2013 ---> 2014

Woo-Hoo. Wow I can not believe I am already getting to type another blog for this week. Time is flying on the mission, it is kind of scary, but I love it!!

I hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas :) I know I did.  Christmas is such an awesome time of year! I loved seeing all of my family, and some of my best friends! Love you guys and thanks for all ur support!!

So for a run down of this week:

Richmond's 200 year old home

Christmas Eve we ate dinner at the Richmond's home. This was the same home we had thanksgiving at :) we had some great food and I really felt the true meaning of Christmas. We made a nice fire and told some good Christmas stories :)

Love You all! Merry Christmas

Christmas was awesome :) we were able to be in member's homes all day! I loved it; spending time with families is soooo awesome. I am loving all the chance I get to meet so many awesome people!

Members are so Awesome here!!

I know it might be hard to believe, but the rest of the week was even better than the first part! We were able to set 5 more people for baptism :) February is going to be such a great month in the Staunton area. We are right now looking at 10 baptisms :0 I love this area!

One of the baptism is a guy we just tracked into this week. He was down :( like really down. Single guy, son just got arrested, you could tell he had many burdens. We simply talked about how Christ came to lift these burdens off of us and as you come to church you will find your life becoming easier. I love the fact that this is true, this gospel makes living life so much easier. :) if you see someone "down" maybe read a scripture with them.... Christ came so we could all live a happy life :)

So I have to tell you something awesome that happened yesterday, walking into 5 guys.... The first person we see is a member of our church from Europe somewhere. He asks what we are doing and my companion just says we are going to lunch for my birthday :/ BAM!! Pulls out 20 bucks! Members of the church are soooo nice. It really does amaze me you can go anywhere in the world and find awesome friendly people! I hope u all are treating the missionaries nice when you see them in ur area.... Cause they are treating us nice here :)

Penny Surfng

Idk if I mention but we are teaching a man named Steven. He is awesome! He is a rapper and is actually moving to Richmond in the coming months because his record label is tacking off. If you ever see an artist named tragik or a group named kurrupt concept. Buy there stuff! He is another one looking to get baptized! Many think it is impossible to be a rapper and a Mormon.... Well let's just watch and wait..... This guy could change some things :)

What a great Year!!

I can't believe that today is New Year's Eve... Wow, where did 2013 go?? I look back through all the awesome pictures I took and memories I made.... Thank you all so much for letting me be apart of all of ur fun :)

2013 is going down as the best year in my life thanks to all of you!!! ;)

I was thinking;  Let's all make one goal for 2014..... NO REGRETS

Happy New Year everybody!! Good luck, work hard, have fun, play hard, love you!!

- elder young

Merry Christmas

Wow, Merry Christmas everybody! They changed our p-day to today (Tuesday) for this week and next week because of the holiday season! Wow, it is such an awesome time of year. I love it here, it actually got up to 70 degrees on Sunday, but it is back down to the bone chilling cold. It has been a great week as far as missionary work goes though, I have some exciting news to tell :)

Big things for this week:
We set a baptismal date for Wesley!! Getting baptized on the 11th of January!!

And

We set Trinity and Zandar with a baptismal date! Both getting baptized on the 27th of February!!

It is such a cool experience for the opportunity missionaries have to help people feel the spirit! I love it!!

Oh, so I have an FML moment for this week. Not everyone will get this, woods cross soccer players will have to explain it :/ My comp and I go down to the gym to work out. I hop on a tread mill still pretty sleepy. I found the perfect pace for the "Woods Cross jog" at 4 mph. We used to run at this pass for hours on end so I got pretty used to it. So I am jogging along, bringing back the old memories of doing this for hours. Well, I closed my eyes just because I guess I was so used to that movement.... Next thing I know I fall right off the treadmill :( right onto the ground. Haha And I crash on a bike this week.... Not a very graceful week :/

We taught some really awesome lessons this week. One was to a guy, he was in a less active families home. He was taking shots of some absolute, and smoking... But he still loved the gospel! We come to find out we are actually teaching his son Stevo also! Way cool. Many of the people we teach are all because of one family in the ward. They aren't even active but they have such a strong testimony and they are not afraid to share it..... SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY. Haha the guy actually told us how he brings up religion with people. This last person he was sitting in court and he says to the guy next to him "how bout those Mormons" haha DONT BE AFRAID TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. Have fun with it :)

OMG I love Firehouse Subs

Other things we did this week:
- Went to a 7th day Church
- We had a mission wide Christmas devo! So I got to see my old friends and I was especially happy because I got to hang out with elder Parkinson for a little!
- We went caroling at the old folks home with the young men and young women :)
- We played with a throwing shovel! These things are so cool!! They are just a 2 foot shovel with a sharp end to use like a throwing knife.
- We also went caroling with the Harada and Beidler families!
- Helped bishop do some farming, pushing off bails of hey!

