Sunday, May 31, 2015

Last email from Reynoldsburg.....Possibly

Sounds like you had a busy week this week. Not only that but a fun crafty one with visitors to boot. Sounds like I missed some fun stuff. What is it a month or two Dallin turns one years old? How crazy! We are old. Its funny that all the members that are in their 30's think that I am so young and little. Funny how someone is always older than you and has a little more experience than you. Last week was really slow. Elder Bradley has been under the weather a lot, so we have been spending a lot of time at the apartment so that he can get some rest. So I have not seen very many of our investigators especially with Memorial Day coming up. People don't want to talk to you when they are on holiday.

Anyway so this week I will most likely be transferred to a new area on Thursday. I will know tomorrow when they make the calls to tell people that they are leaving. Elder Bradley got a call and he will be training a new missionary for the next couple of transfers so about 3 and a half months. On the 3 of June we will get Ipads. We learned last week that we will become one of the new testing missions. Sounds to me like they got a lot of it figured out, but there are always bugs in things.

It was cool to learn that they are trying to make technology make things easier on the missionary. They have plans to make it so that the instant you get your call letter you are being trained and prepared to enter the MTC and the mission field. The Apostles are making a big focus right now on how to train members on how to use technology in a way to stay safe from the harmful things on the internet, and to be missionaries. It was cool to learn that they know that some will have trouble with this new tool, but that they said that they benefits out way the risk. That we need to become our own filters and make up our minds and know what we will do when we face had things online.

That was the highlight for me to have that training and to have that discussion that we need to focus more on our purpose as missionaries. To not be distracted by what my President called a shiny new toy. I hope that you all continue to be safe and have fun. That you also stay focused on what is important and that you know what you want in your life. I know that this mission is doing just that for me. I love you all and pray about you all the time.  


Love Elder Young

Monday, May 18, 2015

Reynoldsburg, Ohio

Wait mom is wearing my reading glasses? Or did she get her on pair? You all are going blind. Soon Jackie and hope will need glasses as well. We are no longer the "Young" family. We are now the old "Young" family. Tell mom she needs to go see an optometrist so her eyes don't get worse by looking through the wrong prescription. 

Sounds like you are all busy as usual but no real change to the days events. You really need to change, whats up with that. You guys are getting boring, JK ;) there will be no food.

Ya there is a member here who's name is John Perfect. He is a less active member that I have been slowly trying to reactivate. He is also the one who made the walking stick for me. I just asked him in a joking way that he needed to make me a walking stick, because he had just made one and he was telling me about it. So he said ok, and with in a week I had a new walking stick free of charge.

It was fun making the food at his house. It all turned out really good, really, really good. The ribs were made the way they were suppose to be, fall of the bone tender. It was spiced just the right way and were so full of flavor. The mushrooms were also really good even though there was a lot of crab meat in it. It was because of all the butter and crackers.

This week was really slow. Not very many people met with us and we were walking so we were not able to get around very fast. We however were able to get two of our investigators to church. Ones name is Kaik-Pai (he is from Lybia), he really enjoyed himself and I think he will come again. He has been taking lessons on and off sense 2007. The other that came to church name is Randy. We have actually yet to teach him a lesson. He just wanted to come. I also think it has to do with the fact that we gave him a white shirt and a tie after he told us that he felt uncomfortable coming to church with them. He also had a good time and said that he wanted to come to church again. So I am really excited to teach him and get to know him a little better. 

We also met with a girl name Haley, she to has been taking lessons for a little while. Her parents are members weirdly enough. I think that we can also have good luck teaching her.

That's all I can think of that is new in my life other than the fact that I will be transferred on the 28 of this month. I hope you all continue to be safe and healthy, not more sickness! Love you all.


Love Elder Young

Monday, May 11, 2015

Pictures and a video!


Tayler and his companion Elder Bradley


We're not sure about the story behind this walking stick, but it's pretty legit

First baptism!

Thrive brownies!! Thanks Grandma :)

Beer ribs in moonshine BBQ sauce! Just what a missionary needs


Crab and ritz cracker stuffed mushrooms

Reynoldsburg--Tornado! Almost.

Ya I don't know what else to say then to tell you about my day today. We were at a Brother Perfect's house all day to day cooking food for Elder Bradley's Birthday celebration. We had a great BBQ lunch with his wife and grandson who is a recent convert. Also with the Elders from Pickerington, and the zone leaders from Gahana. We share the car with the Pickerington Elders, and one of the zone leaders (I don't know how to spell his name) served in Reynoldsburg.

So it was a big fun event. One funny thing while Elder Bradley and I were cooking Brother Perfect was playing video games. I got some pictures I will send. The food was all great we had Ribs that had been cooked in Beer, then drained and cooked in Moonshine BBQ sauce. It was amazing. We also had stuffed mushrooms, which had crab and ritz crackers, and lots and lots of butter. They to were very good. Then we also had potato salad and corn. It was a large meal.

Then right as we finished and cleaned up a tornado warning was given and all the sirens were going off. That's an ominous sound. Then we had really crazy wind and tons of rain. The streets were flooded and we could hardly see as we drove home. Oh and there was tons of lightning. When it all died down and we were leaving to come email we noticed that one of the trees was slightly chard and was tipped over either from lightning or the wind because I also say tree roots. So I will tell you more next time if I remember.

