Daniel vs 1 week

Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2012 10:33:37 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

This week was awesome! Lance's baptism went really well. His family even came in to town from Kingman (like 4 hours from Gilbert). He's doing great. He was baptized and confirmed by Lexi's dad, (Lexi is his girlfriend). On sunday at church, the elders quorum president asked him to share about his experiance, and he told everyone his story, and about how he heard the week before has a lot of challenges, and that he was ready, but then things started happening and he almost backed out Thursday night, but then he read and prayed, and felt good, and so he went with it. This was news to us. It was kinda scary, because we would have liked to have known about things like that, but it was more good to see, because Lance handled his own issues. Because of that, I dont worry about him as much. I didnt get a picture with him, but my companion did, so I'll send that later. But I do have a picture of him with Lexi bellow.

 

We also taught AJ again this week. He is doing amazing as well! We had a lesson with him and his sister this week, and he did most of the teaching and testifying. He told her what was up! And all about how he knew this was true, and he wants her to know about it. She's a lot less interested. She's stuck on her hippie beliefs about God. But thats ok. It was really good for AJ to teach her like that. Then on sunday, he bore his testimony in church! He got up as one of the first people, and shared his testimony, talked about how he was listening to this podcast about good business, and the guy said everyone needs a "Mission statement" for their business, or life, and if you dont have one you suck (paraphrase) and so he sat down and tried to come up with one, and he couldnt. Then later he was reading the Book of Mormon, and he decided that he didnt need a mission statement, he already had one. And he held up the Book of Mormon we gave him and said "This is my mission statement!" It was profound from anyone, especially an investigator! Church on sunday was all about Lance and AJ. Everyone was all excited about them. 

 

Monday we taught a new investigator named Robin at our bishops house, in one of the family wards. It was a good lesson, we meet with her again tonight. Nothing much else too exciting happened this week. But it was a really good week.

Next week is my last week! 

 

8 Days.

 

Love,

Elder Feller

 

Untitled 07/30/2012

Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:59:01 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

This week was kinda crazy. Lots of good and bad.

Monday I went to the departing dinner at the mission home with all the people I came out with going home. Because its just going to be 4 of us going home on the 14th, they let us come to this dinner. It was weird... I was there, and everyone else was headed home, and I just went back to my area the next day for district meeting. We ate dinner, and half way through I just started feeling nervous... Then afterwards we watched the slide show with everyone's pictures. Then we did departing testimonies. I was the very last one, and no one really cried a lot, but because I was last and it just kept building, when I got up there, I lost it. It was kind of embarrassing, but it was all good. haha. I was choking up the whole time, and when I sat down I started crying a more. It was tough. Then that night we all spent the night  at the AP's house. I went on a tour of ASU campus with Elder Gibby on our way back to their house. The next morning I got up with them, and went to the office, and they all got in the action-van to go to the airport, and I sat in the mission home with Elder Lindquist and talked with President until our ride came... It was weird. But I get to do it again in two weeks.

Tuesday I was wiped out all day. As soon as I got back to my area we went to Circle K to get some Mountain Dew so I could stay awake for District Meeting. Then we watched 17 Miracles because it was Pioneer day. It was good.  That night I taught Gibson again. He tried to drop me! (I was on splits with our WML, Matt Parisek) I wasn't having it. So we tried to get him back, and we did a pretty good job. Its all up to him now. We talked about how he was going to come to know God. He is really against it. That makes it tough. So we'll see how things go in the future with him. 

The rest of the week is so hard to remember!  Wednesday we snuck into transfer meeting even though we're not getting transferred. I was supposed to have a temple recommend interview, so they let us come. It was my last one! It was a good time though. Our zone kind of got rocked again. Two areas whitewashed... but one of them was for a good reason. Our problem DL and Elder Parrott are gone. Which is sad. But they're both doing well now. We got Elder Krueger back in his old area! He's a new senior comp! and his companion is kind of struggling. But he'll do a good job. Its weird that he's back, but whatever. Its cool. 

