It Won't be Over Until the Lord Says it's Over!

Hey mom!

Wow, it feels weird emailing already because I just saw you!  I'm not complaining though- it's great! :)  I had such a fun time being able to Skype on Christmas!  It was really neat being able to see Brian/Elder Farley on the other computer screen and to have the chance to chat for a while.  He looks and sounds like he is doing well.  But SERIOUSLY?! First mission Christmas with Shane, Jeremy and Aunt Sharon?!  Definitely the coolest mission Christmas ever.  I can't wait to see the Parsons again!  It was fun talking to the fam back home too!  Looks like GM&GP are well!  It was good to hear Uncle Vaughn and GP crack on' jokes like always!  Caiside was funny :) and I guess I'll just have to say hi to Ryker at home since he was all angry!! Haha

Christmas in the mission was pretty fun! Unfortunately we didn't have time to go see the Kings, but we did get to watch How To Train Your Dragon 2 all together in the amphitheater of the VC.  That was a pretty good one.  We also had lunch together as a mission and had a talent show.  We did the Haka for our talent and we had our faces painted from a Tongan sister who also participated.  I wore a skirt from a Tahitian sister. Tavana, Ah Ching, Wood and I lead the group.  We even had President Cooke get up there to do it with us!  It seemed to get a pretty good response from the rest of the missionaries.

This last Saturday was a hard one, saying goodbye to Tavana and Malugin.  I really grew close to them both out here and I hope to be able to always keep in contact with them.  It's okay though because Tavana, Bodda and I all have March b-days so we are going to see Bodda in Vegas! Haha reunion!! Malugin can come too, even though his birthday is in January.  It is different being in a two man companionship without Tavana, but I am having a great time with Elder Warnes!  We are working hard and trying to get some new investigators this week!  You know what that means!! Tracting!! Hopefully those that we are meeting with now will also be willing to accept our commitments and progress.  And next week Bible Study will be back on so we will have some opportunity there :)

Can you believe it is already 2015!?  Honestly, it's kind of scary how fast time went.  And I feel silly saying that because everyone says the same thing when they get towards the end.  I am grateful for all the things I have learned and for all the success I've seen.  I'm even sort of thankful for the trials and hardships, because I know they are preparing me for the future and have helped me trust more in the Lord.  There is still so much work to do, and I know it won't be done until the Lord says it's over.  I plan to keep working hard to the end and looking for each opportunity to be a light and share my testimony with others.  I love reading the Book of Mormon and seeing how faithful and diligent the prophets were who testifies of Christ and called their brothers and sisters to repent and find peace in the gospel.  They hard hardships and losses, but they always seemed to put their whole hearts into God's work and aligned their will with His.  I know I have not been perfect at that, but I hope to always strive for that kind of discipleship.  This is the gospel with brings eternal life through Christ.  I know that there is a prophet who is the mouthpiece of God, who directs up in ways of righteousness. A path that, if we follow, will lead us back safely to the loving arms of our Savior and Father in Heaven.

I am so thankful for you and our family.  Thank you for all the support and love you have given me as I have been out here on the east coast.  I don't think I could ever begin to explain all the wonderful things you, dad, our family and friends have done to help me stay strong and find peace and joy as I've served our God.  I love and miss you.  Hope you enjoy this week and the start to the New Year. 2015!!! It's going to be a good one!

Love your son,

Elder Farley

PS can't wait for the comp ties! :)

Christmas Time in DC North is AWESOME!!

Roommates!!....What?! Your apartment has a FIREPLACE!!! Really now. 

Hey Momma!

It's been a really fun and weird week!  We went to a few Festival of Lights performances, including the Bell Choir and Sandra Turley, who is a member of our ward.  There were 54 non-members who went because she was singing! Pretty awesome, right?  So the events there have been good and tomorrow we are actually working at the VC, probably in the parking lot directing traffic with lightsabers.  Haha well... Not really but they are like the light up sticks that people direct airplanes in with.  So that will be fun!  And this will all be after we have our district meeting/Christmas party.  Which will include pin the nose on Rudolf, a white elephant exchange, and an ugly sweater competition!  I'll try to take some pictures so you can see :)

This past week we had a member invite us to a bible study and where she has friends from her work come over and read the Old and New Testament together.  We went over and read the story of Christ's birth with them all and bore our testimonies about our Savior.  So now we have a constant get-together with 4 new investigators!  We are hoping to get more members in there to fellowship next month too!

Today's Pday adventure was down in the Capitol area that borders the river to Virginia.  Brother Weitzner took us, the APs, and Elder Peterson down there to the National Harbor to ride on a inclosed ferris wheel!  It was pretty awesome!  Scary, but awesome.  After that we are at Potbelly's and went our separate ways.  The APs wanted to go through 'Costia to get some clothes from Forman Mills!  Haha so ghetto, but it was fun!

This week will be interesting because Tavanā is leaving and we have a packed day tomorrow with District Meeting and the Visitors Center.  Then Wesnesday is packed with seeing members, then it's Thursday... Christmas.  Friday we have some appointments and we are going to the VC again, then Saturday Tavanā goes home.  It's going to be busy, busy!

Lava Lava from Momma Tavana

Anyway, not a ton of time to write this week- but I will see you in a few days! :D Love and miss you all!  Have a great week and have an amazing Christmas <3

Love your son,

Elder Sean Farley

The Festival of Lights is Pretty Great!!

Hey Mom!

Training is going great!  I am having a lot of fun and working hard with Elder Tavanā and Elder Warnes.   We have done quite a bit of tracting, visiting members and even picking up a new investigator!  I am very happy that I will be training for this last transfer and it's sort of fun to be DL again since I was only one for two transfers.  I have so many fun ideas for the district meetings and a really good group of elders and sisters.  There is a total of 13 of us- pretty good size!
That is super crazy about Elder Webb and the missionary he had stay an extra transfer... I'm pretty sure President and Sister Cooke both know that you would fly out and pick me up yourself, so I think I am in the clear.  Oh! Speaking of the Cookes, they got the package and LOVE the gifts.  :) So whatever you got them, it was a good choice!

I am beyond excited to be able to Skype and see you all AND Brian!  He sounds like he is doing well, and from the pictures it looks that way too.  And he is going to be 19!  I still feel like I am that age! I'll have to send him out a little package for his b-day/Christmas.  Probably some nice ties :)

The Festival of Lights has been pretty great!  The last two nights we have gone taking a less active family the first night and active members the 2nd night for Jenny Oaks Baker.  There are always great shows so we are going to try to get as many less actives and investigators to the VC as much as we possibly can before the Festival ends.

Elder Warnes is a really good kid.  He is willing to listen and speak up in lessons(with a little bit of urging), as well as learning a lot about the members and becoming good friends with those he has met so far.  He will do a good job when Tavanā and I leave the area.  We picked up a new investigator this last week named D. who we met while tracting.  He seems to be divorced, but has two kids; one is in the Air Force and the other goes to HS, planning to go into the Marine Corps. He asked how long we would take to share our message, so I told him that it wouldn't be more than 15 minutes.  We went in and talked a little about who we were and what the Book of Mormon is and where it comes from.  He recently lost his job and is struggling to find a new one.  He was willing to take a Book of Mormon and read part of Alma 7 that we left with him.  Hopefully we will be able to see him on Wednesday and share a full first lesson with him, inviting him to be baptized.  So that was a cool miracle this last week, and hopefully we pick up more newbs this week to teach!

