Tuesday, November 20, 2012
11-19-12
This week has been a great week! I got to hear from two General Authorities this week! That is pretty rare! And a couple interesting stories. Like we were driving down to Valley Park for my companions doctors appointment and we saw one of our investigators driving on the freeway no where near our area. We keep seeing him in the most random places let me tell you. It happens almost once a week where we see him driving by us whether we are walking around town or driving. It is pretty funny.
Monday we had dinner at the Carr which was pretty cool. They are from California so they are cool. haha That day we had lunch with Rufus who is a recent convert. He made us chili. It was really good. We will be at his place again for Thanksgiving.
Tuesday we had a mission Conference. Elder Choi was are visiting member of the seventy. He is a way funny guy especially because he is from Korea and has an accent. The first thing he spoke about to all of us was Marriage which was kinda intersting... It is weird because it is like I still got 10 months or so left out here. But he gave us really good advice and performing the work and having success. Which we have been having a ton of success here in Hazelwood 2. We were there for the whole entire day. We were spoken to about having urgency in doing the work especially so we could reach our goal as a mission for the year in getting Baptisms. That night we got a call from Bro. Marko. I did not recognize the name at all. He said he signed up to go out with us that night. So we were like alright. We went by a couple places for appointments. Then while stopping by a less active with him we found out that he was not even in our ward. That he thought he called the other wards missionaires. So it was way funny. He never said anything until the member we visited asked him who he was. Very funny.
Wednesday was a good day. We were walking around contacting potentials that we found and while walking down the street we see a car turning on the street. Two guys wearing white shirts and ties were in the car. They had vests on. We thought they were other missionaries at first and we were confused why other missionaries would be down in our area. The car parked and they jumped out and there vests were not sweater vests but bullet proof vests. Then 9 cop cars, and undercover cop cars pull on to the street right behind that one and all parked. A cop parked near where we were walking and he gets out the the car with a huge sludge hammer and tells us that we should walk around the other way so we did not pass the house that the cops had completly made a perimeter arouund. So we walked around a different way. It was just random to see this happening. We did not hear any gun shots while walking away or anything so that is good. That is what happens here in the hood. OH yeah. We then had a miracle happen. We were having a hard time to find a member to go with us to a lesson. While walking to the lesson we passed by a youth in the ward and he came with us to the lesson. He did a great job in the lesson. And we picked up another investgator Sam.
Thursday we had a good day. We taught a lesson to Andrea, Diaviance, and a couple of there cousins. It was really good. Then we went and taught a part member family and picked up the Father Lee as a new invstigator. He is a way cool guy and askes some of the best questions. It is very impressive. And he is a way funny guy. We also had many appointments all through tis week. More fell through then happened which was sad. OH well it is part of the sifting process I guess!
Friday We had 4 appointments fall through. That was very frustrating especially since three of those were with potential investigators who a couple of them semed way solid. That night we had a good lesson with the Moises. They are my favorite. Everytime we are there it is way awesome.
Saturday was good. We had a couple appointments fall through but because they fell through we went and knocked on some random doors in the appartment complex. Which we set two return appointments with potentials with the first two doors we got answers from. The third door we got an answer from invitited us in and we taught him. His name is Mike. Itwas awesome and we set a return appointment for the next day. So we picked him up as a new gator. That was cool.
Sunday we had stake conference. We had a member from the Seventy there speaking. President and sister Clark both spoke to at the stake conference. They speak at almost every stake conference they have in this mission. They are way awesome. Prez Clark talked about eternal marriage and sister Clark spoke on preparing our youth especially for missions. It was way good. The member of the seventy was a great speaker too. Monica who was just baptized brought her friend to church who we will start teaching tonight actually when we have dinner with the rices! We went to our return appointments after conference. And none of them were there. But while knocking on one of there doors the next door neighbor opened his door and asked us if he could borrow our phone. We let him. He invited us in and we taught him and his finace! And picked them up as a new gators. Way awesome! THen we had an awesome dinner at the Gonzos. Then after had a good appointment with the Moies! We set a date for December 1st for Phil to be baptized then a couple of weeks after that he will baptize the rest of the family when he is ordained a priest. Plus it gives a little bit more time for Beth to quit smoking.
