Elder Justin Michael Goodale: Justin's Going to Miami

Wow... we thought it was cool that Justin's first area was London (Arkansas), but now he's getting transferred to Miami (Oklahoma). We never knew he'd get to see such exotic areas on his mission!

Hey everybody! How is life going? It sounds like everyone had an awesome time in San Fransisco! Sounds like an amazing trip! I'm really really glad Dad is enjoying his new job so much, too. That's awesome. We're so blessed. And what a great blessing it was to be able to listen to a prophet of God this weekend! Conference was so amazing! I hope you all had the opportunity to watch all 4 (or 5 for the priesthood holders) sessions. It was really amazing. I really loved all the messages this year was all about Faith vs. Fear, and what we can do to build faith and dispell fear in these times. It seemed like that was really the main theme. I especially loved Elder Pearson's talk in the Saturday afternoon session about faith, and the "6 D's" that destroy faith. That was my favorite. But the whole conference was awesome. I took like 10 pages of notes. I was really hoping they'd announce the new temple up in Rogers, AR, that I keep hearing all of these rumors about, but that's ok. Maybe next time. Besides conference, how was everybody's week? Mine was awesome. We've been super busy, which is always good. Monday night we went out to the Bishop's house, and taught this awesome woman named Bobbie. We found her tracting, and it turns out her family is like best friends with the Bishop's family! So we set up a time where we could teach her at their home. We had a great lesson, and we're going back tonight. I'm really excited for tonight. The only bad thing about her is that we had to find her tracting! She was SO prepared, what if we had never knocked that street? There are SO MANY prepared people out there, and you all know some! The missionaries should not have to find them tracting! It's just like Elder Perry said on Sunday, the only missionary system that works is a member oriented missionary program. It has to be that way. You all need to be the full time finders, it's your job to provide people for the missionaries to teach. But I digress... We've been finding lots of super prepared people left and right, though. It's really amazing. I don't have time to talk about them all individually, but definitely be praying for Erica, Ruth, Clay, the Lemons, Misty, Rodney and Katherine, and Rob and Tara. That's the biggest ones. It's still been tough getting people out to church, but it's great having so many really solid people to teach. I haven't even knocked on a single door in a couple of weeks. But unfortunately I'm not going to be here to see them all start to really progress, because I'm getting transfered on Friday! I'm going to Miami, Oklahoma! (pronounced Miama. Apparently people there get offended if you say Miami...) It's in the very northeast corner of Oklahoma, it's actually in the Joplin, Missouri stake. So it's pretty far up there. I'm pretty excited because they get WAY more severe weather up there than we do here in Clarksville. I'm going to like the most tornado-prone area in the mission! At the perfect time of year for tornados, too!!! I know how excited that makes you, mom... Don't worry, it'll be fine. I'm excited. It's nice because my trainer, Elder Johnson, was trained in Miami, so I know a little about the area already. He told me a little about it. Apparently the work is going extremely well there, too. My new companion will be Elder Conrad. I've never met him, but I've heard some great things about him. So I'm very excited. I'm sad to leave Clarksville and I know I'll really miss it, but I'm very excited, too. The saddest thing will be not getting to see Kurt and Krista Lemons get baptized. I have gotten very close to them, and I was actually supposed to baptize them a couple of weeks ago, but it's been pushed back because Kurt is still having some trouble with the Word of Wisdom. Krista is about as ready for baptism as she could possibly be, but Kurt's still struggling. I know that they will get baptized soon and that he will be able to overcome it, I'm just bummed I won't be here for that. It's ok though, I know they will get baptized and it doesn't matter who does it as long as it happens. And I'm super excited for my new area. But I don't know my address yet, so hold off on sending any more mail til I'm able to send you my address next Monday. Or just send it to the mission office in Tulsa. Well that's all for this week. I love you all. Keep us in your prayers!

Our district. E. Silcock (Alma), E. Harrison (ZL Ft. Smith), E. Lechausse (Greenwood), E. Brimhall (Greenwood), me, E. Brady (Alma), E. Simakov, E. Osmond (ZL Ft. Smith)