Wow! The last email that I will send before I've been out for a year. Thursday is September 1st and will be my year mark!!! It's hard to think that I've been out this long.
This week has been very stressful. Like I said earlier Elder Buahin has only been out for like 4 months and Dearborn is where he was trained. He knows the area, just not really well, so planning is kind of all over the place. It's been hard for me because I've been asking a lot of questions about the area and I can see that sometimes it's making him frustrated. I'm trying to back off a little. Even though this week has been really stressful we've gotten a lot done.
August 23, 2011: We had a few lessons today. The first one was with Danita. I've met her before at firesides and she's been to Palmer Park before. Her car wash place is in our area so we go and see her every once in awhile. She is awesome. Then we saw Dolly and Dave. They live in Detroit. Dave was baptized recently and he has a great spirit. He has a small mental disability, but he is really great.
Then we saw two of our investigators:
Mike: His wife is a member, I think his kids also. He just accepted to take the missionary discussions. He seems like a really nice guy, and I know with the help from his wife he'll get baptized pretty soon. They have 3 kids.
Michelle: We both met her for the first time. She is looking for a church and is pretty happy to meet with us. We did an intro and just got to know her and tell her who we are. We saw her again on Saturday (Aug 27) and had a very powerful Plan of Salvation lesson. She felt the spirit very strongly. She has 4 kids.
Wednesday August 24, 2011: I met Linda, she is on baptismal date for November 1st. She loves Culinary arts. She has one daughter (I think is a member, her mom is a member) and she is trying to overcome smoking.
Friday August 26, 2011: Today was sweet. We meet Liola, she is a less-active member. She said that she would come to church to visit but might not come back too often. She'll change her mind...I hope. She is really nice and friendly (People told us she was crazy, haven't seen that yet). Her daughter lives with her sister. Her mom can read palms it was really cool. She said that I will have a long life. I'm going to have 3 kids. Apparently I'm going to make a lot of money but not know how to manage it so I'm going to lose it once I get it, UNLESS I've learned how to manage it, which I have. Apparently I'm very stubborn, and I don't make friends that easily. I guess I'll find out how much of that is true.
I also met Malissa on Friday, she is an investigator. She is super solid, on date for September 18. Loves the church. Has a 4 year old daughter. Super nice.
There is a senior couple that lives next to us, a few apartment doors down. They have been assigned to work with the less-active members in this area. We do a lot of work with them. They are really cool. Elder and Sister Pickett. They have been here for 4 weeks and they are serving a 23 month mission. I don't know if they will be here that whole time but I'm glad that I get to work with them while I am here in Dearborn.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
#51 1/2- Transferred!
I am now in the Dearborn area.
My new companion: Elder Buahin pronounced Bwaheen. His American name is Josh. He is from Ghana West Africa. He went to BYU-Provo for three years so he speaks English pretty well, but sometimes it's hard to understand him because of the accent. I know in time I will be able to understand him really well. He has been out for about 4 months or so. He is a convert to the church of about 2 years, go figure he was at BYU. It's hard not to be converted when you go there. We have been together since Tuesday and things are going pretty good so far.
My new companion: Elder Buahin pronounced Bwaheen. His American name is Josh. He is from Ghana West Africa. He went to BYU-Provo for three years so he speaks English pretty well, but sometimes it's hard to understand him because of the accent. I know in time I will be able to understand him really well. He has been out for about 4 months or so. He is a convert to the church of about 2 years, go figure he was at BYU. It's hard not to be converted when you go there. We have been together since Tuesday and things are going pretty good so far.
Monday, August 22, 2011
#51- Bed Bugs
I'm getting transferred tomorrow! Right when Elder Adair and I start to get along really well they move me. I'll find out tomorrow at transfer meeting where I'm going, so if any of you are sending mail hold on to it until I get my new address or send it to the Mission Office 33505 State St. Ste 101 Farmington, MI 48335
Like I said last week, we got Elder Jones for the week so we get to cover Dexter and Ferndale. It's been a little stressful. There has been some contention between Elder Jones and Elder Adair. I thinks it's mainly because Elder Adair trained Elder Jones and they didn't get along that great when they were together then. Also playing Phase 10 before bed just added to the heat because they hate that I have won a bunch, but they are doing better so things aren't so bad now.
