Daniel vs Being Busy

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:38:10 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

We had a crazy week! Tuesday was interviews with the Mission President. It was really good. Except we didnt get home until about 5 o clock so the rest of our evening got thrown off. President Howes really amazes me at how well he knows every single missionary. In my interview he just talked about my District, each person specifically and their needs. It was crazy!

Then on Thursday we had a visiting General Authority! Elder Wilson of the second quorum on the 70 came and spoke to us. It was from 9 in the morning until about 4-5. President and Sister Howes spoke, then Elder Wright, the area 70 here, and then Sister Wilson, then Elder Wilson. Then after lunch Sister Wilson talked about the common born-again argument against the church about "grace and works", which was a very complex answer that a lot of us didn't completely get, and then Elder Wilson talked again and opened the floor to questions.

Friday we spent applying our new training from the Assistants on our weekly planning, but then I had to bike way into Mesa in my suit to do a baptismal interview for the sisters. It went really well, except in the middle of the interview the girl I was interviewing told me I had pretty eyes, so I wrapped it up quick... It is really cool to interview these people who are so ready to be baptized. Its awesome to see the excitement in them as they are preparing.

Then Saturday we had to help Amanda move, and then had a ward Halloween party at night. We sat down and were eating food next to some of our friends in the ward, and at the same table was some non-members and no one told us! She got up and left to go get food and then her friend came over and was like "that was my neighbor!" and we're like, "Why didn't you tell us!?" Remember: It is impossible for missionaries with 300+ members at any given time to know who's who. I had 1200+ members in Queen Creek. You have to tell the missionaries if you want them to talk to them!

Then on Sunday we had to go to church, hurry and hop over to another ward to try and catch some investigators that didn't show and then race back to the other building to speak in the singles ward and then we left early to go prepare for Amanda's baptism, then we had a baptism and after we had to get a ride over to another church building to interview the other sisters candidate for baptism, then we went home to take some study time so I could prepare for District Meeting, but then we couldnt because we had to go to Amanda's house to give her some church DVDs we forgot to give her.

Whew.

But the baptism was amazing! The spirit was really strong and she really felt it. Her and her son Joseph were baptized, and after he went to church yesterday, her other son Christopher wants to get baptized as well. Joseph asked me to baptize him, and that was really cool. Amanda asked the Bishop to baptize her. She jokingly said it was because she wanted to make sure it was the right authority! We explained that lots of people could do it, but she still wanted the bishop. So it was really good. It was the first baptism of my mission that came from street contacting, even though I wasn't here when they started teaching her.

Also, wait let me explain, So Elder Krueger has my number back in Queen Creek so he could call me if he had any questions, because he was so fresh and didnt know the area. He called me before and told me that Bro. Powell had told him that he wasn't really waiting to talk to his parents, but he still believed that the Catholic church had that authority, and I was devastated! I felt like I had failed! But then called me on Sunday night and said he went over and had a throw-down lesson with him about the restoration and bro powell got back to him later and said he thought about what he said and would probably get baptized this year! It took me a second to realize that there's only two months left this year and then I was supper happy!

Love,

Elder Feller

Finally Pictures! These computers at MCC are bad at pictures, but I have conquered them!

Amanda's baptism

Last day in Queen Creek

Presents for Elder Krueger

This was taped on my desk, which is across from my companions desk.

Daniel vs Time

Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:40:36 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

This has been a long, slow week. We hardly taught!

Ada got in a car accident early on in the week and then because of it she drank again, which she had really been trying not to do. But it worked out, we had a really good lesson with her. She talks a lot and usually we can guide it to where she works out her own problems. I pointed out at the end of the lesson that she used the phrase "I know.." 3 times in connection with her new found testimony of God and her relationship with him. She had been struggling with faith a lot and so this was a huge and amazing step! But everything is going really well now. Her faith is continually growing. Now we have her focusing on the Book of Mormon, and we're still working towards baptism.

