SoMuddy, SomeBuddy and SumSpuddy

November 24, 2014

Wahoo Buckaroo!

What a week it has been! Over 25 hours of service, all of which were emergency situations, and we had 8 lessons and spent a good 15 hours finding people to teach. We were busy little bees this week. I'll start with some fun and try to make it spiritual towards the end. So on Tuesday we went HAM looking for people to teach. The whole day we contacted referrals and potentials. This was the first time in our area we had a car. We are finally in a "car share" so no more walking an hour into our area. Instead it takes about 15 minutes. Well on the days we get the car. Ha! Then on Wednesday we had our usual service.. Working at St. Vincent's food place. (Always a good time) But... Fun story is... We got there about and hour late at 9 am and no one was there. No food was cooked. An old man came in and asked if we were the chefs for the day. Literally no one was there ha! So Dyorich and I jumped to work making bread sticks, salad and hoping someone with a little more education than the Home Ec class in 8th grade would come along to save us. Luckily for us about ten minutes later the cook arrived and the head honcho. Then we were busy as all get out. Usually there is about 12 or 13 volunteers a day. Wednesday it was just the 6 of us. And four of us were missionaries. So we worked our buns off. We had to leave early because we got an emergency call from an LA (less active) member who told us their water main was leaking. Why she didn't call a real plumber to the job... Well I have no idea. Reflecting on my time with my dad I decided we would give our best effort to find the line. Mind you it was raining like crazy too. So we dug a lot! Moved tons of wet mud. Seriously tons.. We had big holes created. I figured the line couldn't be any deeper than 5 feet so we dug where we thought it was... Then we dug in another spot... Then another.. And another. We decided we should turn on the main to see where the leak was coming from. We were finally able to see where the water was coming from and...yep it was under the concrete. Ha just our luck. At this point it was about 40 degrees, we were soaked and muddy. I mean I looked like a pig that had just found a puddle of mud. Was a lot of fun. The lady finally resulted to hiring a plumber. Yes I failed a service project... Very humbling. With our tails in between our legs we went stripped into our skivvies and drove home. Defeated.. Lost... And afraid we would have nightmares of pipes and mud.

So that was Wednesday... On Thursday we went ham again and talked to some solid investigators. Friday was the first district meeting of the new transfer it was fun.  Also went crazy looking for people. Then Saturday. Folks.. This was an intense day. So the ZL (zone leaders) decided it would be a good idea to a pre-turkey bowl. Ya know to get the blood flowing. Let me tell you it was one of the most fun games of football I have played. We got there at 9am and it was raining "up" on the grass... So yeah intense storm. But water makes everything way more fun, says the big guy who was wearing a white shirt. But needless to say it was some sick flag football. And the good thing about flag football is it give guys like me a chance to make big plays. So tons of fun there! I did dislocate my middle finger. I wished so badly I had a camera around when it happened. It looked so weird! Like an "L" haha. Then today in church I was showing some members that thought it might be broken and a member in the distance thought I was flipping him off.. (it does hurt) So had to explain from a distance that I wasn't flipping him off in the chapel. Anywho after football we went and helped a PM (part member ) family move into our area. Took forever ha! And that night we went and visited some LA. Sunday great day. Went hard in the paint (basketball term meaning HAM). So yea good week. And throughout my week I have had my eyes opened to being thankful in any circumstance. Which happens to be a dang good talk by Elder Uchtdorf. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/grateful-in-any-circumstances?lang=eng&cid=email-shared  Oh and thanksgiving is coming up. Good times there. And also Christmas. AND I GET TO TALK TO MY FAMILY ! So excited ! And for this week I'll focus on the now :) rock on.. I love YALL.

Now for the something spiritual in my weekly email home. This week I have been privileged to feel the presence of the Holy Ghost abundantly as I have studied from the books of Mark and Luke. I finished Mark, and I'm almost finished with Luke. I must say my testimony of the Savior has increased so tremendously that words cannot express the love and gratitude I feel for His ever so present love and warmth in my life. I have deeply studied many parables. These stand out to amaze me every time I read them. 

First of three parables I would like to start with is the parable of the lost sheep. I have felt at times in my life, although I had not noticed at the time, I was that one out of 99 that was lost. But I know with deep sincerity that my Savior was there besides me and always encouraging me and helping me through my storms. Just as he did the disciples in their times of disbelief, and loneliness. He had to transform them to the "fishers of men" before they could be his effective disciples. Teaching them through example and acts of service.

