A Wider Circle

Hey Mom, 


Thanks for the email! I always love hearing from you, Dad and the family.  I am so glad everyone is doing well and especially Brian!  It still is weird to me that he is doing what I am doing already!  Well... Kind of- he still has to get back to the states after the MTC experience. :)

Happy Birthday to Caiside!  Sounds and looks(on FB) like she had a great party.  She is such a cute (big) girl!  That is so great that you were able to see Danny, Jessica and the kids.  Tell them all hi for me!  I miss them! 

Today, for our p-day, we had a service project at "A Wider Circle."  It is a organization that a man named Mark started to help fight against poverty.  The organization brings in all sorts of home items like: beds, couches, lamps, desks, and even clothes!  Then anyone who would like to come in gets little stickers with their names on them and go around and pick out the things they would like to bring home.  Many of these people don't have anywhere in their homes to eat, relax or sleep besides the floor.  It felt so great to do service for others and to see how the benefited from the work we did.  Every missionary there seemed to enjoy the service and had a wonderful time!  It makes so much sense to me why the Savior taught us to serve; because when you are doing it you help others, and in return you feel happier! Worries you have before seem to go away and your love increases for those you serve.  There is no losing! Ha-ha

Now that interviews are over we are pretty happy!  Partly because we don't have to be in one spot for so long, but mainly because we are done with the big switch on each missionaries iPads to the churches new supervising software for the apple devices.  The downside is that there are TONS of problems!! So now everyone is giving their iPads to us and having us fix them... But we are waiting for Salt Lake to get back to us on the problems.  So a little stress, but nothing overwhelming.  The crazy part is that transfers is almost here!!  Honestly, it feels like I have only been with Loveless for MAYBE two weeks.  So I will really be treasuring the last two weeks I have with him, because time is flying!

Isn't it interesting to look at how fast life goes?!  It really makes me think of how much our focus should be on the important things in life.  A lot of the people in the world are looking for happiness they can get RIGHT NOW(aka temporary happiness).  However, they are always looking... Never finding the happiness in life that is lasting. When we reach that point where we do find that happiness that remains, we know we have found the truth peace and joy of God.  Heavenly Father wants us all to be happy forever... The only way that is possible is through His Plan of Salvation. God wants us to be with our families forever!  The gospel just makes SO much sense! We are here in this (very short) mortality to learn and grow, so we should do so by staying close to the Lord and our families.  I am so thankful for the family we have and for the blessing of having the gospel in our lives.  Now our job is to endure to the end and share this everlasting gospel with all of our brothers and sisters! 

I love and miss you!  Can't wait for all of our family to be together again, but until then- be safe, healthy, happy and share the good word!! <3 <3

Love your boy,

Sean/ Elder Farley

Zone Conferences - "The Sacredness of Our Callings"

Hey Mom,

Sounds like it has been an interesting turn around without Brian at the house!  I like the Senior wall pictures in the hall at home... It is crazy to see that.  I remember when we lived in California and I used to look at Summer's Senior picture on the wall and I wanted to have one so bad.  Now I look at it and realize how long ago that was... not THAT long ago, but its been over two years! haha- weird. 

I am excited for Caiside!! Holy Cow!! 5 years old!  That is madness... she is growing up fast.  Give a big hug from me and tell her "HAPPY BIRTHDAY from Uncle Sean!"

This past week we had Zone Conference with all 4 zones in the mission.  We had a workshop that we gave on "The Sacredness of our Callings"(/Polishing ourselves as missionaries).  It was really fun to give the training for the whole mission.  We had a pretty sweet PowerPoint presentation... even if I did make it myself! ha-ha :)  We also had a really long, but awesome presentation of how the majority of the sicknesses/illnesses we have on our missions are all because of stress.  I learned a lot about how being mentally strong can improve and diminish almost all stress related illnesses that we get. We also watched Sister Cooke's slide-show that she made(she puts one together for each zone conference of all the pictures that the missionaries email to her).  Elder Parlogean had been working on the new District 3 video, which is a mock video of the MTC training videos, District 1 & 2.  The videos started with the Matsumori's and used to be made by the APs.  Now Elder Parlogean is making them and using Elders and Sisters in the mission to act in it.  They have improved a TON over the years, and Elder P. did a super money job.  That will be on YouTube soon.