I did my first District Training and exchanges this week! I trained on effective study and preparing to teach and Elder Netzley and I tore it up in his area for a day. It was really fun, and I definitely learned more than I was able to teach taught. But we didn't really have much time because of everything going on.

We were able to put Amanda and Joseph back on date on Sunday! Our lessons got delayed all week so we made sure we got them to church by scheduling a lesson right after. We focused on Joseph, because he's 8, making sure he understands everything so he can be baptized. He's a really smart and really good kid. He remembered pretty much everything from the Joseph Smith movie at the visitors center. So the plan is for them to be baptized next Sunday evening.

Friday morning we stopped by a garage sale advertized as and "LDS Book Sale" and I found a copy of Mormon Doctrine for a dollar! The funny thing was, our Mission Nurse showed up before I could buy it and gave me $20  to buy stuff. So I got an old D&C and some stickers of the LA Temple, and still have $17 to spare!

Really, nothing much else happened this week.

Love,

Elder Feller

Daniel vs Falling Off Date!

Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:07:46 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

We had a crazy week.
So when I got to this area there was 5 people on date to be baptized, now there are zero. Its not my fault though! But were working on fixing it.
Three of them was Amanda and her two kids. One of her kids is 12 and is pretty typical. Kinda lazy and not really into anything. So its hard to get him into the lessons and keep him on track. But the rest of the family really wants to be baptized! We took her to the visitors center and watched the Joseph Smith movie, and after we went to see the statue of Christ, and she told the sister missionary there that she really wanted to be baptized. She said she would definitely be at church this week but she wasn't... I guess her younger kid was sick.. So she cant be baptized this weekend, but hopefully next. She's gotta get to church!
Then the next one was this guy named Bob. He talks a lot and gets off on tangents about how he's not a stalker and this girl named Carla needs to forgive him... Its pretty interesting. But I asked him why he wanted to get baptized and he said, "So I could hopefully get a job." Yeah... then we talked to him about what baptism means and he texted us the next morning saying "Tonight might be our last meeting, I think you guys are trying to convert me." So we made plans to go over, but the ward made me do splits with the priests, so I went with some of them to visit some poeple the bishop gave us while my companion, the ward mission leader, and a priest went to go teach Bob. The verdict was that he still wants to go to church, but doesn't want us to teach him anymore... So maybe someday.
The last one is Ada. She's an awesome investigator, but has some big concerns and is struggling with her family accepting her changing right now. She has two crazy concerns, the first is that she doesnt even know if she's feeling the spirit, or just her emotions. So we're building her faith to cope with that. And the other is she doesnt feel worthy to be baptized yet... And we're working on that too. She is excited to be baptized though. We took her to the Mission Presidents Fireside last night and she met President Howes. They both joked a little bit about taking the missionary who was here before me away, and then President asked her why she wasnt baptized, and then encouraged her to prepare to do so. It was pretty intense, especially when her family came up. But it was good, hopefully. She was kinda weird about it after, but I think it really made her think.
And were not the only ones with people falling off date. The whole zone is having a problem with it. I set a pretty high goal because we had lots of people, but we've lost a lot of them... so my goal is a little over the top now... The district is having a hard time, but were really working on it. Its just tough out there! But I've been praying about what skills we need to work on, and we're going to talk about it in district meeting.
Love,
Elder Feller

Daniel vs The Chandler Curse

Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:28:04 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