Second parable is the parable of the Good Samaritan. This has always been one of my favorite parables because I loved when I was little watching "the living scriptures" depiction of this story. Also it serves a great message. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" it is required of all men to love their neighbors. To serve them and help them in times of need. That's what the church is all about -  service. But it goes more then this. It is becoming more than neighbors. It's becoming family.. It's becoming part of the "one fold one Shepard" we are all sons and daughters of our loving Heavenly Father. Why not show that same love for those around you. They are your brothers and sisters! Christ tells us it is required of us to forgive all men of their trespasses. So if you have any beef with anyone... forgive them!  This parable coupled with the new bible video brings tears to my eyes as I think of the Savior loving and picking me up. Let us exemplify the Savior and be that "Good Samaritan" to those around us. Especially with thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner.

Third.. Also an amazing parable... Is the parable in which Christ feeds the 5000. A parable in which great faith was required of all men. A parable that truly shows the power of Christ. And because I love food I often wonder what it would feel like to get full off of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes.. I try not to ponder to much, because I cannot comprehend such amazingness. Maybe that's how food supplies will last in heaven. :) I love in this parable how the apostle’s faith was so small to begin. "Shall we go buy 200 penny worth?" They knew not of the amazing powers of Christ. I'm sure I would be the same. And once again Christ showed his love, because of their faith, to his followers.

I know with all heart that Jesus Christ lived. That he lives today. That he loves ME. I know and am thankful for the many miracles he has performed in my life and in the lives of others. He is my savior and my king. I know that miracles are brought according to our faith. And sometimes he needs us to strengthen that faith more before he can work miracles before the children of men. I am thankful for Him. I love Him. I worship Him. I will forever proclaim His name to the blind, deaf, broken hearted, and lost. For theirs is the kingdom of God.

GRIZZ 👻

PS President called to tell me that Elder Goode is heading home for surgery with a torn MCL for a few weeks.  I got to say goodbye to him. It's pretty bad. He was pretty mad at first. Also Goode told me a lady I started teaching 5 months ago got baptized. Makes me happy to finally see some fruits. 

Thanksgiving... Oh man I'll miss it haha ! We're going to some legit members.  I am going to be taking some pies.  Then, we will be visiting some elderly ladies. 

Sister Saunders! She came up to me in church and told me she knew daddy. Lol. How funny right! She makes good food!  **Elder Workman's dad has a best friend that is married to the Saunders daughter.  During a very stressful week, we got a phone call that they would be serving our missionaries dinner. She asked what they should make. I told her a candle light cold cereal and milk dinner. (Our beautiful dinner on the previous Sunday failed and we ended up eating cold cereal and milk.  When I told Elder Workman in his weekly email, he was totally jealous. He really wanted to have been a part of the candle lit cereal dinner)  Sister Saunders made them a wonderful, fitting dinner then sent them home with candles and cereal. Such a small, yet tender mercy.**

I love you XOXOXOXO

November 17, 2014

Well this past week has been a blast! Dyorich and I get to stay together for another transfer, and I'm pumped for this upcoming one. We're going ham. I just gotta see Goode and Taito.. It's cool to see old comps. Kinda depressing. Transfers are depressing.

I'm super excited for the holidays coming up. We had the opportunity this past week to do a ton of service. My favorite thing. We helped Judy set up her Christmas stuff in her room and she was just so excited. We listened to Christmas music and told fun stories.  Bummer how Christmas is more than a month away.  We also got to help move a couple people, and work at St. Vincent's. 

We get to go to the temple on the 3^rd of December.  It’s cool because I am so close to it.  We pass by it every day. I’m excited to finally have a temple day!

I did hear about the Oregon vs Utah game. Sounds like it was a good game. Made me happy - it was good to have a silent victory in my heart.

I made mashed potatoes just like dad's this week! Another victory! 

I love you all, 

GRIZZ 👻

November 10, 2014

Hi Mommy!

