E.T. Phone Home!

Well this week we were able to call or Skype with our family! That was amazing and definitely needed! I honestly thought that after I got done with talking to my family that I would be Home sick and kind of depressed but it was the total opposite! I was more motivated and I have received more strength to keep pushing forward in the Lords work! I am so thankful for Christs birth even though it really wasn't on Christmas day but still! Imagine if everybody treated each other everyday the same way they do to people on Christmas! The world would definitely be a better place I can tell you that much!

Me and my companion have probably shoveled a total of 70 driveways at the least in the month of December! Haha Braxton has a huge mountain to climb everyday and I have 70 driveways to shovel, I think that evens it out between me and him..... Yeah probably not, the mountain is to big for my fatness! Haha what amazing stories we are going to have after our missions! Braxton is in Africa along with Jaiden, Kyle is in Flaming Florida, Gavin is in Portland Oregon and Jake is in Sweden (I think), and I am in Alaska! That is going to be one crazy day when we all get together! Well the work is picking up a lot here in Whitehorse! We have more investigators and more Lessons! I love it up here!

BYEEEEEE!!!!!

    - Coach Johnson

 ( that one was for you Braxton)

Well today is a great day to be a missionary! Love you Guys and I hope you all have one amazing New Year, Make 2014 a good one and one that you will always remember! 

Love 

Elder Chad Russell

Alaska Anchorage Mission

Whitehorse Canada

It's cold in Alaska!

Christmas picture

Okay so mom! This is going to be a kind of short email because welll...... I will be seeing you on Wednesday!!! Haha cant wait! I will send some pictures! We saw -40 this week! Skagway was way awesome! I love you mom!

Zone Conference Juneau Alaska

Northern Lights!

Love shoveling snow!

So this week has been pretty busy! 

Elder Ballard told us that if we as a companionship talk to 20 new people a day, we will double the baptisms in the mission! So me and Elder Hayes were like, alright how are we going to do this, we are driving all over the place, and not walking. Its a lot easier to have conversations while you are walking. So me and Elder Hayes sent out a mass text to everyone in the Branch, saying that we need 2 snow shovels. And of course we got 2 snow shovels. So when we are driving around and we see people that are shoveling there driveway, we stop the truck and get out and help them shovel! We shoveled 15 driveways that day! Yeah I am pretty soar! Haha but what a difference it makes in others lives! 

We finally got a new investigator and we found her through a member and the story goes. Our new investigator was walking down the street on a Sunday morning about 30 minutes before church started and one of the members pulled over and asked if she needed a ride and so she got in the car. And then the member asked where she wanted to go, and she said that she was just walking to that church at the end of the street, I thought I should check it out! What a Miracle! We had a lesson with her yesterday and she wants to meet with us next Sunday! Oh how much I love doing the working of the Lord! It is a great day to be a missionary!

Love you all, and always follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, because if we don't then we will miss an opportunity to share the Gospel with someone! 

Elder Russell

Alaska Anchorage Mission

Yukon Territory/ Skagway Alaska

Ferry broke down but we went there on a bush plane!!!!

I am Feeling a ton better! Haha it feels sooooo nice up here it warmed up to 14 degrees and that is really really rare up here in the Yukon! So lucky me and not so much luck for you! Yeah about the members up here in Whitehorse.... President is not to happy with  their efforts! ummm that is all that I am going to say about that! Elder Hayes is doing great! You are going to get a good laugh at this one. Elder Hayes is from Las Vegas! So when people ask where I am from I say guess and they  of course guess Utah, they actually don't say Utah, they say Oh so you are from the Factory Eh? And then they ask Elder Hayes and he says Las Vegas! The People are Shocked! That is one awesome story about Corey and Brek! So Here is my crazzzzzzy week!  (The story about Corey and Brek is when they were headed to a family Christmas party they saw this man in a wheel chair shoveling his drive way so they pulled over and helped him finish it.)

So all this week has been traveling! OH and their are changes in the mission!