This upcoming week we have interviews (meaning interviews by President to each of the missionaries to see how they are in their areas with their companions).  Elder Loveless and I will be updating all the software on the missionaries iPads and making sure their AreaBook Planner is all up-to-date.  So that will be a ton of work, but we are stoked anyway!  Their is a lot of catching up to do with little tasks and follow-up items along with our daily visits with President to see how missionaries are doing in their areas and going on exchanges with them.  This transfer we have really made a big push to be out and about with President on the road, going "Air-mobile!"  I am loving all the work we are doing and even more than that, I love seeing how well all the missionaries are doing in their areas.  This transfer the whole mission has been doing SO great in their proselyting work that everyone just seems to be happy and excited... IT'S THE BEST! 

We had a really amazing opportunity this week to go with President to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and give a couple people blessings.  The building(s) are HUGE and the entire medical center is on HUGE base.  Getting on the base is always fun because President is usually in the back and we pull up and show the guards his military ID and say, "the General is in the back." then they salute him and we are good to go!! It is great.  Once we were in we followed President around and made our way to one of the upper floors in the Eagle Zone (part of the medical center).  There we searched and found a 23 year old woman who had just had brain surgery.  Her father was one of the Chaplin on a different base who asked for us to go over and give her a blessing.  I had the chance to anointed her with oil, while President gave her a wonderful blessing.  It was really humbling to see her so helpless as she laid their fighting to overcome the battle between life and death.  It really opened my eyes to how blessed I am to be healthy and also how blessed we all are to have the Priesthood power of God on the earth today in His church.  After the blessing I felt much more peace as we left her to rest and recover.  Following her blessing we went to follow-up with a woman that President talked to the week before down at the Subway in the food court(which is also on the Medical Center's base).  She told President Cooke that her husband had had his leg crushed by a Humvee.  He continued to talk to her about our church and who we were, asking is she would like us to give her husband a blessing.  She said yes and we told her that we would be back another day to perform it.  When we came in the following week(this last Saturday) she was in the room with her husband and her in-laws.  They all looked a little surprised as we explained who we were and what we were there to do.  They were all thankful and welcoming to the blessing, so again President gave it.  The Spirit was so strong and it was really wonderful to see afterward how the family was much more open with us afterward and grateful for our visit.  The man that was blessed was now much more emotional and asked President what denomination we were a part of.  President Cooke explained that we were LDS and that our Temple was the big, beautiful white building of the 495/beltway.  He agreed to visit upon his recovery when President invited him and we all departed, full of the Holy Spirit. 

I love how much this Gospel is full of service to all of God's children.  It is designed to be the most unselfish and loving message in the world.  We have the Priesthood of God, which enables us to bless and heal just like Christ and his ancient apostles.  We have a message of Christ's perfect gospel which is on the earth today, run by imperfect people trying their best to become more like our Savior.  We go out and share what we believe so that our other brothers and sisters will have the opportunity to listen and accept it.  We need to remove the selfishness that keeps is from talking to everyone and sharing our testimonies and excitement about the Restored gospel to all the world.  If we all work together, this whole church, to reach out to our family and close friends... then we will see SO many people come unto the truth and SO many people receive all the blessings that our Father in Heaven has in store for them.  After all... what could be better than one of our spiritual siblings receiving the opportunity to repent and be freed from their sins and to feel the power of our Savior's infinite Atonement.  I love this Gospel... and I know that it is true!! 

Keep up the great work mom!  Keep reading PMG and the scriptures with dad and look for opportunities to invite people to hear from the missionaries!  They will come, I can promise you that... just have to keep looking :)

Love,

Elder Sean Farley

So Much to Say...NO TIME to Say It!!

E. Farley & E. Loveless

Hey Momma!

