Mercenaries

Hello hello hello

News from the front lines

This week was tough, temperatures in the triple digits, chances of people being on the street, 0 chances of walking the streets 100% with a 110% chance of perspiration. We looked rather pitiful. Oh well.

It seems that Halloween is coming close, also saw Christmas lights out for sale today. Wow. But with Halloween comes scary stories, and one member told us of one that was creepy, I will not repeat it for fear of scaring myself, but of course, we had to walk home, I wasn't to excited for that, we walked out and there were no other humans, and the lights timers all seemed to be on the setting "turn off when walked under", so naturally we were walking at Mach 12, I think I wouldn't be a good speed walker, because both feet were off the ground. Then a twig snapped, and I spun around, that inch and a half lizard hand no chance. Lucky for it it ran into a thorn bush. We made it home safely after that. Good thing.

Another quick story, we were visiting some members, and their kids had some friends over, when the kids saw us, of course we were immediately the celebrities of the nine year old birthday party. We stood surrounded by the humans and we answered some questions from the ones who didn't know who we were, then, one of the kids who does know us wanting to impress his friends yelled "they are the mercenaries!"

So. Naturally I have been wielding a Book of Mormon and some pretty sweet nun chucking skills. (Catch that pun? Literally laughing out loud) hehe nun chucking, funny. Anyway we took it heart, I wanted to try it as a contacting approach "hi we are the mercenaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." Heh well we got to teach
Mike and Saul this week so that was good, Mike is still excited to go, he is a good guy, he has a good attitude!


And in closing I say GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!

Elder Rollins

How are you surviving in the heat?  Surviving yes

How is Mike? Progressing

How is Saul?  Trying to get to church

How is James? Also trying to get him to church

When did you feel the spirit this week? Teaching Mike

How do you know that you are being the missionary the Lord needs? Because I'm still protected

I Find Your Lack of Faith Distrubing - Darth Vader

Hello everybody! 

Do you like my new "Suit"?  

This was a good week! Everybody is doing well! Mike is back in town so that is good and we also picked up a new guy named Saul, Saul is really cool he likes soccer and was born in Ecuador. He is probably going to get baptized next month so that is super good! So naturally we are pretty excited. But now I have to tell you a story. 

So all of this Star Wars stuff is all over the stores around here. And there was a shirt that says, I find your lack of faith disturbing, and I was about to get it and I was going to wear it over my shirt at the mission conference, I was talked out of it because a seventy was coming, but this random guy was looking at the shirt too and I was laughing at the image of me going in front of a general authority, and the guy said, "I wish I had faith" now I totally thought this was some member playing a joke, so I turned and said "I have some!" Then he gave me a weird look and I realized he was being real, so I had a chance to talk to him about faith, moral of the story is, I'm going to convince my president to let me see Star Wars because i used it to contact that guy. 

Pretty good I thought, also I have been saying random Star Wars quotes all the time because I think it's super funny, for instance we were and this guy on the phone said no three times so I said in my best Sidious voice "no no no! You must die!" And was the only one laughing, it was pretty great. But on a slightly more spiritual note, there was a lesson where we talked a lot about pride, and I realized that pride has a lot of different faces, in the scriptures there is no such thing as good pride so said president benson in his beware of pride talk, but I realized that I was taking the wrong kind of pride in my investigators, so I had to change my way of thinking, now I am trying to be humbled at their progress, so this week all of you have to have a pride check, sadly you will find more than you thought, but that is good! Recognition is the first step to repentance! So get going! 

Well hope you all have a fantastic week! Byeeeeee! 

Elder Rollins

Elder Aagard loves to draw, like a lot, so jokingly I said to draw a picture of me and he did, and this is what he drew, no joke, I think I need to change my attitude, nonetheless an awesome picture.

Where did you find Saul? Other missionaries

Did you get the "faith" guys number?  No, he wasn't interested.
When did you feel the Spirit this week? During Saul's lesson on the first vision, 
When did you feel discouraged and what did you do about it? When some lessons fell through, laughed
What did you do to serve someone this week? Helped a member rip out her carpet
Do you know we love you? Yes

How was Elder Echo Hawks visit?  What did he teach you? It was a good visit, he told us to be obedient and we would baptize,

So how are you and Elder Aargard doing? Doing good.

How is Mike?  Mike is happy and excited for his baptism.

How are things going with James?  He got a job, that's good, but harder to meet with him

Who else is in your teaching pool? Nobody else really

How is your knee?  All better? Yep all better. 

