Week 50

Hello Family!! Wow what a week it has been!!

We have had transfers this last week and me and Elder Harris stayed together. Which was good! But we have SO many changes in the district and zone it's crazy! Big changes too! Its really good tho and we're excited!

Anyways.. Funny/Nasty story real quick. So this week a new set of missionaries got put into Ankeny! So we called the ward members to see if they had any old furniture for the new apartment! This one less active lady said that she had a couch in her basement that we could have. We went over there to get the couch and started to carry it up the stairs and the next thing i knew i was covered from head to toe in cat hair!!! It was all up in my face and mouth and hair and i almost puked!! We got it up the stairs and we started to try and get as much off as we could and it was a never ending cat hair battle. I have never seen so much cat hair. It turns out that she had like 4 cats living in her basement and they hadn't been out of the basement in years.. Crazy.. Haha just thought i'd let you know... Haha

Our investigator is doing so awesome!! She is loving the church and is very excited to be baptized on Saturday. She has it all planned out and wants it to be the perfect day! We have had so many spiritual lessons with her this last week and she's super excited and so are we! After church yesterday she was like "i need to bring everyone i know here!! This is the best!!" Hahha I love the excitement that comes from finding the truth in your life! its going to be a good week! Busy, but good!

Also a way cool thing happened the other day! We were eating at a Fazoli's because someone had given us a gift card there, and this older lady walked in and ordered her food and sat down in the booth behind us. We had the feeling to go talk to her and so before we left we went to go talk to her and it turned out that she was deaf! Elder Harris took some sign language in High School and we picked our way through a conversation and gave her the Book of Mormon and she wanted us to come back and teach her more!! Haha way cool! She gave us her address and we're going to go this week and teach her hopefully!

I'm glad you are all doing well! I had a awesome birthday week thanks to all my friends and family who sent me letters and emails and stuff! I really appreciate it! And yes Grandma Russell i got your package and thank you so much! :)

Thank you all for being so supportive! I truly do love being on my mission and i feel as tho i owe my life to the Gospel. It's truly amazing what it can do for anyone who's looking to strengthen their relationship with God, who's heart is open, and who's humble enough to do what God tells them to do! When it comes down to it, all that really matters on this earth is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how you apply it into your life.

Love Elder Russell!

Week 49

Its been a good week..!

The black suit that i came out with bit the dust last night.. It was so warn down and it had holes and tears beyond repair all over it, and as sad as it was, i had to retire it. Its seem some good days, but its time had come! Ha!

Haha Also.. Iowans speak another language, called Iowan. Its so funny. They say things like "we gotta couple 3 minutes yet" and "Kids! Go warrsh your hands!!" and just a bunch of other funny stuff, and me and my comp have adopted the Iowan language. Its so funny. I'm gonna come home with a a full blown Iowan accent!

We have been doing so much finding on our own and not having much success.. A big majority of people here in Ankeny are very well pleased with their lifestyle, and feel as tho God has already blessed them for being on the right track! Which, in some degree, is true! They live their lives to the best of their knowledge and God is bound to bless them! We've been trying to figure out ways to help them know that there is more out there and that the Fullness of the Gospel is back on the earth. Its tricky.. But it makes it really fun too! We've said some pretty bold things and it really makes people think.. I love it! It makes me truly grateful to be born into the fullness of the gospel. And like i always tell everyone, we'll never understand how truly lucky we are to be apart of the Church! Its all that matters in the end!

Our investigator that we do have is going to be baptized on the 4th of Feb! Which is so exciting!! :) We've worked so hard with her this last month or 2, resolving concerns, and helping her come to know the truth that we know! Its awesome to see her progress and work towards baptism. She's really excited!