This has been a really long week, probably because we were covering both Ferndale and Dexter. We've biked roughly around 120 miles this week. Going from one area to the other. Last night (Sunday Aug 21) we rode from the bottom of Dexter's area to our apartment in Ferndale, 10 miles. It's not that bad of a ride unless you are wearing a white shirt, tie, slacks, church shoes and a backpack. Oh and going against the wind, which is blowing pretty hard. It took about an hour to do it, maybe a little bit longer.
We've had some great lessons this week. Rita is getting back on track with her Book of Mormon reading, hopefully she is going to be ready for baptism in October after she gets married. She also needs to stop smoking.
Thursday August 18, 2011 - Saturday August 20, 2011 was the Dream Cruise on Woodward. It was really cool, we saw a bunch of really cool cars; old ones, new ones, modified ones, big, little. You get the point.
I can honestly say that this has been one of the most tiring weeks that I've had out in the mission.
There was a story that I forgot to tell all of you. Back on August 1st-3ed when I was with Elder Hunt for an exchange. I went to Dexter and they had bedbugs at the time. The first night I got bit once, the second night I didn't get any. Night of August 3ed I'm back in my apartment and I wake up in the morning with 4 more. We started to freak out. Maybe I brought their bedbugs back to our place, maybe Elder Jones brought them when he came!!! WHATS GOING ON?!?!?! Since then nothing has happened so we aren't worried about it. I can say that I've been bitten by Bedbugs. At home I though it was just the saying "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite." Well guess what. They really do bite.
Like I said last week, we got Elder Jones for the week so we get to cover Dexter and Ferndale. It's been a little stressful. There has been some contention between Elder Jones and Elder Adair. I thinks it's mainly because Elder Adair trained Elder Jones and they didn't get along that great when they were together then. Also playing Phase 10 before bed just added to the heat because they hate that I have won a bunch, but they are doing better so things aren't so bad now.
This has been a really long week, probably because we were covering both Ferndale and Dexter. We've biked roughly around 120 miles this week. Going from one area to the other. Last night (Sunday Aug 21) we rode from the bottom of Dexter's area to our apartment in Ferndale, 10 miles. It's not that bad of a ride unless you are wearing a white shirt, tie, slacks, church shoes and a backpack. Oh and going against the wind, which is blowing pretty hard. It took about an hour to do it, maybe a little bit longer.
We've had some great lessons this week. Rita is getting back on track with her Book of Mormon reading, hopefully she is going to be ready for baptism in October after she gets married. She also needs to stop smoking.
Thursday August 18, 2011 - Saturday August 20, 2011 was the Dream Cruise on Woodward. It was really cool, we saw a bunch of really cool cars; old ones, new ones, modified ones, big, little. You get the point.
I can honestly say that this has been one of the most tiring weeks that I've had out in the mission.
There was a story that I forgot to tell all of you. Back on August 1st-3ed when I was with Elder Hunt for an exchange. I went to Dexter and they had bedbugs at the time. The first night I got bit once, the second night I didn't get any. Night of August 3ed I'm back in my apartment and I wake up in the morning with 4 more. We started to freak out. Maybe I brought their bedbugs back to our place, maybe Elder Jones brought them when he came!!! WHATS GOING ON?!?!?! Since then nothing has happened so we aren't worried about it. I can say that I've been bitten by Bedbugs. At home I though it was just the saying "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite." Well guess what. They really do bite.
Monday, August 15, 2011
#50- Phases
This week has been really good.
We had a Specialized Training meeting, it was very good and I was able to take a lot from it. It was long too, Tuesday and Thursday 9am-4pm.
Tuesday August 9, 2011: They left us a commitment to teach the restoration using short powerful sentences, we were able to use it with Robert, a man that we contacted. As we rode by him, he called out and asked us if we were Jehovah's Witnesses. We were able to share the Restoration and he committed to pray to know if the message we had to share was true. The next day, Wednesday, we went to his house to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon. He said "Give me two weeks. I'll have it read and you can come back a share more with me." "You don't have to read it all before we come back, you can read at your own pace." We are going by this week to see him. He is trying to turn his life around.
