Dance Party #Demo3

 It is so fun to be serving around other missionaries again. On Preparation day we played basketball and volleyball basically all day. Some members and non members pulled up too. I woke up the next day sore from how hard we went, we will run it back the following week as well. Also, I have a sonic .3 miles from my apartment, so that is a win. During the week we attempted to go to sonic around 8:45 pm. It turns out that it closes at 8 pm… What sonic does that. That is prime time. We were so disappointed. I keep telling Elder Woolsey about the sonic nerds slushie. This next week we set a goal to get one of those slushies so we can experience the joy from tasting it. 

Ever since I have arrived in the Grand Valley area we have had so many lessons planned, but most have fallen through. Most people here struggle with keeping commitments, but are more than happy to plan an appointment just to not show up or not answer the door. Some of our lessons actually happened on Tuesday which was a W. While we were at the church, the STLs brought us Krispy Kreme and I forgot how good those doughnuts were. I pounded 6 right there and instantly regretted it afterward. 

Wednesday we had exchanges with the Fremont elders. Fremont is a town about an hour north of us. I went with Elder Buxton who has been out about 13 months. It was a fun exchange because there was a huge festival in town where EVERYONE was at. It was a Gerber baby festival. We went public contacting and this was one of the first times where we went public contacting to find people to teach. Not many people were about it at all. The first 5 people I asked if I could ask them a question were so rude. Elder Buxton was down on himself, but I just kept going at it. We were able to have about 20+ gospel related conversations with people and I saw a lot of growth in myself. I've grown so much in the past two weeks as I came to Grand Valley. 

Our friend Desiree is awesome. She is in her late 30s to early 40s. She grew up catholic, but absolutely loves the things we have been teaching her. She has some medical problems in her life, but she is excited to prepare to be baptized on August 6th. We gave her a priesthood blessing with the patriarch there with us. Spirit filled meeting which is always special. 

One thing I learned this week is do not have a dance party and attempt a backflip. We have a piano keyboard that we always turn on to mess with the sounds on it. We found this amazing audio that just is fire, it is a prerecorded song and its called demo 3. We always joke around saying that we would have a dance party. I then was confident enough to attempt a backflip and I bailed halfway. The first thing that hit the ground was the top of my head. All I heard was my whole neck and spine crack. I showered up after that and took it easy. I am still extremely sore from it and I believe I threw a rib out, but I'm watching it over the next couple of days to see if it is something I should worry about. I have learned from this experience, but do not regret it because we were on the ground in literal tears laughing after it occurred. 

This week we have met with a handful of members of this ward. They are all amazing. One family that sticks out is the Buckwalter family. Their son is 18 who actually gets set apart to begin the MTC in two weeks. We have been having him attend appointments with us everyday if it works out. The father is actually the Stake President over the Grand Rapids Stake. They are so missionary focused. We set a handful of goals to help their friends and inactive members to come closer to Christ. That family is just so good. Also, there is this other elderly couple in the ward who are the Ison's. They are both converts to the church and they blew us away. They study the scriptures so much everyday. Sister Ison was telling us that some days she studies for at least three hours. Isn't that nuts!

Saturday I took Elder Bailey on an exchange in the Grand Rapids area. He is in charge of the Spanish work in the south west area of Grand Rapids. He has been out a total of a year. He has had a lot of trials in the past, but that man is so dedicated to serve his mission. Throughout the whole day we were talking to people in Spanish. I don't know if we can say we, but he did. I set a goal to hand out four pictures of Jesus in Español. You already know I did that! I got a video of me handing one out. I am glad I got called English speaking. God knew I couldn't learn that language. 

One day this past week a thought came to our minds. Elder Woolsey and I both like basketball and we are talking about it some of the time. We realized that we are in the Grand Valley area and the Suns slogan is Rally The Valley. We printed out a photo that has that slogan on it and we see it everytime we leave the apartment. We RALLY the VALLEY in the area. 

