Monday, July 11, 2016

Happy 4th of July - July 4, 2016

WHATS UP FAM!!!

Have lots to tell ya so if you wanna read this tomorrow go for it. Celebrating the greatest country on the planet takes precedence over emails.... go hard on the fireworks for me please.  As Ron Swanson once said regarding other countries... 

"History began July 4, 1776, everything else before that was an accident."

- Had a good last few days in #HamTown. Had dinner with the Burrows where I was nerding out big time with the kids about Transformers... Told them my car is actually an AutoBot and they asked what the name is...

 "The sss.... Panther"

 *turns and winks at Elder Wells. 

*Nearly said the full name to two kids in primary #CrisisAverted 

I swear I'm not as screwed up as you think I'd be for naming my car that, he just smells like pure gasoline and works 60% of the time every time. #SorryMom

- One last round at the pizza buffet with Corvallis elders... "Staying Alive" came on the radio and I instantly thought of The Office and Elder Christensen. Gonna miss our P-Hut lunches after district meeting with the CVall elders. We are planning some sweet back packing trips when we are all out.

- Bishop gave some bomb advice about not going too fast and enjoying the moment, focus on what's important. Love that fam. If Bishop taught me anything for life it's "I'm not scared". He taught me a lot. Can't wait to go on plane rides with him haha. Awesome family.

- Kaillin wrote a goodbye letter with Star Wars stickers on the front. Letter was awesome. Best part was the drawing of a brick with "loud noises!!!!" Written next to it. I laughed extremely hard when I saw that. Taught our boy Link the plan of salvation and it was fun. Gonna miss the Kings, great family.

- Then you have the Jessops...  I could go on for days about how much that family helped me and how much I love them. We had a fun last night and even went all #StealthOps as we breached the back porch to shoot the raccoon with a BB gun #WelcomeToMontana. (Raccoons harm the cats so don't feel bad). Their tradition is to stand on the porch and wave as you leave and not gonna lie it was like Toy Story when Andy says goodbye to Woody and Imma just stop talking about it now cause that scene is still a tender subject.

- Saw Dallan, my Equatore boys, the DS's, Bro Smith (family history GOAT that has an eye patch) the Meuchals... Lots more goodbyes to #HamTown but you get the point. Lots of awesome memories there. I'll just forever suck at leaving places, I don't like it haha. You know that scene in Transformers 3 when bumblebee says goodbye... How it felt haha. A quote from Sandlot popped into my mind that last night... "Hero's come and go but legends are forever." I'm not the hero nor legend, but #HamTown is. I'll never forget how much I love that place, the people, and the Naps burgers. I'll be back for sure... A lot... And I still plan on walking around like a naked deer in the forest while eating burgers off of trees with Brother Pederson in the next life... Hopefully our wives don't find that too weird.

- #ZoneOfEnoch got together one last time then we were off to Helena. Elder Bills rode with us and I love that guy. Feels like yesterday we were picking him up and talking about punch bags and we are already planning on punch bag, tubing, and hiking man dates down in Richfield. He's awesome, reminds me a lot of @teambetaalpha. Ex. We are pulling out of the parking lot and he yells-  "GUYS I NEED TO GET MY SUNFLOWER SEEDS OUT OF MY CAR!" Or when he tells us to stop the car in the middle of nowhere so he can run across the street to fill up his water bottle from a natural spring... If you know Zach you'll see what I mean. Also saw a Camaro in Helena that gave me butterflies.

- then it was time... The end of the #BroMance. Fam, I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell you all the stories of the Pett-Wells era for lots of reasons but it was no doubt one of the funnest 6 weeks of my life. Wells taught me a lot from teaching the gospel to being a better person. Our Dumb and Dumber quoting unity was just on point too... 

*messes up on something insignificant like dropping the keys*


*other elder gives a dirty look 

".... I'm only human Harry..."

*other elder starts walking away

"Where do you think you're going???"

"Home. I'm walking... HOME!."

"oh well... pardon me mr PERFECT! I guess I forgot I'm the only one that ever makes a mistake."

***people on Main Street are staring at us with concerned expressions***

Yep. That was us. We asked the companionships what they felt the zone improved on this last transfer and they each talked about being a more unified zone... (Without telling them) Wells and I's goal at the beginning of the transfer was "unify the zone". Fun, hard working, obedient zone... 

"Obtain a Zone Of Enoch" #AchievementUnlocked. 



It was an Awesome 6 weeks. As I left I whipped out one last Lloyd Christmas quote and said "good bye my loooooooooove".

