September 21, 2015

First Week of Second Transers

This past week was different, transfers came and I got my new trainee. My new companion is cool...he's a character! His name is Elder Burciaga, he's from Arizona. I don't think he's too used to walking...the first day of work for him opened his eyes I think. I think I have been killing him as far as work haha. One thing I've have learned is he snores CRAZY loud haha...and he falls asleep at the flip of a switch. Yesterday in church he fell asleep like ten times and started snoring super loud and I had to keep nudging him! But he has a big heart and really strong testimony. He was sealed to his family a month before he came out as well as baptize his step dad, so I thought that was pretty cool. He has kinda grown up living kind of a rough life from the sounds of things, but he has pulled through and seen that light at the end of the tunnel.

I miss my boys Clanton and Stephens, but it's still fun in the apartment. We have been workin hard and picked up another few investigators. Our progressings cancelled appointments on us last week so I was bummed about that, but we are doing our best to keep them around. Our goal is to get three people on date within the next couple weeks that we didn't already have on date. It's gonna take some faith for sure. Alma 32 is an awesome chapter that talks a lot of faith and compares faith to a seed, that if we nourish it, it will grow. In D&C 18:19 it sais "And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing". Everything requires faith whether it consists of our religious outlook, or just day to day things. Once we exercise our faith in something(nourish the seed), we begin to have a perfect knowledge of that thing. Missionary work definitely takes a lot of faith. At home you guys can exercise your faith by the simple day to day things (prayer, reading from BOM, church), but I'd challenge you all to go out of your way and talk to others who might be interested in hearing a message we as Mormons have to share, but doing so your faith will grow.

Love you all guys! By the sounds of things, it sounds like everything's going alright! Don't be afraid to let me know if crap goes down at home!! Haha

Sincerely,
Elder Andrew

September 14, 2015

This week...a lot has happened...we got transfer letters first off, and I am staying in the area..and training a new elder. I'm one of three doing this out of all the newer missionaries. As part of the call, obviously I take over the area and am "senior companion". I think I'm going to have a rude awakening regardless how involved I think I am in the companionship because in like a day, I'm going to have to start doing EVERYTHING. I'm pretty nervous, considering I've only been out for about six weeks (a lot of time people don't listen or take seriously newer missionaries). I'm gonna do my best to stay on top of things tho. We have a new game plan for the ward as far as missionary work and I think it will be very effective if we can put it to action.

Other than transfers we have been fairly busy with appointments so there hasn't been a lot of time to tract. We have three progressing investigators who should be on date for baptism within the next week and it will be on me cause Clanton will be out of here. It's sweet to see some hard work start to pay off.

At the beginning of the week I gave my first two blessing! A less active asked us to bless her children for the new school year on the spot so I was pretty nervous, but you could definitely feel the spirit and it went well as far as me not screwing up or anything haha.

We have talked to a few people that want to convert us to "science" and think God is as real as leprechauns and the Book of Mormon is no better than reading out of a Harry Potter book, so they are kinda fun to talk to.

We had a cool service project where I got cut up and stuff (for the ward) cause we were taking out blackberry bushes. Decent week!

This next week will be interesting. We have been doing tons of service lately too. Service is one of if not the best way to show Christlike charity to others. Through service our love and appreciation for God and the people we serve increases and our understanding for true happiness grows. If you haven't already seen it, look up the "lift"Mormon message...it's pretty cool. I can promise you guys serving others will bring you closer to Christ and with that , would invite you to look for opportunities to serve those around you, whether it been a project or just a smile. Love you guys!


Sincerely,

Elder Andrew

September 7, 2015

This week was fast!

We have been getting suuper busy! There is a new set of missionaries coming in and we won't have enough trainers to train all of them...so they are picking three of the 32 elders last
transfered to train someone after only being trained for 6 weeks....and
the AP's and Zone Leaders are saying I'm one of the three...so I'm kinda nervous. I'm kinda not even close to done with my own training technically, but I guess they think I'm ready.

Transfers is this next week. I think my companion Elder Clanton will be moving to a different area, but you never know I guess. President Taylor receives revelation and it's NEVER foreseeable. 

