February 28, 2012
Leaving the MTC
So I leave tomorrow at 730 I think is my flight, and I proly arrive at the airport at around 530 6 ish, so I will try to call in between those times for you guys, I can't promise anything though. I'm not completly sure I'll have time. So today is pretty good, last day of the MTC, but I've packed most the morning, and I'm freaking out haha, not really but its getting pretty stressful, you know how I was fine on weight before, It's alittle harder now. Actually alot harder, everybody has 2 check bags and I only really have 1. So I'm trying to get underweight and by the restrictions, but It's freaking hard. I guess I'll figure it out though, I had better. I will proly end up leaving some stuff here I don't need, If its something important I'll send it home or to my mission home. I love the mission and everything, but sometimes its hard they don't want you to be in the world or worry about that stuff, so they end up not giving you anyinformation about anything. So really I'm not sure what to think about tomorrow, but I'm way excited. The MTC has been way good, and way spiritual. But I'm ready to get out of here :). How is everyone at home, pops be careful up on the MNT. don't go get yourself buried. Z I love you man, also be careful though, the body eventually will break :) you'll learn that soon I guess haha. Mads, Jordy, love you both and I'm glad you guys are doing allright. How's gramsy, whats the concensus?... Man I can't think of anything except how to get my bag under 50 pounds haha. Today is not really my P day but I'm waiting on an elders clothes to get done, so we decided to email for a min. Anyways, I love you all. I really am doing just great, and having a way good time here. I learn so much, and have enjoyed the packages and letters. Oh momma, thanks again for the geneology and for lectures on faith. I don't have aton of time to read that stuff, so I will proly end up tossing most of the Geneology, but my main focus I guess was just to get a general jist of backgrounds. After the mission, I'd love to get into it alot more. Oh and you can actually still get more than one patriarchle blessing, the church has said that you most likely don't need more than one, but If you want more then one you can get one.
Also lectures on faith is an amazing book, I'm going to try to read it, then proly send it home for you guys to read. It's not really something to study, so I proly wont keep it with me the whole mission. But Its has some way cool writings in it.
Today I went to the book store to get ride of the money left on my MTC card, and I had 18 bucks or so but I can't add anyweight to my bags, haha so I ended up buying a couple things of lead and some time lines but I cashed almost all of it out in stamps haha. It's basically like currency so I figured it was the best way to go :)
Anyways leaving here is sad but pretty happy at the same time. There is alot of teachers here and elders that I really like, but hopefully I see some of them in a couple of years, oh and I've been inspired here to make a ski movie when I get home from the mission, compromising of skiing, dubstep, and church, the 3 best things in life :) haha
I love you all so much, I hope everything is going great at home
March 5, 2012
First week out
Whats up everybody. Hows life. The mission is so cool. To start I'm sitting in the library 2 seconds ago and some 19 year old kid came up and started asking about the church and the difference between this church and his beliefs. It was way cool, his freind came up but they are both amazing. Kevin and James, both of them have given up most of what they have just to serve the lord, but they believe so much on the same things we do, and already have such a testimony of the Holy Ghost, I talked with James for a good 45 mins, and am meeting with him again tomorrow. But its just amazing to see what the lord can do.
K so, MTC was great. the last night I stayed up with a budy till like 2 in the morning and had to get up at 3 but everything went over well. Airport and flying was good, nothing to really report there. President Hess picked us up at the airport, me and the 2 kids that flew with me then drove to our areas. Mine is about 2 and a half hours from detroit, it is Holland Michigan. Its pretty fun here. My comps are Elder Draper, a kid from toelle Utah (thats all I need to say) and Elder Villalobos) haha they really are both pretty good. So the first day I got to the apartment at 9 so didn't get to do anything. But got up in the morning, did our studies and went out. We had an appoinment or two but with unprogressing people that I don't remember their names, but we went tracting in a trailer park. And came up on this house. I knocked and a man from laos came out. We had no idea what he was saying but he kept talking about bombs and stuff. Well he invited us in to look at some book. Both my companions entered and as I walked in I noticed his TV was on. (I've been 2 months seeing only sister missionaries) and he is playing a porno on his TV haha. I just turned around but my companions still hadn't noticed. They are talking with him and finally Elder villalobos turns around and sees it, haha he was so stunned. they are teaching this guy and all I can do it laugh. Elder Villalobos, looks back at the guy and asks so what are you doing. pointing to the screen... Great experiance.
