Elder May: Chapter 74

Our very happy, handsome missionary helping those in need!

Thank you for all the extra prayers and temple rolls entries on Elder Hayden's behalf.  After almost a month, he is finally feeling better.  He is back to helping and serving the amazing people in Port Charlotte.  There are so many that have lost so much and some still without power and water.  It really is a true miracle that nothing happened to Elder May and Elder Shakespeare's apartment.  We love him and we miss him but we are oh, so proud of him!  Enjoy!!

Chapter 74

           1.      I finally feel better

           2.      We did a lot of service

           3.      Like a lot of service.

           4.      You're fighting about the Mormons coming over 

Hey everybody! First off, thank you for all the prayers sent our way because we were sick. We are all better now. No more bronchitis or amoxicillin so that is a blessing. I was sick of being sick.

Second and third,  we have done a lot of service over the past two weeks especially. So many trees, and move outs, and flooding and everything but it has been a ton of fun. The Spirit was very strong and each person we served we asked to end with a prayer and each accepted, including a man who claimed he was atheist. They each appreciated it so much.

Lastly, we finally got to meet with our investigator who has learned everything and likes to make us dinner. His wife is pregnant right now and doesn't feel good most the time so she stayed in her room. But the daughter came out and said, "Mom isn't tired, she's mad at you because the Mormons are here." That was hilarious but made the lesson pretty awkward for us and the member we brought.  We busted up laughing as soon as we got into the car. It was hilarious.

Not too much else happened though. It sure was a fast week though. I am very excited for conference this weekend and excited to hear more from our prophet. Although he is unable to do much nowadays I know he is still inspired and will tell us exactly what we need to know, and more importantly do, as members of the church. I love this gospel and testify God loves each and every one of us.

Love Elder May 

Zone Conference

Zone Conference

Zone Conference - Back Row on Right

Elder May: Chapter 73

Another crazy week for this Elder and getting home after Hurricane Irma.  He still does not feel well so if anyone in his area knows a doctor he can go see, please let me know.  He went to urgent care and the co-pay was almost half his allotted money for the month and he isn’t any better.  Please also send prayers his way.  He and Elder Shakespeare have definitely been watched over and kept safe.  We all are so grateful for everyone’s love and support.  We love him and miss him so much but we are oh, so proud of him!  Enjoy!!

Chapter 73

1) Church Building Sleepover!

2) Service missionary style!

3) I am sick of tired of being sick and tired. 😷😴

4) I wish I took more pictures.

Hey everybody! Sorry for being AWOL last week but blame it on Irma. 

However, that is a pretty cool thing that is definitely going into the journal. Living in a church building was pretty fun in theory but after three days the hype wore off. Luckily it didn't last any longer than that. Cool story though. We got to have a full church service with just us missionaries and it gets even cooler. Our mission president, President Cooper, said the opening prayer in one of our three evacuation building we were staying at. In this prayer he said that by the priesthood he holds as mission president, the storm will not reach any of the building and all of us would be safe. A member in the ward building we were at was watching the storm and while we were having church he said he "saw the storm do a hiccup" and from that point was weakened and lost a huge amount of power. The priesthood is real and is on the earth today. 

The eye of the hurricane did happen to go directly through my area though as a category 2 hurricane (meaning it was pretty windy) so some trees were uprooted, including a huge tree in from of our church building that we have had a blast getting rid of it. This past week has been a lot of that moving trees and branches and such and we have a couple more projects lined up for doing so this week. 

Not as fun though, I am still not totally fixed.  I still feel pretty sick.   I just wanna feel better you know. Go at 100%, but for now I will give 100% of all I can give. That all the gospel asks of us anyway. 

Lastly, I totally should have took more pictures while we had a chance with all the missionaries and everything going on. I think there should be a couple on the facebook page and such. My mom has been a champ and kept updated on all of that and maybe she can add them.

Anyway, I love you all and truly appreciate and felt the prayers sent our way. Please continue to pray for those that weren't as fortunate as us and that we can find them and help them out. 

Love, 

Elder May

Back home - no water or storm damage

Ready to help those in need

More volunteering and helping

Elder May: Chapter 72

After posting Elder May’s email last week, we had no idea what we were in for.  So much concern, so many prayers, so much inspiration and so much gratitude this past week.  This email came about an hour ago and it was the best one I think I have ever received.  To know that the missionaries are all safe and the buildings were untouched is surely a miracle.  Brian and I are so grateful to President and Sister Cooper for listening to the Spirit as well as keeping us as parents and loved ones up to date every step of the way.  I have watched more CNN than I ever thought possible but I am so grateful for modern technology and early detection warnings that allowed them all to get out safe and without harm.  Continued prayers to the people of Florida as they start to clean up the mess that Irma left.  Glad that our son is one of the first responders to help.  We love him and we miss him but we are oh, so proud of him!  Enjoy!!

Chapter 72 - Hurricane Irma is no more

Hi mom! How are you doing? I don't have too much time today because they are wanting us to go out and help with service quickly.  I want you to be absolutely assured that we are all safe. We were evacuated on Thursday because we are further south than anyone else. On Saturday we were moved to a building much more North in a city called Brandon. This is a modern building with hurricane proof windows and we are safe and sound. They have taken very good care of us and President and Sister Cooper were inspired on where and when we all needed to be.

Thank you for all of your prayers and I hope you got the picture from our mission nurse she took of Elder Shakespeare and I. 

I love you all!

Love,

Elder May

This was sent right before the storm started to sweep over them.  We were so happy to see his smiling face!

Hurricane Irma headed for Port Charlotte - the little brown specs on the left

Received Saturday night to let us know that missionaries were in safe haven.  This was one of three

Received this Sunday morning before the storm hit

Saw this on FB - the Tampa Bay river receded so far back that people could just walk on the bottom -Crazy!

Letter from President and Sister Cooper letting us know that everyone was alright - next to his email, this was a very welcome sight.