So to start off, Monday we get a call from our Mission President and he says I want you and the rest of the Elders up in Whitehorse to drive to Skagway (2 hour drive) and then Ferry to Juneau, we are sending you down here for Interviews! So on Tuesday we started Packing and then we get a call from President Beesley again and he said that the Ferry is broken..... ( I thought that  we were not going but)... since the Ferry is broken we are flying you down to Juneau!!!!!! Me and Elder Hayes were Jumping up and down because we were soooo excited!!! President asked if we could do that and we said YESSSS! So Wednesday morning we Drive down to Skagway and we take a Bush Plane From Skagway to Juneau! So instead of going on a ferry and having it be 6 to 8 hours it was only 45 min! We get to Juneau and then we unpack and we go to the church and we had a training like usual! Then we had Interviews on Thursday, and during the Interviews President told me that me and Elder Hayes will not only be serving in Whitehorse but we will also be serving in Skagway!!! (Skagway usually is only open during the summer because of all the tourists)( and we are only 2 weeks into the transfer)! He said that we will be living in the church in Skagway! That was way awesome! So Me and Elder Hayes are going to stay pretty busy This transfer! Then on Friday morning we Flew back to Skagway, and president told us to stay in skagway until Sunday and stay for church then leave after church! So on Friday and Saturday we went and knocked on a bunch of doors! We handed out about 30 Joy to the World DVDs and about 12 Books of Mormon! So that is how my week went! 

Love Elder Russell

Alaska Anchorage Mission

Whitehorse Yukon/ Skagway! 

OH And we saw the Aurora Borealis Yesterday!!!!! It was so Amazing!

I have the FLU:(

Sooo This week has been pretty tough! Well I will just start it off by saying that I had the flu! I did have thanksgiving though but I did not eat much! The positive thing is that I have lost like 15 pounds! I have been having fevers and all that good stuff! Sadly that is pretty much all I did this week was throw up! Sorry! But I am feeling a lot better today! Love You all!

TRANSFER CALLS!!!! DUN DUN DUNNNNN!!!!

TRANSFER CALLS!!!! DUN DUN DUNNNNN!!!! Yeah am staying with Elder Hayes in Whitehorse for another transfer!  Haha So This week was a pretty good week! We did a lot of service this week! First off me and my companion have a plan! Sssshhhhhhh! So their is this Christmas party that is going on at our branch presidents house (Big House) on Dec 21 and they had one last year to and he said there was one hundred and forty people there and more than half of them where less active members and non-members! So Me and Elder Hayes are going to be working with the young men and we are making a Batman Video! Its going to be hilarious and then of course after they show our video then they are going to show a joy to the world video! Its going to be awesome! If I can get a copy then I will definitely send it to you guys! 

But going back to my week! We helped Todd P. Shovel his parking lot because get this!!! He was hosting a band that travels all over the world! And they Played the next day at his house! He invited us to come and he said that he would let us in for free! Man that was so tempting! haha but of course we said that we couldn't but the next day when the band was going to play! Todd called us and he said I have an Emergency! So we drove to his house and he said that his basement flooded and this was about  1 hour and a half before the band was going to play! How he flooded the basement was that the water heater busted! NO GOOD! So the funny thing is is that this guy is really rich and so He gave us his credit card and his pin so that we can go and buy him a new water heater! Haha he really trusts us! Good thing I'm a missionary right now or else! haha just kidding! So after we got it installed and stuff he introduced us to the band and he was bragging on how cool we are and so we had a conversation with the band and they were baptized.... Haha just kidding! But they really liked us so that was good! The band thought that missionaries were like robots, but when they got to know us and we got to know them then they changed their thoughts about us! Cool Stuff going up here in Whitehorse Canada! Those Canadians are still crazy thought! Haha There was some more things that happened this week but... I can tell you those when I get home because I cant tell you all of the stories while I am on my mission because if I do that then what am I going to say when I get home! haha Love  you Guys!!!!! 

It's definitely been the fastest week so far!

-30 Degrees today

Sorry if I am all over the place today but this week has definitely been the fastest week so far! I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing because I am loving my mission. I have learned how to use time wisely especially when time is flying!

So Monday of course was P-Day!

Tuesday we had district meeting and we played Alaska Anchorage Mission Jeopardy! Me being the District Leaders Companion helped put that together and it was a blast! Then we asked if we could be in charge of Youngmens that day and they said sure! We called and Text all of the Youngmen in the branch and pretty much all of them showed up, well you know, its because they Love us! haha Jk but the people that came have not been to youngmens for a year or 2! Can I say that that was the best youngmens ever! we made it so fun! I pray that they are there next Tuesday!