So many things to say... Not enough time to say it!  Mom... It's show time.  Brian is going on a mission!  You will have to Elder Farleys as your sons.  I am so stoked. He is going to be such an excellent missionary.  Good job on the decorations and cake for his Farewell!!  Looked like a great time!  It was so weird looking at those pictures that seemed identical to where I was almost 1&1/2 years ago.  Crazy how fast time flies.  (I feel like he is trying to convince me or something here)

Things here in the mission are going great!  President Cooke, Elder Loveless and I have been going around and stopping by missionaries apartments to see how they are doing... Almost like surprise visits.  Keepin' everyone on their toes! Ha-ha  President Cooke is super fired up for the work, as always, and E. Loveless and I are having a great time working along side with him.  He is truly an inspiring (and inspired) man who I love being around and learning from.  The Cooke family has been so great and they do SO much!   I am learning a lot of things from each individual in the family.

The AP's are on the loose!

We have Zone Conference this week and we just finished Zone Trainings last week... So life is BUSY!  We have been making PowerPoints, running errands and planning the Trainings for each meeting.  It is a lot of work and running around but I am loving it!  It is a different sort of missionary work... I guess a different perspective.  I am adjusting as best as I can and I know I can do better, so I am just going to keep on trying... Keep on doing my best.  Heavenly Father will help with the rest.

It is amazing to me how The Lord works.  He is in everything... He really is.  I see it so much as we are working hard to see success and help out the mission.  Heavenly Father guides us and helps us when needed, but for the most part he allows us to figure things out on our own.  We all have agency and God will not get in the way of that, because it is part of the plan.  It is really humbling to see that He works that way... And it is even more humbling to realize how little I still know and how much I still need to improve while I am out here.  This work is SO true... And I just want everyone to hear about it.  

I hope PMG and scripture study is still going well!  Keep it up!  Now you will have two Elder Farleys to get on you about that! ;) love and miss you so much!  Give Bri the BIGGEST HUG from me and a "good luck... May the Spirit be with you."  He is going to be a BEAST at missionary work!  Baptize all those Cali-Mexicans!! :D Adios, Amigo! Mucho Amor!

Love your son,

Elder Farley... The elder

Best Fourth of July, EVER!

Hey Mother!!

This week has had a lot of ups and downs!  Mostly ups though, so don't be worried!!  The 4th of July this year was AMAZING to say the least.  All the missionaries were on the Mall and there were a TON of people.  We had a really fun time!  Loveless and I started by getting into the city around 1 PM and just walking around, looking at all the different attractions and peeps.  We ended up meeting with a group of missionaries who were in-between the Washington monument and the White House.  We played football for a couple hours and then E. Loveless and I went to go find some food.  We both don't know the city very well so we ate at a food truck!! Ha-ha it was sketchy but super tasty... it was a Philly cheese steak made by an Indian(not a native-american, but a dude from India!).  He did a pretty dang good job.  

