Elder Justin Thiel

November 9, 2014

This week was very interesting. I was transferred to Phoenix City, Alabama.  I am serving in the Fort Michael area of Phoenix City.  I live in a trailer that has a cockroach infestation. I have an elder that sold pest control before his mission and he sprayed the place and that helped but it is starting to wear off.  When I got to the trailer, it wasn't very clean and looked like it hadn't been vacuumed for weeks, so I got to work and did some basic cleaning and now it isn't so bad, but the heater doesn't work.  We are going to be moved into an apartment before the end of the month, so we shouldn't have to endure much of the cold. A sister missionary also gave me her electric blanket to use until we move out.  My new companion is named Elder Sorenson.  He is from Grace, Idaho and he has been out for 6 weeks, so I am finishing the rest of his training.  When I got to this area, we were out of miles on the car, so we had to bike and I don't have a bike. I borrowed a member's bike and the one that I am using is a racing bike.  It is super nice and it can get going pretty fast. Over all, I think this is going to be a good area.  We are struggling with people to teach, but we can change that.  Every one in our area either lives in a trailer park or in a giant house.. and most of them are military.

This week we didn't get to teach very many lessons, but we did bike all over the place.  My part of the area is out in the country, so there are some dirt roads and everything is very spread out.  We did run into a woman, named Debra, while we were trying to see a less active, and we stopped and talked to her.  She and her husband have been looking for a church that they can both agree on.  They have had bad experiences with churches in the past.  I told her about the Book of Mormon and how I can help both of them in there search.  She seemed very excited to read it and we will be meeting with them now.

We had a "Trunk or Treat" at the church this week on Thursday.  They had a pretty good turnout and before they had a big chili dinner.  During the meal, the sister missionaries in our district sneaked out and TP'd our car with one of their investigators...I couldn't just let them get away with that, and I remembered that we did have some shaving cream our car, so we put it to good use.  We covered their windows with it (making sure not to get it on the paint because it would damage it) and wrote "clean up" on driver's window along with some other messages. They were not very happy to see their car in that condition, and they had some trouble getting the cream off, but on the up side, their car did smell like Old Spice haha!!

So the woman that hit us was supposed to buy us new bikes on Friday, but when Friday came along she said that should couldn't get the money.  I don't have any control over the situation now, and my ward mission leader is working with my last companion to get our bikes replaced.  They are going to go after the insurance to get our bikes replaced and I don't know how that is going to work out.

I'm sad to hear about your hands, but at least you now know what was the cause of all of that.  I hope that the treatment will work. I will keep you and dad in my prayers.

Who's name am I going to have for Christmas so i can plan for it?

Just so you can be looking.. this Christmas I would love it if I could get a camera...unfortunately mine is lost and also all the pictures that I had along with it for the first half of my mission...I had it with me to take to church one day in my last area and I think that I left it in a members car, and when I went to find it, it was gone.

I hope that you all have a good week!

Love,
Elder Thiel

Elder Dallin Tracy

September 17, 2014

So, how does it feel to wear the badge?

-it is one of the best feelings I've felt in my life to know you are a Representatvie of Christ and hold that authority to changes life for eternity is amazing
Who is your companion?

-I got put in a 3 some Elder Robertson and Elder Maalaelu
Where is he from?

-Elder Robertson is from Orem and is a very nice kid and knows a lot about the gospel.-Elder Maalaelu is from Samoa and he struggles with English so I feel really bad for him because that must be the hardest thing ever and he's 25
How are you guys getting along?

-We are great, we are starting to teach and learn a lot more from each other which helps so much 

Is there just 1 other companionship in your room?

-There's 1 other companionship and they're kinda goof balls, 1 is from Cincinnati, Ohio and the other from American Fork
How many are in your district?

-Has 2 other companionships that are going to Bacold, Philippines.  I have not really met them yet
Are they all going to your mission?

-no half and half
How many Elders  how many Sisters?

-all elders in our district
How many hours did you spend in class your first day?

-3 hours language and -3 hours workshop on our purpose as missionary(basically teaching investigators and loving them)
How are you sleeping?

-I lay in bed so much is on my mind  because I'm learning so much.(not like in a bad way, just trying to remember the language stuff)
Does your companion run with you in the mornings?