I am pretty stoked for our Christmas picture with our trio and our roommates!  It should hopefully be taken this week so it should make it for next P day.  Speaking of our P day, we went with the APs all the way down to Lexington Park in the van with the Chinese.  We went all the way down to Point Lookout for the last time.  It was overcast and chilly, but we had a fun time and took some great pictures!  It has been such a wonderful experience out here so far with all the wonderful friends I've gained since I've left home.  I know that we will all keep in contact and watch out for each other, just like any brother would do.

I guess that's the whole point of this life for us as members.  We all have been placed in certain places here in this life at different times all for specific reasons.  I think there are a lot of people who think that life is just chance.  I know that from time to time I've felt that there are a lot of things that are left up to chance, but since I've been on my mission I truly believe that all things are under God's direction and set for a certain purpose.  I know that those of us here on earth once accepted a plan in a life before this to come to earth, experience joy and pain, trials and successes, and to accept the Gospel of Christ and repent to live with our Father in Heaven again.  I know that those who have the truth of our Savior's gospel must share it with our brothers and sisters who came to earth without the blessings of the gospel.  I can't remember life before this, but I'm sure that I was given a calling to be part of such a great family who would raise me in the gospel so that I might, along with my family, share the gospel with all those who have not yet found it!   Let's not forget why we are here, what we must do, and where we all should strive to go after this mortal existence.  I know that this is the true church of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  I am so thankful for you, Mom, and for all of our family.  I can't wait to see you all so soon over Skype.  It's almost Christmas :) what a perfect time to think of our relationship we each have with our Savior.

Love and miss you all!

Love your son,

Elder Sean Farley

It's a Boy! Training My Last Transfer! Finishing Strong

Hey Mom!

It's great to hear you and Dad had a safe and fun trip! It sounds like it was awesome! Especially the ride on the helicopter!  That's intense!  I love that there was a double rainbow!! "all the way across the sky...." Haha :)  the pictures from Dukes were fun to get- hope you got a burger for me there.

Brian sounds like he is having a good time in CA.  I am really glad he has some roommates!  That will be so much fun for him.  And WHAT?! CHRISTMAS WITH THE PARSONS?! That's not fair! Haha so cool... I'm jealous.  So pretty much for Skyping this year I can do it whenever.  We have pretty solid wifi at our place so we will probably just do it here.  Once Brian finds out a time, just let me know and I will plan on it.  Do we want to have the full hour together or like a half hour overlap so he can have some time by himself to talk to you all? It might get a little hectic with everyone for the full hour.  I'm down for whatever though :)

The Festival of Lights is officially up an running.  We will have one shift at the end of the month on the 28th, but that means Tavanā will be gone :/ He is leaving on the 27th- just two days after CHRISTMAS!! Crazy right?   We had the "stay or go" call-out last night and both Tavanā and I are staying!  Also, I got a call on Wednesday night to meet at the VC Friday morning for the trainers meeting.  Yep, your boy Sean is training again! I will have a son who will stay in the mission... Hopefully! Haha Our roommate, Elder Liang is also training and Elder Ng will leave us.  5 man apartment for about 2 1/2 weeks! Should be fun :) Sean's first "greenie" was a visa waiter for Brazil

This week we went over to the Blewett's and went out into the woods and cut down a tree!! Well... It wasn't really the woods... More like a just took the APs truck, parked it on the side of the road and went out with a hacksaw and cut a tree down!  It's not a real Christmas tree, but it smells kinda like one and has a nice look to it.  The Blewett's are going to help us make tree stand for it and give us some decorations(lights).  We have a fire place and already have stockings up that we found in the closet from last year.  I know you need a Christmas picture so I will try to send one. When I get my boy we are going to take an awkward family photo together with Tavanā and the Chinese elders! It's going to be legendary!

Things here are going well.  We hope to find more people to teach, especially with a newbie on the way.  We had a really cool contact with a referral that we received this week.  He was very open to hearing more from us, but he is moving!  So we are trying to get him to meet with the missionaries in NC!  We have had some success with a few Less Active families as well.   Overall we are really stoked for this new kid and the opportunity we both have to finish it out strong here in the WDCN Mission!

I am so grateful for this wonderful season of Christmas!  Not only because of the presents, people being slightly nicer when we go tracting, or the hope of a snow fall- but because of the focus we have on the true Gift of the season.  Our Savior's birth.  The life of the only perfect person to ever walk this earth.  The One who made it possible for us to find forgiveness and peace in the chaotic world!  I am so thankful to know of His gift, which is the Atonement, that has blessed my life so much, along with many of the lives of those I have encountered with.  I am so happy to know He lives and loves me.  I know He loves us all and that he IS the reason for the season!

Love and miss you!  Can't wait to Skype you in a couple weeks!!

Love your boy,

Elder Sean Farley

Thanksgiving at the Markoff Farm & Arlington National Cemetery

Hey Mom and Dad!

It's cool to hear from you both in one email! That's a first haha.
Sounds like you are having a good time!  You look beautiful in that
picture momma, and dad looks like a stud- as always.  I hope you enjoy
the trip and take some good pictures!

Okay... Where did time go?! It's December already!!  We are cutting
down a tree this week to put in our apartment this week and Z. is
going to help us make a stand for it!  We have a small fireplace in our
apartment too. We dug up old stockings that we found, and with a
little music from Michael Bublé, it's beginning to look and feel a lot
like Christmas!  It will be weird to have Brian on the West Coast
while I am out here, but I know he will have a good time.  Elder
Tavana will be going home on the 27th of this month, so he will be
with us for the mission's Christmas, which is good for us, but sad
that he won't get back to see his family for Christmas Day.  I got the
advent calendar that you sent along with the little packages!  Thank
you!  I also got a Chipotle gift card from GM&GP!  Thanks to them
both- I love that place!!!

Thanksgiving was insane!  Seriously one of the best Thanksgivings of
my life.  All four of us missionaries in the Kentlands ward went out
to the farm of the Markoff's family and had dinner in their huge barn.
It sounds a little silly and odd, but it was awesome! Each setting at
the table had names for each guest and we all sat jam-packed together,
Indians and Pilgrims alike, just like the First Thanksgiving feast!  I
am pretty sure we looked more like African tribes than any native
Americans, but the paint was just too much fun :). We had a big feast,
went around the table of the group of 70+ and said what we were
thankful for, and then headed to another barn for the Indian vs.
Pilgrim showdown.  Of course the Indians won!  It was great!  The
members out here are really fun and so nice to us.  I am very excited
for you both to meet them one day.  Besides our awesome Thanksgiving,
we had a great week!  We had our temple trip a week early so we had
that on Wednesday. We also did a little bit of thrift shopping today
and I got a Brooks Brothers tie for cheap! And I found new Volcom
khaki shorts for $5 and Super short nike shorts for leg day :)
yeaahhh! It was a winning day for thrifting.

