Scripture Suicide

My companion is sick, I didn't leave the house for almost 3 days straight did get one lesson with Jackie on exchanges. She told me she didn't know if she wanted to get baptized anymore. GREAAAAT! 

But other than that I learned that the scriptures are very important. At one of the lowest points of the week I committed scriptural suicide, I read and read and read. I read the Book of Mormon and read some of Isaiah my mind kind of melted. But that is ok! I for sure wished I could be out working but that wasn't what I was supposed to do. Apparently I needed to learn something, I'm not positive what it is but I will keep looking for it! 

Sorry its so short this week.

JONNY HAPPPPPPPPPPPYYYY BIRTHDAY!!!!! HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!! stay cool bro!

TRICIA!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! hope you get a break from taking care of those boys and girls!!! 

Mom thanks for the package, I ate it all... yum!!! and i didn't share! muahahah 

Knee How! (I am pretty sure that is how the Chinese characters look)

Hello all! hope everyone is all good! 

In response to his brothers going on a boys trip over Fall Break and then the cars getting 4 flat tires in the process: 

Those lucky bruhs! ! hope it was fun! Actually my tires are great considering how the roads here are terrible!! i swear every time I turn around a gravel monster pulls my bike out from under me. Its ok though I just start yelling my "mormon voodoo spells" at the ground so it lets go. This week is the first time i got to run over the top of my handlebars,  I am sure it looked pretty awesome! i hope. 

In response to his mother saying she stayed home over Fall Break and cleaned.  Good job cleaning mom! proud of you! wooo go mom! 

In response to his Uncle Nate's comment on the blog:   Nate, when did you hit 4'11?? way to go! 

In response to Uncle Mitch and Aunt Haley naming their little one Matthew:  Mitch and Haley! I mean its ok not naming him after me but then you had to go name him after my cousin??? ouch..... I see where I fall on your list.

 

In response to the ward finally putting up his missionary plaque in the foyer:  oh no I got plaque? better start brushing! 

In response to his Grandma telling me that she thinks Josh is kind: Thanks Big G! i always knew i was the favorite! Josh bringing up a family joke:  Thanks ma! i always knew Joe was the favorite!

Now its game time! So after temple day, which was exhausting, we just went back to working but Heather has been sick so we didn't get to see her and Jackie is still shy and won't ask her mom if she can get baptized earlier.   Little frustrated with that! But all is well!

This week was stake conference and that was good! And weird because it was my first Stake Conference away from home and the stake president wasn't my stake president. The talks were good! It is for sure easier to feel the spirit when all I do 24/7 is church stuff. 

Now I have to tell this story because I literally laughed so hard i couldn't get up. The Chinese missionaries do sports night at a park where we try to pick up new investigators. We were playing soccer and we play by a baseball diamond and somebody kicked the ball over the fence and heroic me was like i am going to jump over this fence. I started running and about 1/4 of the way into the air I was like "crap" and yes. I caught the fence with my back foot and fell flat on my face. The crowd for the baseball game starts laughing, the missionaries and all the people who saw it happen were laughing. I was a little dazed and then I remembered what happened and I couldn't get up I was laughing so hard. oh man. It was gold. I tried again and made it over! Apparently I needed to be humbled! 

A more spiritual event was when the AP's came over to study with us and we had a mini testimony meeting which was amazing! It strengthened my testimony even more! 

So to close all I will say is that I Know That My Redeemer Lives! 

Love you all! So does He! 

Have a fantabulously amazingness week! 

ADIOS!

Elder Rollins

How was it going back to the temple?  You know that is where Andrew and Jenn got married.

Faaaantastic!!! No I didn't. That was a long time ago.

 

Was it different going as a missionary in the field?

Yes they blessed the missionaries. and we were sitting right there.

So how are Jackie and Heather and her sister doing? 

Jackie is very stubborn. Heather is very sick. Savannah is very strange.

You don't have to flirt to convert anyone right?  The last think you want is a stalker there. 

No mom. They just flock to me cause i gots that mish swag on. Just kidding.  No, I have no swag. If Sam Merrill thinks I look like a goon in that helmet he should see my hair after I take it off! 

What was your greatest challenge this week?

My greatest challenge?  Really not too bad this week!! probably jumping over the fence.haha 

When did you feel guided by the spirit?