-we actually get 1 hr each day for gym so we don't have to wake up early to go
What are you doing for exercise?

-volleyball,basketball,running,gym anything
What do you think of the food?

-It's ok
Is there anything that you have found that you need that we forgot to pack for you?

-No not really I'm doing good right now. 

HIGH-saying my first prayer in illongo with out help it was very slow but the spirit I felt and how happy I was was so amazing. (that was last night) I cant wait till I know more and I'm excited to go to class. 

LOW- uhh I wouldn't say there has been a low because even though the mornings are a little rough you have to do it because so much needs to be done. 

WOW! 3 days already gone it feels like you guys dropped me off this afternoon! I love the MTC so much its weird, people say that the MTC is hard and you might hate it but I haven't at all.You PRAY SO MUCH hahaha you say like 10 prayers a day and then like a million little ones in your head. I'm just constantly asking to be blessed with the spirit and I ask for the Lord to bless my companions. I'd say my hardest struggle is the mornings, but haha I'll take that struggle. The first day come check in and then you drop your bags off and go straight to language class and our teacher didn't say 1 word of English till the end.  I was so lost but it got me excited about the language and then we went to a thing on our purpose and start to learn to love everyone and see them as our Heavenly Father sees them.  At first I thought it would be difficult but the spirit is sooo strong that by the end I caught myself caring for these fake investigators. Which was awesome!  We got to go to the temple and it was weird cause I didn't feel different from when I was in the MTC and the temple because the spirit is basically the same!  Its surprised me the most  how much the Lord can bless you when you just simply ask for his help and I've seen myself grow so much in just this short time.  Like I'd never say this before but now, I look forward to personal study and actually diving in and being lead 100% by the spirit.

Something I'm really am trying to focus on is being more Christ like and trying to show my faith in Christ by acting as he did.  It is hard at sometimes, but the Lord is always there. I love this work it is the greatest work on the earth and I cant wait to get the Philippines and learn to love the people for real.  Thank you so much for your help and support,  I can feel your prayers and I'm always praying for you.  I've seen a few friends from high school which is cool, but it weird at the same time.  I hope everything is going good at home. I bought a handkerchief for the temple dedication, so I'm good 

ngasapasalamt ako sara kay jeso christo kag ngasapaslamt ako sara sa regalo sang mga hinambalan.( idk if the spelling is right) lol 

Let me know if that was how you want me to email or if you'd like it different 

Love you so much 

Elder Tracy 

September 26, 2014

What is your favorite thing about Elder Robertson?

He's kind of a sheltered grown up kid but he really knows his scriptures and keeps me on time, which I'm not like way late but he just keeps me in line
What is your favorite thing about Elder Maalaelu?

He's one of the funniest kid in our district(cause he can't really speak English)
How many people are in your district?

9
What is your favorite thing about the MTC?

The spirit and just how hard everyone works.  There's nothing better! 
What is your least favorite thing about the MTC?

The food its starting to get old, but that's ok!
How is the language coming?

It's one of the hardest thing in my life, but also one of the most rewarding things ever, I'd say it's coming good though
What session of the Ogden Temple re-dedication did you get to attend?

10

I'm glad things are going good back at home! I do miss you guys and I think of you always, mom and dad you'll love this.....I make my bed every morning and not only that, I have been trying to serve more so I make everyone's in my room haha!! This week was even better than last, started on Friday night and I had a way bad night terror and got an awful night sleep so Saturday was rough but I got through it and then I had another one on that night, so I was just exhausted Sunday.  But I got a quick nap before the temple re-dedication.  Wow that was so cool the spirit was just absolutely amazing and the hosanna shout looked so cool!!  After that we went to sacrament and right as I walked in I knew I would be giving the talk(they have us prepare a little talk for every week and then pick someone) and of course I did so I have talked 2 Sundays in a row!   It was good though, it went really well.  Then we got to go on a Sunday walk around the temple.  It was a nice break to go and we were told to ponder what was said in the temple blessing, then we went to choir practice oh yea hahahah I got picked to sing in the MTC choir at priesthood of General Conference which is going to be so sweet. but choir is fun the guy is way funny. Then we went to the devotional and we reviewed and talked about how to be a successfull missionary and it was a great talk and really inspired me to be better.  Then haha we went watch a talk by Elder Bednar and it was called "Character of Christ."   Look it up and see if you can watch it.  It's one of the best talks I've ever heard and the spirit was so strong and I felt so empowered.  I've only felt that way a couple times in my life it was a great feeling.  When we got back to the room, I had a impression to ask my companion, Elder Robertson to give me a blessing for my sleep and I have not had a problem since which has been sooo nice. SUNDAY WAS AMAZING  