Today we had our Arlington trip for all the missionaries that leave
from now to April.  It was a very humbling and unique experience to
walk around the cemetery and and reflect on the many who have fought
and died in order to defend our county's freedom.  I thought a lot
about both my grandfathers as we watched the changing of the guard
ceremony at the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," which takes place every
hour of every day of every year.  At first thought it was almost silly
how serious and exact the guards are when changing shifts and watching
the tomb.  However, I soon realized that as they watched the tomb of
this "unknown solider" they were honoring and respecting all those
whom had gone to war to fight for the beautiful country that we live
in.  To fight for the Constitution that our forefathers created to
bring peace, happiness and freedom for all those who would be future
Americans.   The reverence that they showed for those who were lost in
war really humbled my heart and helped me see how many blessings the
Lord has given while living here in the US.  There are so many that I
can't count.  I am very grateful I was called to this mission and have
been able to be so close to where this country all began!

Anyway, sorry about my rant- I was just pumped!  Okay, coming up in
mission life: This week is our wards Christmas party so we are hoping
everyone we stop by, who isn't very active, will be open to go and
visit with the other members this weekend.  We are going to be helping
some missionaries move this week, since we are the local moving
company ;) haha.  Today was super nice but I guess it is suppose to get
really cold again! Also, its only 9 days until the transfer, 16 days
until Hanukkah begins, and 24 days until Christmas!! Wooohooo!!  What
are we going to watch for our Christmas movie? No one knows!
Hopefully Home Alone or a classic!

Well- things are going great.  I am loving the mission life and
enjoying the ward here and working with Tavana.   Enjoy your vacay
together and be safe, happy and healthy!  I know that this is the true
church of our Lord and Savior.  I know that we have a prophet on the
earth today who speaks to the Lord and who is called to guide us back
to our Heavenly Father.  There IS a PLAN and we are all part of it,
growing and learning each day so that we might be able to be found
worthy to return to God when our journey here is though.  I know that
families are eternal!!  The gospel is the TRUTH and we need to all
share it!  I love you both so much and encourage you to keep up the
great missionary work and gospel study!

Love your son,

Elder Farley

Miracles and Festival of Lights

Hey Mom! 

This week had a lot packed into it- and this upcoming week even more so!  Sorry if I end up jumping all over the place in this email.  

First off, it sounds like things are going well at home!  I am excited for you vacay! Have fun and eat some shaved ice and garlic shrimp for me - haha!  The missionary work back home sounds like it is going well.  It always helps to have some hard working elders who are excited about the work.  It is also great that you will get to see Rachel and the Parsons!  Tell everyone I say hi :)

A couple weeks ago we gave a blessing to a girl, who is the daughter of an inactive member.  She had a problem with her appendix & gallbladder and was in the hospital for a while.  We went into the hospital both silently saying prayers that there would be a miracle.  We had a good visit with her and her mom. (who actually loves us and feeds us almost every weekend)  Her recovery time was multiple weeks and she even got transferred the next day to Baltimore to have work done.  We gave her a blessing and left and it was almost another week when we saw the family again for dinner.  There was great news!  She was coming home the next day!!! She had an amazing recovery and still would be recovering at home but came home WAY before she was suppose to be released from the hospital!  So that was a really awesome miracle :) Heavenly Father definitely heard our prayers and even the mom and father(who is not a member) noticed and commented on the help of the blessing!  :) that alone made my week.

This last week we also got to help put some lights up for Festival of Lights at the Temple Visitor's Center on the trees!  It was pretty cold and our instructor was kinda.... Out of control, really excited but a little overbearing.  It was a cool experience though.  We were also able to share a lesson at a youth District meeting for two different wards.  It was modeled after our missionary district meetings, but simplified and focused on the youth.  Elder Tavana and I taught about how missions are all about service and following our Savior.  We shared a short video about the ancient apostles leaving everything and following the Lord.  After the spiritual side we had a Q&A about missionary work and life.  At the end we showed an old 'District 3' video about the life of a District Leader!  Haha it was pretty funny :). Oh and we went to the White House too! It was great haha- but it one of those Grandpa Farley things... "I've already been there, why would I want to go again?" Haha

Today for Pday we played our annual missionary Turkey Bowl.  It was better coordinated this year with pre-selected teams, team colors, flags, and cones to mark the field.  We even had a bracket!  The talent was evenly spread so the games were all really good and fun! We even had Zack come down and play with us!  He played college Lacrosse so he is a pretty good athlete.  Then on Thursday we will play again for our ward turkey bowl!  Tomorrow after district meeting we will be helping cut turkey for the homeless with Salvation Army.  Hopefully we will have some more lessons this week as well!  I am loving it here in the Kentlands area with Tavana.  We are having fun, enjoying working with the members and trying hard to find those elect souls!  

I hope you will have a great time on the islands.  Be healthy, happy and safe!  I'll do the same :) love and miss you!

Love your boy,

Sean

Getting Ready for the Festival of Lights!

Elder Farley & Elder Tavana

Hey Momma,

Glad to hear Brian is doing well :) Especially since he can stay nearby the Parsons!  That would make me happy!  He is such a stud- it's great to know he is improving quickly on his Spanish too.

This week was pretty fun! We got to see a few members and spent time with our recent converts.  But I would say that one of the highlights was moving a 830lb gun safe and then a couple hours later moving two refrigerators- one of them we didn't even use the dolly and just picked it up and carried it from the basement to the garage!  Haha I guess members tend to ask Tavanā to do service for than other missionaries... I have no idea why ;) haha

The temple has the Festival of Lights like I was telling you before, and the lights are only half way up!  So they are asking us to come help during the week to put up the lights!  That should be awesome besides that fact that it is getting chilly.  I am also glad I am close this year so I can bring members and investigators to come see the lights and the performances.  The DC temple is breathtaking around Christmas at night.  About 100,000 people come inside per year- and that doesn't include all the people who drive up just to see the lights from the outside.

Oh!  I almost forgot!  So for thanksgiving we are going to the Markoff's farm where everyone who attends dresses like Indians or Pilgrims.  And of course, since I actually know Native Americans, I am going to be an Indian :) NM pride! So that is going to be super fun! Can't wait!

We had a conference where Elder Katcher, who spoke in Conference this fall, came and spoke in each zone for half the day.  It was a great experience to meet him and learn from him.  He even did random interviews afterward and Tavanā got picked! Haha he said it was a great experience to talk one-on-one.  The coolest conference however, was with Elder Katcher and all members of each ward council in the mission(plus the missionaries)!  It was a ton of people!  We all got together in our ward council and the conference was interactive.  All the stake presidents were there as well as Elder Gerard, who is the area authority.  It's fun to know all those men from being around President.  Anyway, that was a great experience for me and I feel like it really helped unify the wards.  That's something I feel like makes wards super successful.  If the leadership is unified and works together for a common purpose, then the ward catches on and gets excited to accomplish that same goal or purpose.  It works as missionaries too! When the leaders are good examples and know there purpose, the rest of the mission follows.

