Surprise!! - August 11, 2013

Now get this... I woke up transfer morning and took a shower. When I came out, my comp told me Elder Blanchard called and said that since Destin hadn't been open yet, that I'm going to Pine Forest for about a month! For a while I thought it was a big joke, seeing that he was going home the middle of this transfer, but we got to the meeting spot and he told me that they didn't have an apartment for us yet, and that they were going to do that, but in the mean time we are working in Pensacola! So now here we are, in the soon-to-be sister's new apartment opening a second companionship in Pine Forest! We see it as kind of a boot camp before we go to the beach! And I'm glad we did come here, because I have never opened before so I'm learning a lot from this practice session! Elder Lane, my old com padre, and Elder Simmons are the other two, and Elder Miller, from utah/texas is my trainee. He's 24, an old fart! :) He's a great guy, real nice!

 So far we mainly organized the apartment, and cleaned. We had one lesson! It was good, can't wait to get more people to teach! There are no progressing investigators that are being worked with, and the members aren't too gung ho about the work, so we are brain-storming ways to improve the area. But thank goodness next week the bish is getting back, and the ward mission plan is being put into effect. I wish it was this week though...

 This area is the total opposite of the beach. Many old people, lots of trees, but there are many more businesses than Callaway. I find that opening an area is a lot like being a entrepreneur, we make our own schedules, and have to work hard to be successful! The members aren't used to hard working obedient missionaries, so it will be hard. But with hard work and time will come fruits of our labor, so we'll see how this all will go! :)

August 5, 2013 -Reports are in!

So there are going to be some big changes over here! Nothing like Ipads yet, but they are still coming! :) But looks like I'm moving! So I'm going to be training...and I'm opening a new area i think... I'm going to destin! Awesome right? It's a branch, so I know I'm going to love working there, I like starting small. I'm not sure if I will be working with sisters again, but It's going to be crazy starting brand new, and training fully! I am way excited, but also nervous, as always, and I'm pretty sure there are many more things to take pictures of there! I'm definitely going to miss the people here, we have a baptism this saturday that I will miss... :, ( but he is prepared and I'm still counting it! :) it's the last of the investigator family, the dad's brother. He finally is ready!

 Once again it's going to feel strange moving, I hope I will get a companion that likes basketball! haha. This will be a stressful, yet exciting transfer! And just as our ward is on the up and up with missionary work, and a awesome new bishop, I get transferred! Lame right?

 Want to hear the story of the week? So we bike all the way across our area to contact a referral, it took us an hour of hard bike riding, we look for his apartment, and can't find it... we get a nearby member to help, still can't.... then the guy calls and says he wasn't even home, and he isn't interested... :( haha, lame.... but we got pizza from the member, so all was well!

 Actually I have a better one, Josh, the one who is getting baptised, had an appointment scheduled for saturday night. We got there and then he texted us, saying he was at work.... so we taught the guilford family. He came in about halfway during the lesson covered with black paint, looking dead tired. He told us he started work at 530 in the morning, and it was 8 o'clock then. Long time! He said that he could've finished tomorrow, but wanted to go to church, so he worked 8 more hours to get it done! That was awesome to hear! We had a short lesson, and he about fell asleep. The next day he couldn't make it because he got paint in his eyes, and they swelled the next morning...:( but it's all good! haha

 So that's a little of what happened! Many great things! But not as great as y'all! :D

July 29, 2013

Haha, I can just see you sitting in sacrament with the Ipad...:) I am SO looking forward to Bear Lake! But it will have to wait.. transfers is next week, so we'll see where I will be moving next, maybe not at all, who knows but God? :)

This week seemed to go by a lot faster. There were lot's of good things, not many investigator lessons, but work with Returning members is going great. We had one call us last night wanting to tell us how happy and excited he was about being back, and also about helping us do missionary work! We have him come to lessons with us, and he is a great fellowshipper! We are now teaching a wednesday night class for members, and it's going good so far. We take turns with the Sisters, and the Senior couple. Our week is this week, and we are talking about Christ's ministry, Broad right? It's going to be fun!

