Baptism

Two weeks in, and I have already seen a baptism!!!!

So this week I hit my month mark for being on my mission!! But on that day we held a baptism for Sister Tammie Sanchez! It was such a great experience to see her be baptized! She was just all smiles as she was baptized! My companion was super jealous, that I got to see a baptism with only being out in the field for 2 weeks. After that, she was confirmed in sacrament meeting. The neat experience here, is that her husband wouldn't listen to the lessons before the baptism. But after seeing the change in his wife and the joy it has brought to her, he is now interested in the lessons and the church. Sadly, we have to hand him off to the spanish missionaries, as I do not speak spanish and neither does my companion!!

So after I sent my email last week, I had the opportunity to go to this famous restaurant called Raising Canes! It is this fried chicken place that is supposed to be amazing! I thought it was alright! After I ate there, I knew why everyone told me that I was going to come home 20 pounds heavier. After that I had the opportunity to go on exchanges in Hattiesburg with the zone leaders. It was fun, but my companion was sick the night that I got there so we stayed in and relaxed for most of the night. Then the next day he was feeling better so we had the opportunity to go tract. We knocked doors for about a hour-and-a-half, and during that whole time only 2 people answered... One person answered the door and told us that she was already saved and that she didn't want to hear our message. Then the next person opened the door and we taught him the restoration! It is so fun to teach, but a lot of people are not ready to listen to our message.

Later I switched back to my regular companion and we rushed over to a dinner appointment we had with a member! I thought we were going to have some bbq but when we got there it was taco salad! It was actually so good, and I was very happy that we had it! Anyways we have found some new investigators and they are doing great. They would listen to our message and were very accepting of it. But we have a problem... A lot of people don't have any form of transportation to get to church, and we struggle with finding members to give them rides. But this week we found them rides and had 5 investigators in sacrament meeting. While I am talking about cars, I have noticed that a lot of the black people here, drive dodge chargers or challengers. I am starting to think that those 2 cars are the cars of the black people. Also while I have been down here, I have found out that is okay to say that people are black.

Besides that, this week we were able to visit Dale a few times! One day we actually got to give him a priesthood blessing. It was actually my first time participating in one, which was an awesome experience!! We came back the next day and did some service for him in his dungeon. Haha, that's what he calls his basement! So we moved some things for him and found out that he actually used to be way into video games. He had all types of accessories for the xbox! After that we invited him to come to Tammie's baptism and he did!! He was talking to me about his baptism and how he is very excited for it! We just have to get him to stop smoking and he will be ready. I really think that he will be a great member! He is very caring!

Then besides that, we visited the Ramos family this week. We just talked for a bit, and then me and the husband actually talked a bunch! He is really into video games as well and has a PS4! So I was talking to him about it, and the game Paragon, that I mentioned last week that was kind of like League of Legends. We talked about more video games and his lizard that he has, and a few other things. Then we finally got to share a Mormon message with them! It was pretty good.

So that was the highlights of my week! I miss everyone and hope that everything is going well for you! And if not, pray and tell the Lord about it! He really does care and can answer your prayers!

Love Elder Corbett

Elder Corbett and Elder Brown with Tammie

First day in Mississippi with President and Sister Olson

First week in the field

This was my first week in the field and it was crazy!!

First off my companion Elder Brown, is a stud. He is 19 and played football for Timpanogas High School. He is funny, and knows a lot. Even though it is my first week, we have tracted. We have knocked on many doors! Some people are nice and some people are rude. Most people down here tell us that they have religion and that they are saved! It's crazy how poor some of the area is where I am serving. It's humbling for sure. The roads here are bad. They have a bunch of pot holes in them. Also, it has rained everyday since I have gotten here. And this rain is hard. I have been caught out in it a few times. And I haven't even seen an actual storm they say! So I am looking forward to seeing it just dump water. But one time we were biking in the rain and a car drove past us, hit a puddle of water and splashed me. I just laughed, because of course that happened.

So here in Laurel Missippi, (that's how everyone says it) we have 2 solid investigators that we are teaching. The first one is Tammie. She is a very nice lady, and she is actually going to be baptized this Saturday. I haven't done anything really to teach her, but the 2 lessons I was here for, were The law of chastity and the word of wisdom. So those were my first lessons in the mission. Then there is Dale. He is such a great person, but can be the most sarcastic man. We talked to him the first night I was here, but the second night we actually taught him this stop smoking program, and I taught probably a little over half of it! It's crazy how time flies when you are teaching people. So besides those 2 we have been knocking doors to find more people! At first I hated it, but now I don't mind it that much. You just have to realize that it doesn't matter if someone is rude to you.

Besides tracting, we visit less active people. We went to visit the Ramos family and I did not know what to expect! But when I got there, they were very nice! We just talked the whole time. They even offered us pizza. Anyways, the husband is really into video games. He actually was playing this game called Paragon when we got there. He told me that it was a lot like League of Legends. And when he said that, I told him that my friends loved league of legends, and they would play it until 5:00 in the morning. I was talking about my boys Ben and Colton.

Then there is another family that is less active. They are the Herringtons. The husband was a member but now is a southern baptist minister. So they invited us over to talk. My trainer told me that if we were going to get into deep doctrine, that he would ask us to leave, but luckily the guy was very nice! The only thing he had to say was that he believes that we don't use the bible that much. Then he asked me my testimony of the bible... I just told him it was true and that the Book of Mormon and bible go hand in hand. But apparently, that wasn't a good answer for him...

