TKM BITTER SWEET! March 30, 2011

HEY-O!!! HOW ARE ALL YUNS DOIN? haha ;) I hope that you have all had a fantastic week like us!

Mom, I did get the package. Thanks so much for it! Question: did you do a new/different granola recipe?

Fun fact for ya, So Elder Jarman and I were so excited when we opened the package to see what we got, lo and behold, guess what we found!? PEPPER SPRAY!!! mom, your the best! (we felt a lot more safe for when the next dog attack would happen) So we decided we needed to practice our aim, so that when something actually happened, we would be prepared. Good idea right?.... haha well we shot it a couple times and we walked up to this door while out tracting. All of a sudden my eye started to burn like never before! And right at that moment the guy opened the door. I started talking to him, while trying not to scream and cry at the same time. He asked what we we're out talking about today? I said that we are sharing with people about God's plan of happiness and how you can receive more blessings for you and your family. (as I kept talking my voice started to get louder because of the pain) and I said something along the lines of " and God wants all of these blessings to be yours, BUT NOW I HAVE TO USE YOUR SINK! haha. After I rinsed my eyes out we had a really good conversation with them, and kept going throughout the day.... hahaha,

PEPPER SPRAY 1, ELDERS 0

Throughout this week we had to do A LOT of exchanges, (I think I was only with my companion 2 out of the 7 days this week) But while I was with the Assistance, we had to take a couple of the visa waiters around to different areas for the day. When we got to one of the areas, I saw one of the Elders that I came out with, Elder Rollins! He saw me and said "Pearson!! Guess what I just found!?" whatcha got? "I found some Pepper spray!" careful man, that stuff bites! haha, Does it work?

Elder Rollins pointed to spray, and was ready to shoot. (the wind was blowing really hard) I tried to yell "watchout for the wind".. But it was to late.. The Spray came back into his and the Elders next to him eyes! They all ran around in circles screaming, Eyes bright red! (funniest thing i've ever seen!) made my day!

PEPPER SPRAY 2, ELDERS 0

When we got back, Elder Jarman and I worked really hard on a couple people - All wanted to be baptized on March 27th!

J wasn't to sure about it all though, his family had been giving him a lot of crap about if he joined the church. He said that he would pray about it, and come to church if he wanted to be baptized. J tried on the baptism suit that we had.. one problem, the 3xl was to small... J is a really big guy! 2nd problem, that was the biggest one in the stake and his baptism was tomorrow. We ran to the mall and to walmart to see if we could find a big white shirt for him. But the Largest they carried was a 3xl.

The Librarian at the church, helped us find a nice white table cloth. We cut a whole in the top and made a belt to go around his waist out of white ties. good to go..............He didn't show. :( BUT we had an awesome Sunday! One of Our recent converts that was baptized a couple weeks ago, decided to bear her testimony.

Now the south has a lot of "protestant" still in the Church. (because they are all converts, and i love it!!! here's why) Jane started about how she was saved when she was just 14 yrs old. "Back in my old baptist church we had a black prophet, I had been praying and askin the Lord "Why" "Why does this all have to happen?" When I went to the church, our black prophet pointed straight at me and said "Women, The Lords wants me to tell you to stop askin why, and just trust him!!" (while telling this at testimony meeting, Jane was yelling and pointing at different people in the congregation trying to act it out haha) She warned everyone that she likes to shout and throw her hands up when she feels the holy spirit inside. (and she sure did that day) haha. She was shouting "AMEN, can I get an amen!?" "Praise Jesus" and all this other really fun stuff! She said " as most of you know I had a broken arm, the Elders gave me a blessing a couple weeks ago and PRAISE JESUS, IM HEALED!!!" She started fist pumping her arms in the air saying "Thank you Jesus! Brothers and sisters, we have reason to rejoice!"

Elder Jarman and I were busting up laughing, and so was the bishop haha. I wish you could have been there!

She hit the Pulpit one last time and started to walk off the stand, when she got to the stairs she stopped and yelled "Oh, and my grandson is getting BAPTIZED today! AMEN!

After church, T and S were both baptized. We were getting ready to confirm them, But we couldn't find S or her family anywhere!?!?

We made a lot of calls and caught them right as they walked in their door at home. They were so excited that she just got baptized and i said, "There's more!!! haha run back!" Elder Jarman and I both stalled as long as we could by bearing like 10 min testimonies each and she showed up right in time.

