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If this is what Heaven is like…

Hey guys! (See i’m still somewhat Arizonan – don’t worry! Y’alls dont always come out.)

This week has been pretty fantastic overall if I do say so myself!

Tuesday we had a “Zone Training,” which is basically where our whole Zone gets together to learn and share goals. This one was different, however, we shared goals, then split up into our districts for a district meeting. a quick back story: This mission has given us new tools to try on people – one of them  offering others “21 Tips for Better Grades” – no strings attached. This is supposed to break the awkward “Im a missionary – heres the gospel” first impression. After explaining some of these tips to them, theyll ask what the name tags are for – etc. Well in this District meeting I was asked to share how these 21 Tips help us missionaries. I found some sweet scriptural backup for the points.

This week we were out tracting a street that happened to be Vietnamese….So we were going to head to a different street when a black lady came outside to smoke – we talked to her and she was excited to have us back! We’ll go wednesday.

We’ve started teaching Teresa, Her 2 kids, and Melinda, her sister this week. They were being taught in Bedford and moved to Arlington with baptismal dates! They are so awesome! They totally understand everything, and the things they dont, they are bold to say they dont understand – I love it. They take NOTES. This blew my mind! Things I learned in primary, adults were anxious to take down on paper! We’ve met with them 3 times this week.

Sandra is moving along great! we see her 3 times a week, loves to come to church, and we’ve gotten over the….difficult lessons, and shes still good to go! we hope to move her baptismal up date to 2 weeks from now! Whoo!!!

This week we helped someone move and I developed a bad cough from the dust….I miss singing 🙁

We also helped Shelby add her testimony and conversion story into FamilySearch.org! Everyone needs to get on there and find some ancestors! Its sooo cool!

A couple funny moments: We were teaching lesson 1 over to Shelby for the new-member lessons and Elder Mansaray was just really tired. We were were talking about the Resurrection, he starts out by saying, “So we all know we are going to die…and decay…” And this freaked Shelby out! Just a little too descriptive there Elder! The next day we were on the phone with our district leader Elder Lewis and finished making some plans Elder L said, “Alright, does that sound good?” and Elder Mansaray said, “Yeah, sounds like a plan” and after they said goodbyes I said, “That’ll do pig! That ‘ll do. Do you know where thats from Elder?” and Elder M replied, “Babe.” Then we hear from the phone, “What?” hahah Elder Lewis hadn’t hung up yet so it sounded like Elder M was still talking to him. Im not sure if that made sense…but it was funny!
Yesterday was way cool! We had Sandra, Teresa, one of her kids, Melinda, and Claude at church! There was a Mission Presidents Fireside last night! Sister Eldredge drove us and piled Bobby, Me, Elder M, Claude, and Brother Kyle into the van. We had a great time. I got to see Elder Austin, Elder Moody, and other missionaries I knew! It was the best thing ever. Bro. Kyle is a lessactive that surprizingly said he’d come! he wont come to church. He acted like he had an ok time, but Sister Eldredge said that she was talking to him and he said, “If this is what Heaven is like, Id go in an instant.” That is insanely awesome to hear! (Youd have to know him)

Well I love all y’all!

Elder Householder
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Battle Wounds

Hey Ya’ll!

Ill just jump into it! This week has been pretty interesting. Its been difficult, but Ive been able to find some funny moments amongst the hard times:

This last tuesday I went on an exchange with my Zone Leader Elder Nielson. He has been struggling with some sort of spiderbite/irritation and was concerned about it so we ended up getting the Ok from Sis. Ames (Mission Pres. Wife) to go to the Urgent care. While riding a mile and a half away to the urgent care, it was slightly raining. I crossed the street and totally biffed it in the urgent care parking lot, shredding the pocket area of my favorite slacks  (but nothing beneath if you catch my drift! ;] ), taking my scabs off from my last fall, and making me symetrical with my hip bruises and skinned ankles! (from the last one to this one). I just go into detail cause its a cool story. Battle Wounds! In the meantime Elder Nielson almost got hit by a car! Walking into the Urgent care, Elder Nielson realized he left the insurance card at the apartment…So broken, we rode back home, changed pants and grabbed the card and went back. We taught a nurse basically lesson one too – so wasnt a total waste of time!

We also taught Will at the Eldredges again after being outta town for a month!

Wednesday while out with Bobby, we got a call from the ‘North Elders’ (other set of missionaries in our ward) telling us that someone at the hospitol in our area needed a blessing and asked if we could do it. We immediately went over there and gave it to the person. I almost passed out mid prayer! Dont lock your knees! haha Cool experience.

