I'm sending pictures for my email this week!

Decided to through a Kodiak snowball at you! Haha

Kodiak Island!

Panoramic of  Kodiak in the snow!

Driving down Pillar Mountain!

Elder Casia being weird! Haha Nerd!

Fort Abercrombe! Old Army bunkers and guns! The hike that we went on!

Miller Point

Eagle!!!

The cliff that I hiked down! Yeahhhhhh that was SCARY! I wont do that again! I didn't  realize how dumb it was until I got to the bottom! SORRY MOM! Haha I wanted to get closer to the Eagles that's why  I hiked down! Haha 

Buoy stuck in between the cliff's! Haha

See the Eagle!

Star Fish!!!

Elder Casia made the chicken and I made the Biscuits! You should be so proud!Haha

Pinewood derby car Kodiak pinewood derby! No rule competition! I carved it with mp pocket knife and I put a ton of thumb tacks and its not finished in the picture but toward the back end I put a Angle Moroni! Believe it or not I  took 4th place out of 32 racers! Haha All the adults had blank surprised faces! Haha It was awesome! I gave my car to the little kid that wanted it! Haha!    ( Snow P-day )

Church was awesome! We had 3 investigators attend church!

Monday- We went on a hike on Near Island! In the middle of the Hike you come up to this cliff and off course the ocean is right below you and while I was walking up to the edge of it to jump off.... Jk. To look over the edge. Right when I got up to the Edge I spooked a Bald Eagle and scared the Crap out of me because it was only 2 feet away from me! While we were looking out at the ocean there were tons of sea otters! It was another Typhoon this day. We got Lost on the Island and it was getting dark, but of course we prayed and felt prompted to follow this stream and of course we found a road and it was right by our truck!

Tuesday- Went and Helped brother Catubig throwaway a fridge and a few other things! I tell you what, if you want to see thousands of Bald Eagles, go to the Manashka Bay Dump! I have seen so many bald eagles here in Kodiak. I mean while you are driving on the road you look to your left and you see 5 and then you look to the right and you see 3 more! haha Everywhere! Brother Catubig (filipino) fed us lunch and he fed us Octopus!!! mmmmmm! 

Wednesday- just saw a ton of people

Thursday- Went and helped out at the animal shelter! We went and tried Carmin Rivera, a lady that we have tracted into and she is super catholic but this was like our 3rd time meeting with her and we have not taught her the Restoration because we were nervous but this time we were just like, no matter what we are teaching it! haha She liked it a lot! We gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to read and she said that she would! She is a teacher at the St. Marrys Catholic School. hehe. We also got our Transfer calls.... Me and Elder Casia are staying! This is Elder Casias last Transfer! I hope he works hard to the end!

Friday- tracted, saw people.

Saturday- We tried a less active guy and his name is Anthoney and when we saw him his Girlfriend was there and her name is Emily! She is super Catholic but recently she told us that when she went to mass she was super frustrated because the catholic church has been changing everything and it is so confusing for her! So we shared the Restoration and to her to Bring all the truth that she has and to come and receive more. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said that she will definitely read it! Had two dinners, one with a Dominican family, named the Maldonado's, and the other was with the Catubigs and they fed us Chocolate Rice with Dried Fish...... yumm...... 

Sunday- Went to church! Church was awesome! We had 3 Investigators attend church! And a Less active family! After Church we went and administered the Sacrament to the Moris's and gave sister Moris a blessing! Had dinner with our Ward mission leader and his family the Ariss's. It was brother Ariss's birthday! So we made him a cake and He loved it! We gave his son a blessing!

Well that was my crazy but awesome week! Love you Guys!

Elder Russell

Alaska Anchorage Mission

Kodiak Island

Soldotna Zone  

Here is a personal letter from Elder Russell to Mom. How grateful I am for his teachings:)