Thursday August 11, 2011: It was the second day of Specialized Training. It was really good. One thing we learned was how to address to people who have been exposed to Anti-Mormon stuff. It was fun. After the meeting Elder Adair was feeling really sick, so we didn't do much more that night other than a dinner appointment.
Saturday August 13, 2011: We had a good day. As we were riding around in Detroit, a man called out to us from his porch. "Hey Elders!" We turned around and went to talk to him. Found out that hes met with missionaries before and he knows quite a bit about the history of the Church. He said that he had a Book of Mormon already and we committed him to read from it and ask God if it was true. He didn't want to set a time for us to come back but he said if it's Gods will then we would meet again.
The week was really good and really spiritual. For my studies this last week I've been reading a lot from the New Era and the Ensign and there has been so much that has stood out to me and it has been helping.
Earlier this week Elder Adair bought Phase 10, he really loves it. And I kick his butt every time we play so far I'm 4 for 4 .
Elder Hunt is going home today, believe it or not he's probably on the plane in the Detroit Airport right now, if not he's at least in the airport. Why does this matter you might ask yourself? He is leaving a week early which means that we now have Elder Jones and his area to cover this next week as well. I'm in another tri-panionship. 3 missionaries, 2 areas, lots of biking!
We had a Specialized Training meeting, it was very good and I was able to take a lot from it. It was long too, Tuesday and Thursday 9am-4pm.
Tuesday August 9, 2011: They left us a commitment to teach the restoration using short powerful sentences, we were able to use it with Robert, a man that we contacted. As we rode by him, he called out and asked us if we were Jehovah's Witnesses. We were able to share the Restoration and he committed to pray to know if the message we had to share was true. The next day, Wednesday, we went to his house to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon. He said "Give me two weeks. I'll have it read and you can come back a share more with me." "You don't have to read it all before we come back, you can read at your own pace." We are going by this week to see him. He is trying to turn his life around.
Thursday August 11, 2011: It was the second day of Specialized Training. It was really good. One thing we learned was how to address to people who have been exposed to Anti-Mormon stuff. It was fun. After the meeting Elder Adair was feeling really sick, so we didn't do much more that night other than a dinner appointment.
Saturday August 13, 2011: We had a good day. As we were riding around in Detroit, a man called out to us from his porch. "Hey Elders!" We turned around and went to talk to him. Found out that hes met with missionaries before and he knows quite a bit about the history of the Church. He said that he had a Book of Mormon already and we committed him to read from it and ask God if it was true. He didn't want to set a time for us to come back but he said if it's Gods will then we would meet again.
The week was really good and really spiritual. For my studies this last week I've been reading a lot from the New Era and the Ensign and there has been so much that has stood out to me and it has been helping.
Earlier this week Elder Adair bought Phase 10, he really loves it. And I kick his butt every time we play so far I'm 4 for 4 .
Elder Hunt is going home today, believe it or not he's probably on the plane in the Detroit Airport right now, if not he's at least in the airport. Why does this matter you might ask yourself? He is leaving a week early which means that we now have Elder Jones and his area to cover this next week as well. I'm in another tri-panionship. 3 missionaries, 2 areas, lots of biking!
Monday, August 8, 2011
#49-
Sorry to say, but not much has happened this week. I'll try to get the good stuff for you.
Monday night 6pm (Aug 1) - Wednesday morning 11am (Aug 3) I was on an exchange with Elder Hunt. He goes home in 6 days. Our exchange was really good we got a lot of work done and had a bunch of fun. He hasn't taken many pictures on his mission so I got a lot taken when I was with him. Hopefully I'll be able to send Christian and Molly my current SD card soon so that you can all bug them about seeing some of the cool pictures that I have.
Thursday August 4, 2011: We had an apartment inspection. We passed with flying colors. Everything is now super clean, it feels great.
Saturday August 6, 2011: This was one of the best days. We were doing Arise Detroit at our church building. We were giving out backpacks and school supplies to a bunch of children. It was so cool to see their happy faces. I got to wear one of the Mormon Helping Hands Vests, that was cool too. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera so I didn't get any pictures of the day.
That's about it for the week. Sorry about the shortness of this email.
