February 19, 2013

Well it was a lonely valentines day this time sat there eating heart shaped sugar cookies and jerky with no one to take us in ha. But other than the lonely night the week turned out to be pretty good. 

It started with a good appointment Monday. We had dinner with a active lady Nella Quertamont or something like that. She’s been bringing her "friend" to church with her for 2 weeks so we started to teach him after dinner his name is Tony and he’s definitely got some potential.  He has a lot of questions and is looking for some truth in his life so hopefully we can help him find it. 

Tuesday I was on exchange with the DL in the neighboring area Cranberry. It was a fairly good amount of fun tuesday night for service they help out at a milk farm so for a couple hours I was busy wiping sand off putting on Iodine and then wiping off iodine and then hooking up the milkers to the teats. Felt like Napoleon Dynamite and Pedro inspecting the milk cows never found a five teater but sure found a few threes. After milking we played some barn ball in the barn they had a hoop and a piece of plywood hanging up so it was pretty fun needless to say they had some definite home barn advantage going on, they were sinking everything so that was pretty fun.

We had a Zone training on Thursday with President Topham that went pretty good and as usual there were more changes and information brought forward some of which I didn’t agree with but I guess that aint my job, just shut up and do it.  We found out that within 3 transfers were going to go from 160 missionaries to 254 or something like that and about 50 of um are going to be sister missionaries. We only have 7 now so there are going to be sisters training 2 sisters at a time in brand new opened areas so it should be fun. Kinda glad I’m getting out when I do, starting to get crazy in here. 

We found out saturday that Elder Bown was getting transferred so we spent some time saying goodbye to the ward its kinda tough on him since this is his first area but he’s doing good. I have to take him to pittsburgh today at 1:45 to drop him off and get my new companion so pray for me hopefully its a good one or we might have a murder on our hands ha. 

Sunday was good Tony came to church for the 3rd time and we were able to set up an appointment for monday at 6 again for dinner and a lesson. We had a good sunday school lesson on the holy ghost from the Lorenzo Snow book which was good and turned out to be somewhat helpful for teaching Tony. 

We had dinner sunday with the bishop and I made an interesting discovery turns out the bishops son has a friend who plays AAA hockey and it turns out his coach is Mario Lemieux so I’m having him look on ebay to see what a Lemieux jersey wold cost and trying to see if I could get it signed because a signed one is worth like 900 bucks and because it would be a nice souvenir. Im also working on getting a Polamalu jersey signed an x steelers player is a few wards over so I'm seeing what the missionaries in that ward can do for me.

Monday was a rather good day Elder Bown packed I took over his dresser his desk and his closet so I moved everything cleaned the apartment and then did all my laundry and at 6 we had dinner with Nella and Tony. It was a good dinner always a humorous affair when I'm around I guess its a curse. But after we had a lesson with Tony on the plan of salvation. Tony really enjoyed it he lost both his parents when he was 16 so he enjoyed the pre earth life and how God tries us to what we’re capable of. He liked what our purpose on earth was and that we are to raise children and be a good example. He really enjoyed the spirit world where people can learn the gospel and be taught. And he also enjoyed how God is going to put us where we are going to be comfortable after the judgement. And also that we have a choice and that the whole time even after life its our choice what we are going to do. So it was a really good lesson. He’s feeling the spirit only problem was he didn’t read so he cant have a testimony of the book of mormon but we left him with 2 Nephi 31 to read since were teaching the gospel of christ and thats the gospel of christ chapter. Tony gave the closing prayer something he hadn’t really done yet and it was good childlike and humble but sincere thanked heavenly father for our lessons which is always something sweet to hear. 

On a humorous note about our lesson while tony was praying Nellas 2 year Old Daughter Lucy peed in the kitchen so after the lesson we had a little girl running around half naked and her mom being amazed at the "Galon of pee on the floor" as she said so it was pretty funny seems as though the devil will use anything to try and interrupt a prayer but he will not succeed. 

But today I get my companion at 1:45 so I better get going have to hit the road but I'm scared and excited I have my Hula Girl socks on for good luck so hopefully they work as well as my shark skin silver suite with red paisley suspenders and a blue and black tie so heres to hoping. But I love you guys and thanks for the emails make sure to tell Jaden congratulations when you go to his farewell and good luck from me. But love ya’ll and talk to you later.

Elder Kartchner