A New Area and a Trainer Already???

Saying good-bye to good friends from Battle Ground

I have arrived safely in the Parkers Landing area with my new companion, Elder Johansen.  He is a great young man.  He is a little tall, he is from Riverton, Utah & he likes gross bagels.  The ones that smell like onions and taste like Ogre bread.  We have been enjoying our time here in this area.  Washougal is an excellent place, but it has been around 103 degrees most of the week and we are right by the Columbia River and Washougal River... so the natives swim in the rivers all day & we look like we swim in the rivers too, but it is just perspiration.

Since we have been doubled in here with 2 other missionaries, it has been interesting trying to figure
the area out. We have a golden Corolla so wherever we go, we go fast & in style.  The area is relatively small. We live in an apartment with the District leader and his companion.  It is a very nice abode.  So, LIFE’S GOOD.  Although on the first day we hit the streets and forgot to sip on beverages and hydrate our bodies.... so Elder Johansen got a little sick the second day (I perhaps worked him a little too hard and whipped him too much).  He is an awesome Elder actually.  I swear he is the one training me.  But we got a lot of work done this week.  We ate at Taco Bell one day, we had some little kids take our I pads and name tags and walk around with us, and we ate a snowcone the size of a basketball.

Quick miracle... On day one we were really confused on what we were supposed to do in our new area.  The other elders whom served here before left us with a 4 day schedule that was synced on the I pads... & the i pads were malfunctioning.  We had apparently 4 lessons and a dinner appointment. So we were left to use the old school techniques and just get out a paper list of the ward and follow the spirit.  We prayed for some guidance and then decided to go visit the Leifson family... Well it turns out we showed up right at the family’s home where we were to be having dinner.  We also went to the church after dinner to try and sync our I pads and apparently we had a lesson scheduled at the church right after dinner too...so the Lord is working miracles even through foolish missionaries who don’t know what they are doing.

Great new area and great ward.  They are all about missionary work and asked me at church what kind of foods we like and without hesitation I replied "Red Lobster", so hopefully they will treat me right with some gourmet seafood around here.

SOME BIG NEWS.... Elder King is about to be put to the test

Elders at the 1st Ward's first ward activity

What a good week it has been.   It has been one of the best weeks of my whole mission.  I’M SURE YOU'RE WONDERING WHY... well, let me tell you.  First, my Grandma sent me a dress up bigfoot cardboard cutout.   Second, the hay fever is reducing and I am not looking like a balloon-face  anymore.  Lastly, the spiritual miracles this week can barely be numbered. We have been in close contact with the Pickering family to help them stay on track for baptism and the adversary is hitting them at almost every angle... So, what did we do?  Well, we gave them a massive stash of our candy that family, friends and others have sent us over time.  We also gave Joel a blessing and I can honestly say I have only felt the Spirit stronger a few times in all of my life.  He almost seems like a completely different person now teaching his kids and volunteering for every church activity possible.  We had a ward social on Friday!  We played kickball & I am close to the worst kickball player in all of the land.  I fell over trying to catch a fly ball in front of the whole ward.  I’m assuming they realized there was butter below my feet,  and I’m sure they saw the slip n slide below me as well.  They had to. But it was really fun. Bishop Taylor played Simon Says with the whole ward.  Sounds lame? But this guy is one of the best Simon Says leaders you have ever seen.  Elder Firkins was out within 10 seconds.  A young man by the name of Smith Breaux just came home from his mission in the Battle Ground 1st ward.  We were almost in the exact same situation I was in about a year and a half ago.  The spirit told me so strongly that I needed to share with him my experiences .   THE BIG NEWS… I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED  to a new area & I am TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY.   There’s the big news.   Training and moving to the Vancouver East Stake.  I’m a little nervous.   Hopefully this upcoming youngling wants to learn the real ways of missionary work.  Love you all! It was a good week.  The church is true.  The holy ghost tells me it is true so very often.  That is my message to you!  You can always know of spiritual truths... but you have to ask.   Just like you have to ask for a super size at Mcdonalds.  You just  gotta ask.