Thursday we went by a kid we wanted to start teaching and he wasnt home, but his older brother Mike let us in and we taught him lesson one and he accepted baptism on the 30th! We’ll see how that goes! He said, “I think I needed this!”

We’ve been helping a lot of people move recently – we’re the wards moving crew! haha We get fed too, so I cant complain! The food here is awesome! Lots of meat, pizza, mexican food, Tex-Mex, and other stuffages.

Yesterday in Priesthood, the teacher gets up and says, “So I wasnt here last week, so I hope nobody spoke on this subject! Its Elder Zwick’s ‘What Were You Thinking?” We all smiled because thats what we were taught last week haha last weeks teacher threw in a lot of good points in the lesson and I think it suprized this weeks teacher how many good points he had! Not knowing he taught the same thing last week haha. The Lord has a great sense of humor – after learning about that talk and not applying it well this last week, Were taught it again this week…haha “I get the point!”

Last night we were riding home in the dark (with our bike lights) and because I usually lead the way (knowing the area a little better), I crossed a street light and looked back to see if my comp was following. He was nowhere in sight! It was really weird! So I turned back and found him getting back on his bike. Someone threw one of those half-liter waterbottles half full at him from a car…So messed up. Thats my worst fear about being near the main roads – with my orange incidents in the past. Its still hurting him a little, but he’ll be fine.

I love Arlington! Its really ghetto and rundown in some areas, but the members are great, and I love the natural scenery! We’re teaching a couple people some lessons, but everyone is flakey at the same time…its kinda like, “If you catch me, teach me. If im not home, try later” Its hard to set appointment times and have them keep it. Sandra is progressing great! she should be baptized within the month hopefully. Claude is dealing with some legal troubles so we meet with him when we can. Derek keeps canceling. We continue to meet with some less-actives and they are progressing too! The work is great! Flippin (i may get punched for that) hard, but worth it in the end!

Love all y’all to death! And I love hearing from you, thanks for the letters!

Elder Householder

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Pictures

Me and Elder Mansaray (And our district leader Elder Lewis photo bombing in the back) (Im suprized he knows what that is - seeing hes been out 2 years! leaves in 3 weeks.)
Me and Elder Mansaray (And our district leader Elder Lewis photo bombing in the back) (Im suprized he knows what that is – seeing hes been out 2 years! leaves in 3 weeks.)
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Austin Gee before he left on his mission – he’d come out with us a lot also. Love that kid

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Elder Austin right before he left
Elder Austin dubbed me a knight with his samurai sword passed down from “Father” to father
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Elder Walker that was a goofball!
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Elder Weaver (Most Christlike person Ever) (Old Zone Leader)
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One last shot with everyone
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The night before Elder Austin left – we were all sad
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The night before Elder Austin left

Swimming without Apostasizing

Hey Everyone!

This week has been pretty good! Freakishly HOT, but good! For the record, I’d take an Arizonan summer over a Texas one ANY day. haha the humidity helps me be able to swim without being apostate!

This week we had Zone Conference! It was awesome. President talked to us about finding more people to teach. We did some roleplays, etc. During the conference, we were told that we should print off our family fanchart off of FamilySearch and laminate it to show people on the streets! So we did that the next day!

So Bobby got some subbs (basses) for his truck this week. Now let me paint you a picture: You’re stopped at a light and you see a black truck pull up bases pounding (you could hear them down the street). The windows roll down and you see the missionaries in the passenger seats with music blaring…MoTab! “THE IRON ROD IS THE WORD OF GOD!” Hahah It was soooo funny! The organ came out in the bass pretty well.

This week we also went to go see Flora and we were teaching lesson one over again. We were talking about Prophets and she cut us off and asked us a question (That made it sound like she was going to try to trip us up in our answer…) “SO WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE BACK THEN LIVED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS BUT WE ONLY LIVE 3 SCORE YEARS?” (First off, people back then only lived hundreds of years…) so we gave our best answer! “Well maybe God had a different role for them than us! In that time, a main commandment was to multiply and replenish the earth. Today, theres many people on the earth.” (Just gave it a shot.) and Flora says, “LISTEN HERE…I ASKED A DIRECT QUESTION AND I EXPECT A DIRECT ANSWER! DONT GIVE ME WHAT YOU THINK!” So then we told her, “Well we dont know the answer Flora…” And she then relaxed immediately and said, “Oh…Okay, move on!” hahah “IF YOU DONT KNOW THE ANSWER, JUST SAY YOU DONT KNOW THE ANSWER!” Oh goodness…

So we were helping someone move, and bishop was trying to move a dresser out of a room, but it wasnt going to go out without taking the door off. So I told Bishop I knew how to take a door off! But then I realized WHY I knew how to…To try to get the master key bobby locked in a room at the church! Haha and…but I wasnt exactly gonna mention that haha Oops…

On Saturday we taught Shelby half of Lesson 5 which talked about induring to the end and such. But we also wanted to stress the importance of getting a patriarchal blessing. After talking about it and explaining why its so important, she called bishop to ask for an interview! So she spoke with bishop yesterday!