Wednesday And Thursday again being companions with the District Leader means that I have the awesome opportunity to go on exchanges with all of the people in our district! Just like what Braxton was talking about, how exchanges really brings Miracles! We were walking down the street and these people were working on this house and they looked like they needed help and they said yeah of course So me and the Other elder ran back home! ( you will be surprised how fast you can run in the cold and I probably could of ran forever) We hurried and changed into our Service clothes and we drove to there house and helped them! Of course being Missionaries we were asking them questions and to find out pretty much all of their friends are LDS! After we worked on the house we went into their parents house next door and they fed us dinner!!!! YUMM!!! And then we Introduced them to the Book of Mormon (surprising huh? especial when all of their friends are LDS) And one of them asked about what we believed in and of course I pulled out 2 Article of Faith cards! (The Spirit prompted me to take those with me!! Yeah 100 points to the Holy Ghost!) haha They looked at it and one of the brothers put it on his laptop, right on the keyboard so that he can look at it! (He said he is always on his laptop!) (This guy is sponsored by Burton (the snowboarding company) They send him to go snowboard in Japan and all over the world!) Then we went back to the Book of Mormon and Surprisingly the mom said that she has read the whole thing! I asked her what the Holy Ghost taught her while she was reading it. And she said that she did not feel anything! So I pulled out my book of Mormon and read Moroni 10: 3-5 and after I got done reading it I bore my Testimony and said that as long as we do what it says in that scripture that I read that Heavenly Father will answer their prayers. She stood up and Pointed her finger in my face and said that Heavenly Father does not answer prayers, He took my daughter away from me! Again I bore my Testimony to her about the Plan of Salvation and then she calmed down and she told us to leave. But then we said that we were sorry. And I asked if I could Leave the Book of Mormon here on the table. And I also said that you don't have to read it, you can even put it on your shelf. But can I please leave this book of Mormon on your table? And the Brother that Snowboards Took it from the table and he said that he is going to read it and that he promises that he will read it every night! They would not let us say a prayer before we left but While we were almost out the door the mom said that she is sorry that she got mad and that she wants us to come back and talk more about the plan of salvation.

Saturday we went over to Todd P. house and he showed us how to paint pictures on rocks! So that was way awesome! He fed us P soup and dumplings!

And on Sunday we had 3 less active families show up to church!

ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A MISSIONARY!

This week was really really busy!

The week was good and Really Really busy! Whitehorse has not been this busy since June 2007! The work is progressing! Lots and Lots of Fasting and Praying! Yeah I am great-full that we got a new phone also! Walking on Ice is fun though! Haha! I have more crazy things to tell you when I tell you about my week! I Sent a Letter to grandma Shirley about 7 days ago! so hopefully she gets it! I have not gotten your letters yet but they should be coming soon! That's way cool that you saw some deer! Guess what I saw a deer too! Weird to see a deer up this far! I see Lots and Lots of Fox! I See some moose and Deer oh and dead Caribou! I don't need anything just keep on praying for me and Elder Hayes! I bet having dinner with the Rodgers was a riot! Actually I have grown a lot in the Past "4" Months! It has been 4 months.... CRAZY! Okay so Here is my busy Week!

So on Monday we went over to Jessica F. and her boyfriends house to Have dinner and she wanted to play Canadian Monopoly so we did and we told her that we had to go and she would not let us leave until we finished the game!!! Ugh crazy crazy crazy Canadians! 

On Tuesday we called president and asked if we can go play basketball with this less active member whose name is Kevin! And we got permission and what we were doing was scrimmaging the High School Basketball Team! They were all Filipinos! So we beat them 6 games to 0! Haha And I am not even that good at basketball I'm fat and out of shape! But the important thing was is that they came to really like us! All of the Coaches and Players! 

Wednesday we went and helped with the Special needs and the old people Curl! Like the Sport Curling like what you see in the Olympics ( Just cant get away from all that Ice) That was way Fun!. Then we went over to another Special needs and old people home and we brought them all into this room where this guy named Bob plays the Banjo for them all! 

Then on Friday we went to this other church called Salvation Army and Helped them hand out food to all of the poor  in Whitehorse! It was dead in there and then me and Elder Hayes were dancing and then everybody else started dancing! Just to lift the Spirits! Haha I can Not dance! Then we helped Todd P. who is A less Active member load wood all the way up to his house! While we were loading wood he told us a story about a bear at his front door not to long ago!

It kind of went like this!

  

  So Todd have you seen much bear up here?

Yeah I just saw one not to long ago and it was trying to break down my door!