Feeling the Love From a Few States Away

Elder King enjoying his Strawberry Days package from home

Sorry no big email but this picture makes up for a thousand words.  Thanks for the Strawberry Days package mom and dad. Thanks for the letter Alyssa.  Love you all in vast plethoras and amounts. I’m feeling the love a few states away.  I am so jealous it is Strawberry Days & all the carnival rats have revealed themselves in our town again.  But I feel like it is a continual carnival where I am currently.  Brother Woodley from the ward sent me a package and the Coates did too.  Tell them thank you for me! The current mission transfer is almost over! Next Wednesday we will be transferring and everyone keeps telling me I will be training a new missionary.  I can’t wait.  I’M GONNA SHOW HIM ALL THE BEST TECHNIQUES OF MISSIONARY WORK.  HE WILL BE THE NEXT PROPHET when he is done with me.  I will probably be staying here to train so I can do it more effectively.  I can’t wait.  I have so many ideas that I want to try to help members be more involved and such.  I will carry a whip with me all day if that little greenie ever mouths off (LOL).  Quick update on the ward... Matt came to church and he is so ready to be baptized.  He told us about how the Lord has prepared him for this message... It was like he was placed on a platter right before us.  Jennifer and Joel are a MESS.  She is stressing out and can’t make it to church, but thinks she can just be baptized without showing any real commitment.  Joel just barely got a job for the first time and they have 5 kids at the house...  Jennifer thinks that every incident is A HUGE DEAL.  This week has been an eye opener!  I have just lost a little motivation to go out and do the work... so that quote my parents sent me this week is pretty inspired! It was about enduring and embracing the time and that it will make you stronger in the end.  I forget sometimes that it is HARD work.  I can't wait to hear more about the construction project going on at home to finish the basement apartment.  Have you had a chance to have the Elders over for dinner or anything? You guys should show the elders some love to make up for all of the wonderful people here who are feeding me and taking good care of me.  I love you all!

What a Grand Week Indeed!

Happy Birthday Dad!

What a grand week indeed.  I keep saying that about every week, sorry about that... Not much time to email this week but I will do my best to address the events and happenings of the week.  Joel and Jennifer did indeed get married and it was quite the event.  Jennifer’s mother was unable to leave her home due to anxiety issues.  Jennifer wanted no wedding without her mother attending... SO,  our great bishop was thinking on the spot and called Jennifer’s mother to see if we could host the wedding at her trailer... & yes she did indeed approve and there was only standing room for 20.  20 people shipped up and headed down to Vancouver for the wedding and the baby blessing.  What a glorious wedding it was in the trailer.  NONETHELESS they are wedded & ready to be baptized.  Another one of Jennifer’s childlings wants to be baptized as well!  All week long & last week I have been forced to grow more than I ever have.  I am really thankful for all the learning experiences.  Let me give you one example... My Dad used to tell me the tale of three men getting chased by a lion.  1 sat and prayed for the lion to stop and he got eaten, the other one started running and got eaten.  The last prayed while he was running and he got away.  I was the one praying and waiting for the lion until just recently when I remembered my Dad telling me that analogy & also reading 2 Nephi 2:27.  Gotta choose to act.  We did act this week and we knocked on many doors and a few of which when we knocked they thought we were the Comcast cable guys coming to hook them up with some sweet channels for a cheap price.  Little did they know we could have shown them many videos of Christ and Joseph Smith.  As they shut the door in our face.  **Happy B DAY to my pops. ** If anyone of you see my Dad tell him that Apple phones are better than Droid and make sure to get him a new pair of glasses/wallet/cell phone because he most likely will jump off the Flaming Gorge cliffs into the reservoir with them all in his pocket and need new ones.  We have a new investigator ready to be baptized!  His name is Matt Bahr and he likes the Oakland Raiders... so, he needs a little joy in his life that comes from the gospel.  He is on date for baptism on the 11th of July, 4 days prior to my birthday and I told him that he better come through or he is going to ruin my b day.

It Was A Week To Remember

A beautiful day at the Portland Temple.

Another excellent week in Battleground, WA.  As I attempt to recollect my thoughts, my head begins to explode.  It was a week to remember.  First it began with a memorial day BBQ with many beef items & kegs of Tiki Punch.  This was followed by competitive rounds of two-hand-touch football, soccer (which I refused to participate) and ultimate frisbee.  The next great event would have to be putting another on date for baptism!  Jennifer’s young son, Maher wants to be baptized on the same day as his mom.  OH MAN.  WHO RIGGED THIS MISSION?  Because I don't exactly know who paid the big man upstairs to have these amazing folks sent my way. We went to meet a man by the name of John Rambousek, whom is approximately 92 years old and told us the tale of the grizzly bear wrestling the bison about 3 times... The last time he substituted the bear for a gorilla.  We let it slide.  OKAY… I CAN’T HOLD IT IN ANY LONGER...  We had another baptism this Saturday! Keilyr Backus entered into the straight and narrow gateway to heaven on May 30th, 2014. And right before the baptism we were privileged to hear from Brent H Nelson of the 70!  He came and gave us a 2 hour discussion and lesson on the Atonement.  That man is amazing and I know without a doubt he is called of God.  We were able to go to the Portland Temple just a day before as well.  So within two days, we went to the temple, heard from a member of the 70 & had a baptism.  I love being a missionary.  I love the gospel.  I know it is true & my message to you all this week is if you know it is true... THEN ACT UPON THAT BELIEF.  2 Nephi 2:27 states very clearly it is our choice to choose eternal life.  Start today & act upon what you believe. That’s when the miracles happen.

Keilyr's Baptism on May 30, 2015