I hope the missionary work back home is going great!  Dad is such a hard worker and very dedicated so I know that things must being going good :) I hope that everyone realizes they can be missionaries in their own way.  It's pretty much just being more Christ-like.  For those who are members and have fallen away; we can reach out to them and invite them to spend time with us at church, at home or for any sort of activity.  The same thing goes for those who are not part of our faith.  We can always reach out to our neighbors or friends for all kinds of outings or activities.  All it takes is the faith to ask... The faith to invite.  It's simple and all of us can do it.  Missionaries and non-missionaries alike.

I love this gospel and hope to LIVE this gospel with my whole heart all of my life.  It truly is the only thing in this mortal experience and through the eternities that can bring us lasting happiness that no one can take away.  I know that the gospel I preach is the Lord's, and that it blesses all of God's children.  I love it and I am glad you are a part of it mom, along with Dad and my siblings.  I love and miss you.  Be safe, healthy and happy!

Love your first missionary in the field,

Sean (EF1)

PS Tell Dad thanks for the email :). I love hearing from him- but this week the email is to both of you.  I was trying to do both, but we were around a ton of missionaries today and I can't focus because everyone is talking to me.  So I will still probably train next transfer and it will be a trio for a couple weeks until Tavanā leaves.  Which should be great!  And I didn't get the package yet, but I am excited :) I will probably try to send stuff home before the end of the transfer so my kid doesn't think I am tricky and also so I don't make him homesick! Also, Summers new dog is super awesome!! I want to "squeeze the crap out of her!"(in the words of Summer Postak).

Loving the Kentlands and Serving with Elder Tavana

Hey Momma,

Thanks for the email!  I love the photo of you, Dad and Rachel!  It is really nice quality too! Pretty funny that they do that!  I know what you mean by feeling that the weeks are going so fast... This week flew.  I am loving the Kentlands and serving with Elder Tavanā.  This Pday we got Bodda and Thornton to come and lift with us and their roommates and companions!  It was like a whole football team came in and took over LA Fitness haha.  And Tavana's first name is Devin.  I am excited to show you around the mission- let me know what the dates are when we are coming back out here, then I can tell some members here.

Glad to hear things are going well at home!  I sent you a video of me singing at the Night of Music this last Sunday, so you can show that to the family :) we sang "Be Thou Prideful"
We are having a blast here- the work is hard, but the members are cool and we are really trying to get them excited to participate in sharing the gospel.  It's great to know there are some hard working missionaries back in the 5th ward at home! Dad needs some hard working kids to keep up with his fire!  We are having some success with the Recent Converts son.  We had a night where we stopped by and he had us come and hangout in his room and just talked about a lot of stuff.  Mostly the Godhead and the difference between the trinity, also evolution and Adam/Eve.  We even got to share our conversion & reason why we came out on a mission.  He is a really awesome guy.  He is the one we lift with sometimes in the morning.  And his parents are the coolest :)  we also have a couple other people we are trying to make contact with, so hopefully we will have more success this week.

In a few days we are having a general authority come to train the mission.  Elder Katcher.  So that should be really awesome!  The Festival of Lights is also coming up and since I am not in Lexington park like last year, I should be able to go a lot more!  There is even some talk about elders helping out in the VC to get more referrals... Because the elders are much better at getting referrals than the sisters ;) haha just kidding... Kind of.

I got to hear from Brian this week!  It sounds like he is doing well! I can't believe he has been out for quite a while already. He is such a stud- I love hearing from him.  :) it makes me happy to know he is in a good place doing great things- even if it will be a while until I see him again.  I think about a lot of my friends who are on missions as well!  I have been blessed to be around a lot of awesome kids.

This week I have had some really great studies.  It is kind of funny how being on my mission has made me LOVE studies.  I enjoy learning and re-learning the principles of the gospel.  Even when I only get to study a little each day I still feel that it helps me grow closer to Jesus Christ.  Keep on studying and looking for opportunities to share the things you learn :)

I love and miss you momma!  Stay healthy, happy and safe!

Love your boy,


Elder Sean B. Farley

In Kentlands as a Regular!

Dinner at the Mission Home

Hey Momma!

Let me just say that I love it here!  Elder Tavana is so great and we are having a blast in the ward. We don't have anyone very solid that we are working with, but Bishop wants us to visit every member before Christmas!  So we are going to town. You should look up The Kentlands in Maryland.  It is this community where there is this old town feel... Everything is super close.  Theater, restaurants, dentists, doctors, cleaners, supermarkets, and even clothing stores!  It is super fun to go around and see both active and inactive members there.

I have had the chance to meet a lot of great people so far this week.  There is a recent convert family who are legit!  They have a 23 year old son who we go lift with in the mornings and he is way chill. We have become pretty good friends- so hopefully we will get the chance to show him the wonderful blessings of the church!

I can't wait for you and Dad to come out here next spring and meet all the wonderful people I've met here and to see the great places I have been around in Maryland and DC!

Oh... Just a little side note: today we lifted and played football with the Assistants for Pday.  The good news and bad news: Bad=we timed out 40 yard dash times and I am SLOW!!! Haha Good= I benched 315lbs :D YES!! It was a good day!

Anyway, we have interviews for our temple recommends tomorrow- can't believe it has been 2 years since I went to the temple the first time!

It is great to hear that everything is going well back at home :) I am glad you feel better now Mom so you can go the gym again!  The gym is great!  I have a new appreciation for staying active and healthy since I have been out here.  I really wish I could pass on ever dessert, but the members are too nice and loving to deny their great food!  I will just have to run more haha.

It is great to know you and Dad were able to see Rachel!  Hope you told her "hi" for me.  I miss and love all my siblings a ton :)

This week we plan on seeing a ton of people and hopefully finding some new investigators through members and as we talk to everyone we see and meet!  It is suppose to get a little warmer than it has been, but we can definitely tell that the cold fall weather is upon us.  I love the fall.  Being cold here is better than the hot and humid.

Well momma... That's about it for this week.  I will be sending an sd card to you finally so you have some pictures again.  Thanks for everything you send out to me! I got all the packages/letters and postcards you sent!  I always love the little notes from you and Dad.  I have gotten pretty behind on letters the last few months! Sorry everyone- I still love you all! Haha

Quick thought: Elder Tavana and I have been sharing a lot about how we can all do our best each day to remember our Savior in everything we do.  All of us make mistakes and have trials and weaknesses, but we all can put a little more effort in being more like Christ.  He was and still is the perfect example for all of us.  He knows exactly how we feel, what we struggle with and even our every thought.  We can turn to Him and our Father in Heaven in prayer at anytime for the strength we need.  Our challenge to each person we share this with (including you :) ) is to look for something you can do this week to be more like our Savior.  Elder Tavana had a great, simple one: to SMILE more :) and I am striving to serve those around me more!  So as we go about this week I pray that everyone who gets the chance to spread this to pick just ONE WAY to be more like Jesus Christ.  I know that this will not only help those around us, but it will also help us with our individual relationships with our Lord and bring a greater peace and purpose to our lives!

I love and miss you momma, but I know this is the place God needs me and the place I want to be so that I can share what I know with all my brothers and sisters who will listen! I hope you and the family (and all our friends) will be safe, happy and healthy!!!