Today we are going to play football at forest park. We were going to go play at the Arch but changed out minds. So we will be there with a bunch of missionaries playing. IT will be fun! HOpe you all have a great week this week!!!
Love,
Elder Derek Turner
*Serving in Zion*
11-12-12
Hello everyone! Another great week has come to pass again! We had an amazing week because Monica was Baptized!!! Yes! Here is how the week went!
Monday, we went to the Arch and walked around downtown. We had 8 missionaries with us. 4 went up in the arch, I was one of the 4 that did not go up because I and the other 3 who were with me already have gone up before. SO we didnt want to spend money on doing that. That night we had dinner at the Rices and taught Monica a lesson. It went well, we watched some Videos of President Monson. It was great.
Tuesday was a good day with many appointments. We had one fall through and still it was awesome. We taught Boyd that day, he told us that it is hard for him to respect us as Elders for how young we are. We told him it means teacher. That did make him feel all much better. So now we have to take over a really old member so he can respect them when they back up what we say. And he keeps saying how the sabbath is on Saturday. Besides that he likes what we have to say. haha After that we went to Chauncei's. We taught him the first finally. We used the cups for it. It is a visual aid. He really felt the spirit. He really enjoyed it. It was so cool to see him feel the spirit and be able to tell what he was feeling so we couuld let him know that he was feeling the spirit. It was really awesome. He was finally ready to hear the first lesson. Then we taught Monica that night for the last time as an investigator. It was a great lesson. She was so prepared for Baptism.
Wednesday was good except the couple of dropped appointments we had with potential investigators. That stunnk. We went trying to find past members. We found one while stopping by. We were able to visit for a little bit and now we will be starting to teach them. Tamika the member and her boyfriend Lee. They have two kids together and live together. So we hope It will go well. He seems excited to hear the lessons! We had a Monicas baptismal interview that night. She passed! Then we had dinner with a Recent Convert the Lewis's. It was great!
Thursday was good. We had D-meet that afternoon. That morning we had another appointment that fell through with another potential investigator. That stunk when happened. He seemed very cool. D-meet was good. The Kellers who are a senior couple in the office came to it. It was way cool having them there! They are way awesome. We went to Lindas and she taught us the third lesson. It was awesome! She is such a great teacher. I hope they give her a calling to teach. That night we had a great lesson with Andrea and her daughter. They are doing so well. It will be exciting for there baptism in a few weeks.
Friday we recieved a referal and we went by it on our way down to Elder Bartas doctor appointment. We will start teaching the guy next week. We went and taught Joe who was a potential. We picked him up as a new gator. He had a lot of interesting questions about Aliens and what not. But he is very intersted and has been reading The Book of Mormon. After that we had dinner and a lesson with the Carpinteros. It was awesome because Mike rally opened up during the lesson and we are starting to make progress with him. It is awesome. That family is hilarious though. Every time we are there it is fun.
Saturday was the Baptism! Monica could not decide who she wanted to have to baptize her and confirm her. She just told my comp and I that she wanted us to do the both. So she left it up to us two to decide which was going to baptize and confirm her. I told my comp that he could choose which one he wanted to do because he goes home in 4 weeks and he has not gotten very many chances to baptize people. So he choose to baptize her and I got to confirm her. It was such an awesome service though. She was truely ready for Baptism and the ward loves her!!! She will do many great things. After the service we did a service project which was our ward and another church putting together some humantarian things together. It was cool.
Sunday during Sacrament meeting I confirmed Monica. It was such a great experience. It was my first time performing that Sacred ordinance. It was one of the most memorable moments and sacred so far on my mission. After church we went out to go contact some potentials and stuff. It started raining hard. We got so soaked. We were pretty miserable. We then had to go back to out place to change completly and then go to our dinner appointment at the Gonzo's. I even had an umbrella and was soaked. It rains sideways here though... After dinner we went to the Moises with Bro. Gonzo. They had been sick for over a week and still are. We started talking and Beth was having a hard time about the smoking thing and after talking about it she feels much better now and is ready to try. It was a really cool appointment.