We had a cool lesson with our friend Taz on Sunday. I found him over Facebook and he actually lives in our area which is crazy to me because there are so many areas that cover Grand Rapids. We followed up on the restoration which we taught him yesterday and he was telling us that it never made sense to him that people think all we need is the Bible. He is this young 20-30 year old guy who is in the army and lives in a boujee apartment. Extremely humble guy who wants to read The Book of Mormon. What more can you ask? I asked while we were leaving if he had any MRE's and he gave us TWO. We are going to try them today. I got the cheese pizza so we will see how that goes. 

Preparation day is full of activities and there is no dull moment. I am loving my time here so far in the Grand Valley area. We are constantly busy, finding, and teaching. I love you!

I'm Back In

 Preparation day you already know we hit the gym twice. First in the morning and then in the afternoon. We also played a best of 7 series in basketball, if you are reading this Elder Fonnesbeck… I am nice with it. I won 4-2. We also went mini golfing with the recent convert Maryea which was fun. I won by one stroke, it was just a full day of winning. I also finished up packing and was ready to go. 

Transfer day was chaotic. I did not stop moving until 10:30pm. We left our apartment at 8:30am since it is a three hour drive to where I was getting picked up for transfers. We arrived around 11:45am and the transfer van was delayed an hour. They finally came and we headed down to Lansing. I rode in an equinox with just Elder Tueller and I which was so good. On the way down, the truck that was pulling all of the luggage broke down and the trailer broke. This delayed everything for four hours. Elder Nelson and I actually were asked by the APs to go help move all the luggage to a different trailer. I finally made it to my area around 7:45pm. We dropped off my stuff and we did not even pack, we went door knocking! Let's go! 

I am currently serving in the Grand Valley Ward. The ward has around 90-100 active members and we meet in the Grand Rapids stake center. The building is so nice, full indoor court, whattt, I haven't seen that in forever. I love serving in wards. This area is absolutely amazing when it comes to missionary work. The areabook is absolutely insane. So many people. When I arrived it caught me off guard because there are so many people in this city. I was so isolated from society, but now I'm back in. 

I didn't think being a zone leader would be much of an adjustment, but man they do more than I thought. Just always worrying about how to help the zone stay accountable to their goals and help them set good goals. It definitely is stretching me and making me the missionary God would like me to be. On Friday we had MLC. It was fun seeing how one of those meetings went. Such a great time to receive revelation through people as well as from the spirit. It is always good to see boys #ElliottNTueller. Also, in the MLC there are a handful of missionaries who flew out with me. Around a third of the MLC came out with me on August 11th. Lots of young missionaries! Future is bright. 

I think I need to talk about my companion. His name is Elder Kaleb Woolsey. He is 9 months out on his mission. He became the ZL in this area last transfer. He is one of the most diligent missionaries in the mission. He is the definition of all in. He is from North Ogden Utah and all you need to know is that I love this man so much. I have been blessed with companions the past three transfers. He has a funky scar on his face because when he was 2 years old he cut open his face. He tells people when they ask that he was bit by a tiger as a joke. He gets it more often than you would think. Some of his friends back home call him Oggy from Wonder, literally so funny. 

Thursday night before we had MLC, we thought it would be a great idea for me to cut Elder Woolseys hair. This absolutely was not the move. I messed up his hair big time. I was extremely confident since I did my hair once as well as Elder Nelson's hair. He has a big bald patch on the right side of his head. I absolutely love Elder Woolsey because he is the most patient Elder ever. I was in tears laughing so hard and he just kept telling himself he liked it and he is okay. Stayed up too late that night.

