September 19, 2011

Hey Family! Hows it going? Thanks for all the pictures mom from the trip to Illinois. That is awesome that Hailey is playing soccer! Thats way cool. She will be so good! Its good to hear that everyone is doing so well. I am grateful Dad is working so hard as well.

Things here are going great! We had another great week. We went on exchanges with Elder Cuartas on Friday. He is an assistant to President Castro, and it was such a fun day! We were focusing on using the Book of Mormon in every short testifying opportunity. It was sweet because it helped us really focus and be in the zone to pull out scriptures from the Book of Mormon that applied to their situation. I love the Book of Mormon so much. As we were doing this I felt so much more strength and confidence wheile testifying. I focus was on the Book of Mormon and then we would back it up with our testimonies. So much more powerful! We also were teaching a less active family who had a lot of questions for us, and we were using the Book of Mormon and D&C to answer everything. President Castro has put an incredible focus on the Book of Mormon which I love! My love for it has grown so much these months I have been in Bakes!.

Last night we went to visit one of our investigators named Catalina. She is from Mexicali. We were talking to her about her family and she had told us how 2 of her brothers her parents and sister had all passed away. She wasstill really sad about it and I could tell that it was really hard for her. We asked her if she had ever asked herself where she will go when she dies, or where her family is. She said she had and that she basically thought that we are sleeping for that time until the day of judgement. We read with her from Alma 40:6-12, 21. We explained the spirit world and the love of our Father in Heaven and the love of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She discovered the Book of Mormon. She understand the Spirit World completely. It made so much sense to her that God will give everybody a chance to hear the gospel and accept it. She was almost in tears when we told her that she could be reunited with her family for eternity. We taught about how important it is to follow Jesus Christ by being baptized and choosing the right. It was a testimony to me of the power of the Book of Mormon and the Plan iof Salvation. I love the gospel and the love of HEeavenly Father.

Thanks for all that you all do. i love you guys so much. Thanks for everything! ! Love Elder C. Bills

September 12, 2011

Family! This last week was so awesome!! We had 2 investigators at church who are so solid! Wendy and Laura. They live a couple blocks from eachother and they both have strong desires to come unto Christ! LAura is a special lady. She really thinks about the questions she asks and the things that she reads. She told us that as she was reading the restoration pamphlet she was reading about the Apostasy and she said she stopped to think about it and she said it made so much sense to her. She was being taught by the spirit because she stopped and took time to ponder. I have learned so much from investigators. It is such an awesome opportunity to be a missionary. Wendy and Laura are going to the RS activity this Tues. I am excited for them!

I had such a sweet experience this past Saturday. We got called by the Zone Leaders in South Bakes to come down to their zone to conduct an interview for the spanish missionaries down there. So we went down there and the woman that I was interviewing was none other than Angela Lopez's Mom!! (I baptized Angela and Her Husband Jose 2 months ago!) I was soo excited! She cam to jose and Angela's wedding and felt the spirit really strong during the service and she wanted to learn more about the gospel. So Angela told us that and gave us the info the her mom, Ines, and we sent it to the ZL's in S. Bakes. And now she is going to be baptized next week! It was the best interview I have conducted! The spirit was so strong. It was interesting, when I first saw her, I almost didnt recognize her. She looked so happy and so full of love. The first time I saw her she looked old and sad. I honestly could see the light of Christ in her. She was so happy and she was so excited to be baptized. Her countenance had changed because she had accepted the Gospel into her life and she is giving her whole heart to the Lord. Such a great example for us. When we give our hearts to Christ, when we are willing to do ALL that he asks, we will be filled with His love, we will be filled with His light.

The gospel is true! I love the Lord. I love the Book of Mormon. It is the word of God. Thanks for all the support and love. Les amo muchisimo!!!! Con amor, Elder C.T Bills

September 5, 2011

This past week was another really successful week. We found a lot of new investigators and we were able to talk to a ton of people! We set a goal to have 55 street contacts and we got 56! We were excited. They are turnin into new investigators as well. We found 8 last week and they are investigators who want to learn and who want to come closer to Christ.