I felt guided when I was biking one day and we went a different way to the church. I still don't know why.

Is there anything you need?  I sent the package last week so you should get it this week whenever the Elder's deliver it to you.

Nope i got all I need! two legs! oxygen! a decent sense of humor! and the Spirit of God! I am home free!

Do you have enough food?

Mother, i will never have enough food. 

Much love! 

So we finally heard from Elder Rollins this week!  Apparently it is temple week so he had his p-day today and got to go to the temple! His email on his ipad is not working so he had to wait until the last few minutes of p-day to find a computer and read and write his emails.  

Hi!  From the temple.

Hellooooooo Familia! 

Unfortunately I have to make this pretty quick, so let us begin.

First of all, Joe stay on your feet. (Joe fainted and had to get stitches) Second Aaron, Sarah, Sierra, Trent, you are not allowed to have fun without me. good luck. (Aaron got asked to a dance) Mom please send a picture of Aarons outfit.  Mitch and Haley congrats on having the new baby Joshua!! If only he turns out like his namesake he will do great things! 

Elder Leavitt and Elder Rollins at the Los Angeles Temple

Ok. Now for my week DUH Duh duhhhh.  So P-day was moved to today because we got to go to the temple! That was for sure the highlight!!! Unfortunately Satan was aware of what was going to happen so he worked extra hard on me. 

This week was like sand paper. Things were rough. We had to sand extra hard until things were pretty smooth (almost as smooth as that analogy). Things were just falling through and I realized why it is called a testimony. because sometimes we have to put it to the TEST. It is not always an easy test. Often it is difficult. 

In the low point of the week I was just going to do nothing since nobody wanted to listen anyway. But I had a prompting to just buckle down and things would be alright. So that is exactly what I did. I buckled down and said a prayer and later that night we ran out of milk (my bad).  We went to the store and a lady walked up and started speaking Chinese. She asked "Do you speak Chinese?" luckily (or because of a prompting maybe ) I had asked the Chinese Elders how you say that phrase in Chinese so I would recognize it)  I was able to say nope. She then said in verrrry broken "engrish" "i warnt to go yo chuch" so we gave her a card with the address and the number for the Chinese Elders. It was fun!

Elder Leavitt and Elder Rollins

Then as we were riding back up the hill a couple pulled up and asked us if we were mormons and we said yes and they asked questions and as they drove away we tossed them a pass-along card. (twas a good throw if I do say so myself) but the biggest miracle was when we got home and the daughter of the Bishop who is less active told us she was going through a divorce and asked if we could help her! We said of course! Before that day she wouldn't even talk to us! 

THE CHURCH IS TRUE! THE BOOK IS BLUE! GOD LOVES YOU! 

My funny story is we were biking down the street and as we were passing this house we heard a growl which I am pretty sure was mixed with a bear roar. We turned around and this big black dog (no serious, this thing made the Sandlot dog look like a Chihuahua) charged us. All I could say was "nope" and we started bookin it. I am pretty sure that we hit warp speed. Mr.Sulu would have been proud. (Dad that was for you) on the way back up the hill Elder Leavitt (who has an electric bike which I refuse to use because it only tops out at 15 mph) was pretty much using me as a shield in case the dog came back.

 

His Temple group.  So far I know Elder Leavitt, Elder Rollins, Sister Kretchman  and sitting in front is Elder De Spain. 

Well life is good! I couldn't ask for better! Much love to you all! Live long and prosper (Dad that was for you again) Feel better soon Mom! 

Much love to all and to all good missionary work!    

 Elder Rollins

1. How are Jackie and heather doing?  Did anyone come to church? Jackie didn't, Heather did.  They are both doing swell.

2. Have you found any other investigators? Heathers sister 

3. How are you getting along with Elder Leavitt? Is he a hard worker? Good,
 
4. When did you feel The Lord directing you this week? When I asked for a miracle and then we went and bought milk and random people started talking too us..... that was cool!

5. What was your greatest challenge this week and how did you overcome it? My greatest challenge was pushing myself when everything seemed to go wrong. Prayer.

Conference was good! Girls are weird! Hi Mom! Sup Dad!