Thursday was ZLC again. It was actually a good meeting. We talked about a lot of good stuff. Including the "new P-day policies" they're making. There was a pretty big discussion about it, and no one really got anywhere, so they asked us to fax in the next day what our version of the pday policy would be. So Elder Schick and I photocopied the white handbook and faxed it in. I hope they get the message. Its funny, because there's always big dumb discussions (I wont say arguments) in that meeting, and people are always just trying to sound a little bit better. But Elder Schick and I just sit there and when they're talking we turn to the answer in PMG. Its not hard, people just need to do what they're supposed to.

Alex also fell off date again this week! His mom left us a message saying he wasn't ready, and wasn't committed enough. I think she's trying to avoid us a little bit because she didn't get back to us. We're still trying!

Saturday was a rough day but it ended well. It was awkward all day because everyone was busy doing their own thing and no one really wanted to talk to us. But that evening we taught a new guy. His name is Hunter, and he plays football for ASU. He visits the Penrod family every weekend because he has no other friends from Arizona. He just graduated from High School, and he's from the Bay Area somewhere. He's awesome. We watched the Joseph Smith movie, and he seemed pretty touched. They told us after we left he started reading the Book of Mormon right away. Which is awesome. He's going to football camp for the next few weeks, so I wont teach him again before I go.

Sunday we taught Lance again. He is doing so good! We're getting ready for his baptism this week. His girlfriend's mom called the Bishop kind of freaking out, and so he talked to us about making everything perfect. I guess she's just "like that" which isn't a problem. But its funny. Bishop said he even pulled the "Zone Leaders" card to get her off his back. We went over to talk to the mom to calm her fears about the baptism a little bit. It worked.  But the mom told us that Lance said, "Even if we break up, I'm still getting baptized." So that's always good to hear. He's awesome, and fits in the ward really well. Everything is good. AJ is still looking good for the 11th too. He even brought his little sister to church this week, and were meeting with her next week. 

Love,

Daniel

Elder Jackson and I 

The Temple 

San Tan Zone 

Schick and I messing around in the car

Daniel vs Elder Schick

Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:46:14 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

 

My new companion is Elder Schick! I've known him for a long time, we lived in the same house in Queen Creek for a transfer, and he's been in the San Tan zone for a while. We're super excited to get things going in our area and the zone. The Zone has been doing great! We should end June with 13 which is awesome for this zone. 

 

Elder Jackson's last few days were good. On Monday night we taught the Boccella family about the tree of life. They are on vacation right now, but they are doing so good. Its so awesome to see the change in their lives, even from the day before the baptism.

 

Tuesday we spent a lot of time packing and stuff. But in the evening we ate dinner with President Riggs, he used to be the stake president but he's leaving this week to be a mission president in DC. We ate Joe's BBQ, a famous place here in Gilbert. It was good. He had a lot of questions about the mission. He's going to be a great mission president. Then we walked out of his house, to his next door neighbor, ate a second dinner, (ribs and potatoes) and taught this family's neighbors. They are moving to Maricopa AZ, but we taught them about the Book of Mormon to try and get them interested. They said they'll read it! So that was good. 

 

Wednesday was the transfer day. I was so scared! My options for companions were not looking good when I got there. I wont go into that though, because when President Howes read "In San Tan, Elder Feller and Elder Schick" I was waaay too happy. It was one of those transfers that makes everyone laugh or gasp or something. It got loud and Elder Schick Jumped on me and I carried him to the bench.  

 

Thursday was Zone Leader Council. All day meetings! Yaay. It was good though. We talked about a lot of good stuff. President told a story about how when he got hired at this company he sold a ton of this one medicine that was supposed to be terrible, but no one told him that, and he sold a ton of it. He related it to faith, because someone mentioned that they didn't feel like they could reach the success they used to and President basically asked him who told him that. It was cool. That's been something I've been thinking about a lot, being in this zone. Some people get down for no reason... But we're putting a stop to that. 2 Nephi 29:7-9.

