Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Pictures!!
Q&A - December 27, 2011
1. Now that the doctor has seen you and given you the walking boot, are you scheduled to see him again or regularly to see if any progress is being made?
I have another appointment on the 17th of January to see where we go from there. If healed..then I am free...if not, I may be confined to this ball and chain a bit longer!
2. How is your foot today? Any better than yesterday?
It depends on the day. I now only wake up a couple times during the night because of it rather than the dozen times I did a week ago. So it's doing alright by that standard.
3. What about Christmas in the mission field did you enjoy most? Is it something you will look back on with good memories?
Skype with the family was awesome. But it was great to just avoid the hustle and bustle and focus on what's really important!
I have another appointment on the 17th of January to see where we go from there. If healed..then I am free...if not, I may be confined to this ball and chain a bit longer!
2. How is your foot today? Any better than yesterday?
It depends on the day. I now only wake up a couple times during the night because of it rather than the dozen times I did a week ago. So it's doing alright by that standard.
3. What about Christmas in the mission field did you enjoy most? Is it something you will look back on with good memories?
Skype with the family was awesome. But it was great to just avoid the hustle and bustle and focus on what's really important!
...And a Happy New Year
Well it has been a fantastic week! Of course the pinnacle of said week was the skype call home to family on a great Christmas sabbath. It's just been a great week overall though.
Last p-day we spent some time at the Jordan Creek mall and it has by far become my favorite mall. It's fairly new and it is so super nice.In fact, this last p-day, yesterday, after we had done some research and bargain watching, we bought 5 ties between the two of us for 40 bucks. All of which came with pocket squares and cuff links. Needless to say, we will be looking pretty fly rolling into leadership meeting this upcoming Tuesday! We already have it all planned out. It's gonna be epic and I will be for sure to get pictures of it all!
Christmas eve...so much fun! We walked a lot which is good. It means we were busy. But we had dinner with the Stubblefield's and they had P.F. Chang's chinese food. I guess it's their tradition to remember the wise men from the east. Hahaha! Anyway, great dinner and then we made gingerbread houses with the kids. I realized a couple of things.
1) young child + sugar = noise!
2) unlimited candy + young children + Christmas eve = mad house!!!
Christmas was such a blast this year. Literally. We were given til 8 to sleep in. We only made it until 7:15 or so when Zach and Owen came and woke us up all ready to open presents. We went up and opened presents and it was so great! It was just like time with family. We had a massive Nerf gun war and then a massive laser tag war. Both of which were super fun! Me and Owen made some Lego stuff while Elder Kimber and Zach did the same. Church was super good. We both participated in the ward choir and sang as part of the program. It was a lot of fun. After church, we had our phone call time. Soooooooo goooood! We also had a super big Christmas dinner with the Nielsen's and it was way good. Then the Nielsen's left for a water park in Centerville and we had the house to our self to play Foosball and watch the approved videos for Christmas. We watched Polar Express and 17 Miracles. It was way good to just relax. Best quote from Polar Express... "The thing about trains... it doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on." Words to live by.
We met with a Chinese guy named Masa. He made fun of my one phrase of Chinese I remember from college. I felt pretty dumb but Braxton, my cousin, is going to teach with us on Friday. Should be super sweet!
Apparently Mitt Romney is coming to Iowa soon. That should be...cool.
We did a lot of planning this week for our zone emphasis this transfer! We prayed for a couple days and pondered on it and came to the conclusion that we needed to focus our zone on having "faith to find" those that are ready for the gospel. For me personally, the inspiration came while in a district meeting and we repeated Doctrine and Covenants Section 4 as we always do. This time tho, I tried to pay special attention to what I had been spouting out of my mouth weekly. I came to the part where it says "the field is white, already to harvest" and it hit me very clearly that when we are out trying to find those, it is because the field is white, it is ready, and those souls are ready to be harvested. So we spoke in district meeting last week and introduced the theme of the transfer by using Alma chapter 26 specifically verses 26-31.
"26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls. 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success. 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God. 29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again. 30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us."
I love that section of scripture. I have read it over and over during my mission because it rings so true. It would appear to me that missionary work has not changed much, not only in the 25 years since my dad served here, but since Alma and his friends taught the Lamanites before Christ was even born. But it was their faith through the expected trials that gave them success. That is what we have chose to focus on as a zone. With the upcoming new year, we thought it fitting to focus on starting the year off right with faith and looking forward to the trials and tribulations that will define us as missionaries. Tonight we will be having a special zone meeting and we will start a fast together and as a zone we will do nothing but tract tomorrow with a specific goal in mind that has been sought after and given by the spirit as to the number of people we hope to find. With faith and fasting, miracles can happen and I know that! The Bible dictionary says "Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God that he gives to his saints." I am looking forward with faith to those miracles in our zone. I guess it's all summed up very well in Alma 26:22...
"Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance."
I am so excited and looking forward to a new year with new possibilities and the ability to just start over on some things. I guess we should look at each day like that, but there is something about a new year that seems a little more important and worthwhile. I love where I am and am so excited to spend the majority of 2011 and 2012 in Iowa. My second home! I love it here!
Elder Excell
Last p-day we spent some time at the Jordan Creek mall and it has by far become my favorite mall. It's fairly new and it is so super nice.In fact, this last p-day, yesterday, after we had done some research and bargain watching, we bought 5 ties between the two of us for 40 bucks. All of which came with pocket squares and cuff links. Needless to say, we will be looking pretty fly rolling into leadership meeting this upcoming Tuesday! We already have it all planned out. It's gonna be epic and I will be for sure to get pictures of it all!
Christmas eve...so much fun! We walked a lot which is good. It means we were busy. But we had dinner with the Stubblefield's and they had P.F. Chang's chinese food. I guess it's their tradition to remember the wise men from the east. Hahaha! Anyway, great dinner and then we made gingerbread houses with the kids. I realized a couple of things.
1) young child + sugar = noise!
2) unlimited candy + young children + Christmas eve = mad house!!!
Christmas was such a blast this year. Literally. We were given til 8 to sleep in. We only made it until 7:15 or so when Zach and Owen came and woke us up all ready to open presents. We went up and opened presents and it was so great! It was just like time with family. We had a massive Nerf gun war and then a massive laser tag war. Both of which were super fun! Me and Owen made some Lego stuff while Elder Kimber and Zach did the same. Church was super good. We both participated in the ward choir and sang as part of the program. It was a lot of fun. After church, we had our phone call time. Soooooooo goooood! We also had a super big Christmas dinner with the Nielsen's and it was way good. Then the Nielsen's left for a water park in Centerville and we had the house to our self to play Foosball and watch the approved videos for Christmas. We watched Polar Express and 17 Miracles. It was way good to just relax. Best quote from Polar Express... "The thing about trains... it doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on." Words to live by.
We met with a Chinese guy named Masa. He made fun of my one phrase of Chinese I remember from college. I felt pretty dumb but Braxton, my cousin, is going to teach with us on Friday. Should be super sweet!
Apparently Mitt Romney is coming to Iowa soon. That should be...cool.
We did a lot of planning this week for our zone emphasis this transfer! We prayed for a couple days and pondered on it and came to the conclusion that we needed to focus our zone on having "faith to find" those that are ready for the gospel. For me personally, the inspiration came while in a district meeting and we repeated Doctrine and Covenants Section 4 as we always do. This time tho, I tried to pay special attention to what I had been spouting out of my mouth weekly. I came to the part where it says "the field is white, already to harvest" and it hit me very clearly that when we are out trying to find those, it is because the field is white, it is ready, and those souls are ready to be harvested. So we spoke in district meeting last week and introduced the theme of the transfer by using Alma chapter 26 specifically verses 26-31.
"26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls. 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success. 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God. 29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again. 30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us."
I love that section of scripture. I have read it over and over during my mission because it rings so true. It would appear to me that missionary work has not changed much, not only in the 25 years since my dad served here, but since Alma and his friends taught the Lamanites before Christ was even born. But it was their faith through the expected trials that gave them success. That is what we have chose to focus on as a zone. With the upcoming new year, we thought it fitting to focus on starting the year off right with faith and looking forward to the trials and tribulations that will define us as missionaries. Tonight we will be having a special zone meeting and we will start a fast together and as a zone we will do nothing but tract tomorrow with a specific goal in mind that has been sought after and given by the spirit as to the number of people we hope to find. With faith and fasting, miracles can happen and I know that! The Bible dictionary says "Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God that he gives to his saints." I am looking forward with faith to those miracles in our zone. I guess it's all summed up very well in Alma 26:22...
"Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance."
I am so excited and looking forward to a new year with new possibilities and the ability to just start over on some things. I guess we should look at each day like that, but there is something about a new year that seems a little more important and worthwhile. I love where I am and am so excited to spend the majority of 2011 and 2012 in Iowa. My second home! I love it here!
Elder Excell
Monday, December 19, 2011
Q&A - December 19, 2011
1. How is your ankle? Has the swelling gone down any the past few days with the ibuprofen?
Still very swollen and it's pretty sore.
2. Will you be initiating the skype to us or will it be us to you?
So I think the best way is to have Hillary add you and I'll get to her about that and then I will call you at 3 o clock your time. 4 o clock here on Sunday. Will that work for you? Let me know!
3. Did you decide when would be a good time?
Mind....read!
4. Who is your new companion? Where is he from?
His name is Elder Kimber from Bountiful. I love bountiful kids. Mcguire was from there.
5. What about your new companion do you like the most?
He wants to help me be better!
Still very swollen and it's pretty sore.
2. Will you be initiating the skype to us or will it be us to you?
So I think the best way is to have Hillary add you and I'll get to her about that and then I will call you at 3 o clock your time. 4 o clock here on Sunday. Will that work for you? Let me know!