Today we dont know what we are going to do yet. Oh well. Haha Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Derek Turner
*Serving in Zion*
11-5-12
Hello Hello, avid readers of my Email and Blog. I hope you still read. hahahaha I really do though. What another great week it was full of finding 4 new gators and many other great miracles! Stay tuned in to hear about it!
Monday was an intersting day. We went to the Catholic Basillica to catch a service but we got there to late. They do really short services there everyday and not just Sunday. So we were already down town so we walked around checking out some cool old buildings and what not. Some hobos asked us for money, just about what always happens on an everday basis here in City. That night though we had dinner at the Rices and we had Monica there who is getting Baptized this Saturday and we taught a lesson. It was good! We taught her the third lesson again.
Tuesday was good too. First was D-Meet. We had a good appointment with Monica. We are trying to teach her everything so that she is ready for Baptism so we taught the Word of Wisdom to her. It went well. She said she would live it! So that was awesome! She is so very prepared for Baptism. Then our appartment complex was having a little family halloween type party. It was cool because we were able to do some service and meet some people who live in our complex which we might be able to teach!!!
Wednesday we were looking for our pms and such and we decided to randomly knock some doors on an appartment building. We got inside with this guy Boyd and picked him up as a new gator. We taugth him the 1st. He liked it but the one thing is that he is a 7th day adventist and is having a hard time accepting that Sunday is the sabbath. But oh well that will come as he finds out the church is true. That night we went to the Rices for dinner and we had to be either in our appartments or with Members on Halloween night. So both of the Halloweens on my mission have been spent at the Rices which is way cool. It was a lot of fun hanging out there that night with members and investigators. It was awesome! Fun stuff it was. We all just sat on the driveway around a fire playing and singing music.
Thursday was a good day too. We had a couple of appointments that fell through which was sad. But oh well. We had a good appointment with Linda who we just Baptized a little bit ago. It was really cool because she taught us the Second new member lesson. She studied Preach My Gospel. It was so cool because of how great she was at teaching it! It was great! Then we had a good lesson that night with the Moise's! We taught them the Word of Wisdom! It was great! They were so ready and prepared to hear it! We will be doing the Stop Smoking Workshop with Beth. Everyone is in such great support of her. They are so awesome! We had an appointmetn with a Pentecostal Pastor, but he did not keep the appointment. SO hopefully we will get another chance to teach him though. We will see though.
Friday was good too. We had to go down to Elder Bartas doctor appointment. Then after that we weekly planned at the Library so we could be out in public. Then after that we had to go to the mission office so My comp could renew his Temple Recomend with Prez Clark. I just got to sit in the office during the interview and look through the Mission History books they were cool. Then we had a good appointment with DD.
Saturday was good. We only had one dropped appointment that day. We picked up a new couple new gators that morning in our appointment with Jenna and Brandon. THey are a younger couple who are engaged who we found by when we helped them raking there leaves. Then we had a great appointment with Monica teaching her the law of Chasity and thithing. It went good. A lot of people feel awkard about us teaching them the Law of Chasity. We always try to make it as serious as possible and with the Spirit. Then we taught Andrea and her daugther and there nieces who we picked up as new gators. That was cool. Because we picked up more gators. It was a great lesson! They have recieved the answer that the BOM is true! They are ready for Baptism. It will be in a month from now.
Sunday was church, Monica was there of course, and so was Andrea and her daughter. We have great members who helped give them rides! It was awesome though! They loved it and it was also Fast Sunday. It was good. haha The Moises were all sick so they could not make it. It is great having Gators there every week. It makes such a difference with peoples trust in us as missionaries.
Today we will do something. We do not know yet because it is raining and our other plans can not happen with the rain... oh well. I hope you all have a great week this week!!!
Love,
Elder Derek Turner
*Serving in Zion*
p.s. some guy sitting behind me in the Library fell asleep and he started snoring almost falling out of his chair. It scared me. haha kinda funny
10-29-12
This was transfer week, Saturday night we got the call for what is going to happen this next transfer! Many cool things are happening! Stay tuned in for what has happened this awesome week!