 

Nothing really eventful happened the rest of the week. We had a few lessons cancel due to fathers day.. But that was it.

 

Love,

Elder Feller

 

Elder Parrott and I in the Palm Tree Farm on exchanges



I was trying to catch the dust storm that was coming in. You can kinda see it.

The Temple in Rear View

Daniel vs Living the Dream

Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:33:52 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

I know since you're all dying to hear the transfer results: IM STAYING!! Elder Jackson is going to go train and be a district leader somewhere else. We'll see. Some weird stuff happened across the zone, but it will all work out. It always does. I'm going too miss a lot of these guys. I'm losing a lot of friends this transfer. We'll see how it works out. Some really cool stuff could happen...

This last week was a blur. Most of it was getting ready for our baptism this week. Organizing a whole thing between two wards is stressful. Especially because everyone in Arizona tries to get their summer camps done fast before its gets too hot. We had to deal with Girls camp in one stake, and Aaronic Priesthood camp in the other. But it all worked out.

We taught them twice in the week before the baptism, and had their interview a different day too. We tried to keep them busy so they wouldn't get nervous, and Bro. Smelser did a good job helping. They played softball almost every day. The lessons and interviews went really well. The baptism was amazing also. We got there early and set up. We soon realized that there would not be enough room in the relief society room. So we moved to the chapel. They came and everyone got ready. Al laughed at us because we were waiting for them in our white clothes. I think that relieved some nerves. Sis. Smelser gave a talk about baptism that was really good, and then we went back to the room where the font was. They had four different people baptizing all four of them. It was crowed. But awesome. I baptized Avery, the 14 year old daughter. We all did it on the first try, except Elder Jackson, on the very last one, her toe popped up! But it was ok. Then Bro. Smelser gave an emotional talk on the holy ghost. The bishops both spoke, the ward they've been going too, and the ward they will go too soon. The bishop of the other ward handled it very well. He referenced Elder Halstrom's talk from conference and talked about how the gospel and church are different. He said, "the church draws these funny little lines all around Gilbert." It was funny. He did a great job, and they will do great in their new ward. The confirmation on Sunday was good too. I confirmed Avery as well. After sacrament meeting I called Al "Bro. Boccella" and it was pretty funny. They are so great. They have really made the gospel part of their lives, and I believe they will stay on that course. Pictures bellow.

That night we had a lesson with Aubrey. We kept it short because he was busy and we wanted him to pray on his own. So we left, and then finished mowing his lawn.

That's all for this week. Expect big news next week. Like I said, theres a chance some really cool stuff could happen soon. We'll see.

Love,
Elder Feller

    Us, the Boccella's and the Smelsers

    Back Row: Bro. Smelser, Elder Jackson, Al Boccella, Elder Feller

    next row: Richard, Avery, Heather, Bailey, Kelly (Smelser's daughter, Richard's wife)

    next row: Kimball, Carmella, Cameron, 

    front row: Kayleen, Sis. Smelser

Elder Jackson & I, and the Boccellas

Mowing the Lawn

Still going.

I punched a car! 

Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:50:10 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

Danielle's baptism was awesome! We taught her twice this week leading up to it. We had a really good lesson about the Tree of Life, and then talked about the Holy Ghost after her interview. She is doing amazing. She's a really strong person and she's sticking to it. And the ward has made such good friends with her, she already hangs out with all of them. So were happy. She is into decorating so her baptism had a lot of cute decorations to it. But her parents and some family came, and so it was really good for her and for them. Bro. McConkie baptized and confirmed her and gave a very powerful blessing.

Monday we taught the Boccela (Bo-CHELL-AH) family. It was a really good lesson. We talked about the plan of Salvation, but mostly about prayer. We had Al say the closing prayer and he did a really good job, despite all his fears. They were at church this week, and are doing awesome. We meet with them again tonight.

