Monday, October 3, 2016

Huckleberry Smoothies - October 3, 2016


What's up fam!!! 

- MLC in Helena was on Tuesday. Potter and I sat by each other and by the way our Gatorade bottles were positioned it looked like the splash elders were in a post game press conference. 

- Elder/sister relationships were brought up during MLC as a concern in the mission... President Wadsworth was sitting in the corner and straight up whipped out the 3 goggles as his response... (page 33 of the missionary handbook talks about it).  President Wadsworth = GOAT. 

- k this is a little ironic coming off of the last bullet point... but I like to position myself during MLC across the room from President and the AP's so I can wink at Elder Wells. Only problem is there were sisters sitting in front of him so I had to be pretty sly about it so they didn't think I was winking at them. Sister Hodgson caught me once but I think she knew I was winking at Elder Wells so we are good. #BroManceLives

- highlight of it all was the drive back... we were riding in the swagwagon minivan with the Wyoming zone leaders and we really wanted to pass Elder Baird ahead of us in the transfer van... Speeding past the vehicle coordinator = "that's a bold move Cotton, let's see how it plays out for him."  Elder Smith came in clutch. We passed him... And I think he still has driving privileges #AchievementUnlocked 

- honestly I just have so much fun with the missionaries out here. We have a fun fam. It's awesome. 

- during role call for the trainer conference call I told Elder McElvany to say "pre-sent." 

- I also accept full responsibility for the zone now non stop quoting Coach Hines and old Greg. The force choking is also getting a little out of control. #SorryMom

- last Monday Captain America Civil War was playing inside Walmart and since then I have had like 5 dreams about that movie. It's an issue. 

- so after I found out about the Utah game that ripped out my heart and beat it with a 7 iron, Elder McElvany and I went and got smoothies. It was great. Bounce back Utes. It's after games like this I really miss makin hype vids. #WillBeTillIDie

-  we saw this dude dunk on a 8 foot hoop then dab and it made my day. 

- Elder McElvany hit his year mark so we had a lil party at Cold Stone. 

- the campus has been doing this week long zombie nerf war thing... totally something @teambetaalpha and I would do #TacticalStealth. If I wasn't a full time representative of the church I'd be ALL OVER THAT right now. Under barrel go pro mount and everything. It's been fun to watch and is a good way to strike up a conversation. 

- Sunday nights we have Belgrade 1 come over and start their laundry and things get out of hand kind of quick...  #ThingsYouDoWhenYouCantWatchSNF #ThatEscalatedQuickly 

It was a wild week, one of my favorites as a missionary. Wednesday especially was one of the funnest days of missionary work. We had 3 awesome lessons in the YSA with our investigators, lesson number  4 at the Turner's fell through... but we still got to chill with the Turner's and eat huckleberry smoothies. 

--- background on Brother Turner's huckleberry smoothie... if Steph Curry was a smoothie... it'd be that one. They are beautiful. They are happiness. They are freakin amazing. 

Anyway. The 3 lessons went really well. They were 3 very different lessons, but the Spirit did a great job in helping Elder Hunter and I in knowing what we needed to share and what concerns we needed to resolve. It was a sweet day, a day that really strengthened my testimony and helped me realize how fortunate I am to know what I know. Church is true fam. I love sharing it with others. 

Then you have conference... I loved it, so much. Went in with 2 questions and both were answered several times. Took some solid notes but main thoughts were... 

- President Uchtdorf's talk on the plan of happiness was a great way to start off. That was such a strong focus of mine when I first came out, I want to get back to that. 

- singing Called to Serve with all members and missionaries was powerful. United together eternal soldiers. 

- plan of salvation and restoration were hit hard. Honestly everything shared was nothing more than you see in Preach my Gospel. All the basics. We need to reinforce the basics and they did. 

 - "Joy isn't from circumstances, rather on our focus" I loved that. I really loved that. 

 - Stephan... the fire cracker... sounds like something Jared and I would do. #SorryMom 

- President Eyring talking about gratitude, really liked that. Was reading in Ether earlier this week about how the people were filled with gratitude and joy when they reached the promised land... they had been stuck in a barge for 344 days and were grateful for it, that amazes me. 

