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Almost met a Lamanite…So close.

Its WINTER!

Totally snowed last night. I tried catching snowflakes in my mouth, but totally ended up in my eye instead. Ouch.

Now that this excitement is out of the way, lemme e’splain what happened this week!

On wednesday I left the most sincere ward ive ever seen. It was really sad, but I was excited to run an area the way I felt like it should. Now im in Hurst!

Ive had some great experiences being senior companion so far, and its making me grow a little more. Elder Boekweg just got finished being trained, so hes still getting on his feet. He took me to a Less Active family’s home first night and when we were about to give them a lesson, Elder B. turned to me and whispered, “What do we teach?” I was like, “Say whaa?” Took me off guard because I thought that he and his last companion had planned something for them (it was my 1st day in the area). So I whipped out some scriptures. BAM. Thats whats up, the spirit really just tells you what to do! It turned out really good :]

Because I whitewashed my last area, I really found how to manage an area and how to really use the resources I have to the best ability. So coming tho this area, we are doing a LOT of organization and adapting it to how I did it in the LakeCities. Its working pretty well so far!

We taught this huge 400-500 lb black guy this week and he was talking about how Christ died, but his spirit stayed here on earth. then, “Look here!” Broke out into a song! “He LIVES! He LIVES! Christ Jesus lives in me. He LIVES! He LIVES! He talks with me, he walks with me, He lives in my heart!” haha It was so sudden and unexpected I almost laughed, but I was able to hold it. Good guy!

Its been in the 30s this week (A HUGE change from last week) and I was riding without gloves and a scarf, and a member drove up and threw some to me! These ward members are great.

OH! We are teaching this guy that is full native american married to a less active member. Before I came, the missionaries had told him that the book of mormon is a record of the ancient americans and that some of the current natives are descendants. He didnt believe it. He said that there is a story told by certain tribes in the NEW YORK AREA that speaks of Great war. Then, came a peace keeper that told them to bury their weapons of war and deal kindly with one another. Then they became 7 cities/nations now known as 7 of the tribes in that area.

Does this remind you of a Book of Mormon story? In Alma 23 it talks about this. READ THE WHOLE THING. But for short, Aaron and his brethren were allowed by the King of the Lamanites to preach to the people without harm “that they might be convinced that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder, nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to commit any manner of wickedness.”
“And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord. . . as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.” These are those dwelling In the lands ISHMAEL, MIDDONI, NEPHI, SHILOM, SHEMLON, LEMUEL, SHIMNILOM. 7 Cities. “…and these are they that laid down the weapons of their rebellion, yea, all their weapons of war…” The modern tribes tell of this story orally in the New York Area and how the peacekeeper counselled them to bury their weapons under a big tree. In Alma 24:17 it says, “And now it came to pass. . . that all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.”

Please someone tell me they didnt get goosbumps from that like I did! Bro Onco is his name, and he said hes from other tribes, but he thinks that this could very well be that record of those people! We go back to see him soon!

We have a couple promising investigators! And Ive already found some Mesa peeps out here! crazy stuff! One member actually was in the Islands ward next to us in the Gilbert Stapley Stake! Everyone has a connection to Arizona, I love it!

Elder Boekweg is from Vernal UT so I I dared him to stick his face in the fountain outside out Apartment and he handed me his glasses….haha He did it in 35 degree weather and was fine.

Well yall, This area is gonna be a lot of fun! Especially when it Ices over. Wahoo. Yall are tanning back home, dont lie.

Love you!! And thanks all for the letters!

Elder Householder

 

I am Fred.

Hey Friends!