Love your boy,

Elder Sean B. Farley

After doing service with the Chinese program Elders.....they're all tuckered out!

Last Week as AP...Headed Back into the Trenches!

Folded 400+ by myself....It was ROUGH!

Hey Momma!

1st things FIRST!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!  I hope you had a good day :) how does it feel to be "33 years old"!?

You are so great mom!  I hope you know that you are loved by all of your kids so much! Thank you for always be so helpful and doing everything for us!  Your service you do for us has been an amazing example of Christ-like love to me!  :) keep on sharing your wonderful testimony and charity with others!

It sounds like things are going pretty well back home, besides hearing that Farmington lost both Aztec and PV :/  but it is good to hear the Iluminada and Horace wrote you!  I need to write her back.  It's makes me so happy to hear how well they are doing!

Things here are going great as well!  It's crazy to think how fast this transfer has gone by.  Elder Malugin and I have already been together for almost 3 months, and it's only felt like 3 weeks!  The Transfer is right around the corner and we have lots to do! It's funny how the craziest week is also the most fun. It will be great to see all the new kids come in again and be able to do some training for them.

We had a HUGE "Why I Believe" this Sunday, which is mainly for all the Recent Converts of the church.  The event is held at the Washington DC Temple Visitors' Center every 3rd Sunday of the month and recently it has been so big because President has made a huge emphasis on the importance of the meeting.  This last one featured the Castows, who were the pastor and preacher couple from two different churches that are LDS now.  They were taught by AJ and were in the Deseret news- remember that?  Anyway, they were AMAZING speakers and they really brought the Spirit.  Not to mention that there was standing room only in the HUGE auditorium.  Needless to say, it was an amazing night!  I can't wait for us all to come back out here to visit the mission!  It will be so fun to show you around!

Oh, and we also got to go down the Lexington Park to help President train in both LPs and Patuxents Ward Councils!  It was great to be down there again!  It was about this time last year when I was called to be District Leader and to train Elder Gomez! Haha the good old days...

Tomorrow is the temple trip since they were not able to take a group our size on the normal Wednesday departing temple day.  Following our trip we will have out mission picture!  We are doing it early this year so that it will be ready well before the Christmas season.  It is getting a little chillier here and the leaves are changing and falling.  We went out before p-day ended and ran some routes on the football field near the Cooke's home(the high school were Joe and Elizabeth go).  It was fun to run down the field and to switch off as receiver and QB with Elder Malugin.  He is a really good athlete and I imagine he will try out for Basketball or Football when he goes home.

I guess it must just be the season or the Spirit or something, but I am just having a great time out here! Haha I am pretty excited for another transfer and all the great things that come along with it!  I most likely will be leaving to go back in the field- I guess we will find out! I will be sad to leave but I know I will have a wonderful time in the field if it does happen.

Well- that's about it for what's going on mom.  Again, I hope you had an amazing birthday!  I love you so much and I am so happy that you and Dad are so engaged with the gospel and missionary work!  Keep on studying hard and always share your testimony... It is such a power tool :)  the gospel is true, and as long as we do out best to share it, Heavenly Father will help with the rest!  Be healthy, happy and safe!

Love your boy,

Sean, aka "EF1"

2014 AUSA Convention

AP Life...Always Driving!

Mom!!

I am super happy to hear the trip was a success and that you made it home safely!  Thank goodness there weren't any crying kids haha... Whenever Elder Malugin and I hear kids crying or yelling we are always like, "SHUT THAT BABY UP!" Haha it's just a joke and no one hears us, but we are semi-serious. :)

Dang, all the castles and sights of Germany sound sweet!  I am excited for the pictures.  I remember some of the stuff when we went back when Brian and I were little.  The Autobahn sounds sick!! Well... Besides the photo cop! Wtheck?!  That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!  Dad was saying how you could go 90 and people would be cruising past you! That's so sweet!! You go 65 mph on the Beltway here and you can get a $100 ticket!  

Too bad about Brian's situation.  Getting called about leaving and then... PSYCH! You are staying! Haha the madness of transfers... I understand.  He will learn a lot having two transfer with Elder What'shisface.  I have learned SO much from each one of my companions, even when we might have not gotten along 100% of the time.  EF2 is a stud and I know he will be fine :) after his mission I will take him with me to order all my food at the Mexican food restaurants!... I miss Si Seniors! Haha

It is sad that I will probably only have two more weeks with Elder Malugin- I think I will be going back out in the field.  Which is GREAT!  But I will also miss the craziness of the AP life and the fun I have had being comps with E. Vladimir Malugin, the Russian. 

We had quite the week we interviews, iPad checks, and pre-preparing for Transfers... The preparing really will start this week.  There is a okay sized group coming out, but not even close to the last couple of groups.  It's really fun to see all the new missionaries come in :) it is also really crazy seeing how young the mission is.  Not only in age but in "mission age" haha.  Everyone I knew is gone and now we are the older guys. 

Today we went to this AUSA convention in the city!  President Cooke took us since you have to be escorted by someone in the Army (or Military I guess).  It was so awesome! :) It was like Dad's giant dental conventions but for without the dental chairs and tooth brushes, and more tanks, helicopters and guns! Haha we had a great time with President as he led us around the city and even made it like a mini tour.  He knows the city pretty well- especially the Georgetown area.  Seriously a once in a lifetime chance to spend with a full Pday with your Mission President!  After that we went to a Ethiopian restaurant for a late lunch.  It was super funny because I had eaten with Ethiopian members before in college park and they eat with this sponge-like tortilla bread instead of using eating utensils. When they brought the food President just sort of looked at the lady like, "where is my fork and knife?" So I sort of showed them how to eat it and they caught on fast... But MAN does that stuff fill you up!!! My stomach is still expanding!  The trip overall was amazing.  It was so fun to have President show us his favorite parts of the city along with when and where he had been at certain times in his career.

Here in the mission the elders and sisters are really working hard on their 20 lessons a week, along with focusing on key indicators and keeping great records.  With our iPad checks with the ZLs we check the content of the iPads while the Zone leaders review their day planner and area book.  That way everyone is being accountable and obedient :D

The mission is the best.  Life is the best!!  I just love seeing the little miracles that Heavenly Father puts in our paths each day.  The world distracts us so much... And I think what it distracts us from, more than anything, is the little blessings that keep us going.  I hope that all of us can look for the little things that The Lord blesses us with.  It's the little miracles that keep us going so that we make it to see the big miracles!  I meet people everywhere I go that open up a conversation for me to share the gospel.  Even if it is just a little bit... I have an opportunity to help them draw closer to Christ. We all have those opportunities.  The question is: do we take them?  God gives them to us... The rest is up to us!  

I love this gospel and I KNOW it is true.  How else could an organization leave its proselyting up to a bunch of kids and see success from it?  It must be true ;) haha I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us infinitely and know us perfectly.  I know that we all have a Savior who died so that we would have the chance to repent and become better- even allowing us the opportunity to live with our Heavenly Parents and earthly families again.  I love you all so much and I am so happy you are safe.  Keep up the great missionary work- and keep reading PMG!

Love your son,

Elder Sean Farley

Thanks for the packy mom :) that tie is awesome, and you know my weakness: Carmel Apple suckers!  Love you both so much!

