I've Been Extended

See ya in a few ;) I love you!

-Elder Andrew John Beckett

Hey family! That last email was a trick :P I will write a little more than that. (Gotcha Dad ;)
I have some news... I have been extended for 2 more years in the FOM! So, I'll see ya in 2!
What if? Man, that would be exciting but hard at the same time. I really really love being a missionary. But, at the same time I REALLY really love and miss my family! It doesn't seem possible.. I've never felt like I have such a split personality. Half of me is dying to stay here and continue working, and the other half knows that I need to come home and start life. WeiRd...
Well, I don't really know what to say. All of the news/stories/etc. I'll just tell you in person =] I think I'd like to share my testimony and some of the thoughts I've had lately. Oh, but before I do that, I'll reply to some of the things you said in your emails.
Yes Mom, that schedule for Wednesday sounds wonderful. I am fine with whatever as long as I get to be with you guys! Oh, and as long as we are to bed by 10:30 ;) I am nervous but excited to see everyone! I've never really been one to like attention on myself, and I already feel such love and support from everyone even remembering that I'm coming back! Ha ha thanks.
No, I won't be offended by those T-shirts. I think that's great :) I know the kind of people you are! And I love you no matter what! This is going to be super crazy seeing how Nate and Allie especially have changed! Since they are in that teen time where you grow a lot... oh man. Hopefully I've grown up at least a little! I still feel like a kid.
I know that the gospel has been restored! We have seen some wonderful miracles this past week. I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for His goodness and mercy to us, His children. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and is the best source for learning more about the Atonement of our Savior, Christ the Lord. He lives. This is His church upon the earth today, and nothing can stop it. The work is going forward, and gets better each day! What a blessing to be a part of that. I am so thankful to have been in the service of God for 2 years, it has truly been the best experience of my life. I can't describe or explain fully why, but I know that I am forever different because of the things I have learned and experienced here. I love you all so much! You are the best family in the world. See ya soon!

love,
Elder Andrew John Beckett
p.s. If you are curious about my schedule over the next few days, I will give it to you:
Monday- Pack, send off my package, clean the apartment, weigh luggage, pray, cry, etc. Today we have an appointment @ 1, and another @ 6! The appointment at 6 is with a wonderful lady we are teaching named C. She is feeding us dinner too. She is an angel. After that I will be getting my hair cut at a member's in the ward and then coming home.
Tuesday - Finish packing up whatever else, drive to the mission home, President's Interviews, Lunch, departing missionary meeting, temple session, dinner, testimony meeting, sleep.
Wed - Head to the airport @ 9:30 a.m., Catch a plane at 12:10 or so... until I see my FAMILY!!! WOOT! I love you all SO MUCH and can't wait to see you! Just to give you a heads up I think I might stop and take a picture before running up to hug you so I can remember the moment =] LOVE YA!!!

Yikes, 2 Years?

Oh my heck. Oh my heck! OH MY HECK! I just won $1000 dollars! Remember that
Mom? ;) Ha ha I don't know if it was exactly like that, but that was
classic. Sometimes I feel like saying "Oh my heck!" I am going to see my
family soon! I. Can't. Wait.=)

This has probably been one of the most trying weeks of the mission, in
several ways. Yes, you are right, there are a lot of mixed emotions. And
stress. And just wanting to do everything perfect, working until you just
pass out on the plane home from exhaustion. And fear. But, that's life,
right? We just keep going on with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the
Holy Ghost's help. The Lord is seeing if I will be faithful to the end. I
will :)