*Just go watch Dumb and Dumber for an accurate visual representation of my life the last 6 weeks.*

Got to Bozeman and that Walmart parking lot (transfer hub) felt way more like home than it did a year ago when I showed up as a new missionary. Got with Elder Crane and we were ready to get some work done! He's awesome. Feels like I'm on a 6 week exchange with an assistant, he's teaching me a lot. We're similar but our similarities are different... If that makes sense haha... It's a lot of fun. We aren't quite bromance status and we are currently 0/43 on happy Gilmore/Ron Swanson/ Michael Scott/ Rickey Bobby/ Tony Stark/Dumb and Dumber/ Other Guys/ Step Brothers/etc... References but that's all good haha, I love him. It's his last transfer and he's going hard, I love it. We straight up didnt really know what's going on since we both got transferred in together but we are getting there! Already a ton of success just walking campus and college apartments looking for investigators. Not to boast or call out the former elders but we found 9 investigators in one day and they found 4 all last transfer... We are going hard! I'm doing my best to help send him out on a high note.

Gonna share a couple cool lil experiences we had while looking for investigators. Our teaching pool was pretty dry and since we know no one here we REALLY gotta rely on the spirit to help us find investigators and that's been good for us and a big reason for success.

- first door we knock is a girl going into film. Heck ya. She also had freakin sweet Pokemon tattoos and I only got 5/8 correct which still disappoints me but she still accepted a Book of Mormon and accepted us to come back! #ChurchIsTrue

- one guy accepted a Book of Mormon because of his friend he knew back in highschool. He remembers how good of an example he was. You never know what your example will lead to down the road.

- Taught a Muslim the restoration! Super cool dude! Lots of different nationalities represented on campus which is sweet!!!

- found 2 dudes shirt less and drunk outside a frat. Despite me never watching South Park that's a money approach on a college campus! Apparently there is a episode that talks about Mormons. They were chill with us. They were highly intoxicated so maintaining the spirit was a little difficult but they were cool with us and took a Book of Mormon.

- Found a girl wearing a Ohio State shirt so we go talk to her. She was cool, I professed my love for Urban Meyer and college football then told her I love the gospel even more. She wasn't too religious but we had a good time talking CFB.

- Found a Bucks fan and used Jabari Parker as a honorary member present to introduce the gospel.

- met this kid from Vietnam and he didn't know much about religion or God. Before we left we felt prompted to simply tell him that God loves him and his face just beamed up. It was awesome!!!

- met some guys who work at Staples... And Elder Crane and them went off on some new game called Overwatch or something. Freakin awesome. Like I said, we are similar yet different. Crane loves the PC World Of Warcraft type games and I'm all about CoD or NBA 2K on the Xbox so we got a clutch duo when it comes to finding gamers.

- one night we get done going hard on campus and walk back to the institute where we parked. We are tired.... We gotta poop. And... Our truck isn't there... We forgot we parked on the other side of campus. So we gird up our loins and get walking back and we're both like... Something good is gonna come from this.... Sure enough we hear a "ELDERS!!!!" And a recent convert we have been looking for comes running up to us. 9:12 pm on a summer holiday weekend on a college campus... Only one other person on that campus and it's him. Not sure what he was doing there but we found him! His name is Jesse and I met him last fall when Kennedy and Metcalf (also known as Qui Gon and Obi Wan) baptized him. We got a lesson set with him for that next day about helping him get on a mission and it went really well! He's a stud and is fired up to serve... So after our meeting with us he decided to bring a friend to church on Sunday and I'll get more into that in a sec but ya! Being blonde leads to miracles.

- another night we are hitting up some apartments and we see Raiders and Sharks stickers on a truck with a Cali plate... Crane is from San Jose and all about the Sharks so I'm all "we gotta find em dude!!!". Go in and there are probably 24 apartments and we were trying to find that "one". Guided to a door on the second  floor and knock it and the door opens and... Steelers flag on the wall... Crap, not it.... But I still think we were guided there. They were pretty chill. 3 guys eating pizza and playing COD and drinking beer. And they all accepted a Book of Mormon and for us to come back haha. One was a Viking and other was a Raven and I straight up used Matt Asiata and Eric Weddle to help em get hyped about the gospel lol. Cool kids, excited to teach em.

- Get back last night and we see some students balling at a court. Went and played 3 on 3 and it was awesome. Crane is like a white Shaq in his prime. Awesome sunset, fireworks goin off around us, and then talking about the gospel. That was sweet.

Lots of miracles. So many more too! Awesome week. This all was never just... Pick an apartment complex and go... It was  praying and asking God where we need to go. Really gaining a testimony on following the spirit in this work. It's awesome.

Then you have the ward... Not gonna lie it's weird not having families in your ward directory or old people... I like families and the old people out here are awesome so that made me a lil sad but this ward is honestly pretty sweet.

- first dinner we go over and this girl is making us pancakes and bacon for dinner... She asks if that's good with us and all I say "I'm a simple man, I like pretty dark haired women and breakfast food." Elder Delimata was thankfully with us and he caught on to the Ron Swansonism. Realized that could sound pretty bizarre had she never seen Parks and Rec so I quickly explained.

- our WML served in the Perth mission a few years ago. Cool guy. Not the same as having Coach to go to but he's still pretty awesome.

