From: Eric Feller <eric.feller@myldsmail.net>
Date:
Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:02:07
Subject: Heey
This week was pretty crazy.
First of all, I forgot to tell you about my trip to New Mexico: We went to Pie
Town New Mexico, the pie shop was closed, and we came back. It was pretty
terrible.
Next! This week we had trainings in Show Low. Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday we drove down there every day to get special trainings from
our Mission President. It was pretty cool. It was all about asking inspired
questions to find the real needs and concerns of investigators, emphasizing a
need for having the spirit always. I already knew everything because it was
exactly what I learned in the MTC. But it was really good practice now that I'm
met real investigators and taught real lessons. We also got to watch The
District... 2! The first "The District" was a documentary about these
missionaries in San Antonio Texas. One of them taught at a meeting I was at in
the MTC. But it was cheesy and not that good I heard. They go though missionary
days and what they do and stuff. I never saw it. But The District 2 was about
these missionaries in San Diego California. (All the beach shots made me
trunky!(Homesick in missionary terms)) But they were using the new program and
it was awesome! I don't know who all reads this blog, but if you want to know
what missionary work is about, walk up to the local Mormon Church, find Bishop
Peterson, and demand a copy! Haha, tell him I sent you. I don't even know if
people can get copies of it yet... But try! Its really good. It shows the best
and worst parts about missionary work, and how the real goal is to make people
happy as they come to the gospel. And if you guys do find a way to watch it, pay
attention to the moment the spirit enters the room. Its awesome, you can really
feel it, even from the movie. OH! and The District movies are real missionaries
talking. No imputed lines or anything. All real. We were supposed to teach a few
lessons every night of the trainings but we only got to teach one on the first
night. One of the Assistants to the President came with us and we asked our
investigator some inspired questions! It was mostly me.. to be honest. more on
that later. But we found out that he hasn't read the Book of Mormon, wants to be
baptized, but wants to make sure that its true first. We told him to do that he
has to find the time to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, to know if it
was true, and to come to church to learn more and receive that witness. He said
he would, but didnt show up to church because of a family thing. Gahh. So
frustrating. But he felt bad about it at least, which is good. We'll make sure
he's there next week. Then! The reason we werent able to teach is because of the
Apache County fair! Its held in this little town and people from all over come
to it and its the hugest fair ever and the missionaries have to go because their
booth is like the hangout spot and they get so many contacts and referrals and
stuff. Thats what we were told. Then we sat in a booth for 2 days and talk to
twenty something people. I tried talking to a lot of people, but they dont want
to talk to you at the fair they just want to walk by and have fun. So it wasn't
as effective as it could've been. Plus, I was doing all the work, my companion
wasn't backing me up at all! Which makes talking to 100 people, like my goal
was, very hard. And the fair wasnt that big. I was expecting California State
Fair size the way our Ward Mission Leader was talking about it. But it was just
a dinky little thing. But I guess huge for where we are... It was fun though, we
went to the Rodeo friday night. My first Rodeo ever. It was kinda lame. They
said it was professional, but they werent that good. Elder Gunter is a
professional Team Roper (Two people rope a cow, the horns and the legs). In the
Pro Circut he's a rank 8 out of 10. Which is really high. He was better than
everyone there. Too bad he couldn't compete hahaha Oh well, it was still
interesting. Then Sunday we taught 2 lessons! One was a sunday school class
because we had 3 investigators who had not heard the first lesson. So Chad, our
famous Ward Mission Leader, had us teach it too the class. I started, then my
companion repeated what I said, then looked at me, and didn't say anything the
rest of the lesson! Not because he was training me or anything. He just didn't.
So I was only prepared to teach some principles, but I taught all of them. It
was hard and I said "and um" a lot apparently, because later Chad told me I did,
and that he wanted to work with me. The second lesson was a girl who already
knew everything, and could finally be baptized because she turned 18. There was
some mix up because she's in Gunter's area, but her fellowship is in ours. But
we taught her the first lesson and they're going to teach her the next 3 on
Sunday. Her parents wouldn't let her get baptized before. It went pretty good,
but I realized that I need to know the lessons better than I do. I don't want to
say too much bad stuff about my companion, until I get a new one next transfer,
which I will because Elder Gunter talked to our Zone Leaders for me, but he's
not qualified to train. And I feel like I've almost wasted a transfer just being
with him and knowing nothing. I thought it was just lack of Teaching
Opportunities, but no. He's a pretty bad teacher, and gets pissed at me for
everything.. I just let it go, but its starting to bother me. I'm new! I don't
know anything, that's why I'm asking. But next week I'll go into more detail.