This week has been a lot of mixed emotions.
We’ve taught some great lessons, ate a burrito the size of a small child, bike issues, and so much more! Wahoo!
While eating a huge burrito, a member asked what my first name was and I said, “Fred.” with a straight face. to which the reply was, “You look like a Fred!” Elder Reed and I bust up laughing. I am now Fred.
We had a great District meeting in which after all the spiritual learning (about following the spirit and speaking by it) we had an awesome activity. There was a table of the most random objects you can think of, like there was a fire extinguisher (that probably belonged in the hall….). We are given an object and have to use it in a roleplay and tie it into the gospel. Before the meeting I was looking at the objects and found a teddy bear holding a present. I found a dish scrubber and stuck it in the present, just to see if anyone would try to use it in their roleplay. Turns out that When it was my turn, the teddy bear was given to me and I had to think of how it relates to the gospel. I held the bear in front of the district and said, “This teddy bear reminds me of Christ! He has a gift for us and all we have to do is accept *opened present, pulling out scrubber* his cleansing power!” Everyone laughed really hard and thought I was a genius. And I dont blame them! hehe
       We also got a call from the APs and they told Elder Reed he is going District leader and I was being transferred to Hurst to be a senior companion!
       Later, we took pictures as a Zone because transfers are this week. After, for some reason (I think its because we are stupid) we played hacky sack with a pen. Needless to say I had many freckles, messed over my favorite tie, and spotted my shirt. For the Eldredges: Hairspray didnt get it off….haha….The ink didnt come off my face for about 2 days.
When I got home from the District meeting we had lunch and were ready to head out on our bikes. My tire was flat AGAIN. So I added some more slime in the tube to patch the holes, but there was no pressure inside that piece of rubber when I pumped it up again. I took off the tread and found my tube was shredded. OH MY LANTA. I JUST replaced that tube! I just had to laugh. Got another tube, and called up rides for the rest of the night.
We were teaching a partmember in the ward this week and wants to learn and be baptized, but she is iffy on English, so we made the Spanish Hermanas day by giving them an awesome investigator! feels good.
Were teaching an 88 year old lady that can only hear in one ear and see in the same side. (We sit on either side of her) So I yelled lesson 1 at her and Elder Reed just had to sit there…So I let him yell Lesson 2 at her a week later! hahah She hasn’t been to church in 40 years and Bishop couldn’t find her records because they were only archived in a folder somewhere in Salt Lake! So we may have had to rebaptize her but they eventually found her records haha.
Our board is FULL we are teaching so many people each week it is ridiculous. This board was EMPTY when we whitewashed in. I feel so accomplished! This ward is HOME. I may move back here one day – you can’t beat these members. They care so much about everybody. Bishop said that he wasn’t so sure about missionaries whitewashing this area, but he soon realized that “Pres. Ames knew what he was doing.” He said I will always have a home here. I’ll miss this family dearly.
Well everybody, I love y’all and hope you have the best week ever!
Elder Householder

Just Read It.

Hey Y’all!

This week has been a fanstastic week, greatly contrasted last week.
I hit my 7 month mark yesterday! Ive been in this area close to 3 MONTHS. Where does the time go? its insane.
Update on the Townley Family (Investigators): Because Bro Townley messed up his hand last week, we were able to meet with both Bro and Sis. Townely!! (They usually work different shifts of the day and you can never catch them together.) Aight, im condensing things: BroT = Brother Townley and SisT = Sister Townley. Good? Good. BroT is on board with the lessons and progressing, but since we havent been able to meet with SisT, we focused on her. We read Matt16:19 and the sealing power. We explained that she can be with her family forever and that same sealing power is within the restored church. Her eyes started to water – she gets it. They have 5 kids, and they are worried about them.
      The Townely family sat at dinner to eat one night and one of the children asked to say the prayer. (This is unusual for the kids to do). BroT remembered back to the night that the Townleys ate at the Rays home for dinner and a Ray child offered to say a prayer. BroT thanked brother Ray for the example of his children. Twas really cool.
      We also talked to SisT about the Employment Center and the volunteers that could help her get a job with the schedule she wants and the income that the family needs. (also allowing them to come to church ;] ). SisT eyebrows raised and said she was interested. Touchdown for the home team! Sorry, its hard not to have Football references in Texas….haha
Tuesday night we were contacted by Bishop saying that there was an elderly woman that called and said she wants to come to church with us! So he sent us over. Shes 88 yrs old and lives with a caretaker. When we visited with her, we had to sit on each side of her so she could hear. Turns out that she is blind in the right eye, and deaf in the right ear (the side Elder Reed was on)…..So when teaching her the first lesson, I just did it myself, yelling, in what seemed to be an empty house! hahaha Poor Elder Reed just got to sit there and watch. hahaha She did end up coming to church and loving it although she couldnt hear anything…She said she was baptised a member 40 years ago, but stopped going when her husband died soon after joining. Now, in her elderly years practically alone, she thirsted for fellowship and tried the methodist church, the baptist church, etc. But nobody was friendly to her. She then remembered how friendly the LDS people were 40 years before and so she called the nearest church. Let this be a lesson to all that we leave an impression upon people, that last forever. “Let your light so shine before men so they may she your good works and glorify God who art in heaven.”\
I stopped in my left turn lane on my bike once and a bus driver pulled up next to me, rolled down the window and said, “Wanna race?!” and I said, “Yeah!” So she revved her engine (with lots of chillins in the back) and I spun my petals and Then it turned green. Needless to say, I totally won. No biggy.
This week I was prompted to go a certain route (that wasnt usual) to get to a destination and Elder Reed thought I was crazy, but soon enough we ran into a guy named Dorian that has met with missionaries in Houston before and we were able to share the lesson one pamphlet and he made us promise to “Hit {him] up!” haha shweetish fish!
District meeting I decided to dress up. I pulled my arms inside my shirt and suit coat, and turned them around so that my name tag, tie, coat, everything was backward! It turned out good. Ill have to send pics later.
Friday we probably had the best planning session ever! (We usually have planning on thursday mornings, but because of Halloween, they had us plan that night). Elder Reed had some mustaches to put on and we carved watermelons! I made prolly the coolest carving ever – with a steak knife! Elder Reed carved “1 year” on his and roasted a shirt inside.
We also had some little chillins spy on us in sacrament meeting and give us portraits of us – totally awesome!
Well I love yall and hope you have the best week ever!
Elder Householder
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Mission runs like home!