After all that grease settled in our stomachs we headed over towards the capitol.  Okay, backing up a little... So last year we had to be off the Mall by 6 PM and in our apartments by 10:30 PM.  There is a concert sponsored by PBS that is right in front of the Capitol building.  Last year we really wanted to go, but couldn't because of the 6 PM rule.  This year however, we didn't have that rule- we just needed to be in by 10:30.  So Elder Loveless and I had the goal in our minds that we would find a way to either get into the concert for the night or we would get on top of one of the buildings that overlook the Mall.  So we started with "plan A" and started towards the US Capitol Building.  When we got close their was an entrance to the gated area surrounding the whole building.  It did not require tickets or anything, but was a check-point to make sure no one had anything crazy in their purses or bags.  When we got closer to the concert we found out that you could be in the area between the stairs to the Capitol building and the grass area where the concert was.  Although that was really cool, we were not satisfied... so we began plotting on how we could get into the grassy area right in front of the stage.   We went up and observed those people who were entering past the guards/police and quickly realized that they were checking peoples hands to see if they were stamped.  People that were walking out were being stamped by a female security guard so that they could return for their spots later.  We met up with different missionaries and members as we paced back and forth through the large crowd, determined to get past the fuzzzz.(Turns out all you needed to do to get in was show up that morning and get a stamp).  After many attempts at one entrance we were told by the guard to stop trying... So we got pretty discouraged.  Later we went to go track down a member who was one of the police officers/security guards(idk what he really was) and try to get in through him. 
He wasn't much help, but there we met Elder Arnett and Treasure.  We explained the situation to them and they were stoked to get in with us.  When we got to the other entrance they (Arnett & Treasure) realized that they had stamps that were similar to the ones that were needed to get in (they had gotten at a different event on the Mall earlier that day).  We thought that there was no harm in trying... what were they going to do to us?  Tell us to leave.. ha-ha.  So they waited until a group with stamps walked in and they followed them in flashing their hands and going right through without any problems!!! We were FREAKING OUT!! Then we realized we were going to miss out and they were going to have the best 4th of July ever!  So Elder Loveless and I desperately looked for something that could help us get in...(keep in mind that we had members in their saving us an area with plenty of room... and the guards just wouldn't let us in because we didn't have stamps).  Anyway, we ended up find a small thing of "eye-black" in my backpack, which we smeared on our hands to shape it to look like the stamps!  ha-ha  I doubted we would get in but we tried anyway.... BAM!!! We totally walked right past without a problem and by the time to concert started, we were RIGHT up front!!! Best. Night. Ever.  
With all the madness we thought our adventure on the fourth was over... but we still had to get in on time.  Realizing half-way through the fireworks that we had to leave, we began sprinting to the metro (which was 1 mile+ away).  We ran into Elder Peterson and Hansen right as we got out of the Capitol Building area and they joined us on the trek!  Arnett led the way (he is a former cross-fit guy) and held a steady but fast pace!  We also led us the WRONG WAY!  So our mile run turned into nearly 2 miles of a sprint through a sea of people!  I felt like I was in National Treasure 3 or something ha-ha.  We made it to the metro and we all got to our destination safely getting to our vehicles and driving home.  To say the least, it was the craziest fourth of July ever! 

This upcoming week we have a lot going on and it should be really busy and fun!  It is a lot of work but I am loving it and having such a great time with Elder Loveless!!! I wish I had time to explain everything!  All I can say is that the church is TRUE!! I love being able to be close to President and see how the decisions are made for the mission... I truly know that all the changes and decisions are inspiration from the Lord.  He gives President and the missionaries the guidance we need and then lets us go to work and experience it on our own.  I am so thankful for free agency and the Atonement.  The two things that, when used together, give us the ability to get through this life with the experience we need and to help us return to live with God.  
I am so grateful for all you do for me and our family.  Thank goodness for the gospel and for the Plan of Salvation!! I am so happy that we can be together forever! 

Seriously... forever... that is the greatest thing I know.  And its not just something we say in the church, but it is something that I KNOW is true.  I have no doubt.  
I love and miss you!  Keep up the great work and stay healthy, safe and happy!

Love your boy,

Sean/Elder Farley

"High Speed, Flat Belly, Low Drag"...We are MOVING here!!

Remember when...?  Farley/Loveless:Exchanges 6/29/2013

Hey Mom!

Wow, what a week... I feel like I have said that a lot throughout my mission but DAAAANG!  This week was crazy awesome.  We had(still have) so much to do!! So I am sorry if this email is not extra long!

A lot of amazing things are happening!  We just recently cut a TON of miles from every missionary in the mission and we are starting this big "mass-transit" initiative.  President Cooke feels that the best way for us to be talking to EVERYONE (like Elder Ballard challenged us to do) is to get out of our cars and get on buses, the metro, and our bikes to speak with everyone we encounter.  So miles have been cut up to 40% for most areas!  It is so crazy and awesome, I love it!  Too bad I won't get to REALLY be a major part of it until after I am released, but I am sure the exchanges with other missionaries will make up for all of that.  

The work is going great!  We are all over the place everyday... Like President Cooke often likes to say, "High Speed, Flat Belly, Low Drag!"  We are MOVING here!  I love the things I am learning from President and Sister Cooke.  They are great examples to me.  I also am learning a ton from Elder Loveless!  He is the man... I have wanted to be comps with him since last year when I first met him.  Dream come true. 