  Why was it trying to break down your door Todd?

Because I was popping popcorn for my kids while they were visiting!

  So what did you do?

Well I got so mad because I just barely painted that door so I grabbed my shotgun and I kicked the door open and BOOM! Bear meat for days!

  That's one heck of a story you got there! Haha

After he told us that story we heard a pack of wolves coming towards us so we left! Haha we are going over there again this week to finish!

Sunday! Oh how much I love Sundays! I had the opportunity to speak on Fasting which went really good (I think)! Then our Ward mission leader told us to go to this Native church that is in the garage that is at 7 Pm So Being good missionaries we did what was asked! We knocked on the door and they were scared! they were like no no no no no get out of here we do not want you here! LEAVE! and Dont come back!

yeah that is how my week went! haha I love you all!

Went ice skating :)

Okay so this week Was a really good week kind of! I say kind of because we didn't have a phone to contact people with because I dropped it in a pond ey! (I know that other missionaries around the world that don't have a phone they would probably be saying in their minds that I just need to grow up) Haha I mean Braxton is walking up a mountain before he gets to his area! But do you want to here the story? 

So we went to this less active members (Todd) house to go help him load his wood up to the top of this hill by his house and  he was not there and we called him and he said that he is on his way from work. So we were 50 miles away from civilization so if we wanted to go see people it would be pointless because by the time we get there we would have to head back to Todd's. So we Saw this pond by his house and it was covered in ice and it was about 4 inches thick and Me and Elder Hayes were sliding on it...... Hmmm not smart! haha He weighs 150 pounds and I weigh 230 and all of a sudden we here CRACK ....... CRACK.... CRACK and the ice is breaking so we tried booking it off the Ice and right before we got off the ice, our last steps broke the ice and our legs fell in and my hand rubbed up my leg towards my pocket and it popped the phone clean out of my pocket and it was like watching it in the air in slow motion! Yeah it was done for! So we still had to get the phone to get the Sim card out that has all of our contacts on it! So Elder Hayes has longer arms so I held on to the back of his shirt while he barely grabbed the phone. 

We went to the phone store and they said that we couldn't buy a new phone because we had to be on the bill and we were from America! So we waited there for like 2 hours and during those two hours we got to know the guy and he really liked us. (BLESSING) he was like hey guys you can have my old phone. He said to come by and visit him sometime! The Lord works in mysterious ways!

So yesterday we went to go and see this him and it was 8:50 Pm and it was really dark and we pull up to his house and we see two cigarette buds and we walked up and this guy was cussing us out and calling us Bible Thumpers and all that good stuff! He was going to beat us up but then we calmed him and his buddies down because they were on drugs! Then we shared a scripture from the bible and it softened his heart! Now we are good friends! Weird how that works huh? Haha well I love you guys and keep working hard! Remember who you stand for and for what you stand for! Love you all!

ITS A GOOD DAY TO BE A MISSIONARY!!!!!

I have already caught the Canadian accent Aye!

( oh guess what I have already caught the Canadian accent Aye! Haha well boy I am going to tell you about my week!

Okay Mom I know that you might freak out when I tell you how my really event-full week went, but try not to because Me and Elder Hayes are okay. :) So here we go! So Friday we picked up a new Investigator and we went and started teaching her the Plan of Salvation and while we were teaching it she pretty much just butted in and starting teaching us about the plan of salvation! And everything she said was right! She was like " OH I have been studying already about all of this stuff", we were like what? How? She's like OH I have been studying it on LDS.org. So we asked how she felt about baptism and she said that she doesn't know enough! And we bore our testimonies telling her that she knows enough. And she wants us to come back again this week and see how she feels about it, and I gave her 2 Nephi 31: 16-21 to read and to ponder about! but next time we are going to have her listen to that talk from I think Neil L Anderson, and it talks about how we know enough. Okay So after that we help Serve Natives Lunch at Salvation Army, and There were 2 fights in that 1 hour. And the Cook was showing us all of his scars on his body because He got attacked by a bear 2 weeks ago. CRAZY! Okay now Saturday we were walking into our apartment door from outside and Elder Hayes was ahead of me and He Stopped and hid and he mouthed the words to me to stop and hide! There was this  native lady  and she just starts fights with people and beats them up pretty good and she always has some kind of weapon on her. So she saw us So we ran to our truck and locked it and we laid back in the chairs. She walked around our truck for about 2 minutes and then she walked away about 200 feet. So our plan was to open the doors quietly and then sneak to our apartment. So when we opened the doors the Truck alarm went off and so we ran to our apartment and we barely got in before she can catch us. So we ran upstairs into our apartment and we role down our window to hear what she is saying and she was screaming I am going to kill those white boys I'm going to kill those white boys. So That was Saturday! Oh and then she passed out because she had been drinking. Then on Sunday we went walking around town and its dark because it is winter. We walked because the Roads were pure ice and while we were walking we had this guy yell at us and then he started running after us and so we were a couple blocks away from our apartment and we just ran as fast as we can and he was gaining on us and we again barely made it into our apartment. Haha so that was our week! Sorry mom that you had to read all of this but their is nothing to worry about because the Lord is protecting us! Well that is Whitehorse Canada for yeah. But we have been teaching a lot of lessons with Investigators. 