General Conference was Amazing!!

Hey Mom!

It is great to hear from you and Dad in Germany!  Sounds like it is a really fun trip.  I am sad that Dad wasn't able to meet people from his mission, but it is super cool that he is able to visit old areas show you where he served.  I am inspired to try harder at keeping a journal.  I was doing really good at the beginning of my mission; writing 2+ pages a day for about 6 months!  I have slacked off on that goal a little, but there is always repentance, right? :) 

It is also good to hear you were able to watch conference on your iPad.  Isn't it so great that we live in a time where we can watch Conference LIVE on a handheld device?!  Seriously, what a blessing! General Conference was so amazing this go around- like it is each six months.  I love how the talks are always simple teachings of the Gospel that are understandable for everyone.  Just like how the Book of Mormon prophets would speak "plainly" to their people, the prophets and apostles today also speak to all our understanding and in a way that we can still be astonished and touched by the Spirit of God.  I enjoyed many of the talks and I am excited to re-watch and listen to them over this upcoming 6 months.  There are many things I can repent for and change in my life, even in the little ways, so that I can grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I love how Richard G. Scott spoke about praying to Heavenly Father.  How God wants to hear everything from us!  He loves us so much that He wants us to always allow Him to be with us throughout our whole day.  But Father in Heaven will not force us to do so, so we must use our agency wisely turn to Him.  I also thought it was intense when he said that daily scripture study is more important than homework, sports, and even SLEEP!!!! haha He is a boss. 

Well, things are going great here in the Best Mission in the History of Life!  Last night we had a FHE at the Cooke's home/mission home for the French program.  They had some couples come over and even the Ward Mission Leader for a lesson, game and treat!  It turned out well and it actually the first ever French FHE.  In the past it has been only English and Spanish.  Now Chinese and French have been included! 

This week Elder Malugin and I will be giving a training to the Zone Leaders about how to work with iPad issues and how to set them up for the new missionaries in the field.  This way the missionaries will go through their zone leaders for any apple device issues (not us, anymore) and they will be trained and ready to go!  That will help us out a LOT actually... so we are stoked.  

-Oh and my toe is a lot better and I got the bandage off... it looks kind of crazy, but it feels a TON better :) stupid ingrown toenails! 

We have a lot more time this week for exchanges now that Zone Conferences are over!  We will have interviews throughout the week for various zones, excluding the Visitor Center sisters since President interviewed most of them already.  I am super excited to be out and about with President to go see the missionaries and to also go out and teach with them.  Elder Malugin and I might also be doing a multiple day exchange with some elders, so that will be great!!  

Being an Assistant has really been a tough, but wonderful experience for me.  I have had two amazing companions and have been with an outstanding mission president.  This will mostly likely be my last before I go back into the field again.  It will be good to be "normal" again for my two last transfers, but I am sure going to miss being with Elder Malugin the Cooke Family.  Good thing the transfer still has a little over 3 weeks!! :D Going to make them last!!

This week is going to be great :)  Each day I hope to "try a little harder to be a little better."  I know that as we look back on where we are in life, no matter what point of our lives we are in, and we can improve!  I am excited for these next six months leading up to NEXT General Conference... and I plan on being a better person then, than I am now.  :)  I love and miss you Mom and Dad!  Enjoy the trip in Germany and be safe!! Keep up the great missionary work, and even look for some German folk to introduce to the gospel over there!  

Love your Washingtonian son,

Elder Sean Farley

"I'm not sure what that is... Where are we?... Who are you?"

Our army reflective belts the mission has been asked to use by President Cooke to wear when we are out and about. Especially in dark places or at night.  I think they will be the new look in DC next year... Just you watch! Haha

Hey Momma!

I love the pictures you sent of you and Dad.  You look beautiful! And Dad looks like a stud, as always.

I guess you saw some of the posts and things on Facebook about the WDCN reunion and all the people who went.  Brother Weitzner and Brother JS Armstrong went to see all the RMs and also the Matsumoris of course.  It is super weird to think it has been over a year since I have seen them.

Things here in the mission are going great!  Today we have just been preparing for Zone Conference and getting all of our training's finished up and ready to be done in the four zones.  This week is always a great week with spiritual highs, but also a little long! Haha but the spiritual part is worth it!! :)

We also will be having interviews again and be slowly looking at transfers and getting a perspective of what will need to occur before that date!  Haha, it is a constant cycle of transfers, trainings, interviews, exchanges and meetings that never end!! Yesterday(Sunday) was full of meetings!! It's funny because it sort of reminds me how Dad would always have meetings after meetings! I know a little bit how you feel now Dad! It's pretty tiring, but it's all about the efforts in Hastening the Work so it is my favorite kind of tired.  Haha

I am trying to think of all the funny/crazy things that have happened but because of this one(I'm abut to tell) I can't remember at the moment! xD haha:  So Elder Malugin and I were working on our workshop and PowerPoint today and we're trying to get all the logistics for Zone Conference at the same time.  Elder Malugin was at the computer facing the wall and I was behind him on a chair working through the agenda. While we were doing this Elder Malugin wanted me to call some missionaries who would be either leading the music, playing the piano, or saying a prayer for the conferences.  As I went to look for my phone, a terrible pain formed at the crown of my head... The kind of feeling you would get from standing up quickly into the corner of a granite counter top! Elder Malugin had thrown the phone behind him, thinking that I was prepared to catch it.(which should not have been a surprise since we always do stuff like that!) I instantly had a bump on my head from the flying, lethal device, similar to the bumps that you would see in the cartoons! Haha at least that's what it seemed like!  All I could picture was the kid in Home Alone 2 throwing the bricks at the two bad dudes and nailing the one in the head! Haha after all... We do call our phones "bricks" anyway! As revenge all I have been doing is responding to him like as if it was a brick that struck my cranium! "I'm not sure what that is... Where are we?... Who are you?" So lesson learned... No more throwing phones.  We are going to stick to throwing iPads ;) haha! (Maybe not the funniest story, but it is the entertainment for us this Monday)

Well, now that we are all moved into our apartment, things don't seem so hectic.  Something I have realized on my mission is the importance of a clean and neat living/work space, because it is key in order to feel the Holy Spirit at home.  When things are dirty and unorganized it is a lot easier to feel stressed and unfocused!  So thanks for always teaching me to clean and be organized Mom! Even if I didn't always do it :D

"Nats hats" wall! Go Nats!!

Mom! That is so cool that you are going to mission prep and doing roll plays with the young men/women in the class!  We do roll plays all the time as missionaries because it really is the closest thing to really talking with someone!  I remember first doing then in the beginning of my mission (especially in the MTC) and I used to hate them; now I love them and really get excited when it is a challenge!  So maybe when I am back we can do it in FHE so I can stay in practice ;) haha Anyway, keep up the great work mom! Same to you Dad!  You both are such wonderful examples to me of how to be a more Christ-like person.  Thank you both so much for doing everything to make my life happy and for providing me with everything I would ever need to be where I am today.  I know without a doubt that you are the perfect parents for me and my siblings.  I love you so much and miss you too!  I promise to keep working hard out here, so keep up all the great work you are doing as well!  Love you!

