Daniel vs Easter

Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 10:55:58 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

We had a pretty busy week here. Not the busy I would like, but it was still an over all good week.

Tuesday we had a bunch of appointments all in a row, but the last one cancelled. We taught Carly about the Plan of Salvation. It went really well. She has been reading a ton from the Book of Mormon. She had a few pages of notes just from the introduction and the first few chapters. She's really interested, and we can only hope her parents wont be a problem. Then we taught Alex and asked him to pray about a day to be baptized. We've had to be really careful because it seems like his mom is looking for any excuse to try and stop him, even though she's a member herself. Just really less active... So we'll follow up on that tomorrow. Oh also, on Tuesday I returned an iPhone that I had found on the road a few weeks ago. She was really grateful and gave us some candy. Unfortunately though, I don't have an iPhone anymore.... haha. Pictures below.

Wednesday we had interviews all day. President always does the Zone Leaders last and talks to us about all the people in the zone. It was pretty cool. My personal interview was really short. But then he talked to both of us about most of the people in the zone. It was really cool to hear how well President knows everyone, even though its hard to feel like he really knows you when you dont know him that well, especially when you're young in the mission. Apparently he told Elder Krueger that he was going to get more responsibility soon. Which is good for him. I cant believe I trained him 8 months ago! But no other really big news. Oh, President has asked Elder Schick to start working on the Indian Reservation that is just south of his area. So that's pretty cool. He's really excited about it.

Thursday and Friday we spent all day in Leadership trainings. It was good, but long. Thursday we were in one of my old areas, which was kinda cool. I don't really miss the Mesa Zone... But it was a really good meeting. They paired us off with people we've never been around and we taught together. It was really fun. We talked a lot about making commitments and following up. Friday was good too. In the morning we spent a lot of time in a zone leader group, talking about specific questions. Sometimes I really hate all zone leader meetings because there are too many chiefs and not enough indians. A lot of the zone leaders think they're really hot stuff... Its annoying. And I really believe it causes so many problems in zones. You cant just be the missionary police and pretend like you were never where the missionaries are, you have to be their friends and make sure they know that you're on of them. I tried to bring that up, but we didnt have time. They were too busy  arguing about something stupid. In the afternoon we had a big question and answer, and the questions were actually good this time. I won a golden chocolate egg with one of my answers. Basically along the same line as what I said earlier. People were getting into this question and the answer there were arguing about was way off. They were talking about how we need to be "Preach My Gospel" missionaries and help people become converted to the book Preach My Gospel. I brought up how I don't want to be converted to the book, I want to be converted to the gospel because that's what the book Preach My Gospel, and Elder Bednar's talk "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary" is about. So I got a golden Easter egg. With these stories, I'm not trying to say that I'm more intelligent than a lot of other people, but I mean... come on.

Friday night we taught Danielle. She really wanted to be baptized. I'm not used to that. She really threw herself out there... We didn't really know how to react so it was kind of awkward for a second. But we put her on date for the 28th of April. The lesson went really well, but I felt like I wasn't entirely spiritually prepared for it.

Sunday was easter! We had church all day. And our dinner almost cancelled on us because their nephew almost died in a skateboarding accident... It was kind of awkward, I felt really bad. But it worked out great and we had a good time. We were going home after to do our weekly planning because we didn't get to do it on Friday or Saturday and we got a call from a family asking us to come over and teach their niece's boyfriend right away. I was kind of annoyed because I expected the guy to just be some thug who didn't really want to listen to us, but couldn't escape this family. I repented. Carlos was awesome. We had a really spiritual lesson with him, and he is really looking for answers and peace in life. We taught him outside by candlelight which was kind of cool. I didn't recognize the family, I think they go to a Spanish ward somewhere. But it was awesome. Too bad he lives in Mesa, and we probably wont meet with him again. But he will be taught. So its all good.

Love,
Daniel

Daniel vs Work

Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 10:53:03 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

Time is short this week because I have a lot of other stuff to take care of.

Not too much going on this week. Kinda slow, lots of things cancelled. And when things cancel they usually get pushed off to next week. Its funny how our time passes differently than the members time.

Tuesday we trained the zone. That was fun. San Tan is a tough zone and no one prays them self here, if you know what I mean. So it was good. We talked about the purpose of missionary work.

Wednesday my bike pedal fell out so we had to drive... I got it fixed on thursday at Zone Leader Council, but it was a looong day...

