conversion? haha pray for it. Take care brethren and sisters, share your hearts and cling to the Spirit.

Hey sure love ya'll, and I like being a missionary it's pretty cool ;)

Peace and Love and Jesus 

-Elder Joshua Dean Rush

   

Oct. 4, 2015

They went to the border of their area for Texas pics!

So this week Josh didn't know what to write about so I asked him a bunch of questions and he replied to those....So here's our Q & A:

Anything happening with the teaching? Are you still trying to get that guy to stop smoking?
So It's a girl to stop smoking, and she has been sick for weeks. 
Meet any new people?

We haven't taught anyone...we don't have anybody but less-actives and this week was particularly slow.

Haven't found anyone in all the tracting we have been doin'.

We did however meet a nice first baptist family that invited us back.

What's the weather like?
The weather is cool 70 or lower its been reallllll nice.
Have any good food?

 Sister Cornia

Sister Tomblin

The sisters made peanut butter pie which i ate half of during conference potluck.
Read any good scriptures? Ones people could "ponderize"?
and yes Isaiah 51:3 
How's the ward? Any interesting people?
The ward is doing better.

What's up with the armadillo?

Yes we caught an armadillo last night. 

Story goes: For the past few weeks we have been trying to catch this little critter (armadillo) and he has been digging and literally destroying our little apartment complex. Though the owners or maintenance didn't notice, Elder Rush did, and Elder Ralph really likes to catch things. So we tracked it and tried to chase it down a few nights in a row due to them being nocturnal. We even tried a little worm bait to get him out of his hole more often. Turns out his hole is under a little shed making the shed unstable, of course, with holes all under it. So we poured some water down his hole, he popped up and...WACK, I use the epic strength and power of Thor's Hammer to get him in the noggin'. He died quickly. We then skin him and clean him and now we gonna make a roast, apparently they taste like steak. :D

#love ya'll -Elder Joshua Dean Rush