This week is finishing up some beginning of the transfer work and then out and about doing exchanges and hitting up meetings with President Cooke and the missionaries in all the Zones.  It is a lot of work, and it is a lot different than what I am used to, but I am enjoying it!  We listen to a lot of Classical music... President Cooke listens to it a lot.   I already feel smarter and classier ;)  Seriously though... I should have listened to this stuff all throughout High School!  Then maybe I could have got into BYU- PROVO :'D hahaha 

Sounds like everything is going well back at home.  That is really cool about the Paddle Boards!  I will have to go out with you when I am back so I can get yolked shoulders like Laird Hamilton.  AND I seriously cannot believe that Brian is leaving SO soon!  Sorry Mom, I don't want you to be sad, it is just awesome that he is going on a mission.  He is going to be such a STUD!  I cannot wait to hear about all the hermanos and hermanas that he will help bring to the gospel of Jesus Christ!  Isn't missionary work the best?? You get to be on the Lord's team, sharing His gospel with His authority to bring people into His fold!  I seriously cannot say it enough:  The Church is true, the work is the bees-knees, and we can all be a part of it!  All we have to do is try.. just open our mouths and be kind, inviting people to come closer to Christ.  This week Elder Loveless and I have met may wonderful people by just starting up normal conversations with them and getting to know them a little bit.  I am not saying that any of them got baptized that day ha-ha but they did show interest in visiting the Temple and have unknowingly stepped closer to the Savior.  Keep on being great Momma and encourage others to do so too!  I love you and miss you! 

Brian thinks this picture of Sean's food belongs in a cooking magazine!

Lots of Love,

Sean

P.S.  Today we are only allowed to email, then we have a full P-day on the 4th!! WOOHOOO!

Best Zone Activity EVER! And a Big Change.

Hey Mom!!

Wow!  What a crazy week it has been... The best zone activity in the history of life, having a super annoying cold, working with the Assistants, and picking up a new Elder for the ASL program!  I am really having such a fun time out here... Especially being with Elder Cervantes! He is the man.  The only downside of the week has been having this stupid cold and packing to leave the area!  I hate packing!  Every transfer I get more stuff and end up having to become more and more strategic in the way I pack my things! Luckily I have it all done so today I can relax before the big change!

Sounds like things at home are going good!  It is crazy to think Brian will be gone in a month! WHAAAAAAT!  He is going to be an awesome missionary!! Too bad Elder Cervantes will not be home quite yet or else he could sneak in to the MTC in Mexico and bring him some tacos!  (Also... Are sopapillas only a New Mexican thing?? That's what Elder Cervantes said... my life is a lie!! Haha jk)  Anyway, tell all the Parsons I say hi!  I miss them all a lot! And give Aunt Sharon a BIG HUG for me :) <3  oh... And I realized I didn't answer those questions for Brian's mission, so if you still have questions can you resend them to me via email and I will reply to them if I still have time :) thanks!

This p-day has been pretty chill:  we worked out, hit up 4 different thrift shops, and now we are headed home to eat and I am going to take a long nap to try to shake this cold.  I think I am on the upswing but I don't want to relapse.  

This past weekend we had a great time with one of my favorite families... The "A" family.  They are from Ethiopia and they always feed us a TON of food!!  Seriously I think I had a serving size that couple have fed 3 NFL linemen!  But it is good because they love feeding the elders and always talk about how they feel the spirit so strong when we come.  Brother A is a member and so are his three sons.  His wife and sister-in-law come to church every week but are not members.  They are the ones we are beginning to teach and hopefully they will get baptized soon!  We are also teaching this 16 year old girl who's father is a less active member.  He is pretty against the church but he is totally willing for us to come and teach his daughter. She has been to mutual before a few times and knows a couple people on the ward... So hopefully we can continue to meet with her and help her work towards baptism.