I restarted the Book of Mormon and I've been looking for Christ-like actions and acts of faith and I've gotten so much more out of my studies. We taught our first lesson in illongo haha!!  It was so hard and we really struggled because we really don't know much, but it just made me wanna work hard and learn more.  My district is soooo funny and they keep making fun of me for the letters and packages I keep getting.  So if you guys could send even more that would be awesome hahah!!  Tuesday, Elder M. Russell Ballard came and talked to us and it was weird because Cade wrote me that day and they said a lot of the same things.  It was a great experience to hear one of the 12 talking straight to you.  We then taught our investigator again last night and we had a lesson plan but we got in there and she asked like how to pray correctly and about the Godhead(stuff we have never studied or looked at) and we just ran with it, but I was just flowing with the spirit and I was able to say what she needed to hear.   After I had never been so happy!!  I can't wait till its a real person!!  We committed her to read the Book of Mormon and pray about if its true!! 

This week flew by, but I love every second of it!!  It's amazing to me a missionary and we had a testimony meeting and an elder in my district said something super cool!!  We wear Elder on our name badge just like the apostles and representative of the church which is way cool!!

Sorry for the spelling errors, I'm in a hurry 

love and miss you all 

Elder Tracy 

October 3, 2014

How did the pineapple fair?

Actually really good
Questions for the week...
How was it teaching Ryley this past week?

It was way werid at first, hahaha!!  The first question he asked was where I'm from and it was funny but after we started and got going it was good and it was nice to see him.
How is the language coming? It's extremely hard, haha!! cause you want to say so much and tell your investigators about the truthfulness, but you don't have the words, but I'm working hard and it will come I know!
Are you noticing increased understanding & vocabulary?

Oh yes, everyday it's growing!!  The hardest part is speaking in the sentence structure, I think, cause it's Verb, Actor, Object, Location and then there's certain words that make them those things, but it's getting easier!!
Are either of your companions singing with you in the choir?

Elder Roberston is!
How exactly did you get picked for the choir? Do you sing now too? I will be watching  & hoping that you get on TV so I can see you!

We had to fill out a survey kind of thing with past choir experience and I had like high school and jr high and then he would kinda walk around and listen and if you couldn't do it you got kinda kicked out or an alternate but I made it!!   I will be sitting behind the prophet tomorrow!
Are you able to go to the temple every week?

Yes, but these past 2 weeks we have had choir and so we haven't been able to go, but we will next week.  Want to send a stack of names and I'll give them out and get them done?
What would you & your zone like in the next package?

Donuts, cookies, and surprise they say! hahah!! Honestly, they love you so much and  its so funny!
High:I guess the opportunity to be in the choir it going to be such a cool experience but everything else is great 

Low:  We bombed a lesson and it really sucked hahah!! 

This week went by soooo fast it's insane!!  It feels like yesterday I was emailing you guys!!  This week has been a lot of studying and choir.  Nothing really special but great at the same time it has been super fun.  No, the talks were in English.  This week I had some really great lessons and a really bad one!  We just really stuggle and it sucked and it really made me mad and it was probably the worst time at the MTC so far, but I've also notice we learn so much from our mistakes and it can make us prepare more and be more diligent with our studies.  The Lord won't let us fail if we have faith and trust Him.  I really do believe it and because of those road bumps I feel like I've grown so much more than I would have if it was a good lesson. Elder Maalaleu did the haaka that was pretty cool!!! Uh, we really just sing and teach all week!  We learned 3 songs in 7 days and now we are gonna go sing in front of 5 million people!!  It's insane.  I'm super excited for conference not only because I get to sing and be at priesthood, but the spirit that its going to bring here and it will be way cool when one of them talk about missionary work and hastening the work and that's us!  That's me, and it will be probably the first conference I really listen to every talk and try and get the most out of it 

I love you guys keep me updated on everything!   I absolutely love being a missionary and I wouldn't wanna do anything else!   It's flying by already and it's kinda scares me.  Thank you so much for your support and prayers! I do feel them 

Love 

Elder Tracy 

October 10, 2014

Where you able to go to the temple this week?

