Armor (Of the Lord?)

December   26^th, 2016

Dear Family,

To describe my past week I would have to say that it was short. There was not to terrible much that we could do, due to the rain we got. I find it funny that I have been praying for rain and when we finally get it, it pours for 3 days. We couldn't really leave the apartment because of all the mud and stuff, because to get anywhere in the area we have to take dirt paths, so when it rains it turns to mud and when we get to the house we are covered head to toe with mud. So we usually walk, but that was not so much the case here, we wanted to walk but our rain gear was soaked in the first hour. We were already having chattering teeth by then so we decided to go back to the apartment and get warm (no one was home or letting us in.) We stayed there till it started to clear up and we got cabin fever so we made armor out of cardboard. We had some sushi. I had a tablespoon of wasabi it was awesome. I was a fire breathing dragon outside but when I got back to the apartment I had to use the bathroom, and I turned into a rocket ship from the wasabi. We had some lessons with some less active families and we got invited back on over for breakfast the next day (today). That is the sum of my week.

Love you all,

Ammon

Working His Magic

Suck it Up Buttercup

Dear Family,

 

To quote Hagrid "you're a wizard, Dad!" I hope that the party goes well for everyone in attendance. Please send me some photos of Ian's and Mackinzee's wedding. If the sister missionaries are allergic to anything, I share this motto that has been going through the zone here "SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP" I am just kidding. No, I haven't gotten my Christmas package yet. It will probably get it the week of Christmas. Yeah, Nicole told me about going on over to help Ambria with her  Personal Progress. We may or may not get snow, most likely it will not. Sadness (not really it gets down to 26 degrees when the sun drops and snow would make it harder to bike home.) It is going pretty well with Elder Conder, we have been talking about how we could better understand each other when we say idioms from where we are from. Transfers were today and we are still together and will be together until January 30th, so we’re good. No, you didn't tell me that Josh is getting married on the 14th of January, please send me pictures. I hope that Ari and Sam do well on their exams and that they make it safely. I hope the tree looks amazing and that the quilt comes out amazing.

 

Love you all,

Ammon

Opening an Area

No new investigators, we have basically been having to "open" the area, we basically threw out our area book because all of the people, notes, and records are really, really, really, REALLY BAD. We have started out "new" in our area, We have been doing more contacting, I had to give a talk in sacrament meeting on the restoration.  We have been going through the area book and pulled out everyone that had almost okay notes and are starting to visit/find them, Pencil lead for marking scriptures, ties yes, and chocolate bars, and other things.

Elder Conder has not been able to teach any investigators, because we don't have any right now, so we have been teaching less actives. Training is difficult and it is really frustrating when they still have the mentality that "I worry about me and you worry about you" but we have slowly been getting that out of his system. We have been keeping our apartment clean, I have officially, unofficially taken the position of Desert Office Elder (I am not a real office elder) if there is an apartment that needs to be cleaned then the housing inspectors call us up to come help clean apartments.  I haven't really been writing in my journal, it is like 11 by the time I finish planning and past bed time, and we have to be up at 6. It is very cold it has been getting down to high 20's but it climbs back up to the 50's. And yes there is a surprising lack of Green in the mission, I have only seen green on the mission for 3 days out of my entire mission thus far.

Love you mom

Addict

That's great that Uncle Nathan won the trophy, who took what place in the Shoot-Out. It’s great that Melissa and her family showed up. Yes, this year has been flying by I can't remember what life was like before the mission it seems kinda distant and far away kinda like a day dream or something like that. Thomas IS HOME?!!! The "kilt" is called a Lava-lava and all of the missionaries (the Elders) out here have been trying to get one. All of us have agreed that we will wear them to p-day activity. Thanksgiving was awesome we went to an elderly couple’s home and they stuffed us like nothing else. They had their grandson and his fiancé there and they basically talked about some dumb things that they did on their missions. I have several ideas for if anyone tries to prank me :)

 

For Christmas, I would like Long John Garments top and bottom (2-3) the kind that goes down to the ankles. Cookies, all kinds. 2 white shirts with a 16 and 1/2 size neck line. Socks (wool blend is preferred for winter.) A sweater. Could I please get Dads Hot Chocolate recipe, the people out here have no idea what real hot chocolate is like. I think I now know what a crack addict feels like when they don't have crack because it is the same for me but with hot chocolate. The hot chocolate that members out here make is just watered sugar water with little flavoring. Please, save me from this lack of real chocolate!!!!

 

Love you all,

Ammon

Winterizing & The Missionary Moving Club Redu

Well this past week has been very stressful, me and my greenie have been going through the area book, and all of the people that were "investigators" just were places were the missionaries would go to hangout, so we have been having to drop people and find more people, and we haven't been able to get my greenie any solid people that we could teach the restoration too, so we have been looking for the past week for people and haven't really found any one, but we are building our relationship with the ward. we have been putting the miles on our bikes and we have been winterizing a lot of peoples swamp coolers, I can probably do it in my sleep now with the number of times I have done it. And not a lot has happened, but a cool thing that happened was we got called by a member of the ward to help some of his friends who were moving up from LA to the high desert, we were there for 3 hours and we unloaded 3 u-huals and we had some of the elders qourum help us, no for the news of a not as great scale, we helped them move into the ward next to ours, but that is okay the missionaries there haven't had a person investigating for the past 3 years, so not so bad. and that is our week in a nut shell, i got to go and get groceries.

