Elder McKay Philip Pett: Press Forward, Look Forward

WHATS UP FAM!!!

Nothing too crazy this week. Elder Crane was sick so we didn't do much early on but we finished strong. Elder Crane is all good now too.

- I did a "John Stockton sends the Utah Jazz to the NBA finals" jump/fist pump double combo when I saw Walmart had dinosaur egg oatmeal. Hamilton nor Conrad had such a delicacy at their grocery stores.. I'll own up to the fact I'm a 6 foot 5 year old.

- "Juke Box Hero" was also playing from the speakers in Walmart so that was another tender mercy. Imma a year in this thing and those few seconds I get with classic rock still soothes the soul.

- Elder Crane and I wake up one morning to find 2 dudes sneaking around outside our window. Kinda freaked me out. Since I don't have the panther up here to protect me I grabbed the light saber and sling shot just as a precaution... Turns out they were just looking for Pokemon #CrisisAverted. The poke-craze continues and it's the most money contacting approach on campus other than college football of course.

- went out to get pizza with Eli. Freakin love him. He's the kid from Ohio. We spent the evening talking college football and Bromancing over Urban Meyer and analyzing the Ron Swanson pyramid of greatness and discussions Eli's idea for a sports gambling app that really isn't gambling but is straight up gambling. Was also giving us some bomb missionary advice too. He's awesome. Love the YSA. THEY ALL GOT TWITTER TOO SO WE CAN BE TIGHT!

- exchange with Elder McMahon. Boy, that brought back memories. Last exchange we did was when I was out one month and he was out like 9 and we were sleeping in a camper trailer in Belgrade. I wish I could get him as a zone leader with me his last 2 transfers. Freakin love Elder McMahon.

- we go and help a young couple move... They have this sketched out cellar we are all standing in and I ask "how many people have you killed down here?" Then the wife turns to me and responds with a straight face... "8." ... I told her she sounded way too confident and she just smiled... I genuinely think she may have been serious.

- #Tracting🚜💨 these apartments one night and a dude started throwing stuff at the door. Like we hear the tv turn off then next thing we know we hear something made of glass being smashed on the other side of the door. I give crane that "h*** nah. I'm out" look then I back pedaled outta there. I ain't dying when college football starts up in less than 2 months. I'm lucky enough I didn't get shot at after the little incident in Missoula when I accidentally broke into a guys house and got the score of Thunder vs Warriors #NeverForget.

- met a kid that plays for MSU basketball while walking campus. Way chill, super tall. He's from Turkey so we were basking in the glory days of Mehmet Okur at Utah. He's a big Money Man fan. He accepted a Restoration pamphlet too!

- went to a dinner in Belgrade. They were in the Second Ward so Elder Crane mainly knew em but I actually helped move their hot tub to the Carlson's last fall so I knew em a little. Really cool fam. The dad was telling us his mission stories and let's just say he and @pettbryan would have been a solid companionship. The dad was also a huge Cougar fan so we had a good chat about the season. He's telling me the tough teams on their schedule "Miss St, Sparty, UCLA..." And I jump in and say "that powerhouse program from Sack Lake City"... He rolls his eyes and says "oh ya... That team.." Then does the "Getting drunk" hand gesture. Then the wife says "face it honey... They always lose to Utah". She doesn't like either team, she just likes seeing him in agony when the Cougs lose. #Savage. Freakin hilarious. I love the Coug fans up here, way cooler than those trolls on Twitter (except you Jonny.)

- yo!!! So that family we had dinner with last week that is moving to Richfield... Well they have been driving back and forth and THEY BROUGHT ME PUNCH BAGS!!!!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!!

- then we had another dinner in #BGrade... And this is a family I knew! I ran to Kenny and then once I saw he was running at me I slowed down a little because I thought he was gonna tackle me haha. I may be a head taller than him but he is STRONG. Felt so good! I try not to dwell on what it'll be like getting home but I have a feeling it'll feel a lot like that. Felt so good being with Gina and Kenny and the kids. "Summertime" by Kenney Chesney is the best way to sum it up... "The nights roll in, man, just like a long lost friend you ain't seen in a while, can't help but smile." Felt good, I couldn't help but smile. Was just missing one person. The other elders took their spot at the table but I went to the counter out of pure habit and had that open bar stool next to me for Elder Christensen.

- Gina was referring to Belgrade as #BGrade. Also got mama J in #HamTown to start saying #AchievementUnlocked. Not exactly what I imagined leaving a legacy would be like but I'll take it!

