Dog Sledding, Fresh from the MTC, and A New Samoan Ward

I think it’s awesome that M. fits into that suit. And that he’s way slim. That is pretty sweet. Now he just needs to work out and fill out with muscle!

It has been so warm here this week. We have had some crazy Chinook winds and it got all the way up to 50 degrees out. It feels like spring because all the snow, which wasn't a whole ton to begin with, is melting.

SO the crazy news for today is that I am having a boy. Having a boy, as in my companion and I will be training a new missionary beginning tonight! He is coming in before the transfer because his cycle at the MTC is ending early. We just found out yesterday from Pres. ALSO, the stake went and split our ward and the other Samoan ward into 3 Samoan wards. We really have no clue what will happen as far as people we have on date or whatnot, but we should continue teaching all of the people that were in our old boundaries until transfers when they will split up our threesome and have 3 pairs of Samoan speaking Elders in our mission. It probably, HOPEFULLY, means that I will continue to be Samoan speaking although I may or may not continue serving in the Northern Lights Ward. But we will see and I will know more on Sunday after we see how it all goes down. Yep. That’s pretty much the most exciting news.

OH but wait! I am off my crutches! Yep! It’s a good deal. I saw the doc on wed and he gave me permission to get off of them and so far it has been well.

We have been working hard these last few weeks. Last year they only had 9 baptisms in our ward during the whole year. We currently have 5 people on date and hope to have 8 on date by the end of the week. M., age 10, is supposed to be baptized this Thurs. so we are hurrying to set that up and we will try to make it as special a day as possible.

It is crazy. I have never been this busy. We aren’t able to go out and find much through tracting because my ankle isn't 100% just yet but we have been very blessed by the Lord with people to teach and work to do.

All in all, it was a pretty crazy week. But we are hopping out of the frying pan and into to the fire tonight. So we shall see how it all goes down.

I am all finished with the ankle business though. It is still a little swollen but it should go down. I am supposed to come back in a month from the visit if it is still swollen, and in a few more weeks I will be cleared to start playing sports again.

I’m so happy that C. is working on being able to begin his papers. Just stay away from girls until after your mission. Trust me. They are nothing but trouble.

Those dancing games look like a blast. I really want to try one out. The x-box one is way cool because you don’t even have to hold a controller. It just follows your body. Sweetness.

This new camera works fantastic. I will be sending the old one home shortly.

OH and guess what I got to do as service on Friday!?! I got to work as a trail guard for these dog sled races! It was awesome. We got to ride around on snow machines on the dog sled trails. We basically just stood there and waited at critical points along the track in case a rider wrecked and we would have to stop their dogs... Ha-ha. Well I didn't see anyone wreck hard but there were a few minor crashes... nothing major. It was pretty cool.

I can’t imagine having to care for 14 or 15 dogs all at one time. I mean, can you imagine that much poop? Dang. I would be cool with like 3 or 4, max. Even then I would need like a huge yard... Anyways I am including some pictures that I took while I was there with the new Camera so you can check them out!

We didn't end up getting to ride, but these one people that Elder M. talked to said that they would call us next time they were down at the track and give us a ride. I can't wait! It should be a lot of fun!

Well, that is pretty much it for the week. Everything seems to be going pretty well. I will definitely keep you updated on how everything is going on Monday.

It’s Crazy that M. is a Priest. He can Baptize now. That is CRAZY. Awesome ha-ha! He is even older than M*'*! Ha-ha. Maybe M. should start to talk to his friends a little more. I kept having the thought that Z. and his family should meet the missionaries.

Oh and have the missionaries visit Mr. S. That would be good.

Well that is all for this week. I love you guys and hope that you are all doing well. Much love!

Elder Britton Winterrose

First Christmas in the Field

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Well, I don't have a whole lot to say because well... not a whole ton has changed between Saturday and today. I did write in my journal the last two days. I have decided that I want to try to improve my handwriting so I think I am going to search for a penmanship books at Barnes and Nobel today. BUT we will see how far that desire takes me. It's weird but I have been feeling a desire to improve on all aspects of myself as I have been serving. I want to become a better writer. I am still not sure what I mean by better. I doubt that the thing I need to help me better express myself is more structure, but I am almost positive that an improved vocabulary would help me to be more....eloquent? IDK. These things, as small and insignificant as they seem, have the possibility to bring about great change in my life and the lives of others. I don't desire to write any differently than I think, so perhaps the greatest way to help my writing to grow is to continue to grow my mind. I know the Lord will help me to develop my talents so I can be more effective in His work.

On another note. Christmas was great. We ate dinner at the Augafa's home and they made the most delicious prime rib that I've ever had. It was sooo good. SO I ate two big pieces of it and all of the sides and what not and kind of slipped into a food coma as I sat down on their couch to let the food settle for a minute or two.  They are great!

We ended up seeing a few other families later in the evening but nothing really spectacular. You mentioned that I sounded bummed on the phone, I think I was just tired. But calling home definitely can make you trunky for a good bit. Ha ha.


All in all I loved my gifts. Today Elder Offley and I are going to go visit and hang out with some families from his old ward as we try to find an activity to participate in that will allow us to get out of our dress clothes.