I love you mom so much, don't forget to say your prayers

I am finally in White horse Canada

Well I am finally in Whitehorse Canada!!! So I was in Juneau all last week and we finally got onto the Ferry at 11:30 and we did not get off until 8:00 PM. We saw a couple of Whales which was pretty cool! And while we were on the Ferry we had this one lady come up to us and asked if we could do a bible study with her and of course we said yes! She brought her boy friend with her and we had a great 2 hour lesson! The lady said that she was praying that something would happen today that will make her happy, and then she found us! Then about an hour after that we had this one guy come up to us and he is from Virginia and he is a southern Baptist Preacher, so of course he wanted to Bible bash with us but we just said hey we do not want to fight, we will let you ask any question and we will answer it the best we can through the Bible (Because he only wants proof from the Bible and not the book of Mormon) so that went on for about 2 and a half hours! Then we finally arrived in Skagway at 8 and then we drove 2 and a half hours to get to Whitehorse! Let me tell you it was not easy getting passed the boarder! haha but it was fun! And now I am here emailing you guys! If you have time you can look up pictures of Juneau and Whitehorse and see how cool it is! OH and Skagway! Well I love you So much!

Hey there is big news!

Hey so their is big news!!!! Right now I am Emailing you from Anchorage Alaska. I have been called out of North Pole and I am now called to go To Whitehorse Canada, and the missionary that I will be serving with is Elder Hayes!!! He is way awesome, and He will be district leader and I will be assisting him or helping him, I guess! Busy busy busy!  Their are so many missionaries that are dyeing to go there! They are all pretty excited for me, as am I! So I drove down to Anchorage yesterday which was a 10 hour drive! ( we got caught in a snow storm) And Today I Finally get to go to the Temple! Tomorrow I will be flying to Juneau, my flight leaves at 11:30 am. Then I stay in Juneau for a week because of Zone Conference! Then Next Monday I will be taking a Ferry to Skagway and then I will be driving up to Whitehorse! So I Have to make this Email short! But I Love you With all of my heart! Hey um make sure you don't send anything to Valuable in the Mail to Whitehorse because They check every package before it goes a crossed the Boarder! But you can still send stuff just not really expensive stuff!!! ( Elder Landon is serving in a Tongan ward in Anchorage! He is going to get FAT! Haha I love you Guys!

More pictures!

Pictures!

North pole at the Taylors

Well this week was kind of stressful....

 

Well this week.... um let me just say that it was kind of stressful. I'm not stressed about the Work. I am stressed or I was stressed about our truck!!!! So I will share the Story with you! So Wednesday we were surprising a member by cutting up all of his wood, because he has been really really busy! So we had this HUUUGGGGEEE stack of trees that were already cut down! We were cutting off the branches with a chain saw and stacking them on top of each other so that they can be easier and faster to cut! But there where these trees that we could not pull out! So us being smart and all, we grabbed a strap out of the Shop and we rapped it around the trees and then we hooked it up to the front hooks of our truck. So we were doing that and it was working. But there was this one tree that was MASSIVE So we being smart missionaries strap it up and hook it up to the truck. I was stepping on the Gas and we were pulling it out but then it would not move anymore. So Elder Landon said Get out of the truck and I will show you how it is done! Hahahahahaahaha big mistake. He pulled forward and then put it in reverse and then he hits the gas peddle all the way down to the floor! Um lets just say that I am so very grateful that I was far away from that strap! The strap that's limit is 6500 pounds SNAPPED and Shot Back into the front grill of our truck! Yeah We broke the Grill of our truck! OH but that's not all! That same day we were throwing the cut logs into the back of the truck and we threw one and it slipped and it hit the back right taillight and it broke! HMMMM can you see why I was so stressed out this week? So we had to feel out this huge report thing and then we called Elder Ferrin (He is over the Missionary vehicles) And Ummmmm Yeah that's all I'm going to say! Haha but we got it all worked out! This morning we were Pouring Cement and that was fun doing it while it was snowing!! 