We are doing this awesome program with the members here in Ankeny to get them more missionary minded. They compile a list of their friends who they want to share the gospel with, and read missionaries scriptures that we give them, fast as a family for missionary work, we pray for them by name every morning and night, and also pray for missionary opportunities! The Bishop's family had the coolest experience ever! They have a family they've been friends with for a long time, and about 2 or 3 years ago that family had lost a son and became pretty shut down to God and things like that. Their goal was to invite them to a FHE at their house! One day they decided to go to Culver's for dinner and lo and behold the family that they've prayed about everyday walked into Culvers! They talked for a long time and eventually invited them to FHE and the family said they'd love that! When our Bishop told us this story he got very emotional and explained how badly he has wanted to share the gospel with this family in the past, but never had the chance! It was so cool! My testimony of the power in specific prayers, and sacrificing for others was most definitely strengthened! And in the words of Joseph Smith, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" So true!

As for me, tomorrow the terrible teens are over! Haha! Just kiddin.. I liked my teenage years. It'll be a good day tho! A member family here who's from UT originally makes a really good imitation of cafe rio food.. So they're going to make that for me! I'm really excited! I got your package mom and i'll open it tomorrow! Thanks so much!

Ha i love you guys so much! Thanks for all the support you give me! I'm glad that you guys are staying busy and having fun! Its finally starting to get cold here! Which has been long awaited! Hah!

Oakley's and Johnson's thank you SO much for the letters! SO good to hear from you guys! I'll write back as soon as i can! I will talk to you guys next week!! :)

Love Elder Russell

Week 48

There is this tiny window on the wall in the library.. And the sun is shining through right on my face! And its only on me. Nobody else. Super annoying..!

Wow.. It feels soo good just to sit...Haha we've been so busy all the time since i got to my new area and you really begin to enjoy the times when you can sit and just think... I'm always so tired too! Ha.. My head is always bobbin in the car when we're driving!

We had a great time yesterday for P Day!! We went bowling at the Bass Pro Shop in Des Moines and it was super fun. My bowling game is still the same as it was before i left... Inconsistent. Haha but its all good.. And we had a lot of fun. Also.. I bought some Fudge to send home to you guys... But as the day went on yesterday and this morning, there was less and less Fudge to send home, so I'll just buy more next time and then send you some. Its really good! Haha.. And i wonder why i have gained 15 pounds on my mission.

Anyways.. We have had some super cool experiences this week! I have taken a totally different approach this week when we've been trying to find people to teach. I am usually guilty of deciding if they are going to accept the Gospel or not even before they answer for themselves, and about 90% of the time i'm usually right! But this week me and my companion decided that every single door we knock on, there would be a golden investigator waiting on the other side. And everybody we contacted would be ready and prepared to receive the gospel. ! It was really cool and it was much more exciting! I felt like we conveyed the message of the Gospel much more clearly and especially more to their individual needs! In the past i was looking at, and in a way, judging people for who they were, instead of who they could become! The Gospel has the ability to change anyone.. No matter where you've been, or where you come from, or what you've done. And that is why it's so awesome.

So these next few weeks are big ones! We get transfer calls on Saturday, and there is a 50/50 chance elder Harris could leave. We both really hope we can stay 1 more together! Also.. Friday the 20th is his birthday! Then next week.. I'm 2 decades old. woah.. Then i hit a year.. Its gonna be a crazy fast couple weeks! Haha!

I love and miss you all so much! Its crazy how fast time flies! Thanks for your support and all that you do for me! I'm grateful for my family and friends! I am so lucky!

MICHELLE JOHNSON FAMILY!
How are you all doing? I miss you guys! Send me an update on the fam and the new grandbaby/niece/nephew!
Also tell Kash i love him and miss him! 18 months comin up?? CRAZY!


Haha now the sun coming through the window is on my comp. And he was laughin at me before.. Now i'm laughing! Haha..
I'm sorry this is the most random email i've ever written.. But its ok.. I email on Wednesday next week so i'll talk to you all then!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love Elder Russell

week 47

Heyy Family!
Things are going great here in the state of Iowa. Its warm, sunny, and not really winter. Haha.. But from what i hear the snow and the cold are on the way.. So we'll see what happens! Its crazy to think its already Jan 9th!! Time goes by so fast..

Anyways.. This week we have some funny and awesome experiences!