I hate it when people try to spread anti-Mormon propaganda. It incites God-like rage in my heart towards them. The cunningness of the Adversary is unmatched but is often emulated by man. I won't discuss any of the "CLAIMS" that they tried to introduce via some flyers left on our car yesterday. I don't feel it necessary. They will never destroy the church. The newspapers across Illinois and Missouri on the day after the death of Joseph Smith in Carthage read "The End of Mormonism!"
They were wrong then and will remain forever wrong. To anyone who stumbles upon this blog the answer must be clear and Concise. BE WISE. Take it to God. Ask Him. Read and pray about the book of Mormon.

No one will ever destroy the church because they will never conquer the Truth that I know - that you can know. It will continue to spread and stand independent in the heart of every man, woman, or child that sincerely seeks truth from God for themselves. Our testimonies are given to us by God through his Holy Ghost in a manner that cannot be denied, nor imitated, nor forced. If you are a member and you feel that this is not how you feel, then I would admonish you to take up arms in this war for the liberty of our souls and to gain that solid testimony. I testify that this is given to all men who will seek it with a sincere heart. Heavenly Father wants you to be strong. He wants you to be able to stand on your own.

Well family I love you, I miss you, and I will see you again some day in the not too distant future.

Elder Britton Winterrose

It's Christmas Time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MO!!!

Well this week has been crazy. Not too crazy but still pretty crazy. I went to the Dr. then got my MRI. The Diagnosis is that I have a Stress Fractured Ankle (Bone Bruise) and that when fell, it tore up the cartilage in my ankle. None of the ligaments are torn and the bones basically just had all their insides crushed. The good news is that I won't need a cast, but I will have to stay on crutches for a while. Not really sure how long right now. It kind of just depends on how I am doing when I have my follow up visit in a week.

So I'm doing alright on my crutches right now. I'm getting around pretty well. No big problems.

I was actually pretty busy this week. I didn't end up getting to do the newspaper thing, so I went on splits on Wednesday. No worries. Then we had specialized training on planning and goal setting on Friday. It was very nice. My comp and I were struggling with many things but now we are working hard to work smarter and harder. I am 1000 times better now! Really, the Lord is answering all of our prayers.

Anyways, we had a pretty good week. We were able to start working with a new investigator and meet with a few families.

I love the holidays. I wish I had something more profound to say but I guess that the only thing that I could suggest would be focus on Christ to help make your holiday season more memorable. Focus on the Atonement. Let him change you. Take time for the deep, introspective, thought that is necessary to connect with your true desires, and connect those desires with Christ. The Atonement has the power to change your whole life. I can testify that, if you ask Him to root up those parts of you that you desire to depart from in order to become like Him, he will take them from you. It will feel as though you never even desired them.

One thing that I am diligently working on is my pride. Specifically, that part that causes me to contend with others and prevents understanding. Contention is the opposite of enlightenment. Contention is when truth is sought and shared but is distorted by fear, hatred, or that pride - and it prevents that communication. Satan tries to turn those truths into lies. I desire to enlighten. I feel that this is the ability to teach through love, to correct with love, to receive correction with love. To communicate. I really don't want to have the part of my heart that causes me to seek to verbally destroy those who are trying to help me or those who love me. It is complicated, but in the end very simple. I hope to be temperate.

I need humility, charity, faith and love. I need to put on the whole armor of God and bury the weapons of my rebellion; to cast aside that sword of selfishness and take up the tools needed to more fully build up His kingdom.

Oh and self restraint... when it comes to opening gifts.... SO I got my gifts. And my gloves. The gloves fit like a glove. Perfect. And see... when I was opening the postal boxes the tape caught the wrapping paper and kinda tore it and it all went down hill from there.... :) SO I opened it (the helicopter)! SO AWESOME hahah. Now I have something to do on p-days over at basketball while I'm crippled. And it was all down hill from there! Fret not! I did manage to restrain myself long enough to have my lovely companion snap some photos of my Christmas tree and my gifts! I am more excited to call home though! More than anything! WHOOT! I will be calling early, probably. So just be ready. And I will call way before 1pm.
I miss you guys so much. It's weird not being able to talk to you, but in a way I am use to it now. I will send you the pics. I don't know where you found all of that awesome Christmas Music for that nano but it is awesome. You got almost all of my favorite church hymns and missionary music. Sweetness. I downloaded the Christmas devotional and put it on there too. We missed it the first time but its all good! Haha. All in all the gifts were all well thought out and are fantastic!

I am thankful for crutches because if it wasn't for them I would be stuck not moving.

M., I want you to know that I love you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get your letter written and in the mail in time to be there on your birthday. I can't believe you are old enough to drive. Like it really scares me. Hahaha! I know you will be pro though. Just don't wreck the car or C. will be way ticked haha. I love you and I will send you a hand written letter soon. Get better. I will be praying for you. OH and ask dad for a blessing.

Shortest day of the year tomorrow! WHOOT! THAT MEANS TOMORROW THE SUN WILL BE OUT LONGER.

OH and the musical tie almost died when i forgot to take it off in my laggy drug-stupor when I had my MRI. But I remembered, and gave it to the guy. MRI's are amazing machines.

I made a section in my journal for all my million dollar ideas. I figure that one in ten ideas that I have had in the past have come true. Like 20 of them. So all I really need is ten. But the list is growing. I will try to be diligent about it.

I love you guys and I am way excited about getting to talk to you. Bottom line - I'm doing great now and I love you all. Have a very merry Christmas.

Love, Elder Britton Winterrose

This one is old - it's from Fairbanks. I saw him standing there with his pants on the ground and so I had Elder L. turn around and drive back past so I could take a Picture!