Yesterday in church I was praying and thinking about things, and just some
of the major lessons I've learned on the mission. I want to share 2 things
that I feel I have been taught:
*First*, we are given what we have so that we can bless Heavenly Father's
children. Whether that be spiritual gifts, personality traits, talents,
abilities, finances, whatever - we are who we are, and we are how and where
we are, so that we can be instruments in the hands of the Lord. That is why
we have been blessed with the gospel, the greatest truths anyone could come
to know - because we will share it. We must! We haven't been given the many
blessings we each have from God to just sit back and enjoy them ourselves
and be happy and think how great we are, but so that we can help others. I
am so thankful for the great blessing it has been to reflect and ponder and
pray about the circumstances I find myself in during this mortal state. I
have tried to evaluate how I have used the blessings God has given me. Have
I done good? Have I done bad? Have I sought to bless the lives of others,
or simply sought after personal gratification and recognition, fulfilling *
my* wants and desires rather than being like the Savior - "not my will, but
thine, be done." He gave all that He was and had to bless us. That is why
Christ could bless so many people - He had so much to offer. He was
perfect, the very Son of God. He went below all things so He could overcome
all things. He was given all that He has because He was willing to give it
all away. I believe that the Lord will bless us with knowledge, power,
influence, etc. as fast as we learn to use them for the good of our
brothers and sisters.

*Second*, we don't always know why we are having the trials we are having,
but they are so we can help and love our brothers and sisters. Really, this
truth goes back to the first point. Sometimes we may not be able to see the
light at the end of the tunnel. We might feel like we are giving our very
best, trying our hardest to become who the Lord would have us be... yet
nothing seems to be coming of it. Sometimes we even wonder if we are making
progress or just falling into the same old rut, possibly even sliding
backwards at times. We all have down days, we all have problems and things
that we really aren't sure how to handle them. Thankfully, we don't have
to. We have a loving Eternal Father Who is watching over us, consecrating
all things to be for our good as we place our trust in Him and His Son
Jesus Christ. I have learned that at times when I feel like life is just
too much, that is when I really learn how to find access to the Atonement.
It is in those seemingly dark and hopeless moments that we can cry out to
our Father in the name of His Son. He hears us. He lovingly listens,
feeling and knowing exactly what we are going through. He understands.
The Savior understands. I know
they are there to help and lift us if we only turn to them. As we are able
to continue on, receiving strength beyond our own, we are then able to go
forward in faith, lifting others along the way and helping them find
that wonderful, enabling grace.

I know Heavenly Father Lives. I know Jesus Christ is the Savior. I
know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the
Lord's kingdom upon the earth. The Book of Mormon is true, and
evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The Priesthood has
been restored, and Thomas S. Monson holds all of the keys of the
kingdom on the earth today. Families can be together because of that
sacred sealing power. We will be a forever family! I love you all so
much, this has been quite the journey for me. Thank you for being
there every step of the way; your prayers and letters of encouragement
have really kept me going. It seems like just when I need it the Holy
Ghost prompts one of you to write and say just what I need to hear.
God answers our prayers :) I love you, have a fantastic week! I'm not
sure if we get to write next monday, but probably. Cya soon :P Oh, and
just so you know, this is going to be the BEST WEEK OF MY MISSION! So
please pray that we'll see miracles. We will! We receive no witness
until after the trial of our faith. That was last week, so we should
be good to go... ha ha ;) Love ya!
-Elder Beckett

My beloved Brazilian Companion

Hey ya'll =] Ha ha, I have that subject because Elder Munhoz always calls me his "beloved companion." We have fun together ;) It is a lot of fun having foreigners for companions, and we have been so blessed. We get along great and are truly loving the work.

Question.. what do I bring back with me? Do I bring my clothes? Like, all of them I mean. Obviously some. Just a couple church shirts? Pants? My suit, yeah, but all my socks and stuff? Any other advice or things I need to know?

This past week I was able to attend Leadership Training. It was superb! The mission has progressed so much since I first arrived here. The Lord has really guided President Hall. I am so thankful for him and Sister Hall; I was thinking about it and they really have so much influence on all of us. Their obedience, diligence, faithfulness, attitude, and consecration directly affect the mission. Missions are a beautiful thing, in so many ways. Where else in the world are you going to find 160 bright, healthy, happy, good people who are all working together for the best cause in the world? And each of us love and want to follow the Lord, and President Hall who He has sent to direct the mission. I think that is a miracle in and of itself - the relationship that grows between a mission president and his missionaries.