- Going through our list and a guy with the name "Smalls" came up and right on cue Jesse and I say "you're killing me Smalls". It was too perfect. #DidWeJustBecomeBestFriends

- church was awesome. Maybe it's because I am commanded not to and therefore don't have to worry about flirting but it's fun. I may have accidentally started a Ron Swanson presidential campaign during the pot luck after so #AchievementUnlocked.

- Got this stud from Ohio that's a big Buckeyes fan so we talk college football. Cool kid.

- Jesse brings his friend... And we teach him for like 2 hours and then he hangs out at the church with everyone for another 2. Awesome guy, he's feeding us Wednesday and wants to learn more. Gotta good feeling about him.

This ward is fun. The campus is awesome. Straight up to get to share the gospel and talk to guys and girls my age about college football... And  Ron Swanson... And the NBA.... And Call of Duty... And BDUBS... And Disney... And more college football... And Pokemon... And Transformers... It's just so much fun. Being social is actually kind of fun, I might try it when I get home.

Been a real fun and crazy week. Still a little tough getting adjusted but it's been good, challenges humble you, humility leads to using the Atonement. I like it here. Got to see GINA!!! Had dinner at the Turners last night down in Belgrade and dang... Memories man!!! I love the Turners. Then as we are walking out Sister Carlson drives by so I gotta talk to her. Feels like I'm home. I love it here.

Can't believe it's a year this Friday.  I remember sitting in the Belgrade church getting an email from Hayden about his year mark and thinking how far away that is... Here it is. Loving all the relationships and friends I'm making. Helps you see a new side of what the gospel is all about. Got a haircut last week and it was probably the best haircut ever and it had nothing to with hair. Being able to talk with Brother Matson about the gospel and families, it was special, that's an amazing family. Helped me regain focus on why I'm out here and the power of the gospel. That's just a small example of how the people here have strengthened my testimony.

Been a hard year but it's been well worth it. I still miss home, I still miss my fam. But the experiences and people out here trump any of that, helps me see how good of a life God has given me and motivates me to serve even more. Walking around campus with a companion makes me think of those days walking around the hill talking about missions and girls and Utah football and how we could get onto that roof...  with Jared. Brings back a lot of memories and for a split second I miss it... But then I remember just how much I'm loving it, so I have decided when I'm walking around college in a year I wanna look back and miss walking around MSU as a missionary talking about God's love for us. I wanna miss doing this.

If the way I feel leaving areas is any indicator of that, I think I'm gonna miss this a lot. Gotta "live" it up.

Round 2 baby here we go!!!!

LEROOOOOOOOOOOOY JEEEEEENNNKINS!!!!!!

Love ya fam AND HAPPY 4TH! Even though I'm convinced both presidential candidates are HYDRA this still is the "Greatest country on the planet" as Ricky Bobby once put it. God bless the USA and all those who defend it and their families. Especially you Kurt, love ya potato boy. Only person I know that can rip a tree out with their hands yet fail to make contact with a golf ball #NeverForget. Love having you as a brother.

I'm also officially at the stage of life where I get upset when fireworks wake me up. #CallMeHorace

- Elder K

Pics

*wanted to take a patriotic picture so I grabbed my lightsaber and used the night vision goggles I found in the apartment to locate a eagle in the sky and watch it fly with its wings of freedom. #Merica.

 
"Could you imagine if we had these when we were 12???" ... "Even better... We have em when we are 40 (or missionaries) ." - Step Brothers 

* #ZoneOfEnoch

* ma boy Dallan Koerner. He'll be playing college ball one day, I'm calling it now. 

*those Bitterroot sun sets 
* Bishop Hawkes and fam. Super bummed I'm missing the youth missionary hike this week! We will play our Disney charades another day. 

*CVall elders. Thomas and Angle. My bold prediction for next transfer is I'll be training Elder Angle to be a zone leader. Both are freakin awesome elders. 

* the brick bordering I found while weed whacking a few months ago. It's come a long ways. Gillispies were a special family to me. 

* drive up Skalkaho. Panther has 1 year to get in shape. 

* 2 of the Equatore boys. Missionary hand book says we can't hold children but doesn't say members can't hold children... 

* our boy Link!  
* told the Kings about Lola who is on the panthers dashboard so Kaillin photo shopped this... priceless 

* Star Wars stickers and the brick.... 


* stealth ops. Made me think of @pettbryan and the raccoon wars of 2013


*while looking at my packed bag I decided I'm either a really good missionary or an awful missionary... Probably not much in between haha. 


*#ZoneOfEnoch one last time. Kellogg (the dabber) got his visa and was shipped to Manchester this week

*Elder Bills and his fresh spring water 

*the Camaro 

*the things you find in the fridge of your new apartment 

* the campus 

*way you earn the YSA's respect... Ping Pong. All those nights in the Mann's basement prepared me for this 

* I have missed those Bozeman sunsets 

* #LockYourHeart 

* thanks for the pic potato boy, love ya dude.
 

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