Yea, we went to today!  It was good!  I really love going to the temple!  It's weird that I'll only have a few more times for 2 years.
How are you doing with doing your own washing of clothes?

I'm fine! Come on I can handle myself!
I want to know who all is in your district:

Elder Robertson

my comp. from Orem, kind of a weird kid haha!! but I like him! 

Elder Weddle 

from Ohio hes is super funny and is the class clown kinda kid so we get a long great!

Elder Nuttle 

from American Fork, his movie quotes are on point and they're hilarious!

Elder Ashton 

he's our District Leader from Washington.  Way chill, likes sports, so we get a long good. 

Elder Rivera 

from Canada and he's probs my fav!!   Like we would probs be friends if we weren't in the MTC! 

Elder Prepchuk

Canada, he's super weird, but that's what makes him funny! 

Elder Goodmanson 

Idaho and he's a scout geek and super nerdy and just loves to read.  He bugs me a little, but not that much!

Elder Maalaleu

the funnest kid!! His English is getting  better, but he messes up sometimes and it's the funniest thing!
Do you know when you will get travel plans?

Probs in like a week.  The other districts fly out next Thursday
I want to send you a calling card, but I want to make sure the everyone in your district will be able to call their families, so find out what plans they have in calling their families, I don't want you to be the only one with a calling card, you know what I mean. So I need info.

Everyone is calling so just send me one that will work international
How is the language coming?

Good!! We have been focusing on learning with the spirit and it helps so much!!  At first I was scared to teach, but now it's my favorite part of the day!!
How did the lessons go this week?

Great!  With one of the our (Fake investigators) we are going to ask to prepare to be baptized next week and even though its fake the spirit that is there is really and make you so happy!!
Now that you are at your half way point in the MTC, what are you going to focus on these last 3 weeks?

Just the language of the spirit and learning to go with your feelings, even if they are weird.

Well this week has been one of the best!!  It started off amazing and with the highlight of the MTC and a great start of my mission.  Singing in conference was crazy and seeing dad was a good surprise!!  He got me good!! He wrote me and said he was going to be there and it was ok and then he was standing there when we were walking in.  It didn't even make me home sick because I'm really in the zone and it just made me wanna serve more cause you guys are doing ok.  Did we sound good, because our practice before didn't sound good and all of us were worried!  Angels were definitely helping us sing!!  It was unforgettable!!  Nothing really special else happened this week, but its flying by and I know my purpose and I'm just trying my best to prepare for the field. We got to host new missionaries!!  That was cool and to meet new people was fun!   I'm getting pretty good at 4 square haha and mornings are easy now!  It was kinda nice when choir was over, because then we could have personal study again. But I love it here and I love the packages and letters you guys send!!  It makes my day so don't stop hahaha!! 

I've seen myself grow so much and it's amazing my knowledge of the gospel and the language!! It's truly amazing!!  I've been speaking Illongo for 23 day? and I feel pretty confident in teaching without preparing even though it is broken Illongo and awful grammar, the spirit bridges the gaps and makes it good. 

Love and miss you all 

Elder Tracy 

October 24, 2014

Ok, so that thing for Hong Kong is like an emergency flight if there are visa problems.  It's in 30 days of getting there, but shoud be used its just in case.  So we go from Tokyo to Manila and then we are in the Manilia MTC for 5 days!   And I don't know what we do there for that long but then we fly to our missions. Could you send me a new toothbrush, mine like shorted out!  idk what happened! sounds like you've had a crazy week haha!! It's a good thing though!  This week flew by!!  It is so crazy!!  It really hasn't hit me that we leave on Thursday, because it still feels like we just got here!

What was your high for the week?

Uh, probably the Tuesday night devotional.  It was amazing!!  It was by a guy from the seventy, but he gave 4 steps to see miracles 1.repentance 2 work hard 3.continually pray 4.have faith and he broke them all down!  It was really cool and then at the end he just talked and said we need to serve our missions in a way that if our parents could see they would be proud and how they might not be able to see but our Father in Heaven can, and it was cool.  On the Sunday night one, he said if you're on a mission cause your dad wants you to be here, you're ok, because you're just like Jesus and it was funny, cause I never really thought of Jesus and that as like a mission like what I'm doing.
What was your low for the week?