I'm am now the District Leader of the Mesa 2nd District. But my area is in Chandler! Consider the Chandler Curse fulfilled! (Chandler Curse: Mission legend that if you serve in Chandler once, you WILL serve there either a) Forever. or b) Twice!) My new companion is Elder Cunningham from West Jordan, Utah. He's a good guy, but just kinda quiet and calm. So because no one lives with us, I'm going stir-crazy all the time!
I really miss Queen Creek! I had so many good and bad times there, but I love it. I would definitely move back there. I just wish some certain things that I feel like I went there to do were accomplished before I left. Its hard knowing that those things didn't get finished before it was my time to go. Of course, I blame myself and think I could've done better or tried harder or been more persistent, but the hardest thing to remember is peoples agency. But I'm not done with them yet! I've instructed Elder Krueger well what to be focusing on. Man, I miss that guy too! My last few days in Queen Creek were awesome! Elder Livermore's companion went home and so he hung out with us for a few days. We had a lot of fun. We even got to teach a lesson to a drunk guy who was talking about suicide. Apparently it wasn't out of the normal for him, but Elder Krueger and I were kinda nervous because we didn't know.
But we spent my last day saying bye to everyone.
Not much to report here. I'm pretty sure people are going to be mad at me because a bunch of people fell off date this last week. But these people did not have a firm understanding that they were going to be baptized those days, and so they were not doing everything necessary to prepare for it. But we will be working extra hard to get them there. The goal is to have them all back this week. There was a lot of good stuff going on here before I got here, but I feel like one thing was seriously lacking, member involvement and fellowshipping! So thats a district focus I'm making. It should go good. From a lot of the members I've met, it seems like they're good on doing missionary work! I just have to put the pressure on.
Yesterday, my first Sunday, we did a Mormon.org presentation for the youth in one of the wards. It went really well. They seemed to get into it. This is such a huge deal! Everyone needs to take it more seriously! I've already heard of people who have been asked about it. But in most of the presentations, they still didn't cover what people are supposed to say!
More next week!
Love,
Elder Feller

Daniel vs Transfers

Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 12:01:39 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

Transfer calls are not in yet! They messed up and havent decided on whats going on yet. So we dont know where were going. President called me last night and asked me to be a District Leader, and also said "See you on Wednesday(transfer day)" So I do think I'm leaving Queen Creek.

Conference was awesome! I hope everyone got the chance to watch it all. The Priesthood and Sunday Morning sessions were my favorites. I was blow away.

On Tuesday Elder Krueger and I were going on our "Late Night Date Night" through the park. Every few days when we have nothing late at night we walk through the park and talk to some scary sports parents watching their kids play. We ran into the Mendozas and we got to talk to them there. Just seeing them makes me happy. We visited with Sis. Mendoza and her mom for a little bit while they were watching Bro. Mendoza coach their kids softball game. They're doing really good. Even the mom, who caused a little opposition is all into it now. She said she fell asleep watching the BYU channel, and is planning on going to church with them. 

We had another lesson with our new investigator Linda. She's doing good. The Air Conditioner in her house is so loud that it makes it hard to teach. But it shut off just for a little bit while we finished the plan of salvation. And she said she would be baptized when she knows its true!     

Lindsey FINALLY got baptised. Its about time. And all went well. The baptism was amazing and she was really happy! She really felt it. And I'm so grateful for that because I really wanted her to feel that it was different than her baptist baptism. I get to confirm her in sacrament meeting if I'm still here next week. I feel so bad for her and all the stuff she had to go through just to get baptized and especially because that opposition had to come from the ward. Her fellowship, Sis Sanders, told us that she was really frustrated and discouraged alot. She even said "Why is the bishop forcing him to baptize me if he's being so mean!?" It makes my heart hurt to hear that kind of stuff. But the whole ward thinks the bishop did a good thing because they don't know the whole story. Whatever. It all worked out and it seems like her husband is luckily having a change of heart.

Serving is Arizona has taught me alot. I feel like it would have been a breeze to serve in Mexico and knock on a million doors. But because I hate doing things ineffectively, and the best way to find is through these members, I have to work with them. It literally forces me to learn and grow. I'm thankful for that, but at the same time it is so stressful, annoying, and frustrating.

Im out of time!

Love,
Elder Feller

Oh I forgot! Pictures of Lindsey and her Family!