Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Finding Success in Price...in English!

Parental Note:  Some parents do not hear from their missionaries very often, or not much information.  We are fortunate that Chad corresponds well and we enjoy sharing his mission with him!  Thanks to all who let us know they read this blog and enjoy hearing of Chad's missionary adventures. 
No new pictures this week!
                                                             
Hola mis benditos padres!!!          15 Aug 2011

Well it is that time again, and this week felt like it went by quicker then ever! I just can’t believe how fast the time is really flying by, I know that you are counting down and know that I have been out for almost a year. It is still crazy for me to think about that fact, that my mission is almost half way done, but it really doesn’t feel like it has been that long since I left. I guess that is just a blessing for being here that the time continues to go and the more I get into it, the faster the time goes, or so it seems.

Well Elder Nathan and I have been having a lot of success lately. We have been able to start really connecting with the investigators that we were teaching, and we are finding new ones that are ready for the Gospel. We just keep going and finding new ones and helping the ones that we have. I truly feel that Elder Nathan and I were put here together for all of these people that we are teaching. It just is a testimony everyday when we go out and work and the people just keep progressing and heading down the right path.

There are so many crazy things that happened this week, and I can’t even list them all, but I will give you some of the many points from this week. Crazy story #1! We raced a ram, or also known as a big horn sheep, in our car. There is this little tiny old mining town that sits at the base of the mountains and we go out there twice a week, and there is a little area where there is always rams there. So we were just watching them and taking some pictures and then one was standing broad side to us. He was basically the king of the rams there. He scooted up a little and then it was on, the ram took of and so Elder Nathan slammed on the gas and we raced a ram. We got up to about 25 or 30 M.P.H., the only bad part was that the trail that the ram was on curved towards and crossed the road, so we had to stop or we would have had a bumper full of ram! It was pretty crazy, I mean how many people can say they raced a ram?

I also went on exchanges with another companionship in the district. I went to a little tiny town called Castle Dale. (The Broadheads used to live in Castle Dale!)  It was definitely nice to get back to my own companionship and my own area. When things just click in a companionship, it makes everything a whole lot easier, and I am grateful to have that happening here in this area.

I have really been tuning in my teaching skills in English again, because all  we are teaching is English lessons. We have taught maybe 2 Spanish lessons since I got here. It really sucks, but the English work just boomed and took over all of the Spanish work. I am glad to have the opportunity to work again on my English; it makes me have to teach everything very simply. We have taught a lot of younger kids lately, so its usually very simple and visual. We like to draw a lot of pictures for them.

We also had interviews and a training meeting with the mission President this week. The interview went really well, he asked a lot about the family and how things are back home. It was one of the first times that I actually felt that President cared for me as a person and had my best interest in my mind.  So my respect definitely seems to be growing for him.

Crazy Experience #2.  We have been trying to contact a kid named Kelton for a while and he is hard to find at home, but on Saturday, we found him at home, but there was also his mother's friend named Amanda. Amanda wasn’t too excited to see us or talk to us. She just kind of had that "what are you doing here?" look. Amanda is not of our religion and she just came out with a lot of typical questions that non-members have. She was very confrontational at the beginning and probably didn’t really care for what we had to say. But as we continued to talk and remain calm through all her questions and "attacks" on us, she began to open up a little bit. She began to listen and by the time we left, she was open and willing to be there the next time that we came. It was just so amazing to me to see how the Spirit really worked on her, and gave her the chance to experience that change and be open to the things that we are saying. So we have an appointment with her and Kelton tonight, so we will see what happens.

This Sunday, I  gave two separate talks in two different wards. It was super hard for me, since I only have a little vocabulary in "Gospel English". I was nervous and my first went alright, but I still stumbled through it and was super confusing. But the second one went a whole lot better. I just calmed down and just let it flow out. It is still pretty crazy for me to think how little of an English vocabulary I have now, but I have even less when it comes to Gospel topics.
News from Home:  (The mom redid the missionary board at the church and asked if Chad knew two other missionaries since the ward was combined, Elder Chidester and Elder Garrett. )  Well I do know one of those missionaries. Elder Chidester went to seminary and high school with me, and I am pretty sure that he is in the same mission as my MTC companion, Elder Wood. But the other one I do not know. And it is so crazy to think that Jared (Scrimsher) is coming home in a few months and then Jake (Romm) is right behind him. I can’t believe that it has come and gone so quickly! Time is truly going by way fast! Well I am happy to hear that you have found a job Mom! It is great! I was pretty surprised when I read where it was going to be at, but I guarantee that it won’t be bad at all. I am really glad that you were able to find work and hopefully it will be a good, stable job for you! (The Mom was laid off from her school district job of 5 years.)  I am also excited to see the bathroom when I get home too. There just seems to be so many changes going on at home. (Our bathtub cracked, had a leak and the floor got warped.)  I mean the highways, new furniture, and a new bathroom. What is next? A new room? I am glad that everything is going well with Dad as well, just keep me posted as the doctor appointments continue on. (Darin just got a clean bill of health from his oncologist!) 
I am grateful for everything that you do for me! Take care!

Live it, Love it, Preach it!   Les amo muchismo!   ELDER D

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