Yesterday we were helping Bobby prepare the sacrament because the rest of the young men were on a boy scout camp in new mexico. When pulling out the bread Bobby asked, “When did this expire?…” (looking for the label) and I laughed hard because id figure the question should be, “Has this expired yet?” You know you have it bad when you ask that question…hahah

We got Claude to come to church! He was once a gangbanger and he was talking about it in sunday school and asked, “Is it just me, or does it seem that bad things happen the closer to try to get to God?” He was looking around the room because he literally thought he was the only one to think that. Then we all chimed in and agreed. There was actually a new convert that chimed in and shared some similar experiences as Claude did, and I could tell they were both almost in tears because they both could relate about relatives dying “In action”. It was really cool.

In Ward Choir we’re singing, “From Cumorah’s Hill”! It sounds terrible, but Its fun to sing along to a childhood favorite!

Last night we taught Shelby the other half of Lesson 5 which included Missionary work, Service, and Eternal Marriage. After the lesson, we were trying to figure out how we were going to fit the “New member lessons” in before she heads to college in a month, so I said, “I propose…” And then Sister Eldredge jumped in and said, “You’re Proposing?!” (RIGHT after talking about Eternal Marriage…) Leave it to phunny Sister Eldredge!

Well I love all Yall! Hope to hear from ya!

Pictures include the night before Elder Austin left. We were all sad.

Elder Householder

Just Read It

Howdy Howdy!

Lots have happened this week, but Ill share some of my favorite stories!

This week there was an epic rainstorm accompanied by lightning and thunder. There was a point in our apartment where we heard a loud crack in our ears, and in than instant, a flash of light in the windows! We went outside, and there was a vent on the building that was ringing super loud with what sounded like an alarm! The lightning struck REALLY close.

Tuesday after district meeting we initiated the two new elders in the ward by bringing them to China Harbor! Our favorite. Thursday we went to a members home and they explained that the wife signed up for feeding the missionaries on tuesday, and the husband signed up to feed the missionaries on thursday! So the ‘north elders’ went tuesday and us thursday. The couple told us to eat a lot because they were confused why the other elders “ate like pigeons” on tuesday. Then we remember we took them to China Harbor for lunch that day! It was hilarious. At least I thought so…haha

We spoke to Flora for Elder Mansaray’s first time and she (as always) was screaming some random doctrine that made no sense! Then she tried to explain to us, “YALL CANT BE GOING AROUND INTO PEOPLES HOMES AND TELLING THEM THAT THE BOOK OF MORMONS (What she calls our church) ARE THE TRUE GOD OF CHRIST!! (True church of Christ) YOU JUST CANT DO THAT!!” Ummmm…Yes we can Flora! Just watch us! hahah After a while you just find a way of interpreting what shes saying….haha we’ll get her though…She hasnt been confirmed yet, and shes a little crazy…so were going over all the lessons again.

I dislike when members ask, “Do you want some more? I have more in the kitchen!” Look. We are missionaries. We. Love. Food. Just bring it out! haha When we were at a members home for dinner, and the wife asked that, Elder M. and I looked at each other and the husband saw us and said, “Yes they do! How many hot dogs are left in the fridge?” “Seven.” “Cook ’em all and bring them out here!” Thats what up! haha

Friday had its ups and downs.

We did a service project, but they didnt tell us what It was until we got there. They handed us latex gloves (they ran out so I got one) and face masks. Then they opened the garage that reaked! They explained that the cats were locked in the garage and nobody cleaned up after them for about a year… They wanted us to….dispose of the waste. It was sick and wrong. But we got Little Ceasers out of it! And some new shoes that were being tossed and a couple shirts.