3. Did you decide when would be a good time?
Mind....read!
4. Who is your new companion? Where is he from?
His name is Elder Kimber from Bountiful. I love bountiful kids. Mcguire was from there.
5. What about your new companion do you like the most?
He wants to help me be better!
Christmas Love
It seems as if this last week for being a "short week" has not been so short because there has been so much that has happened. It's all pretty crazy really. I'll start at the beginning. Wednesday, Elder Johnson and I spent some time on a double date with the sisters from Raccoon River. Not fun nor approved. It was totally unintentional on our part but I can't speak for them. We set plans with them to pick us up because the AP's needed our car in order to transport everyone to transfer meeting and to take all those departing missionaries to the airport so we needed a lift for a couple hours on Wednesday as they picked up those incoming greenies. So we met them at the mission home and we had planned to go email and have 2nd ward and 3rd ward elders meet us at the stake center and play some games. Well when the time came to leave the library from emailing, the elders were conned into moving someone out on p-day so they were not around to hang out with us so we very suddenly found ourselves on a double date. We made the best of it and went to Panera Bread, a super good restaurant here, and had a quick lunch and then our car was back so we could get out of there. Thank goodness. I have never been so glad to see our car. We went home and packed and played scrabble. I won the game with the words eureka and apothegms. thank you high school geometry!
Thursday, we woke up at the crack of dawn so we could make the trek to Iowa City for transfer meeting. We fit 7 people in Brother Bera's van. He is our ward mission leader. We had our companionship and the sisters from 5th branch and also the elders from 7th branch. Needless to say, it was a bit tight. I think I may still have the imprint of a seat belt receptor on my bum. Not pleasant. But the transfer meeting was great! I got to see Elder Franz again and all the other awesome elders going home. I have a new companion named Elder Kimber! We immediately got along really well. He is from Bountiful, Utah. I don't know what it is about that town but I tend to have my favorite companions from there. He went to Boston University for a semester and wrestled there and then went to a year at University of Utah. He is a die hard Ute fan. He is the youngest of three kids and likes to go fast. =) He's been out for about 18 months now and goes home in June. He worked as an EMT and fireman before the mission. Super sweet guy! I love him! Depending on transfers he could just die off in Waukee. I may even be the one to kill him. But I doubt it. We'll see. I am excited to work with him tho. He does something that I try to do. With every companion, I have tried to help them become who they want to be and help them accomplish personal goals. He does that too. We are going to work very well together and Waukee is about to explode with success.
We came back from transfer meeting, and since the assistants just love to use our car, we were stranded at the mission home for a bit. It was kinda funny. We sat in the living room with 15 elders who were done. No more. Their mission was over, and it caused me to think where I want to be spiritually and emotionally when I am sitting in that room in 8 months? Who do I want to be? It was nice to see so I could have that chance to ponder. We eventually got our car and went and picked up Kimber's stuff from the stake center where we had to abandon it and went to the Nielsen's. It's pretty funny for missionaries to walk in to the Nielsen's home I've noticed. It's just like heaven for a missionary apartment. Every missionary loves it! How could you not with full size beds with silk sheets. Laundry whenever you want. Cold filtered purified water at your request. It's definitely the little things in life that make the biggest difference. :)
Friday we woke up super early and took the car back to Des Moines to take super elders to the airport. it was cool to drop off Elder Franz again. I don't know if I mentioned by the way that my driving privileges have been reinstated. Super nice to be able to drive again. My companions kind of got sick of driving all the time and I have missed it. All it took was one defensive driving course and I was back on the road!
Saturday we visited two district meetings. Both were great. Both we shorter than usual tho per President's request. We set some goals as a district and as a zone consequently. I'm excited to work towards those goals. We also got to know one another. I have learned through careful personal studies that you can pretty much know a person with few questions. I will list them for your benefit and experimentation.
-What is your favorite pair of shoes?
-How long have you had those shoes?
-How well kept are they?
-What kind of cereal do you most prefer?
-What milk do you eat that with?
-Do you have juice and/or water with said bowl of cereal?
-Do you have toast as well?
-Do you drink the milk at the end of cereal consumption?
-What size spoon do you use to eat said cereal?
With those questions you may know all you need to know someones true personality. I have tested it and found it to be accurate!
I want to end my letter today with some things I have been thinking about and were inspired by Elder Harrison before he left for home. The topic of “culture” in the Iowa Des Moines Mission has been one often mentioned through various trainings, and comments from President Jergensen. That word, “culture,” has led me to some serious pondering of what kind of culture, or behaviors, beliefs, and characteristics should define our missions and our lives. As I pondered the rich history of the cities within my mission such as Carthage, Nauvoo, Iowa City, and others, I realize that our culture has been for the last 190 years, and must continue to be a culture of sacrifice. We may not need to sacrifice what they sacrificed but we must be willing to sacrifice the same amount. From the time Joseph Smith began his foreordained work, until the last of the Saints reached the Salt Lake Valley, persecutions have raged, mobs have combined, and in some cases it has been as if the very jaws of hell gaped open its mouth wide after the hero's upon whose shoulders we now stand. I took a life changing vacation unknowingly with my family when I was younger unaware that one day it would be the most sacred ground to me. I have stood in Carthage Jail with my family when I was 16. I have touched the hole that was made by the bullet that took Hyrum’s life and cried at the thought of that moment several times as I have seen it depicted in the film "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration". I have looked from the window that Joseph’s body fell from and imagine myself believing in something or someone so much I was willing to die for it or them. I have stood at Joseph and Hyrum’s grave. I have walked around the Nauvoo Cemetery, where hundreds of children were laid to rest, and where continually faithful Mothers and Fathers, brothers and sisters, were buried. Gordon B Hinckley once said, "If you think your life is tough, the pioneers laugh in your face." Through the power of the Holy Ghost, I know that the culture of the Iowa Des Moines Mission and the rest of this church and religion is and must continue to be sacrifice. Sacrifice must define our work, and as it does it will define us. We are all the Lord’s servants today, privileged to labor on the same ground that the Prophet and his Saints labored on. but also the same ground that this great country housed ancient civilizations where similar wars have been waged. Beyond all of that we are very privileged to be on the very Earth which our Father in Heaven has created through his son Jesus Christ for our purpose. The words written by W.W. Phelps, “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven…” in the song Praise To The Man have repeated themselves over and over in my heart and in my mind, and I know that we must make heaven demanded sacrifices to invoke those very powers of Heaven that created this very holy ground. To honor those who went before us and He who paid the price for us all may I suggest we do as the Book of Mormon exhorts and invites... we must "remember" their sacrifices and be willing to make our own. 3rd Nephi 9:20 "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit." May we realize the sacred ground we stand on, and the responsibility that rests on our shoulders. I know that is true for all of us. Sacrifice is the key to salvation. It was for Christ and it will be for us. The work is difficult but the rewards are worth it. Sacrifice my friends, for what you know is right.
I love you all but my time is short and I must bid you adieu. I love you my friends and family. Stay sweet, safe, and sober.
See you Sunday! =)
Elder Richard Zachary Excell
Thursday, we woke up at the crack of dawn so we could make the trek to Iowa City for transfer meeting. We fit 7 people in Brother Bera's van. He is our ward mission leader. We had our companionship and the sisters from 5th branch and also the elders from 7th branch. Needless to say, it was a bit tight. I think I may still have the imprint of a seat belt receptor on my bum. Not pleasant. But the transfer meeting was great! I got to see Elder Franz again and all the other awesome elders going home. I have a new companion named Elder Kimber! We immediately got along really well. He is from Bountiful, Utah. I don't know what it is about that town but I tend to have my favorite companions from there. He went to Boston University for a semester and wrestled there and then went to a year at University of Utah. He is a die hard Ute fan. He is the youngest of three kids and likes to go fast. =) He's been out for about 18 months now and goes home in June. He worked as an EMT and fireman before the mission. Super sweet guy! I love him! Depending on transfers he could just die off in Waukee. I may even be the one to kill him. But I doubt it. We'll see. I am excited to work with him tho. He does something that I try to do. With every companion, I have tried to help them become who they want to be and help them accomplish personal goals. He does that too. We are going to work very well together and Waukee is about to explode with success.
We came back from transfer meeting, and since the assistants just love to use our car, we were stranded at the mission home for a bit. It was kinda funny. We sat in the living room with 15 elders who were done. No more. Their mission was over, and it caused me to think where I want to be spiritually and emotionally when I am sitting in that room in 8 months? Who do I want to be? It was nice to see so I could have that chance to ponder. We eventually got our car and went and picked up Kimber's stuff from the stake center where we had to abandon it and went to the Nielsen's. It's pretty funny for missionaries to walk in to the Nielsen's home I've noticed. It's just like heaven for a missionary apartment. Every missionary loves it! How could you not with full size beds with silk sheets. Laundry whenever you want. Cold filtered purified water at your request. It's definitely the little things in life that make the biggest difference. :)
Friday we woke up super early and took the car back to Des Moines to take super elders to the airport. it was cool to drop off Elder Franz again. I don't know if I mentioned by the way that my driving privileges have been reinstated. Super nice to be able to drive again. My companions kind of got sick of driving all the time and I have missed it. All it took was one defensive driving course and I was back on the road!
Saturday we visited two district meetings. Both were great. Both we shorter than usual tho per President's request. We set some goals as a district and as a zone consequently. I'm excited to work towards those goals. We also got to know one another. I have learned through careful personal studies that you can pretty much know a person with few questions. I will list them for your benefit and experimentation.
-What is your favorite pair of shoes?
-How long have you had those shoes?
-How well kept are they?
-What kind of cereal do you most prefer?
-What milk do you eat that with?
-Do you have juice and/or water with said bowl of cereal?
-Do you have toast as well?
-Do you drink the milk at the end of cereal consumption?