Thursday we had our secret zone leader meetings. I barely slept the night before so I had a huge headache and it was hard for me to pay attention. But it was overall good. Not much to say. There was only one disputation, and it was because the AP who was trying to get us to understand wasn't explaining what he wanted very well at all, and I really didn't want to call him out for it... So it turned into a little dispute as everyone was confused. But it ended well.

Thursday night we taught Aubrey Preston. We found out more about how he feels he needs to be baptized, but wants to do it for him. We found out that he doesn't understand a lot of things we thought he did, but we ran out of time, so we'll adress all that later.

Friday we biked all day, and taught Danielle at night. It went really well! We finished the Plan of Salvation, talked about baptism and she liked church, and committed to watch conference. The next day we talked to Bro. McConkie and he told us that they were talking after and Danielle said, "When I get baptized will you baptize me?" and he also told us that she said she was feeling giddy the whole time, like she wanted to laugh. That's the spirit. So we're going to extend a date next time.

Saturday was conference. It was awesome. Sunday too. We taught Shelby on sunday. She's pretty set on waiting until after summer to get baptized like her mom said... So we talked about how Satan is going to try to keep pushing that back and getting in the way. And we talked about how important being built on the Gospel is.

But yeah. That's it. Things are going well. We're playing Volley ball today.

Love,
Daniel

San Tan Zone!

Elder Howard and I cruising

Make a weird face. 

Elder Howard and I at Transfer meeting

Gilbert Temple Progress.... (Our hospital parking spot.)

Greek Strained Yogurt is all the rage among healthy Arizona moms... mmm... gross.   

Daniel vs Teenagers

Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:41:26 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

This week we had zone conference. It was really good. They invited all the Stake Presidents in the two zones and only two of ours showed up. They both really loved it and were fired up about missionary work from it. One of them, President Riggs, already has a call to be a Mission President in Washington DC. But the conference went really well. We learned a lot. They finished it with a talk that Elder Bednar gave in the MTC like 9 months ago. And we had waffles for lunch! It was crazy!

Which reminds me, last P-Day we went to The Basha's house, (they own a huge chain of grocery stores in Arizona) and we watched "17 Miracles", a church movie about the Willy Handcart Company everyone here was raving about. It was ok. Not bad, not super amazing. But they also fed us a huge breakfast. Then we played in their back yard.

 

Our days have been pretty normal.Same old stuff. But Sunday was a pretty cool day. It seems like we're teaching only teenagers right now. Because one of the girls we taught last week showed up, (we have an appointment this Tuesday) and then after church we picked up another one, named Carly, at dinner. She's pretty interested, its cool. And then that night we traveled over to another stake we don't work in to teach someone because his parents didn't want him to be taught by Sister Missionaries. He's a 15 year old named Alex. His parents are less active and tried to tell us something about "choosing their path" and their son and daughter "choosing their own paths" ... 2 Nephi 31:21. But he's an awesome kid. He has been going to Mutual and stuff for a while, and really feels something different than from the Non-Denominational church his parents go to. He went to the Snowflake (Arizona) Temple on a camp out and waited in the lobby while the kids did baptisms and he couldn't stop telling us about how good he felt there, and he really wants to be baptized. So we're working on that. In the past his parents kind of held him up from that, but this time I think they can see that he is really sincere.

We have some good things coming up next week! We should get to meet with Danielle again, and pick up two more teenagers at the Penrod's house, where we taught the other teenagers last week... Haha. If only everyone could invite their friends like these teenagers do...

Love,

Elder Feller

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 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 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!

Daniel VS Zone Conference

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 11:18:38 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

 

Hello all!

 

It has been another week here in the Arizona Tempe Mission, Yuma Zone, District 1 and area 2. (Summed up my our area initials YU-12)

 

This week like many others has been very uneventful, except for a very few things that I want to tell you all about! 

 

The first cool thing was on Sunday in fast and testimony meeting. And the first thing you need to understand is that we cover 3 wards. So we go to 3 sacrament meetings. Every sunday. So I'm sitting in one of our less-exciting wards, kinda bored, and then our recent convert, Henry Florez, gets up. Now, you have to understand, that Henry Florez is a big deal in Yuma. He's a big time doctor. But he gets up there and he starts thanking everyone. His wife, who has been an active member her whole life, and his friends who he bicycles with who were also members,  and the missionaries (Hey! That's me!) and then says that he knows the Church is true because it has changed his life. And it really has. Everyone keeps telling us. He's like a different person now. He's at peace, no longer frustrated or grumpy. He's awesome! And I was filled with exceeding gladness.