But when we were on exchanges, and I had Elder Russ with me, we talked to Chad
and he told me what I had been thinking for a while. I dont think Chad likes him
either, so I have a feeling he'll be gone at transfers. Chad has influence like
that.. its scary. So now I'm excited for transfers. More on the story next week.
Hopefully.
Thanks everybody for the fast! I hope I see the blessings of
it! Here, or if I move to a different place next week. But I hope the blessings
are felt here anyways! The area needs it. I dont want to say that its because of
"the missionaries here" but it might be. Obedience and how hard the missionaries
work has a lot to do with how well the area does. And its not me. don't worry...
I've still got that greenie fire! I saw this because me and Elder Russ did
pretty good in the two days we were together in my area. I really shouldn't be
talking bad about my companion and area, but its the truth and I want you to
know that. But I really do appreciate everyone thinking of me. :D
ARIZONA
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Last Ones!
 |
| Breakfast! |
 |
| This bug looks like a leaf. Gunter shot it with a bb gun. His first kill in 8 months. He's a hunter from Idaho. |
 |
| The roping dummy we have in front of our house. |
Even More Pictures!
 |
| Me in our house. That huge picture of Christ is awesome. and I borrowed that tie. |
 |
| My watch sunburn |
 |
| My comp playing the piano. And some huge scriptures. |
 |
| All our bikes |
 |
| Mouse hunting! |
More More More Pictures
 |
| My mission car. I wish. |
 |
| Me and my MTC comp, Elder Carpenter, at the Mesa Temple |
 |
| Across the street from where we stayed in Tempe |
 |
| Our real mission truck. |
 |
| Saint Johns sunset |
More More Pictures
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| Elder Horseley (Madagascar) and I. |
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| Elder Clark and I. Studliest Missionary ever. |
 |
| Elder Eggers and I. |
 |
| Map of all the missions in the world! |
 |
| My name tag. |
More Pictures!
 |
| Me and Elder Case, my MTC district Leader. and a way cool guy. |
 |
| Captain Jolley and I. MTC Zone Leader going to Mongolia |
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| Captain Wilson and I. MTC Zone Leader going to Mongolia |
 |
| a Tag in Malaysian |
 |
| Mongolian Tag |
Piiiiiiiiictures!
So
not a whole loit happened this week. So I'll just send all my pictures and
stuff. Oh! one cool thing happened. I dont remember if I said anything but a few
weeks ago the other greenie and I went on exchanges and met this guy who was a
"golden investigator" and invited us to his non-denominational bible study
friday night. I was really excited, like I found someone that was about to be
baptized. but it was in the other missionaries area, and they were expecting a
bible bash trap. but the guy was really nice, and their bible study went good.
They didnt get a whole lot of chances to talk about the church. They went back
the next week and found out on their way there that the guy was a member of
another church, and his job in that church was to waste the missionaries time,
and this week he was going to get caught up on "the sabbath being on Sunday." So
they went in knowing this, and it happened. They tried to show him with the
scriptures, and they told me he almost cried when they were testifying and
stuff. Yeah. So Elder Gunter came back and prepared a whole thing on why the
sabath is on sunday (because Christ was resurected on a sunday duhhh) and he's
going back next friday to slap him in the face with it. so yeah. Its picture
time!
 |
a
picture from college. I never want to lose it. hahaha.
|
 |
| me and my roommates from college in the MTC at the same time |
 |
| my mtc district. |
 |
| a tag in Malagasi (Madagascar) |
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| me, Sister Wong(malaysia), and Elder Slater (Madagascar) |
Friday, September 3, 2010
Daniel vs An Apostle!
08/31/2010
Yeah.
So I guess a lot happened this week. First of all this is pretty awesome: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/church-in-talks-to-regularize-activities-in-china
I miss the real news sometimes...
and I don't have my camera because we came straight to email from the snowflake temple this morning. Its a cool little temple. They have all these Native American designs and stuff in there. But yeah, so no pictures.... ): next week!
