Hey hey!

This week has been a meeting packed week!

Zone Conference, Mission Leadership Council (MLC) and District Leader Council. Tomorrow in Zone Council too… Someday ill get a picture of my many naps in the clerks office planning these events and entering reports.

This week we were able to meet with an awesome part member family. Husband is not a member. We prepared to teach the Restoration. Before we started the husband said, “It is my intention to join the episcopalian church.” Made my heart drop almost like he was closing himself off to start. He is the kindest man ever, we just need to get that spirit in him!

Zone Conference was great! President Is a very powerful speaker. MLC was legit! Ill send home my notes for both!

We have been doing a lot of finding this week as well. There is one
side of the area that has really humble poeple – but dont commit
easily. We’ve been getting some awesome referrals as well – from the spanish hermanas, the keller sisters, and others!

We met with Austin last week and taught him the restoration.
Everything made so much sense to him – he said we made more sense than anyone else he’d met! We set a return appointment for tonight! Wish us luck!

Elder Evensen got out of bed this morning and went to the restroom. I instinctively got down and started to pray. When I finished, I saw
that it was 5:30 – an hour before we had to wake up! Definitely the
best hour of sleep ever :]

We had a Ward pancake breakfast for Independence Day! We walked in and a hilarious member said, “Sit down and put some pancakes in your face! We’ll talk later!!” hahah killed me. Same member is holding the flag behind our head in the picture.

I also got to see my first flag retirement ceremony too! So cool. Met
the Hancock’s too!

Time laps videos are the coolest thing! Get a load of our day!

We had a member last week come to us and say that they want
missionaries to teach his finance! So cool.

Love yall!!

Elder Householder

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Zone Conference

▪️ President Ames Opening Remarks:
▫️ “As many came unto the gospel . . . They did never fall away” (Alma 23:6)
▫️ -Mission Culture
▫️ There were a lot of members in the Baptismal photos in the video
▫️ Go in prayer to have the Lord change our hearts – even more than
they are right now.
▫️ If we open our hearts, the Lord will help us hear what we need to hear.
▫️ If you be trustworthy, you will have all the freedom in the world.
▫️ If you want your quality of your week to improve, write President
Ames first, before family
▫️ When I go home and people ask me, “How many baptisms did you
have?” I will say, “Over a                      thousand. I was a part of every baptism
that happened in the mission.”
▫️ Who is praying for our investigators more than anyone else? Their
ancestors who have past on.
▪️ Sister Ames Opening Remarks:
▫️ Spiritually Minded is Life Eternal = SMILE
▫️ When the prophet speaks, the debate is over
▫️ “If you can understand how the holy spirit operates, you will be
alright” -Elder Boyd K. Packer
▪️ President Ames Training:
▫️ If you had a revelatory experience during your nightly planning
session, “Move heaven and earth” to get it done.
▫️ Planning involves a process:
🔹 Vision
 “The perfect planning model is described in the creation of the
earth. God created all things spiritually before he created them
temporally. Our planning should model this pattern.” (Pres Ames)
 “If our vision is aligned with God’s visions, if we have an eye
single to his glory, then planning and setting goals will be a
revelatory experience and we will then become partners with God in his
great work.” (Pres. Ames)
🔹 Goals
 SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Reviewable, Time Bound)
 When possible, always attach a name to a goal.
 “I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our
life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our
goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to
see that we reached but a small part of our potential. When one learns
to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to
make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”
(Elder Ballard)
 “If you want to feel like you aren’t having a successful mission,
continue on and don’t set a finish line.”
🔹  Plans
 Weekly plans
 Daily planning at 9:00pm
 Hourly Planning – regular adjustments to deal with new
information (Heavenly Father probably had plan a, b, c, d …. etc. –
He takes in account the agency of man.)
 “Plan your work and work your plan” (Pres Ames)
🔹 Accountability
 “When performance is measured, performance improves. When
performance is measured and reported, performance accelerates.” (Pres.
Monson)
 Who are we accountable to? 1.)God  2.)Mission President  3.)My
Companion (Hold your companion accountable) (Do not correct your
companion when it is for your own personal gain/pleasure) (Be thankful
to your companion when he corrects you) (“If you can’t figure out how
to communicate with your companion now, good luck with your future
spouse! This is Marriage 101” ~`        Pres. Ames) 4.)To those you have been
called to find, teach, baptize, and retain
 Elder Bednar “Spiritually creates” his day, then accounts for
what happened each night.
 “We should move heaven and earth to contact that referral.”
▫️ Planning with a vision:
🔹 In planning and preparing lessons, missionary companions will
pray about and discuss what doctrines to teach and how to teach them
so they will understand the need for repentance” (Elder
Christofferson)
 When you invite someone to make a commitment, you’re inviting
them to repent.
🔹 “Purpose Driven Planning is connected to Purpose Driven
Teaching.” (Elder Evensen)
🔹 When someone doesn’t keep a commitment, they don’t understand the doctrine.
🔹 “Planting the flag” is not “We want you to be baptized,” but, “Do
you believe God wants you to be baptized?”
🔹 When does conversion take place in a persons life? When we leave
them. You teach them the doctrine, then leave!
▫️ Teaching with Power
🔹 Teach with Unity
 We need to unified in our companionship to gain trust, to feel
the spirit, to be 1 with God
 When we get the transfer call, say, “Thank you” and go to your
room and kneel in prayer asking that you can love your comapnion
perfectly.
🔹 Use the Scriptures
🔹 To their Understanding
🔹 Ask Inspired Questions
🔹 Listen by the Spirit
🔹 Identify and Resolve their Concerns
🔹 Try teaching a lesson only asking questions, reading scriptures,
and bearing testimony
▫️ When we enter members homes, bless their home.
▫️ Sister Byington’s Awkward Contacting Training
🔹 9 things that we need to do when contacting (Alma 5:43-49):
 Teach Doctrine
 Testify of Christ
 Invite them to Repent and be Baptized
 Speak according to the commandments of God
 Preaches unto all
 Speaks Simply
▫️ Elder Coats Training – Our Conviction of the Atonement
🔹 We shouldnt let little things get in the way of our serving – John 21:15-17