I learned an awesome lesson this past week. We were trying to learn everyone on the ward roster. We visited a home, The dad appeared to be a member. We get there and they are actually setting up for their church Christmas party. They are both super active in another church but we talked for a solid hour. I realized, Most all churches have one common goal, to help the community!! Be friends with everyone, and if all the churches came together, life would be better for all.

The experience I am having out here are so awesome! Wouldn't change them for the world!! Love you all and thanks for all the support! Let me know if I can do anything you you :) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Great Time To Be Alive

Wow, I can't believe it is already Monday again, and I am emailing :) time is flying here. It honestly would be nice if it would slow down a bite, because we have lots to do :) this week was another awesome week though, let me tell you :) 

Elder Tolman (from Woods Cross) and I Steady Mobbin

We found 6 new investigators this week! To bad this isn't finding week haha but it was still so awesome!! In addition to that; we found a family that is super excited, but we have not been able to teach them yet! And, we tracked into a Spanish family that we actually passed off to the Spanish speaking elders. I went to the last lesson with elder Tolman just so the family had a familiar face to see :) they spoke Spanish the whole time. And the whole time I just want to speak illonggo and see if they could understand :) I didn't , but I was able to understand lots of what they were saying because of illonggo! 

Also had this awesome allergic reaction to some cats and dogs :/ FML

We did have zone conference this week. It was nice, one thing that stuck out to me more than anything. The local stake president gave a training on focus. And he mentioned my favorite quote, "eye single to the glory." So as this awesome time of the year is approaching so fast; think about what your "glory" is that you want in the end!! 

I just love taking pictures

Idk if I told you guys about Robert, but he called us a few weeks back saying he wanted to get baptized. We lost contact with him for a while. But finally after my couple of phone calls :) he called us back excited as ever!! We taught him with the Waynesboro elders and committed him to baptism!! Woo-hoo, we are going to let the Waynesboro elders finish out teaching him just because they are struggling to find work. I am still so excited for him!! January 4th is the day!! I think that's is the same day I was baptized :0

We also had our ward Christmas party this week. It turned out amazing! I will admit that I was a little scared, especially since there was no church last week to organize it. But it turned out awesome!! It actually reminded me a lot of the good old North Canyon 2nd Ward :) I heard that theirs was on the same day, I hope that it went well :) love you guys in the home ward!

I ask myself if this is real life when I receive a used lint roller from my parents. 

Last I just want to put on here a song we listened to a lot this past week; 
https://www.lds.org/youth/music?lang=eng#d The song is called Glorious. Under Especially for youth!

I have grown to love this song. I look back at all the people that I have came in contact with over my life. Each one of you played an important part in my symphony! Thank you so much for being a part of my life! I feel like I have the best symphony/life in the world! :)

Love you guys! Thank you so much for all of your support. I am probably using hangouts on Christmas if any of you are on :) or come to my house and Skye with my parents :) love you all and thanks for your support and prays :) 

P.S. who ever sent me these ducks! plz tell me!! It makes me lose sleep at night :( FML

Exciting Time of Year!

Wow this past week was so awesome! I have so many cool experiences this week, I can't wait to share them with you guys! 

First, I got to go out to my bishops house after emailing last week! Wow, he has a farm! haha We rolled a 200lb thing of hey out of his truck and then played with his: cows, chicken, pigs, goats, ass :) rabbits, horse, and this awesome baby horse! I am kind of getting used to this farm life style...... NOT. haha But it is still cool to try new things. 

Just hanging out with this baby horse.