Unfortunately H dropped us last week. But, we refused to believe it, prayed hard for a miracle, and this week we picked her back up again! H is searching.. please keep her in your prayers, that she will be able to discern the voice of the Spirit in her life. N is also our miracle of the week. SO many miracles.. the Lord is so good to us! She was a former we decided to go by and see. She had been taught and been to church, but I guess the time they came was ward conference or whichever Sunday it is when they just sustain people the whole time. That was her & her husband's experience with church. Well, we explained some things. She believes the Book of Mormon to be true. She believes God has a prophet on the earth. She came to church last Sunday and really enjoyed it! She is soooo cool! Super elect. Heavenly Father has been giving us so many tender mercies and helping us find people to teach in our "new area."

The other day we were biking along and we saw this lady outside. We offered her our help moving her sprinklers and after we did she was like, "When can you come by and teach me?" We hadn't even told her who we are! Apparently she'd been taught years and years ago. And she has a mango tree and gave us free reign to stop by and pick mangoes whenever we would like some! I love mangoes.

In our weekly planning session we got to the step about referrals. We hadn't had any referrals for a long time. We decided to pray for some referrals, and asked which members we should go see to find some. We finished praying, were discussing things, and the phone rings. It was a member from another ward, I think he was ward mission leader there. He told us that his less-active son lives in our ward and his wife is a non-member. He said that she was finally ready to take the lessons and be taught. Can miracles get more specific and exact timing? God is real. Read 3 Nephi 14:9-11... note the emphasis on how we need to ask. Prayer works =]

I love this work. I love the Lord. I love each of you =] I love my companion. He is the man! Friends for life. And beyond! This is going to be the best week of the mission so far! Hope it's great for you too. I love you all!

love,

Elder Beckett

Parabens pai!

Translate that :) Just wanted to give a shout-out to the best Dad in the whole wide world! I love you Dad, have a great day today! This has been quite a week; several ups, several downs. We've had lots of fun though and felt the Lord's love for us and His children the whole way through. If there's one thing I have learned on the mission, it's that God loves each of His children, knows us better than we know ourselves, and cares enough to help us along the path. I am so thankful for that.

We had a neat experience this week where the Lord's hand was made manifest. It was a tender mercy, and certainly not by chance. Saturday evening Elder Munhoz and I were out biking. We were working hard contacting people and looking for new people to teach in our area. Well, things kept getting pushed around and our night was just going crazy. As Brother Acker says, "If you want to give the Lord a good laugh, tell Him your plans." He has better ones coming our way :) But, we still try to plan and by inspiration hopefully get some idea of where we are supposed to be even if we have no idea what is coming or what is supposed to happen.

We were biking down a street at around 7 o'clock, following up with someone we'd met during one of the past weeks. The phone started to ring, and the Elders from an area north of ours called. They said they'd received a special assignment from Pres. Hall to go to the hospital quickly and comfort and assess the needs of a family that was there. A man had just gone through surgery and things weren't looking good for him. The Elders found out the hospital they were at was actually in our area, and so they called us to fulfill the assignment.

We were on our bikes and quite a ways away from the hospital. Well, it "just so happens" that we were about 2 houses away from a member of the bishopric's home. We headed over and asked if his son could take us to the hospital. As he was getting ready his parents walked out of the back of the house dressed in their church clothes. C (the son) told them where he was going to take us, and asked where they were going. "We are going to the hospital." "Oh, the Elders need a ride there. Can you take them?" How convenient.. =] The Lord is great. They were going to see a sister from the ward who was back in the hospital for some complications she was having. We went over with them and were able to give the sister in our ward a blessing.

Shortly after we headed to meet the family that was there from out of town.
We walked in, and there are three people in the waiting room area. One of them was Bro. C from the Viera ward. He was the Young Men's president there, and I got to know him and his family pretty well. There was also another man, and a younger lady. The man looked strangely familiar and had a friendly smile.

We introduced ourselves and started talking with them. Bro. C was a family friend of the man who was having surgery. Larry was his name. Larry's wife introduced herself and mentioned that she was from Bear Lake. As the other gentleman introduced his self, he said he was from Logan, UT. I told him I was born there and lived there for a bit. He looked at me and said, "What was your name? Bennett? Beckett?? John Beckett?" His face lit up as he said this.