Dear Family and Friends,

Things are going good ’round these parts.
To start, we’ve done a lot of service this week! The Lewisville Elders needed help cutting down a tree. Bad news, were not allowed to use power tools…So we picked up a members hatchet and pick-ax and took turns going at it! It did done tucker us out real quick! I question how an ax is any more safe than an electric saw…but I trust President’s decisions haha
I love how this mission is ran! It really is ran like home. “I’m going to teach you how to be a good missionary, but not going to force you to do it. You’re old enough to govern yourselves.” The music is up to our discretion, clothing is our decision – even though he strongly suggests things. But then there are certain rules made because missionaries have abused the freedom they had. Example: Elder Reed tore every ligament in his ankle a couple months ago, therefore, in the next Zone Conference we were told we can no longer jump on trampolines. Thanks Elder Reed! haha just kidding.
This week I was eating some Ice cream while Elder Reed was in the bathroom. When he came out and saw me eating my ice cream, he went to grab his – but it wasn’t in the freezer…He started searching for it, clearly he thought I hid it. So I started looking with him! Where in the world could a container of Ice cream go? We ended up checking bathroom cupboards, in our closet, in desks…the weirdest places ever. Eventually I found it in the microwave and said, “I found it!” to his reply, “Of COURSE you did! GIMME that.” And walked away…I looked at him confused and he realized, “Oh…You didn’t take it?” He had heated it up a little earlier that day. We had a good laugh.
We have a list of about 20 names on our board we try to see every week. Some of them are more difficult than others, but we spend a great deal with retention, Reactivation, and such.
Some days are just like this last Thursday, and others are just like this last Saturday. You’ll see what I mean. Thursday we has some misunderstandings (which were worked out) but that were very draining. lucky for us, we had the Zone Leaders on exchange starting that afternoon. Elder Gregory (ZL) and I stayed in my area. We visited some Elderly people and tried by a bunch of others that weren’t home. We had dinner scheduled with the Townley Family at the Rays home (Ward Mission Leader). We have been looking forward to this night for weeks. We were going to commit the whole family to baptism – they are ready. We ate dinner and Bro Townley got a call from his wife saying that she needed him to go pick her up from work, therefore we weren’t able to share a lesson. I was just completely finished with this day. And we had an hour left because Bro T. just got up and left. Good news (in a twisted way) is that he messed up his hand and is off work for 2 weeks, meaning that we should be able to meet with him again soon. We also taught Bill (Moms FB friend) lesson 1 and it went pretty well. Hes very open about things and will listen to us.
Saturday, We got a less active member to the ward picnic and the ward took her in and really made her feel wanted. We also played ultimate frisbee and it was awesome! I also had a kid come up to me and tell me that I was his favorite Elder. That was really nice! Anndddd we got ALL of the leftover hamburgers and hotdogs from the picnic! wahoo!
Well Chillins, I love all y’all!
Hope to hear from y’all soon :]
Elder Householder

Update on everything

Hey y’all,

I gotta start out by apologizing for not responding to some of those who have sent me letters in the last 2 months…Ill explain within my letter!

