September 19, 2016 - Week 23

Hey Everybody!

So this week was kinda weird and off, we had a lot of  Missionary Meetings and such so it didn't feel we got out and worked as much as usual.

Monday we met with a Recent Convert who has gone less active because he is the only member in his family and it is hard for him to travel because he is in a wheelchair and nobody wants to help him. We going to be meeting with him at least once a week for sure, hopefully we can soften the hearts of his family.

We haven't been able to meet with a lot of our prime investigators so we have been doing just a ton of finding and working with members to get some more people to teach, it is going pretty well. The ward is getting more and more exciting about missionary work.

I got to go on exchanges with Elder Black this week! It was so fun! He is such a great missionary, It makes total sense that he is a trainer. He has been doing a really great job in the ward he is in. It was a super good exchange. 

We met a family of converts in our ward this week too. They were converted for a lot of reasons and through a lot of finding efforts that we use all the time. They were a part member family, they were tracted into, and they allowed lessons because the missionaries always volunteered to do service for them. It was awesome to meet and talk with them.

Well that is about it. We are looking forward to a lot of great things like General Conference and a ton of ward activities coming soon. Its going to be pretty awesome.

Love You!!!

Elder Strong

Our Posterity at Zone Conference

I made homemade Peanut Butter

Service at the Food Bank

The mess left after making Peanut Butter

September 13, 2016 - Week 22

Hello Family and Friends!

We had a super good week this week! On Wednesday the YSA Elders had a baptism for Terrance and because I interviewed him we got to go. We also brought our investigator Donna to get her excited to be baptized herself. 

Then on Saturday E' Toupo was baptized. It was so cool to see all of his family come out to the baptism and his Father who hasn't been to church in years came to watch him be confirmed. Toupo's Grandpa said he saw him cry so we are getting pretty psyced for him to get back into activity. He did the first part of the confirmation prayer in English until after he said "recieve the Holy Ghost" then he did the rest of it in Samoan. It was pretty awesome!

This week week we have also been meeting with a guy named Don. He is SDA (seventh Day Adventist) but he loves reading the Book of Mormon with us so we are getting closer and closer to teaching him the discussions.

This week we found a Part Member Family that loves to give us eggs for free. The husband is the non-member because his Mom asked him not to. We will just have to keep being good friends with him until she is de... a  person who changes her mind.

So now that I am a District Leader I am way more involved in the numbers side of everything and this week our District as a whole improved so much! It was so awesome.

I love being on a mission! During the baptism while E' Toupo and his Grandpa were changing, me and Elder Snelgrove did the "half-time show" and bore our testimonies on how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can change peoples lives. I love being able to watch as those I teach grow and change and become better people through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love it so much! 

Well that is about it for this week, Love you all!!

Elder Strong

New Planner 

 E' Toupo's Baptism

September 6, 2016 - Week 21

Hello everyone!

This week was pretty good but it has only been 5 days since my last email so not a whole ton of stuff to write about. 

Because I am the District Leader I interview investigators being taught by the missionaries in the District when they get close to baptism. Last night I interviewed a kid named Terrance who will be baptized tomorrow. He has had a rough past and now that he got kicked out of his parents home he wanted to change his life. He is 18 so he is getting baptized into the YSA ward, it has been really good for him to get to know a lot of people and get fellowshiped pretty well. 

Saturday we will be having a baptism for a 9 year old we have been teaching. His parents are members (the dad is super less active though) but because he is 9 he will be a convert to the church so it'll be pretty cool. He is Samoan so the culture of the family is great, the baptism and Confirmation will be in Samoan.

So right now being a District Leader is starting to get crazier and crazier, i have been going to these "secret meetings". Also there are a crap ton of people about to get baptized so i have a crap ton of interviews and baptisms to do. It is exciting/scary/confusing/amazing.

Well, like I said, not a ton of stuff going on. It is Elder Taylor's birthday today so we had pancakes for breakfast...I'll be eating chili dogs all week for lunch...Elder Snelgrove cooked 2 pounds of Black Beans at once for some reason...I have gotten into the habbit of making steak rice burritos for lunch just cause it is cheap, good luck cholesterol... That is pretty much it.

Love  you all!!!

Elder Strong

August 31, 2016 - Email just to dad

Hey Dad!!! 

So it still kinda pisses me off that they can't be bothered to email you guys when we go to the temple, but that's why I never replied. 

Being a District Leader is friggin sweet! I get to call anyone in my District plus the zone leaders when ever I want so it makes things work a lot smoother for us, pretty cool. I love everyone in my District, they are all great, the Sisters have been struggling with staying productive and getting work done but other than that they're great missionaries, just in a slump. The real sad thing about them is one of them is in their second transfer of training so it stinks that she already has to go through an unproductive faze this early but I think she'll get through it ok.

Go cart would be sweet, especially and electric. If you do it, independent suspension would be cool, but then it would be heavier and probably taller, I don't know how achievable it is but, would be cool.

Plus if it is electric, it'll be silent so people won't think your just another redneck, especially if you have it Powder Coated but that is probably more expensive than it is worth.

I think I have decided that if I end up being an engineer instead of my restaurant, I want to work for Tesla. So if that happens, I'll hook you up.

That is pretty sweet Brendan got called to Spokane!!! No one else told me that. All Nancy has told me so far is that he is terrible at emailing.

Love you!!!