I cant remember anything bad though. 

Have you been able to do another lesson with Skype to the Philippines?

Well, this time it was an RM from Iloilo, so it was cool, but not as cool as last week!
What will you miss about the MTC?

The special spirit that is always here, and the great environment it is!
What won't you miss about the MTC?

The food!  We ate breakfast at the temple today and it was amazing! haha First time having real food in 6 weeks!!  I love getting to going to the temple every week!!  I will miss that!  And the special feeling of peace you get from going.  I'll also miss the devotionals.   They're are always so good and spiritual recharge!  I'll miss my district!!  I really do love them!!  We've became really close and its cool. 

This week has been great and they said we were gonna see "Meet the Mormons" on Sunday, so hopefully that would be cool!  I will be able to email on Wednesday before I leave!  There's really nothing else that happened! Just a lot of studying and teaching!!  The lessons are going good, but I feel like I teach like the whole thing and always take charge of it, but they're good!  The language is hard, but I've already come to terms that my first area will be a different language than I learned here (teacher says that's a high chance) but I don't really care!! I'm just excited to get out there and start helping real people and effecting there lives! 

Send me all the letters/packages now cause in a week it will be a lot harder hahah jk...but really though 

Love and miss you alll your always in my prayers 

Elder Tracy 

October 29, 2014

It's crazy huh?  It really doesn't seem like we leave tomorrow!  This MTC has felt like 2 weeks! It's crazy and I've learned so much!!  This week, and like them all, it flew by!!  This week has been so good though, cause it was our last one!!  I'm just finishing some last laundry and then my bags are packed.  I put my books in them so they're both around like 40 lbs so I should be good!  I'm excited to talk to you, too!!  I will call you once I can, how was your week?

I'll call everyone I have the number for and who I can remember. Can you thank Bonnie and Kent?  They sent me some cookies and they were amazing!  I just don't have time to send one back!   I would appreciate that. Yes, we got the package and we are saving it for tonight and so we're having our "last super" tonight! haha!! Some of my district wants to talk to you tomorrow also so if that's ok haha. 

This Week  

This week we got to skype again and it was actually kinda cool!!  We didn't really get time to prep, so I was kinda really nervous, but then we got there and I just had the spirit and it just went so well and at the end he said I teach with power and the spirit!!   It was really cool to hear that from someone else!! I loved it!

We had a devotional on leaving and going out in the field.   It was cool,  but it was kinda more for in state missionaries, but it was still good and then we watched a talk from Elder Bednar and it was becoming a missionary, and there were a couple of things that really hit and something that if I work on, I can have the spirit even stronger and I can see miracles. I heard a story about carrying yourself in a way that people already know your a representative of Jesus Christ, and that's what I want. 

Me and another elder from my district and we are kinda racing trying to finish the Book of Mormon the fastest! It's cool, cause I wanna read and wanna learn even more and then we can talk and discuss it after.  It's way cool.  My desire for the scriptures has grown so much!! It's crazy!!  And my knowledge has grown! It's so amazing to see the Lord's hand in my daily life. These past 2 days have been amazing!  We taught Chris (fake investigator) and it was about repentance and forgiving!  It was straight up the most spiritual lesson we have taught!!  And, we listened and helped him through everything, and it was so cool, and even though we couldn't understand all he was saying, we could make sense of it because of the spirit!! And after, he said that we are so good at teaching to the needs of the investigator and teaching by the spirit!  It was so good to hear with our last lesson. 

But the definite high of the week is my companion from Samoa gave me and Elder Robertson a Lava Lava he said so we can always remember him!  It was so nice and I love it, and I love him!!  I'm so glad we got put together and we were able to grow together.  It's amazing, cause he came in here and couldn't speak English, but now he can understand almost anything!  I just think that's what we are gonna be like for our first transfer!! We won't understand anything, but if we can have faith and pray always for help, like Elder Maalalau, the Lord will help us. I got to go!! Talk to ya tomorrow! Love and miss ya, 

Elder Tracy 

October 31, 2014

mom! I made it and I'm safe, just a little sick! But it's way cool here and I love it already!!  We got in at like 12 last night and woke up at 6:30, so I'm way tired, but ok!!  Lang and Manila have so many big buildings!! We have to go teach in tagolg this afternoon!  I don' know how that's gonnna go!   I'm excited though.  We are staying in a way nice hotel for 5 days and doing immigration things and then we will go to our missions.  I'll email you on pday love ya

Elder Dallin Stout

November 3, 2014

Transfers!