Well I Love you so much and Stay Strong!!! 

Love Elder Russell

Lots of service:)

So Monday was our P-Day and it went by super super fast! We had dinner with the Illguth family, which was way good! Then a group of Dogs got into there trash and teared it all up, so we spent about 30 minutes cleaning it all up! 

Tuesday Was a really fun day I guess! Well first we went over to Dave and Wendy H. Home and Painted a room for them because they are moving to Utah (actually they are probably in Utah right now). After that we were heading home and we slid of the road into a ditch! I was Not driving Elder Landon was! We broke our fog light! But we are okay! 

We helped Dave and Wendy again on Wednesday.

Thursday we cut 3 cords of wood for our Investigator Jim (State Trooper) He invited me and elder London to go to his house on this Wednesday and have stakes!!! But the best part is  that we might be able to share another lesson with him!

Friday We got a brand new couch for our home and we cut even more wood for Jim! We ate at the Taylors for Breakfast!

Saturday I went on exchanges with elder Hamilton and we helped build Brother Whymans House and then we Helped build Janens house (Investigator) Then we went and Helped out at the Santa Senior Center. And something really cool happened ! I was praying for some boots all week and Then I got 2 pair of boots for FREEE! WARM and THEY ARE BRAND NEW! 

Sunday was Fast Sunday. We had Salmon for Dinner (Go Figure) We went to Katy W. and Rheannins house and I bore my Testimony about my Friend Sam R. he passed away. They were both crying and I was even crying, She text us later that night saying that she has never felt the spirit so strong before! ( We are going to a hockey game with them on Friday! We had 30 1/2 hours of service this week! Because everyone is getting ready for winter! So who do they call??? The Missionaries!

Well I love you mom! Don't forget to say your prayers and read your scriptures!

Well you want to know what my week was like.......

Well you want to know what my week was like? Well Im not going to tell you!!!.... Haha just kidding! 

Well we did 30 HOURS of Service this week! We chopped wood, we took out Trash, we built a roof, we chopped some more wood, we helped someone move, we took down a trampoline and drained Hoses and ripped out Gardens and put stuff under the house in the crawl spaces! OH and We helped a guy put a 3500 pound gun safe in his house! This morning we scraped Ice off of some random peoples cars so that when they come out they will be happy and all that good stuff! We have been sliding all over the place! We are getting out Snow Tires on Today! We shared a message with all of the Recent Converts! We picked up one recent convert on Base (Fort Wainwright) because his wife was really sick! Yeah that was really hard to get on to that base! Then I had an Interview with President and Sister Beesley! Fairbanks barely got any snow but North Pole got dumped on! This week was a pretty good week! 

  

Dont put cookie dough in the microwave!

 

Well do you want to know how my week went?!

 

This week was Long and a lot of work!!! Last couple Sundays we had Stake Conference, and so we went 2 weeks without taking the Sacrament! For me when I don't take the Sacrament, the week goes by soooooo slow! But it was the best week because we Fasted during the week! and we taught 8 lessons in one day! That was the day after we fasted! And every person that we met and shared a lesson with, Went to church Yesterday, and they haven't been to church in over a year!!!! The power of fasting is truly amazing! But then the day after that we did SERVICE ALL DAY!!! Haha we felt like the Lord was saying " You guys have taught so many lessons this week, So I need you to do service for one day! Everyone was calling us for help! You know that talk from Russell M. Nelson titled " Ask the Missionaries They Can Help You" ? Yeah everyone needed help that day!  We moved Pallets! We put in 300-500 pound windows in a huge house! We Dug a huge trench and then filled it by wheelbarrow and hand! We did service from 10 in the Morning until 9:30 at night!!!! But Elder Landon is feeling a ton better! I know its supposed to SNOW this week!!!! Wednesday and Friday and Saturday!!! This morning was 25 Degrees!!!! OH and our house is stinky!!! You want to know why! Because Elder Landon thought that he could make cookie dough into real cookies using the Microwave! Yeah it does not work! It melted through the plate and he opened up the microwave door and smoke just filed the whole house! Yeah I have a major headache! But I am READY for the Winter!!!! Bring it on Mother Nature!!! Well that was my amazing week! 