This week has been cool though, we ran into Damien Lillard's home....gave his brother and friend a Book of Mormon, and they want us to come back. Damien will be there next time we are there!! We were stoked on that! We were tracting and ran into a lady that had leperacy....! She looked extremely rough, it was pretty sad. We have been getting quite successful though as far as the work. This area was at a stand still, now we have around ten investigators,three of which are progressing, and one on date. It's definitely a pretty rough area to tract cause we are in a very wealthy area, so people aren't really in a humbling stage in life where they really need anything else, they think they are content where they are, which is understandable.

We had the zone leaders stay at our apartment like four nights this weeks cause they were temporarily kicked out of there apartment. We had some
fun.

Glad things are running smoothly at home and everybody is happy.

Love you guys.

Sincerely,
Elder Andrew

Sunday Dinner at The Schnell's

August 31, 2015

Hey yall!!

The work is progressing and we are working till we drop everyday! It's honestly an awesome feeling! We picked up a few new investigators this week, so we are pretty stoked about that.

So earlier this week we had a prompting to go visit some member at his house for a drink of water and a quick message haha....turns out his girlfriend was there who is now a very interested investigator and they gave me one of their old acoustic guitars for FREE!!! I was so stoked by the end of that night...that day was awesome anyways, everyone answered their doors that day, we handed out all of our b.o.m.s, taught like a million lessons...we were on fire, and that's how a lot of the week was, with the exception of a day or too!

My testimony and love for this gospel strengthens everyday. We have had a few people, get out of there car and try to bash with us, and by the end of the discussion, my testimony is only strengthened. I'd invite you guys to look for your own testimony builders rather than let them come to you...it will give you missionary chances that you can act on, and you can have a glimpse of the miracles I see everyday. 

Love you all, and am glad all is well. 

Love ya!!

Sincerely,
Elder Andrew

Week 5

What's up guys!

Sorry I didn't have a ton of time to write last week, but time is FLYING. It seriously feels like every other day is P-day.

So last week, to start out on a negative note, we lost Matt (our really cool investigator) cause he got kicked out of the nursing home for insurance reasons. It was depressing cause he was really interested and now that he is out of there, he is also out of our area so we

can't do anything about it. We talked to him on the phone and he said he is probably just going to go back to his old church. We compensated for having a straight up awesome week this week though. We found three new investigators, who are all interested a lot! 

By the end of the week and during meetings, me and Elder Clanton are just done cause we are in the only walking area in the whole mission. It's been a little
hard walking cause all the hills in our area, and there was a huge natural fire so everywhere has been super smokey and hurts to breathe. Haha sister training leaders thought we were acting like we were to cool to be at one meeting cause we looked tired, but I guess thats what
you get when you walk 15 to 30 miles a day in smoke. Oh well, our work has definitely paid off and we can both agree we saw miracles this week. 

As far as living, all four of us living together are best buds and are laughing or singing when we are studying. 130 bucks a month for everything can kinda make it hard, but it's slowly teaching me
better budgeting and spending habits. 

It's awesome out here, I love the work, and am doing my best to work my hardest. Everyday I learn something knew.

A quick thought for you all: we had a lesson the other night about how God has blesses us and how it's sometimes hard to see his hand in our lives. We have to remember that a lot of blessings that he has promised us are eternal, and if we live our life right and in harmony with Christ's teachings, we we can see the small ways God has blessed us here on earth, but more importantly, better appreciate the blessings that he has promised us eternally. God loves us all very much and wants us aware of the blessings we can receive if we are patient and obedient to his commandments. Obedience and patience has allowed me to see the blessings in my life and better appreciate the blessings to come.

I hope you all had a great week. Remember to think of referrals for the local missionaries in your ward...it's a lot of help;) love you all

Sincerely,
Elder Andrew

First Missionary Selfies

Me and Clanton's first selfies.

Honestly I lucked out...amazing apartment, member meals every night...I eat well all the time...it now a matter of realizing we are blessed so we need to work even harder haha