I went on exchanges with an Elder from Edmonton Canada named Elder Orchard on Sat. and it was awesome. He knows the scriptures way good and it is always fun to teach with him. We taught a lady who is really active in her church. She had a ton of questions for us. It was awesome. I loved it. At first she was contentious asking a lot of q's about Joseph Smith and why we talk so much about him. We taught her from the beginning of the restoration and and testified the whole time and kept inviting her to pray and ask Heavenly Father for herself. By the middle of the lesson she had softened up so much and when we were testifying she was looking into our eyes and paying attention rather than thinkingof another question she wanteds to throw at us. When we testified to her abou t the power of prayer and invited her to ask God, it was like she was now expecting us to invite her to ask Heavenly Father. This is honestly the only way to know the truth. When we ask Heavenly Father with real intent with faith that we will recieve we will recieve a witness from the Holy Ghost. I testify that I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that anybody can come to know this if they pray. If they truly want to know truth and they truly want to come closer to Christ, they will recieve an ansswer. Our message is so unique and special and it can bless everybody.

Yesterday at church, Jose Lopez taught the gospel essentials class! I was so excited for him. He was super nervous but he prepared so well for the class and the Lord blessed him with the Spirit as he taught. I am so hapy for him and Angela because they are going out of their confort zone in the Church a lot. Jose never wouldve guessed 5 months ago that he would teach a class in church! hA. That is how we can progress in the gospel. When we do things that our out of our comfort zone, we allow the spirit to guide us and we are able to recieve the strength through the Grace of Christ. I know that God lives and loves us. Thanks for all you do!

Love Elder Craig T. Bills

August 29, 2011

HEy Family! This past week was another great week! We found 9 more investigators. It has been really fun and we have been so blessed! We have some great potential right now. It has been such a fun time here in Bakersfield. I love it so much.

Jose and Angela, the couple that was recently baptized, are doing well. They are so great! We visited them the other night and we read in the Book of Mormon with them. It was so awesome. The spirit was so strong. I testify with all my heart that the Book of Mormon is true. I cant even describe the spirit that we felt. We didnt do anything out of the ordinary. We read with them in 1 Nephi 18 and we just talked about what we were reading and how it applied to their lives. It was a sweet experience to see Jose making the connection with the scriptures and their lives right now. The Book of Mormon combined with the Spirit is the most powerful resource in conversion! They will progress an come closer to the Savior as they continue to study and apply the scriptures. It is the same with us. We need to reasd, take time to ponder, write down impressions and apply the teachings into our lives. That is how we will come closer to the Lord.

In the 3 Bakersfield Stakes, they just made a huge single adult ward. We are now assigned to cover it. I am excited and it was cool yesterday we were apart of the creation of the White Oak YSA ward. I am excited to work with them and also cover another ward. We will be BUSY!

We have been seeing so many miracles. I have said before, but i truly believe, that we can see miracles everyday of our lives. God is a God of miracles, and if we do our part and seek for them, we will be able to recognize them in our lives and we will be filled with gratitude towards Heavenly Father. We knocked a door the other day and started to talk to thi9s girl and we testified that the Savior lives, and that we can find true hope through Christ, and this girl said, "that is exactly what i need." Then she asked, "what do i need to do to join your church?" There are people being prepared! There are people who are looking for hope and light in theior lives and the restiored gospel will bring them what they need! I love the gospel!

Kevan looks so good in the picture you sent me! He looks big! I love football! Especially BYU football. I am so excited for this season! They are going to do aw2esome! I love you all so much! I know that the Savior lives and loves us. This is HIS work.

Love, Elder Bills

August 15, 2011

Hey family! Thanks for all of the emails. I appreciate them a ton! It is so good to hear from you all each week. It is so funny seeing pictures of Jake and Luke. I dont even know them! They are kinda like those distant cousins that you have heard about but never have met. But I love them so much! The are cuties. I am so happy for KC and Stacy!