Saturday we planned to go see a part-member family that allowed us to come by if we “Ever needed water”. Our problem was that it was mid 70s and we had a car….so why would we need water? haha So naturally we thought of a way to get into that house! We parked down the street, found a field nearby and ran around like crazy trying to muster up a sweat! When that was accomplished, we went to their house, knocked on the door, and found they werent home….uhhhhh….yeah! we walked back to the car and got into some AC. hahah

This week we were able to go to our Mission President’s fireside in which Elder Cardon of the Presidency of the Quorum of the 70 was speaking! We brought a recent convert. We couldn’t find a ride to Hurst which is like 50 min-hour away for the meeting, so we were forced to use our car! It worked out because we have the Spanish sisters car that covers the whole stake…so we have plenty of miles 🙂 haha Lilly – recent convert – had to get a ride with another set of missionary’s ride. Elder Cardon is a great man – from Mesa Arizona too! We also got to see many missionary buddies, and almost everyone that came from the MTC with me was there, so it was a nice reunion!

Friday was stressful – we had to drive to Colleyville for a mission conference with Elder Cardon. Elder Reed had to follow a car that was very jumpy – so it was hard to follow in traffic and on the freeway for miles… When we got there, we all got to shake his hand and meet him and his wife.

He talked to us about the spirit and the literal scattering and gathering of Israel! So cool! He used scriptures to back it up and it was sweetish fish. During lunch, Elder Profit – an AP – came up and gave me a stack of letters and a package sent to my last area 2 MONTHS ago and now he was just got around giving it to me! Soooo I apologize and will get letters out soon!

Last night we ate dinner with the Hutchinson family and they said they talked to Elder Reeds mom and found that his favorite meal was spaghetti and meatballs – so they made that for dinner! Then to my surprise, they brought out a GRASSHOPPER PIE! Goodness, this was better than my birthday (also on the mission)!

Each Sunday we report to the Ward counsel what we have done this week. Bishop is overly satisfied with our efforts – he sees the two of us as someone he can throw at a door (Of part member/less active/etc) and get in where no other ward councilman can. It feels really good to be of such great worth to a ward – where there wasn’t before.
Ive come to find that our life is just one huge awkward moment! Facepalms all the time.

Some people we are working with:

  • Townley Family – we are having a dinner and a lesson with them on Thursday and I’m pretty sure they will all accept baptism!
  • Heer Family: Taught for 10 years, used to go to LDS church religiously (whithout being baptized) and we are trying to get them on board.
  • Anthony: Not very religious, but has read the book of 1st nephi in a week – trying to get him to pray.
  • “John the Baptist”: A Man we met that is a pastor of a baptist faith and lets us come speak with him. Has lots of questions and not in the bashing type of way. Hopefully that will lead to something!
  • Linda King: Older lady that said shed be baptized if she found its true.
  • A couple partmembers
  • Greg: Old guy in wheel chair, really hard headed!
  • And a couple other potentials.

Bishop always has people he needs to know about.

Other funnies consist of little kids punching us at church and lessons (which typically means below the belt…Dad, why am I tall? haha), Sending those kids to go punch the priests instead, Me backing Elder Reed up in the car with such huge enthusiasm and expression that it embarrasses him, Making Elder Reed taste test the “No preservatives and no salt added” ketchup that I accidentally bought and had dumped some salt into, and many small hilarious stuffages.

I love y’all lots! Thanks for the letters!

Elder Householder

No More Pedd’lin, Boys & Preachin to the Preacher

This week has been awesome!!

