Learning with the Spirit

Making sure the new rain gear is really water-proof

Well, talk about an awesome week. Elder L. is awesome. We are like two nerdy peas in a geek pod. I think part of the reason we get along so well is because he is a lot like Sam...  He is super obedient and really supportive of any righteous desire, and so am I. It's fun being with a companion who is willing to be brave and try new things with me! It's kinda nerve racking but it's still awesome!

Fairbanks is awesome! It's so stinking warm though. I thought the benefit of serving in Alaska was that it was gonna be nice and cool. I thought wrong. Well the missionary work is improving drastically as we are getting more and more settled in and being more and more obedient. There really is this crazy correlation with the amount of missionary work a missionary has and how obedient they are about all the little rules... which is good because it helps keep me motivated to do all those little things. I'm still far from perfect, but Heavenly Father knows I'm trying and He loves and blesses me for it.

Still Far From Perfect...

I am glad to hear that my brothers are still playing hard without me. One of the biggest trials of obedience on my mission is having to stifle my urge to go out and do all of the awesome, fun, crazy things that I would normally do. Sometimes I slip... :) but I keep trying to be good.

I love missionary work. I love the feeling that I get when the spirit guides my companion to where we need to go, then lets us know what questions to ask and what to say, and how the spirit is there workin-it the whole time we are working.

The other day we were out trying to contact an investigator and there were all of these 20-somethings chilling out on the front porch of this apartment complex and they were all drinking and talking. We walked up to the apartment where our investigator lives and this one dude was just being totally belligerent; swearing, cussing and being crude... like really messed-up crude. His language made the worst x-box live lobbies seem clean and wholesome by comparison. Anyways he kept trying to get a rouse out of us and his friends were just sitting back and watching him and they looked ashamed of him. I started a conversation with one of his friends and we were able to talk, unfazed by the moron to our left, about the gospel. The guy seemed genuinely interested. Anyways he asked for our phone number and said that he would contact us later... hasn't contacted us yet, but it was amazing that we were able to stand there and testify in spite of the adversary being present and trying to break us down. I didn't get mad, irritated, or flustered and neither did my companion. I've never had that strength before, and I know looking back at the situation our examples stood out to those other guys our age. Even after we left, my companion and I were completely unfazed by the entire situation. I felt like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego standing in the fire but remaining unconsumed by the furnace. It must have strengthened their testimony as it did mine, but the Bible also teaches us how it impacted the other people who saw that happen...

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the ^afire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats ^bchanged, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

  28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his ^aangel, and delivered his servants that ^btrusted in him, and ^chave changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

  29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be ^acut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can ^bdeliver after this sort. 

I got the business cards, they look awesome! I love 'em! Also tell Poot thanks for the post card, I got it today! Sounds like he had a pretty exciting time doing the Zip Lines!!

If the concert is Tech-Nine then No... definitely not a place you would want to let Poot and M. go at their age. Yeah No... Ha ha maybe when they can drive themselves.

I'm kinda freaking out though because I just realized M. is gonna be driving come December......... whoa. Not to mention how big he and D. are getting! I always thought you were just teasing me when you said that they were gonna end up taller than me... Now I'm beginning to fear that you may be right!

Well I hope you are all having a delightful summer and I hope you have fun! Love, Elder Winterrose!

PS. I really hope you didn't turn my room into a sewing room...

In Fairbanks with Elder Loomis

Hello family!

I'm glad to hear that the trip down to Utah went well! It sounds like everyone had a blast! I'm proud of Poot for being brave and going for the eel and squid! That was very brave of him! With sushi many of my favorite ones are some of the more weird kinds. That place is the place that grandpa took me as my last meal before I entered the MTC... It sounds like everyone had a blast and I hope the brothers just take all that they learned and focus on it. EFY was always amazing for me because no matter how delinquent or off the track I was, it was a time that would remind me who I am, and what my potential is. Like a spiritual booster shot. Not to mention all the cute girls you meet there! Hahah. MO!.... 'Nuff said.

I can't believe C. is turning 19... then again I can't believe I'm already on my mission... Some times it just hits me and all I can think is, "Whoa...!"

I miss the members from Valdez, but Fairbanks is wonderful. My companion, Elder L., and I get along like two peas in a pod... He has a sense of humor like SamSamBean. It's such a blast serving with him! ALSO he is like Uber-obedient. We have already had so many wonderful teaching experiences.