So I guess to kinda tell you about our week last week.. So had
 another really awesome miracle at the hospital. A Less active guy in
 our ward had a blood clot and it separated into two pieces and went to
 both of his kindneys after bypassing his brain. Caused some serious
harm. We went over there last Friday and talked with him and offered 
him a blessing. He said he would love one. So I gave him a blessing. By the end of the blessing he was in
 tears and over and over again thanked me and told me how he could feel 
of the power. God truly does work miracles. I'm so thankful I get to
 be a vessel in which he can testify to other people. We also see this elderly lady who is bed ridden about twice a week. She is suffering  from
 depression so it was our decision to stop by twice a week and have an
 hour visit with her to just cheer her up and bring some light into
 her day. We love to go see her. She actually babysat
 Parker from Gold Rush. Only dad will get this reference. It's funny to
 hear her stories about Parker and the Snobbel family. And all the help
 she provided them. Anywho good times with her. It's fun to sit and
 listen to stories. This upcoming weeks till December 5 we are really
 workin on talking to the members and having them invite people to our
 Christmas party. Honestly it's such a great tool to invite nonmembers
 and less actives. So I challenge my homeward and all those reading
 this to invite people to their ward Christmas activities. It'll be a 
blessing to those whom receive the invitation. And you will be blessed
 for your efforts. 

Also make sure you do your home teaching and visiting teaching
honestly it makes a huge difference in active members. I've been able
to see that out here on my mission. I'd like to apologize and ask 
forgiveness from Bro. Barlow, and Bro Rodgers, also my father, for
being such a slacker home teaching companion. No worries your lessons
of diligence, and obedience to the covenants that you all made to
Heavenly Father weren't wasted on me.  And I can now see the
 importance behind those monthly, at least, visits.

I love you so much mommy :) were listening to Frank Sinatra right now :) I got my candle on and Halloween lights on, feels like Christmas - speaking of which I'm excited for it!

GRIZZ 👻

I miss you Megan. I can't even imagine how hard your mission would've been. I think of all the luxuries I have. I have an iPad, fb, a car on occasion, bikes, a DVD player, I'm close to home, got cool members that feed us, cell phones, top ramen ... Honestly I can't imagine how hard it was for you. And you made it. How? You give me so much strength through out my day. Also you make me desire to learn more. I'm a slow reader and I just finished Mark and started Luke. Pretty good so far. Luke is very detailed. I love it. I love studying. Makes me so excited when I get home to study with our family.

Somebuddy, Somuddy and Sumspuddy

herehago

November 3, 2014

Wow.. What a week !

I'm awesome! It's been a good week. It rocked! I finally finished Matthew in the New Testament. Amazing book. I had two baptismal interviews this week followed by their baptisms on Sunday and Saturday. The missionaries here in Medford do work! Medford rocks. Reminds me a lot of Utah and I see NPL trucks all the time.  

I made one of the best purchases of my mission. I bought a scented candle. Totally reminds me of home. I have the crisp fall leaves one. Our apt smells so good and missionaries comment about it when they come over to our house. It feels good to have a good smelling home. I now understand why moms care so much. It also took me like 30 minutes to figure out which smells I wanted. Dang there are hard decisions out there. Pumpkin spice also smelled delicious. Oh and garden harvest.

Anyways this week rocked ! So we had a special ZTM where pres. Russell came and taught us. I took a lot of notes and marked a lot in my scriptures. My scriptures are so marked up. But, I'm soooooo sad. I treat them like gold and the binding is coming undone. I only use them for my mornings studies. I never take them anywhere other than meetings and they are already getting ruined. I absolutely love Pres. Russell. He is honestly inspired and incredible. I am very fortunate to have him as my mission president. They even sent all of us missionary’s recipes this week. He taught us some deep doctrine in Moses, which is exactly what I love. Then, he bought our whole zone pizza. It was a sweet prelude to an awesome Halloween night.

After our ZTM (Zone Training Meeting) we went back to our apartment with the 4^th ward missionaries and were able play rummy with them. They had a lesson scheduled and Elder Dyorich & I had our wards “trunk or treat”.  That was awesome. Little kids running around everywhere all dressed up. For a slight moment it made me miss my home. We had to be in our apt at 6. So we drove home and opened the door to a beautiful smell. Goodness gracious what a glorious smell. The 4th ward elders came back over for our sleep over. To make my memories real we played football for about and hour and a half. It was muddy and rainy and so much fun! My running shoes are almost destroyed. (This explains why he was wearing his dress shoes with his shorts while serving food to the homeless) I will probably also need new church shoes also. I'm a shoe size 14.

We got back to the apt and played rummy and scrabble. It was a ton of fun!:) Also every Saturday and Wednesday we work for the Catholic Church and serve food for the homeless. Which is also tons of fun. We had some good lessons this week. Moved some people. And basically had a lot of fun. That's all for today folks

GRIZZ 👻

So for your year mark you burn a shirt. Six months it's a tie. Elder D wanted to burn his shirt.  Basically we just went out to the park in front of our apt and burned a shirt in the rain. It was kinda fun. Lol :)