Elder Householder

Dearest Family and Friends!

In life it feels good to be needed, but being needed when a missionary is whole different sticky web! We are beckoned in many different directions, its mind boggling!

We have the great opportunity to check every single teaching record entered into the iPad area books by the 9 companionships in our zone. Half of the areabook stack is shown below. We have to find time to do everyones and it ends up happening after planning at night.

I went on exchange in Southlake this week and it was insane! Probably one of the richest areas in Texas! Full of CEOs and such. The plans for the day were to go tracting because some past missionaries trashed all of the potential investigator records…😧 Its crazy to knock on doors the size of your house! The people were set where they were at. We knocked on one door and they guy let us right in! It almost seemed so natural, I didnt know what to say! We all looked confused at each other and I eventually said, “Are….You a member?” and he said yes! haha He was confused like, “Did we set up an appointment?” haha. Turned out he was from Mesa and graduated from Mountain View! 🐂GO TOROS!🐂 He used to live right off Adobe and Lindsey. He let us help him move a piano and stuff while we were there. Cool guy. duhh. ;] The family we ate dinner with lived in Mesa 10 years ago also! Texas is the new Arizona (comes with humidity, armadillos, and loads of squirells).

I was asked to speak in church yesterday about how members have
affected my mission and different experiences I’ve had! I feel it went
pretty well :] Elder Evensen played an arrangement of “Ill go Where
you want me to go” on the clarinet accompanied by the piano. It was
way good! We had a lot of visitors from Utah for a Tech competition
and some just visiting from other states. We had about 10 different
people asking us for pass-along cards to give out (I emptied my
pocket! We also had 4 people ask for Copies of the Translation of the Book of Mormon (Heh) to give to their bus driver and such. Twas a good turnout for a sacrament meeting about missionary work! We even had a member ask us to roleplay with him how to invite someone over for a lesson with the missionaries! Say whaaa? :]

Had a zone activity on Friday passing out food to people in need, it
was awesome!! Love service! Love my zone!