Nothing else too noteworthy happened this week. President Riggs, the San Tan stake president, was released. One of our bishops is now a councilor. Oh, we did have a sweet 6AM meeting on Sunday. It made us really tired for the rest of the day... and I'm still tired because of it (and I haven't been sleeping well) but it was great. The stake has only had one baptism so far this year, and so they're trying to fix that and focus on missionary work. They had some really good trainings, and then made all the priesthood leaders role play, and then President Howes threw down on them for like 20 minutes. It was really amazing. They talked about "real growth in the church" which really means families getting baptized, active, and serving missions. President let them know something I don't think they knew, that Arizona is a choice land, and the church here is strong, and we still need more of this real growth to make more missionaries in the future. We are laying the foundations for a great work.

Love,
Daniel

Free Cactus!

My Area.

Us and Danielle

Elder Jackson, Elder Feller, Danielle, Sis. McConkie, Bro. McConkie.  

Kinda blurry, but its Elder Bruce R. McConkie's folder and business card! 

Daniel vs Heartburn

Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:48:30 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

Last Monday we taught a whole family of 5. Im not sure how to spell their last name yet, so I'll get that next time. They are friends with the Smelser family who live in the little mormon gated neighborhood we live in. (I haven't sent pictures of that yet! Next week!) They know them from their daughters playing softball. Al and Heather and their kids moved here from Philadelphia a little bit ago. They are awesome! The Smelsers have done a good job sharing the Gospel with them. They invited them to church on Easter, and watched some of conference with them, so its going great. They invited us over for dinner on Monday, and then we taught the first lesson after. Al was into it, he used to be Catholic, but wasn't happy with that. Heather has never had religion or anything, and she was paying really close attention, and giving us this stare, and at first I thought she was mad at us, but she was just paying really close attention. It was pretty funny... But by the end there were tears and everything. So its going great. We have another lesson with them tonight. And he said he'd bring us legit Italian meatballs this time. They are also being fellowshipped by the ward they actually live in... which we don't cover.

 

Tuesday we taught Alex. I'm concerned about him right now. His mom is throwing all sorts of wrenches into it. She is giving him all sorts of concerns that wouldn't have existed otherwise. And its going to be difficult for him to stay on the path, and keep doing what he needs to with opposition coming from within his home. And his mom said he has to read the whole Book of Mormon before he gets baptized. Which is also crazy... He's 15... come on.

 

Wednesday night we taught Danielle the rest of the commandments. She is doing awesome. She is handling all the opposition in her life very well. We found out Sunday that her parents are being less supportive, and her best friend told her not to do it. But she doesn't care. She knows whats right, and she's going for it.

 

We have also found out that the girls we were teaching a while ago, Haley and Veronica, are making bad choices, and so their friend doesn't want to talk to them anymore, and so we haven't been able to teach them for a while... I understand where she's coming from though. and so does Bro. Penrod. He told us as a parent he's glad she's making good choices, but from a missionary aspect, he wishes she would stay friends with them and pull them in. So its a weird situation.

 

Thursday we taught Carly again. Carly is doing amazing. She left her journal/notebook at the Warner's house for them to read, and they had us look at it also. She takes awesome notes on whats going on in the Book of Mormon, she wrote down how to pray, and a question about receiving answers, that a bunch of her Mormon friends, including most of the Warner family answered. And then the last thing she wrote was a prayer, that was really touching. We assumed she was ready for a baptism date, and we went into the lesson prepared to do that, but as we talked to her she was telling us she wanted a more sure answer. She wants to "know" as she said. We talked about how that was important. She is the most sincere 15 year old ever... And that will be good for her parents as well. They are mostly supportive, but understandably a little apprehensive. They want her to attend a few other Christian church services just to make sure. But she also needs to come to ours! She misses it a lot because she plays competitive soccer.