Transfer calls came Saturday afternoon to give us more time to say goodbye to all the people we know which was awesome. So Elder Beus is leaving to Newbury Park which is right next to Thousand Oaks. My new Companion is Elder Randall Robinson, who I served around when I first got into the mission, so we're gonna have fun! Elder Hurst is going to Camarillo with my old companion Elder Slaugh. Elder Thornell is staying and he's already been here for 6 months so we're calling him the Lompoc Dinosaur!

Elders Thornell and Beus as clone trooper missionaries

Elder Stout and Hurst with the clone trooper missionaries

A P-day for the Lompoc missionaries in Solvang





Elder Stout in
the Hat shop



















                                       Elder Hurst with clogs on















Elder Stout's purchase....fish socks!!



































                The Lompoc Missionaries with their Solvang hats and socks!!




My family is great, my bro has a lot to do in preparation for his mission. He says people think his mission is cooler but I'm working on fixing that! [Note: Elder Stout's younger brother, Sam, has just received his mission call to Hong Kong!]
We had a really good lesson with Juan, Shilo and Ty. We watched the full Prophet of the Restoration with them. It helped them see what role Joseph Smith and the Book Of Mormon play and how there has always been opposition against prophets, but the gospel/God's purposes cannot be hindered by man. The Topete family came to church this week! Chris is 12 and is working to receive the priesthood, Will is 8 and wants to be baptized. They are both keeping their commitments to read the children's Book Of Mormon a little each day to finish it by the new year and pray each day. We had a lesson with Ella last week and took Josh Fielding who is preparing for a mission. We read Alma 32 with her and committed her to read a Plan of Salvation pamphlet. Wednesday we had an awesome ward Halloween trunk or treat! There was a Chili/Mac and Cheese cook off, Elder Beus and I played games with the kids and did the Doughnut on a string eating contest! Lots of less actives and investigators came to that. Elder Beus is doing good. He's just bummed to leave and say goodbye to everyone. He hasn't been south or around rich people yet so he's kinda nervous, but he'll do good. I know that the Lord sends us where we need to go for a reason and that he has a plan for individuals to receive the gospel through certain missionaries and people. I know that this work is directed by the Lord and when we trust his will and guidance we cannot go astray.
 For service we helped an investigator, named Ron, go through his stuff and be able to live in his house. He hoards a lot of stuff, He has 2 giant containers full of stuff that we started going through! He really appreciates our help and seems to have progressed in learning the gospel. Sunday he went to the church and watched some conference which Elders Thornell and Hurst put on for him.

Love,
Elder Stout

Elder Justin Thiel

October 27, 2014

This week came with lots of adventures for me and my companion. I did get your package and I loved it. Thank you for all the treats and contacts. They were sorely needed.  And tell Matt thanks for the gift card.  I have yet to use it but I will in the coming week. 

This week we were able to see Jeffery and Nicole.  They are still doing great and are progressing toward baptism.  We watched the "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration" video with them and they loved the whole thing!  After seeing what the prophet had to go through in this life, and for nothing but the cause of truth, put the importance of this work into their perspective.  They were unable to come to church so we had to move their baptism date to a week later then the past date. 

We were able to see a man named Jimmy that me and Elder Hunsicker taught back in July.  We were only able to teach him the restoration before we lost contact with him, so then we taught him.  We taught him the restoration lesson and he really liked it and said that it made a lot of sense to him.  We focused big time on the need for baptism and repentance in the lesson, and invited him to be baptized.  He said "yes" immediately, which surprised me.  He said that he has never been baptized, and has been putting it off for far too long and that he would loved to be baptized.  He is going to be baptized in December.