I love you all,

from,

Ammon

Reenacting the Best 2 Years

Hello, I am still alive, California is still crazy, and people are still people.

Well, for the past week I can only describe my week as crazy, I have been in a trio companionship for the past week and a half, and it was an awesome time, I basically had to stay with some Elders that live with the Zone Leaders, so we had 5 Elders in 1 apartment, we had a fun time doing stuff, and one of the Elders I was with got Dear Johned, and it was his first break up, and he had no idea how to handle it and what made it worse for him is that she wrote a letter to him, and then wrote an email to him saying and I qoute "Oh, yeah, this is everything that I forgot in my letter" and he got the email before the letter, so for 2 days he could not function at all and basically we went to sonic and bought 7-10 milk shakes each(59 total, we had a ton of coupons and a member gave us a 50 % discount during at happy hour) and we pounded them till he felt better, and he was on such a sugar high that we decided to reenact the best 2 years.

After that we covered both of our wards, mainly theirs because they were low on miles, we are given a set number of miles for that month, and they were really low, so we covered their ward until the miles reset.  I went down the hill for the last  2 days, and was Spanish for those days till I got my Greenie, and we had to go up the hill that night, and we had to fit 3  greenies luggage in a Chevy Cruz and go up the hill with 4 elders in the Cruz as well, needless to say after some 3D tetris we managed to fit everything and everyone.  We got  up here and it was like 7 at night when we got up the hill.  The roads were so bad (it was election day) that we left at 5:30 and didn't get back till 7 pm and we had to greenie shop, and we have been busy ever since.  We got to go and learn an area. Oh, and an Elder that was Spanish that died that transfer, Left his GPS and his comp didn't want it so I got a free GPS, and it has saved our butts so many times already, we put every ward member's address and every investigators and potential in it, and we were able to go and see if people still had a pulse and still lived there. We have a new ward mission leader,  our old one wanted us to get 20 lessons a week, in an area that we could only get 2 lessons a week , and he didn't even give us the time of day, but our new one has been more then helpful.  He gave us a split calendar and an updated ward list (ours was out of date, and we asked for one when I first got here) and he his been keeping a growing list of people that past missionaries taught that we could go visit so we should be on the up and up and that is all of what has happened in the past week.

love you all,

from,

Ammon

His First Son

Well mom, I know you called the office because I was there and was about to pick up the phone, when the mission President came in and wanted to start the meeting. So, instead of me, one of the office people answered and said my name so I assume that it was you on the other line. I haven't gotten a chance yet to see if they have a package for me, But I found out tomorrow, and I am training a new Greenie, I am the senior Companion, and I don't know yet his name. (His name is Elder Conder.)

This past week I have been in a trio, with another set of Elders, that live with the Zone Leaders, so 5 elders in 1 house for 1 week, yeah nothing could possibly go wrong ;). I have never had so much fun in teaching people, it was really awkward, but it helps if you acknowledge it in the beginning. I have been covering 2 wards and trying to juggle dinners. Yes, I am still in Apple Valley, I will not be leaving for another 2 transfers (3 months). For Ari, all that I can say is if you keep putting in Preach My Gospel in and applying it then he will eventually come along and the spirit will testify to both of them. (Ari was called as a ward missionary.) I hope that Fulton will push Dad's plan on through and give the money necessary to start it up. (He took 2^nd place!) Thank Bro White for the gifts that he has given me.

I got to go talk to you later,

I love you all,

Ammon

The No Good, Very Bad, No Fun Halloween

THAT IS AWESOME THAT MR.HALL went to the Trunk or Treat; you have no idea how great of a missionary opportunity that is for inviting people to come to the building and get to know the members of the ward. Out here, they base the ward activities around the missionaries’ investigators helping them feel welcomed into the ward. Please, have dad send me his recipe for Hot Chocolate before Christmas so that I can get everything and make some. Tell Mr. Hall that I am on a mission and that I say "Hi.” I hope the quilting is going well, and it is pretty funny that Ambria is listening to 80's Christmas music. Send me something that put a smile on your face and left you feeling Happy.

 

That is all that I can share, and I am doing well, and I am helping Elder Muhlstein pack, he is going down to the office to be an office Elder. President wants him down there with him to keep an eye on him, because up to this point Elder Muhlstein was done, but when president told him that he is coming down there with him, his eyes lit up, because he gets to be on a computer from 8 am to 3 pm, and gets to fix all of the technology problems. We may actually get I-pads. We did go to the Trunk r Treat but we had to cut out early because we had to do weekly planning. We had people from all wards and all walks of life come in. Oh, send me the Cocoa Cola Chicken recipe, because I made some out here but it was lacking something.

 

 