Like just the other night, we had 15 minutes left. It had been the slowest friggin day ever. We tried to contact EVERYONE... and all of our lessons just kept calling and canceling. But we were diligent. I was ready to give up, so I just didn't say anything. We drove all the way back home and we sat there in the truck,(WE FINALLY HAVE A TRUCK) and pondered for a minute. Just sat and listened to the silence. Then he said,"I know who we are going to go visit." So we went to this less-active member's house and just happened to catch her on her way out, but we started talking. (Talking as a missionary means trying to address her needs and helping her.) It felt like it was going nowhere, she was having some issues with people in her life, compounded by a divorce, and was angry. It's so important to listen, and then ask bold questions as the spirit directs. After she got done telling us why she didn't want to come to church, I asked her, "Sister, when did you first realize that the church is true?" That's when she broke down. It was a humbling experience for me, because the spirit was able to work through me to help this sister realize that what she needed was help... help that only the spirit could deliver. She even decided on her own that she needed to go back to church. We left her home with the hymn,"Count Your Blessings" and a prayer.

As we were walking back to the car we were talking about how it went and all we could both say is, "This is why we are here." This is why I am serving a mission. Because there is no experience more amazing than the Lord working through you to help His children.

One last thing, Always thank the Lord for your spiritual experiences. First thing, right after you feel it.

That was probably the highlight of my week, oh but the best part was, that she came to church the next day! And she paid her tithing, and she met with the bishop.

I heard that some times in your mission you will be lucky enough to have that companion that you can trust perfectly, and they trust you and you will be able to work uber effectively together... I think that's what I've got here and it's wonderful.

Well, now for a little about Fairbanks. It's warm, and there is like a massive wild fire somewhere a ways away. It fills the sky with smoke and makes my allergies CRAZY. But luckily they are having a really wet summer with lots of rain, so it keeps the air pretty clean. The people seem really nice. There is a lot of work to do, especially less active work. In our ward there is around 400 people, but only 100 or so are active.... It's nuts! A lot of people come up here, it seems, to run away from the church. SILLY PEOPLE. You can't run away from the church. They will always find you. And you will always do something to blow your cover, then they will sic the missionaries on you. :)

Only bummer... the fishing isn't like it is in Valdez.... :( But I will FIND FISH!!!

Transfers were good. I got to see Elder V., who is now HOME IN PARADISE, and I said farewell to Elder C., who is now serving in Anchorage YSA. I drove to transfers which was good and bad; Bad because it took like 12 hours of driving and I pretty much covered the entire state in one day, good though because I was able to bring an EXTRA suitcase filled with all the crap I accumulated in Valdez! :)

Oh and yes I do know Elder S., he is the Zone Leader in my zone and he is currently sitting right next to me. I told him that my mother cyber-stalks him via his blog. Hahah. Seriously though, he is an awesome missionary. Super-obedient and a tracting machine.

This week my comp and I set a goal to get over our tracting fears and go track lots. I guess by telling you, it will set my goal in stone and hold me accountable. Hahahah.

Well I love you all and hope for the best!

Love Elder Winterrose

Fairbanks 2nd Ward! My new home.

Well transfers are upon us and my companion and I are both being transferred. I hope it helps this area. I love Valdez, and the people here with all my heart. This area is doing great and we are seeing a lot of doors opening up. I just hope it continues to thrive and that the next missionaries will mesh well with the personalities of the investigators and the members. I trust the the Lord and I am confident that it will all work out.

I'm stinking excited that I get to go to Fairbanks! It's gonna be awesome. It's gonna be way different than serving in a small area where I know more than half of the people who live there. I imagine it will be kind of like serving in the Tri-Cities. I heard there's some good fishing up around there too! So who knows!!!

It's very bitter-sweet getting transferred, but I will get to see my trainer, Elder V., at transfers in Eagle River. I was really hoping that I would get to see him again because he is going home in 4 days!!!!  HOLY CRAP!! 4 Days left on his mission. I don't even want to think about going home till 2012... as Sister Dance told another missionary, "That's space-ages away...."

Well, I apologize for the short length and spiritually-dry letter. My mind is tumbling in a maelstrom of emotions........ Excitement, worry, happiness, and a little bit of fear. But I'm really not afraid, because I know that it's the Lord's will.
FIRST FREAKIN TRANSFER.

Well I have loads of laundry and packing to do. And very little time to do it. I'm gonna miss this town, but I can't wait to get to Fairbanks.

Till next time!

Love,

Elder Britton Winterrose