-What size spoon do you use to eat said cereal?
With those questions you may know all you need to know someones true personality. I have tested it and found it to be accurate!
I want to end my letter today with some things I have been thinking about and were inspired by Elder Harrison before he left for home. The topic of “culture” in the Iowa Des Moines Mission has been one often mentioned through various trainings, and comments from President Jergensen. That word, “culture,” has led me to some serious pondering of what kind of culture, or behaviors, beliefs, and characteristics should define our missions and our lives. As I pondered the rich history of the cities within my mission such as Carthage, Nauvoo, Iowa City, and others, I realize that our culture has been for the last 190 years, and must continue to be a culture of sacrifice. We may not need to sacrifice what they sacrificed but we must be willing to sacrifice the same amount. From the time Joseph Smith began his foreordained work, until the last of the Saints reached the Salt Lake Valley, persecutions have raged, mobs have combined, and in some cases it has been as if the very jaws of hell gaped open its mouth wide after the hero's upon whose shoulders we now stand. I took a life changing vacation unknowingly with my family when I was younger unaware that one day it would be the most sacred ground to me. I have stood in Carthage Jail with my family when I was 16. I have touched the hole that was made by the bullet that took Hyrum’s life and cried at the thought of that moment several times as I have seen it depicted in the film "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration". I have looked from the window that Joseph’s body fell from and imagine myself believing in something or someone so much I was willing to die for it or them. I have stood at Joseph and Hyrum’s grave. I have walked around the Nauvoo Cemetery, where hundreds of children were laid to rest, and where continually faithful Mothers and Fathers, brothers and sisters, were buried. Gordon B Hinckley once said, "If you think your life is tough, the pioneers laugh in your face." Through the power of the Holy Ghost, I know that the culture of the Iowa Des Moines Mission and the rest of this church and religion is and must continue to be sacrifice. Sacrifice must define our work, and as it does it will define us. We are all the Lord’s servants today, privileged to labor on the same ground that the Prophet and his Saints labored on. but also the same ground that this great country housed ancient civilizations where similar wars have been waged. Beyond all of that we are very privileged to be on the very Earth which our Father in Heaven has created through his son Jesus Christ for our purpose. The words written by W.W. Phelps, “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven…” in the song Praise To The Man have repeated themselves over and over in my heart and in my mind, and I know that we must make heaven demanded sacrifices to invoke those very powers of Heaven that created this very holy ground. To honor those who went before us and He who paid the price for us all may I suggest we do as the Book of Mormon exhorts and invites... we must "remember" their sacrifices and be willing to make our own. 3rd Nephi 9:20 "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit." May we realize the sacred ground we stand on, and the responsibility that rests on our shoulders. I know that is true for all of us. Sacrifice is the key to salvation. It was for Christ and it will be for us. The work is difficult but the rewards are worth it. Sacrifice my friends, for what you know is right.
I love you all but my time is short and I must bid you adieu. I love you my friends and family. Stay sweet, safe, and sober.
See you Sunday! =)
Elder Richard Zachary Excell
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Pictures!
Q&A - December 14, 2011
1. I really want details about your ankle. I'm sure you know that Sister Jergensen called me on Saturday and I'm sure you know me well enough to know that I've had sufficient time to worry about you now. :) What is the latest? What doctors have you seen and what are they saying?
So I have seen Dr. Mckellar twice from our ward. They've taken 7 x-rays and there has been no bone damage seen. He is still very worried because 6 weeks later, it's still swollen, and to be honest...really painful. So I am seeing a podiatrist on Tuesday next week and possibly getting an MRI. They are really worried I tore the tendon connecting my upper ankle to the blade edge of my foot.
2. Will you need to see other doctors or do they feel like they have a handle on this now? What is their plan for treating it? Therapy? or is it bad enough that you might need surgery?
Best case scenario at this point: a walking boot. Worst case scenario: surgery.
3. If they find that surgery is necessary, what does that mean? How long of a recovery? Will you be sent home?
If surgery does happen....I will not leave this mission. I won't. I will beg and plead to work in the office if I have to. I will not go home. I will not allow myself to do so.
4. Have you gotten a Christmas package in the mail yet? USPS tracking says that it was delivered to the mission office on Monday at 10:46 a.m. :)
I have recieved it and thank you so much!!! I don't know much of what is in it yet but it was awesome! I also got a package from Whit today! Thanks! PS: 12 Ways of Christmas....I love it!!! Thank you so much for everything! I love you!
5. And, speaking of Christmas packages, we received one in the mail today from you!! We love it!! Where did you make it? Was it on your own or at some kind of church activity?
Me and Elder Lewis (Delbert) came up with the idea while on exchanges so we made it happen.
6. In a few short days, thanks to Skype, we'll get to see your face and hear your voice!! We need to have a plan though by your next p-day on Monday, so, when is the best time of day for you? I talked to Dad and we are thinking sometime in the afternoon around 2:00 or 3:00 would work well for us, but we're totally open to whatever works best for you. We will still have sacrament meeting at 11:00 and Dad will have a few meetings before and after but should be all the way done by 2. What do you think? You name the time and we'll be ready!!
So, I will check into it but we have church at 1 and just sacramnet meeting. I think probably 3:30 would work best but I will need to coordinate with my new comp and the Nielsen's to know for sure. I will let you know! =)
7. Transfers! So, has Elder Johnson left yet? or does that happen on Thursday? Do you know yet if you're staying in Waukee?
I am staying in Waukee and Elder Johnson's mom is coming to get him and staying at the Nielsen's a couple of days so we'll have 3 missionaries there. 2 active and he'll leave on Monday.
8. You probably don't know yet who your new companion is, do you?
Not at all....I have a couple of guesses, but nothing for sure. I do know tho that Sister Jessica Baird who I went to high school with will be in my zone! That'll be neat!
9. What are your plans for Christmas day? Will you and your companion have your own little "Christmas morning" or will you spend time with the Nielsens?
I'm not sure yet. I need to talk to Hillary about it but I think kind of both.
10. The best and worst of the week?
Best: Janapanese Tempanyaki
Worst: X rays...not too much fun to have your ankle placed in awkward painful positions.
So I have seen Dr. Mckellar twice from our ward. They've taken 7 x-rays and there has been no bone damage seen. He is still very worried because 6 weeks later, it's still swollen, and to be honest...really painful. So I am seeing a podiatrist on Tuesday next week and possibly getting an MRI. They are really worried I tore the tendon connecting my upper ankle to the blade edge of my foot.
2. Will you need to see other doctors or do they feel like they have a handle on this now? What is their plan for treating it? Therapy? or is it bad enough that you might need surgery?
Best case scenario at this point: a walking boot. Worst case scenario: surgery.
3. If they find that surgery is necessary, what does that mean? How long of a recovery? Will you be sent home?
If surgery does happen....I will not leave this mission. I won't. I will beg and plead to work in the office if I have to. I will not go home. I will not allow myself to do so.
4. Have you gotten a Christmas package in the mail yet? USPS tracking says that it was delivered to the mission office on Monday at 10:46 a.m. :)
I have recieved it and thank you so much!!! I don't know much of what is in it yet but it was awesome! I also got a package from Whit today! Thanks! PS: 12 Ways of Christmas....I love it!!! Thank you so much for everything! I love you!
5. And, speaking of Christmas packages, we received one in the mail today from you!! We love it!! Where did you make it? Was it on your own or at some kind of church activity?
Me and Elder Lewis (Delbert) came up with the idea while on exchanges so we made it happen.
6. In a few short days, thanks to Skype, we'll get to see your face and hear your voice!! We need to have a plan though by your next p-day on Monday, so, when is the best time of day for you? I talked to Dad and we are thinking sometime in the afternoon around 2:00 or 3:00 would work well for us, but we're totally open to whatever works best for you. We will still have sacrament meeting at 11:00 and Dad will have a few meetings before and after but should be all the way done by 2. What do you think? You name the time and we'll be ready!!
So, I will check into it but we have church at 1 and just sacramnet meeting. I think probably 3:30 would work best but I will need to coordinate with my new comp and the Nielsen's to know for sure. I will let you know! =)
7. Transfers! So, has Elder Johnson left yet? or does that happen on Thursday? Do you know yet if you're staying in Waukee?
I am staying in Waukee and Elder Johnson's mom is coming to get him and staying at the Nielsen's a couple of days so we'll have 3 missionaries there. 2 active and he'll leave on Monday.
8. You probably don't know yet who your new companion is, do you?
Not at all....I have a couple of guesses, but nothing for sure. I do know tho that Sister Jessica Baird who I went to high school with will be in my zone! That'll be neat!
9. What are your plans for Christmas day? Will you and your companion have your own little "Christmas morning" or will you spend time with the Nielsens?
I'm not sure yet. I need to talk to Hillary about it but I think kind of both.
10. The best and worst of the week?
Best: Janapanese Tempanyaki
Worst: X rays...not too much fun to have your ankle placed in awkward painful positions.
Happiness
Man oh man! What a week. For 10 days, it feels more like 3 days have gone by. It’s pretty incredible to look back and realize that I have already been in Waukee for an entire six weeks. A whole transfer has already passed by. I only have so few of those transfers left. They become more sacred in many different ways as another one ends.
I want to start by saying how grateful I am to have been with Elder Johnson. I will get right down to the nitty grittty. I can tell you this all because of the places that Johnson and I have been with each other. Let it be publicly known now that for about 3 weeks, Johnson and I did not get along. Our personalities clashed all the time. We were both stubborn. We eventually came to ground zero with one another and have built upwards and now have a great friendship. I am so thankful for all that I have learned from him. He's a great guy and I wish him a lot of luck at home.