I am just so happy to be out here serving The Lord for these two years.  I seriously couldn't ask for anything better than this.  Sure there are ups and downs... I wouldn't expect it any other way, but it is the overall experience that makes all the work worth it.  I can almost hear the Savior as he spoke to us before we came down to this mortal life... It won't be easy... But it will be worth it!  I know that as we do our best each day to do the simple things God asks us to do, we will become great instruments in His hands.  We can do it by waking up each day with a enthusiastic look on the future... Starting our day off with an early morning prayer and scripture study.  Then throughout the day be ever alert for opportunities to share what you believe or invite someone to church, dinner or even just to hangout!  As we are more aware of our brothers and sisters around us we will be more willing and excited to share the gospel with others!  Yes, it is a little intimidating, but God has promised us that when we obtain His word then we can go and preach.  So remember to study Preach My Gospel and the Scriptures everyday!  I am so thankful for you Mom and your willingness to serve as a ward missionary side by side with Dad.  Keep on looking for opportunities and I know you will find them.  I love you and our family so much!  It is such a blessing to have the gospel in our lives.  Keep up the great work!!

Oh... I almost forgot: (Transfers) So tonight, I will be with the APs in a trio until transfers on Wednesday.  It is pretty crazy to think I will be the new Assistant with Elder Loveless!  I am super stoked to be his companion and to work with President Cooke so closely.  The Cooke family is the best.  This week is going to be so intense!... Wish me luck :)     

Hugs and Kisses from your boy, 

Elder Sean B. Farley

Happy Father's Day

Hey Mom!

Sounds like everyone had a great week this week!  And Happy Father's Day to Dad and Grandpa! Also Uncle Vaughn and Jonny! Sounds like it was a good get-together!  I don't know if there is a vote for going to San Elijo next Father's Day or not... But if there is, count me in!

I am so stoked about Brian going to the temple!  Won't it be the best when we are all back together in two years and can ALL go to the temple.  I can't wait.  Anyway, Congrats Bri! I love you a ton brother. :)

Things here are going super great!  We just had the best zone activity in the history of life!  The last two days have been straight madness prepping for it!  We had to get a grill from a member(plus load it on our truck), a hose, tons of water balloons, burgers and brots, and a slip and slide(big tarps).  So we have been going crazy trying to get it all together... We were just praying that it would all work out, even though it was looking like we were going to have a lot of road blocks.  Luckily, everything went JUST right!! It was a "Water Games" themed activity with Elder Archibald BBQing like last time!  So it was an all around success and we heard a lot of, "BEST ZONE ACTIVITY EVER!!" Comments from both the elders and sister missionaries.  I may or may not have gotten a little more sun than I was suppose to! :/

This week is temple week and also the last full week of the transfer!  So it will be interesting to see what happens.  I really hope to stay with Elder Cervantes, but I don't think that will happen sadly.  

We have been getting a ton of referrals lately, which means that the missionaries in the mission and especially in our zone are talking to EVERYONE!!  It has been great to put a stronger effort into talking to everyone we see.  As we have been we see how easy it is to share the gospel with others.  I think a lot of times in my life I have always been nervous to open my mouth and invite someone to hear about our church.  Whether it was inviting someone to church, a stake dance, a youth activity, or even over to our house to hangout or eat; I always had that fear.  Now I realize why I was scared.  It wasn't because I needed to learn how to peach the Gospel or how to contact people on the streets... It was because I was letting satan get the best of me.  We know that on the scriptures we are taught that every good feeling and thought comes from God, while every bad one comes from the devil.  So the whole time I was just letting satan tell me, "nah... That person wouldn't be interested." "He doesn't seem like he would like to hangout with Mormon kids." The thoughts go on and on!  I should have been following the still small voice of the Spirit.  So many of our friends and family are waiting for us to invite them.  They are looking for the truth but do not know where to find it.  So we have to help them by inviting them to come closer to Christ.  This can be done is SO many ways.  In the book "The Power of Everyday Missionaries," Brother Clayton Christensen teaches us that when we invite, we succeed.  It doesn't matter if they accept or not... All we have to do is invite.  

I know that this work is the work of our Lord.  Nothing can compare to the marvelous work and wonder the our Father in Heaven is performing at this time.  We love in the time that all the ancient prophets saw and were excited for!  We are pert of the Hastening of the Work of Salvation.  I wish for everyone to "catch the wave" and to each do their part to share the gospel with our brothers and sisters.  Everyone needs it :)

I love you mom!  And I am so happy to be a part of our wonderful family.  What a great blessing God has given us to all be together.  "Count your many blessings..." ;)

Love your boy,

Elder Sean B. Farley