Your son,

Elder Sean Farley

Ah! I really need to get better at taking pictures again! I will work harder to take them when we are out and about so you can see what we are up to!

P.S. My toe is healing well, I think. I go in next P-day to get it checked out and having the wrapping taken off... Too bad it is already coming off! Haha

New Transfer

Hey Momma!

Thanks for the email from both you and Dad!  I love hearing from you!  Sorry about the no email transfer week!  I kept trying to get it done, but just couldn't think straight with all the missionaries calling and the other problems that have come up!  But transfer week is done and Elder Malugin and I are just working out a couple final things like phones, iPads, imputing contact info into the church system and working out areas for the missionaries.

It sounds like things are busy back home, as always!  Too bad the Scorps lost.  They need Brian and I to go back ;) hah just kidding... I wish!  So this is what I am thinking: Brian and I are going to go play for Utah State together and take control!  It would be way tough but I bet we could do it.  When I get back I will have to get into shape fast!

Anyway, that's sort of of topic, so how are the missionary efforts?  Being on a mission now I feel like it will be interesting to be on the members side and have a calling in that way!  I am so glad that our family is all missionary minded.  I know that is what Heavenly Father wants for us to be, so that we can help bless the lives of others by helping them receive the gospel of Christ.

Ok, an update on what's going on: The group we had come in this last week was HUGE!!  We had  8 sisters come in and 5 elders!  6 of the sisters are full proselyting too! The other 2 are VC (visitors center) sisters.  There are also two other elders coming in who were on medical release but are back now (both from knee problems/surgery).  I am super thankful that my mission injury didn't send me back ;) haha.  I also had the opportunity to be a part of sending Elder Loveless home!  Crazy to think he is gone since we were always close on the mission.  But I guess that is how it goes... One wave comes in and the other has to go out.  With these last couple of transfers of new missionaries coming in, they cover probably around 1/3 of the mission!  The big groups are always fun!

This transfer we will have interviews(as always), lots of exchanges and Zone Conference!   Elder Malugin and I are working out the schedule with that.  We also have full-time VC trainers who are sort of like Sister APs to the visitors center.  They are starting to help us more now with all our work and they might even take over iPads! That will be helpful... Haha I'm glad you liked the new Excellence we sent out! Elder Malugin and I decided to change the whole format because that old one has been the same since... The beginning haha!

Oh! We are moving into a new apartment!  It's in the same complex and share a parking lot with our old building, it is just nicer because of renovation.  Our old one was destroyed.  So we are pretty happy now, besides having to move all the jone over to this place.  We got all the big stuff over but now just have to get all the small stuff; which I think is worse!

We got to go to Anacostia with President Cooke because he was speaking along with Sister Cooke.  It was fun to see some of the members from when I was there!  This last weekend we also had our leadership meetings.  The first was on Friday with all the ZLs and DLs along with the Sistet trainers.  That is called Leadership Training meeting and we have trainings done by President and Sister Cooke, usually one of the Zone Leader companionships and another by us. On Saturday we had a breakfast with the Zone Leaders and Sister trainers, which is our Round Table Council.  There we discuss any problems in the mission, ideas for improvement and review the goals and initiatives for the transfer.  It was a long but good meeting.  We have a lot going on in the mission with mass transit, family history, online proselyting, teaching 20 lessons, and many other things.  The leadership in the mission is really strong. It is great to be around so many excellent missionaries, especially since I know them all really well.

Things here are going great!  We are going to finish moving for p-day, maybe get some fresh hair cuts and then get to work! Haha it never ends and I love it!  Keep on reading Preach My Gospel and the Bool of Mormon!  Good job on finishing it again already mom! Your awesome! Love you so much!

One of your missionary boys,

Elder Sean Farley

Pedicures!!

Hey Mom!

It's great to hear from you and Dad! I always love the weekly update from you both.  Sounds like things are going good, besides GM and GP being sick.  Tell them I love then a lot and hope they get well soon! Can't wait for another Tripoly night ;) haha

That is SO awesome that the Stake was able to hear from Elder Holland!  He is a boss... Sounds like he had a great talk.  It's cool to talk to President about some of the apostles since he has met many (probably most) of them.  He doesn't think Elder Holland is as intense as the others, but I think he seems pretty serious haha!  And what!?!? Landon got to speak during it?! What a champ :) crazy to know he has completed his missionary service!

This last week was great because we got to go to the Temple have this week a little more open for finishing up all the last details for transfers!  President was able to get almost all the Visitor Center Sisters and all the Elders interviewed this week as well.  We only have one more day of interviews which should only last a couple hours and then we have a week and the newbies come in!! Craziness!!! What a fast transfer so far.  Elder Malugin is great to be around and to learn from!  He cracks me up, especially when he tries to convert me to the U of U and to Sigma Chi (his fraternity he is a part of).  We have a good time working together and with President.

Today we went with one of the Senior Sisters and with the Kentlands Elders (Loveless & Johnson) to get Pedicures!!! Haha everyone was super sketched about going, but I convinced them that it was going to be great! No more destroyed toes! :) everyone is converted to it now.  So that was really nice of Sister Connell.  She even took us out to lunch too!  She is a great example of sharing the gospel with everyone.  Today she was following up with all the Vietnamese people that worked there and asking, "How much have you read in the Book of Mormon?" and "How are you liking the Book of Mormon?" with even a few "WHY are you NOT reading the Book of Mormon?!" Haha so she is a great example even to the missionaries.

Currently in the mission we are reading the Book of Mormon and plan on finishing at the end of the next transfer.  It is always very fun for me to have a challenge to finish the Book of Mormon is a certain time period.  Reading the Book of Mormon (and of course the Bible/Doctrine & Covenants) is such a blessing for me.  I feel like it is really the greatest way for me to keep my feet planted in the gospel.  When I study and pray with diligence and sincerity, The Spirit of God is much more prevalent in my daily life.  I know that it is the word of God because when I read it I want to change... I want to get better... I want to be more like my Savior. Throughout my short life I feel like I am very blessed for the things I already know.  No matter how much I might mess up or how many things I might fail and fall short of, I know that there is repentance and I, along with everyone, have a chance to be forgiven.  I have the truth and I must share it.  I hope that anyone who has the chance to read this, not matter where they are in their lives, know that they can become a better person!  The gospel of Jesus Christ is designed for not just one, or two, but for ALL.  I love that truth... It keeps me going everyday!

I hope everything is going great Momma!  I love and miss you :) tell everyone I say hi.  Keep sharing your amazing testimony with others and invite them to church!

Love your boy,

Sean

Time with the Kazakhstan Missionaries

Hey Moms!

Thanks for the email! Sounds like it was a great week for the family!  That is super funny about meeting at the same ward building Brian is.  What a cool place to be on a mission! I am super excited for him :)

And you get to hear from Elder Holland?!? That is so awesome!! I loved having the opportunity to hear from Elder Ballard this year... It was so great to see how he was still down-to-earth, even though he is an Apostle of the Lord.  It always strengthens my testimony to see these amazing men who hold these sacred callings, be so willing to do all they can to serve each person they interact with.  They act so much like I imagine the Savior would be like.  Let me know how that goes!!