Well Mom I am not really going to send a big email today to everyone, I am just going to answer peoples questions and comment. I hope that's Okay!  Well I am doing Great! Its raining right now and blowing like crazy again! It always happens on our P-Days! haha Its a good thing you guys took down those trees! They were pretty much dead and it looked like it could blow over any minute! IT could of Landed our our house and maybe even landed on Someone. So I am grateful that those skyscrapers are down.  Man Dad is the man! I wish I was there to hear him speak! But I know that he did good, because he has the Spirit with him. It doesn't matter if we are Eloquent or not, if the Spirit is there then that is all that matters. Ahhh the Nelsons! A bunch of Goof Balls! I heard that Eric and Rachel have puppies! Chuck a Rama! We ate there before I went to the MTC! Crazy! And about your calling. Mom... This is the Lords work and you are a part of it, He did not say, all ye that are perfect come and labor in my vineyard. He is looking for people that try, those are the people that he lets work in his vineyard. You receiving this calling shows that you have been trying and you are found worthy to do His work. You Don't need to look great in the sight of man, don't worry about that. All that matters is what God thinks of you. And do you know that God loves you and is grateful for your service? Look around you... look at what year we are in... look at your family... look at your Righteous friends... look at Gods creations... and then most importantly go to a mirror and look at it, who are you looking at? You, you are looking at one of the most greatest of Gods creations. Everything that he does is for us! Become not what the world wants you to become but become what the Lord knows you can become. Put your trust and faith in God that what you are doing is right and don't let anybody tell you different! I love you Mom and Remember that God sent his Only Begotten Son for you. I love you mom and I hope you have an awesome week!

Love, Elder Russell

Remember Lots wife and dont look behind thee!

Monday Monday Monday..... Was P-Day and we went Hiking to a beach in a Typhoon.... yeah we didn't want to sit in the apartment all of P-Day. While we were hiking on the trail to Monashka Bay Beach, the trail was flooded, and I mean it was a river! And the Beach was just over the Hill, soooo we were already drenched because of the Down poor of rain, so we decided to cross it, the water came up to our knees! When we got to the beach I found a purple 16 legged star fish! And a ton of sea Shells! We then went and had Family Home Evening with the Filipino group, we taught them about Lots wife, and how in the beginning of the new year or adventure, dont look back!

Tuesday- We went and helped out at the senior center (old people), We helped them with bowling! Setting up the pins when they get knocked down and keeping score! haha They love us! We tell simple little Jokes while they eat snacks and they laugh so hard, and they are not even that funny! haha Then went and gave Brother Catubig a Priesthood blessing! We met with a potential Investigator, John Lovic. We went over and his wife was there along with John, and we taught the Restoration, focusing on the Book of Mormon and Invited them to read and pray about it and we gave them each one and they look forward to reading it! And they fed us a ton of food when we were not even exposed to eat at there house, (its because they are Filipino). Dinner with the Barcos (Filipino) and they fed us Sinigang (see-nee-gaw-ng) It was soooo goood! Its like a Radish with Meat soup, With rice on the bottom! 

Wednesday-New Years Eve!!! And guess what!? I woke up at 5:30 in the morning with the Flew! I threw up every 30 minutes starting at 5:30 in the morning to like 6 pm oh and a fever! The Mission president wife (Sis. Robinson) Told me to go to the ER. But Instead of doing that I wanted a Priesthood Blessing! So the Second councilor in the bishopric, Brother Jones came over and helped Elder Casia (kaw-sha) give me a blessing! He brought over bread and a ton of water, and crackers! The bishops wife gave me Pepto Bismal! UHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I hate Pepto! It just made me puke more! haha But I was grateful for her trying to help! So that was my last day of the year 2014! 

Thursday- I felt better but I was super super weak! But we went out anyways because I hated being in the apartment doing nothing! We taught 5 lessons today! Boo YEAH!

Friday- Today we had Zone- Meeting over Skype! We got trained on setting goals! We went and taught sister Growthy about Family History because that is what got her Interested in the church! She is Less active, we brought the Grays with us! It went really well! 

Saturday- We spent half the day with our investigator Roy Chace on fixing the truck because the past missionaries liked to take it Rallying! We talked to our vehicle coordinator and he approved it! We had to fill every fluid thing you can think of on that car! Some break cylinders are leaking break fluid and so many other things! Ugh! haha And we saw a ton of people today though! 

Sunday- Fast Sunday!!! It was awesome to be able to bare my testimony about the Savior! A couple less active showed up to church today! Sister Growthy showed up! and the Hadalas!  That deserves a BOO YEAH!  

Well that was my awesome week! Puked out my guts and taught a lot of people! haha what more can you ask for? Haha Well I love you guys! Quick update on Early Rhodes- We have been trying to meet with here and she has not been answering her phone calls and her door! Its Pretty upsetting but we will keep on trying! And an update on the little girl Bristle that we gave a blessing to! We saw them yesterday (Sunday) and they invited us in and we got to know them even more and we didn't share anything yet but we hopefully will next time! There Daughter Bristle is doing amazing! Love you guys! Happy New Years! Remember Lots wife and Don't look behind thee! Bye bye! 

Elder Russell

Kodiak Island

Anchorage Alaska Mission