Last p-day, we went and watched Elder Purcell attempt the Emmeneker again. Failed once again. After 11 minutes, he realized it wasn’t gonna happen so he asked for a to-go box and had dinner sufficient for three days. I feel bad for the guy. He wants to conquer the thing so bad but it just isn't happening. It's going to take some more conditioning Hagrid!
After that, we played a new board game with the west side district. It’s called Citadels. It was a lot of fun. For those of you who have played Dominion, it was very similar but with some tweaks. We had a good time with that district.
Both districts are gonna be changing up a ton with transfers. We will have three births here in the Des Moines zone. We will have one little girl and two little boys to be trained by their respective moms and dads. Besides that, I think there is only one companionship staying the same. Every other pair will have at least one change. Crazy. Our zone's average time on the mission right now before transfers is about 18-20 months. A pretty old zone. But after transfers, we are looking at about 8-10 months old. It’s gonna be a different ball game. I’m excited for it.
I guess it kinda goes without saying that I will remain in Waukee as Elder Johnson is getting transferred to home. =) I think I will be with Elder Kimber or Elder Bennet. We’ll see. It’s all speculation until tomorrow morning. Then we will have some more news.
This week, we had such a fantastic lesson with Matt and Theresa. We felt we needed to see how badly they wanted to progress so we taught the word of wisdom knowing that Matt smokes a pack a day. We taught very well, I think, and just so I can give a more play-by-play feel, let me explain like this...we told Matt that if he would like to show his faith and quit right now, he could rip up his cigarettes and throw them away and pray asking Heavenly Father's assistance. With no exaggeration, we sat there for nearly 20 minutes watching him in his mind fight the fear vs. faith battle. Neither of us felt as if we should speak so he and his wife talked a bit. I eventually felt the need to ask him if he would like to be with Theresa and their 2.5 year old son Chris forever. Promptly, he stood up and went to the bed room. He came back with his last two cigarettes and ripped them up threw them away and sat back down. We all enjoyed the feelings of the spirit for a second and asked Matt to pray. As he did, he choked up and asked, rather he pleaded, for Heavenly Fathers help overcoming his addictions. If I could just adequately express to you how much emotion and sincerity he thrust into that prayer... he and his wife were both sobbing with the spiritual witness they had just received. Now if I may step back from the story and offer some thoughts..."How much faith and sincerity have I exhibited in my life?" was the only question I could ask myself after witnessing the miracle I had just seen. "Have I prayed and pleaded with Father in Heaven lately?" Those are just the questions I had walking away from that lesson. Matt is such an example to me. I learned more from him than I could have ever taught him. I owe him a lot. Later in the week, he and the family came to church again and they are all doing great!!
I guess I should explain the situation with my ankle. I have tried to push through as much pain as I possibly could but I just gave in finally. I called the mission doctor and he suggested getting x-rayed again. The x-rays were negative. No bone damage but both doctors are worried about tendon and ligament damage. So Tuesday, I will go in for an MRI most likely and see what the deal is.
We went to a super good Japanese tempanyaki grill the other day with the Nielsen’s. Oh it was so good! I love them. Probably some of my favorite food is Chinese and Japanese. I had some eel sushi. Sooooooo good! Oh man, I’m craving it again now.
Oh my word...I almost forgot! We had our Christmas zone conference this last Tuesday! Phenomenal. Best zone conference I have yet to attend in my history as a missionary. Normally the mission does a fun talent show and decorate cookies for the Christmas zone conference. This year president felt we needed a more spiritual emphasis and so we had some great talks on the Christ-like attributes found in chapter 6 of preach my gospel. They really brought the spirit in. We then watched a movie called 17 Miracles. I am begging anyone who has not seen this movie before to go to Deseret Book and buy (you will not regret the purchase) and watch it at once. I am not joking either. I literally cried through the whole thing. It’s a film about the Willie handcart company and the struggles they went through. More importantly the sacrifices they all made. I came to realize that Heavenly Father does not expect us to go through what they went through but he does expect us to sacrifice as much as they did. I have so much more to give up to be who he needs me to be. I am trying, and that is the first step, but now I need to be doing. Great, great, great movie. Please sit down and take two hours, a box of Kleenex and watch the movie. You won't regret the spiritual impressions you will feel while watching!
Last night, Toni was supposed to be baptized. I guess before I get into that, I need to mention that I love this woman. I have got to teach her on exchanges 3 times and she actually has included me on the list of people who have saved her life. Now for those of you who don’t know of my fascination with Superman and my goal to save lives...this was epic for me to hear. Anyway...well last night she didn’t go through with the baptism yet. She wasn't ready. She went down in the water but her fear of water out did her. It was heart breaking to see them try for 30 minutes. She just couldn’t do it. Not yet anyway. Fear vs. faith. It’s tough.
Things I have learned this week--
-Sincerity make a difference.
-Prayer doesn’t change things. People who have prayed change things.
-Sometimes the biggest war we wage is fear vs. faith.
As I have seen many fear vs. faith stories happen lately, I have found myself thinking, why is it so hard? I guess when I think of faith; I think faith is to believe what you do not yet see. The reward for this faith is to see what you believe. If that is the case, then why is it so difficult? Why do we so often succumb to the fear? I remember a quote my sister shared with me once and I wrote it down and have kept it close to me because it meant a lot. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?" Sometimes I think we focus on so much of who we can't be and we limit ourselves. “No one can make you feel inferior but yourself." If we were able to simply increase our faith even by a miniscule amount on a daily basis, I know that we would recognize more and more who we truly are and who we are designed to become. I know faith is not just a great principle but rather it is the great principle upon which all else rests. Faith is the motivating belief behind quite literally all that we do. As we increase faith, we increase in all else. I know this great principle to be powerful as I have seen it practiced very sincerely by great people around me. I love it.
I love all of you. Bad part of this week has been 10 days between emails but bonus is that now there are only 4 days and a wake up til next email! =) i love ya'll!!
Hugs and kisses,
Elder Excell
I want to start by saying how grateful I am to have been with Elder Johnson. I will get right down to the nitty grittty. I can tell you this all because of the places that Johnson and I have been with each other. Let it be publicly known now that for about 3 weeks, Johnson and I did not get along. Our personalities clashed all the time. We were both stubborn. We eventually came to ground zero with one another and have built upwards and now have a great friendship. I am so thankful for all that I have learned from him. He's a great guy and I wish him a lot of luck at home.
Last p-day, we went and watched Elder Purcell attempt the Emmeneker again. Failed once again. After 11 minutes, he realized it wasn’t gonna happen so he asked for a to-go box and had dinner sufficient for three days. I feel bad for the guy. He wants to conquer the thing so bad but it just isn't happening. It's going to take some more conditioning Hagrid!
After that, we played a new board game with the west side district. It’s called Citadels. It was a lot of fun. For those of you who have played Dominion, it was very similar but with some tweaks. We had a good time with that district.
Both districts are gonna be changing up a ton with transfers. We will have three births here in the Des Moines zone. We will have one little girl and two little boys to be trained by their respective moms and dads. Besides that, I think there is only one companionship staying the same. Every other pair will have at least one change. Crazy. Our zone's average time on the mission right now before transfers is about 18-20 months. A pretty old zone. But after transfers, we are looking at about 8-10 months old. It’s gonna be a different ball game. I’m excited for it.
I guess it kinda goes without saying that I will remain in Waukee as Elder Johnson is getting transferred to home. =) I think I will be with Elder Kimber or Elder Bennet. We’ll see. It’s all speculation until tomorrow morning. Then we will have some more news.
This week, we had such a fantastic lesson with Matt and Theresa. We felt we needed to see how badly they wanted to progress so we taught the word of wisdom knowing that Matt smokes a pack a day. We taught very well, I think, and just so I can give a more play-by-play feel, let me explain like this...we told Matt that if he would like to show his faith and quit right now, he could rip up his cigarettes and throw them away and pray asking Heavenly Father's assistance. With no exaggeration, we sat there for nearly 20 minutes watching him in his mind fight the fear vs. faith battle. Neither of us felt as if we should speak so he and his wife talked a bit. I eventually felt the need to ask him if he would like to be with Theresa and their 2.5 year old son Chris forever. Promptly, he stood up and went to the bed room. He came back with his last two cigarettes and ripped them up threw them away and sat back down. We all enjoyed the feelings of the spirit for a second and asked Matt to pray. As he did, he choked up and asked, rather he pleaded, for Heavenly Fathers help overcoming his addictions. If I could just adequately express to you how much emotion and sincerity he thrust into that prayer... he and his wife were both sobbing with the spiritual witness they had just received. Now if I may step back from the story and offer some thoughts..."How much faith and sincerity have I exhibited in my life?" was the only question I could ask myself after witnessing the miracle I had just seen. "Have I prayed and pleaded with Father in Heaven lately?" Those are just the questions I had walking away from that lesson. Matt is such an example to me. I learned more from him than I could have ever taught him. I owe him a lot. Later in the week, he and the family came to church again and they are all doing great!!
I guess I should explain the situation with my ankle. I have tried to push through as much pain as I possibly could but I just gave in finally. I called the mission doctor and he suggested getting x-rayed again. The x-rays were negative. No bone damage but both doctors are worried about tendon and ligament damage. So Tuesday, I will go in for an MRI most likely and see what the deal is.
We went to a super good Japanese tempanyaki grill the other day with the Nielsen’s. Oh it was so good! I love them. Probably some of my favorite food is Chinese and Japanese. I had some eel sushi. Sooooooo good! Oh man, I’m craving it again now.