On Wednesday we got to watch “Meet the Mormons!” at our Zone Conference! It was supper good. Y’all need to go watch it if you havent seen it. We have cool ward members that will wait for you to get out of a meeting an hour and a half late…Ooops!
Thursday was probably one of the greatest days Ive had in a while! Thursday mornings are set apart for our planning for the up coming week, but this time was a little different. We’ve been trying to get in contact with the Townley family for a while now, every time we stop by the father is just heading out to pick up his wife/drop his kids off/shopping/etc. Thursday is his only day off from work. We felt prompted to try to go see them in the morning because we hadn’t tried that due to planning. To our surprise he was at home waiting for someone to come by in an hour so we got to answer his questions on the state of those who commit suicides, and more about the spirit world. When we answered them – it was what he believed, but everyone told him differently. We talked to him about regular lessons and he said he wants to invite us over for dinner with our ward mission leaders family (who theyve become friends with). Miracles!
      Then when we came back home from speaking with him, I had received a letter! Which made me do the missionary victory dance! just kidding, missionaries done do missionary dances….. but I do!
      Immediately after the mailbox, we got a call from the Zone Leaders saying, “Y’all get a car for a while! Go to Flower Mound to pick it up!” Elder Reed just shakes his head like, “Whatever…” He didn’t believe it until they gave us the address of where to pick it up haha WE DRIVE A CAR!! The Zone Leaders are the only Elders in our Zone that have a car. Turns out the Spanish sisters are in the process of getting certified to drive a mission vehicle, so since we have the next biggest area in the Zone, we get to use their car for a couple weeks!
Friday we had to drive back to Flower Mound to go to a choir practice (The stake president asked us to sing with the youth for the saturday night session of Stake Conference). The day we got the car, Elder Reeds GPS died…So we had a member print us out directions on how to get there, but she didn’t give us the map to the directions, so eventually we got confused and had to stop for directions…Weird right? who does that anymore! We asked a mailman and he looked at me as if I was the dumbest thing ever! He was like, “Y’all dont have google maps?!” “Nope!” “Y’all dont have a smart phone?!” No sir, cant you see the printed label on my shirt that says, “Jesus Christ”? He had no Google Maps. Why should I? haha Jk, google maps would’ve been nice.
So we went to teach a former investigator, and when we walked inside, we met her baptist pastor! He sat us down and asked a lot of questions, “I had a mormon buddy growing up. He was what we would call, ORTHODOX. No milk! They would drink the powdered stuff!” We cut him off right there and said it was probably because of price, not because they don’t drink milk….hahah he was way too friendly to be a baptist preacher speakin to 2 LDS missionaries. Sure enough, he says, “Hold on, Ill be right back.” He then brought in a cross half the size of him and said, “We carry this around with us everywhere we go!” starts off on some sermon type thing and doesn’t really let us talk. He also talked about how persecuted his group was and that hes sure we have never had to deal with it. Say Wha? We laughed HARD! He apparently doesn’t know church history! He talked us till we had to go, saying we could share our message with him on Sunday.
On the way to Saturday Stake Conference, We went to Lewisville to pick up our district leader and comp. Turns out the Spanish sisters also live in the same complex and were waiting outside for their ride to take them to Conference. We pulled up and said, “Sorry for stealing your car!” Their mouths both dropped and they were dumbfounded. (They….Had no clue…) “That’s our car??….That’s our car!!” They just knew it was taken from them for a while, they didn’t know where it went… Oops.
In Stake Conference We as missionaries I had the opportunity to share my experiences with working with members. I shared Sister Eldredge’s Story where she was prompted to invite Shelby to a lesson and how well it worked out. During the meeting,  Elder Hendrix in my Zone got a text saying that because of the experience that I shared, he texted his friend and Elder Hendrix should have someone to teach tonight!  So there’s my shout out to Sis. Eldredge! 😀
Sunday we taught the Pastor Lesson one and he looks me in the eye ans says, “You’re very knowledgeable! You know what you’re talking about.” And at a different time, “You’re very mature for your age.” That felt really cool coming from a Baptist Pastor in the Bible Belt! That never happens!
Well I hope people will still want to read my emails after this one…haha sorry!
Love y’all!
Elder Householder