So the biggest event of this week and the scariest... was that me and my companion were hit by a car this week... we were off the side of the road and were going to throw away some trash that we had in the apartment dumpster, when a car came up behind us.  I had just put up the kick stand and got off my bike when they pulled over so that they could throw away their trash.  When I saw the car slowing down, I thought nothing of it and was about to start walking toward the path to the dumpster, when I heard the car engine rev.  I looked back with one thought in my mind: there is no way people hate missionaries this much in Georgia. I looked back just in time to see the car speeding toward me, and my first reaction was to turn around.  I was hit by the car and flipped over the hood of the car.  The impact caused me to travel with the car about 5 feet before completely going over the windshield and landing on my back in the middle of the road.  Luckily there weren't any cars coming down the road at that time.  I got right up and walked back to my companion, who was on the ground next to where I had been hit, and asked him if he was okay.  He said he was okay, but didn't get up.  The lady pulled back around and when she got out of the car, we saw that she was about 70 years old and was shaking, only repeating the phase: "Oh no!" over and over again.  My bike was trashed and so was my companions bike, but we were fine. My bike got a vengeance on her car and ripped the bottom of the bumper off and punched a hole in the side of her car.  We called the mission president and the police.  The lady said that she would replace the bikes and helmets.  We didn't go to the emergency room because we didn't feel like we needed to.  This was Thursday. This happened around 12:30 in the afternoon.  We went back to apartment and rested until 6 when we went out with a member to go teach some people that we had planned.  We went to the doctors the next day with a member and they checked us out to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with us. The only injuries that I had was a bruised hand, and my butt on the left side was sore from where I took the impact.  That was it!!  The doctor said that I was extremely lucky that we got out the way that we did.  Most people don't come out of something like that with nothing wrong, let alone walk away from something like that!!  My companion said that I jumped into the air, but I don't remember that.  I'm pretty sure that the angels of God carried me and protected me from the crash.  It is estimated that she hit us at about 20 mph and my glasses didn't even come off my face and there wasn't even a mark on her windshield from where I hit it.  We will be getting new bikes on Friday.

I found out Saturday that I will be being transferred to a new area.  All I know is that I will still be training and will be a district leader.  My mission president is going to come on my behalf and pick up my new bike and bring it to me.  So I was tempest tossed and transferred this week! 

I hope that Jacob does well in his basketball. That is awesome that you got to see that movie!  I wish I could see it again.  I hope that you all get to enjoy Halloween!  We have to be in our apartment at 6 pm that day for the night, so I don't know what I will do yet.

I love all of you and hope that you have a great week!

love,

Elder Thiel 

Elder Zach Beckman

Mon, 27 Oct 2014 14:17

 Adventures of Elder Beckman!!

Hey Everyone so this week has been awesome! there has been so many cool stories and this week, I actually took some pictures for you guys to see! But it's gonna be awesome today!!  We got transfer calls and I am staying here in Cherry Grove so that will be 7.5 months here!   But it was pretty nuts!!  They are transferring 12 people out of my zone and so we are going to have a fresh new zone by this next week!  Ahh!!! it's gonna be awesome!

So this week was sweet it started off with a phone call from Deanna one of my recent converts saying she had her baby girl!!!  Her name is Leah!  It was so sweet!!  I drove to the hospital and got to talk with them and take some pictures but it is so amazing to see them have the gospel in their lives and the happiness it brings to them!  Ahh just a great feeling it brings! But there will be a picture of us later on in the email!

So next Story was my awesome trip down to Louisville Kentucky!!! So this last Friday, our mission got to go down to the Louisville Temple and got to spend some time down there and it was so great!  It is an awesome time to be a missionary and go to the temple!  The spirit is so strong there and it makes you never want to leave!  But it was great!!  I got to go with two of my favorite ward members and they took us out to lunch after and it was just a great time!

So Next story really makes me sound like my dad, in fact, after I said what I did I said to myself " I can't believe I just said that... now I really am sounding like my dad"  Ha ha ha but the story...

So this last week we were trying to get one of our investigators to come to mutual and we finally got him there after a ton of work just to get him to a church building!  So we told some of the youth that he was coming and that they needed to be there to help us out and things like that!  And one of the ones said to us that he didn't want to go and was debating with us whether or not he should go, and we told him that he can choose whatever he wants to do, but, I asked him "What is the right thing to do?"   So we left them all and about 30 mins later he shoots us this text saying " I am at mutual" and I said back to him, "That's awesome, Ben, sometimes in life we don't want to do things, like go to mutual or things like that. but by going, the Lord is going to bless you!"  It was at that moment I thought back through my life going to mutual and I thought... "Man I have had that conversation with my dad like 100 times!!"  Ha ha ha ha!!  But really though, I have learned so many things out here that is blessing my life and the lives of others!! It is truly amazing! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Well Family Friends, and other people cc'd into this email, I hope you all have an awesome day and go out and always have a smile on your face because life is awesome! so always remember that!