Saul good in the Hood

hi hi hi!

This week was good! hot but good! Mike is on vacation so we haven't seen him in a while, He is doing good and we are going to see him this week. We got a sweet referral that is a members uncle and we got to teach him this week.  We are going to try again this next week but it may be difficult, because the member wasn't at church. oh well. 

Wee are going to have a seventy come visit us this week so we are excited for that. His name Echohawk, so cool. We went shopping, and all the Halloween stuff was out. wow. Halloween. Crazy!  Can't wait for after Halloween when the Halloween candy is super cheap! 

Story this week, a recent convert in our ward, Albert, was going to East Pasadena to take elder Stutzman out for his birthday.   As a joke Albert said that the whole time he just told Stutzman how I was questioning my mission because he wasn't my companion and that I had basically gone crazy.   Pretty funny. But I am expecting a call from either president or stutzman. should be interesting. 

Another one was that we were doing a lesson with a crazy family and one of the daughters who doesn't like me decided that the whole time I was teaching she would lick me. I asked her to stop multiple times and then said, if you do that again I will destroy you. This 10-year-old looked a little stunned. but quickly forgetting about it licked me again, that's the closest I've come to biting my tongue.  I did push her off the couch and told her she could lick my shoes next. my arm was disgusting, they all thought it was super funny. I did not. but now it sounds pretty funny. heh.  (Josh has a habit that when he get angry he bites the end of his tongue.  Have Dave show you since he does the same thing.)

The church is still true, and that won't change. hallelujah. We were talking in a meeting about the Atonement and how we get people closer to Christ and it came to my mind of when a kid gets scraped or bruised or hurt they go to their mother. They trust their mother because of the love she shows them and that should be the same thing for us with turning to Christ. As missionaries we are supposed to show as much of Christ's love as we can, so that when we have to step out of the picture, The Savior is in our place, and the people are pulled in by His love instead of ours. It is comforting to think that my back up, front line, left side, right side, upside, downside, is all covered by the Only Begotten. Why should we fear? This journey is hard enough so how about instead of pushing his hand away and saying, "no thanks, I got this, your Gift wasn't for me" we just try the gift first.  Maybe He knows what he is doing! Don't be prideful!

Love you all! 

Adios

Elder Rollins 

You haven't bit your tongue at anyone all mission long?  yep I made it a goal, also I've been off of soda for over a month now.
You haven't mentioned Rudy in a few weeks.  Are you still teaching him? Um. He has been unavailable. 

Yep.

So, basically this week I got a little sick at the beginning and my comp at the end of the week, a sick sandwich.

Besides that we had a sublime time. (Nice rhyme) (oo double) (now we're in trouble) (nice *high five myself).  We visited lots of members introducing elder Aagard, that was fun. We also got another random golden referral, some member was just like "hi this is my uncle, he's not a member, and I think he's gold, will you come teach him?" And I was like "well, I mean, I guess...." Big sacrifice. Just kidding it was great!

We had a good lesson with Mike as well, he is doing good his baptism is set for the third week in October. We are doing well! Living life in the fast lane, seriously thought my mission is going super fast, it doesn't help that my companion only has 5 weeks, but I'm at the point where I don't want it to end! Never thought it would happen!

Well the church is true!
Also don't get offended by people, that's just an excuse. You have a choice. Don't be lame. Ok! Peace!

Elder Rollins

What kind of sickness did you guys get? Cold

Where is your companion from? He goes home next transfer?  Is he pretty trunky? Florida, he is going home in 5 weeks, it comes and goes.

So what is the name of the golden uncle? James Alexander

Hey
Rough week

Baptism didn't happen, pretty disappointed, then I was told that it was our fault because we didn't prepare him enough. Which sucked. But it's ok I haven't lost my sense of humor.  Moral of the week: be prepared #BSA #scar&hyenas Lol

Anywhosits, we had a good week despite the heat and such, had some good lessons, but we had to drive Stutzman to east Pasadena, so really short! But I love you all!

K bye!

Elder Rollins

So Elder Stutzman is being transferred? Yes. 
Who is your new companion? Aagard
What is he like?  Where is he from? Haven't met him yet. 
What have you done today? I've been driving around missionaries all day. Because the zone leaders needed me too 
How is Rudy doing? Are you still teaching him? Yep he's doing great
How is your random referral? Referral is good