Oh my word...I almost forgot! We had our Christmas zone conference this last Tuesday! Phenomenal. Best zone conference I have yet to attend in my history as a missionary. Normally the mission does a fun talent show and decorate cookies for the Christmas zone conference. This year president felt we needed a more spiritual emphasis and so we had some great talks on the Christ-like attributes found in chapter 6 of preach my gospel. They really brought the spirit in. We then watched a movie called 17 Miracles. I am begging anyone who has not seen this movie before to go to Deseret Book and buy (you will not regret the purchase) and watch it at once. I am not joking either. I literally cried through the whole thing. It’s a film about the Willie handcart company and the struggles they went through. More importantly the sacrifices they all made. I came to realize that Heavenly Father does not expect us to go through what they went through but he does expect us to sacrifice as much as they did. I have so much more to give up to be who he needs me to be. I am trying, and that is the first step, but now I need to be doing. Great, great, great movie. Please sit down and take two hours, a box of Kleenex and watch the movie. You won't regret the spiritual impressions you will feel while watching!
Last night, Toni was supposed to be baptized. I guess before I get into that, I need to mention that I love this woman. I have got to teach her on exchanges 3 times and she actually has included me on the list of people who have saved her life. Now for those of you who don’t know of my fascination with Superman and my goal to save lives...this was epic for me to hear. Anyway...well last night she didn’t go through with the baptism yet. She wasn't ready. She went down in the water but her fear of water out did her. It was heart breaking to see them try for 30 minutes. She just couldn’t do it. Not yet anyway. Fear vs. faith. It’s tough.
Things I have learned this week--
-Sincerity make a difference.
-Prayer doesn’t change things. People who have prayed change things.
-Sometimes the biggest war we wage is fear vs. faith.
As I have seen many fear vs. faith stories happen lately, I have found myself thinking, why is it so hard? I guess when I think of faith; I think faith is to believe what you do not yet see. The reward for this faith is to see what you believe. If that is the case, then why is it so difficult? Why do we so often succumb to the fear? I remember a quote my sister shared with me once and I wrote it down and have kept it close to me because it meant a lot. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?" Sometimes I think we focus on so much of who we can't be and we limit ourselves. “No one can make you feel inferior but yourself." If we were able to simply increase our faith even by a miniscule amount on a daily basis, I know that we would recognize more and more who we truly are and who we are designed to become. I know faith is not just a great principle but rather it is the great principle upon which all else rests. Faith is the motivating belief behind quite literally all that we do. As we increase faith, we increase in all else. I know this great principle to be powerful as I have seen it practiced very sincerely by great people around me. I love it.
I love all of you. Bad part of this week has been 10 days between emails but bonus is that now there are only 4 days and a wake up til next email! =) i love ya'll!!
Hugs and kisses,
Elder Excell
Monday, December 5, 2011
Pictures!!
Q&A - December 5, 2011
1. So, transfers are next week, right? Do you feel like you will probably be staying in Waukee?
Ya...it's pretty inevitable. With Johnson leaving and it being a zone leader area...I will most likely stay unless something crazy happens. Doubtful! So p-day next week is Wednesday and transfers are Thursday.
2. How was your frigid game of Frolf last p-day?
I threw a three under for the 18 holes. I finally perfected the backhand flick and it helps tons!!
3. How did your cake turn out for the Ward Christmas Party?
Super good. I had people asking me for the recipe for the frosting...I just used peppermint pilsbury frosting from walmart! Pretty good tho!
4. Is your coat pretty warm? I've worried whether or not it would be warm enough for "Iowa cold".
It's the best!! That with a hoodie underneath is perfect! Thank you so much!!
5. Did Matt and Theresa come to church again yesterday?
No, but they did come to the party and they told us in advance they couldn't make church but I'm super excited to tell you about the lesson we had with them!
6. Best and worst of the week?
Best-- Being in our area
Worst-- Not being in our area.
7. Do you need anything from home? I'm sending a package this week and can pack more into it if you need anything...
I am doing so well. I am content! Thank you so much though!
Ya...it's pretty inevitable. With Johnson leaving and it being a zone leader area...I will most likely stay unless something crazy happens. Doubtful! So p-day next week is Wednesday and transfers are Thursday.
2. How was your frigid game of Frolf last p-day?
I threw a three under for the 18 holes. I finally perfected the backhand flick and it helps tons!!
3. How did your cake turn out for the Ward Christmas Party?
Super good. I had people asking me for the recipe for the frosting...I just used peppermint pilsbury frosting from walmart! Pretty good tho!
4. Is your coat pretty warm? I've worried whether or not it would be warm enough for "Iowa cold".
It's the best!! That with a hoodie underneath is perfect! Thank you so much!!
5. Did Matt and Theresa come to church again yesterday?
No, but they did come to the party and they told us in advance they couldn't make church but I'm super excited to tell you about the lesson we had with them!
6. Best and worst of the week?
Best-- Being in our area
Worst-- Not being in our area.
7. Do you need anything from home? I'm sending a package this week and can pack more into it if you need anything...
I am doing so well. I am content! Thank you so much though!
"Born To Rebel"
Man, it is such a blessing to look to my side for a good attention getter and have so many fantastic books to choose from. I feel like with the new calling as zone leader and the service we do in libraries, like I am starting to love libraries or something. I want to go home and hang out in libraries. That is so not who I used to be! I guess I just love the thought that there is so much knowledge around me that I can take in and learn about. So many different vantage points to view reality and even some escapes to alternate realities. I love it. Although I have to admit...I have only found one book in this library, or in any library for that matter, that claims to be delivered by an angel! That's the book that I want to go back and read over and over and over! =)
It feels like I got jipped out of a week of my mission this week! I guess not really but we actually only spent about 8-10 hours in our actual area of Waukee this week! Busy, Busy, Busy!
Monday we had a great p-day and I threw a 3 under after 18 holes in Frolf. It was cold for the first 9 but we were just warming up for the back nine. It was a lot of fun. Admittedly, I did enjoy it. I want to go back and play in some of the courses in Idaho sometime. It's somewhat addicting! But unfortunately, it was probably the last holes of the season. It's getting cold here. About 20 degrees consistently to be exact. I actually really like it tho because it reminds me of home. Johnson hates it! He's perfectly content having a sandy Christmas in Arizona! =)
Monday night, we had dinner with the Phippens. Some of you who read this may know them! They lived on Sun Hill Loop in Pocatello just up the street from our house about 4 years ago. Needless to say we made quite a few connections and that is just one more connection I have made to add to my book of why Heavenly Father sent me to Waukee!
Tuesday, the departing missionaries, including Elder Johnson, took their last and final Nauvoo temple trip. They all came back super trunky! Haha! You put that many dying missionaries in a van for 6 hours and a 15 hour trip, I guess what more can you expect. They had a good time tho. I got to work with Hagrid...aka Elder Purcell. He is such a stud. Oh and a side note...he is attempting the Adam Emmeneker sandwich again today. 3rd time is a charm. I'm cheering on my champ! He has to win! But on our exchange together we had a blast! We visited Toni who is supposed to be baptized this Saturday! Originally it was last week but it didn’t happen because while we were visiting her, she confessed to us that she had some gall stones that needed removed and that was quite an ordeal. I guess that night, she had been in the hospital and ran away because she was told she'd have to have surgery and that scared her. She's a pretty stubborn lady and when we stopped by, she was writhing in pain but convinced that these gall stones would just go away with time! I was astounded! Purcell is still green so wasn’t quite sure what to do and I guess from everyone else's remarks, I am a pretty bold missionary so I said, "Toni, why would you not go get the surgery" She responded, "Because my house is dirty and I need to clean it first." With no further ado, we hopped off the couch and started to clean. No words were spoken. The dishes were washed. Floors swept and items shelved. In 15 minutes, we asked her for another excuse. She said, "because I fought with my son this morning and I don't want to die in surgery after a fight with family." So we brought the son in with no exhortation and had a session of forgiveness and love and afterwards I said, "Toni, go get your coat on now. You are out of excuses and we are taking you in for the surgery." She did so and we were off. After dealing with the front secretaries for a bit, we got her a room and she was in surgery that night. It messed with her baptism but she walked away from it with renewed faith and a baptismal date for this Saturday! Pictures to come next week!
That night we ran into some fellows who invited us to go teach them at the nearest coffee shop so we did. I have been converted to coffee shops. I will hang out in them more too! Good Baked Goods! Yum! Anyway, they sat with us for two hours and anti-ed us pretty hardcore for nearly the whole time. They pretended to not know what we believed but he would ask a searching question like, "I hear you believe...." and then lay out 8 to 10 scriptures against it. After about 3 such questions, I just looked at them. I felt a need to pause so I did. No words were spoken by anyone. Silence. Then after about 30 seconds of intense searching eye contact, I boldly said what the spirit told me to say..."I believe in a living Jesus Christ. I believe in Joseph Smith and his predestined ordination as the prophet of this dispensation. The Book of Mormon is the convincing evidence to me of both facts. I encourage you to read it." They sat in their seats pretty taken aback and the spirit was very strong. They took a copy of the Book of Mormon and we closed with a prayer. Pretty neat experience.
Wednesday, we had to do the planning and preparing for the upcoming days. Not much to report on this day. I think I emerged victorious from the Monopoly Deal tournament that night. But I am currently trailing 28 games to 32 in foosball. Vengeance will be mine!
Thursday we had a conference call for zone leader council. Not nearly as effective as our in-person meeting but saves the church a lot of miles. We actually went to McDonald’s and played some card games during the call. Probably not the most focused I’ve been in a meeting but when a question is asked and you have to start on one side of the mission and give every missionary a chance to respond you have some down time!
We exchanged with 1st ward on Thursday after the call. It was a good exchange with Elder Snyder the district leader. I just feel so much love for my zone. I love all the missionaries and have such a new found respect for missionaries who give up themselves for the Lord! What a sacrifice to come from 19-21 year old kids. They are a real example to me of what I need to be doing better!
