Begin Transfer Two

Hey Everyone,

Hope you are all well and enjoyed your Easter Sunday!

This last weekend was a really special one. I got my first baptism! I have been teaching her for about a month and a half. She is solid and is firm in her faith in God. I was lucky enough to baptize her and confirm her a member of the Church.

I also gave a talk this last Sunday. I had written one out, but I felt the Spirit telling me to read less of what I had planned and bear my testimony about the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and what it means to me.

Today, I would like each of you to read a little bit from either the Book of Mormon or the Bible. Think of a question you have and go to the scriptures to find an answer. I know that the scriptures can help us no matter the situation and we can all feel God's love for each of us. If you would like me to know what you found, feel free to email me and tell me your experience. However, if it is something personal, by all means, keep it to yourself. God gives answers to us all and many are too precious and personal to share. If this is the case for you, keep the scripture/feelings you find or feel close to your heart.

I love you all and look forward to speaking with you all next week.

Elder Melanson

End of transfer 1

Hey Everybody,

Glad to see you are all doing well. Like the title of this message says, its the end of my first transfer! We have received travel plans and I am staying in my current area. My trainer, Elder Ayre, however is going to open a new area in Malone, NY. It is going to be hard to get a new companion and be the one who has to introduce him to all of my investigators; but the Lord will help me.

This is the week when I will have my first baptism! She is getting baptized this Saturday and its been such a blessing to see her progress up to this point. I will also be giving a talk this Sunday for Easter, so that's kinda funny if you think about it. I am a brand new missionary and I am going to give a talk on the Atonement/Resurrection (talk about having a "new way of life"). Haha! But anyways, life is good here in New York and I look forward to starting my second transfer.

I will leave you all with a short Easter message:

"Oh it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me." These words from the hymn I Stand All Amazed now stand for why I celebrate Easter. Jesus Christ died for not only my sins and earthly pains, but for everyone's. As we go through this next week before Easter Sunday, let us all remember Him and show gratitude for His sacrifice. I know that this Church is true and that Jesus is the Christ who died so we can all return to our Heavenly Father above. I bear my witness in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Melanson

1st transfer

Hello Everyone!

Glad to see that all of you are doing well and I am glad to report that I have survived my entire 1st transfer! At times it felt like the time would never end, but then it comes up from behind and surprises you. I have a baptism coming up, my first on the mission! It will be happening on the 26th and I am so happy for my investigator that is going to accept this covenant.

I am going to leave you all with a closing spiritual thought. At times life may become difficult, you may even feel overwhelmed enough to say that you are done, that you don't have anything left to live for. But I know that no matter how you feel, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can lift us up and provide the assistance we need to make it from day to day. We merely need to ask and pray for guidance and He will lead us to the people, the locations, and/or the answers we need. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Melanson

Elder Melanson's Address

Hey everyone. I wanted to give you Elder Melanson's mailing address so if you would like to send him a note you could. We'll update as needed.

Elder Melanson
75 Baker Street
Johnson City, NY 13790

Hey everyone!

Glad to hear that many of you are doing well and are having awesome experiences wherever you are. Being in New York has taught me a ton, mainly that you can learn a lot from places where you don't think you would learn from. As I have gotten used to the mission lifestyle and have gotten to know the members of the ward, I have been warmly accepted and everyone we meet and teach are amazing people! I am seeing how the gospel can change lives and understand that no one investigator is the same.

This week was also very interesting, we got to go see a parade! Below are some pictures of the event and it goes to show that even having a presence at an event can help people get to know you better.

Hope you are all doing well and I look forward to emailing you all next week!

Sincerely,

Elder Melanson

Week 4

Hello Everyone!

Its so good to talk to you all again! Winter has ended for the most part and we are about to enter spring. I have learned so much from my companion and I hope to learn more from him as we continue for the next few months. New York almost has no snow left on the ground and it has been nice and "warm" (50's and 60's degrees) and walking has become more enjoyable. We also have three investigators who are so close to baptism that I might have them in my first transfer period! I look forward to talking to you all again next week and I hope you all enjoy your weeks!