We went to the Hospital this weekend to give a member a blessing who was going in for heart surgery (who woulda thunk?) but she was in the procedure when we showed up. We came back that night but she was sent home….but we did meet this less active guy that said “mormonism” is not for him. After talking with him a while and breaking down his barrier, he said he wouldn’t mind giving it another shot! We are sending the missionaries over to see him :]

I have a great companion, a great ward, great family, friends, and
loving Heavenly Father watching out for me :]

Im grateful for the opportunity I have to continue learning about the
gospel and grounding myself in understanding.

Smile today!

Elder Householder

Flour Wars:

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This week has been grand!

From flour fights, to street contacting its been an adventure!

We are teaching this kid Robert at a members home and he is pretty
legit – he just needs to get an answer to his prayers and he will be
on his way!

We walked past some people moving one night and asked if we could help them move some things and they totally said yes! Usually people dont let us….ties apparently scare people! We helped them move and the man Salvatore said, “When are yall coming back to share the word?!”

“Tomorrow!” So we went back and taught him and hes legit!

We set baptismal dates with Brandon and Ashley this week! They have a desire to come to church and we teach them again tonight!

I went on exchange with the APs for my first time since day 1! I went
with Elder Dunford in my area and we taught some legit lessons to
people we found in an apartment complex.

I am sooo tired because of the administration work, but its worth it!

We are getting closer at entering the area book into the iPads! Its
due by Friday…..

Sorry this is so fast…Im loving the area! Grapevine is awesome! We
went to lunch with an investigator this week and he walked us down
main street (its a tourist attraction) and showed us a legit train and
the bronzing center! What up! Hopefully yall got the tarantula
picture! Those are legit!

Well I love yall lots! Keep up the good work! Pray always and not faint!

Elder Householder

Howdy!

This week has been pretty eventful to say the least!

Wednesday we went to transfers and realized I left my bike at my
apartment….So we turned around and drove the entire 2 miles to get it and came back! It was a close call haha ;]. At transfers I saw many of my dear friends, including Elder Petersen (Who “died” and went home the next day).

I begged Elder Burr to take a funny picture with me for weeks and he
always said something like, “Ill die first!” (He feels that it will
make him looks less dignified…) but alas I pulled the, “I’m leaving
you today” card and he took one with me! I feel that it is priceless!

My first day as a Zone Leader was a little crazy…We had to stay up
and plan the Zone Council we were holding the following day. It turned out pretty great! I felt at first I had no clue what I was doing, but once I gave it my effort, it became more comfortable and I feel it
went the direction it should’ve! I gave a training on Knowledge. In my Zone, there is 2 new district leaders (that are basically as clueless
as I am) that we have to train how to be District Leaders haha

We have been having some great lessons with people out on the street!

We went to talk to a guy doing tricks on a scooter in the street. As
we talked with him, His friends came out of his garage and apparently tried to scare us off by saying things like, “Josh! Come join us in beer pong!” Or just being teenagers. At one point a kid came out smoking. “Oh Mylanta, Elder! thats alcohol and smoke! We gotta get outta here!” Just kidding – it didnt phase us – kept talking to Josh.

Eventually one friend would be walking in the front yard and we called them over and started talking to them too. One by one we eventually had almost all of them sitting at our feet as we taught them! Haha it was awesome.

Im serving in the Colleyville Stake. Glenn Beck lives here and a whole bunch of well off business men. In fact, the Stake Presidency are very well off businessmen, so they want everything done a precise way. We spent all of Saturday and into the night typing up the SMC report (all the Zone numbers, reactivation, baptismal names, retention reports..etc) it was some 35 pages long…Ive come to the conclusion being a ZL = no sleep, loads of paper work, and way more calls.

Sunday we went into the Stake Mission Coordination (SMC) meeting and gave the Stake Presidency our report. President Ames was there and his counselor President Pratt! All the Ward Mission leaders as well. It feels really good to have so much trust.

We missed our ward because of the meeting, and President Ames’ ward met right after the meeting so we joined him and his family for the Sacrament! Cool moment.

Look for my updates on Jeremiah, Cheryl, and Annjel (they have
baptismal dates for next month!)

Well Ill add some pictures and let yall take a rest after that one ;]

Love all yall!!

Elder Householder

Elder Evansen and I!

Hallo!

This week has blown my mind to say the least.

Where to start! To start, we have iPads! It has helped a ton! We are going in stages though, so we dont do facebook for a couple weeks.