 

2 month mark

Well this week was pretty awesome! well most of it was! We helped Jim the state trooper (Investigator) and he wants us to keep having us over because well..... he really really likes us! It is so fun to talk to him! Then we Got a new elder and a new sister in our Zone!!! They are pretty shy but they will start to feel more comfortable when they have some experience! Its kind of weird that tomorrow will be my 2 month Mark!!! It is flying! Oh and I have been feeling better but my companion Elder Landon is not doing so good! We had to go to the Urgent Care because he has been coughing up Blood!!! He has a problem with his heart but they don't know what is really wrong with him! So we were at the Hospital 2 days in a row! Yeah and I was in the lobby while he was with the doctor for 3 and a half hours both days and Everybody around me were waiting to get a test! Yeah I almost got sick!  Yeah this was an interesting week!

shared 22 lessons this week!

 

So this week was kind of a long week!!! well It felt like it! We are both sick but we have been teaching a lot of lessons! we shared 22 lessons this week! So This week we did lots and lots of service! we helped this non member who is an Alaska State Trooper cut down trees and cut logs and chop wood, and he said that he is fine with us sharing the gospel with him, so he is a potential Investigator! And the person that helped us was also a State Trooper! Bro. Anderson and we were all driving separate so we had 3 cars and so having them being state troopers and all we were all driving down the road and we had Jim (State Trooper) and then us And then Brother Anderson! So it was really weird and nerve racking that we were surrounded by state troopers!!! But it was super awesome! Then we helped a less active move in and that took pretty much all day! Then we had transfer calls on Saturday and President said that he wants me to stay in North Pole for another Transfer! cool huh? 

 

Well I love you and keep on keeping on! I love you with all my heart! Don't forget to say your prayers!

Alma 26:3

 

Hmm look at that handsome beast, man I look good!!! :) If you look closely you can see that my head is pretty much as big as Alaska!!! ;) Haha Elder Bednar was amazing!!! I cant believe the spirit that i felt just through texting him!!! Haha I would tell you the question that I asked him but the story is kind of personal right now but i will share it when the time is right! (good personal) Man Elder Soares speaks the truth about be obedient to God's commandments, thats what is key in being a missionary is to obey the commandments which God gives us! Me and Elder Landon notice that when we are trying our best to be obedient our whole entire day is thrown off because we are not in complete companionship with the Holy Ghost! haha how are the kids likeing school and how are you likeing to work again? I still feel like I should be in school right now because I am only 18 years old, everybody keeps on making fun of my age! They keep on calling me Brussellsprout!!! (Greenie) Yeah Hillarious right?

 

When dad is gone for a couple weeks off to work the best thing that you and the kids can do is do what the Bishop invited you to do! Read the Book of Mormon DAILY!!! The key word is DAILY!!! Because everyday we dont read the Book of Mormon we miss those KEY Blessings that we need in our lifes!!! I promise you that if you do so and you keep him in your prayers he WILL be protected by the Lord!!!

 

Well im still sick but Im doing better!!! this morning was FREEZING!!! it was 32 degrees. So today I am going to go and buy a coat or a jacket!!! Last week was a really rainy week!!! It was so good to feel the rain on my dry skin!! So last wednesday we had District meeting at the Taylors house and we all helped him stack his wood for the winter and then his wife cooked us pancakes with coconut syrup!!! She is an amazing cook!!! then we had Zone meeting right after that meeting and Zone meeting was 3 hours and then after that President Beesley pulled me assigned and talked to me about Eric and how he is doing because he is worried also!!! Pres. Beesley is So amazing! Then on Thursday We had Zone Conference and that was our Trek!!!! So ALL of it was UP HILL!!!! and Thats not even the bad part, we had to carry this one elder who hurt his leg so we had to carry him in the handcart!!!!! Yeah that was fun and the sisters all they did was pick Blueberries and Rasberries!!! Haha all I could do was laugh because none of them really wanted to push or pull the Handcart! Except for 1 sister who hold the weight lifting record at BYU Idaho!!! yeah She is a beast! But she is super funny! Oh and it lasted from 8 in the Morning till 10:30 at night!! yeah that is pretty late for a missionary, but i tell you what, that was the best nights rest I have every had!!, but the next day Super sore!!! Then Friday Morning at 8 we had a training in Fairbanks with Pres. and Sister Beesley and we had to BIBLE BASH with them!!! Yeah that was super hard but We are practicing! Then we went and helped sister Hardt with throwing all this wood into a pile and we lit it on FIRE!!! HUGE BONFIRE!!! That was super Fun!!!!