Love you all,

Ammon

Shower Power Naps

October 10^th, 2016

Dad's Report: I found out that we don't have any anymore investigators. They have left or they only let us in to get out of the heat because they felt sorry for the Elders. The new ward is different, it is very much so a just starting ward. There are a lot of single moms with their kids, that became converted to the gospel when their boyfriends dumped them because they got pregnant. They had their kids and are now the ward. They are a ward of single mom's trying to raise their kids in the gospel that they converted too, and they have some awesome testimonies that they bore over the pulpit this fast Sunday. It is cooling off, not that I would notice because my companion likes to keep the temp at about 60 degrees all the day long. The biking is not as bad but it is still bad, we have to take dirt paths to go ANYWHERE in our area, and Goatheads, stickers or whatever you call them are a problem. I’ve had 2 popped tires with tire liners and now I upgraded again to now I have a new tube and another Tire liners. Dinners are a struggle here because the ward is mostly single sisters, we don't get to be fed often, but we do get dinners from the families that are supper cool. There is a member here who started out homeless, he met the missionaries and it turned his life around and now he is a multi-millionaire, and he has a 2016 stingray Corvette that he put a super charger in it. Yes, I am keeping the apartment clean, you know how Jesus Said "Greater things then I have done you shall do" yeah I have proof of that statement, I raised from the Oblivion of death that apartment to where now it is a resurrected apartment. Spiritually, I am growing like crazy if you count how often I am repenting and I have been slacking in the Journal Entry department I have gotten out of the habit, I will do better. I have been studying a talk on the atonement I will try to send it to you, I suggest that you listen to the Whole thing and follow the scripture chase that he leads you on in it. 

Love you all,

Ammon

 

Dear family,

 

Well Monday was crap we did nothing and we didn't even get to leave the apartment because both of us were so tired that we passed out in our study chairs waiting for dinner the next day to text us back, this is after we did all of the p-day necessities.

 

Tuesday, we had district meeting which was not very good because not everyone was there so we had to make a goulash of the zone. It sucked because our zone is so big that some thought that it was cancelled and were informed as the meeting was starting that it is indeed happening. So by the time everyone got ready and got to the meeting, the meeting we had was over, but on the good side of things I got to play a game of sorts that elders play. It’s missionary Hide and seek but you only play it if someone is going to the bathroom, and the person who went has to find everyone. That day we had nothing planned because we fell asleep the night before. So that is our own fault. Oh, we did have a dinner that night and the couple showed us their custom-built computers they work from home. They basically compile all of the data that companies send them into usable data. The husband has a Killer World of Warcraft Set up; he does that while the other computer is crunching the numbers.

 

Wednesday, we did service. We picked tomatoes and I got to use those agricultural skills that I learned from dad. Talked to the guy about hoop houses, raised beds, best type of soil for different plants (usually it's squash that they are growing.) We did a ton of cleaning of our apartment when we got back so much that we fell asleep. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the shower standing up, and didn't wake up until the water went cold, which sucks because it wasn't a gradual thing it was like someone turned to valve all the way to cold. We had stake Coordination they want to know our numbers so we gave it to them. We found a tennis ball and started to play tag with it, the Youth were ruthless because they would slide on the polished wood floor, we couldn't because it would rip our pants.

 

Thursday, we cleaned a lady’s lawn. We visited people all day trying to get to know them and that is when we found out that we have no one in our area to teach. We have to find more.

 

Friday, we were weekly planning and we had a long session in that and we didn't get out till about 5 pm because we were trying to think up ways to find people to teach. I received a call from President Taylor. He does a random call thing and he called me and wanted to know how I was so it was weird. We talked to an eternigator and she wants to be baptized but she will give up coffee in her own time, so we are working with her on that

 

That is all I got for you because I have to go,

 

I love you all,

Ammon,

 

PS: I would love some Jerky.

Mr Clean

Well before I get to the investigators, there are several things I would like to ask, How badly did Seth break the truck? What are the companies are saying they would be interested in hiring Dad? Some talks I liked were Uchtdorf's and LeGrand. There is also another thing that I have to say MOM, I LOVE YOU, you have no idea how many people out here don't have a normal family, and have nothing but crap family lives, THANK YOU SO MUCH for loving me through all of my crazy growing up.

 

Apple Valley has the nickname Crapple Valley, because the people out here REFUSE to take care of their things, even the missionaries. We spent the entire week just cleaning the apartment, the first day we threw out 3 bags of trash, and another 3 bags of recycling that we would only have gotten 56 cents so we set it by the dumpster for the homeless people to go through and take. The bathroom was NASTY, you thought that ours is bad, this one was worse. There was a layer of Pee on the floor. DUMPED a bucket of water on it, about 3 gallons worth and the water turned a brownish yellow color and we scrubbed for 30 minutes with bleach and it finally started to lose its color of yellow and turn white. Another 30 minutes we scrubbed and finally got it clean to white floor. We vacuumed and the carpet, before we vacuumed it was a dark Charcoal grey, and after was a light grey. We spent the Entire week just cleaning and we had to make several runs to the store because we used up our cleaning supplies. So when I come home, I can clean whatever you can throw at me, so you should be happy about that Mom, I finally learned how to clean but on my mission. My Companion is cool; we are very different on what is funny. I have been told that my sense of humor is drier than the desert in summer. I have yet to meet any of our investigators because we have been cleaning the apartment, but I will tell you as soon as possible.

 

I love you all,

Ammon

 

Sleep Deprived

 

I am doing better mom, and I have been transferred. I am now serving in the Mojave Narrows ward in Apple Valley, I will most likely have to do a LOT of off roading. I was 6 months chaffed out of Maple, and Elder Low was 6 week chaffed there too. Elder Low is now a Zone Leader serving in the Tongan ward in Victorville. I am now serving with Elder Muhlestein, he seems to be pretty cool, and chill with getting a new companion and working with me. I have been doing great. Oh, and there were some Part members that were wanting to look at the photos of our family on Facebook, and they made the comment that Dads Facebook is LOCKED DOWN. Could you send me the J. Golden Kimball tape that I like to listen to, it should be in one of my totes, and could you have dad send it as an audio recording, not as the cassette.

