Monday, January 26, 2015

A ward newsletter page I contributed about Jake

ELDER IRA JACOB YOUNG…
We are very happy to report that Elder Young is doing stupendous! He has enjoyed several different parts of Indiana, first serving in Shelbysville in a strong member missionary oriented ward where he was able to begin learning to be a missionary and participate in several baptisms. He was then transferred to the outskirts of Indianapolis. He was only there a short time until he was transferred to Greenwood and had some great experiences of personal growth and sharing the gospel.

He was next transferred to Culver which is Northern Indiana and very similar to West Yellowstone in size and tourists. He covered a lot of small towns in this area and met some very interesting people. He had a great experience in the Culver Branch and loved the people there. While he was there, M’Lynn and Ira’s sister and her children were able to travel from Chicago and meet up with him and have lunch one day. That was awesome! J

Next he was sent to Bloomington, to the University of Indiana. He loved it there. It was a struggle to teach and work with such educated and agnostic people but it found it very rewarding and a great stretch to his testimony. He was very sad to have recently been transferred from Bloomington. The work there really moved forward. He loved the ward and made some lifelong friends.

He was just transferred to Crossroads, Indianapolis, Indiana. It’s inner-city and pretty ghetto and HE LOVES IT. His new companion is 6’6” and really built so he said he feels really safe. He has only been there a week or so and truly is having the time of his life. Here is an excerpt from his last letter:

There are some of the sweetest, most humble and loving people I have ever met, here. The best example is my boy, Brother Ricky Lane. He used to be a street-side preacher and would bring people into his church by the bus loads. He used to be a crack addict and is now sealed to his wife in the temple and is the first counselor in the Elder Quorum, AND he has only been a member for just over 2 years! He is the funniest guy I think I have ever met. He is a huge black man who is about 60 years old. He is scared of bears and black people. Haha! He always has the missionaries come over and stuffs their faces with tons of food. He is pretty much the best :)

For those who know Jake, you can tell his personality is still very much the same but we could tell from talking to him and his letters, he has grown so much spiritually and has a true love for the work, the Lord, the Gospel and his brothers and sisters. He confided in us that he now realizes that coming home (in 8 months) could prove very difficult. We assured him that most of us survived the return. J

Thank you to those who have supported him as he has served. We are thankful for you and so is he!
(His blog is: elderirajacobyoung.blogspot.com and his email is ira.young@myldsmail.net)



                                

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