"Force Choking Pirates" - May 15, 2017

What's up Fam!

- out at lunch one day and "Escape" played on the radio. Since it was opening week for GotG 2 that was a tender moment and made me extra grateful for my baby Groot and all the experiences we have had.

--- typically one relates songs to girls. I do it with my Baby Groot anytime I hear a song from awesome mix vol 1. #NoRegrets

- it takes about all I can handle to not start cracking Iron Man jokes when I talk with Brother Tony Stark at church. He's a stud, I love him.

- sat in with the Priest quorum yesterday and they were talking about how they should do a food day at church... boy do I have an idea for you... #PQP

- went to Belgrade and we stopped by the Richards. Rozzi is huge now and we had a good time playing with each other. C-Rich was being his typical G.O.A.T self and he and Leah talked with us as he worked on the '67 Camaro.

- also went out to see the Robisons and can't say enough how special that family is to me. Feels like yesterday we were teaching them for the first time. We played a pirate game outside where we were raiding the back of the truck and it somehow also included RPG's and the force. Tag would have loved it. #ThatEscalatedQuickly

- Saturday we had the sweet opportunity of going to the temple with Corey and McKayla Broughton. They teach me, they're amazing. Being in the temple with them is so special.

 

- ... then afterwards we went to Scheels and rode the Ferris Wheel with Corey haha. Also stopped by Cafe Rio and I got to see Crystal and the Baird's. Maddy and I are still very much a thing.

 

So as it sounds... it was a week of seeing family it felt like. Whether that is Bozeman... Belgrade... Billings...  or wherever, I can't even describe how much I love my family up here and can't imagine life without them.

Yesterday was the perfect cherry on top to that as I got to call home for Mother's Day. That was the last call out here and I'm gonna miss those butterflies you get before you hit the call button... I can't say the same about that feeling when you hang up haha, but it's a humble reminder to me that there is no way I could be doing this without lots of help from Heavenly Father and others, cause I really miss those guys.

 

A lot I'm still learning in regards to the gospel, but one thing I know for certain is the power the gospel brings to families. I don't understand it all, but it blesses families we teach, and it has blessed mine immensely. It really builds my testimony of it all when you see the fruits of living the gospel.  I want to be with them forever so you better believe I'll do whatever that takes, and help families reach that too.

There's a lot more stuff I'd love to share but putting into words is just getting too frustrating now haha.

Love ya fam,

- Elder K

Pics

- Rozzi and the Camaro

- road trip Corey broughton edition™

- temple

 

- Heisman

 

- Ferris wheel. It actually kind of freaked me out so we will see how Disney goes in a few months.

 

- car selfie

 

- Baird's kids

- screen shots from the call.

"Moooooose" - May 8, 2017

What's up Fam!!!

- that lesson in Big Sky last Monday was sweet. Really sweet lesson...

One of those lessons I don't even want to try and put into words.
plus, on the way out we saw a moose... it was awesome.

- remember Oscar and Nora from Belgrade my first few months??? They moved to Bozeman and we saw them this week. Oscar and I talked about birds and Pokémon just like old times.

- had dinner with the Carlson's in Belgrade. Bishop passed on the family heirloom of the jacket he wore on his first date with Sister Carlson to me... most amazing jacket ever, so I feel very honored haha.

- hit a 3/4 court shot during weekly planning this week that was pretty intense.

- Lot of walking and biking this week meaning many things yelled at us. My fave non-explicit thing yelled at us "WE LIKE TO SIN!", haven't heard that one before. Wanted to respond with the Alma doctrinal bomb of wickedness not being happiness but didn't have time.

- talking to this member visiting from San Diego and he was telling me about a NFL player that used to show up to 9am church before the game and help set up chairs for the meeting... told me he had a nice beard and Mohawk. @Weddlesbeard #UtesInTheNFL

That moose we saw was pretty sweet. I barely saw it... but I'm glad I did! It got me thinking about all the times I have driven past a moose...bear... elk... and had no clue. Then that got me thinking how often we cruise by in life without noticing all the little miracles and tender mercies Heavenly Father puts in our path. Is the world going to 💩?

Absolutely, but the Gospel isn't. Restoration is still going on,  the work is still progressing. Heavenly Father is still reaching out to us, we just need to be humble and receptive enough to see all the good.

So many miracles and blessings around us if we open our eyes to them. My mission has been full of them and I can't say enough how grateful I have been for this experience. We talked to the seminary students this morning about going on a mission and that put me in a glass case of emotions, not gonna lie... what the heck just happened? Assuming I actually went to seminary, I was that kid in the back corner chilling on Twitter with ZERO desire to serve a mission and here I am out 22 months telling them how great missions are. Hit me like a wave up there.

