Ben and Jerry and Kelly and Justin

Hello everybody!

This week was pretty awesome.   This Monday we did our normal p_day stuff and as a district we drove down to Waterbury and toured the Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory it was awesome and well worth the drive.

Tuesday night Elder Hibbert and I taught Justin again who has been to church and we talked about the restoration of the gospel. Mostly to help him answer his questions. More on him later.

We also were able to go and see Richard. When we got to his house for our appointment he was making food so we basically just taught his sons Jesse and Erick. They were super awesome and really intrigued about the scriptures. Probably because the copy we gave them has pictures throughout.   Wednesday we had interviews in Montpelier which went awesome as usual and we taught Austin. He wants to be baptised but simply needs to find out when he will be able to so that his girlfriend can attend as well.

This weekend we had an awesome zone conference about teaching skills and putting on the "whole armor of God" it was good. We did it at the Joseph Smith Birthplace memorial.
President Blair talked about teaching the doctrine of repentance clearly and boldly during the teaching process to give people what they need to know to progress in the doctrine and gospel of Jesus Christ.  I also had a stretching contest with President Whatcott and he won. I believe it was my forum that failed me, not my genetics.

Friday was pretty normal but Saturday was amazing! Sister Vines was baptized and Justin came to the baptism. There was also a ward party afterward. With a giant redneck barbecue that dad would be impressed with I am sure.

I am brought to lead about what the restoration really means for us. It means that we no longer have to live in darkness but that the light and knowledge of the gospel can chase evil from our lives. We can improve and grow through authorized channels and inlets to Christ's infinite atoning sacrifice and we can become more like the savior. I am grateful for those that made, and are continuing to make this restoration possible.

Have a fantastic week!
Love you!




Elder Connor Starr

September 17th, 2018

Hello everyone!
This week was pretty awesome. I truthfully don't recall too much of what happened in the beginning of the week. On Thursday we helped unload food from this truck for the nonprofit that we do service for. It was pretty fun.  We drove to Lysbon and had a lesson with some of the members that live there. It never really ceases to impress me that some members drive so far to get to church each week. They drive about 50 minutes to church in 1 direction. That is dedication.

Elder Hibbert and I saw a  pretty cool miracle on Thursday night. We were walking at about 8:45 looking for people to talk to and this guy called out to us and asked if we were Mormons. He had met some of the other Elders a while ago and he was super interested in the Book of Mormon. We were able to set up an appointment for the following day.

On Friday we had district council with the Newport Elders, as the sisters were gone, and we talked mostly about teaching. Then we went on exchange for the day. It was pretty fun. Elder Girardin and I taught the guy that Elder Hibbert and I found. He had placed the Book of Mormon that we gave him above the door-jam of his bedroom so that he would be protected.

After that, we had a sleepover with the Elders and we got up the following morning and went to a family history booth at a local fall festival. It was pretty fun and effective despite the heat.  On Sunday, the same guy that we found in Thursday night came to church! He asked tons of really good questions and he seems super interested in learning more.  It was a really amazing! I know that where missionaries are, people are prepared to receive the gospel.


Hope you all have a great rest of your week! Love you!

Elder Connor Starr

Elder Connor Starr

September 10th, 2018

Hello everybody. 

This week was pretty awesome. It started out pretty normal with lots of finding and walking around.
It has been very rainy lately. Like, really rainy. It seems to come down in bathtubs sometimes.
We have found a really cool place to do service at. It's like a thrift store but it's in an old refurbished barn that is really aesthetic and nifty. They sell used stuff but they also give necessary items to people that are in need. The owner apparently had some trustworthiness issues with some of the volunteers in the past but she knew who we are and what we represent. She was happy to have us come and help and she thanked us probably 15 times.  It was awesome!

Friday was cool. We all had district council and I think it went pretty well. We talked mostly about using Facebook for good instead of evil. How to use it effectively to find people. Stuff like that.
After Elder Hibbert and I went on exchange with the Zone leaders in Essex. I went to Essex with Elder Nielsen and Elder Hibbert stayed in Lyndon with Elder Augir.  The drive to Essex is about 90 minutes but it feels like I was in the mini-van for several days. It was a long drive. I guess it was scenic so that made it a bit more bearable. Elder Nielsen and I had a good time and we even taught a Congolese man and his son.  I can't for the life of me remember his name but it is kind of important for the sake of the story. It was something like Sandube but I am fairly certain that is not correct so I will refer to him as Dabba-dude-boi.

Dabba-dude-boi Had some concerns with the Book of Mormon. His primary concern was the title. He was uncertain why the title was called the Book of Mormon and he felt that in doing so it insinuates that we worship Mormon. We told him that, just like the Bible, the Book of Mormon is named after the primary authors of the sacred books. We assured him that although it is called the Book of Mormon, it's text testified that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that it is by him and only him that mankind may be saved.  This conversation went on for about 20 minutes and we didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Elder Nielsen asked Dabba-dude-boi if he thought the Book of Mormon was the word of God, to which he answered "yes".   A little perplexed we told him that we would help him to answer this question later.

This lesson lead me to think of my own conversion to the gospel and my knowledge of the Book of Mormon.  How often do we believe that it is true, knowing that God's word has increased our souls, and get caught up on something silly like the title of the Book.  As valid as Dabba-dude-boi's Concern was, It was easily overshadowed by the knowledge that he was given by the power of the Holy Ghost.  Any doubt or fear that we may have can easily be overshadowed or devalued by this sacred confirmation that the Book is true and that Jesus Christ is the living Savior and Redeemer of the world.