There are many differences to Pres Jensen, and Pres Smith, one similarity is they are both bald! :) But I really admire Pres Smith, even though he has changed many things now. But they are never bad changes! One big change is he is going to a lesson with each companionship, that will be interesting! :) He doesn't communicate with us like Pres Jensen did, so he seems more separated from us. As things move on, I know we will get to know much more about him. He does have good visions for the work here!

I am still loving my mission, and enjoying sweating everyday...that was a little sarcasm on latter.... But God is supporting us, and life is good! :) Love Y'all!

July 22, 2013

I really enjoy bike riding now too! I used to despise it before, but now that I don't get sore anymore, I find it fun. The worst part though is the sudden, out of the blue downpours... on a partly cloudy day, we talked to someone and he said there was a 100% chance of rain. I guess it meant everyone is going to run into it at some part of the day...

This past week we didn't have that many lessons, but Sunday was awesome! We had people come that haven't been there in years! Plus the usual people that we are working with. It was such a good feeling to know they are improving. Plus we had a Bishopric change, knowing the new bishop, the missionary work is going to increase fast! I am excited for the changes that are going to take place now. We have been waiting for this for a while, ever since I got here actually... Our investigator's baptism is coming close, but we are moving it back a week so he can learn more, and take all the lessons in. That does mean I'm going to miss it if I get transferred, which is most likely the possibility. But It's all good! He has the support, the desire, and God! What more does he need? :)

I have made my final decision...I am never setting foot in another Burger King again... Just letting y'all know... and also my mind has switched, I think I'm going to go back into piloting, a missionary convinced me to fly helicopter's for the swat, sounds pretty exciting, and pays good!

President Smith is really cool, I haven't figured out his personality yet, he is firm and yet when we are in interviews changes his approach. I really admire him. He is really buff too, I'm pretty sure he can bench a car... :)

Love y'all! Have an amazing week!

July 8, 2013

There has been so much rain.... 4th of July was rained out, but we weren't going to be doing much that day anyway! 14 inches in a day, can you believe it? We had many roads that were closed because they flooded, and one that wasn't closed, but cars were dying because water would get in the exhaust pipe and kill it! It almost happened to us, but we are good! Elders in another area thought that a flooded road was good to drive on until they found it was too deep, and the car filled with water and floated into a ditch, they had to climb out the windows and sit on the car, in the rain, until someone came to help them... They lost their privileges, and we get to see them wednesday! :) It's going to be a good time! haha. This week has been crazy, and pretty slow because we couldn't get around too much on bikes. We have a car share with the sisters. One day we thought we were good, but we ended getting stuck in a member's cake shop, which was pretty fun, she fed us cake! They were preparing for a wedding, and we heard the rain stopped enough for it to happen. They were pretty lucky!

 Our investigators are slowly progressing, except one who jumped back into the picture. We are going to start teaching him again, and this time he is ready and sincere. We were able to help him and another family get back on the right track by helping them get out of a crisis. The story is very  long, so I'll tell y'all when I get back. You will have to remind me! :)

 The sisters are working hard, they have tons of referrals! They are already the ward's favorite! A member told us that we should watch out, because one of the sisters is smart! haha, I'm loving it, it's funny to see. If it gets the ward missionary minded I'm all for it!

 The work with some of our Returning Members is going better, we had two we've been working with for a while come to church, it was awesome! One hasn't come for years.

 I miss the Tattons, the July parades, even though I was too lazy some years, Bear Lake for sure, and being in a dryer climate! I sweat each time I walk outside, I'm sure Jameson and Ashton had it worse though, that's probably how they got so skinny.... It is still hot as ever, but I'm prepared so I won't pass out and die...

 There wasn't anything big in Callaway, the big stuff happens in Panama City Beach, but there were some good fireworks in Panama City that were postponed... Callaway isn't a big city, Panama City is bigger, but is an older city. Nothing too exciting, but I enjoy being here!

 Love y'all and enjoy your week!

July 15, 2013

I didn't even recognize Jameson! He kind of looks like a creep with that mustache... :)

Those pictures are awesome though, that looks like it was fun! I will definitely pray for Coree and Jenna. It worked for Ashton, so I'm sure it will work for them! So Dad also told me about getting hit in the face by the ball, and that my 115 dollar pair of glasses saved his face.... it makes me wonder about what happened to them... :) haha. They are safety glasses, so they were meant for those situations. I can't wait for ward sports again! It is a blast.