LOVE YA!

Elder Beckman

Elder Dallin Stout

Mon, Oct 20, 2014 at 3:48 PM

First week of fasting!

 The work has been great here. On Wednesday Elder Beus and I were fasting for the ward 40 day fast for missionary work. The past 3 months here Elder Beus has not had a referral. But while we were talking with John, a potential investigator, he saw his neighbor and said that we should visit her. After praying and setting up a return appointment with John we went to meet her. Her name is Tamara, she just had a baby and Elder Beus has met her before. We gave her a POS pamphlet and set up a return appointment for next week! Later while in an apartment complex we met a little girl who told us to go see her mom. We did, her name is Ella, and she is great. We set up a return appointment with her too! Before heading in for the night we met a guy named Gustavo who speaks mostly Spanish but accepted an invite to read the Book Of Mormon. We referred him to the Spanish Elders. So the fasting miracles were 2 referrals received and contacted, 3 new investigators and 1 referral to give!(just in one day!) My arm has been healing great, I can do most things, I just don't have my full range of motion/extension yet.

     Elder Beus has been awesome, he has a great connection with the people in town. (he knows a lot of them!) He is not afraid to be bold in his teaching to let people know what they need to do. We also get along really well and know that we can be completely honest and open with each other.

     I know that the complete gospel of Jesus Christ is found in this church, that Jesus is the Son of God and that because of him we all have 2nd chances. There is nothing, no person, no matter how far away from God, that is out of reach of the atonement of Jesus Christ. If we believe and have faith in him, through God all things are possible.

     We also found out something cool from Elders Thornel and Hurst. Colt is the referral we gave them that we met at Wendy's with our ward mission leader. They went over to teach her and also met her mom. Her mom is the lady that all 4 of us helped on the side of the road to push her truck to the gas station! She expressed to them how she was impressed with our service. That when she looked in her rear-view mirror she saw us smiling, laughing and having a good time as we were pushing her down the street. We helped Chris pool to move into his new house, helped clean up at the Marks home, painted at sister Skyler's etc. 

Elder Stout

Elder Dallin Lambertsen

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

One month down!

Family and Friends,

This week was pretty usual. We had Zone Conference on Tuesday. President Forbes' main focus was on how we can work with the members on missionary work and how we can work with less actives. Which is something our area really needs.

After Zone Conference I went on an exchange with Elder (KC) Roose who was working as a cashier at Target last September and says he knew Joe and saw him all the time. Anyway, the exchange was in Hudson, Wisconsin. We mainly went tracting and met some interesting people. We met a man named Mike who was a member of the church growing up and to quote Elder Roose, he "drank like a fish, and smoked like a train". He was pretty willing to talk and we probably talked for about an hour. His wife came home while we were talking and took a pass along card and told us she wanted us to come back and straighten her husband out. :)

As for my area. We are slowly getting the pendulum moving. We met with a couple families this week and there is definitely potential with them, but I don't want to get too excited. A lot of this past week was dedicated to finding. We did a lot of tracting. We met a guy in Woodbury who thought we were Jehovah's but we quickly clarified. He told us that he was looking to go back to church. He just didn't know which one was the one that was recently built down the street form his place (talk about the Great and Abominable church. I'll send a picture of it soon) but we quickly gave him a restoration lesson and a pass along card with the address of the church. Sadly, he didn't show up. Speaking of church, they did finally hunt me down on Tuesday and I spoke in Sacrament meeting yesterday. In the middle of my talk the high councilman that was there got up and walked out and I had no idea what to do, but as I finally started concluding, he walked back up on the stand. Also, there wasn't any bread so we had an extra-long sacrament hymn while we waited for it.

Not too much happened this week but we are picking up on what this area needs. Hopefully I will have some good stories for next week!

Oh, and my mailbox has been extremely empty, what's up with that?

Elder Lambertsen