After that, B (a convert for a year, and one of our best friends) came up to us and said " as ya'll were confirming her, I heard every word before it was said!" GOSPEL IS TRUE!!!

I love being able to see others lives change, as they trust in God. I cant wait to hear from the Prophet and 12 Apostles that we have today. As they bear their Prophetic and Apostolic testimonies of our savior, Jesus Christ. What Blessing will they promise to us as we turn our lives to Christ?

i Love you all and cant wait to hear back from ya!

From the country boy out yonder, Love Elder Pearson

TKM March 20, 2011

Tracting in Tennessee

Hey-o! How are you all doin!?!? I Hope that everything is going well. This week has been a pretty good week all around. I’m so proud of our zone right now. We had been struggling in a couple of our areas so we came up with a couple ideas to help get everyone more motivated. At the end of the week, everyone improved in some way or another and we also reached our baptismal goal 2 months in a row!!!

So I can’t really think of too much to write about.. =/ Elder Jarman and I have been focusing a lot on Justin this week. He has gone like 9 days without smoking!!!! We went over and had a really cool lesson with him and we talked about him being baptized on the 20th of March, He thought that would be so cool. Sat night he even called us at like 11:00pm to tell us how excited he was. We went by in the morning to pick him up for church. Gail came to the door and said that a couple hours ago he decided to go paintballing instead and just get baptized next week.. FW-WHAT!?!? CRACKER PLEASE? ;) keep the Sabbath holy fool!

We're going to go have a pretty intense lesson of "reproving betimes with sharpness, while being moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and showing forth afterwards an increase of love, lest he esteem us to be his enemy" haha

OH I JUST REMEMBERED.. So last night we went over to one of our members to have a "movie night" and watch- Joseph Smith Prophet Of The Restoration. I have seen this movie 100 times but there are still some parts that always get me, or that I notice something different. This time at the end, when they are all sitting in the upper room, I noticed that Hyrum turned down the page of his Book Of Mormon. Just like how Elder Holland mentions in "safety for the soul". Then at the end of the movie I had the coolest feeling that I couldn't put into words if I wanted to. But I have learned this week so much! I know that The Lord will teach us line upon line, He isn't going to give it to us all at once. But that he really can "unfold the Mysteries of the Kingdom Of Heaven". All we have to do is search him out by the daily things like prayer and study. I learned one this week. And now I feel that I haven’t even scratched the surface of the Book of Mormon, Or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The thing I desire most in my life is to have to constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, for it can teach us the truth of all things. It has the power to soften hearts, and to change lives, to keep you safe and let you know how, and be permitted to walk back to the presence of God the Father, His son Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Home. We have the fullness of the Gospel. The Priesthood is here. We are not just a church that teaches and preaches about the Son of God, But one that is led and guided by him personally. He lives. He is closer to you and me than we can ever imagine. I believe that with all my heart. He cares. And is waiting to rush to our aid. We have been blessed with more than we can comprehend. Shall we not continue to share it?

Love Elder Pearson

TREASURE HUNT!

Last week I received a letter from Elder Pearson and he challenged me to read the book of 1 Nephi and look for all the gospel truths and principles that are in there. What is the 1st Book of Nephi about?
As I thought about that I realized that of course Heavenly Father would fit as much "good stuff" into that book as possible because He knew it would be the most often read book of the Book of Mormon.
So, I challenge you to go on this treasure hunt and see what treasures you can find!!
One thing the first book of Nephi teaches us is 37 ways the Spirit can speak to us. How many can you find?
love, Elder Pearson and his mom

P.S. - We'd love to hear how your treasure hunt goes and what you find. You can email Jill or send me a message on FB and I'll forward it to Elder Pearson or just write him yourself.

TKM They have Bears in Tennessee!?.

March 14, 2011

HEY-O!!! how is everyone doing!?! Shout out to Jana for her 27th birthday! wahoo =D

Thanks so much for the letters I got this week, really made my week!

This week has been FULL of ADVENTURE!.. no joke. We almost died.. by a bear... well a dog.. But it was the size of a bear! (Mom don’t worry, I’m good and the Lord watches over his missionaries. I learned that for real this week. haha) I’ve been looking for the recorder you sent me to tell you all about it, cause its really funny when you can hear us telling it with all our expressions =P But I’ve seen to hid it from myself and now I can’t remember where I put it.. (yeah I’m good, I know) or it grew some legs and ran to play hide and seek.. either way I’ll find it soon.