 Well, what happened this week... we had a talk given in church about how we are going to use Ipads real soon, the stake president made it sound like they are already here! We also heard that it's in the normal newspaper that we have them now. I'm sure it was in there so people would attack us... oh well, we have legions of angels on our side. But we haven't heard about when we will get them, just that we eventually will, and I hope I will be able to buy one for cheap before I get back! So we'll see! 

 We are going good with our investigators, kind of, one has a baptism the 3rd of august, and he is super prepared. The others have either concerns, continuing to cancel appointments, or just plain going in circles because they feel like it... but we do have some good ones too!

 Recent experience that really helped me to desire to seek answers through the scriptures, and not just read them for pleasure. One investigator asked a really hard question that we couldn't answer. He told us that he is stuck on this one question, because if the answer is found, his whole perception of God will be changed. He prayed to find out if the things we are teaching are true, and that he will receive an answer if it is. It really made me question if we did something wrong by not knowing. As I thought about it though, I know it was meant for me, so I would become more serious about my studies. I am still studying hard to find it, and it will come, most likely something simple too, it seems that God just works like that...

 The weather is still strange. We were biking on a cloudy day, not expecting to get hit with rain, when lo and behold, a small dark cloud floated right over head, dropping a good amount of water on us. Enough to make us stop for cover under a tree. In a few minutes it was gone, and we continued to bike on not hitting rain again. Weird right?

 It seems that nothing will be normal when I get back... it's going to be crazy. I guess I won't really know how much is different until the car ride home! Now don't think I'm trunky, I'm still working hard.

 Love you and talk to you next week!

July 1, 2013

 You and me both! There is no way Dallin is old enough! haha. Quick question, has he grown any? :) I'm seriously curious... Yes I do remember TJ, he hits real hard, and he was the starting center when I practiced with him. That's cool that he gets back in a month! In the picture it looks like Dad has his arm around Tati, and on Ashton... haha. But those are cool picts. That would be awesome to visit, and help move. And you had to bring back the the blinking didn't you... I still remember it very well, just the blinking part. It was because of the image the light burns into your iris, it entertained me...:) and plus I was super nervous and shy! That's funny that y'all still have it.

 

 Well lots of great things happened this week, not really investigator wise, but self improvements, and area improvements. Sister missionaries have now arrived, and we have helped them somewhat to get them on their feet. They are good, and have done lots of organizing this past week. Sister Wells from Idaho, and Sister Treiber from Washington state. And now we are in a car share, so we are forced to bike half of the week. But I'm cool with biking, and physically working harder. It's more of the organization now, and scheduling that is the hard part...

 There was a combined meeting for the last two hours on Sunday. Bro Hale  from our ward talked, and gave a slideshow for an hour and fifteen minutes of it. It was an awesome talk about how we view ourselves, and who we really are. Our ward is funny, and there are some people who wanted to get their opinion in on some subjects, and also other random facts, but Bro Hale did really well at acknowledging them, and keeping on the lesson. But I have realized how important it is to remember how God views us, and not to be discouraged. He gave an example of Moses, and said he was in his lowest state, having killed a man, being accepted by neither egyptian nor israelite, and being a wanderer in the desert. It must've been hard, real hard. In Moses however, God states his importance and rises him far above that which he can reach himself. It really made me think of if I have told God what I am willing to do for him, instead of asking always of what God is willing to do for me. It hit hard... Well, all in all, I was empowered by the Spirit that whole day, and even when negative things happened, I felt great! I can't say I've found the main ingredient, but a mystery was unfolded, and my prayers were answered, now I've just got to write it in my journal, which I have had no time to write in at all! But this week went great. Past the 20 lesson mark for the week! 22, booya!

 Several people told me I'm at the trunky stage, or as one person called it, "sitting on the trunk!" Which I know the just of it, but it didn't make sense... but I definitely don't feel like it, just another 5 months really, weird!

 Love y'all!