Monday we went to the History Mueseum here in the City. It was alright, I was not very impressed though. It could of been way better then it was. There wasn't very much History that was very interesting. OH well. That night we had dinner and a lesson with Monica who will get baptized a week from this Saturday.
Tuesday was a great day. We had D-Meet that morning Then went by a couple of different potentials and found a few that were good also. We had a good lesson with Chauncei about repentance and just taking one thing at a time because trying to do everything at once. So it is very step by step with him. We then took Riley, the blind guy to teach Monica. Riley is so awesome. ONe of the most favorite people I have met on my mission. There we started teaching her little brother too. We have been trying to get the mother and her sister in on it also. But it has not worked. But it is sweet to start teaching her Brother Lance.
Wednesday Was a good day also. We had a lot of more checking on all of our pm/la's to do. We spent almost the whole day doing that. It was good because our Mission President asked us to do all of that. We did find some great potential with the pms. It was cool to see. We are already working with some as is. We have been having succes with them. That night we had dinner and a lesson with the Filius family. They are also way awesome. They made Taco Salad which is one of my favorites. haha Also that day when we were driving and seeing our pm's we saw a lady raking her leaves. We pulled over and we raked them for her and now we will be having an appointment with her this Saturday! It was a way cool experionce.
Thursday was a good day. We had a some appointments end up falling through. But during those times we found some great potentials though to teach who we have return appointments with. Hopefully we will be getting many new investigators this next week! That day it went from being 85 degrees to being under 45 degrees. All in and hour it dropped that fast! It was insane! So crazy! We had a member pick us up at one of the Metro link stations because it was raining so hard! Then they came with us to an appointment with Andrea and Diaviance. It was a great appointment. We set a baptismal date with them two for December 1st! Way cool! It was a way aweomse appointment.
Friday was good. Except for the couple of appointments that fell through. We had weekly planning that day and had to go down to Fenton so Elder Barta could go to his doctor appointment. So we went down there. Then after we went and had lunch and did weekly planning at China 1 a chinese returant owned by a member where we can get free food. It was in the next ward over from Fenton where my comp served last. Then we got a call telling us that we had to go pick up the Florissant missionaries to the same doctor because one of them had an appointment there also. So we got them from a metro station and took them there. And when we were there again I saw one of my investigators that I taught while I was there in Fenton who is getting Baptized soon!!! That was way cool to see her. Then we finally got back and had a good appointment with Monica. It was awesome. We finished teaching her the Plan of Salvation. Friday night we started exchanges. I went with Elder Anderson to Hazelwood 1 area.
Saturday was full of crazy stuff. Elder Anderson and I went to go help this 94 year old women clean her yard. WHile doing so Elder Anderson was trimming the hedge with an eletirical trimmer and while adjusting his grip he cut his finger open pretty badly. So a member took him and I to the ER. We were there for quite a while. It was kinda weird being in street clothes there and being there for a long time. I did get to catch some football games while waiting that whole time;) He had to get mulitple stiches. But now he is good! After that whole ordeal we went to the ward trunk or treat party. We had half of our investigators show up! That was awesome! They had a Chili cook off too where we got to be the judges over all the chili. SO we had to try over 20 different kinds of chili and judge them all. They had them in different categories. The Spicy was the last one to try. That was intersting I have to say. Most of them were not very spicy. Until we got to the last one which was the atomic heat. It was supposed to be so spicier then a Ghost pepper. I took a good bite of hit. But it was not as bad as I thought it would be. MY tounge and lips were just numb. NO big deal at all. But it did have way good flavor to it though. That night after we went to the Moises for a lesson. They could not make it to the ward activity because they had to go to a concert. It was a good lesson. They are awesome. Once they found out that we were both staying they asked us both to baptize them! So then after that we got transfer calls! I am staying here and so Is my companion. I get to kill him off because this is his last transfer! We should have very many baptisms happen this transfer so it will be way cool.