There was a ward party that night and Claude (gator [as Jacob would call it]) came! The fellowship was great! There was lots of food, snowcones, Green Grass and TREES. Like real trees – not mesquite. hahah All the kids were having a pull up competition on my arm too. Then they made an announcement, “Alright, we’re going to start the movie! *Look at the Elders* Sorry guys!” They were kicking us out. Its ok, I didnt want to watch the Lego Movie anyway! ;]

Church was great, we had 2 investigators at church! They loved it. In Elders Quorum they were taking a vote on what movie they should watch for their own party, and I yelled, “The Testaments!” For some odd reason it wasn’t favored, but It got some good laughs ;]

In Gospel Principles, The teacher mentioned that it smelled like there was a gas leakage in the primary room and that Bishop was going to take care of it. Cory (gator) suggested that the gas leakage could’ve come from the children! Hahaha I was dying! So funny.

We have been teaching a less active member every week that has no desire to read, pray, come to church. He doesnt know why either. He told us that we could work on him and see If he gains a desire, but he said no promises. As we’ve been going by more and more, we see a difference in him. We thought we would just read the Book of Mormon with him every week. So for our first time trying that, we ended by asking him to read a verse a day – as a challenge. He said that was a good challenge because he knew he wouldnt do it. Then I suggested, “What if we call you and remind you every day?” and after thinking it over, he said, “Fine, just a verse a day?” So Im excited to see what he is like on wednesday!

Last night our District leader called and said that supply orders are due, so I told him Id like a couple dozen hotdogs and hamburgers. He told me that they would be bad by the time our investigators got them, so I should try something non-perishable…hahah good stuff.

Oh! I almost forgot, I totally fell off my bike the other day after it rained…lets just say I have some good conversation pieces! Or battle wounds. Take your pick!

Also, we set 2 baptismal dates this week, and at least one of them looks promising!

I love all yall, I hope you have enjoyed this long message!

I’ll be fixin to send another one soon ;]

Luh-bye!

Elder Householder

Mind Blown!

Hey y’all!

This week has been interesting with transfers and all.

Im now companions with Elder Mansaray.

So we were talking about our brothers and found out that they both served in Fort Collins on their missions! Then I remembered that Jacob is rooming at BYUI with someone from his mission…and that he had a brother in this mission! But I was supposed to look for an Elder Fadika or something like that. But I told Elder mansaray that I was suposed to look for some black missionary here, he told me that his older brother had said the same thing! Story short: Im serving with Jacobs companions little bro :] With a different last name. Small world!

Im also finding it hard to be the missionary left in the area – as I have to introduce my new comp. to the investigators. Always choosing where to go and such…but its all good!

The Lord is testing my patience! Haha we have a lot of Texas Talkers. If you stand in front of them, theyll go on for at LEAST an hour.

Recently we met with Flora and told her that I had given a talk in church on Sorrow (and how we need not to). She then said, “WAIT, THERES A LOT TO BE SORROWFUL ABOUT!” I then said that i guess there was some to be sorry about, and then she said, “OK, THEN WHAT IS SOMETHING YOUD BE SORROWFUL ABOUT?” I told her if my friend got hurt. then that stumped her! (Shes just trying to argue any point I have and she couldnt figure out how to argue that) She thought really hard then said, “SO IF YOUR FRIEND GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT WOULD YOU FIRST BE WORRIED, OR SORROWFUL?” and I was thinking, “Flora, cant I be both at the same time?!” hahah she then ended with, “I DONT SORROW, SORROW IS DEAD IN ME!” Oh Flora…She totally changed views in 5 min. goodness…hahah

Well sorry its short, Ive been kicked off!

Love you all!!

Elder Householder

Lost keys

Hey Hey,

Last Monday Bobby got his dads master key for the church so we could email home. In the process, Bobby goes into a certain room and came out. Later, he couldn’t find the master key! We searched the whole building for it. We said prayers and then thought. It could be nowhere but that room he went into! But it was locked! So we spent an hour and a half of our Pday trying to get into the room, using a shoe lace, gift card, and a pocket knife. We ALMOST had it! but then we started trying a different system. Elder Austin was getting worked up so he jammed a butter knife and a pie cutterin the jam of the door and it opened! hahaha And guess what! The key wasnt in there. So we went home and Bobby thought his dad was gonna yell at him, but that night he found it in a pocket (even after we told him to check his pockets a billion times! ;] ).

We went to the family history center this week to help Shelby make a tree! It was difficult to find some of her people, but its making progress! Thursday we had the great opportunity to go to the temple with her for her first time and did baptisms! I did confirmations for the dead for the first time as a melchezidek priesthood holder! It was legit.