 

I am well and when I was in Maple I'll give you the rundown of how the last week went, we were busy as heck trying to get everything ready for the transfer. We had a lesson with a couple and they were at each other throats, poking each other with things in the past, and they were going to drop us and I knew I had nothing to lose because I was leaving. So I told them what I thought of what they were doing, and told them to grow up. It was funny because they are in their 60's-70's and started to laugh, because I was a youngster telling them to Grow up. We were able to keep them as investigators. We had another lesson with another investigator, we found out why he has been meeting with us, as it turns out the member that the investigator is living with, told him that if he was going to live there that he had to go to Church and take the lessons, but now he is actually interested and wants to know. Unfortunately, now the ward has been whitewashed so the missionaries there, I hope, they are able to keep them and help them come unto Christ.

 

We were planning for our next week in case we weren't being transferred and so we did it the day before we were going to get our calls for our Transfer. We found out we were being white washed and that we had 3 days to get our Crap together and to clean our apartment spic and span. In those last 3 days, we were slammed on appointments, and after we had all of our appointments, we usually had dinner with a member and they would keep us until about 10 at night, even though we were on our bikes and were ready to leave. When we would get back we packed for an hour then would pass out and not wake up till 6:30 am, and that was every day. Members refuse to let their missionaries go. I mean we would say we have a lesson in an hour, and they would be like I'll drive you, and we were sitting in the car for about 30 minutes to go 1 mile, because they wanted to talk to us. I found out that I was one of the longest missionaries in that area, I was there for 6 months and only one person before me was there for longer, 9 months. I was sad that I didn't break that record, but I do get to try a different area and learn many new ways of teaching and learning. Today was crazy, we got to bed LAAAAATTTTTTEEEE and we had to wake up early to go to my new area and to meet my new companion. How is life at home? I apologize that I am not very coherent right now, I am very tired and haven't had an opportunity to sleep.

 

I love you all,

Elder Van Engelenhoven

 

P.S. we will get to the area tonight and discuss it then. My new companion seems cool, and funny, and I think he is a hard worker, I don't know, I haven't seen him in action, and yes he has a strong testimony.

"That's Why God Gave Us an Immune System"

Dear Family,

I am sorry about the cut off in my last letter but we had to leave we were given 30 minutes and I found the 1st opened computer and emailed all that I could but then had to leave.

 

Monday, was crazy and we were able to finish weekly planning and we weren't able to go outside but we were able to get out of the apartment and get some walking and talking done.

 

Tuesday, we had District Meeting, in which it was awesome. I was asked to give a training on seeking the spirit, and I went overboard on time I only had 10 minutes but I went 20 minutes over and it was awesome. In it our district was giving me crap for starting, as bad as knocking doors and having people not listen to you, its worst when the missionaries don't want to listen to you. Before, I wrote the training for a cry unto repentance for them, but I was told to keep it toned back or else, but I just let it loose on them. I was tired of their crap so I didn't hold back, and I got several apologies from the members of the district and they started to listen to the rest of the meeting and was told that it was needed. After we had district meeting we got to go email you guys and ran out of time, We then had 20 minutes to prep for an impromptu lesson with our Investigators and we got to teach them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and got them to solidly come to Church that Sunday. We visited some potentials after we had dinner with our ward mission leader, and we haven't found success yet, but we are working towards it.

 

Wednesday, we helped out at Bishops Store House and got to meet a lot of people from all over Hesperia. We had lunch and additional studies, and then visited some recent converts and they were supposed to meet with Bishop to get their interview for their Patriarchal Blessings. We then had dinner at IN-N-OUT and I have to say that I love ANIMAL STYLE. We then had a member come to a lesson and we got to know him (investigator) and teach him again about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our scripture study class failed and no one showed up so we then decided that we were going to talk about the importance of scripture study then invite them to the study class if they can't read on their own. We visited a Less active who served a mission to England and was teaching us the money value, and some of his missionary experiences, and we then did the same as he did in his experiences and invited him to church. He didn't show, his family is being crazy and stupid and refuses to not call him on Sunday before Church and they talk for hours on end for each of his kids.

 

Thursday, we were able to visit another Less Active family, and they said they would come to church but then didn't show up. I was tempted to go over there and drag them to church. We were able to visit some families that have been taught for the last 15-20 years by missionaries and we were asked to give their son a blessing because of his health, the family knows the church to be true, But they haven't had time to come to church or be baptized.

 

Friday, we weekly planned and we got to go and teach 3 of our investigators within 2 hours. You want talk about biking like mad?! When we finally got back to the apartment, we crashed and slept like the dead, except that it was close to like 11 when we finally got back to the apartment, because we were so tired biking appointment to appointment. We forgot that we had Exchanges and we were really late and the missionaries called the Zone leaders to get a ride to our apartment and they were disappointed in us for not keeping the schedule.

 

Saturday, was exchanges and I was in my area , and we had the whole day planned out, and I was sick. I had a sore throat and it was really hard to talk, my companion that day doesn't like to talk to people that he doesn't know, unless he gets to know them. We had a member dinner and it was awesome, but the rest of the day, I was feeling like crap inside because I was sick and couldn't go out and do missionary work. The members were cool with me being sick, they said, "That's why God gave us an Immune system" and we then exchanged back on time this time.