Friday, we had district meeting for the east side. It was a great meeting. It was the last district meeting for both districts due to a zone conference this week so it was farewell. We always do transfer predictions, and for those missionaries going home, you guess how long til they are married. Johnson was given 10 months average and I was told I will stay from the majority vote. I guess only time will tell.
Friday night was the ward Christmas party and we were the judges of the gingerbread house making competition. We were good judges. We got to make up the categories, and bonus is, Jared the member we live with was in charge and so all the excess goods such as gummy bears, m&m's and pixie sticks are at our house! It's a good thing I have been running lately. Since I gave up soda, it has been so much better! I run close to 8 miles a day! 2 in the morning and 6 at night on a 6 incline. It's been super good. I love it. I burn nearly 1000 calories a day!
Saturday, we had west side district meeting and it was good as well. We watched this movie called Labor of Love. Super good and made everyone super motivated to not waste our time. After district meeting, we had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and I had a huckleberry lemonade! ...in Iowa! I know! Unheard of!
Sunday was a great day as well. Church was great. We had quite a few less actives at church and also, the Ray's, who will hopefully take the plunge this week before Jerret goes back to the modern gold rush of North Dakota, were there. I hear it's pretty crazy out there now! We had a good ward coordination. We came up with a plan to send the whole ward a Christmas card with a dvd and pass along card and the encouragement to give it to their neighbors...we'll see how many referrals that leads to. I’m excited to see.
Things I learned this week--
-A hug a day keeps the bad feelings away
-English toffee....worth every calorie
-I'm looking forward to 14 years of training and school if I really do what I want to.
I have been thinking lately about people and the three types of people in my mind's eye. First, the one who doesn't realize that anything great is happening; second, the one who realizes something is going on but doesn't know what it is; and third, the one behind the scenes making it all happen. How does a person make things happen? How can someone be effective as a young man or woman, as a father, a mother, as a leader in the Church, in schoolwork, in life? I think that it is by doing things "the Lord's way." What is the lord's way though? How can we find that way out? That's the very beauty of the gospel is that it contains the answers to those essential questions. The Lord's way can be found through faith and prayer. I have found that as we turn what we have to the Lord, He will richly bless us and give us more than we ever had before. Once again, I think C.S. Lewis said it best...“[To have Faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.” I am so grateful for the gospel and its answers to my deepest questions.
I hope you all have a great week. I love you all so much!
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell
It feels like I got jipped out of a week of my mission this week! I guess not really but we actually only spent about 8-10 hours in our actual area of Waukee this week! Busy, Busy, Busy!
Monday we had a great p-day and I threw a 3 under after 18 holes in Frolf. It was cold for the first 9 but we were just warming up for the back nine. It was a lot of fun. Admittedly, I did enjoy it. I want to go back and play in some of the courses in Idaho sometime. It's somewhat addicting! But unfortunately, it was probably the last holes of the season. It's getting cold here. About 20 degrees consistently to be exact. I actually really like it tho because it reminds me of home. Johnson hates it! He's perfectly content having a sandy Christmas in Arizona! =)
Monday night, we had dinner with the Phippens. Some of you who read this may know them! They lived on Sun Hill Loop in Pocatello just up the street from our house about 4 years ago. Needless to say we made quite a few connections and that is just one more connection I have made to add to my book of why Heavenly Father sent me to Waukee!
Tuesday, the departing missionaries, including Elder Johnson, took their last and final Nauvoo temple trip. They all came back super trunky! Haha! You put that many dying missionaries in a van for 6 hours and a 15 hour trip, I guess what more can you expect. They had a good time tho. I got to work with Hagrid...aka Elder Purcell. He is such a stud. Oh and a side note...he is attempting the Adam Emmeneker sandwich again today. 3rd time is a charm. I'm cheering on my champ! He has to win! But on our exchange together we had a blast! We visited Toni who is supposed to be baptized this Saturday! Originally it was last week but it didn’t happen because while we were visiting her, she confessed to us that she had some gall stones that needed removed and that was quite an ordeal. I guess that night, she had been in the hospital and ran away because she was told she'd have to have surgery and that scared her. She's a pretty stubborn lady and when we stopped by, she was writhing in pain but convinced that these gall stones would just go away with time! I was astounded! Purcell is still green so wasn’t quite sure what to do and I guess from everyone else's remarks, I am a pretty bold missionary so I said, "Toni, why would you not go get the surgery" She responded, "Because my house is dirty and I need to clean it first." With no further ado, we hopped off the couch and started to clean. No words were spoken. The dishes were washed. Floors swept and items shelved. In 15 minutes, we asked her for another excuse. She said, "because I fought with my son this morning and I don't want to die in surgery after a fight with family." So we brought the son in with no exhortation and had a session of forgiveness and love and afterwards I said, "Toni, go get your coat on now. You are out of excuses and we are taking you in for the surgery." She did so and we were off. After dealing with the front secretaries for a bit, we got her a room and she was in surgery that night. It messed with her baptism but she walked away from it with renewed faith and a baptismal date for this Saturday! Pictures to come next week!
That night we ran into some fellows who invited us to go teach them at the nearest coffee shop so we did. I have been converted to coffee shops. I will hang out in them more too! Good Baked Goods! Yum! Anyway, they sat with us for two hours and anti-ed us pretty hardcore for nearly the whole time. They pretended to not know what we believed but he would ask a searching question like, "I hear you believe...." and then lay out 8 to 10 scriptures against it. After about 3 such questions, I just looked at them. I felt a need to pause so I did. No words were spoken by anyone. Silence. Then after about 30 seconds of intense searching eye contact, I boldly said what the spirit told me to say..."I believe in a living Jesus Christ. I believe in Joseph Smith and his predestined ordination as the prophet of this dispensation. The Book of Mormon is the convincing evidence to me of both facts. I encourage you to read it." They sat in their seats pretty taken aback and the spirit was very strong. They took a copy of the Book of Mormon and we closed with a prayer. Pretty neat experience.
Wednesday, we had to do the planning and preparing for the upcoming days. Not much to report on this day. I think I emerged victorious from the Monopoly Deal tournament that night. But I am currently trailing 28 games to 32 in foosball. Vengeance will be mine!
Thursday we had a conference call for zone leader council. Not nearly as effective as our in-person meeting but saves the church a lot of miles. We actually went to McDonald’s and played some card games during the call. Probably not the most focused I’ve been in a meeting but when a question is asked and you have to start on one side of the mission and give every missionary a chance to respond you have some down time!
We exchanged with 1st ward on Thursday after the call. It was a good exchange with Elder Snyder the district leader. I just feel so much love for my zone. I love all the missionaries and have such a new found respect for missionaries who give up themselves for the Lord! What a sacrifice to come from 19-21 year old kids. They are a real example to me of what I need to be doing better!
Friday, we had district meeting for the east side. It was a great meeting. It was the last district meeting for both districts due to a zone conference this week so it was farewell. We always do transfer predictions, and for those missionaries going home, you guess how long til they are married. Johnson was given 10 months average and I was told I will stay from the majority vote. I guess only time will tell.
Friday night was the ward Christmas party and we were the judges of the gingerbread house making competition. We were good judges. We got to make up the categories, and bonus is, Jared the member we live with was in charge and so all the excess goods such as gummy bears, m&m's and pixie sticks are at our house! It's a good thing I have been running lately. Since I gave up soda, it has been so much better! I run close to 8 miles a day! 2 in the morning and 6 at night on a 6 incline. It's been super good. I love it. I burn nearly 1000 calories a day!
Saturday, we had west side district meeting and it was good as well. We watched this movie called Labor of Love. Super good and made everyone super motivated to not waste our time. After district meeting, we had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and I had a huckleberry lemonade! ...in Iowa! I know! Unheard of!
Sunday was a great day as well. Church was great. We had quite a few less actives at church and also, the Ray's, who will hopefully take the plunge this week before Jerret goes back to the modern gold rush of North Dakota, were there. I hear it's pretty crazy out there now! We had a good ward coordination. We came up with a plan to send the whole ward a Christmas card with a dvd and pass along card and the encouragement to give it to their neighbors...we'll see how many referrals that leads to. I’m excited to see.
Things I learned this week--
-A hug a day keeps the bad feelings away
-English toffee....worth every calorie
-I'm looking forward to 14 years of training and school if I really do what I want to.
I have been thinking lately about people and the three types of people in my mind's eye. First, the one who doesn't realize that anything great is happening; second, the one who realizes something is going on but doesn't know what it is; and third, the one behind the scenes making it all happen. How does a person make things happen? How can someone be effective as a young man or woman, as a father, a mother, as a leader in the Church, in schoolwork, in life? I think that it is by doing things "the Lord's way." What is the lord's way though? How can we find that way out? That's the very beauty of the gospel is that it contains the answers to those essential questions. The Lord's way can be found through faith and prayer. I have found that as we turn what we have to the Lord, He will richly bless us and give us more than we ever had before. Once again, I think C.S. Lewis said it best...“[To have Faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.” I am so grateful for the gospel and its answers to my deepest questions.
I hope you all have a great week. I love you all so much!
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell
Monday, November 28, 2011
Q&A - November 28, 2011
1. How was your Thanksgiving holiday?
It was so good! We kind of just relaxed a bit, if that's possible for us! We had the idea to make some cookies and take them to less active's. Super good dinner with the Nielsens. It was a great Thanksday!
2. Did you have anything different to eat than the normal traditional Thanksgiving meal? I like to hear about other peoples traditions.
We had this salad that was the best. It was pomegranate and other yummy stuff! Like a fruit salad but with pomegranates. It was awesome! We had homemade stuffing! Awesome!
3. What was best and worst about your week?
Best Part: Matt and Theresa came to church!!! I jumped when they pulled in the parking lot.
Worst Part: Wind. I felt as if I was back in Casper!