I have to tell you about our friend Merrijane. She actually found the missionaries, we did not even find her. The elders last week were Facebook finding on a bench outside and she approached them. She is prepared. She has a lot of members in her family and she understands how one needs to be sealed to their family to make it to the highest degree of glory. We asked her if she wanted to be baptized and she was like,"yeah, can we celebrate my birthday September 10th? Or should we do it around Christmas? Is that too soon?" We reassured her that we can stick to September 10th, but we believe she will be baptized on August 6th. There are about three people on date for baptism in this area. 

Saturday we attempted to finish strong. We planned 11 lessons and only 2/11 happened. Who knew people are so flakey. We were so excited for Saturday, but we just watched the lessons drop one by one. We have no doubt though, it is what needed to happen. Our hope is in Christ and not in appointments. 

Sunday was my companion Elder Woolseys birthday as well as Elder Fonnesbecks. To celebrate we did a birthday live! It is also pretty funny because Elder Woolsey trained Elder Fonnesbeck. As you all know mission birthdays are pretty lame, but I tried to make it the best I could for my boy Elder Woolsey. I love this man. 

Also, I added a picture in Google photos of that guy named Jeremy in the Soo. I said in my last email that I left with him a shirt and two ties. He pulled up to church in the white shirt and tie! He was looking so clean. Make sure you watch out for that picture. I love Jeremy. 

Preparation days here are so fun. There are about 12 missionaries who share the church building so they all pull up for pday to ball. Please reach out and I would love to chat. I love you all! 

G-Rap Here I Come

 Another very relaxed preparation day. We did go to a branch BBQ at 1 o'clock where they grilled up some hamburgers and hot dogs. At 7 we drove to Cheboygan which was an hour 15 minutes away to conduct a baptismal interview since he wanted it done in person. He is getting baptized on Saturday and Elder Fonnesbeck is performing that. So good! 

Tuesday we received training from the APs. A big thing in our mission is being in the arena with Jesus Christ. That's our motto or slogan some might say. The APs gave training on how to throw punches in the arena with Christ. It was focused on extending confident and bold commitments. We ate this training up and went into our lesson with Josh Sharp on fire. We extended him a straight up bold invitation to follow the Savior in being baptized next Saturday. He declined. OOF. Straight black eye in the arena, but it doesn't matter since we did all we could. LETS GOOOOO. 

Wednesday I decided to hit my legs in the morning. I was surprised with how much I could actually squat. I was working my way up doing sets of 8, then I was like let me throw on 275 and see how well I do it. I do it for four and then do 295 for 4. I was like, imma throw on 315, let's see how this goes. I hit it so easy as a double. Just surprised how my strength is still increasing while I'm out here, thought it would be good to mention in my email. 

I also led exchanges in the Soo on Wednesday. I was with Elder Payton Lowder. He has been out for about 7 months. He is such a loving Elder. We did a lot of preaching by the way and saw absolutely no success, it was rough, but we just have to put hope in our Savior and it all works out. We had a really cool comp exchange form and he shared his testimony of Jesus Christ, it literally felt as if it pierced my heart. It was a special day. Also, during the exchange, Elder Doman gave me another clean fade up. Love that Elder. 

Thursday was filled with activities. We helped some members move into their new home and we helped an elderly member clean up her hoard of a house. It was stinky haha. Our friends Lydia and Wesley Gilbert asked us on Sunday if we would go bowling with them on Thursday at 7. We accepted since we think it would be a good opportunity to build a good friendship. I bowled pretty solid towards the latter part of the game. We made the joke to Wesley who is 16 that if I beat him, he would have to be baptized. No worries, he clutched up for himself and threw 5 strikes to finish the game on top. Prior to receiving our transfer call while we were bowling Lydia says this,"Tell your president that you have an investigator who is really close to baptism and hope that he keeps you two in the Soo together." It was sick because we can tell Lydia is starting to fully accept the restored gospel. 