- KISS WAS IN TOWN!!!! OH MY LANTA I WAS SO HYPED!!! We went to the arena parking lot and people were tailgating so we went to check it out. Just a bunch of old drunk dudes but we had a good time walking around and talking about our fave classic rock bands. Even gave a Book of Mormon out!

- had a dream that night I baptized Gene Simmons #AchievementUnlocked

- Church on Sunday was powerful. We had Noah show up and a girl brought her boyfriend... And after talking to him he said he wants to get baptized. Then during the ice cream party after (another reason why I love YSA's #Food) a lady walked in off the street and said she wants to learn more. It was awesome.

- that night we went to Kaileys for dinner and Rachel and Cache came too. The 2 girls really didn't get a lot of words in cause Cache and us were just going off on, I don't even remember what, but it was such a fun dinner. We were busting up laughing the entire time. Obviously baptizing is a big priority for us but finding Cache a wife is too. I always tell him whenever I feel antsy about going home I just remind myself that means I'll have to worry about dating and he just says "right on bro... It sucks". He's a good sport about it all, we joke around a ton. He wants me to bring up girls for double dates after the mish. I don't think he knows I'm socially awkward with girls but I'll hook him up. Hopefully someday I want to get married as bad as I want Cache to find a girl haha.

- Last is probably the sweetest thing that happened this week. We go to an apartment complex to look for some investigators and for whatever reason instead of walking to the front door entrance we start walking to the side. I really didn't know what I was doing but it felt right . We came around the corner and this girl immediately blurts out "I KNOW YOU."

Wanted to say "you don't know me. You don't know what I got. I'm old grrrrreg"

But instead I looked at her and she looked super familiar... So I said I think I knew her too.

Then she says "EFY. Provo. Like 6 years ago."

No. freakin. Way. She was in my group! Turns out she is less active now and her friend that she is with isn't a member. She said she's been thinking about coming back and that this is the sign she needed. Then told her friend right there to join the church... And the friend is down! AND CACHE IS GONNA MARRY HER! Right that's a bit of a stretch but we told Cache and he's in. Such a miracle. Crane and I are standing there like *What just happened!* So we are going to start teaching them! How sweet is it that! They're coming to FHE tonight and Thursday night ward basketball too. True miracle, stuff like that doesn't just "happen". Never fails to amaze me how much of a hand God has in this work.

I think we'll cap it off there! I have so much I wish I could share!

This week was a really special one for lots of reasons. Some things happened and I had some experiences personally and with our investigators that helped me see how much God loves us. How sometimes we need to face trials and adversity so we can help those around us.

Missions are awesome fam. They have brought me far closer to our Savior than I could ever imagine. I'll fully own up that I still screw up, and that I'm so far from perfect, but I'm so grateful for a desire to want to change and be better. I cherish that desire. I'm grateful for a loving Savior that makes change possible. And I'm grateful I can share that message.

It's true fam. This church is true. Stuff went down this week that wouldn't have happened if this gospel wasn't true, I'll leave it at that. It's that simple. I know God has a plan, I know he loves us, and I know it's not always easy to accept that, even as a missionary. It's so easy to get down on yourself when on a mission or back home or life in general, but what's awesome about this gospel is you move forward.

"Press forward" as Nephi says. "Look forward" as younger Nephi says.

"Just keep swimming" as Dory says. "Play forward" as Jerry Sloan would say and as @pettbryan tells me. "All the same. You keep on going."

I'm loving this so much fam. I love the gospel, I love the scriptures... Not gonna lie Ward Council feels like a steel toed boot to the nuggets but I LOVE going to church! I'm lovin this. It's a challenge. You face plant it a lot out here. You question things. You mess up. But it's helping me see that that's part of life. Just learn and move on. Helping me see how true this gospel is. And how much God loves us all.

Then sprinkle in some Dinosaur egg oatmeal, baptizing Gene Simmons, drinking a punch bag, and jamming out to "Juke Box Hero" and you can see why it was a good week.

God loves ya, don't ever forget that.

& I Love ya too fam, church is true.

- Elder K

*** don't know how many of you get @teambetaalpha's weekly email but he mentioned Lebron James last week... And I don't even like Lebron but I'm so proud he made a sports reference. Maybe he doesn't hate basketball anymore. Good work TBA. #AchievementUnlocked

Pics

* Doc. Stanley. And Red... All in one picture. I'm taking Z here one day!