Monday, June 22, 2015

Mansfield OH #4

WOW that sounds like a good time mixed with some bad. I hate stomach pains so much and I can imagine needing to see a nurse then being in a wheel chair for the rest of the day, that must have sucked. My goal is to be healthy too. But the way my weight has been going up I may be in a wheel chair when I get off the plane ;) oh and I got my blood pressure checked at a members house that had a thingy majig that takes that stuff. Anyway I have slightly higher blood pressure than when I left. Sorry to hear about dads Father's Day and getting a nose bleed, that's no fun.

So this week was really good, well towards the end it was a lot better. So we have been trying to focus on all the current investigators that we have. So we have mainly been running around trying to meet them all and to have lessons. I will tell you of the memorable parts of the lessons that I can remember. So the first one was we got a call from one of the less actives in the ward and she told us to come to the library because she was getting a weird feeling about some guy. So jumped on our bikes and made the 2 mile trip up and down hills to go help her. When we got their this guy was sitting across from the table from her talking to her. This guy looked scary so I completely understand how she felt. She even had pepper spray on the table and ready to go, I don't get how this guy didn't get the hint. Anyway he left and we had a lesson out side of the library.

Now that I think about it a lot of the lessons I can remember having were with less actives because none of the investigators were home. So most of this week was traveling on bikes in the humid heat up hills. Any way the other lesson was with another less active Misty, who just had someone close to her die. She was someone that Elder Jones taught with his last companion. So we have not so much been teaching her but just making sure she is ok. We have been obviously though been talking about the plan of salvation. That has been helping her and I know it's what she needs and is what we should be doing. 

So that guy that we have been teaching that I didn't know his name. Well we finally found out what it is and it is Ryan Sheldon and he is one interesting person. We had a lesson with him about feeling the spirit and it went as good as to be expected. Then afterward for some reason that I can't remember he started chasing Elder Jones around the street. It was really weird and I just stood there and watched, because Elder Jones was way faster than him. Anyway he then calmed down and we had a normal good bye hand shakes and we left. I really don't know what to think about our lessons with him.

So those were the fun lessons that we had and the ones that I can really remember right now. So on Saturday we were given the area book app. So that means we have been taking our paper teaching records and have been putting them on our ipads and that has been a royal pain. I hate that app. Enough Said On That Matter. So ya that has been my life so far.

Today was really cool. We went to the old Ohio State Reformatory, which is an old jail here that has had a lot of deaths and other weird things. Its also famous because it has been used for movies like the Shaw Shank Redemption, Air Force One, and some movie with Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell. It was really cool old run down jail that has a lot of history of violence and death so why not go there for p-day. It was also funny because some people that were there that were from Georgia got locked in some of the cells in the solitary confinement. It was funny but they got out fast and everything was good. So that was my day.

I love you all and I hope you have a good week. Continue to be cool and to read your scriptures and pray morn and eve because it will strengthen you. Also if you have not been reading the General Conference talks I highly recommend it. Love you all. Bye


Elder Young   

Mansfield Ohio #3

Captains log whatever star date whenever. Everything is going good hear in Mansfield Ohio even though I have to bike everyday. My legs are getting huge, when I'm done here I will have thunder thighs, or pillars of marble as Elder Jones calls his. You can't go anywhere here with out going up or down some hill, it's quite annoying. Anyway despite this trial we have a lot of good investigators.

It was kind of weird though one night we decided to visit this one family that we have been teaching. When we got there we learned that the less active, Amber had gotten into a fight with re mom. Then after we had been talking for a little while with Joe, who by the way is awesome. Amber showed up and chaos followed so we slowly slipped away before something really crazy happened. The result was that Amber got kicked out of her moms house, but they are all still willing to meet with us. In fact we checked on Debbie and Joe the next day to see if everything was okay, and Joe really appreciated that.

That's what is big in my life right now so you are all updated on the life of an Elder Young. Glad to hear that Emma and mom are having fun in California sight seeing and all that. Wish I could be there to see all those things. Instead I get to melt under the Ohio sun. I don't think I have told you this yet but it's still light here until 9pm.
It's weird and there are now lighting bugs at night, the trees look like flashing Christmas trees.

Well dad I'm sorry to hear that you were not able to go with them to California and to see those things. You will be blessed for your hard work for supporting your family. I want you to know that I love you and appreciate your work because it has given me the chance to serve a mission. If it was not for your selfless work to support us all, I would not be serving the lord in Ohio. I love you more than what i can express on this email. I wish you an early happy Father's Day and hope that you have a great day. I miss you all like the sun misses the flowers in the depths of winter. I love you all and pray for you daily.