Next day again tracting we went to this guys house, and he invites us in to his trailer. The inside is trashed. Next thing you know he is going off on this story about how is about to die and slipp through a hole in the ground and enter hell. Then he goes off about how this window reminds him of Jail, and while he was in jail God showed up, and came through the window. DRUGS ARE BAD.... DONT DO THEM :) thats the end of that story.
Saturday we went and tracted on Main street... I went up one side of the rode (keeping companions in sight) as my comps went up the other, and we just contacted people on the street. It went pretty well, it was pretty fun but freezing cold. So we met up at this fire next to the shops and started talking to people there. Well 6 old ladies walk up, and apparantly its girlfriends weekend out here. Which I guess means, lets get smashed and go shopping, cuz thats what they were doing. These are 50 year old women who are haha inviting us back to there place and stuff :) I love the people we get to meet here. Oh and while this is all going on Elder Draper is talking in a australian accent, because it breaks the ice for him. It he doesnt he gets scared and screws up haha.
Spiritual stuff. This week was also was way spiritual. To start we have alot of really good investigators. We have 4 dates for Baptisms and should have more coming soon. My favorite lesson this week was with a man named Vicente. We went through the restoration with him ( in spanish :) ) but I do pretty well now, and at the end of the lesson we asked for him to pray about it, to know the truth. Well we got on our knees and sayed a prayer, and in the middle of the prayer the spirit testified of the truth and it really was so cool. We asked him after what he thought. All he sayed is I know that this is true. Pretty sweet.
Also this sunday was great. It was fast and testimony and we had 6 investigators at church. Well the begining of sacrament was really slow. and they said it is always like that. So I got up and bore a testimony about my investigators and also to the kids that they all need to go on missions. But then I challenged everyone to listen to the spirit and come up and bear there own testimony... There wasn't another pause in the meeting, and alot of kids got up. And even our best investigator got up and bore testimony of the truthfullness of this church. It went way well. overall everything went great. and I think our investigators are doing great. I'm doing great, they gave me a jacket thats pretty nice, but its huge on me and I sleep on a blow up matress with a straight up gross pillow and nasty blanket :) loving life. Really though I'm loving it up here. Its pretty pretty in Michigan, there are aton of Trees
And some crazy rich people, we went to knock on this house jsut because it was huge (really we stopped the car and went up to it) but couldn't even get close there is a gate so we figured we could just buzz our way in. Nope looking at the gate, we could call the grounds crew, the guest house, the kitchen crew, and the maids. freaking insane... it was huge. :)
I love you all and Hope everything is going great whereever you are, and whatever your doing. I hope you got all my pictures :)
March 5, 2012
Hey this is my letter to my pres this week, but I figured it says more about it up here so you can read it if you guys want. Love you pops
Drear President Hess,
Hopefully I get this letter to you, the email was being a little weird, To start I am loving Holland, it really is a great place. The people sure are pretty set in their beleifs and alot of them are alittle angry or mad, but hey just another great reason to get the gospel into their lives. Open up their hearts alittle bit. This week has been great so far, my new companions are great. Elder Villalobos and Elder Draper. Both of them are very helpfull, work hard, and are very obedient, so they are great examples to me. The apparment is nice, alittle small with three people but hey we are companions and I guess are supposed to be close. As far as clothes and bedding go, I got a jacket from you and a bed from you and I figure that that is good enough. I will proly go buy a hat and gloves but as far as blankets go, I talked to a member and they said they could let me borrow a sleeping bag. I don't want to charge the church for random stuff. I'm here to serve god, that doesn't mean I always have to have great stuff, I've got my savior and what ever comes with that I will take.
As far as Investigators go, the ones I went to this week really are very good and are coming along great. I'm not sure exactly what to put in this letter. But overall I think that the investigators are doing great. We got 6 to church this week and had a great testimony meeting and I think most of our investigators have already had very strong spiritual experiences while at church and with us. It really has been great to see them change and to watch as they recieve confermation of the truthfulness of our message. It is both a growing experiance for them and me. I think overal the best thing I can do out here, is just try hard to keep up and learn what I can, while exapnding my horizons and strenghtening my testimony. I really am loving it, and having just a great time out here. The members are great and the town is great. Remember that we as missionaries are always here for you, and I am always here to serve you... Right underneath my lord, still though thats pretty high in the ranks. I'm very grateful to have you as my mission president.
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