- when the mom wrote in her goal journal "patience with Brett"... that's how my mom probably felt/feels about me and @pettbryan. 

- fave talk was from Elder Rasband. K, buckle up on this one. So you know how I kinda went hard on ULegacy before my mission???  Last video before the mission. All that. Well, it kind of set the tone for my mission also. I wanted to leave a legacy. Kind of my theme.

Now, the scripture Elder Rasband read (Helaman 5:6-7)was the original scripture from the splash elder exchange and scripture roulette from over a year ago. When Potter and I sat in the Richard's home as new missionaries and I randomly flipped to that scripture, it hit me. I loved it, talked about representing those before you and carrying it on with your name. To me, it was the #ULegacy scripture for my mission that I had been looking for. Fast forward over a year and an Apostle is talking about it... he even mentioned legacy a few times. I especially loved how he talked about his name, what it meant. 

This is where it gets sweet. What's cool is I was thinking that exact same thing earlier this week, who I represent. I randomly decided I needed to write it in my journal... I wrote this in on Tuesday before conference... 

Who do U represent? 
Elder - Christ. the church. Missionaries. 
McKay - Eli. 
Philip - Grandpa Phil 
Pett - Grandpa Pett. Dad. 
- uphold the legacy - I WILL

 IS THAT NUTS OR WHAT!!! Elder Rasband did the exact same thing 5 days later in general conference while also referencing to the ULegacy scripture I randomly flipped to over a year ago. 

Yeah, that kind of blew my mind a little. The gospel does that to me now and then. 

I just love missions so much. You learn a lot. You experience a lot. You love a lot. This was just one of those weeks I'll look back and wish I could live again. Got to watch conference with Gina and Kenny... watched Priesthood with Brother Barber (just like last year)  also watched at the Turner's... got to see Bishop Carlson this week, stopped by to see the Rogers last night. I know these are just names to most of you, but they truly are my family that had a major impact on me at the beginning of my mission and continue to do so. Never fails that as I drive through Belgrade I'm reminded of how much I love my family there. It was one year ago this week Elder Christensen and I went out to teach the Robisons for the first time. One year. WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED. 

I love it. I love what it's teaching me. I love testifying of Christ ALL THE TIME. I love the fun we are having, especially in this zone. I especially love my family up here, Hamilton and Conrad too. It's been a good 15. What started as me wanting to leave a legacy quickly switched to my family here leaving a legacy on me. I want to represent and make them proud just as much as my family back home. Can't say enough how happy I am I served my mission so close to home haha. 

Remember family, joy comes from our focus, not our circumstance. I have especially learned that on my mission and I know I'll need to apply it after. You guys are gonna think I'm nuts, but not gonna lie, that's something I needed to learn. Example, being in Berkeley Saturday night would have been rough had I been back home working, but I feel like that quote is applicable. I loved my job... a lot, but if I want that as a career, that's a very good principle to learn for when things don't go quite as well as you wish they would. 

That's one more thing I'm being taught out here. It's non stop learning. I love it. 

Church is true. Love ya. 

- Elder K

Pics 

- MLC/Splash elder post game press conference. Elder Wells isn't visible in this picture (behind the sisters) so you can imagine my dilemma in trying to wink at him. I think I ended up going like 6/7 without the sisters noticing. 

 
- Passing Elder Baird. We were freaking out we got so excited. It was a bold move. 



 
- Bozeman in the Fall, it's gorgeous. 

 
- Huckleberry smoothie. 

 
- ball in the morning. The second one with McElvany and I has been the main pic for memes in the zone.  Also made a reverse lay up for the first time in my life. 



 
- this car sticker made my day. #WelcomeToMontana 

 
- Cold Stone party. Happy 1 year McBuckets

 
- Gina's kitten attacked the scrambled eggs during the morning session. I usually hate cats but I love hers. 
 
- Saturday night Smoothie run... it was a rough night. #WillBeTillIDie

 
- put this as an alarm a few days before Elder Rasband's conference talk. Still can't believe how cool that is. 

 
- Bro Turner in the Luv Sac during genconf... bad idea. 😴 


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