Letter of 09-15-08

Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 10:58 AM
subjectOH MAN!!

Hello Family,
Well...it was great to hear from Sara......lol...and a couple notes from Jake, Jamie and Dad..!! But I always love getting emails and letters as always.
So, Missionary work here in Kingsland, Georgia. WOW, it's going better then ever. I love it so much here. Like i've said before it reminds me a lot of home except for the fact that the whole town shuts down for high school football(this last Friday Elementary, Middle, and High School were canceled because of the away high school football game!!) I love it!
Well, we officially have 7 baptismal dates this week which is very exciting. Our mission as a whole is just on fire and were baptizing left and right...Such great joy!
We had president interviews this last week and we went in as companionships....well before Elder Lambourne and I went in the AP's were training us and called us up to do a role play. They wanted us to really snatch us and our feelings to let them know that they really did know it was true...they were acting like a couple who had been seeing the missionaries for three years...well we started talking and they were just saying they liked the company....then I just stood up..totally moved upon by the power of God and just told them they have put this off WAY TO LONG..."you know it's true, and you need to act upon that knowledge and stop waiting" I was very bold...and I seem to do that quite a bit while i'm teaching. I am just VERY basic and to the point...when people go off on tangents it kills me sometimes because it doesn't matter at all...all that matters is knowing that Jesus Christ was the perfect example for us by setting up His church and giving his life so that we might return to the Father... that the fullness of the gospel was restored through a prophet Joseph Smith which you can know by praying about the Book of Mormon. If you know these things, you're prepared for baptism. I've seen too many people out here just feel unprepared because they don't think there ready...THEY'RE READY..they just don't realize it. Anyways, the AP's just like stepped back because of the authority I spake with, and they said it was like perfect. The spirit just filled the room and everyone was kind of in awe..lol. My Zone Leaders just looked at me with a big grin and LOVED IT! Anyways, that was just a REALLY cool experience for me.
On Friday night, we received a call and the bishop wanted one of us Elders to speak. Well, of course Elder Lambourne said I would be very excited to give a talk on Sunday..ha! I really didn't care at all, I have just had SO much confidence and Faith in my Savior Jesus Christ that anything that comes my way I can handle! Well, I prayed earnestly that I would be given the words to speak on Sunday and prepared. I was to talk about the Holy Ghost(very broad) and things were just coming to me left and right once again. Well, we had a great speaker before me (the bishops wife) talk about loving one another and it hit me really hard...but I got up..and man, it's so weird, I always revert back to my farewell talk with things like this, but it was exactly like it once again. I talked about my baptism..and I went OFF on you mom and all the experiences you've had with the Holy Ghost. Then I asked EVERYONE in the room to think back to their baptism or if their visiting to ask themselves..WHY they're here? Then I opened to galatians 5:22-23 and read what the fruits of the spirit were. Then basically told them...That is why you are here, because of the feelings of love, joy, peace...etc you receive while you're here and the witness you got when you read and prayed about the Book of Mormon. ANYWAYS, it was just really awesome, and I got a lot of compliments from the bishopric and ward. This lady came up to me and said "I have the same mom you have" lol, and said she could just feel the power and spirit I had. Man, I was just filled with overwhelming joy!!
Well, I think I talked about myself too much now. I may think i'm oblivious to College football and anything on the outside world but thats all ANYBODY talks about here..ha! So yes, I know BYU tore apart UCLA 59-0!! This member told my previous companion that he went to the BYU game the other day and they mentioned all the football players that are on missions...so they mentioned my name..I didn't believe him at first, so i'm going to have to get confirmation from one of you! WOW...crazy stuff...what's even crazier is that I thought I would think about it A LOT more. But time as a missionary is very weird...like I don't really think about what month it is, or realize what day it is sometimes..I love it!
I actually just got dont golfing(shot a 95..I know Jake and Mckay...HORRIBLE) But it was really fun, slicing like always, but I was able to see some sweet gators on the golf course...nothing like going to hit the golfball in the rough with a gator 20 feet to the left of you!!
How is everyone doing? I know how Sara is doing pretty much...and Addy Kumorah and Spence..lol, I know you want to just hear from me and what is going on....but I like to hear about how home is. What is 360 lbs doing with his life...married yet? First Nephew in a month...what's the update? Mckay almost pee his pants when BYU squeeked by Washington? Mom dominating missionary work back hom? Kaylie player of the game everygame? What is going on....Jamie still in Oregon? Just throw me some updates? Is Nate in Iraq? HA!
I just scrolled up and realized that you guys must LOVE my emails to death each week because they're so long. Sara is the only one that has come close to as long as mine...ha! Alright....here's the deal. Whoever writes the longest email next week gets 5 new pictures and a 2 page letter from me!!! I'm serious!
Alright, well, I don't know what else to say. Our district is really tearing it up and being a GREAT example to the whole zone..which has been slacking the last year REALLY BAD!! It's going to continue to move forward. I love sharing the gospel with everyone and i've recognized SO much more how to follow the promptings of the spirit. I mean come on....when I walk right past someone and I feel bad...I know I need to change something..so I turn around and talk to them. The spirit isn't going to tell me to walk past someone without sharing the gospel...that's my CARNAL MIND which we HAVE to get rid of. Sometimes I let my mind go off and say that I shouldn't talk to this person or "No, that's just too hard to do that..i'll just sit back and watch them go by" WOW, not right at all! Sorry, I just go off sometimes, but this work is too important and too powerful. Sometimes I do realize...WHOA i've been out 4 months already.....geez, I need to pick it up so much more! It's going really good though. Through Jesus Christ I have been lifted up countless number of times and have born POWERFUL testimony of Him. I feel His love wherever I go and can feel your love as well! I continue to strive to be excellent and to learn so much more so that I can better help these incredible southern people. I am SOOOOO blessed out here with people to teach and people just falling right into our hands. It's just incredible and I love it so much.
The family that we found through a media referral is just WAY sweet. ALL of them are going to get baptized for sure, I have no doubt. Everyone has a date except the mom..which she has been running around all over the place so we havn't had much luck. Can't seem to convince James to marry Laura(two of our other dates) so that they can be baptized. Laura is all game and super ready, James is just very hesitant...but we never cease to continue to labor and have faith.
There are some CRAZY big bugs down here in the south. mosquitos EVERYWHERE....then love bugs everywhere as well.....bunch of swamps as well. This area is sweet. The ward loves us missionaries a lot and we have gotten QUITE a few referrals from them which ALWAYS gets me excited because the fellowship is RIGHT THERE!
Alright, i'm done typing. I love you guys so so much, and continue to pray for you every morning and night. The work continues to go very well out here in the south as we are being very blessed. I love this work and I love this gospel.
Love, Elder Probert
p.s. Tell the ward I said hello and that they need to talk to there friends about the gospel.
p.s.s. BYU=NATIONAL CHAMPS!!! GOTTA LOVE IT!