 

Also, we were at his house last night teaching him the new member lessons and after his wife was talking to me about boy scouts and she said that when they were at camp, doing the astronomy meritt badge, her husband and these other men couldn't stop laughing at the planet "Uranus" and he busted up laughing again and was like "hahahaha Uranus!" and kept laughing. And I was laughing really hard too because here is this big time doctor laughing at the word "Uranus" like a kid! It was hilarious.

 

Lets see... I also finished the Book of Mormon a while ago. Now I've started and am a good way through the D&C. I dont remember if I told you that yet. But the D&C is amazing!

 

Oh yeah! And we had Zone Confrence yesterday! It was awesome too. Sister Howes got up when it was her turn and said on the drive down she felt like Wendy from Peter Pan, going to see the lost boys. Hahaha probably because Yuma is waaaaaaay out of the way and there are no sister missionaries here. I thought that was awesome. And I'm going to see if we can get some t-shirts referencing that made up! Missionaries make Zone t-shirts all the time, but I dont have any yet! (send me ideas!) But the Zone Leaders trained on goal setting and the importance of it. And thats something I've been trying to make a part of my mission for a while. Its hard! But reading the Preach My Gospel section on goals really makes you want to "master the techniques of goal setting" and then President Howes and the AP's talked about the Doctrine of Christ, and gave us training on what they were trained on when the missionary department came in from Salt Lake City. Preach My Gospel is amazing. And applying the Doctrine of Christ is awesome. The Doctrine of Christ is: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring the the End. It is central to the missionary purpose as stated in preach my gospel and is also the 3 missionary lesson. We've been learning a lot about how to teach it, and how to appy it to all our teachings. Its hard! I cant explain everything about it yet, I'm still learning. But someday. But there are 5 Chapters in the scripture that out line it, and that we focus a lot on. They are 2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 11, 3 Nephi 27, Matthew 5 and I forgot. Maybe theres only 4 because I really dont remember what the 5th one would be. But these are all awesome! Especially 2 Nephi 31. I think thats my favorite right now.

 

Also, a less-active ladies non-member husband was asked to make the lunch for the confrence! He was someone we tried to contact before, but got mad at us for not calling before hand because they litereally have 15 little dogs that bark like crazy when you knock on the door. I didnt have the heart to tell president that because he wanted to go talk to him. hahaha.

 

Anyways, I have to go.

 

Love,

Elder Daniel Feller

 

Here's some D&C

 

"Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth!

Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free" (D&C 128:19,22)

Daniel vs Interviews!

Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:59:35 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

Hello all. I'm emailing from the wonderful land of Show Low, Arizona today because we drove into Zone HQ early this morning for zone pday. Because our ride left for Show Low at 6:30...

This week was interesting. Not too much happened. Untill monday! We got 2 new investigators. One is married to a less active lady, who is only less active because of her job. But we went to his house and met with him and talked a lot about the church. He told us he likes it and stuff, but he also see how committed people have to be. That and he's mexican and likes his beer, According to him. But he did ask us what he would have to do to join the church. Pretty cool. The other new investigator is a guy we met outside of an investigators house. He's her friend. Even though she's kinda special... He's fine, and hopefully pretty solid. A family in town has already been fellowshiping him. But being themselves, apparently don't want the missionaries getting a hold of him. They've done this a lot before. There was a girl who was really really solid, and she came to church every week, but she wouldnt meet with us because he said she wasnt ready, and she'd let us know. Now she moved. If we could've taught her we could've baptized her for sure. :(

The only other interesting thing that happened this week was interviews. President Howes came up to Show Low and we all got interviewed by him. And trained by our AP's and Zone Leaders. My interview with president was good. I didnt really know what to talk about so it was short. But he told me I know what I need to do to improve as a missionary, so just do it. Which is true. I'm also a little sick and he asked me why and I said, "oh I get sick every year when it starts to get cold." Then I realized what I just said... then he said, "oh well then we'll have to put you some place warm." Shoooot. I might get kicked off the mountains next transfer! But hopefully not. The Zone Leaders were doing transfer recommendations this morning when we got to their house, and they asked us what we wanted and we told them to keep me and Elder Russ in Saint Johns and combine the areas. So hopefully in a week we'll be in charge of the missionary work in a whole city... even if its small. hahaha. It would be a lot of fun.

I hope everyone heard about the groundbreaking of the Rome temple! And they revealed what it will look like!

Here's a link: http://tempiodiroma.chiesadigesucristo.it/en/index.html

Its pretty cool. I almost wish the architecture was more traditional Italian style. Like the Vatican and the rest of Rome and stuff... But whatever. It looks good. That will be a really cool place to go!

Gotta go,

Elder Feller.