There was a time where I stole Elder Austins name tag off of his shirt and walked into the other room. When he chased after me to get it back, I gave him mine and he put it on his shirt while giving me a smirk so he didnt realize! I then went and put my other one on so he wouldnt notice haha. It took him an hour to notice! When someone got really confused. He then threw my name tag at me and asked for his back hahaha.

For Independance Day (yeah, im correcting everybody – its NOT the “4th of July”!) haha. Being Texas, and a patriotic holiday, nobody was going to listen to us. We spent dinner with the Eldredges extended family. Fireworks are illegal in city limits, but someone still threw a firecracker just so we got to see something ;].

Saturday was a day of firsts for me! We took 2 youth out with us (1 getting ready for a mission, the other Bobby) and we went tracting in the Ghetto part of our area. They are all so nice compared to the places we usually stick to! So we knocked on a door and a man opened the door, yelled, “NOT INTERESTED, GO HOME.” and slammed the door in our face! Whoo first time ever! but Elder Austin said, “Alright, God bless!!”

I was also walking down the street and told Elder Austin how thirsty I was and and guy came by on a moped and offered me one no more than 30 seconds later! So awesome! We also got a ride from a random member, tender mercies!

Sunday was awesome. Chris is a mid 20s kid who came to church last week in a shirt, jeans and backpack and said he wanted to be baptized. Hes a little off maybe asburgers or something, but hes hilarious! Brother Sharp offered the time to the congregation for testimonies and Chris just raised his hand from the middle of the congregation! hahaha then someone told him he could just walk up. In Priesthood, he stood up as a “visitor or new member” and apologized for missing 2nd hour, “I had to get a burger” haha we were dying!

Today we were informeed that Elder Austin is leaving for transfers. Its super saddening because weve had a lot of success together and a lot of crazy moments. Elder Manseray is replacing him and he’s apparently a big black guy! haha Just imagine the both of us walking down the street… 🙂

Well I love yall!! Have the best week ever!

Elder Householder

Why Should I Sorrow?

Hey Y’all!

This week has been pretty good!

A funny: I was walking not watching where I was going and totally smacked my head on a low bar by a fence…definitely left a red mark there for about a week haha

I gave my first “training” or lesson thing in District meeting! t’was good – about the atonement.

After District meeting we went to China Buffet again – super good chinese buffet, and ate plate after plate. Plus Ice cream. lots and lots of ice cream. (because I can ;] ). I ate so much i wouldve probably rolled on home if I tripped… Later that day we had an dinner appointment with an older couple and they loaded us up. As I would make a little room on my plate, they would give me more! and more…. and MORE. There is something that Texans dont understand about a 158 lb teenager! I have never felt so huge. Then they gave us a big slice of like double chocolate cake…I didnt wanna do anything ever again.

Flora is just digressing. She…feels judged by everyone at her baptism and doesnt wanna come back. She also seems to be forgetting the doctrine we have taught…Sad day.

Everytime we leave floras house, we leave with a Dr. Pepper and chips in hand. She yells, “IF YOU GET DOGS RUNNIN AFTER YOU, OPEN YO BAG ‘O LAYS AND DUMP THEM BEHIND YOU, BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS NOBODY CAN JUST EAT ONE LAYS!” hahaha sooo funny.

A member that came out with us to see her left saying, “There were times I had to keep my self from laughing and other times from jumping up and yelling, “ARE YOU INSANE WOMAN?!” Hahah Flora help us feel lots of things while talking to her. I love her immensely.

Thursday we were kinda down, but it was just our weekly planning day. Somehow we started talking about Despicable Me and how the little girls slap their cheeks. Before we knew it, we were simultaneously recording each other making weird faces and cheek smacking vids. Dont judge, just be proud. Needless to say, we were feeling better after that haha.

We were able to get ahold of some people weve been trying to for a while! destroying their concerns and are totally seeing them again soon.

This last friday Elder Austin and I were asked to speak in church yesterday. We got to choose what topic. Bobby was then asked to be the youth speaker saturday night…haha Perks of being the son of a bishopric member! So basically our missionary trio spoke. Bobby spoke of being anxiously engaged, I titled my talk: “Why Should I Sorrow?” and Elder Austin: “The War is Real”
Well I hope this jump into the shoes of Elder Householder was at least amusing!

Love all y’all!

Elder Householder

Note from Mom: Sister Eldredge sent me a copy of Nathan’s (and Bobby’s) talks:
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Hi Leslie!

Elder Householder gave the most beautiful tender talk today in our ward. I thought y’all might like to hear it! 😉

Every person in our ward needed the message he gave. It was very touching.

The first part is my son’s talk – he was the youth speaker.

Take care,

Mary