So it was a long week! Heather (who was a referral) is doing well! She was a little skeptical about how the Book of Mormon could be proven true if no one from that time is still alive today. So we will see how that goes! But conference was awesome! Some talks were just for me! Others for investigators! that was the highlight! I didn't really have a favorite.... They were all awesome. I do have a bunch of quotes I liked! How did you like conference? Which talk stood out the most to you? If you wouldn't mind writing me and telling me I would greatly
appreciate it! 

Elder Leavitt listening to conference

t seems that people like my funny or interesting stories! So an interesting one is that yesterday we went to pick up Heather for the last session of conference. We went to pick her and her family up and she was not ready. So she didn't come. But while we were sitting there talking we met her sister Savannah. She was acting almost as funny as the drunk cousin who kept asking me to tell him something to change his life. (I was tempted to say that Listerene would do wonders but that's mean) she asked where we were from and what we planned on doing after the mission. As we started telling her what we believed she said "Finally someone who believes the same as me.  It was like you took the words right out of my mouth." 

As we continued she kept telling Heather I like the blue one. Then we ended up talking about mission rules and they said the usual "that must be so hard how do you do it" stuff she suddenly said she wanted to go to conference, we didn't have a ride for her though. So we set up a meeting and stuff. As she walked past us she said to me "You have very pretty eyes by the way" I said thanks and then Elder Leavitt said " We can't date while on a mission either. She said " Awww, really!?" Then she said "That's ok I can wait 2 years and move to Utah"  Awko taco..... Well I got us out of the door in record time. Then I remembered a phrase someone used "flirt to convert" Sooooo....... No I'm just kidding I won't do that! But we did set up an appointment! We will see what happens!

Here is one that I probably laughed too hard at but that's ok because I am usually exhausted. I have an excuse. 

Heather who is moving into our ward said that she needed help so we were excited to help her! (Mostly just so I could be out of hot long pants for a while) but first we had to go to Arcadia to turn in our car. I liked that car. But alas I am healthy! I guess it's a good trade off! Amid the great mourning and in the midst of despair at the handing over of the key, I began to question my ability to continue on any further. But I remembered the wise words of many coaches/uncles/friends and of course father. "Rub some dirt in it, pansy" this phrase has surprisingly gone through my head many times whenever I begin to have a pity party. 

Well I rubbed some dirt in it and we journeyed back into our area and headed towards Heather. It was about 101 degrees so needless to say I was pretty nasty. We knocked on Heathers soon-to-be-door and did some small talk then asked what we could do. She thought for a minute and said. Move the bed. We went out grabbed the bed put it where she wanted it. Then we asked "What next?" She said. "Ummmm that's it! Thanks!"  My initial thought process was something like this "I just biked about 10 miles all over this dog gone mission and you had me move 1 little bed!"  But those wise words went again through my head. So I rubbed some dirt in it and we taught her a good lesson and asked her to watch conference so we will see how it goes!

Mom! A good story! I wasn't feeling too hot early one morning. I couldn't move too well, I didn't want to get out of bed, I rolled onto the floor and prayed and prayed to know what to do to feel. The spirit said go outside. What? I immediately was like NO! But I did. Darn obedience. I walked around the pool and noticed the gate was open, then I saw that the bishops dog, aka my dog, was down the street. I called him over, shut the gate, went and got in bed, and woke up feeling fine! Guess I had a job to do. And I'm so stubborn I had to be disabled to go do it. Moral of the story, don't be stubborn, oh and listen to the Spirit.

Well I hope you all have a good week! Mine was better after the Utah game! We have some big UCLA fans here and yesterday they were looking at me funny. I asked what was wrong and they said Utah beat UCLA yesterday. They had been talking smack to me all week. Don't worry mom, I was a gracious winner all I said was "Told ya" hehehe so apparently Heavenly Father thought I needed a pick me up. 

Conference was good! Like the prophets, I also encourage us to re read and ponder on what they said. It will make your day better! Was I the only one who thought Sunday morning was a very prophet focused session?
Something to think about.

God loves you, Christ loves you, I love you! Be happy! Smile! Remember which way you face! Serve somebody! You can do it! To any who are struggling, re-read conference. I promise it will help! To any who think things are never going to get better, stop staring at the floor as you walk the road of life. The most beautiful things are on the horizon! 

Love love love you all!!!!! Remember who you are!

Elder Rollins

P.S Did Elder Scott eat his Wheaties or what!?! That talk was sweet!!