Week 10

Monday, August 27, 2012 10:06 AM

Alright family...let's get down to the nitty gritty,

Life in general is going.  Yep, it's always going, but thankfully, it's going pretty good.  To start, the book in the bible that I mentioned last week was supposed to be Romans if I accidentally put Ephesians; I can't remember which one I put :)  Next, I received #2 from Dad, # 10 from mom, one from Grams, one from DJ, and A PACKAGE!!!!! :)  Good stuff.  Thanks a bajillion bunches for the delicious Cashews!!!!!! Yummy :) :) :) and the fruit snacks :) :)  Good stuff, again.  

Okay, now to answer some inquiries...one, the reason why I said I will probably be here till December is because usually missionaries are in an area anywhere between 4 1/2 and 6 months.  It can be shorter and it can be longer, but that's generally speaking.  We'll see though.  Yes, tourist season is a lot less in the winter. We definitely won't have as many visitors in church.  But no, it hasn't really slowed down yet.  I see other missionaries about 1 a week, when we have some sort of meeting on Wednesdays, usually district meetings.  This Wednesday, we have interviews so that should be good :)  I like President Bernhisel.  Oh, and yes, the family we live with is great.  They are super nice. They basically feed us every Sunday afternoon for lunch, which is way kind.  He used to be a bishop, and right now, he's going through a lot of health issues.  He has to go back in to have neck surgery again and I think back surgery too.  

Dad, question.  How many people live in Grand Junction and Grand Junction with surrounding area? Also, what is the percentage of LDS?  Thanks a bunch.

Here's a random thought that I had the other day.  People here with stake callings have to devote a lot more of their time than people back home because they have to travel such a greater distance to get to the other buildings.  I had never thought of that before because I was so used to you all just going to a different part of town or even to just a different time for things like ward conferences, but here, they have to put in hours of driving as well.  Crazy stuff.  

But in terms of how things are going here, they're going pretty well.  It's hard to believe how fast time flies.  Our ward mission leader has recently become a stud and is growing and progressing like no other.  Never doubt the power of being set apart for your calling.  It all started once he was set apart.  Our missionary coordination meeting went really well yesterday, so that's exciting. :)  

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to give a less active sister a blessing as well as her mother before she goes into surgery.  I was given the opportunity of giving the less active sister the blessing, and I felt calm, and I know the spirit worked through me.  This sister is a really nice lady, and really receptive to visits. Her mom was in town to help her in recovery and her mom came to church and is super active.  Backing up a few steps, Elder Jensen and I made a trip down to Emerald Isle which is about a half hour away and visited some people that we don't normally get to visit because we had the car this week.  I happened to pick out her name when we were looking at who we could visit, and we just happened to catch her the day before she went into surgery.  She told us her mom was coming into town and would be at church.  Thus, that was a miracle within itself!  It's amazing how the Lord works through us, His instruments.  I'm definitely learning a lot of things that I had better keep with me when I return home to my own wards throughout life.  But I'm glad we were able to visit her with the Elders Quorum President, so now he knows her and he's the kind of guy who will really work at keeping people from slipping through the cracks

gotta go

bye,

Elder Patty

ps.  Have fun at school Chris.  Make tons of dough. :)

Week 9

Monday, August 20, 2012 9:22 AM

To the most best amazing family ever created...

It is to thee that I now transcribe the thoughts of my mind onto this intricate and amazing device deemed keyboard, where they are thus relayed by tiny messengers into the midst of cyberspace....

Anyways,  Hello everyone,

I hope everyone is doing fantabulistic!!!  Life here is going pretty swell.  The heat on some days is TERRIBLE!!!!! Ughhh...disgusting, but I'll survive.  I can't wait for it to be cold enough for me to wear my coat.  

Concerning Dad's inquiries, we had 1 investigator and 2 less actives in church yesterday, which equates to 1 family.  We are helping to reactivate the parents, and we just picked up their 9 year old son as an investigator.  We waited for that last part because we wanted to see dedication and diligence out of the family before we baptize someone who will never be able to make it to church on their own and will just join the less active stats of the ward.  Recently, we have had 3 new active families move into the ward.  Crazy.  All 3 of them have kids and everything.  We also see a ton of visitors in the summer as people come down here for vacations for a week or so or a weekend.  That's pretty intense about the couple going to NCRM that stopped in Grand Junction.  Did you catch their names? 

