Week #47 Letter

We are not going to attack, right, now!!!! 

Well, we're not going to:)

Hello everyone! It is so good to be back here with you in this fine email letter. I wish I could talk to all your beautiful faces but that just isn't possible. So this will suffice. As you can tell from the subject of this email, it was my birthday this past Friday. (Insert happy birthday saying here) and we got some surprising news at Trainer Trainee meeting this past week about Facebook. But you can read to find out what exactly that is:) Cause I am mean that way and I want to make sure you actually read the email and not skip to the pictures. So, here is summaries of the day 41: (Not actually week 41 I think but just what I have for my record. I think I am on week 43 or something like that.)

7-18-16

"He who says he can, and he who says he can't, are both usually right." Preparation day! But today wasn't as exciting as the past couple weeks. We went shopping after studies and ate lunch at chipotle. Then went home and hung around our apartment all afternoon with the Spanish elders. After preparation day ended, we went and picked up elder Liljenquist's stuff for our exchange and dropped off elder Johnson's stuff but didn't exchange yet. They had a lesson so they both wanted to go to that so elder Johnson and I went to Inwood to knock and found a friendly family. They had seen missionaries before and was down to talk. We first talked about their faith and ours too which lead into the restoration lesson. It was cool but they aren't ones to convert at all. But they are super friendly and nice and invites us back anytime. Then we went and exchanged and I'm with elder Liljenquist for the day:) 

7-19-16

"Go faster, must go faster. Go faster, faster, faster! " I'm tired and exhausted like never before. It was an interesting day but also a long one and a fast one, all at the same time. We went to service and did framing there. Ate lunch at a pizzeria nearby and then continued framing afterwards. After that, we went home and cleaned up and ate dinner. Went to a lesson with this referral and taught her the plan of salvation as she was already taught the restoration. It was an awesome lesson and had some cool experiences during it. Then the madness happened. We went to exchange but realized elder Liljenquist had his stuff still at home and so we went and got that. Went to the other elders apartment to exchange, they sent a text they are going to be late and so we went to pick up the other 2 Spanish elders and waited for them as we told them in a few minutes but went immediately so not their fault. Then went back to the apartment to exchange but waited 45 min for them to get there to get a call that is basically they will be another 30 min and so I decided to just exchange tomorrow as it is 9:45 already. Went and dropped off the other elders and went home. And as soon as all of that was done, it was 10:30 on the dot. Time for bed. And repeat again tomorrow. So still with elder Liljenquist.  

7-20-16

"Please, stay here. And don't do anything...stupid. Ok? " Almost back to a normal day. We had trainer trainee meeting today and we first exchanged early in the morning and headed to Rego. The meeting went until 3:30 and was pretty fun being on the trainer end of it. Already know what they are going to talk about and get a refresher on it. Then headed home and got home in time for dinner. Ate and then went and exchanged with elder messenger and Roland for a handoff lesson. I went with elder messenger to the lesson and exchanged back. It was a super short and simple lesson as the man we taught is super old but super nice and willing to read the Book of Mormon. Then contacted on Mott till we went to the church for a lesson with Iderle but she didn't answer so we continued talking to people and taught 2 guys both named Omar. And we saw their driver's license so they could prove they had the same name. Taught them on the street and went through the restoration in simple terms. And then headed on home. Good to be back to normal schedule.  

7-21-16

"I couldn't have asked for a better district." -Elder Heaton. Yes I did just quote myself but I do love my district. They are the best and had 2 surprises for me today! So we started off with the regular study schedule and lunch afterwards. Then we went to the church to finish our online safeguards stuff as we had a big surprise yesterday at trainer trainee meeting. President Reynolds said we are getting Facebook by the end of the month! After that, we went contacting on the street and then went to district meeting. It was just elder messenger and Roland and the two of us at the beginning as the sister were on their way home from exchanges and the other 2 were in Manhattan for a doctors appointment. The sisters showed up half way through and at the very end, elder messenger and Roland brought in a cake with a 19 in it made out of toothpicks! They sang and we had cake. Surprise #1. Then we had dinner and went contacting by the church until I had branch presidency meeting. That was cool to be in but it was another meeting. Went to visit an investigator and talked about the Book of Mormon for a sec but had to leave as they were on their way out the door so we made a return appointment for tomorrow. Went to the church to surprise sister Lilly as yesterday was her birthday but as soon as I walked in, they all sang to me. The entire district was there and the Lilly's and then we sang to sister Lilly. The district even got me a present. They all bought me a hulk buster lego set:) so nice and the Lilly's made cake so we had cake and went home. Surprise #2. It was a fun day and it was all thanks to the district. Well, this 18 year old is signing off for good. Goodnight! 

7-22-16

"Low flow shower heads? I don't like the sound of that." It was a fun day today:) so we did our studies and went to the church. Ate lunch at McDonald's and then went to the church to try to modify our Facebook's more as we have no idea what we are doing and there are some certain settings the mission requires for Facebook. We think we figured it out with the help of Elder Messenger who was here before Facebook got banned. He's old. Then we did our weekly planning and went to Chipotle for dinner. Knocked around Inwood for Prime Time and tried to visit some members but they weren't home. Then contacted by the church until the end of the night and went home. It was a fun day for mission standards, doesn't sound like it but it was. :)  

7-23-16

"I reject your reality and substitute my own." Well, pretty average day. We had a lesson at 10 so we went to it and drove around to look for parking. And continued to look. And a little more looking. Until after 45 min of driving around looking for parking, we gave up. Saturday's are a popular day for people to go to the beach, who would have thought, huh? So we went to the church and did 12 week and then went home and ate lunch. Went to the church for correlation and then went to go to a lesson with Daniel but he wasn't home so did some knocking. Went home and ate dinner and then went to a lesson with Maurine, a lady we taught last week, but she had company and went to visit our referral that wanted us to drop off a bible and Book of Mormon. Dropped it off but weren't able to teach as they were very busy. Ugh. And then went back to see Daniel but no one answered so we knocked and went contacting by the church till the end of the night. Great day of cancelled lessons. 

7-24-16

"I have a plan, attack." It was an interesting day today. All thanks to a member named brother Beaty. So we had church and it was less stressful this week so it was nice. Got to go and learn new things in Sunday school and did tithing after church. Then went with brother Beaty to see sister Harvey. So brother Beaty was a member that lived here 3 years ago and he is visiting for 3 weeks for some med school program or something like that and will be staying at a member's home here. He went with us to see her and invited us over for dinner and talked about the branch and what we can do to help it. Then went by the SIddoway's and weren't able to teach them as they were busy but got a return appointment for tomorrow. Went contacting by the church till the end of the night and went home and made the calls to the district. So much fun:) 

So sorry about the font and everything. Weird coloring and sizing. Don't know how to fix on the iPad when I copy it from notes to email. But whatever, you can read it. So Facebook, we are getting Facebook by the end of the month according to president Reynolds. This Friday's ZTM is what that will be all about so we get to find out more on Friday. 

My birthday was also really fun thanks to the district. They made it a special day. Thanks to everyone that sent a happy birthday email! I saw them all and also saw the ones on Facebook thanks to mom:) 

So for our investigators, not much has changed but we are trying to follow up with potentials and those we have taught very recently to determine if they are interested or not. That is what we will be working on this week along with the less active list. We will be going around to ever member's home and getting to know them or determine where they are. Gonna be a fun week with brother Beaty as we do this. 

Love you all and miss you. I will see you in the next email! By-bye! 

-Elder HĘÅTØÑ