Suddenly, it all came together. The man who had went through surgery was L. A. His wife was the woman we met there, and then I knew that the man I was now talking to was Bishop A. I could not believe it! The Lord had lined everything up just right to have a small tender mercy during the trial they were having. We were able to talk with them and give Bishop A's son a blessing. Please keep them in your prayers. I know that Heavenly Father is real and knows each of His children. There are no coincidences! It wasn't by chance that we were the missionaries who came there.

Well, my time is up and I have to go now. Know that I love you all so much! Have a great week! Help Dad have the best birthday ever!
love,
Elder Beckett

Short and Sweet

Hey, I just wanted to write another quick note and say thanks for being the best family ever! I love each of you so much =] It was super uplifting and exciting to be able to talk to you. 

This past Wednesday was my final zone conference. It was a wonderful experience! We learned a lot aboutmormon.org and using the Book of Mormon. I love those tools so much! They are such a blessing to us as members, and especially as we seek to share the gospel with others. Has anyone in the family made amormon.org profile yet? Please do if you haven't. The church is asking the members to do so to help the work go forward. They are putting a big emphasis on that for the missionaries; President Hall is giving us 2 hrs/week to be on mormon.org and familiarize ourselves with the website and videos. He has also asked each of us to put up a profile. It is amazing how the Church just keeps adapting and going forward with the technology of the times! There are a few "trial missions" right now where they are testing out having iPads. That would be such a huge help... to share scriptures, talks, videos, have the ward roster & area book, maps, etc. WOW, I hope they get them here soon. I probably won't ever see them in the mission, but it will be a huge help to those who come after. Zone conference focused a lot on that.

Part of zone conference is the departing testimonies - the missionaries that will leave between this zone conference and the next - get to share their testimony. That is always one of my favorite parts of zone conference. I couldn't believe it, but finally it was my turn! I thought this day would never come. It is so weird... Anyway I had been thinking a lot about what I wanted to say. That morning on the way there I flipped open my hymn book and read the words to one of my favorite hymns - # 113, Our Savior's Love. It is a beautiful hymn. I read through it and was just pondering about how thankful I am to Him and to Heavenly Father for the wonderful experience it has been serving a mission thus far. I have learned and grown so much. 

Fast forward to zone conference again. Right before the departing testimonies, they had a musical number. I still didn't really know what I was going to say, and I was pretty nervous. I had a million thoughts going through my head. Well, the musical number began, and these Elders sang one of the most amazing numbers I've ever heard. It was an a capella (sp?) version of Our Savior's Love. I couldn't even believe it. I know that it was a tender mercy, letting me know that Heavenly Father loves and cares about me, and that I could just be calm and feel the Spirit. I immediately felt a calm peace and relaxed. I thought about those words and what they mean to me, how I have come to know their truthfulness throughout the past few years. I was the first one asked to bear my testimony, and I don't even remember what I said, but I felt good. I know that "the peace of God...passeth all understanding."
I love my companion Elder Munhoz. I am learning so much from him, and even more from the Spirit as I'm doing my best to help and serve him. I have learned a lot about trusting the Holy Ghost and letting Him do His part. I think so often I just feel like I have to enforce that things happen, that principles are learned, that we are obedient. I have learned more about respecting agency, and helping others through prayer and encouragement. We aren't perfect, but that's ok! We can help others around us most simply just by loving them no matter what. 


Elder Munhoz is a fantastic missionary! He just doesn't slow down :) The other day we were out biking and it started to rain. It started to POUR. We could hardly see fifteen feet in front of us. Needless to say we were soaked very quickly. It was the first time he'd experienced this, and we had so much fun! People were looking at us like we are crazy (and we are) as we biked down the street in our white shirts and ties soaked to the bone. We were biking up the sidewalk and I was in front at a particular moment. There was a lake in the road. I look back at Elder Munhoz to see how he was faring. Well, this black truck had just passed me. The street we were riding next to had two lanes going each direction. The truck was in the center lane, but switched to the outer lane and accelerated as he approached Elder Munhoz. I watched as a wave, literally, was created from the truck! It was taller than Elder Munhoz, and I saw him see it coming and just put his head down. I couldn't see my companion for a second there lol, that's how much water there was! He came out of the wave and just smiled and gave a triumphant shout. I was laughing my head off! It was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. If we weren't already soaked that would have been super mean of that person, but since we were wet anyway we just had a good laugh =] And tried not to think about how dirty all that street water was... heh.

