Season 8, Episode 3 -- June 20,2016

Mom note:

We got a lovely phone call on Thursday evening letting us know that Alex had been Emergency Transferred to a new area in Camas, Washington.  Cute Angie Schnell has sent us 7 pictures of Alex and is truly his mom away from home on his mission...This makes me so happy!

Well, Happy Father's Day. I read the email on what they gave dad--a squatty potty -- that makes me laugh. Haha. 

This was a busy week so we should start at the beginning.

Monday we had a good Pday but it was cut short because Elder Stone had a departing dinner with President Taylor. So we had to be back earlier to get him to that so we me and Elder VanLeeuwen went to the Harmony Ward for a day. So that is why last week had such a short email. During that night we helped a member of that Ward pick blue berries and raspberries. She said we could have as many as we want so we picked some for her and ate some. Then all the ones we picked she dumped into a bowl and told us to eat. So  as we were walking to the next appointment, we ate the Tupperware full of berries in like 300 yards. That was a weird day.

Tuesday-

We were heading to exchanges and we got a strange call from the district leader who just so happens to be Elder Jensen who was my trainer. His companion was going to be driving for the exchange so Elder Jensen gave him the keys and somehow he managed to lock the keys in the car with the car running. Hahah!!! We laughed so hard.   As a result, we had to go to the mission office to get the spare key. So that was our morning. Haha we had a good laugh. It was a tender mercy that is for sure. Because that night the assistants called and they said we have an ET - Emergency Transfer. I think we were blessed with the laughs earlier because we all weren't very happy. One cause of the ET was an Elder went home. He had some bad anxiety. So, since we were in a tripan, we got split up.

Wednesday-

We met at the mission office for the switch. Then we headed back to the apartment so that I could drop every thing off. Elder Merkley is a good guy. He is from Corin, Utah. He came out the same time as me. 

I thought the last Ward was rich. It has had some of the biggest homes ever. Now I am in two wards. Prune Hill and Grass Valley. They are uber rich. It is the hardest area in the mission, or at least that is what president told me. We were just driving down the road and we found this lady who was sweeping her grass. We talked to her and she was touched by the spirit and said we could come back. So we found a new investigator -boom just like that!

Thursday-

We chopped wood for a old guy for a few hours. It was a zone service project. It was this giant pine tree. It was chopped into huge chunks of wood. But besides the fact it was really hard. Very tiring work, it was a fun time. It would have taken that man days and day. We did it with 12 elders and it took a couple hours. Then we went on splits after. That was pretty neat.

Friday-

We were busy all day. We cleaned some spider webs off the door and the

front of the house.

Saturday-

In the morning we had a breakfast as a zone so after that we stopped

by some people that were taught a bit ago. Then  we taught a new person

and they said we could come back too. So we went along and we found our

Ward mission leader trying to move a couch. So we helped him get it

out. After that we went to a graduation party. We were invited by the

members. There was like 5 boys that were having the party together. So

the whole reason we were there was because there was going to be lots

of non members. We ate some food, got to know the members for a bit, and

we were told that this couple weren't members. We sat by them and talked to them,  and in the conversation, we were teaching them a lesson.

We had a good lesson with them in the middle of a party - not ideal but

who cares.

Sunday-

Since we cover two wards, we have church from 8-5 basically all day. But after church we went to a members house. While we were following up with them, they  had been given  a challenge earlier to find someone for us to teach. They told us to go by the M’s. They are a sick family from Africa. They are awesome. We go in  their home and they were having a ball. They had just watched the last NBA finals game and they were dancing around that Lebron won. Haha it was great. We talked to him. He said that when the missionaries were here before he felt something. So we offered our services and offered to paint a fence for him. He said yes and we were stoked!  4 new gators in one house and they are solid. We found a bunch of gators in a place where finding new gators is tough. Definitely not anything I did but a blessing. As far as what I am studying right now, I am reading the New Testament and going through Hebrews now. It has been good. But it was a crazy week but it was good. Working two wards is hard. We try to balance the work. I hope they split it. It would be tough at first but we have a lot going on right now.

Love,

Elder Astle

1: the view
2: the graduation party view
3: 5 seconds after I took picture 2