Sunday was great. The Moises and Monica came to church. It was the primary program also so it was way funny. This little girl who was at the mic kept licking it. Kinda gross. haha So then we had an appointment with Danny after church. We committed him to Baptism and almost got a date too!!! It was really cool. So the success here is awesome.
This area has a lot of good things going here. It will be exciting to be here one more transfer and Baptize a lot of people. Cool stuff! God Bless all of you.
Love,
Elder Derek Turner
*Serving in Zion*
10-22-12
Another week has come and passed. Where does time go? I have no clue. But things are going great because Linda was Baptized! It was amazing! And we set another date with an investigator! so things are working well here.
Monday, was zone pday so we went out to the building out in St. Peters to play glow in the dark volleyball, and basketball. It was fun hanging out with other missionaries and stuff. It is always great to hang out with other missionaries. After that we had a big FHE at the church. It went great. The Moise family came along with Monica one of new investigators from last week. It was really awesome. After we ate dinner we taught the the third lesson to everyone. It was good and was way solid. Monica and the Moises are way awesome!
Tuesday was good. We had District meeting that morning. After all of that we had a long way to travel home on the bus. We had two differnt appointments fall through which stunk. But we had a great appointment with Monica that day. Where we comiited her to a date for baptism which is nov 3rd. It was a great lesson teaching the first to her. She really likes it all. She even went to mutual the next day.
Wednesday was good. We had a couple way good apointments. One of them was with Chauncei. It went really wel. Every time we go there planning on teaching the first lesson but it hasnt happened though because it just always go into something else and we read a chapter in the Book of Mormon which went good because he understood and it was what he needed at that moment. We had antoher good lesson with the Moise family. They want to be batpized, they are just rying to find a date that they can have the baptism on in November. It was great.
Thursday we had Lindas Baptismal interview that went well. She passed! We had a a good lesson with Andrea and her daugther and her niece. We took Riley and Olivia with us to the lesson. They connected well with them. We picked up two new investigators with the daughter and the niece. So that was cool!
Friday was weekly planning. That went good. Then we had a lesson with the Carpinteros which was interesting. The lesson was focussed on the Great apostasy and the restoration It was intersting I have to say. haha Then we had dinner at the Moises and watched the Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration. It was great! They loved having the visual and help strengthen there testimony in about him. They really enjoyed the movie though and It made us really happy. It really is good for teaching. They Moises take such good care of us though.
Saturday was the big day. But before teh baptism we had an appointment with Monica which went well. It goes pretty long because she really loves to talk. The whole lesson was really focussed on Prayer. That was not what we planned to talk about but it the Spirit guided us to that. Really cool. Then we had an appointment fall through with Pierre which was sad... He never dropps appointments. Then we had Lindas Baptism! It was great. her mother came. It was really cool Baptizing her. It was a really sacred moment. I havent had an investigator have me personally baptize them since I was in ESTL. So getting the font was great, being able to perform that very special ordinance. It was really awesome because we have been working for such a long time to get her to this point.
Sunday was good as every Sunday is. We did not have very many lessons that day though. We did have a good Less active lesson that went very well and we did go by to see the Moises because they missed church because Phil was called into work. We also were able to connect back up with Donna who we havent taught in a while which was really good.
Today we still do not know what we are doing to have fun but we will ahve a lesson tonight at dinner with Monica and maybe the Moises! I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Derek Turner
*Serving in ZIon*
10-15-12
This past week was very rewarding! So many great things happened! Many miracles and such other things. A coulpe good stories at that too. Here is how the week went!
Monday, Pday, Funday, Relaxday, PreperationDay. Yes it is fun. Last Pday was interesting. We went to go see the Anheuser Busch factory downtown. We took a tour of the place. It was intersting stuff. For you who do not know that is where the make Budweiser Beer. We went with our pockets full of Word of Wisdom Phamplets. haha Jk but we did get some great oppurtunities to share the Gospel to people. Because they asked us what the heck we were doing there. It is a very popular place to tour I guess. Many members mentioned to missionaries to check it out. So we did. It wasn't all that great. We got free Soda at the end though! Then that night we had a dinner and a lesson with a recent convert. Fun stuff.