The biggest thing that happened this week that I couldn't mention was happening before was we went down to "The Valley" aka Tempe, to see L. Tom Perry! We drove from Saint Johns to Show Low and had a "slumber party" with the ZL's and some other elders in this huge mansion that was built to look like a log cabin. It was sweet! It was in this neighborhood that was a forest. Then we woke up early and I showered on the third floor, even though we stayed on the first and it was dark and I almost fell down all the stairs. Thats not important, I just thought I'd share. But then we drove though the Salt River Canyon, which was a awesome and beautiful drive, down though Globe, then into Tempe. It was hot. Hotter than up here in the mountains. I met up with my district leader from the MTC and my MTC comp. It was cool. Then Elder Perry and Elder Hallstrom came in and we were listening to elder Hallstrom and I got a stupid bloody nose! So I had to walk out of the chapel holding my nose, WHILE Elder Hallstrom is talking, Elder Perry is sitting on the stand, and my Mission President is probably thinking about sending me to Yuma all next summer. So I dont really remember what he was talking about because I came back and he was almost done. Something about teaching. Then Elder Perry spoke. He talked about Elder Holland's 5 things for teaching. and then told us things we had to have a testimony of, so that we could teach it, and he bore testimony every time. It was awesome hearing 5 different live testimonies from an apostle of Christ. Every time he started to bear testimony his voice got a lot louder and you could really feel the spirit. It was awesome.
But then we ate at some Deli in Tempe that was expensive and not that good.
Anyways, its still hard to get a whole lot of teaching opportunities up here in saint johns. We did finally meet with this one guy who we've been trying to meet for forever, and we forgot to start with a prayer, because we really didn't have a plan to teach him, he just needs to stop smoking. and it was terrible! I'm never not having a prayer at a lesson ever again. It was worse than when me and Elder Carpenter did that in the mtc...
Dad asked me about my personal and companion study. I mostly focus on the lessons, because I dont know them well enough and cant teach them very well yet. Well, I do alright, but I can do a lot better. And comp study is pretty much the same thing. We train on lessons and missionary skills and other things from our "red handbook" that we only get in the Arizona Tempe Mission. It had talks and other helpful things on it. Like 10 pages on bible bashing scriptures! Just kidding, its called "resolving concerns" but is pretty much a bible bashing scripture gold mine.
Mom asked me
1. How is your ward?
2. Are you and your companion getting along?
3. Do you ever ride your bike or do you mostly use the truck?
4. Do you like email, snail mail, or a combination of both?
1. I have 3 wards and they're pretty good. Some better than others. Our best ward for missionary work has the best Ward Mission Leader, surprise surprise. But Chad is awesome. We go to him for pretty much anything. He runs a machine shop in town and does engines and stuff. He converted like 5 years ago or something. But he's really cool.
2. My companion and I are fine. I don't really question him because he's my trainer. I just kinda do what he says. Plus I'm not very hard to get a long with, so I dont think I'll have companion problems unless they're really bad. My companion's getting old. He's almost 20 months! So I think he's getting a little "trunky" (homesick/thinking about going home)
3. We ride bikes a little bit. Because we're low on miles. I had to buy a new bike seat and a new tube. Already got a flat. And that bike seat was killing me...
4. I like both. Snail mail is nice because I don't have to read it in my email time, but whatever. Snail mail costs and its no big deal. So both is fine.
And when I say my comp is getting old, I mean like in mission years. They say weird stuff like "born" and "died" for stuff. For example, I was "born" in Saint Johns, because its my first area. I could "die" as a zone leader in Yuma someday. Born=first area, die=when you go home. Daddy=trainer. yeah. Weird stuff like that. Someone didn't know I was new, and asked me where I was born and I looked at him weird and said "...Los Angeles" and then he looked at me weird and said "...what?" Yeah it was awkward.
Anyways, I'm probably going to New Mexico today to a wide spot in the road called pie town. There's two pie shops there or something and that's it... Whatever, I don't care, I want to go to New Mexico.
Oh and we're allowed an "appropiate lappel pin" for our suits, so I want a little California Flag one. Represent, 916, thug life, you know. Whatever. No big deal. So yeah, if next time you send me a package, send a little square CA flag pin. oooh and if you can fine one the revolutionary war flag uhh the snake one that says "dont tread on me" that would make a sweet pin too. Yeah. Awesome. Gotta go
Elder Daniel Feller
Yeah.
So I guess a lot happened this week. First of all this is pretty awesome: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/church-in-talks-to-regularize-activities-in-china
I miss the real news sometimes...
and I don't have my camera because we came straight to email from the snowflake temple this morning. Its a cool little temple. They have all these Native American designs and stuff in there. But yeah, so no pictures.... ): next week!