 

Sunday, we had our meetings as usual, and it was a missionary Sunday meeting. We gave all of the talks, prayers, and special musical numbers, during Elder Low's Talk a guy came in and started to disrupt the meeting. Our ward mission leader got up and asked him to sit and listen and at the end of the meeting that he would meet with him and answer the questions the man had. The man has LOTS of mental conditions but he sat peacefully for the rest of the meeting and we got to "Answer" the man’s questions because our Ward Mission Leader wanted "To have the spirit with him as he answers his questions.” It was awesome the way he answered and invited to come to Gospel Principles and he stayed the rest of the Sunday. We then had a lesson right after church with a potential investigator, who was not there, so we went home and were invited to go to dinner with the 1st counselor of the Bishopric. We then went home after that and had to open our apartment for the Zone leader to have a Language study session, while the laundry was going. We were asked to take the Flag down at the Church and then go to a Less active and talk with him, and we found out that he is back on the dating scene, which is awesome because he is in his 60's and is trying to find a wife.

 

This is how crazy my week has been and I have time to Email :)

 

Ammon

Missionary Moving Club Encore

Dear Family,

They gave us a short window to email to day, and we have to cut out early, I don't have time to tell  you of what has happened this week because we got to leave to get the car back to the missionaries, but I have time to tell you 

I love you all,

Love from,

Ammon

Oh, and I am alive... for your sake mom

Dear Family,

As it turns out, we have managed a ride with our zone leaders, so we can talk for a little while longer. Well in this past week, I have been busy, we have been trying to stop our investigators from dropping us, we barely were able to get them to not drop us. We managed to get some members present for our lessons, and man, the lessons have so dramatically improved we have investigators keeping their commitments, meeting with us more often than not at all. So, if the missionaries need anyone to come to lessons, go and do.

Monday, we got nothing done. We literally went and shopped and then we went to zone activity and played Foosball but with the gym, it was fun. After, we had to stay home because my companion Elder Low is district Leader and he had to basically had to sit down to Missionaries in another ward fight over what is what. It got to the point that I was just like "If you don't work this out now then it will never end" that is a word for word quote of what I said and it has been the rest of the week.

Tuesday, we had District meeting and they were taking shots at each other the entire meeting. I was ready to tell them to leave, I feel bad for Elder Low because he has had to deal with this for the entire week. We got some members to a lesson and they made the lesson all types of better. They were going to drop us but we have been working with them and they now have a soft Baptismal date but they already are struggling with it but they are making leaps and bounds to progressing. We got a new investigator and he has been coming to Church. We set another baptismal date with him. We managed to meet with them 2 times a week for both of these investigators.

Wednesday, we managed to help some people at the Bishop’s storehouse. They had some surplus, they gave us 11 gallons of milk for 2 Elders. We did a gallon challenge and I almost did it. I was 1/4 inch of milk away from finishing and not throwing up, but at last, I didn't. We taught some Recent Converts and we are helping them to get to the temple. We talked about Patriarchal Blessings and they want one. The Missionaries in the other ward were at it again and we left while they were arguing, they didn't even notice us getting up and leaving. We went to dinner and were late getting there, and late leaving there to our Book of Mormon Class, and they were still at it. So we told them to take it outside while we had a lesson, which didn't happen because our investigators called and said they couldn't make it. We talked to the members that are moving still and set up to help them move.

Thursday, we helped the Members move from 8-3 pm, which was a task. The mom is a 1st Class Hoarder she wanted to keep every scrap of paper and she is so bad that she will go through the trash until she finds something to keep. We had a lesson with our investigator, he fed us dinner and the rest of it was dealing with the missionaries.

Love you all still,

Ammon

Missionary Moving Club

Dear Family,

This past couple of days have been nothing but crazy. We have been running/biking/walking/sprinting/begging for rides to take us to our appointments because we were so busy. Our day started like any other day Monday...

Monday. We had a weird day since all of the Elders are on bike except for the ZL'S. They have a truck (someday after the mission I will have a truck...That is not PINK (Seth and Abigail.)) So we have a p-day car, meaning that we steal the car from the sisters for Monday and drive around for the day, but we have to wash the car, which stinks because we have no money for p-day, well everyone else but me. I find it funny that I am among the few elders that are Thrifty with their money. Elder Low, my companion said, "I didn't know that going to the celestial kingdom was dependent upon how much is in your MSF" we had an awesome laugh over that. We then went to an appointment after p-day, which we only got to set up another appointment.

Tuesday. We had zone conference that day, we had to bike and it is not fun to bike there, get all hot and sweaty and then put on a suit coat. We are crammed into a 15x30 foot room, man I was sweating like crazy, and during the break, I went out to the couch and slept for 15 minutes before it started back up. Now some background information, I woke up the night before and had a feeling that I needed to open a fast and I was up for about 2 hours debating if I should or if I shouldn't. I then got up and opened a fast, and fell asleep in minutes after I closed it. So during the entire the next day I was fasting, and it was rough a little, for lunch the mission president bought us all, all-you-can-eat tacos, it was rough having to say "No." (My reasoning behind why it was rough was because there was a Latino making them, now if they make them they are AWESOME but when a white guy makes them it doesn't have the same taste.) After we finished with the zone conference we had a lesson with some investigators that have a baptismal date, and it went well with them. We invited them to church on Sunday. Right after that had a lesson with another investigator, which was awesome; we had to skip dinner in between the lessons to continue to meet with our investigators.