Tuesday was a great day. We had d-meet. It was same old same old. It was good. We decided to go tract a little bit after a couple different appointments fallng through. After a few doors this guy, Chauncei invited us right in. We only got to talk to him for a little bit because he had to go somewhere. But it was cool that we got in. Then a couple doors after that these two ladies answered the door. One is married with 5 kids and the other is a single mother of one. Ones name is Heather and the other Ashley. They did not have a male their so we asked them if they could pull some chairs out and we would teach them. We picked them both up as new gators. It was way cool. It was a miracle.
Wednesday we drove down to Fentons area again so Elder Barta could go back to the chiropractor to get worked on. Then after that we went to the Temple! It was way awesome because as we were getting out of the car I saw Bro. Anson from Fenton who works on the Grounds. I t was cool to talk to him and see how things are going in Fenton work wise. Tiffene who I started teaching down there and who I set a date with to get Baptized had another date to get Baptized very soon. I hope it happens. I also found out someone that I started teaching in Springfield got baptized this last weekend! His date was pushed off for a long time because he was hit by a car while he was on his bike or something. When the ambulance got to the scene he was already dead but the revitalized him and brought him back to life! That is the biggest Miracle I have ever heard of on my mission. So after recovering he was baptized. God saw that he was not ready to go yet that he has a work to do down here.
Thursday was good. We went back to Chauncei and taught him. When we first talked to him he said he would not convert but then he told us now that he wants too. I love how the spirit works.It is awesome. We had a good lesson. We planned to teach the first but then the spirit directed it otherwise. That night we had dinner and a lesson witht he Moise's. They are my favorite investigators. They rock. They treat us so well. They feed us a bunch and do so much for us. I let them know without my companion knowing that it was my Comps Bday so they threw a little bday party with Ice cream cake. It was good. It was also awesome because Beth Moise had her parents over also so that they could meet us and we could teach them. They actually live in another ward so we have to refer them to those missionaries. But it was an awesome night. One of the daughters friends also. We had a great lesson with them that night. But these people seriously treat us like family. They now consider us family to them. Way awesome.
Friday was good too. We had a lesson with Linda. We took Riley with us, he is blind so we had to drive him. He is way solid. We had a great lesson preparing her for her baptism this week. I will be baptizing her so I am way excited! It was funny when we picked up Riley he walked out of his house with a bunch of his neighbors. Riley told us that they all think Elder Barta and I are the police and that Riley is snitching on everyone in the neighborhood on what he see's and stuff. The most ridicolous part is that He is Blind so he can not see anything! haha it was funny. Riley told us that we are the first Missionaries they have thought to be police. It was funny. That is what happens in the Ghetto. They think we are the police. No wonder nobody messes with us. They taught that in ESTL also. Funny stuff it is. That night we had dinner and a lesson with a part member family that we just started teaching not very long ago. The Carpinteros. They are way awesome too! One of our favorite families also.
Saturday we were out looking for a less actives home. While we were walking down the street to his place this girl on her porch called us over. so we went over and she was like who are you guys. We told her who we were. Then she, Monica was like teach me about your church, so we told her to pull out some chairs and she did. We taught her on the porch because no male was home of the age. She committed to coming to church the next day. A member gave her a ride. And she went. That night we had dinner and a lesson with a part member family that we just started teaching not very long ago. The Carpinteros. They are way awesome too! One of our favorite families also. So we picked up a couple new gators that day.
Sunday was awesome because we had four gators come to church. Linda came because she is getting baptized this week. Well and because she knows the church is true. Then Phil and Beth Moise came without the kids. And then Monica came! It was awesome. The Carpinteros would of been there too but they got sick... They all loved church especially because it was Fast and Testimony meeting. That night Monica told us she wants to get Batpized.
Today we have a zone pday so it will be fun to hang out with other missionaries. Then we will have a big FHE thing at the church. Both the Moises and Monica are coming! so it should be awesome. While riding the metro link here I met a guy from San Diego who I talked to sitting next to me. That was cool because he has family around Temecula. that rocked. Well everyone have a great week!
Love,
Elder Derek Turner
*Serving in Zion*
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