This week was just so full of activities. Friday morning we had a lesson with our amazing friend Jeremy who is a 32 year old black guy. He accepted a baptismal invitation for July 30th and right after that lesson we received our transfer calls from Elder Tueller. I am not staying in the Soo… I was really sad to hear this, mainly because I wanted one more transfer with Elder Fonnesbeck. I am heading down to Grand Rapids to be a Zone Leader with Elder Fonnesbeck's trainer Elder Kaleb Woolsey. He has been out 9 months and he is an insane missionary. I am so excited to be with him. I also get to serve in Elder Jorgensens district which is a first.

Saturday was full of activities. We had a branch kickball picnic and a ton of families showed up. We played an intense kickball match with all the kiddos. I managed to nail a kid in the head with a kickball, but no worries President Speas didn't count him out since it was about the shoulders haha. We showered up after that two hour event and we had a baptism in Cheboygan. Dale Wenzel was being baptized and Elder Fonnesbeck was the one that was asked to perform the baptism. We drove the hour and 15 minute drive and were there for that sweet moment. The Cheboygan group became a branch on Sunday and Dale was confirmed that same day. Hurrah for Israel!

We had an overall successful weak. We extended three baptismal invitations and only one accepted. We are straight getting Upper cutted in the arena right now. No worries though, we are not stressing. I am sad I am leaving the Soo. No one has ever one and doned it. I love you. Message me :)) #FindTime4Me 

FINISHED Strong

 The first preparation day that we chilled. We sat around all day and just called the homies. It was a very unfulfilling day to be honest, but oh well. 

Tuesday was the day of our Zone Leader exchanges. I was with Elder Garyn Jensen. He actually flew out with me, he also served in the Soo for three transfers right before I got up here. We had such a great day. Such a great spirit came along with this day. We had strong prompting, we followed, gave a priesthood blessing, and door knocked in the pouring rain. Since the Zone Leaders are three hours away by car they spend the night. We overnighted in The Soo, we woke up early to go play basketball and then this concluded our exchange. 

I saw a text on Tuesday that filled my eyes with tears. A recent convert in Charlotte named Courtney who was baptized the week I left commented on mom's post,"Just want to let you know that your son changed my life." I had to share this in my email so it is written down somewhere. Background on Courtney was when we knocked into her for the first time she was at the bottom of life. Complete turn around in 3 months. Miraculous. 

We had a cool video call over Zoom on Thursday. Our branch President and his wife joined the lesson with our friend Lydia. Lydia's younger brother Wesley was there too. We love Wesley, he is 16 and has that sense of humor so we get along well with him. Lydia is 22 and has learned a LOT about our church. I'm talking about everything. She has read Preach My Gospel for herself. She has also come across anti, but she still has a desire to learn about our church. She feels there is something right about it. We invited her to live the standards of our church for one full week and read the Book of Mormon and promised her that her answer would come. After that she asked us,"Would I be your guy's first baptism?" It was sweet. Lots of hope for Lydia. 

Elder Fonnesbeck and I stay grinding up here in the Sault Ste. Marie area. We are seeing a lot of success and it is growing! We are teaching a lot of people and some are progressing extremely fast. Our friend Josh who I bumped into over Facebook three weeks back is considering baptism. When we first gave him a call he said,"i'm not interested in converting, but you can inform me." In our last meeting he said,"I don't like the word convert, but this is something I want to follow." We have met with him every other day for the past three weeks and he LOVES church. The spirit works wonders. 

We received a text Saturday night at 9 pm from President and Sister Heap saying they are attending a service up here. What?!? That's insane. We were so shook and nervous at the same time. This was the best fast and testimony meeting of my mission. 5 of our friends decided to come to church and our friend Jeremy was the first one to bear his testimony! It was so cool since that was his first time ever attending a service. We also promised our friend Josh that he would receive an answer if this church is right when he came to church and pondered during the Sacrament. He said he will be back next week for church and texted us he received his answer. What a Sunday! We FINISHED STRONG. 

Happy fourth of July everyone! I love America! I am wearing my American tie and American socks. I love you. Reach out :)).