The Church is true fam. Freaks me out to think where I'd be without it.

Don't be afraid of change like I was. I'm grateful for the events that took place to get me out here and the people who got me out here cause it's changed me forever. Thanks for all the support along the way.

Happy Mother's Day to the wonderful mom's in my life!

- Elder K

Pics

- Moose, it was dark so I had to jack up the brightness on the pic.  Tough to see.

 

- millennium falcon driving into the sunset on May 4th

 

- evening entertainment brought to you by Bridger view apartments.  Apparently there were only 2 deaths in the month of April #AchievementUnlocked

- staring at my ceiling one night and saw this. #Trunkfest2k17

- biked 8 miles to this part of our area to do service.

- #WelcomeToMontana

 

- Cache King 💰 👑  got married this week and moved on from the YSA so my wedding present was Pistol Pete socks from Pistol Pett.

"Tony Stark & Big Horn Sheep" - May 1, 2017

 

What's up Fam!

- we had a sweet lesson with a family this week (I'll mention more later) and we brought Sister Stark with us to help teach. I jokingly asked if her husbands name was Tony... she responds "yes" and I cried a little. Not only is Tony Stark in my ward he is also a huge Utes fan.

- Last week it was Ron Swanson, this week it's Tony Stark. Insert Ricky Bobby "I don't know what to do with my hands" gif. #UteProud #ILoveBozeman

- while on that topic, I also got a present from Elder Christensen this week...  I now have a giant Iron Man helmet protecting my standard works on my PS desk. It also makes noises and lights up.

- we went to Big Sky for the weekend and stayed with the Treasures. Super awesome family with a sweet home. It was a blast. Can't wait to come back up and stay with them when the hot tub in the back yard and ski resort isn't off limits haha. Not gonna lie it got me thinking about the man date road trips me and @teambetalpha and the bros will go on to big sky #SorryMom.

 

- so on the drive up there, there were about 15 Big Horn Sheep just chilling on the road. My inner Jared Walton was telling me to go and pet them but then my inner mom voice told me not to.

- speaking of Elder Walton I also found a neat sign that they should probably put in Sweden... (check pics)

- went to the branch in Big Sky and that was really neat. Maybe 15 people there but it was a really powerful sacrament meeting. Doesn't matter where you go, the sacrament is so special.

Big highlight of the week was our lesson with the family I mentioned earlier. We kept it fairly simple and talked about Eternal families.  She expressed her desire to have a closer family and the spirit did its work in testifying that this is the path to go down. She also wanted to know how our church connects with Native American culture and history.... well, we told her about a book she needs to read and pray about. Yesterday they were sick so only the dad could come to church but they are wanting to be baptized. Family of 8 and I think 5 are old enough for baptism. Really neat family, Heavenly Father prepares people no doubt.

Also going out to Big Sky tonight to teach a family some of you may have heard about. Really excited to teach them, I got close to them last fall when I was in the YSA and I'm pumped. All about family.

The longer I have been a missionary the more I have realized what the Gospel does to people. I can't explain how it works, but when we finally stop doubting and looking for faults and rather avert all attention and focus to Christ and the beautiful simplicity of His gospel... things are better, not necessarily easier... but better. I noticed that a lot this week in our interactions with people. The Treasures especially, their conversion story blew me away. Simply put, people are happier with the gospel.

So much more I wanna say... all going by so fast. I love my mission, I love the Gospel, I love my Heavenly Father, I love my Savior who makes this plan of returning back even possible. I especially love my family. The gospel really does bring us together. Go out and live the life Heavenly Father wants you and needs you to live. "Look to God and live" like Alma says.

Love ya fam

- Elder K

Pics

- #WelcomeToMontana

 

- saw this and thought of something we would do to Cody

- #TBT the district meeting game show Mic, we miss you Elder Bennett

- district pics

 

- Elder McElvany and I Heisman'ing  a raptor, I love this zone.

- member took us to Dominoes while the draft was on, shed a manly tear when Garret was drafted. #FamilyOn3

- #MoarMountains

- the sign they need to put in Sweden

-

 big sky and big horn sheep pics

 

- updated personal study desk.

Ron Swanson Territory - April 24, 2017

What's up Fam!!!

Pretty crazy week... but it was a fun one.

- Monday the new missionaries came in. Elder Porter came in so he and Elder Hoschouer trained and I just kind of 3rd wheeled... mainly just chilled with

Sister Wadsworth and she taught me great life skills like setting a table.