This week my district received and were instructed on the iPads. Setting up accounts and such. In the middle of the meeting, Elder Burr pulled out the phone and President Ames was calling! Elder Burr and I hurried out of the room and answered it. We realized that it was the day missionaries receive calls for leadership. Elder Burr had been in the area for 2 transfers and it was likely he’d leave so I figured I’d be asked to train. Pres. said, “Elder Householder, I have gotten the impression that you should be called as a Zone Leader this coming transfer. Will you accept this call?” Wide-eyed, I accepted the call. “You will be joining Elder Evenson in the Grapevine ward, a Zone Leader in the Colleyville Stake.”

I hope he realizes that I:

1. Haven’t trained a missionary
2. Been District Leader for 6 weeks
3. Only have lead 1 District Meeting…

Haha. Current transfer,

Week 1: Transfers
Week 2: Zone Council
Week 3: Zone Conference
Week 4: District Meeting
Week 5: Mission Conference (Introducing iPads)
Week 6: iPad setup meeting.

Im looking forward to it! Im ready to give it my all.

We had a lesson in the home of an investigator who smokes some wicked (no phun intended hehe) cigarettes and had us sit on a sketchy couch that was literally moving with bugs of different kinds….So we left his home smelling horrible, needing water, and with weird bites all over. Come to find out they were bed bugs…We had a member inspect our stuff the next day and he didnt find anything. I dont mind mosquitoes as much anymore…haha. That night I looked over at Elder Burr in his bed and never have I ever said, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite” with so much conviction! Hopefully I never will again!

In the last week I was able to give 5 baptismal interviews total and go to 3 baptismal services!

Now for the one liner: We told our bishop I was getting transfered and he responded, “What the what?!” I hope this has inspired yall to be hilarious. Even Elder Richard G. Scott said, “A sense of humor is an escape valve for the pressures of life . . . [and] helps revelation”

Love all yall! Keep up the good work!

Elder Nathan Householder

James and I

Brother Guerrero and I

Home away from home!!

Elder reed and I at the Mission Leadership Council!

Elder burr and I

Hey Everyone!

This week we had a mission conference in which Elder Brent Nielson of the Seventy and the Brother who is in charge of all of the MTCs in the world spoke to us. They introduced whats going down with iPads, and how to be safe with them. Ran through some of the programs inside and such – it was awesome! Great to see all my mission buddies in one room too! Annnnddd a TON new ones Ive never seen before….

This week we went on exchange with a set of missionaries in my district. Elder Jacobson came with me and we saw Richard. I learned this really cool way of teaching from when Pres. Ames came out with me once: I asked Richard, “Do you believe Christ established a church while he was on the earth?” “Well…Not exactly.” Eph. 4:11-15 & Heb 4:5 BAM! “Would you say you believe it now?” “Yeah…Yes! Yes – that makes sense!” “Do you believe that church continued to our time today?” “Yeah, I’d think so.” Amos 8:11-12 *BOOM!* “What do you think now?” “Oh, that makes sense!” “Wouldnt it only make sense it be brought back to the Earth? *Eyes progressively get wider* “Yes, Yes it would!” “Will you be baptized when you find its true?” “Wouldnt anybody?” haha ofcourse I left out all the teaching parts, but you get the picture – Richard is getting baptized next month :]

Also was referred an investigator with a baptismal date from the spanish elders!

We did service out in the mud the other day (right after the storms) and Ill tell you, if anyone fell unconscience in the mud until it dried, they better forget all hope! That stuff is weird. Mud one moment, clay the next.

I was asked to speak at a baptism for the man I interviewed the other day on the Holy Ghost and it was great! Then we were asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting too! I spoke on the atonement and used Brad Wilcox’s analogy of the piano and The Pushups for donuts.

We spent this afternoon doing service for a Nonmember so I don’t have much time here. Love all yall to death!

Next time I write, Itll prolly be from an iPad ;]

Elder Householder

Hey!

This last week was pretty great!

We were asked to visit a member last week that is in the process of turning his train caboose into a little apartment for himself! Its literally in his backyard!