I know that this gospel is true, that it blesses and changes lives! I am thankful to be a disciple of Christ and be able to share it with others. I am thankful that all of us have the opportunity to do that the rest of our lives. I love each of you and wish you the best! Have a great week!

love, 
Elder Beckett
p.s. Give Elder Blackhurst a big hug from Elder Beckett and tell him I love him!

We're gonna baptize a brazillion people this transfer

THIS IS ALLIE... PREPARE YOURSELF CAUSE DAVID A IS IN THIS POST! :D HENCE THE XXL PIC. :D






What a great week it has been. It's great to experience the excitement, faith, fire, and humility that comes with training a new missionary. Elder Munhoz is a great missionary, and is excited to be here. He wants to be out working every second, except for when he is sleepy. If he had it his way, we wouldn't even have studies. We'd just go out and work all day long =] 
We have been blessed to start to find some new investigators to work with on this side of the ward. It has been interesting to see how the Lord works. This is surely His work, and not ours. We have no idea what we are doing. We just pray, do what we feel will be best, and continue to work hard. He takes care of everything else. 
Elder Munhoz is really cool! He speaks Portuguese and actually taught himself English before the mission! We have had a lot of great experiences together so far. He's really funny too... I love having foreign companions because they keep you laughing all the time with their accents, how they say things, and of course they usually have a sense of humor too. 
I want to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is a book that came from God. I read it every day! I love the teachings of Jesus Christ in there. Every time I read I feel like I have a better understanding of His gospel, and of what God's plan is for me. I feel like I have come to know the ancient prophets a lot better through their writings. They were so inspired, I am just in awe as I read the things they teach us. I am amazed at how faithful they were, despite the trials that came their way. This morning I read in Mormon chapter 8, and Moroni was describing how he watched as his people were all killed off by the Lamanites - including his own father Mormon. Can you imagine? He talks about how it matters not where he goes, because everyone was dead. Then he goes into some amazing prophecies about our time, about the Book of Mormon, about churches in our day, and lots more. I find it interesting that he mentions how the Book of Mormon prophets prayed for the man who would bring the record forth. I bet the prophet Joseph found great comfort in his times of struggle when he came across that scripture - think about it! The prophets of old, praying for you and your calling in God's great plan. I have such respect for the prophet Joseph! The doctrine and covenants teach us some amazing things about the kind of person he was, and how the Lord felt about him. He held the keys of the mysteries of heaven. I am thankful he brought the Book of Mormon forth. I feel  like as I have studied the Book of Mormon this year I have learned a lot more about just how much we can learn about our day from it. There is so much prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes. I know that it has and will continue to play a key role in our spiritual safety as the Savior's second coming draws nigh. I am thankful to a loving Heavenly Father who protected it and kept it safe. 
Well, time is short. I am looking forward to Mother's day this Sunday =] Can't wait to talk to you! That is weird. And Nolan gets home in a week and a half! Woot! Give him a big hug for me. I love you all so much! I'll probably be calling somewhere after 5:30 (UT time - you are 2 hours behind right?) Have a great week =] 
Love, 
Elder Andrew John Beckett
p.s. I forgot to tell you the funniest experience... We were teaching an investigator who lives in a not very good place. There are all sorts of interesting people there. Well, we didn't have a male member with us so we couldn't go inside, so we just taught her in the hallway. As we were teaching her, this door up the hallway opens and a big guy walks out with a huge beer belly, short shorts, and no shirt on. He has a beard and long hair, and has a crazy look in his eyes. He's walking past taking out his trash, and I just say, "Hey, how's it going" And he stops and looks at us for a second, and then starts talking to us about Jesus. He was definitely drunk. I felt bad for him... he proceeded to tell us about how he went to the war, how he's been a drunk and addicted to drugs, and pretty much anything you can think of minus denying the Holy Ghost. He probably doesn't even know what that means. And, all the while he was telling us his life stories, he was using hand motions, pulling on his beard, brushing his hair back (like he was an surfer dude or something), and the best part - slapping his belly around. I almost started laughing right there. Well, he walks away and I just bust up laughing because I turn to see how Elder Munhoz was taking it and his eyes were wide, his mouth open, and his face was white. It was hilarious. I love being a missionary, you have some great experiences =] Love you all!