Monday night 6pm (Aug 1) - Wednesday morning 11am (Aug 3) I was on an exchange with Elder Hunt. He goes home in 6 days. Our exchange was really good we got a lot of work done and had a bunch of fun. He hasn't taken many pictures on his mission so I got a lot taken when I was with him. Hopefully I'll be able to send Christian and Molly my current SD card soon so that you can all bug them about seeing some of the cool pictures that I have.
Thursday August 4, 2011: We had an apartment inspection. We passed with flying colors. Everything is now super clean, it feels great.
Saturday August 6, 2011: This was one of the best days. We were doing Arise Detroit at our church building. We were giving out backpacks and school supplies to a bunch of children. It was so cool to see their happy faces. I got to wear one of the Mormon Helping Hands Vests, that was cool too. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera so I didn't get any pictures of the day.
That's about it for the week. Sorry about the shortness of this email.
Monday, August 1, 2011
#48- Miracles
This week has been really good. We've seen some miracles happen.
Monday July 25, 2011: We switched our preparation day to Thursday so we had exchanges. I went to Hamtramck with Elder Barclay. We had a good day. We switched back on Tuesday at 1pm, but before we switched back we did some service for Brother Baker. He is doing a lot of work in the house that he is renovating so we got to help shovel up the dry wall and stuff. It's a 3 story (above ground) house with a basement. It was built around 1920ish, it has like 8 rooms 4-5 bath, it's a big house. He said that he got it for 20k, a house like that in the condition that he got it in (not good condition) I would guess that it would cost around 200k in California maybe more. I'm not sure but that's my guess. We switched back at district meeting and on our way there Elder Barclay and I went and got some Pączki's (pronounced Punchki) it's basically like a Polish doughnut they are really good.
Tuesday July 26, 2011: We taught 6 lessons, which is unusual. One of those lessons was with a newer investigator, Rosa, it had to be one of the most powerful Restoration lessons that I have ever had. We then stopped by a former investigator that we had and she has accepted for us to come back to teach her. It was an amazing day.
Thursday July 28, 2011: Today was our preparation day. We switched it so that we could go to Downtown Detroit. Downtown Detroit is amazing, it's so cool. I saw Canada again and I walked right past the tunnel to go there. We went to the GM building and walked around. We also went to a few stores. The main reason for going to downtown was because we went to the Tigers game verses the LA Angels. It was a sweet game. The Angles won 12-7. I also had to spend $50 to fix my bike so that kinda sucked, but hey if you want your bike fixed you're going to have to pay for it right?
The rest of the week was normal. We had some fun and taught some sweet lessons.
Today August 1, 2011: Today is my 11 month day. I can't believe that it's been this long. This time next month, time will start going by faster and faster.
Monday July 25, 2011: We switched our preparation day to Thursday so we had exchanges. I went to Hamtramck with Elder Barclay. We had a good day. We switched back on Tuesday at 1pm, but before we switched back we did some service for Brother Baker. He is doing a lot of work in the house that he is renovating so we got to help shovel up the dry wall and stuff. It's a 3 story (above ground) house with a basement. It was built around 1920ish, it has like 8 rooms 4-5 bath, it's a big house. He said that he got it for 20k, a house like that in the condition that he got it in (not good condition) I would guess that it would cost around 200k in California maybe more. I'm not sure but that's my guess. We switched back at district meeting and on our way there Elder Barclay and I went and got some Pączki's (pronounced Punchki) it's basically like a Polish doughnut they are really good.
Tuesday July 26, 2011: We taught 6 lessons, which is unusual. One of those lessons was with a newer investigator, Rosa, it had to be one of the most powerful Restoration lessons that I have ever had. We then stopped by a former investigator that we had and she has accepted for us to come back to teach her. It was an amazing day.
Thursday July 28, 2011: Today was our preparation day. We switched it so that we could go to Downtown Detroit. Downtown Detroit is amazing, it's so cool. I saw Canada again and I walked right past the tunnel to go there. We went to the GM building and walked around. We also went to a few stores. The main reason for going to downtown was because we went to the Tigers game verses the LA Angels. It was a sweet game. The Angles won 12-7. I also had to spend $50 to fix my bike so that kinda sucked, but hey if you want your bike fixed you're going to have to pay for it right?
The rest of the week was normal. We had some fun and taught some sweet lessons.
Today August 1, 2011: Today is my 11 month day. I can't believe that it's been this long. This time next month, time will start going by faster and faster.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)