Lead Foot - February 1, 2016

What's up everyone!!!

- As the subject line indicates I had another incident with the lead foot. Apparently not all of these Montana back roads are 80 mph. Driving privileges are #TheyDone and Elder Asbury will be taking over the Falcon but he will forever be my Chewie. He's actually more upset than me because driving in Great Falls is rough and I can now take naps in the car. I now join the ranks of our fallen soldiers Elder Potter and Elder Christensen. "we baptize so many people that Satan can't have us on the streets" - Elder Christensen. I honestly think it's pretty funny the only times I have been pulled over is on my mission. I swear I'm a good driver, I'm just not used to driving a car that actually accelerates and has power steering and isn't an AutoBot. The Panther > Mormonium Falcon. #StingsTheNostrils 

- had apartment inspections this week. We passed! #AchievementUnlocked

- helped out on wedding clean up crew taking all the pillars to the high school. It was quite the adventure. Super windy. Used an extension chord as rope.

- #OperationSpetsnaz is a go as we transform Elder Asbury into Asbury Kirilenko in preparations for ward ball.

- showed Elder Asbury the General Authorities Reece's Peanut Butter Cups video (go watch it) . We now do impersonations of the ward and other missionaries. We are getting really good.

- A member made us these sweet pizza cupcake things that looks like a flower.

- we downed like 25 Mickey Mouse waffles this week. Thanks again for the Christmas present Sister Asbury.

- Helped Bro T get some boards up for the top floor in his attic. Team bonding excercise for ward ball. Conrad ward has some solid height. Bro T is a stud, Thompson family is just awesome.

- Elder Asbury fell off his bike while doing nightly planning.

- went and taught a part member family who lives an hour away from civilization and dang their house is sweeeeeeet. Had a good time with them, talked a lot of basketball. Mainly the glory years of the NBA when defense was played. Watching those ESPN 30 for 30s growing up paid off. They knew who Larry Kryskoviak was and watched him in high school. #UteProud. They must like us because they hooked us up with some elk and deer meat.

- Opening hymn in church was the Iron Rod. Gave me a tear thinking about @pettbryan's remix.

- had a awesome dinner with the Stotts. Super fun family. Bro Stott used the head of his daughters doll to hit a nail into the wall and while most little girls would be traumatized she just laughed. #FamilyGoals

- Before the driving privileges were #TheyDone we were tracting in V- Town and had our top tracting reject of the week. Dude pulled up the blinds on the door, stared at us for a solid 4 seconds, then shut the blinds. We started busting up laughing on his door step, some people are not nice but Jesus said love everyone. #OnwardEverOnward.

- Bishops wife hit me with a "Sandlot" quote during church yesterday as I failed to contain Will Thompson in the hallway so they could get him to nursery... "You had one job Smalls". Once again, #ShotsFired by Sister Briggs. 

- Big game comin up on Sunday, we can't watch it but I can still wear a tie supporting either team.  I have a navy and orange or light blue and silver. Polls close Saturday night before nightly planning. We are allowed to check our email throughout the week so you have until then to email in your vote to me or to tweet it at @pettbryan.

This week was a good one but borderline nuclear catastrophic as almost every plan we had fell through. It was a little frustrating. One of those Dumb and Dumber "we have no food, we have no jobs, OUR PETS HEADS ARE FALLING OFF" weeks. Tuesday night we did home teaching splits, we were soooo pumped for this. Well, the first home we go into this less active dude kicked us out and started yelling at us. Sad that those who need the gospel the most are those who reject it. I'm used to that by now but the poor member I was with wasn't. I gave him a hug when we got back to the car, kind of weird comforting a grown man who is a head shorter than you but I felt so bad for him. Did my best to cheer him up and we were able to get into another home and had a good visit with them.

So that's how our week was going haha, lessons dropped, investigators saying they are done with us, falling off a bike during nightly planning, #TheyDone.... Then we got a much needed lesson with Austin (junior in high school we taught last week.)

Wow it was fire!!!! One of the best Plan of Salvation lessons I have been able to be apart of and no doubt the best lesson Elder Asbury and I have taught our 10 weeks together. Spirit was so strong, I loved it. He was getting it all, asking questions, just an awesome lesson. Elder Asbury did a great job, his teaching is really improving, they grow up so fast. Plan of Salvation is no doubt my go to move when it comes to lessons, love teaching about our purpose and especially eternal families. We wrapped it up and brought up baptism again. He was a little hesitant the last lesson so we didn't jump on it too fast but knew we needed to invite him this second lesson as that what's preach my gospel says. Started talking about it and as expected he was still hesitant, then the Holy Ghost kicked in and took it away. Few minutes later after he had been assaulted by the water balloon of testifying truth mentioned last week we had a date set for February 27!!! 

He's hyped, we're hyped, church is true, Light the U.

I don't care if my driving privileges are #TheyDone and my monthly food allotment is contributing to the wonderful state of Montana. Don't care that every other plan blew up in our face like the pipe bomb debacle of 2013 (won't specify which friend in case their mother reads this). Austin made it all worth it!! He is a stud, his faith and spirit is a testament to me of the truthfulness of this gospel. This work is night and day when you finally have someone to teach. Can't wait for February 27.... I don't think you can appeal a transfer so we are both making it as clear as possible to President Wadsworth we want to stay in #TheRad.

In our area book there are different colors for investigators you are teaching. Grey - potential. Yellow - new. Green - Progressing. Start off as a circle outline and once they are on date they turn into a solid circle. I see that investigator go from a grey to a yellow to a solid green and it's like watching your charmander go to a charmeleon and then to a charizard while playing Pokemon in seminary senior year. Missionary work is pretty much Pokemon in real life, just a lot cooler... Which means it's ok to play Pokemon in seminary right mom???  #StillGraduated. #BaptizeEmAll.
--- team rocket can be all the preachers and ministers that hate us.

Yep, that's our week. Didn't go quite as planned but where's the fun in that. Still amazes me the power of the Holy Ghost and the importance of his role in this work. He kind of acts as pulling up the preplay on NCAA football so you know what play you are running. Gotta know the routes and blocking assignments before you snap the ball. Before you know it water balloons are being launched, Utah Man is being played, and someone is being baptized...

... It Makes sense in my mind.

Read Alma 58: 10-13 sometime this week. Notice what the nephites did to win the battle. They prayed. They had faith. And they took action. Praying alone won't do it, even with faith.

 "And thus we did go forth with all our might against the Lamanites"

You gotta take action.  Much like what Billy Madison once said. "You can't just sit around, You get out there and find that dog".

I Love the Book of Mormon, love what it teaches us. Love the gospel and its simplicity yet power it has over the world. I continue to be amazed how much my testimony has strengthened out here, I truly love this gospel. I may wake up doubting what I'm doing with my life, but end of the day I couldn't be happier about where I am at, #TheRad. It's a grind but end of the day I love it!  I joke around quite a bit but this work really is marvelous and I'm grateful to be apart of it. Just gotta go for it, don't leave anything in the tank.

My driving privileges may be #TheyDone but the work in Conrad is just starting to heat up.

Love you all, church is true. Don't forget to send in your tie vote for which team to support in SB50.

- K