 

Friday I went on exchanges with Elder Cox in my area. He is one of our district leaders. He is awesome. We had a ton of fun. Not a whole lot happened all day. I had to drive to wal-mart and get a bike seat on our "no drive day" because my old one was broken. But we had a good day. Elder Cox really cares about people, and is real and genuine. And I really appreciate that. Too many people get so caught up in stupid stuff, acting like they care, but they really don't do anything. I have always tried not to do that. I'm very realistic. And so it was a good day. Elder Cox is also hilarious. 

 

Saturday we went to the ward "foot-rodeo". Just a rodeo themed activity. It was funny. They, of course, had the Elders be judges of the Chili contest. So Elder Jackson and I tasted all 36 different Chilis. Oh man. It was fun, but I didn't feel good after. I found myself giving the highest scores to things that tasted the least like Chili... The white chicken one and the stake & salsa verde one were my favorites. We also watched over a hundred little kids chase chickens around the rodeo arena. A ton of them biffed it really hard diving after the chickens. It was worth it. We also got to talk to Carlos, the guy we taught on Easter. He is doing awesome, and meeting with the missionaries in Mesa.  

 

Sunday was a typical church day. Danielle was at the singles ward, which is always an adventure. Theres a ton of funny people there. We've been trying to make friends and get to know the ward better to try and get more referrals out of them. All the guys in the ward are RMs, so they're not dumb, and the more I get to know them, the better they'll do. Sunday night we met with a new High Councilor about the missionary work in his stake. [... I was about to write all this stuff about the stuff he said that I found annoying. but I decided not too. I've realized recently that I've become a lot more sassy on my mission. Mostly I think because I don't put up with as much, and I think I'm a lot more comfortable expressing myself... But I'm still working on being nice to people. Never has been a strong point.] but all in all he's a good guy, and will do awesome in the calling. The stake needs it to. So I'm excited for that to come.  

 

Pictures next week,

Love,

Elder Feller

Daniel vs Stake Meetings

Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:12:43 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net
 

It was kind of a weird week. We're trying to pull all the stakes here together and build them up. But we also had a lot of lessons cancel... It was a long week. 

On Monday I said goodbye to Jeff and Jenny. I'm turning them over to the missionaries in their actual ward. The lesson went pretty well, except Jenny, who is less active, doesn't really have a desire to make the effort to come back to church. Jeff is willing to do whatever right now, so its almost sad to see. Jeff is going to take a while, and Jenny is going to need to be leading the family in the spiritual aspect before he will progress. But I have faith in them. They are awesome people. 

On Tuesday we taught Alex, and put him on date for may 5th. It doesn't count for us, but for the sisters. But hopefully his mom will let him... She was walking in and out and around the whole lesson. Alex invited her to join and said we were having a blast and she said, "yeah it sounds like a Word of Wisdom party in here." I think part of the reason she's less active because she doesn't really want to live the commandments. So it was funny, but awkward. Alex is doing great. He understands the why behind the commandments, and so he's willing to live them. 

Thursday I was on exchanges with Elder Schick. It was awesome. Elder Schick is the man. He covers the Reservation now, but unfortunately i didn't get to go there... But we did meet with a member of the stake presidency and he talked to us about this leadership training the mission president is going to be at in a few weeks. He invited us and so we're preparing for that. These stakes are really trying to shape up and do better, especially since the church asked them to make missionary goals and they're all doing really bad. So the training will be a great opportunity to give them direction.  

Friday we taught Danielle! She is doing great. She sailed through all the toughest commandments. She told us before that she had some trials pop up this week and handled them like a pro. Her old ex-boyfriend, who apparently is a tool, tried to get in contact with her and she just ignored it. Then, her friends wanted her to go out drinking "one last time" and she put her foot down and said no. She also talked with her family about it, and they are ok and so she is super excited! She went to church yesterday and everyone was super friendly and welcomed her. They announced that she was getting baptized, and so people were all over her. But she really loves church, and she tells us all the time about how happy the gospel makes her. 