We had a good lesson last night with an investigator, his mom and sister, who are members, out of 2nd Nephi 31, which is an amazingly fantastic chapter.  Afterwards, Elder Jensen drew a picture of the gate and the strait and narrow path, and that really helped it to set in a little more.  That family is the Fleck family, and I absolutely love them.  They are a family that I guarantee I will stay in contact throughout my mission and after my mission.  They are absolutely wonderful.  It's beautiful.  For mother's inquiry, Teaching is going well.  I'm understanding more and more and learning more and more.  We are definitely blessed as missionaries with special gifts when we are set apart as missionaries for the Church.  Obviously, I have a ton of things to work on and improve at, but that comes in time.  

ps. We got dumped on by rain on our way to the church building this morning.  Good stuff ;)

Oh, and also, currently we are in mail hold while transfers are commencing.  It should be soon that they start sending them out again.  Speaking of which, I forgot to write down what letters I received from you all this week.  And did I forget last week too??  Ummm...let's see from memory...I believe I received one from Grandma and I did receive the one with the stake newsletter in it from mother.  I think that was #8 or something close to it.  I'll have to double check.  Sorry, I'm still getting used to what I need to remember for letters ;) Dylan should be almost done with the MTC by now I would think.  He probably either left this morning or will leave tomorrow.  Could you get me his address, perhaps? 

I'm going to email you some pictures, but they're aren't very exciting.  I'm trying to think back to when DJ sent pictures, and honestly, I really don't know what to take pictures of.  I could do random crazy shots of me...but that's not very exciting :)

But, I'm eating well, doing well, sleeping pretty well (even though I'm pretty tired, pretty often), and enjoying life.  Yesterday, the spirit reminded me just how important it is to never lose hope because that is a slippery slope into the depths of despair.  (If you want to study some good stuff on hope, see Ephesians, especially chapter 8, I think).

Luvs forever and always,

Elder Patty

Week 8

Monday, August 13, 2012 1:06 PM

Okay family, 

Sorry this letter is so late.  We got here this morning and by george, the internet was not working.  :( Sad day, but one of the bishopric members fixed it for us, so that was nice of him.  Okay.  Let's get down to business.  I received Dad's postcard a while ago (sorry, for some reason the postcard didn't make it in the planner for items from family received ;), I also received Mom's card -- hope-- and letter 8.  I also received Dad's letter this week as well, and I'm glad that Nana and DJ received my letters.  PS. Tell the Rock flock that I remembered their birthday on their birthday ;)

There are a lot of great people down here, and as Dad mentioned in his letter, my bishop here (and at home ;) is excellent.  We are seeing a lot of miracles and progress and blessings in this area.  There are a lot of less actives that just need someone or some ones to take them by the hand and lead them back to the fold.  I'm still learning a ton and growing a ton, and it's hard to believe a transfer is already basically over.  Pretty crazy.   My District consists of us, New Bern, Harker's Island, and Havelock.  Our district leader will probably be leaving this transfer too.  He's a great guy and I love him.  I've learned a lot from him.  Our ward is called Morehead City Ward, and we are the only set of missionaries here.  Our stake center is about 1 hour 15 minutes or so away I think, so that should give perspective...a little.

I'm glad that you all had a good time at the temple.  Speaking of which, we get to go to the temple September 7 :).  Boo yah.  To my brothers, good luck in school; don't be too big of bums.  It's definitely pretty hot right now...kind of disgusting.  Hurricane season is kicking it into high gear right about now, too.  Oh, something crazy that I learned just about 30 minutes ago is that Judgement, singular, has an "e" in the middle, while pluralized Judgments, doesn't.  Go figure.  I never knew that.  Shook my world for a loop.  *mixed metaphor for the win* 

Well, I hope everything else is going well.  Sounds like you all are doing great and growing a lot.   Thanks for being the best family I could have ever hoped for.  Eternities just wouldn't be the same without you :)  Keep up the good work with Bishop, Dad.  I can't imagine being Bishop; you have so much responsibility.  You probably weigh 50 lbs more with that load on your shoulders ;)

Well, okay.  I've got to go.  

Until next week,

Luvs always,

Elder Patty

Week 7

Monday, August 6, 2012 9:25 AM

Family!!!!!!!!

So, yeah.  good stuff. :) Alright, expect another random, no order letter because that's what's on the menu.  Speaking of menu, shrimp actually doesn't taste that bad :)  Who would have thought ;)  and the other night, we had fresh caught Flounder.  DELICIOUS!!!!! So I got DJ's letter, Gram's letter, and #7 from mom.  and YES, on getting into the program for Mechanical Engineering.  That's super nice and relieving, not that I didn't think I'd get in ;)  Oh, I get an hour to write family and to write my Letter to the President.  THE...FLOOR...LOOKS...ABSOLUTELY....AMAZING!!!!!!!!!  Our house just got 30 years younger.  Beautiful.  Tell Velvet I miss and love her ;)  Okay, so yesterday our ward was basically half visitors.  Not kidding.  We get a ton of visitors because we are on the coast and people come here to vacation. We had a little over 200 people in church yesterday and we were packed including the small overflow.  Crazy.  ps.  They are about 450 members in the ward...aka if we could help those less actives return to activity they would have to split the ward...that's without a single baptism!!!!  Crazy again.  