Me & Elder Erick Gonzalez Munhoz from Kampinas, Brazil! He is the man :) 

                                                           

Our first bike day

Look who my companion knows! They lived in the same building! He is short =]

Me & Elder Mike Jensen.. companion in Lake Reams for 3 transfers. He just got home... crazy :S

Temples, The Next 6 Weeks

Well, I found out what's going to happen for the rest of my mission, and Elder Charbadze will be transferred :( I have really enjoyed being his companion and we have learned and grown a lot together! I will be sad to see him go, but I am really excited because... I will be training my last transfer! Woot! Ha ha how cool is that? And it will be like he isn't quite gone yet - he is going to be with Elder Smith in the other Bumby area for at least 3 weeks until Elder Smith gets his new missionary (he is training too). So we will still be in the same ward =] Guess what else? Elder Call is training this transfer too! He is whitewash-training/district leader. That's always fun... oh man. He will do great though =] I get to pick up my trainee tomorrow and find out his name and everything then.

It will be a great transfer, and we will definitely be relying on the Lord for everything. Up to this point we've pretty much just focused our efforts on the area close by our apartments - that's where most of the investigators have came from. It's a little bit poorer of an area and there's always people on the streets. Now we will be working the North-east side, which is more well-off and just nicer in general. Lots of times that means that the people tend to be less receptive in general, but I've learned that it doesn't really matter where you go as long as you follow what the Lord wants you to do. Finding, teaching, and baptizing people isn't a strategical work, but it has more to do with following the Spirit and doing the Lord's will. No matter where you are at =]

Congrats on Jacob and Austin going to the MTC this week! Oh man I'm jealous. I love the MTC so much! They will have such neat experiences there. Thank you to the Idaho Hansens for the package and letters! That was lots of fun to get and read and eat =] Also thanks for Laney's baptism info and congrats to her for being baptized! I also got a letter from the Pearces (yes, it was a good mail week =]) and they always have some wonderful updates. Sounds like they have a great garden as always!

Ready for the best news of the week? =]
Saturday I had the blessing and sacred privilege of going to the temple. L and M S from the Sumterville Branch received their endowments and were sealed for time and all eternity! I thought that I was happy on the mission, that I'd experienced as much happiness as I had ever felt. Well, Saturday was the most joy I have ever felt on the mission, probably even my entire life. It was so incredible, and I really learned a lot. They now have an eternal marriage =] It was so good to be there, to see how happy they were. Elder Stock was there too which made it even better of course, as well as the support from the Branch. I couldn't help but think that it's going to be a similar joyous reunion on the other side of the veil with family and friends who have passed on after living faithful lives in service to the Lord. I will never settle for anything less than a temple marriage.

It's really weird how time is passing. I'm thankful to have 6 weeks left. I can't really pretend like it's not happening - it is. But I won't let up until the day I die =] I'm a missionary for life. I want to make these 6 weeks the best weeks of my mission. I know they will be!

I love you all and hope you have a great week! Thanks for your letters, prayers, and support. It's always uplifting to hear how you are doing and feel the blessings that come from prayers. Have a great week and continue to focus on the Savior! We won't be led astray if we do.
love, Elder Beckett

p.s. Mindy, yes I did go to the TRC! Both before the mission as an investigator, and during as the missionaries. It is a lot of fun! That is awesome you got to go there! Keep me posted on how it goes :) Love ya!