It involved tracting by a van and a trailer, down by the river, in the country. We got chased by a bear (dog) under a barb wire fence, through a huge field, through a couple trees, 3 other pit bulls joined in plus a regular sized dog, which led to us trying to hitch-hike (but it didn't work) which then made us run to an abandoned trailer surrounded by these dogs. I had a brick in one hand, a metal pipe in the other and elder Jarman with a 4ft long PCP pipe. We were ready for Armageddon..... it lasted for a hour... that was INTENSE!!!

I need to go buy some pepper spray. Or find out where Bro McConnell got his Bear Mace haha ;) I love being a missionary. But that’s not the reason why.

This week we have been teaching Gail's crew a lot more. Justin is an awesome kid. He use to be over 700 pounds but has lost like 300. He's 22 and has grown up with a real rough background of drugs and street life. His mom died this week of a drug overdose. He has decided he is going to do whatever it takes to not have that kinda life. Today he is on his 5th day without smoking! Thats huge!!! He is trying to learn all that he can about the Gospel. Growing up, he has never been in church. (last week, when he came to ours, it was the first time in a church and he loved it)

Because he didn't really have a Christian background we spent a lot of time talking about how God is our loving Heavenly Father, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We tried to think of easy ways for him to remember what each principle meant. We asked him what it meant to repent? "I really don’t know man, I know you like tell God sorry that you messed up but that’s about it. I've never done it before." Thats aight (alright) man, it’s as easy as ABC.

A) you Acknowledge that you've done something wrong.

B) Be sorry- feel bad about it.

C) Confess

C) Correct anything that you need too

and (D) Don’t ever do it again.

He thought that was pretty cool and during the rest of the lesson we would catch him trying to memorize them. We would ask him a question and he would say " umm.. crap man, I forgot. I’m still trying to remember my ABC's of repenting! haha" alright Justin, how do we repent then? you teach us.

He almost got them all. He thought the (B) was Be bad lol.

We taught another couple that they needed to live the law of chastity. She took it well, he was a little sad. (We forgot to tell them that they also either need to get married or that he has to move out.. how do you think they'll take it? ... oh by the way dude..)

I’m excited to see the Family be baptized together on the 26th

Before I forget... I need Elder Jamie's Address so I can send him his b-day package, Tyler too. Shout out to ya'll HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOOLS

I love you all so much, Love Elder Pearson.

On the mission I have learned that

I don’t want to just say my prayers,

Because I've learned to really speak with my Father.

I don’t want to be just a follower of Christ,

I want to be led by Him.

I’m trying to come to know Him,

And not just know about him.

TKM March 6, 2011 .. Isn't it exciting to be a member!?!...

The picture is from awhile ago - it's "Grandma" Jane's baptism. Elder Jarman, Jane and Elder Pearson.

HEY-O Family! How are all of you doing? I hope everything is going really well. Once again we are coming to you live, from Tennessee. I’m Elder Pearson and I’ll be your host today. We are going to keep it real for the next hour while we start off telling you about the latest "in's" n "outs" of the mission.

To start off with …the fact of the day: Eve (the wife of Adam) is back!.. yes, on the Earth. Good news is that she was "rebirthed" into Mary (the mother of Jesus) and then "rebirthed" again into Amy, who now lives in a trailer park and has fried her brains with Acid. THANK YOU WORD OF WISDOM... (sure gained a testimony of that this week haha).. We really met a lady that was that bad on drugs that she believed that... should have been there.

This Sunday was one of my favorites! At church we had two FAMILIES show up! We took up more than a whole bench in sacrament meeting Woot woot! After the meeting we went to Gospel Principles and had an awesome lesson by our Ward mission leader on the scriptures. The lesson went really great and I learned a lot of new things about the Pearl Of Great Price. At the end of the lesson, we committed one of the Families for Baptism on the 26th! They all are pretty excited, but they have a couple of walls to overcome.