4. Do you have any pictures of you and Elder Johnson together? We still don't know what he looks like. :)
I'll try to sneak one while he's emailing! =)
5. How is your ankle??? Did you find out anything more from Dr. McKellar about a stress fracture?
It's looking like a negative on the stress fracture. I kinda just forget about it. It's still super swollen but oh well. Time heals all wounds right? I just refuse to let it slow me down. I guess I'm just stubborn!
6. What are you most looking forward to in the week ahead?
Baking a cake for the Ward Christmas party!!!
It was so good! We kind of just relaxed a bit, if that's possible for us! We had the idea to make some cookies and take them to less active's. Super good dinner with the Nielsens. It was a great Thanksday!
2. Did you have anything different to eat than the normal traditional Thanksgiving meal? I like to hear about other peoples traditions.
We had this salad that was the best. It was pomegranate and other yummy stuff! Like a fruit salad but with pomegranates. It was awesome! We had homemade stuffing! Awesome!
3. What was best and worst about your week?
Best Part: Matt and Theresa came to church!!! I jumped when they pulled in the parking lot.
Worst Part: Wind. I felt as if I was back in Casper!
4. Do you have any pictures of you and Elder Johnson together? We still don't know what he looks like. :)
I'll try to sneak one while he's emailing! =)
5. How is your ankle??? Did you find out anything more from Dr. McKellar about a stress fracture?
It's looking like a negative on the stress fracture. I kinda just forget about it. It's still super swollen but oh well. Time heals all wounds right? I just refuse to let it slow me down. I guess I'm just stubborn!
6. What are you most looking forward to in the week ahead?
Baking a cake for the Ward Christmas party!!!
"Nice Girls Just Don't Get It"
So, I’m looking all around me to see what I can use as my attention getting subject and there is literally a book next to me in the library entitled "Nice Girls Just Don't Get It". I want to read that! But the book next to it is entitled "Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes?" What a good book selection in this library! Haha!
Man, so this week was good as always. I really have been here on a mission long enough that I am not sure what happened when and it has all smashed together. I guess the telltale sign of that is my first resource to go to for a weekly recap is my planner! Haha. That thing sustains me more than blood. If it wasn't for it, I would be so lost all the time! With so much to do and only so many hours to do it, you have to plan it out! I guess if you take that a step further and think of the eternal significance of that phrase, there is a lot to be learned! With only so much time here in our mortal state and so much to accomplish we better be planning frequently!
Anyway...I'm already on my soapbox. I guess it's habit.
Monday we had a good p-day. We played frolf (frisbee golf) again. It's a lot of fun! I just wonder how long it’s gonna last. I'm no die hard and I refuse to be playing in the snow but I guess we are gonna try for round 3 today. I am getting better! I was only 3 over after 18 holes last week! Shootin for an even par this week is my hope! After a good p-day we went to the Wadworth's home for dinner! They are huge Boise State fans. Kinda fun to talk about that! I have taken some good skills from debate into the mission life I've noticed. I seem to be able to at least pretend that I know what I'm talking about with nearly everything. I remember enough menial trivia that I can keep up on most everything and provide some input and act totally interested. I actually kind of enjoy doing it too!
Tuesday we gave some service at the library. It's actually really make me excited to go to the library when I get back! There is so much knowledge out there and I want it all. Call me greedy but I want to know a lot about several different things! I have also learned from the library, service is a bit dangerous. There are some pretty "weird, filthy" books in the world! We just close our eyes and find the number and put it where it’s supposed to go! Pretty fun service in all tho! I flipped through a book about baby names...I got some good ideas! =) We also started ward basketball so we can have something else to invite our investigators to. It was week one so not that great of a turnout but we had a good enough time that the word will spread and there will be people next week!
Wednesday was a super good day! Probably the most productive day of the transfer to date! We met with Matt and Theresa...two of our progressing investigators and they are doing so good. They actually even came to church on Sunday! We had an idea when we saw them Wednesday to take them on a church tour so they could feel the spirit that the Lord's house has. It was a great lesson and I think a super big contributor to them coming on Sunday! They really enjoyed church and plan on frequent attendance. Now we just need to get them married and baptized! So good! So excited! We had a district meeting that day as well on the east side of the zone. Super good meeting! I just have grown a great love for both districts and all the individual members of them! They are great missionaries. Are they prefect? No. But are they trying? Yes. I can't even come close to asking more than that! We had dinner with the Kohler's that night. He is the bishop of our ward. Great guy. He carries a gun to church every day because he's in the FBI. Super sweet family. They adopted two kids from China. Super cute!
We also met with the Ray family. They have been investigators forever and are now committed to baptism. They come from a polygamist colony actually in Mexico so they had an interview with D. Todd Christofferson and passed but Jerret, the father, went out of town for two months on business and just got back this week so hopefully before the week is over we will see some baptisms there! We also had dessert with the other Nielsen's (not the ones we live with). It was super good as well. I don't know if you remember me hanging out with Taylor Nielsen in college at all but he is in this ward. He comes home from a mission in March! Super sweet! I had already been to their house when I came to Iowa summer 2008 with Andy Newman. Funny coincidence! Hopefully I'll be around for his homecoming! I also see Andy's family weekly at church. I had been to the church building we attend before my mission. I am finding ties to my past everywhere!!
Thursday we had a super good thanksgiving. We were to be busy but not tract, so we tried to think of some out-of-the-box ideas to stay productively busy. We ended up borrowing the Nielsen’s kitchen and making some cookies to take to some less active members of the ward. It was really good, except for one of the houses we had the address to but neither of us knew the lady who lived there so we knocked and the lady who answered screamed in surprise. (Clue Number one) then we said we were the new missionaries in town and handed over the cookies and she said thanks, shut the door, and ran. (Clue number 2) Well because we were a bit taken aback, we described this particular woman to the ward to see if it was the right person and lo and behold...it was not. We gave cookies to a stranger. Haha! I hope she likes them! I baked them with love! Dinner was super good! I ate far too much but I did realize that thanks day this year was just a celebration of my 6 week sobriety from soda! Hooray! Still going strong!
Friday we spent some time in the library typing up reports for the stake coordination meeting we had Sunday! We have those meeting once every 3 months! It was a great meeting yesterday! Made me feel somewhat important and privileged to be in attendance! It was with President Jergensen (Mission President), President Pence (Stake President) and three of the high counselors from the stake, us, and the Oskaloosa zone leaders. We discussed how to better the work and had some great ideas. With a new stake president a lot can happen and I see a lot of good things from President Pence. He said yesterday, "Missionary work is the center of our church. If the missionary program is strong, so is the ward!" Very true!
Things I learned this week---
-The Bible is one of the dirtiest books I've ever read. I've never read the Old Testament all the way through before so i started and Genesis has some crazy stories!! I was astounded!!!
-About Child Brides in the Middle East! It makes me want to punch someone!
-Buddhism was started before Christ was on the Earth.
-Everyone can be sorted into a Hogwarts house.
-Elder Johnson and Hillary (member we live with) are pros at harry potter trivia from Scene-It. It's ridiculous. I shook my head in disgust as we played!
This week, I guess I have been thinking back a lot to who we are and who God expects us to be. It's been on my mind for quite some time and I hope you'll let me share some thoughts with you concerning the responsibility I feel we all have. I feel probably the most misunderstood concept in life and in our modern society is the answer to the question, "Who are you?" I wonder if we really knew who we were, would we be different. Would that be enough to change people? I just imagine walking across a basketball court and seeing Michael Jordan. I imagine when I see him I tell him, "hey you’re Michael Jordan" and he just looks back confused. And I say, "You're so incredible, you can turn anything into a basket, I just admire you." and he stares blankly back as if nothing I am saying is really hitting him. I wonder if that's how Heavenly Father feels sometimes. He tells us all the time who we are. Do we just not get it?
"For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord. God has saved for the final inning some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly. Make no mistake about it--you are a marked generation." -Ezra Taft Benson
That's a prophet of God telling us who we really are, but so often we listen to who the world says we are and value those comments more than we value that of our Heavenly Father. I guess I just see it differently. I know that I am a son of a living God who knows me. With that knowledge, I often wonder how I will ever be able to live up to Him and his expectations. I have figured it out. WE TRY. That's all Heavenly Father asks but that does not mean it will be easy. This is a lifelong process and will require everything you have to give to it. The words from Winston Churchill that I read in my 10th grade English class come back to me I guess. "We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory; victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be..."
The more time that I spend on this Earth, the more I realize how inadequate I am, how much further I have to go, and how much I just really don’t know. But if I know anything at all, it is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It contains the transforming power to truly change. There is no other, nor better way to understand who I am, and who God expects me to be, than through that very gospel knowledge. I am so thankful for that gospel and the great opportunity I have to share it with others who desire to change and find true happiness. I only hope to be who He, who matters most, expects me to be.
I love ya'll! So very much! I would say God Bless...but I am already sure that He is. Notice those blessings.
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell
Man, so this week was good as always. I really have been here on a mission long enough that I am not sure what happened when and it has all smashed together. I guess the telltale sign of that is my first resource to go to for a weekly recap is my planner! Haha. That thing sustains me more than blood. If it wasn't for it, I would be so lost all the time! With so much to do and only so many hours to do it, you have to plan it out! I guess if you take that a step further and think of the eternal significance of that phrase, there is a lot to be learned! With only so much time here in our mortal state and so much to accomplish we better be planning frequently!
Anyway...I'm already on my soapbox. I guess it's habit.