 

But yeah this week was pretty amazing!!! I Love you and dont forget to say your prayers!!!!

 

PS: The Church is True!!!

The day Chad left to the MTC!

Short and sweet

 Some times we Fall only to make us stronger when we get back up! Haha Tell Braxton if he is afraid of getting homesick the only cure is to get lost in the Lords work!!! That's why I haven't been home sick that much yet! Put your shoulder to the will and keep pushing along! I love you and I cant wait to here from you next week!  I love you mom and I could not of asked for a better one!!! Stay strong! I love you and the church is true!

What have I been doing?

Haha I am doing wonderful!!!  What have I been doing???? Hmmmmmmm missionary work!!!! haha Yes we got a water filter thank goodness, the water tastes amazing now! The place I live in is an apartment! Yeah the weather is actually kind of yucky up here in Fairbanks just because the Smoke is covering where we are at because there is a huge wild fire like 15 miles out! but surprisingly it is really hot up here! Yes I have seen wildlife! I am surrounded by it!!! I have seen 3 moose finally!!! I have not gotten my license yet! Yes I have been able to sleep now because it is getting darker every day by 7 minutes!! Yes I have gotten your sim cards and the letters!!! Thank YOu!!! And all I need is that you keep on staying strong and keep on being the mother that you are!!!

We are busy!

Hey yeah I have been really busy!!! My companion is from Idaho so he is a really hard worker! He says that I have been his best companion so far and he has had 5 others! Haha you want to know what my living conditions are?! well its alright I guess, I have a mattress and a bathroom! They put some kind of chemical in our water and the water tastes like sulfur (eggs)! So the water tastes nasty!! we are going to call one of the people in the mission office and see if we can buy a water filter thing! We do laundry at a members house which is way awesome! We have taught like 8 lessons but we have been sharing messages with lots and lots of people!!! We are actually teaching a lesson tonight to a family that just moved in and they are non members so they want us to come over today around 7 (my time), so they are potential investigators! Yes my debit card works! And I don't need a coat right now because it is in the 60's and 80's. I wont need one until next month because that is when winter comes around! I haven't been able to see the northern lights yet because the sun is still out until 1 o'clock in the morning!  Well we baptized Bri K. last Saturday and I was invited to stand in the circle while she was being confirmed yesterday, AMAZING! Oh and we just put another person on date for the 24th so hopefully that works out! But keep up the good work and keep being the great example that you always are! LOVE YOU! And the church is true!!!!! Have a great week!   

My first air plae was really amazing!

Haha my first ever airplane ride was really amazing and I got a window seat right by the wing but I could still see and we flew over mount St. Helens and that was amazing but the coolest part was flying over Alaska and seeing all of the amazing mountains and landscape! So I'm called to the North Pole and you would think it is really cold up here well its not it is in the 80's but I'm loving every minute of it! We do so much service up here! I have blisters on my hands!!!! We are baptizing this girl who is 16 years old on Saturday! Her name is Bri and she is excited to be baptized and so am I! There is a lot of Vietnam vets up here!!! I love hearing there stories!  Some service projects that we do are like tearing tree stumps out of the ground and putting up fences and mowing lawns and taking out trash and cleaning up Dog Poop and there are a lot of dogs up here! All of the roads that are in our area are dirt roads!!! so we had to clean our truck today and that was yucky because it was drenched in mud! I haven't seen one moose yet but everybody says wait until the winter comes and you will get sick of them! haha oh and winter is 1 month away so we have been chopping lots and lots and lots of wood and we are helping others finish building there house before winter hits!!! I am loving it up here and thanks for all the love and support that you give me!!! Well the church is true! love ya and keep being the dad that you are!!

I made it to Alaska!

Hey I am here and alive and you could never guess where I am going!!! I'm going to the NORTH POLE!!! I'm going to be one of Santa's workers!!! and my companions name is Elder Landon! He is a pretty cool dude!!! He is about my size! Well I love you all and have a good night!!!! :)

Mission call pictures