Elder Jarman and I had to leave Church early to start driving to Knoxville for a Zone Leader Council. I love going to them because we get to hang out with Prez and Sister Griffen and talk about the mission. At the end of the meeting they always feed us too. (which is a good way to end a fast Sunday. AND I FINALLY GOT THE COUNTRY MEAL I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!.... LOW COUNTRY BOIL. It’s probably the most southern meal I think. You cook it in a giant pot as big as Abi. Its full of potatoes, shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage and whole bunch of other stuff. It cooks all day, and when it’s finished. You take out a long table and set them up like Sunday dinners at Grandpa's, cover the table in layers of newspaper. And then you dump all the food out of the pot and onto the table!!! And then you have a plate full of bread, butter, and different sauces and just eat off the table!!! It’s a lot of fun and it taste even better. =P

I Love Me Some Good Southern Cookin.

Throughout this week we have talked a lot about faith and scriptures. Alma 32 is a great Chapter that teaches us of faith. In the chapter in mentions the word, "faith" 17 times... But there is something that it mentions much more. It’s the word, "word". Why though? In verse 14 it teaches us that we can become humble as we learn the "word".

16) says "Blessed is he that believeth on the "word" of God."

22)"God is merciful unto all..therefore He desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea even on his "word".

From Alma we learn that God desires to have us have FAITH in the WORD or His word. We learn His word as we read them, and every 6 months we get to hear His WORD by the mouth of his holy prophets. From the scriptures we learn that in the beginning, the WORD was with God, and that the WORD was God. (or Jesus Christ) So when we learn about the WORD, part of what we're talking about is learning about Jesus Christ.

Alma teaches us that it is the WORD that we need to have Faith in.

Alma 32:26-27 he tells us that we need to have the faith to Awake, Arouse, and Experiment upon the WORD.

... It’s hard for me to try and type what I learned. I’m not sure what words to try and use. But I do know that very soon, we are going to go through trials, hard times, and the storms that everyday life sends. And a lot of times we won’t know which way to turn. Our Heavenly Father loves us enough that we have prophets and 12 apostles today. They speak the Word of God and they speak of Jesus Christ. I know that when they speak, we need to Awake, Arouse and Experiment on what they say. In April we get the chance o hear from them on what we can and need to do.

Listen carefully to what they say and try it out.

I Love you all so much. Love Elder Pearson

In honor of the first year!

Ok, so I'm going to attempt this blog thing in honor of Kevin serving half of his mission already! I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by. It has been such a blessing for him, for our family and for the wonderful people he has met in the wonderful state of Tennessee!
I'll attempt to share his letters and some pictures, when we get them.

Here's his letter from Feb 28, 2011...

HEY EVERYBODY, How are you all doing?

This week has been crazy! Full of up's and downs. To start off the week. Sunday, John and Victoria came to church, walked straight up to us and said "We're quitting smoking tomorrow." SWEET! So they told us that they would like it if we could come by each day to help them out. John wanted us to come by and have a spiritual lesson around 1:00. And Victoria wanted us to come by each night around 8:00 to play games to keep them happy with each other. We decided we would do both =D

Monday comes and goes and all is well. (1 day down, 6 more to go!!) Tuesday afternoon we walk in and find that they don't look like happy campers. So far neither of them had smoked! (Which is great!!)We had an AWESOME lesson on the Atonement and overcoming addictions. She decided she would keep going. We had to leave to go see some other appointments but told her that we would stop by again tonight.

We gave some Marriage advice (even though neither of us have any clue about marriage haha) Ya know how the spirit can tell you what to say right when you need it? Ya I wish I could remember what we said for when I get married lol. But Any ways 2 days down, 5 to go.

We came back the next day. They told each they loved each other, and both had a smile on their face. They ended up talking it out with each other. They had went and bought a pack of ciggs together.. :( So Marriage was saved, but its going to be a little longer till they get baptized. They both want to Keep working at it. They said they will be baptized before this transfer ends =) I'll be praying for it haha.

The next day we got an awesome referral. We went over and met a lady named Michelle. She had just come back from a trip to Israel, with a lot of really good questions. We went over and started to talk about Christianity as a whole. She really knew her stuff and it led into an intense 3 hour lesson on the Restoration! (wish you could have been there) I'm really excited to see her again next week and she where this is going to go.

On Friday we went on an exchange with some of the missionaries in Big Stone Gap. It was getting late and Elder Jarman was feeling really sick. He went to bed a little early and just kept rolling around screaming. At 1 in the morning he felt he couldn't take it so we went to the ER and were there till around 3! He Got a nasty stomach virus that just makes you throw up and all this other stuff. So for the past 3 days we have had to stay inside. I feel really bad for him but He is getting better! :)

Well I think we're going to have to take off early eh.

Love you all!
Love ELder Pearson