So, what else is interesting that has happened to me.  We are seeing some amazing progress with the individuals we are working with and with the ward.  It's amazing to see the Lord's hand in everything we do.  We experience miracles every day.  Yesterday, was phenomenal.  The spirit was so strong and our Bishop is amazing.  The calling and position of Bishop is seriously a divine position and as Dad knows and has said, is directed by the Lord.  Our Bishop was seriously one inspired man yesterday.  We're probably going to stop by his house tonight and thank him for everything he did and is doing.  

Yesterday, during testimony meeting, I was debating whether I would bear my testimony or not, and then the spirit just told me, "You need to bear your testimony."  So, I decided I wasn't going to let that powerful of a prompting slide by so I got up and bore my testimony.  We had 1 less active there sitting with us, and she is amazing.  It may have been for her, or for anyone else.  Either way, I know that the Lord wanted me to bear my testimony yesterday.  

Last night at a lesson, the spirit was so strong.  During the lesson, while my companion was speaking, I realized through revelation that one of the greatest gifts and blessings that God has given me here on my mission is charity.  I seriously love everyone.  And it's like the love that Christ had and that Moroni speaks of.  I'm not trying to say that I have 100% charity and that I can't possibly have any more charity, but in times past, I may have judged people prematurely at times, but as I continue to serve my mission, I am doing less and less of that, especially once I talk with someone.  As soon as I get over that initial fear and apprehension of talking to a stranger, a love grows inside of me for that person, where I desire them to have what I have and what the gospel gives me in my life.  I want to help them in any way I can.  I want to help them come to Christ.  For example, the other day we were early for an appointment, so Elder Jensen suggested that we bike around the neighborhood to see if there was anyone we could talk to.  The Lord placed in our path this man, who has an incredible amount of faith in Christ and an incredible life story.  As he described himself and his life, I sincerely desired him to know more about the God he so dearly loves, to have even more truths than he currently has.  So, I asked him if there was a time we could return and share our message.  The conversation changed, and we never received an answer, but right before we parted paths, I asked again if there was time because I sincerely and earnestly desired for him to at least have the chance to hear about the restoration of the gospel . Obviously, everyone has agency and he may choose not to accept it in his life right now, but that's not the point because maybe he will or maybe this plants the seed for later conversion.  Who knows, but God. :)  So, this week we have an appointment with him, which will provide the spirit with an opportunity to more fully touch his heart and bring him closer to Christ.  Cross my fingers ;)

I hope that didn't get to drawn out or anything :)  I can't believe it's already the 5th week of the transfer.  A couple more weeks and I'll be in my second transfer.  Crazy stuff.  It's getting super hot here.  August is brutal.  We'll be in the sun for 20-30 minutes and I already am baking.  And the sun seriously exhausts me...makes me sooo tired sometimes.  

Anyways, gotta go.  Have a good week.  I hope I answered any questions.  Life's going well for me.  

Stay safe

Love, 

Elder Patty

Week 6

Monday, July 30, 2012

Hey family, 

So yeah...another week's gone by.  Crazy stuff

Anyways...Good week overall.  It's crazy that we are already over halfway done with the transfer almost.  We taught lots of lessons this week and are super busy.  The Spirit had a baptism on Saturday of this girl we have been teaching.  She is amazing and her mom is solid.  Excellent experience.  Elder Jensen performed the ordinance.  I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.  Also, we met with this lady and her fiance.  The lady is a member, but the fiance is now investigating.  She is absolutely amazing.  She has no problem telling everyone about the church, and has such a strong testimony and deep faith.  She is a convert of 4 years and has spent the last 10 months here in Morehead trying to find us/the church.  Anyways, we are really excited about her and her family.  

I'm eating well, and I'm learning how to cook more variety in food.  The members are definitely feeding us basically everyday for the most part; now we just have to work on clearing up and solidifying the reasoning behind feeding the missionaries because its not for the food.  Anyways, today is a busy day as every other day is.  I received letters 5 and 6 from mom and 2 letters in 1 envelope from Grandma.  Good stuff.  I also received a letter from Meg Michaels (ask DJ for details).  

OK...so I don't really need anything urgently.  At some point, when you send a package, could you possibly include the exercise bands that you got me for my birthday or something.  They should be in my closet on the top shelf, I think.  That's not 100% though. ;) Like I said...those really aren't urgent at all, but just whenever.  Mom...did you hear me? NOT URGENT ;) ;)  haha :)

Alright, other than that.  There are a lot of really great ward members here, and I love serving here.  I know this is where the Lord needs me to be to help labor in his vineyard.  I have seen the Lord bless us in our work and lives as we have put forth the effort, been patient and obedient, and have pushed forward persistently.  I am glad that Dad is doing well as Bishop.  It's a HUGE responsibility, and I know you're doing great.  I'm excited for pictures of the tile! Should look fantastic.  My bike is definitely doing well and is comfortable.  Yesterday, we chose to bike in the rain rather than drive.  Elder Jensen and I both love the rain and don't mind being wet.  

Well I think that's all

Stay strong,

Luvs,

Elder Patty