Love Elder Young

Monday, June 8, 2015

Mansfield OH

 Well this week started off on the wrong foot. On Monday the assistants to the President called and said that our car would be taken and we would become a full time bike area. So Tuesday morning two of the senior missionaries came and picked up the car and left us to fend for our selves. Then later that day Elder Jones broke one of the valve stems on one of his tires while filling it with air. So now he is using one of the other missionaries bikes.

The week got better though on Wednesday when we got our iPad Minis that have been sense promised. They have been interesting to use and I still don't fully know how I will use it in the work yet. We are suppose to do this training thing for the iPad and complete it before Friday which is hard because we have to bike to a place that has free internet.

One fun thing about the iPad is that I have been given permission to look at my emails anytime I want, as long as it is not a distraction. I just can't respond until Monday. So I am currently writing this email on Thursday after lunch, and will update it through the week.

So we just got in from a long day of biking. One great lesson and one I'm not so sure about. The good one was with this lady name Angie. It went well and she asked a lot of good questions, and opened up to us a little to much. But that only gave us another reason to point her to Christ who can help her with her struggles. The other lesson was iffy because we don't even know his name. He however took a Book of Mormon and promised that he would read it before our next visit.

Now I have been very bad at writing lately because well I didn't have enough time. What happened cliff note style is this. We have been biking around our area like crazy Mormon missionaries on the rolling hills of Mansfield Ohio. We had a funny experience were we went to the wrong members house for a dinner appointment because we wrote down the wrong address on accident. Well Elder Jones did I just follow him like a lost puppy because I don't know where I am going. Any way we went three some odd miles in the wrong direction. Then we passed the street by a mile and some on our way back. In the end they came and got us in there truck.

Several cool things have happened this week. We found two very cool people both ironically with the same first name Joe. One is a great uncle to one of our less actives who has not come to church sense she was baptized. We also teach her mom and son. Anyway her great uncle is just staying for a week or two but he has been prepared to hear our message. The other Joe we met at a convenience store when Elder Jones was getting a drink. He stopped us out side and said that he had seen us around town and wondered what we believed. He said what really caught his attention was when he saw a group of missionaries pray over there food at a restaurant. So got his phone number and gave him a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet. I can't wait to set up an appointment with him.

That has been my week, oh yah I almost forgot. I popped yet another bike tube! So I will have to get that fixed this Monday, so this week I have been riding one of the other Elders bikes. There are three missionaries assigned to this ward. Two Sets of Elders and one set of Sisters. It's new and kind of cool at the same time to have so many missionaries in one ward.




Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Transfer!! Mansfield OH

Well I got transferred as was to be expected after being in one area for like 6 months. I was transferred to Mansfield which is the northern most area if I am not mistaken. My new companion is Elder Jones, and he is from Alpine Utah. He is my second companion from Utah. So the transfer meeting was really fun and full of energy because 75% of the mission was there. It was really weird at the end when the last trainee was called he started doing this weird yell as his trainer hugged him. I felt so bad for Elder Hill, training that kid his last two transfers. Anyway I'm sure that he is a good guy he was just very excited. 

So Chance is married huh. That's so weird to thing about. I am of course extremely happy for him, its just that I can't see my self married right now and we are the same age. That's so cool to hear about Julie and Halley. So when is Jackie's next baby coming? JUST KIDDING ;) That's so cool to hear all the fun things happening back home. 

Well I like this new area and it is a lot bigger and got a lot my people. So we have a full time car and I was made the designated driver. So now I am getting that driving experience that you wanted me to get. We also bike a lot here from what I have been told by my companion. So I will have thunder thighs when I leave this area because there are hills everywhere and they are steep. I also have been given the opportunity to weigh myself and I am almost 160 now so that means I have gained close to 17 pounds on my mission! I am not the twig of this companionship I am the shortest still though.

Well anyway I am having a good time in my new area and I am having fun with my new companion in Mansfield Ohio. I love the work that the lord has called me to do here in the Ohio. I can say that the lord has called my to "The Ohio", as it is called in doctrine and covenants, and to spread his word and to be a representative of our Lord and Savior. Keep it real family and always look for those opportunities to share the gospel with others. Try using the churches new electronic pamphlets, to download them look in the app store for LDS pamphlets. I think that's what they are called. I hope you are all doing good and have a blessed Day.


P.s I got the new towels and they are so much nicer.