Wednesday. we called some recent converts, who are ward missionaries, who we had a lesson with to move our time to later in that day but he was just like "Could you still come at 3 pm I have my friend Bill on over at that time and he has some questions for you guys?" When I heard that I was just like "YESSSSSSS, WARD MISSIONARIES DOING MISSIONARY WORK, YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" So we met with them at that time and we moved around our schedule to make it work. We got to eat dinner that day, the week previous we weren't able to go and teach and get fed; so we got to go home and eat. Right after we have our Scripture Study Class at the church, and we were going through the Book of Mormon explaining about what is being said, and we read 2 Nephi 28 which talks about false churches and their many avenues of attack and approach. We left them with 2 Nephi 29 to read in preparation for next week, and we had to stay with the missionaries in another ward at the church until their ride got there. (We had to lock up the building.)

Thursday. We gave service for some members that were moving and we helped them move from 9 to 1 pm then we had a lesson with a Less Active over Doctrine and Covenants 138:47-48, temples and sealings. After, we visited some people but they weren't there so nothing happened.

Friday...SERVICE FROM 10 TO 4 for the members that are moving. (They were supposed to be gone about 1 week ago, and they haven't because the mom want to bring every scrap of paper, everything in the house, and not leave anything.) It got to the point that the dad was like "16 boxes of Romance novels, BURN 'EM!" After that we had a lesson with our investigators with Baptismal dates, in which we had a church tour and explain everything that we do in the church. We ended at the Baptismal Font, and the spirit was there, they were on the verge of crying at that point. No sooner than when they left, our Recent Converts from earlier came to the church. We had a lesson on Genealogy and we set them up with a family search account. They were happy, because they had a baby die before they came to Church and they found out a little more on the processes in how they are sealed together as a family for forever, and we got them excited for that. Then we went and had dinner and we were supposed to weekly plan from 10-2 pm but that didn't happen so we planned to do it later in the day but it didn't happen. When we finished dinner, we went to bed at 9 pm and we planned the next day in the morning, and we didn't even get changed because we were so tired.

Saturday. We had a lesson at 10 in the morning on the opposite side of our area, and it is a 2 mile bike ride uphill with an 4-5 mph head wind. We got there 5-10 minutes after the set time and we taught the restoration, and there after we had some investigators that wanted to go to a baptism that some other Elders in our zone were having so we had to bike there, and explain what is going on. After that we had lunch and we were still so tired that we fell asleep during lunch, and weren't able to get to weekly planning. When we woke up, we discovered that we had an appointment in the middle of our area in 15 minutes, but they weren't there so we stopped by some other people and they weren't home. Guess what happened after, we were called by the members that were moving, asking us to come and help. We showed up and helped, and I hate to think of all of the boxes of books, of Romance novels, that we threw away.

 Now I feel a rant coming on so I am going to rant here so you can take a nap for this part. Romance novels do nothing but arouse emotions that are powerful, emotions that ARE reserved for your spouse only. If anyone reads such things I would ask you to let it go, they arouse those powerful emotions that mean something to both God, your spouse (Future Spouse), and TOO YOURSELF. You sell them for something of naught, they become meaningless, worthless and you CHEAT yourself, when you read Romance novels. Personally, I think that if you read a romance novel you are breaking the Law of Chasity. How can you keep yourself clean spiritually, mentally, and physically if you keep feeding the powerful emotions for something of no worth. If you have fallen into this trap, then repent, and talk to your bishop, PLEASE!!! Okay I am done ranting.

Sunday. We woke people up for church, but they didn't show. For ward coordination we filled out a Progress record (weekly report for the stake) completely. In ward council we said that we had couple on for a baptismal date and that they had to come to church that day, and one of the primary presidency said "They only need to come for 3 Sundays, it needs to be 6 months before we extend a baptismal date!" I am sorry to say but I laughed out loud and said "That's not going to happen, but it’s a good idea." All of the missionaries that were in the meeting said "We can't even get half our own members to show in a year and you think that 6 months is the soonest?!" Another said, “they raised it from my mission, it was 2 not 3 Sundays" Members need to go on a mission if they really want to understand the church and people in the church. We had 1 investigator show up but that is okay we can work with them on that. We got out around 6 pm where we had a lesson planned but no one was there, so we had dinner, and then went to visit other people and same story, not there, so we weekly planned.

Thus it is in the life of a missionary.

From,

Ammon

I am well. Yes, I have been trying to drink more water. It isn't even funny anymore ever since I started biking, my quads have gotten so big that when I sit down I fill out my pants completely. They get a little tight whenever I don't pull my pants up a little before I sit down and what is weird, I am Down to 188 lbs. but my quads have gotten about another 1-2 inches bigger. I haven't been as good in writing in my Journal, I am better but not by much, and my personal prayer and studies have been good. I have had some Aha moments... My prayers are getting better; Elder Low has been helping me to remind me to pray for the district. 

this is one that I will Share...

Helaman 10:4-5...

Open your mouth and you are blessed

We were so slammed those days that we were so tired. The only time we stopped moving was lunch or dinner. Not so much that day that we needed help if it was there I thank you for the prayers, but I think it was more for the spirit to be with us as we taught the gospel. We still kinda need help adjusting to each others teaching style, mine is get out of the way I am teaching all of this lesson until you jump in and start teaching. His is more of a let you go until you run out of steam then reteach the lesson again from the last point that he taught. It is a little frustrating but we are working on it. Again thank you for the prayers.