The biggest thing that happened this week that I couldn't mention was happening before was we went down to "The Valley" aka Tempe, to see L. Tom Perry! We drove from Saint Johns to Show Low and had a "slumber party" with the ZL's and some other elders in this huge mansion that was built to look like a log cabin. It was sweet! It was in this neighborhood that was a forest. Then we woke up early and I showered on the third floor, even though we stayed on the first and it was dark and I almost fell down all the stairs. Thats not important, I just thought I'd share. But then we drove though the Salt River Canyon, which was a awesome and beautiful drive, down though Globe, then into Tempe. It was hot. Hotter than up here in the mountains. I met up with my district leader from the MTC and my MTC comp. It was cool. Then Elder Perry and Elder Hallstrom came in and we were listening to elder Hallstrom and I got a stupid bloody nose! So I had to walk out of the chapel holding my nose, WHILE Elder Hallstrom is talking, Elder Perry is sitting on the stand, and my Mission President is probably thinking about sending me to Yuma all next summer. So I dont really remember what he was talking about because I came back and he was almost done. Something about teaching. Then Elder Perry spoke. He talked about Elder Holland's 5 things for teaching. and then told us things we had to have a testimony of, so that we could teach it, and he bore testimony every time. It was awesome hearing 5 different live testimonies from an apostle of Christ. Every time he started to bear testimony his voice got a lot louder and you could really feel the spirit. It was awesome.
But then we ate at some Deli in Tempe that was expensive and not that good.
Anyways, its still hard to get a whole lot of teaching opportunities up here in saint johns. We did finally meet with this one guy who we've been trying to meet for forever, and we forgot to start with a prayer, because we really didn't have a plan to teach him, he just needs to stop smoking. and it was terrible! I'm never not having a prayer at a lesson ever again. It was worse than when me and Elder Carpenter did that in the mtc...
Dad asked me about my personal and companion study. I mostly focus on the lessons, because I dont know them well enough and cant teach them very well yet. Well, I do alright, but I can do a lot better. And comp study is pretty much the same thing. We train on lessons and missionary skills and other things from our "red handbook" that we only get in the Arizona Tempe Mission. It had talks and other helpful things on it. Like 10 pages on bible bashing scriptures! Just kidding, its called "resolving concerns" but is pretty much a bible bashing scripture gold mine.
Mom asked me
1. How is your ward?
2. Are you and your companion getting along?
3. Do you ever ride your bike or do you mostly use the truck?
4. Do you like email, snail mail, or a combination of both?
1. I have 3 wards and they're pretty good. Some better than others. Our best ward for missionary work has the best Ward Mission Leader, surprise surprise. But Chad is awesome. We go to him for pretty much anything. He runs a machine shop in town and does engines and stuff. He converted like 5 years ago or something. But he's really cool.
2. My companion and I are fine. I don't really question him because he's my trainer. I just kinda do what he says. Plus I'm not very hard to get a long with, so I dont think I'll have companion problems unless they're really bad. My companion's getting old. He's almost 20 months! So I think he's getting a little "trunky" (homesick/thinking about going home)
3. We ride bikes a little bit. Because we're low on miles. I had to buy a new bike seat and a new tube. Already got a flat. And that bike seat was killing me...
4. I like both. Snail mail is nice because I don't have to read it in my email time, but whatever. Snail mail costs and its no big deal. So both is fine.
And when I say my comp is getting old, I mean like in mission years. They say weird stuff like "born" and "died" for stuff. For example, I was "born" in Saint Johns, because its my first area. I could "die" as a zone leader in Yuma someday. Born=first area, die=when you go home. Daddy=trainer. yeah. Weird stuff like that. Someone didn't know I was new, and asked me where I was born and I looked at him weird and said "...Los Angeles" and then he looked at me weird and said "...what?" Yeah it was awkward.
Anyways, I'm probably going to New Mexico today to a wide spot in the road called pie town. There's two pie shops there or something and that's it... Whatever, I don't care, I want to go to New Mexico.
Oh and we're allowed an "appropiate lappel pin" for our suits, so I want a little California Flag one. Represent, 916, thug life, you know. Whatever. No big deal. So yeah, if next time you send me a package, send a little square CA flag pin. oooh and if you can fine one the revolutionary war flag uhh the snake one that says "dont tread on me" that would make a sweet pin too. Yeah. Awesome. Gotta go
Elder Daniel Feller
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