Some little piggys

Second, Later that night we went to the a light parade. We figured it would be a great place to find new investigators, and also let people have the opportunities to see the missionaries. This parade was awesome! It reminded me of the 24th of July Parade at home. Only it wasn't hot outside and it was at night! I kind of life the change of scenery! Well the Staunton parade was awesome filled with high school marching bands, local church floats, sponsors, and the classic mayor etc. We actually did find a new investigator, so it was a good time for sure :)

Third, I got my first experience of public transportation! They have a town trolley and we rode around on it for about an hour! It's only 25 cents!! We didn't find anyone new investigators that time, but we can't wait to go back on it! It also takes us around the city so we get to see parts of this historic city we would not see other wise! 

This is who I am 

Forth, A cool experience we had this week. While eating dinner on Tuesday night, we get a call. The name "Andrew inv" comes up on our phone. I answer and the guy on the other end of the line goes onto stay; "I was taught by an Elder Frank a while back, lost contact with him, but I am ready to join your church." It was a total blessing, especially to come during "finding week." This work really is work it! 

Me in the car with a bunch of 20 year olds like wha??

Fifth, Wow, this was the best part of the week. A member in the ward got some of his friends from school together and invited us over. We had cookies, muffins, and Hot Chocolate. Then we walked down to the Black Friars Play House to see the play, The Christmas Carol. We get there to find out the only seats left were for standing room, so we took those. Well right before the play starts, a lady comes up to ask our group of friends if we would like to sit in the VIP seats? We say YES! WOW, it was so awesome, those seats that are above the stage, "where the audience watches you, as you watch the play". We had those seats! haha My Companion and I, in our "Suit and Tie", representing this amazing church center stage, It was so cool. The play went on and we actually participated in it a little :) It was so cool! 

Coming home from the play.

We were able to add a few others to our teaching pool. Many investigators we have, started to investigate the church because they had a friend that was always happy. And they want to feel the joy and hope they have. I know friends make a difference in people's life! Keep up being friends to everyone :)
Well yesterday in Staunton was a interesting day. The whole city shut down due to winter storm warning. Well we woke up to sunny skies, but by 11 o'clock sure enough there was an ice storm! Wow, a storm like I have never seen before! The rain was coming down and freezing instantly (as you can see in the pic). There ended up to be a solid 2 inches of ice on the roads, and even a frozen inch on the cars! Well it mad the cars look nice and shinny :)

Just some snow in Staunton

Even with that storm, we were able to watch the Christmas Devotional. It truly is a wonderful time of year. It was cool to hear from our church leaders, and let me echo a few words they said. "May we give as our Savior gives" and "See Christmas through the eyes of the kids." Kids truly are the most Chirst-like people on this earth today! 

 Sorry for all the selfies, but no one will take a picture with me :(

Thank you everyone for your support and prays! Love you guys and Happy Holidays!!

Where much is given, Much is required

Thanks GIving in Staunton was so awesome! We have a huge meal in the 200 year old house. For the first time in my life, I actually felt the true reason we have the Thanks Giving Holiday :) We were able to do some work for the Robinson's before Thansk GIving dinner. We started to chop up the 80ft tree. But lets just say that is a work in pregress. we counteed the "rings" in the tree and guess that it was over 100 years old. Cray Cray for sure!

We did have a very good week as far as misisonary work goes. We actually only taught and knock doors for 4 days of the week, we still had 7 awesome member present lesson and will hopefully be getting some people on date soon!. I feel #soblessed to be in the Staunton area right now! I will tell you guys about one of our lesson. :)

  

So Elder Bothell and I wake up at our normal 6:30 time to go play some basketball with a less active fellow. Holy sh8, at 7 in the morning here it was about 20 degrees, but we still played. The Less active member brought a friend of his and it was so cool. Both the less active and his friend used to be in prison. You always see those street ball games in the movies. Well that was us haha. We were in LAYERZ of clothes, just playing so 2 on 2, make it take it, with some awesome people! We were able to sit down for a little after we played and taught the less active's friend a lesson on the restoration. It was awesome. Like a kodak moment. Two missionaries, teaching in the freezing cold, on the street ball court, as the sun comes up! AHHH I love being a missionary!

 To go off my quote at the begginning: "Where much is givin, much is required". THat is defintly my companion and I right now. We feel #soblessed to be in this area write now. the misionary work is taking off!!! This week is "finding week" so please pray that we find as many as possible.

These are good. Found them at Sharp Shopper

 I love you guys at home!!! I am so thankful for everyone that has impacted my life! love you all, take care, good luck, and plz write me :)

K These computers won't let me upload pictures.... ahhh I will figure something out :/