Love you all,

Ammon

Tons of Tacos

Dear Family,

 

Monday was Crazy, we had so much to get done. In our zone ALL of the Elders except the zone leaders, are on bike, so we are left to fend for ourselves and find a way to get our shopping done, and all of the stores are on the opposite side of the area. We managed to get the ZL's to drive us around, so did the rest of the Elders, the Zone Leaders just drove Elders around all day. We had a zone activity, which the zone leaders showed up and us that was it, so we played some card games. I learned how to play an Indian Card game, which basically is playing the game Chicken with cards, it was fun.

 

Tuesday, we were busy all day. We gave service to some members of the ward who are moving out. Then we left to go give a lady a blessing again, she is one of those people who wants a blessing every day, for the same thing. If we don't anoint with oil, she gets angry, because we "AREN'T GIVING HER A PROPER BLESSING". We barely managed to get out of her house in time, she likes to talk and each visit will last almost 2 hours for a 5 minute blessing. We managed to get to our appointment and we got our Ward mission Leader to go on a lesson with us. We extended a baptismal date for a couple we are teaching and they accepted. Now the backstory on them, she is Latino and he is Austrian, so the Spanish Sisters, 2 years ago HAD to teach her, and the elders had to teach Him. The sisters at the time were just hungry for numbers, not for helping others. The couple was extended a baptismal date and they cut themselves off from the missionaries, and became a NEVER COME BACK. Well, we came back, are teaching them and got them to commit to a baptismal date. We later had a an dinner with a family who invited their neighbors on over and we taught them the Word of Wisdom, which they said they would live and they have yet to call us saying that they need our help to them resist the temptation, of course they may not even want to call us. There was a fire that started and they had to shut down the Cajon (a road going down to San Bernardino) and it burned from Monday night to Friday night, and the missionaries that were training and picking up their Greenies, were stuck down the hill, till Friday

 

Wednesday, we gave more service to some members who were moving, and we visited with an Investigator, whom we haven't seen in a month. We got in and started to teach the restoration, and his wife came in and had questions on the Book of Mormon, and it was awesome_. We had never got to sit down and teach them both but we did, and they have been reading the Book of Mormon, and they said they would come to Church (they didn't show up though) but they still said that they were interested in continuing forward to learn more.

 

Thursday, we gave more service to family moving. We went to our lesson with a recent convert which turned into them having a safety inspection and needing help cleaning the back yard of all the trash, which is a chore even in the desert, because everyone LOVES to throw their trash out of the window, and not worry about the consequences for everyone. So, no lesson there. Oh, and we were double booked for dinner so we had 2 dinners, KFC and Lasagna. We had to answer questions for some converts that are preparing to enter the Temple, we directed them to go to the Temple Prep classes but they are busy so we get to teach them on our weekly visits about the temple.

 

Friday, we had a lesson with the couple again and we taught the plan of Salvation. It was a hard road to hoe but we taught them about it, and he had questions on how to distinguish between an angel of the Devil and an angel of light, DC 129 is a great section. Our next appointment canceled on us so we got more time to go tract and we found no one outside, who would figure with a fire and smoke plumes that are 2 miles away. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE FIRES. Yes, they were close but don't let that worry you, we had a plan in place if the fire got to us, we would have been well out of the way and safe. We then gave service in the dark of night, when the members were asleep because that was the only time it was cool enough. Then we fled like thieves in the night and went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders.

 

Saturday, we visited Less Actives all the day long, and for dinner, we had tacos. I had 15 tacos, while everyone was full at 5 and I was still hungry for more. We visited more Less actives, and then exchanged again.

 

Sunday, we biked for the first 2 hours of the day inviting people to church. Then we were picked up and went to Church and we were there all day until dinner, which we had to skip to make some of our appointments. We had an awesome time preparing for tomorrow, we basically got ready and we after had 5 minutes before bedtime, so we played soccer, but it lasted till about 11-11:30

 

I am doing better, but there are still some things I am working on. We have been trying to teach those who are progressing, but some of them just need a kick in the pants to get them going, and some have started. We were supposed to have 4 people at Church yesterday, but 3 of the 4 canceled. Yes, I have been trying to keep our apartment clean. Well you can't really have me being funny in person, but I still am funny. People here in the zone and ward LOVE to tease me and joke with me about MISSOURI, and the way I talk. They know that I won't say something out malice, that is mean or rude, so they take potshots at me, not to say that I don't tease back. (Except for the sister missionaries, it is unfair because they can tease me, but I can't tease back because that would be “flirting”.)

 Yes, I am as strong as an OX, to Quote Andre the Giant, "I can't help being the biggest and strongest, I don't even exercise.” Please Keep praying for me, it is needed.

 

 

I love you all,

From,

Ammon

Come to Zion, Beautiful Zion

Dear Family,

I am doing well, this has been a crazy week, getting ready for my companion to go home and to get the area ready for the new missionaries coming into it, but we found out today that I am staying and that my new Companion is ...... Drum Roll please...... Elder Low, my MTC companion. This past week we have been super busy, I have been tossed, traded, and thrown around with companions this past week, I have been in 2 different areas that are not my own, and I finally just got back into my area last night. Because of transfers today, we had to get everyone's stuff rearranged. We had to clear out an apartment in Bear Valley, because sisters were coming in. So, we had to clean it out, and remove all evidence of the fact that Elders lived there before. (But, I think they will know, because of the Cockroaches.) We had fun because we were there from 6 to 11-ish, cleaning. Man, oh man it is really disgusting what you find, we threw out a dumpster of trash and BAD leftovers that have been in the fridge for ...2 transfers or 12 weeks, or 3 months, who knows?! We had to clear out everything and man, oh man I thought that the apartment smelled bad before but cleaning it was repugnant like nothing else. 