That's what happened and is new in my life. I almost experienced my first tornado. So close but not that close. Anyway I love you and loved talking to you yesterday. Love the pictures. Tell dad to not hurt himself. You to mom don't hurt yourself with all this new work. Love you all and I will email you all next Monday. Keep it real!


Love Elder Young   

Monday, May 4, 2015

Reynoldsburg OHHHHHH

Well Emma it sounds like everyone had fun but you :) Well that the life of a girl going to college, with parents that have a grandson. If it makes you feel any better I got to walk out side all day this week in 62 degree weather that felt like 80 with humidity. On top of that we didn't meet with anyone that was interested till Sunday. 

This week we really just was just very long. Wednesday I had zone conference were they told me that we will finally be getting Ipad mini's. So we will have to figure out how they want us to pay for it so I will get back to you on that one when I know whats happening. That was really the highlight of this week. Mostly we have been seeing Brother Durham everyday because he stopped smoking again so we have been going by to give support and be a distraction. Walking sucks because you get places so slow.

We have also been inside a lot because Elder Bradley's diabetes has been just draining him. He has been having really low numbers as well as crazy high numbers. Like he was four hundred one morning (that's crazy high). So ya we have been taking sick days or hours for him to gain strength. He also has insomnia so he doesn't sleep that much so he just was not feeling good. I have been learning a lot about diabetes these past transfers.

I did get your package. Thank you so much for that I have been enjoying the music you sent me every night before I fall asleep. Also the candy and the beef jerky that is made in Forest Grove OR has been great.

Oh I almost forgot. We had a big service project working on a hiking trail down in hawking Ohio. At least that's were I think it was. It was so beautiful down there. All the trees had their leafs and the hill were just breath taking in comparison to Reynoldsburg. We then also got to see a little bit of a hiking trail called Old Man's Cave. You should look it up its awesome. That was another big highlight of this week. Going and working in nature were Ohio is actually attractive and a place where I would love to live.

Oh which reminds me my allergies are now in effect. There not really bad right now but they will get there. Apparently Columbus Ohio is a place were people with allergies come to die. It is this weird place were the pollen collects and is in abundance because of he heat and humidity. So this summer is going to be fun in many ways ;)

I just did something really fun today before I got here to email. I helped make BBQ sauce that has moonshine in it. That's right you sent me to Ohio on a mission so I could learn to cook with alcohol from members. We burned out the alcohol and then started adding ingredients to it. It smelt good and I can't wait to try it. We did this because Elder Bradley's birthday is coming up sometime here in May. So this up coming Monday we are having a feast of BBQ at a members home.

Well that has been my week. It was full of its ups and downs but such is life. I am doing well and I can't wait to see how this up coming week goes. We have a Zone training tomorrow almost all day. So the mission president will be there teaching us some stuff. Should be fun. Well I love you all hope you stay safe. Thank you again for the package I loved it all. You guys rule!!!!!

Love Elder Young


P.s How's the picture with all the days of my mission going? Are there and missing spots?

Reynoldsburg OH

Sounds like a very full week. How did you crash into a tree? Is dad ok? Well I guess he is, because you didn't say much about it. Anyway glad to hear from you this fine wonderful Monday. I like and agree with your rant Emma. Sorry this is a rocky start to an email but Oh well.

This week for me was also very fun and eventful. This week we got on to car rotations with the Elders from Pickerington. So we have been driving around in a Subaru Legacy. It has accelerated the work here. This week we found 3 new investigators. One of them we had a short lesson with on the side of a road. She had seen as and stopped her car and talked to us, it is so nice when people stop us and want to talk instead of us trying to get people to talk to us. One of the people we found name is Richard Lee West but goes by Bobby. When he opened the door his first words were "Speak to me", He then let us in and we talked for an hour and half. It was a great lesson, I love the black people here they are so open to talk about anything. We also meet with a man who introduced him self as Brother Jerald. He was a little unsure about to expect from us and didn't want us to pray at the end of the lesson because he was unsure what spirits we would invite into his home. But through more lessons and exposure I think he will pray with us and be less uncomfortable. We also met with a man named Anthony. We met with him 3 hours and he fed us lunch. He was really cool and had a great grasp of the falling a way of Christ church. He also thought that the idea of the trinity was really stupid and has no support in the Bible. So that was great, but he like all other people here who are black realized that there are not that many black people or any other color of people in the Restoration pamphlet. It wasn't a big concern but still it is something that makes the work hard here. People think our church is racist. Bugs the heck out of me.

This Sunday there was a missionary fireside were we try to get investigators to come and get the feel of our church and what we believe. Its a great thing that gets people over the fear of coming into our church building in a less threatening way, because its not a church service. So I went and sang in the choir. I went to the practice on Saturday and I had a blast singing church songs. I don't know really at all how to sing parts but I listen to who is singing next to me and I follow there lead. I think I will go and sing at the next one.

Also this week was interviews. That means that I got to meet with the Mission President. Talk about weird encounters with your mission President. I love President Daines, but he is a very smart and very intimidating man. He also doesn't know me very well, which is fine and very understandable as I have only talked to him very briefly. 

That's my week this far, I really had a good productive week and I will miss the car when we give it back this Wednesday. Other than that this coming week should go really well. I love you all and wish you the best. Be safe and know that I pray for you all the time.


Love Elder Young