Saturday one of the stakes in the zone called us and asked us to prepare a ton of reports and a training for a meeting they were having the next morning at 6 am insead of the normal stake meeting. So we spent a ton of time getting it all together and then meeting with the missionaries to figure out what to do. We woke up really early and went to the meeting and they hardly let us talk. But its ok, the stake is doing better. They are starting to make missionary work a priority and actually try. So hopefully they will do better. We're trying to direct them the best we can. But the rest of our Sunday was tough! I was exhausted and had a huge headache all through church, dinner, a lesson with a member family, and then a meeting with President Riggs. at 8 we went to the Bowen's house and she sowed our pants, and I drank a soda to get at my headache, then we went home, did some weekly paperwork, then crashed by like 10 and finished and faxed in the paper work this morning. So I feel a lot better. 

Today we're going to Queen Creek to play another zone is kickball. It should be fun. 

Love,

Daniel

Daniel vs 20 Months

Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:59:10 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

Did you guys realize I've been out 20 months now? Woah.

Crazy week this week. We spent most of the first couple days with Elder Howard saying goodbye to people. Monday night we taught a guy named Jeff. He had been taught by Elder Howard for the last 4 months and actually wasn't in our wards, but in one of the ones that split off, and he got caught in the split. We still taught him because he hates getting completely new missionaries and he and Elder Howard got along really well. The lesson that night we tried teaching about the plan of Salvation, and it wasn't going all that great. He knows it all, just has trouble with faith, then his wife, who is a member, came home from her first day at work and just started crying when she saw their daughter. Then Elder Howard bore testimony on everything for Jeff, and everything he wants in life, eternal families and happiness and everything. He cried. It was really powerful. Then he told them when they got sealed he wanted to hear about it. They laughed, and she asked Jeff it that sounded weird, and he said a few months it would have, but not now. So were making good progress there. I'm going over tonight with one of the Elders who is actually in their ward.

Wednesday I got my new companion. Elder Jackson from West Jordan Utah.

Thursday we were supposed to go on splits with the singles ward. They wanted us to take them to places, and I was kinda frustrated because we don't have enough to do, and them just coming out with us to go do stupid stuff isn't really going to do anything... I think the assistant ward mission leader could tell I wasn't happy with the whole thing. The singles ward is awesome at missionary work... but they just don't get how it works here. But, it turns out that when we talked to the guy before and asked if he knew anyone, he did, and everything worked out and we taught his friend, Alex. Alex is a quadriplegic, and this guy works for him, helping him out. He met with us and just asked us questions about plan of salvation stuff. It went good and we set up another time.

Friday we parked our car and biked all day... and nothing happened. It was a long day...

Saturday we taught Danielle again. We were going to do her reading assignment with her, because she hadn't done it last time, but she did it and so we were going to read a chapter, but I was talking with her about a part in the Introduction to the Book of Mormon and I really felt we needed to talk about the Plan of Salvation. I still don't know why, we taught it and it went well, but not amazing. But I really felt we needed to do that, so it was a cool experience for me.

She and Alex were both at church on sunday and so we had a good day. Our Sacrament meetings were pretty funny. We go to all four, so we have lots of opportunites for crazy things. And we serve in two stakes so in one stake it was fast sunday, and in one of the ward in the other stake, A guy, for part of his talk on fasting, compared the starvation of the American Bison in the winter of Yellow Stone National Park to fasting. In great detail... Comparing the months of -66 degree weather to the 24 hours of the fast. It was hard not to laugh really hard... Then in the fast and testimony meeting in the other stake, the Stake President and his family brought a friend to church, and so they warned the ward council not to let testimony meeting get out of hand. President Riggs was pretty nervous, it was funny. It went really well though, the testimonys were all very nice, with the exception of a young married guy who got up and quoted a notoriously inappropriate comedian...

It was a good week.

Love,
Daniel

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 crunching time!

Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:56:23 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

We have had a pretty good week. Sorry I dont have a lot of time to write today, its Presidents Day and we're using the members who's guest house we live in computer. Arizona is beautiful right now. And the work is going really well. We have a lot going on this week. On Valentines day we had a baptisimal interview for our investigator Venice. She's 9, and unfortunately it looks like her dad isnt going to be able to baptize her... But everything is still on track for this weekend. Its weird because I've hardley even taught her... We also went to the visitors center this week with two of our investigators Isaiah and Marquon. They're friends of a priest in one of our wards. It was pretty cool, as the visitors center always is.

We ate dinner with our High Councelor over Missionary work, Brother Joseph Feilding McConkie (He has quite the name... He's related to Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie) and taught a lesson at their house to their friend Danielle, who is going to be in the singles ward. It went really well. She is pretty cool. She's 23, and wants everything the church has to offer, a happy family, and everything. She's pretty mature, and has good standards. We're trying to get a fellowship from our Singles ward to come to the next lesson with us so she'll come to church. I think if we can get her arround the members of that ward she will progress really fast.

The rest of the week went well. I dont really remember. but Sunday was a crazy day! Elder Howard started feeling sick Saturday night, and then woke up on sunday sick, so he slept and we missed some church. We only made it to Sacrament meeting of our last ward and then we had to run from a lesson to dinner and a lesson, to two more lessons. It was pretty awesome.

I've gotta go, I'll write more next week about the people we're teaching!

Love,

Elder Feller  

Daniel vs Members

Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:04:37 -0700
From: eric.feller@myldsmail.net

We did lots of hard work this week. We've been in kind of a rut on  teaching and everything the past few weeks. But we broke out of it a little bit. It was pretty good. The baptisms that we were supposed to have easy this transfer kept canceling on us for the past 3 weeks, so that's not going to work out. If I stay, definitely next transfer though.

Speaking of which, transfers are coming up next week. So don't mail stuff to my house, unless it will get there before Tuesday. I know right, its crazy. When I was younger, I never thought I would reach the day where I was out for 18 months on my mission. Its crazy to think about, but it doesn't feel real. I'm now one of the oldest missionaries in the mission. My transfer and all the transfers after me were really big, so the mission has grown a little bit, and we're old now! 

Not much progress to report this week. We have been teaching this guy who has it pretty rough. He's 19, and just got out of jail. He was supposed to get baptized before. So he cant get baptized now, because hes on probation. So we go over a few times a week and meet with him. To keep him on the right track. 

Joey was able to come to church this week! That was awesome, and he'll be able to come next week as well. He really enjoyed it. There was also a bunch of other random people there. A member brought a friend from work, another young woman brought a friend, and then these two teenage girls showed up after their own church to see if what their church was saying about us was true. The members reacted very well, and are keeping in good contact with them. Hopefully we'll be able to teach some of them soon. 

I've been doing a lot of work with the members here. I don't know if anyone know, but Gilbert is like little Salt Lake City. Well, most of Arizona has tons of members everywhere. But especially in the Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Queen Creek, and Show Low Areas. Which is where I've spent pretty much my whole mission. The missionaries here cannot find people on their own here. It all depends on how we work with the members. And we don't know how sometimes, so we just kind of do our thing and hope. But I've been a lot more proactive about it in this area. And I hope its working. The members of the church need to have a huge shift in their understanding. They not only need to know how valuable they are, but how to actually be useful to missionary work. A lot of members don't understand the doctrines of missionary work, even all these returned missionaries. The younger ones, the ones who used Preach My Gospel get it. But sometimes are not proactive enough. The missionary purpose in Preach My Gospel, on the very first page, says INVITE others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel though Faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. I pains me to hear people say, "we're setting an example, and someday maybe..." If its not inviting, its not missionary work. Being an example is what you covenanted to do when you were baptized. Inviting is not even hard, especially when you're already talking about it. If every gospel conversation we, as members of the church, had included an invitation to do something that will increase their faith, the convert baptisms of the church would double, like President Hinckley said. I've seen families be baptized simply because they were invited to church. The converting power of the Gospel is real. There is a sweet spirit that is there, and that they will recognize, and that sometimes we forget. Never forget that! 

Anyways, 

Love,

Elder Feller.