I lead my very first District Meeting this week! It was kinda weird at first, but it turned out very well! The discussions we have lead straight through each point I hoped to have through the District Meeting! Its like inspired or something… haha

We have an Investigator Chris who has a great desire to be a part of the church, can see himself being a part of it in the future, but wont commit because he has a problem with what he calls, “Blind Faith.” Weird situation, but we are doing everything we can to help him gain faith – reading, trying to get him to pray, and coming to church.

Jake was right in the call on Mothers day, I wouldn’t envy anyone who has to put the Area Book into the iPads…Just updating it in preparation was hard enough! Especially with 2 Area Books…My mind was fried (You are what you eat, right? ;] )

Thursday I was asked to give my very first baptismal interview for an investigator in my district. It was one of the coolest experiences ever! I just gained a great love for this man that has a great enough understanding and faith in the Restored Gospel to get married, and throw out all the cigarettes and alcohol. It all went over well with no hiccups and we were able to have some great laughs. He asked me to talk on the Holy Ghost this Saturday at his baptism!

Ive gotten in the habit of giving my companions hugs after nightly planning showing that we love each other amidst the difficult times we all go through. Somehow though, thy usually end up in a wrestle! Ill be ready to take Jake and Jared on again later ;]

Yesterday we went to a members home and made some T-Shirts with pictures of Christ on them and scripture quotes and even hats! Needless to say we were stylin’ at P-Day Activity ;]

We have a great ward that is on top of things and really care about all those around us. Our ward mission leader relentlessly helps us out with all part of missionary work he can.

Recently, I have driven in crazy storms and conquered the skills not needed in Arizona :] haha

We have an iPad orientation with some members of the 70 tomorrow!

The hot water has been out…Ive been boiling water on the stove every morning… Well, maybe TMI, but thats ok. :]

Love all yall to pieces!

Elder Nathan Householder

PS: Some pipe broke and was shooting somebody’s balcony… haha

Dear Family and Friends,

We had interviews this week and it was awesome! Pres. Ames asked me a question in my interview that really took me off guard. Ive been really having a hard time forgiving a certain missionary in the past. Pres. asked how things were going with him, and it really confused me how he’d know about something like that. He helped me see things in a different light. I share this because I just got a great testimony about leaders in the church! They really are given the gift of discernment and its mindblowing. Follow their counsel.

This week we went to teach Eddie at a McDonalds because his apartment was being worked on. This rugged older black guy came up to us and started preaching to me. ME. He says, “Ya know what? I had a vision last night that someone was going to give me 10 dollars today…” I was thinking, “Really. Did you, now?” He says, “Thats what the bible says, ‘your elderly will have visions in the night time…!’ So could you help a brotha out?” I told him that we help people with spiritual matters, but we couldnt help him out with money, “We could help you talk to the employment specialist and find a job!” But he kept pressing it. “I was lead here today by God to talk to you! Im the real Elder here! Youre supposed to respect your elders!” I insisted I couldn’t give him money. “The law shall pass away! Don’t listen to that, listen to what Christ said, ‘love your neighbor as yourself!” He kept trying until Eddie gave him 3 bucks…haha.

We had a great lesson with a less active man Bro Johnson and his girlfriend Brandie this week. She has been shut off from the idea of missionaries and what mormons are about. Bro Johnson has been trying to help her understand – but she wont listen to him. When we came by, she was sitting on the couch and actually didnt leave when we started! So we directed the lesson toward her! Talked about the Book of Mormon, the church, and just really showed her how sincere we can be. She took the Book and said we could come back!

We were studying this week and heard some birds clanking on our fireplace. It was annoying! We then heard it louder and louder until Elder Burr came to the conclusion that there was a bird stuck in our fireplace! We opened the smoke flap. It was flapping and scraping in the tunnel somewhere, but we couldnt figure it out! We went back to studying. Eventually, we looked over and a birds head poked out from above the fireplace. Elder Burr flipped out and ran into the kitchen, and it flew around the room! I just sat there like, “Whaaaa?” We opened the door and it flew out. Texas birds….

Well, much love to ya! Keep up the good studies and prayer!

Love,

Elder Nathan Householder

(Elder Burr and I, and Elder Peterson and I)

Elder Case and I

PS: I found a racoon, and we found Couches for Eddie!