Things are going well. We are in the process of finding people to teach. It has been a tough process but I know that the Lord is preparing us for something great. We have been tracting a ton and talking to everyone we see. I feel so grateful to even be apart of preparing people to accept the Gospel later in their lives. We have been trying our hardest to be sincere with everyone and bear a true heart felt testimony with them. We are trying to help them feel the Spirit right away. It doesnt matter what we see in reality, it only matters how THEY feel. As we have been doing a lot of finding I have been thinking so much about the missionaries in the Book of Mormon and the Apostles after Christ's death. I have found great strength in the words of the Lord to Ammon and his brethren in Alma 26:27. He tells them to go forth amongst their brethren, the Lamanites( who were a pretty rough group of people) and establish His word, and he told them to be patient in their afflictions and they would have success. I love this so much. As I was reading it I realized that it is a promise for me and Elder Barrus. We have to be patient during our efforts to find and we will have success. I know this is a true promise form the Lord. I love how Ammon tells how the promise was fulfilled in the later scriptures. (v.30-31) They did have success! They were able to convert the people who were knwon as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The Lord will not lie. It is just a matter of if we have sufficeient trust in Him. I love the Book of Mormon. It is true and it is "dripping with significance" (-Elder Neil Maxwell). We need to use it in all that we do because it honestly answers all of the questions that we have in our lives and when we read it with the Spirit we will become even more converted to the Gospel of JEsus Christ. Read it EVERY day!

I hope you all know how much I love you. I am so grateful to have such an awesome fam. You guys are the best! It makes me so happy to hear about Kevan and Kelly at BYU. Keep working hard guys I love you so much. Thanks for everything you all do. Please let allof the Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins know that I love them.

With all my love, Elder Craig Bills

August 8, 2011

Hey family! Its the big day for KC and Stacy! Man what an exciting event. I am so happy for them. It will be cool for them to be in a new ward and stuff. They will have missionaries in their ward! So awesome! Things here are going well. We are in the finding process. Our whole zone is. For some reason all the missionaries just dropped a bunch of investigators because they were not progressing. I know that things will pick up soon if we stay obedient,positive, and happy!

We were tracting a lot yesterday and I had an experience that really had an impact on me. It was with 4 mexican guys in their front yard. One had the biggest mullet I have ever seen ha and another was just laying on una maca ( a hammock). Two of them were drinking too. Usually I will just give them a card an invite them to call it in situations like that but we went up and started talking to them. We started to ask them about their beleifs and stuff and I felt like testifying of the Plan of Salvation. Elder Barrus then testified of the Plan of Salvation and the importance and peace it brings into our lives. When he testified I knew and felt the confirmation that one of these men needed to hear about the Plan of Salvation. I asked one of the guys if he had ever wondered why he is here and what God wants him to do and he said no and that he had never thought about it and the other guys to said they didnt have a ckue. Then one of them pointed to the other and saaid that he told him he diodnt even want to live anymore. We asked him why and he said he has mental problems and doesnt have any hope in his life. I could ho0neslty see and feel the pain he hd. It was so sad! All that I said was of the profound Love EHavenly Fther has for him and that he does have purpose. I testified that he has great importance and worth to iur Father in Heaven and that he could find that if he would open his heart and learn of the Plan. I felt so much compassion for that man. I learned that when we try to help people and when we listen with love, we can say the things people need to hear because the spirit will give us the things they need to hear. We can be instruments if we recognize first the role of the Holy Ghsot and then our role in inviting him into our lives and allowing him to teach. I love the Gospel . I know that like you said mom we need to savor the times when we feel the spirit. We need to remembeer the times when we have and find wehat we did to qualify for his presence. I love you guys so much. Thanks for all that you do for me!

With Love Elder Craig Bills

Wonderful Missionaries

Dear Family of Wonderful Missionaries -
We just spent a lovely day at the LA Temple with your sons. We love them. We
are from the Highland Manor Ward in Bakersfield where three of the four have
served. Elder McCarey and Elder Stoecker and Elder Barrus all worked with the
Barnes family and were able to go to their sealing yesterday. Elder Bills is
currently serving with Elder Barrus in East Bakersfield Stake and so we had the
pleasure of their company for the trip. What great missionaries they are! We
miss them in our ward.

They remind me of the scripture in Alma 48:17 "Yea, verily, verily I say unto
you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto [these young
men], behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the
devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." They are
that good!

I've attached a picture of the event and I apologize to the Bills family as I
realized later that he was busy taking pictures, too and did not make it in the
picture. (But he still looks great!)

I hope you enjoy your sons ... soon! I heard they are headed home in the near
future. Our son just returned in May so we know your joy. :)

Sincerely,
Bishop and Sister Musick