 - leaving Billings was a lil rough. Never will like leaving areas but I got to ride in the transfer van with Crystal and that was party city USA plus she made me no bake cookies.

- I was doing alright until I started unpacking and I pulled a Lions mini helmet out of my suitcase then I started thinking about Maddy Baird and I shed a manly tear.

- Elder Baum is chill. Good baller. We have been having a blast with each other... get ready for a lot of funny stories. He's from San Antonio and has been out 6 months.

- remember Meg that got baptized in the YSA??? She married Braylen and they are in a our ward and things are just like the good days last Fall. We hang out with them quite a bit. One of the best parts about being here is I get to see all of my YSA family.

- a guy in the Ward used to coach volleyball at Utah and is now at MSU. I filmed highlights for him a few years ago. Lots of Utes in the Ward.

OK I have a funny story to share...

For those of you who remember my farewell, you may recall me referring to Montana as "Ron Swanson territory." Well, last 11 months I have either been on a college campus or in the heart of Billings so not quite Ron Swanson territory... but Bozeman 1st Ward and Big Sky Branch are Ron Swanson territory. Outside of the city, we have mountains...rivers... animals... good stuff.

We go to a dinner one night and this particular member is the closest I'll get to meeting Ron Swanson... this was the First time I met Patriarch Marlow and it changed my life... he is the G.O.A.T of Bozeman.

- huge Utes fan. "I love the Utes and all teams that beat BYU... which Utah is quite good at." *smiles at me. He and his wife would pull a face anytime someone mentioned the team down south. They are more salty than Hackett and Viliseni.

- we talked about domesticating a bald eagle and naming it "Freedom Washington"

- they live out by the mountains and have tons of wildlife around their place. There have been several occasions he has chased bears out of his yard while only wearing under wear #Goals.

--- me - "well I guess wildlife is better than dealing with people" - "yeah, especially since if I want to shoot annoying people everyone gets upset"

BEST PART

We go outside to leave and I'm taking a picture of the sunset. Next thing I know Baum is taking off screaming like a 4 year old and a cute little lamb is chasing him. Super funny. Lamb comes over to me and I was playing with it then I put it back over it's fence. (One of the funniest moments of my mission... I just can't even describe it.)

 

So he steps out after observing this, thanks us for getting the lamb back, and then drops pure wisdom on us...

*now please imagine this in your best Ron Swanson voice. This guys facial expressions... voice tone... everything is like Ron Swanson.

"The fence is like the commandments... stay inside and you are safe.

Leave the fence and you die"

I added "then the missionaries have to come save you" and he nodded his head in approval and smiled and I got butterflies in my stomach not gonna lie. I love that man. I told him he reminds me of Ron Swanson and that is the highest honor I can give someone. HE'S A UTAH MAN TOO!!!!

K, back to mission stuff.

- we also cover the Big Sky Branch. We went up to help clean the branch and met some of the members. Excited to be in a branch, the members seem awesome. We already have some people ready to be taught and I'm pumped.

- Big Sky... is unreal. The ski resort is insane... fishing, golf...

just wow. Pumped to do work up there. Gonna try and hit up Tom Brady and Bill Gates over in the Yellowstone Club...

Really excited to get work done here. We already have quite a few people lined up that we are excited to get things going. Between the Ward and the Branch we have some good things going on, the members are stepping up. Feels good to be back in Bozeman too, I have already seen a lot of people I know so it feels like home.

I love the gospel fam. Especially love the scriptures. There was a YSA kid I taught last Fall that was pretty much starting from scratch with his testimony, I have stayed in contact with him and a few months later he's come a long ways... I believe in large part due to the Book of Mormon, he went from not knowing what he believes to telling us how happy he is when he reads. It changes lives, it brings you closer to Christ, persuades you to do good... exactly what Nephi said it does in

2Nephi: 33. Read the book, simple as that.

I love the gospel, I love my mission. Good stuff. Weird to see it winding down... it's taught me way more than I ever imagined. Heavenly Father loves us, so important that everyone knows that.

Life is good, love ya fam

- Elder K

*also like to wish all of you a happy one year anniversary of the #tickcident. Still the scariest day of my life.

Pics

- We both left Billings zone to go west, next time I see Elder Hendricks we will both be home. Come a long ways since the MTC district.

 

- original crew back in Bozeman for transfers. Unfortunately only McBuckets is staying in the zone but good to see Bennett and Hunter too.

- that hoop...  memories

- #WelcomeToMontana

- the lamb.

- Big Sky. Just to give you an idea how big that ski resort is. Me and @pettbryan will have some adventures up here with fishing poles and skis.

- new picture that will be used for all memes sent to Elder Christensen