Haha we gave service at this members farm house, and we were basically ripping the whole front porch of his house, ceiling and everything. Ha and i'm pretty sure racoons had been living up in the ceiling for about 10 years. It was NASTY!! We went in with our masks and just tore the place up! Haha it was kinda fun! But gross..

I was listening to a talk one day about how God answers specific prayers! It was a sweet talk and so i decided to apply it to missionary work... Sometimes knocking doors and finding through our own efforts can be very disappointing. People avoid us, and say no to us, and it gets frustrating especially in this part of Iowa. Anyways.. One day as we went out to find people, and as we went i said to Elder Harris, lets set specific goals. We set a goal to give away 3 Books of Mormon, get 2 return appointments, and 4 potential investigators. I thought these goals were pretty lofty for the amount of time that we had. We prayed right there on the street, and set out for a days work. It was amazing how much more drive i had to reach the goals that we had set! I knew that the Lord had people for us to meet and it was so cool to see it all happen before my eyes. I felt like i was where i was supposed to be. And yes, we did reach our goals.

Dad that story that you told me of Tim Tebow was SWEET!! Thanks so much. I felt the spirit so strongly and its just a testimony builder to me that God knows what up! Haha.

We have been getting our teaching pool a little bigger which is always nice. We are teaching a young lady who just married a les active member of the Ward here and she is LOVING the gospel and the happiness and peace she gets when she reads the Book of Mormon. She says that she's "in the zone" when she's reading the Book of Mormon and nothing can really distract her. It was sweet! She will be baptized soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BERKLEE AND JED! Hope you had a good one. Ha Jed a card should be arriving at Mom and Dad's house today. Its pretty funny.. You'll like it.

That was way cool to hear about Sayler and her baptism!! :) I love that little girl and tell her that i am proud of her!

I hope all is well in the UT and i love and miss you all. Those pictures of all you playing the dance game on the wi was PRICELESS! Haha.. Love it!

All is well! Love you all!

Love Elder Russell

I'm gonna send some pictures next week!

Week 46

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

So.. I gotta tell you a funny story..
The Bishop in our ward had a little 6 year old girl named Kelsey. We were over at their house and she was like" Elders Elders!! I have to tell you a joke!" So she started in and was like "If Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez got in a fight, who would win?" And we said.. ughh.. I dont know who? And she was like "Selena Gomez because Justin Beiber's a baby, baby, baby, ohhh! HAhaha! Me and Elder Harris and the whole entire family were all on the ground laughing!! It just came out of nowhere and the way she said it was just too funny! Oh man.. I loved it! Probably had to be there!

Anyways.. This week has been wonderful! Dad your email this week is exactly what Elder Harris and I needed for this upcoming week so THANK YOU!! Haha..

I love the fact that its a new year! 2012 is gonna be a great year and i already know it! We, as missionaries, were challenged by our mission president to prayerfully set goals for the upcoming year. It was an awesome experience. I know that the Lord has so many awesome, crazy, scary, fun, and exciting things in store for me. I know that if i am doing the right thing, and am following the promptings of the spirit when they come, i will be where i need to be, and i will say what i need to say, and then in 1 year, i can say that i've had the best 2 years of my life, simply because i did what the Lord wanted me too! That is my goal for 2012!!

Anyways.. This week our investigator got married! Which was cool.. Haha i hadn't been to a wedding in a really long time, so that was fun!

I have had so many amazing experiences reading the Book of Mormon this week. Its been awesome. We as missionaries testify of the Book of Mormon every single day. And sometimes it gets a little discouraging to tell you the truth. People have such crazy idea's about the greatest Book in the world! I came across the scriptures in 2nd Nephi 33 today that say,

"And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness"

When i read this i had such peace come over me and i knew that every time someone said something about the Book of Mormon, that it would be ok, because Christ will show them one day! It was great. I love the Church and i'm grateful to be apart of it!

I want to tell one more story, but I have no more time. My computer is going to kick me off. Haha.. I love you family and friends! Thanks for all you do!

Love Elder Russell