Thanks for reading, I hope that you all have a great week!
Love you

Elder Connor Starr

Vermont .... pretty neat

Hello everybody!
This week was pretty exciting. First of all, I want to say that I am sorry for not remembering to tell you all that P-day was moved to Tuesday due to Monday being Labor day. The mission leadership figured that we should be laboring on Labor Day and I think that it was a good idea too.  On Tuesday...I am not sure that I remember much of what happened on Tuesday. Last week I spent most of my time saying goodbye to the wonderful people of Lowell. I know that it was left in the good hands of Elder Harrison and his trainee, Elder Monson. (Not sure of relation).

Thursday we drove up to transfer meeting where I met Elder Hibbert and we loaded all of our stuff into our car. A car that we don't share with anybody else and that is much larger and less disgusting.  So that is pretty nice.

I met one of our progressing people: Austin. He is super cool! He is going to school here in Vermont but he is a YSA that is originally from West-Virginia. His girlfriend introduced him to the church and he wants to be baptised in the near future. He is practically already a member.  Other than that, I also met Kelly who has a baptism date for the 22nd of this month! she is in a part member family and was introduced to the gospel through her husband. She also is really amazing and already has a great testimony of the Book of Mormon and of the Gospel of Christ.

Vermont is gorgeous! there are an innumerable amount of trees and hills and farms it is just amazing to look at. The trees are already beginning to change color.  It is simply a reminder to me how much that our Heavenly Father loves all of us. So much so that he gave us this amazing place to live, and more impressive, that he gave his only son in the flesh that we might live with him forever with our families.

The other night, Elder Hibbert and I were walking down the street when we started talking to this man who was leaning up against his car. He was smoking and hanging out by the park. We talked to him for a little while but he didn't seem to interested so we said goodbye and started walking away.  At this point both of us felt a little dumb at the actions that we were doing, so we,in unison, crossed the street and gave him a plain and clear invitation to learn. To our surprise and gratitude, he happily excepted our invitation to teach him more and we were able to get his contact info. It was just another simple reminder to me that we have to trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding.

I know that this gospel changes lives and that through it we can all find true happiness.
Love you, have an amazing week!

until next time!

-Elder Connor Starr

Here are some other photos. Sorry if I have sent them before.
Vermont tank. 
Car share
Lowell missionaries

Transfer Day Awesome Stuff

Hello everybody! This has been a pretty crazy week. The beginning of the week was fairly normal. Not too much happened beyond a couple of appointments.  Tuesday we went on exchange with the Littleton elders. I stayed in Lowell with Elder Frampton and Elder Harrison went to Littleton. Elder Frampton and I had some goals to give out 2 Books of Mormon and find 2 new people to teach. We talked to everybody and we got shot down. Lots of good conversations and invitations but no bites. Although we didn't reach our goals, I was simply happy that we had the opportunity to teach, testify, and invite.

We then had an awesome plan of salvation lesson with Christina that evening with a less active member then we came home and went to bed. The following day we had interviews with President Blair and then we went to a couple of appointments and wrapped up the evening with our long and arduous weekly planning session. Not fun, but necessary. 

The following day we went on exchange with the Zone Leaders in Nashua New Hampshire where I again stayed here and was with Elder Wells. We found some cool people but I think the best was that at about 4:30 we got a call from one of the Cambodian members named Min. She told us that she had a couple of neighbors that were really cool and that they wanted to come to church and be baptised! As you could probably guess we were excited and went with no delay. They are a young couple that moved to the US about 10 years ago. They have a very young son and they told us that Min had told them about church so many times that they just had to see what it was all about! They are coming to church this Sunday and we are seeing and teaching them on Saturday. Min is a fantastic member missionary with no fear. It is amazing! 

 I Don't recall if I have reported this story to you all before or not so I will briefly summarise why Sunday was so awesome. About 6 weeks ago, the Lowell ward Elders Quorum conducted a special fast  that the Lord would provide a way for them to minister effectively to the faithful Cambodian sisters that are still attending the ward after 30 years despite their inability to even speak or understand English or Portuguese.  One night elder Harrison and I were waiting for the sisters at the church and we went around back to turn the car around so we could leave more quickly (hasten the work and whatnot ;) when we pulled around the back of the church we saw a man walking through the parking lot and looking at his phone. We rolled down the window and asked him if he had ever been inside an LDS chapel before to which he told us that he was baptised back in the 90's with most of the other Cambodian membership.  His name is Than, he is Cambodian and a less-active Melchizedek priesthood holder. He came to church this Sunday for the first time in about 15 years and he loved it.

I hardly find it coincidental that we happened to find him when we did and where we did. I think that the Lord has blessed us and allowed us to be tools in his hands to bring about his work. The power of fasting and prayer is real. All we need to do is ask and be ready to act. 

As the subject line and the Tuesday entry indicate, we got our transfer calls last night. At about 7:30 last night President Blair called us and told me that I will be leaving and going to Lyndon VT to be a district leader once again.  Elder Harrison will be training a Spanish speaking visa waiter. 

I truly believe that serving here has been a tender and precious experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I have learned so much and have come to love this place and these people more then I previously thought possible. 

I am excited for the new experience ahead of me and can't wait to tell you all about it. 

I love you all and hope that you know I am not just saying to segue into a smooth exit line.

Until next time! 

P. S. Sorry for the wall of text. 

Elder Connor Starr

A few photos