Here in the best mission in the history of life we are having a great time.  President Cooke, Elder Malugin and I have all been working hard to keep the ball rolling and we are seeing a lot of progress.   In each missionary's email to President they are explaining all the success they are having.  We don't see the letters, of course, but President let's us know how the mission is doing overall.  Being around the missionaries we usually get a better idea... And it seems that EVERYONE is seeing miracles and success from obedience and diligence in striving for 20 lessons each week :D

Oh! We also brought an elder in who came back to the states from his mission in Moscow, Russia to go get some passport work done in DC.  He is going to be one of the 10 elders who serve in Kazakhstan! We sent him off on Saturday night at the Washington Dulles International Airport... Which was where Elder Malugin and I flew into the mission- so that was a fun experience!

 We have 2 1/2 weeks left for the transfer(which is CRAZY!!) and this week we also have our departing missionary temple trip! It got bumped ahead a week because the temple is closed for about 4 weeks following this week.

Today was really fun since we spent it in the city with Brother Weitzner and the Cooke family.  We went to the Spy museum and then went to an Italian restaurant called Carmine's(which is SUPER good).  It was fun being able to catch up with Bro. W. and also to spend time with the Cooke family.

Not a TON to update on for you, sorry.  But I am having a great time out here and loving every second.  It is really a blessing for me to spend this time out here.  Time seems non-existent almost.  It goes so fast that I can't really understand it!  It's a blessing I will always be grateful for and it's even greater to know Brian is doing it too :)

Keep up the preach my gospel reading, and keep working hard with the missionaries!  The elect are out there... And we are going to FIND THEM! Love and miss you!

Love,

Elder Sean Farley

High Speed Mission Life!

Seeing the language mission Elder's off! 

Hey Moms!

Thanks for the updates each week- it really is nice to be able to hear how the whole family is doing :)  I saw those pictures of Dad and the Bachman men at the Old Time photo place in Durango.  Looks like it could be an old western gang... the LB gang ha-ha.  It is also good to hear Brian is getting to Cali TOMORROW!  Talk about a fast six weeks!  I am super excited for him to get with a trainer and help TONS of people come closer to Christ!

This past week has been really interesting because President has had his whole family in town.  Howard was home for the week to spend his week off before going back to school at the U.  He ran a Sparta race in Virginia with his little brother, Joe.  With all the family in town we had time to catch up on some work with the iPads and other mission updating!  This upcoming week is packed with interviews and exchanges with President and other missionary companionships!  Our mission is so high-speed!  We have Facebook, iPads, online areabooks and planners, and we are also doing a Family History initiative!  Of course it's because we are the best mission in the history of life with the most obedient and diligent missionaries (not pride, just the truth ha-ha)!  Anyway, it should be a very productive and exciting week.

Elder Malugin and I have been having a great time together and are really enjoying the time we have to spend around President and assisting him in Hastening the Work of Salvation.  It is such a blessing to be able to work with the missionaries throughout the mission.  I learn so much from the elders and sisters who have dedicated this time in  their lives to serve the Lord in this duty to share His message.  Being around them helps me see that there really is nothing better that I could be doing at this point in my life than serving here in DC/Maryland.  Isn't the Gospel just the best?? Whenever I get distracted by the world it is always so great to take a step back and think about my family and the chance we have to be together forever.  Honestly, what is better than knowing that?!  It is really good to hear about how you and Dad are reading from PMG and of course being involved in the missionary work in the ward.  I hope and pray that the missionaries and members there will be able to mesh and work in unison- aiding the Lord in finding His lost sheep.  I KNOW that the work of God is hastening and that these latter-days are truly the last days preparing for the return of our Savior.  The key to keeping up with this work is to work together.  The missionaries and members must be one! Missionaries need to work hard and trust in the members and the members must trust the missionaries in their sacred calling (which they have been set apart to do) and to also aid them in teaching and testifying!  On my mission, the best lessons I have ever had, have been when we are teaching in the home of a member with them testifying of the things that we teach the investigators!! It's the best.  I hope you and the family (and everyone, really) keep looking for chances to teach and ask the missionaries to come teach friends, neighbors and family!  I know and can promise you that Heavenly Father will place people in your paths.  I see it everyday :) We realize very little concerning the involvement of the Lord in our lives...  He is working people in and out of our lives allowing us to affect them and them to affect us- all we have to do is be the best people we can be and "let (our) light shine!"

I love you mom!  Tell everyone I miss and love them- you are the best , thanks for everything :)

Love your son,

Elder Sean B Farley

Best Mission in the History of Life!

Hey mom!

Can you believe we are halfway through this month?! Time is flying! It was really cool to hear that you saw Landon now that he is back from his mission.  Tell him that I say hi :) but the thing that is really trippy to me is hearing that Caiside has finished her first week at Ladera!! That's what I am talking about! I was there 11 years ago!  Elementary alumi represent! Give her a big hug from uncle Sean.

Sounds like life at home is still exciting no matter what time of the year or who is home!  Oh, and thank you for the packy! We love our ties!  Funny thing about those Stance socks... Former AP/Elder Miyasaki is the brother to the guy who started that company!  Pretty cool, right?

This week the Cooke's oldest son, Howard, is back for a week!  He is a great guy and plans on playing some basketball with us this P-day and maybe some early morning lifting as well!  He will be running a Sparta race over in Virginia as well. This last weekend we also had a visit from the Miyasaki family so that was a great reunion for everyone.

This past week we had Zone Training Meetings and now this week we are a little more free to get everything scheduled for interviews, Specialized Training, iPad checks, and even transfers... It's a never ending process. Haha

Elder Malugin and I are working together great and we are loving the time we have to be with President and all the rest of the missionaries!  Since we are part of the "Best Mission in the History of Life," we also have the Best Missionaries in the History of Life.  With the leadership of the mission, and under the direction of President Cooke, this mission is always moving forward and striving to be the most diligent and obedient mission ever.  (Side note to the world:  we challenged the DC south mission to a football game, but the denied our invitation... But I guess I would too if I saw elders Tavana, Herring, Bodda and Thornton on one team! Haha!)

It's funny/scary to see how fast the weeks go by. Writing emails is spread apart but each week goes faster and faster.  I honestly love all of it... The good, the bad, the hard and the hardest times are all worth it.  I look around at the world and I see so much potential!  There is heartache and sadness all over as people strive to find happiness with the temporal things of this earth.  Satan is working extra hard and is distracting so many people with things that will not last.  Our challenge is to share the lasting happiness we have with others :) then their potential will become reality, allowing them to receive the same blessing we have.  I love talking about the truth!  I am grateful for the courage Heavenly Father has given me as I have just taken the step of faith to talk with others.  I know that if I can do it, then anyone can.

I hope you are still reading PMG along with your regular scripture study! Keep pushing yourself to learn everyday and share your testimony :) I feel like I repeat myself a lot, but I uses it's mainly because my feelings will never change about learning and sharing the Gospel.  I love you and miss you Mom... And I can't wait to be with you and all the family again.

Love you lots!

Your boy,

Elder Farley