 

These past weeks we have been jumping back and forth between areas, and my area has taken a hit, but we can fix that. I haven't been able to write in my Journal this past couple of week, but I will do better and write in it more for you.

 

We have been going and visiting many of our less actives, people who we never have thought to visit, we did and I have some pretty funny stories for when I get home. I got to go to a Tofu Shop and have Korean food, it was pretty good, but it is expensive. Members took us there and had us try all sorts of crazy food, and they were absolutely fascinated in the fact that I could use a pair of Chop sticks, they were like completely amazed that I could use them, me being a "COUNTRY BOY" and "HAVE NEVER USED CHOP STICKS BEFORE, BECAUSE YOU ARE FROM MISSOURI". Members are weird; they are just like the people here that think along those lines. Just because I am one of the 10 % of missionaries that are not from Utah, and am in the middle of the USA not from the coast, I mean people don't seem to get it when I say Zion is not in Utah, it’s in Missouri.

 

I have to go,

Love you all,

Ammon

Teaching

Dear Family,

Well Monday, we did not have a lot done. We basically did nothing for our zone activity, and we were asked the day previous to drop off some primary papers for the kids that didn't attend.

 

Tuesday, we had a bad day we were dropped by everyone that we had set, and everyone that we found previous that week, we went by a spur of the moment kind of a thing and they weren't there. We met a Born Again guy who started to Bash on us, but was polite almost. We taught a brief lesson of the Book of Mormon to them and they said, "WE have a bible, we don't need your bible,” inside I was like Read 2 Nephi 29 and you won't be saying that. So we left and stopped by some potential that we had on our sheets and they left for Canada 2 months ago, and just got back so got in with them. We began to teach them The Restoration, we were there for 2 hours and we became "Counselors" for them, we sat and listened to their marriage problems, hence the 2 hours. We had dinner with the Bishop and his Family, and the kids were kids, they didn’t want to eat, they didn't want to sit, they didn't want to play, they just wanted to do what they wanted to do, and they tried all night to get their way. We found a lost Member we have a return appointment, and we may have a potential investigator out of it. Oh and our ward mates called about an investigator, the message was one of "Still has a desire, and will wait till things cool down." 

 

Wednesday, we met with a less active, we shared a scripture Alma 41:12-15. (Oh, if given the opportunity, find a speaker Called Hyrum W. Smith, and listen to his talks on self-worth, apostasy and prayer/mission.) We gave service at Bishops Store house, it is very different and you get to meet some very different people and their view on missionaries and the church. We have a scripture study class at the Church, and we had a member show up and study with the Class, he is a history teacher, and is into a lot of the Bible history. He went into the class and shared his conversion story, and about how he came to know that the book of Mormon was true. He shared some things of how he had the missionaries on over for years but never wanted to join. Then he had a dream that he would be asked to be baptized one last time and that was it. Our ward mission leader showed up and was introducing the new missionaries, and interrupted them and asked if he would like to be baptized, and how he was like in his head, "CRAP! THAT IS A SIGN FROM GOD" and accepted the invitation to be baptized.

 

Thursday, we biked all day and were trying to find more people, we tracted, we soap boxed, we placed cards & pamphlets. We had a lesson with a Less active recent Covert, he is 16 years old, and he doesn't talk or participate in the lessons, but we found out that when you bring up Pokemon Go that he WILL NOT STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. So we have to tie everything to Pokemon. My personal favorite is HOW SIN IS LIKE A POKEBALL. This made us late for dinner. We met with some Eternagators, and we shared a scripture on Karma, then on how we need to be Chaste, upon thinking of that I don't know if Karma and Chasity are the best mix of teaching. They also asked about Garments and when is the right time to take them off, like for water sports and other things, but they seemed to get the message and said we could come back. They love to make missionaries feel super awkward in that lesson, (I taught them that lesson before and they gave me crap for it the first time.)

 

Friday, we were stuck inside for all of the day except for the 2 hours that we were out and about. We got to meet a less active that has avoided us for 2 weeks, and we invited him back to church. Weekly planning takes too much time, because we have to plan finding activities for every day because we don't have people to teach.

 

Saturday, WAS HAZZZZZY!!! It was so bad that at the end of the day they put out a warning that there are a lot of pollutants in the air, and not to go outside. If we knew at the beginning of the day that would have been better, but we were huffing and puffing it all day long trying to see people, and we got Heat Exhaustion really bad, even though I drank 2-3 gallons of water.

 

Sunday, I woke up to a Charlie Horse, and promise not to laugh at my pain, but as I had it I fell off of the bed and hit my head on the nightstand. By the time, I had it stretched out and climbed back in bed, no sooner than when my head hit the pillow the Alarm clock went off, and we had to be up to get ready for Church. We had meetings all day. I kid you not, if you think that there are no meetings that a missionary has to go to you are dead wrong. Sunday we had meetings from 10 to 6 and we didn't get a chance to cut out because bishop invited us to the meetings to have more priesthood there to pass training down to the Quorums and less actives. We did manage to get a lesson with a less active. We promptly found out that he will be gone for 2-3 weeks, and that he won't have time thereafter to meet for another 2-3 weeks, so we lose him for a transfer, sadness... But he is making progress, to come to church and read the book of Mormon, and we gave him some scriptures to read while he is gone so that shouldn't be a total loss.

 

Love,

 Ammon