Then on Sunday we went tracting after church. We had knocked on a door earlier in the week and they invited us to come back. So we went back to talk to them. The girlfriend, Pamala Allen, was only there when we first arrived. But eventually, her boyfriend Theodore Smith got home. We were talking and he told me that I reminded him of his son. That when we weren't talking about the gospel that I wouldn't shut up, but when we were, I went dead silent... So he asked me to teach him the uplifting message about Jesus Christ that we told him about. So I taught the first lesson all by myself. I think the lesson was alright, but it could have been better. He did accept a copy of the Book of Mormon to read, so that was cool.

Anyways, it's a difficult work out here! 16 hour days are tough. But it is worth it! Teaching is the best part of the mission. I hope everything is going well for y'all. I miss y'all and love y'all.

Elder Corbett

I couldn't send any pictures while at the MTC, so here are a few pictures of my time in the MTC

MTC selfie

At the temple with my companions

A picture of the zone frog, which was handed down to me

- with Christina, the hedgehog which was named by and given to me by my 4 year old niece, Hannah

Passing down the zone frog

Best day in the MTC!

Well Hello Everyone!

This week went by crazy fast. Being in the MTC has felt like a blur... but at the same time it feels like a life time. There are some highlights I'd like to share with you.

This Tuesday I had the opportunity to listen to Elder Neil L Andersen! It was awesome to hear an apostle of the Lord speak. I took a lot of notes which was different, and I think that this was my first devotional where I did not fall asleep haha. Then on Wednesday my district got lectured by our teacher on obeying the rules more than exactly. Some of the elders in my group are into wrestling and they would wrestle in the residence on the carpet. This carpet isn't the soft carpet. So when they wrestled for fun they got rug burn pretty bad all over their bodies. Most of them had rug burn on their foreheads! So when we went to class, our teacher saw the marks and asked them what had happened. We then got in trouble, and it was bad. Our teacher stopped her lesson and wrote a list of rules that we need to follow more strictly.

Then on Friday, we had in-field orientation. I walked in thinking that I was going to be so bored. I sat down and saw Elder Horsley's companion but not him, because they were on splits. We then split the giant group of 700 into different groups in classrooms. I went to my classroom that I assigned to and I saw Elder Horsely!!! I was so excited. We got to hang out and catch up the entire day. I loved it so much. I got to catch up with my best buddy! We sat by each other and learned. We also laughed so much. That was easily the best day I have had in the MTC! The next best is going to be the day when I leave for Mississippi. Well sorry I don't have much to say, I just sent an email on Tuesday. But luckily, I could send one today because I leave Monday and get to do laundry today! I love and miss you all.

Elder Corbett

In-field training with Elder Horsely

Elder Corbett getting ready to fly to Mississippi with Tom Richards who just happened to be on his flight

Wow......what a week!

Wow, what a week! It feels like I have been here for eternity, but I also feel like I just got here. I have learned so much this week, but being in class for 9 to 12 hours a day is a killer. So last week I got to teach 2 investigators that were actors, well at least one was. But the cool thing is, that we weren't teaching our teacher! Anyways after 4 to 5 lessons, me and my companions got them both to commit to baptism. It was so cool to see how it the spirit works on people.

The only bad part about the MTC, is that sometimes they run out of food....at least the good food. One day, I waited in line for about 15 minutes. I was almost to the front of the line to get my food, when all of a sudden they ran out of the food. I wanted this chicken so bad, but I ended up with noodles and beef....I don't think they put flavor in the food here. But the MTC made up for it. Yesterday, we had Chick-fil-A for dinner. It was so good. I am not that big of a fan of Chick-fil-A, but yesterday it was simply a blessing.

This week my zone started this new fun thing in our residence. This elder got a package from home with probably 20 bouncy balls in it. So with having a bunch of 18 year old boys in a dorm together, you can only imagine what we did.... we had a bouncy ball war haha. So there were two teams. One on each end of the hall. Bouncy balls were flying everywhere. You weren't safe at all. Some elders were just peacefully sitting in their room and they got hit by bouncy balls. I'm pretty sure my team won. It was one of the funnest things that I have done here at the MTC.

But the best thing at the MTC is being able to teach!! I love it. It's easily the best thing and something I am looking forward to doing in a few days when I fly out to Mississippi. So I got my flight plans and I leave for Mississippi on Monday. I have to wake up and leave the MTC at 3:30 in the morning. I do not know how I am going to do that, but I couldn't be more excited to leave. It's probably harder here than having two-a-days for football on the turf at mid-day, no lie. But It'll be worth it, when I am able to baptize someone for the first time. It's honestly been a blast. I love my companions and everyone in my zone.

Elder Corbett

First week in the MTC

Well hello everyone. My first week is one for the books. I was tossed around like a ball from zone to zone! My first zone that I was originally in, to another one, back to that district, then back to the one I started in and then finally back to the one I was transferred to. It's been crazy. The first night at 10:50, my original companion got up with no shoes on and left. I just assumed that he was going to the bathroom, so I went to bed. I was woken up around midnight by a security guard that was telling me that my companion had run away. It was sad. I am now in a trio with Elder Williams and Elder Eberhard, it is hard but we are becoming closer. We do work with pretend investigators which is also really hard. My old teacher was one of Jake Jensen's good mission buddys. It was fun to have him take a picture with me and send it to Jake and have him send it to Ryan. One of the best things about the MTC, is that I got to see Hunter, Kaden, Zach and Tommy. They are all doing so great. We all got pictures and it was really awesome. But anyways my pday in the MTC is on Tuesdays, so I'll be emailing on that day. Love you all.

Elder Corbett

Elder Corbett with his teacher

Elder Corbett with Elder Horsely

Elder Corbett, Elder Freeman and Elder Horsely