Monday we had a good p-day. We played frolf (frisbee golf) again. It's a lot of fun! I just wonder how long it’s gonna last. I'm no die hard and I refuse to be playing in the snow but I guess we are gonna try for round 3 today. I am getting better! I was only 3 over after 18 holes last week! Shootin for an even par this week is my hope! After a good p-day we went to the Wadworth's home for dinner! They are huge Boise State fans. Kinda fun to talk about that! I have taken some good skills from debate into the mission life I've noticed. I seem to be able to at least pretend that I know what I'm talking about with nearly everything. I remember enough menial trivia that I can keep up on most everything and provide some input and act totally interested. I actually kind of enjoy doing it too!
Tuesday we gave some service at the library. It's actually really make me excited to go to the library when I get back! There is so much knowledge out there and I want it all. Call me greedy but I want to know a lot about several different things! I have also learned from the library, service is a bit dangerous. There are some pretty "weird, filthy" books in the world! We just close our eyes and find the number and put it where it’s supposed to go! Pretty fun service in all tho! I flipped through a book about baby names...I got some good ideas! =) We also started ward basketball so we can have something else to invite our investigators to. It was week one so not that great of a turnout but we had a good enough time that the word will spread and there will be people next week!
Wednesday was a super good day! Probably the most productive day of the transfer to date! We met with Matt and Theresa...two of our progressing investigators and they are doing so good. They actually even came to church on Sunday! We had an idea when we saw them Wednesday to take them on a church tour so they could feel the spirit that the Lord's house has. It was a great lesson and I think a super big contributor to them coming on Sunday! They really enjoyed church and plan on frequent attendance. Now we just need to get them married and baptized! So good! So excited! We had a district meeting that day as well on the east side of the zone. Super good meeting! I just have grown a great love for both districts and all the individual members of them! They are great missionaries. Are they prefect? No. But are they trying? Yes. I can't even come close to asking more than that! We had dinner with the Kohler's that night. He is the bishop of our ward. Great guy. He carries a gun to church every day because he's in the FBI. Super sweet family. They adopted two kids from China. Super cute!
We also met with the Ray family. They have been investigators forever and are now committed to baptism. They come from a polygamist colony actually in Mexico so they had an interview with D. Todd Christofferson and passed but Jerret, the father, went out of town for two months on business and just got back this week so hopefully before the week is over we will see some baptisms there! We also had dessert with the other Nielsen's (not the ones we live with). It was super good as well. I don't know if you remember me hanging out with Taylor Nielsen in college at all but he is in this ward. He comes home from a mission in March! Super sweet! I had already been to their house when I came to Iowa summer 2008 with Andy Newman. Funny coincidence! Hopefully I'll be around for his homecoming! I also see Andy's family weekly at church. I had been to the church building we attend before my mission. I am finding ties to my past everywhere!!
Thursday we had a super good thanksgiving. We were to be busy but not tract, so we tried to think of some out-of-the-box ideas to stay productively busy. We ended up borrowing the Nielsen’s kitchen and making some cookies to take to some less active members of the ward. It was really good, except for one of the houses we had the address to but neither of us knew the lady who lived there so we knocked and the lady who answered screamed in surprise. (Clue Number one) then we said we were the new missionaries in town and handed over the cookies and she said thanks, shut the door, and ran. (Clue number 2) Well because we were a bit taken aback, we described this particular woman to the ward to see if it was the right person and lo and behold...it was not. We gave cookies to a stranger. Haha! I hope she likes them! I baked them with love! Dinner was super good! I ate far too much but I did realize that thanks day this year was just a celebration of my 6 week sobriety from soda! Hooray! Still going strong!
Friday we spent some time in the library typing up reports for the stake coordination meeting we had Sunday! We have those meeting once every 3 months! It was a great meeting yesterday! Made me feel somewhat important and privileged to be in attendance! It was with President Jergensen (Mission President), President Pence (Stake President) and three of the high counselors from the stake, us, and the Oskaloosa zone leaders. We discussed how to better the work and had some great ideas. With a new stake president a lot can happen and I see a lot of good things from President Pence. He said yesterday, "Missionary work is the center of our church. If the missionary program is strong, so is the ward!" Very true!
Things I learned this week---
-The Bible is one of the dirtiest books I've ever read. I've never read the Old Testament all the way through before so i started and Genesis has some crazy stories!! I was astounded!!!
-About Child Brides in the Middle East! It makes me want to punch someone!
-Buddhism was started before Christ was on the Earth.
-Everyone can be sorted into a Hogwarts house.
-Elder Johnson and Hillary (member we live with) are pros at harry potter trivia from Scene-It. It's ridiculous. I shook my head in disgust as we played!
This week, I guess I have been thinking back a lot to who we are and who God expects us to be. It's been on my mind for quite some time and I hope you'll let me share some thoughts with you concerning the responsibility I feel we all have. I feel probably the most misunderstood concept in life and in our modern society is the answer to the question, "Who are you?" I wonder if we really knew who we were, would we be different. Would that be enough to change people? I just imagine walking across a basketball court and seeing Michael Jordan. I imagine when I see him I tell him, "hey you’re Michael Jordan" and he just looks back confused. And I say, "You're so incredible, you can turn anything into a basket, I just admire you." and he stares blankly back as if nothing I am saying is really hitting him. I wonder if that's how Heavenly Father feels sometimes. He tells us all the time who we are. Do we just not get it?
"For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming of the Lord. God has saved for the final inning some of his strongest children, who will help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly. Make no mistake about it--you are a marked generation." -Ezra Taft Benson
That's a prophet of God telling us who we really are, but so often we listen to who the world says we are and value those comments more than we value that of our Heavenly Father. I guess I just see it differently. I know that I am a son of a living God who knows me. With that knowledge, I often wonder how I will ever be able to live up to Him and his expectations. I have figured it out. WE TRY. That's all Heavenly Father asks but that does not mean it will be easy. This is a lifelong process and will require everything you have to give to it. The words from Winston Churchill that I read in my 10th grade English class come back to me I guess. "We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory; victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be..."
The more time that I spend on this Earth, the more I realize how inadequate I am, how much further I have to go, and how much I just really don’t know. But if I know anything at all, it is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It contains the transforming power to truly change. There is no other, nor better way to understand who I am, and who God expects me to be, than through that very gospel knowledge. I am so thankful for that gospel and the great opportunity I have to share it with others who desire to change and find true happiness. I only hope to be who He, who matters most, expects me to be.
I love ya'll! So very much! I would say God Bless...but I am already sure that He is. Notice those blessings.
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell
Monday, November 21, 2011
Pictures!
Q&A - November 21, 2011
1. Do you have a dinner appointment for Thanksgiving?
We have dinner with the members we live with, the Nielsen's. I'm super excited! It will be like my own family....almost. Not quite, really, but I love them. I'm getting really close with them!
2. Is Thursday a regular work day for you or do you get an extra little break?
Well...it's a regular day but we are kinda supposed to visit more members than knock doors if possible. We don't know the specifics on rules quite yet but we'll find out soon I guess.
3. When is the mission tour with Elder Bowen supposed to happen or did that happen already? If so, how was it?
I'll write all about it. It was friday and phenomenal!
4. How is your ankle? You said you were going to give me more details last week in your email but I think you kind of forgot. :)
Ya...about that...I forgot. It's alright. Still really tender and Dr. McKellar thinks I might have a stress fracture on my tibia or fibula....we're gonna try to see this week! I just keep moving tho. I can't stand the crutches and I can't stand to just stay home so normal routine it is!
5. Is your bed made and your room clean right now? :)
Bed...yes.....room.....mostly. I need to hang up my suit from yesterday. It's hanging on my chair right now. Thanks for the reminder! =)
6. What was your biggest accomplishment this week?
I guess I felt the spirit this week... I've just noticed how hard that sometimes can be but also how essential it is so I'm proud that I did it!
7. Since we will be sitting around the Hyde family Thanksgiving table this week, I'll ask the traditional question, what are you most thankful for?
haha...at the Nielsen's we fill out these thankful cards everyday and so I've been pondering for 21 days already...I'm thankful for my family and the gospel. I have zero ideas where I'd be without either of them!
We have dinner with the members we live with, the Nielsen's. I'm super excited! It will be like my own family....almost. Not quite, really, but I love them. I'm getting really close with them!
2. Is Thursday a regular work day for you or do you get an extra little break?
Well...it's a regular day but we are kinda supposed to visit more members than knock doors if possible. We don't know the specifics on rules quite yet but we'll find out soon I guess.
3. When is the mission tour with Elder Bowen supposed to happen or did that happen already? If so, how was it?
I'll write all about it. It was friday and phenomenal!
4. How is your ankle? You said you were going to give me more details last week in your email but I think you kind of forgot. :)
Ya...about that...I forgot. It's alright. Still really tender and Dr. McKellar thinks I might have a stress fracture on my tibia or fibula....we're gonna try to see this week! I just keep moving tho. I can't stand the crutches and I can't stand to just stay home so normal routine it is!
5. Is your bed made and your room clean right now? :)
Bed...yes.....room.....mostly. I need to hang up my suit from yesterday. It's hanging on my chair right now. Thanks for the reminder! =)
6. What was your biggest accomplishment this week?
I guess I felt the spirit this week... I've just noticed how hard that sometimes can be but also how essential it is so I'm proud that I did it!
7. Since we will be sitting around the Hyde family Thanksgiving table this week, I'll ask the traditional question, what are you most thankful for?
haha...at the Nielsen's we fill out these thankful cards everyday and so I've been pondering for 21 days already...I'm thankful for my family and the gospel. I have zero ideas where I'd be without either of them!
Thank you for your help!
Man, it has been just a crazy week! We only had like 2.2 days in our actual area here in Waukee, so when we were home we were super busy and obviously when we weren't home we had some reason to be super busy there too. It was busy but I think that's the way life should be. As long as we are busy being productive. There is simply no purpose in being busy just to be busy. I'm so thankful for the chance to be busily productive as a missionary. It's really helped to set a pattern for the rest of my life I feel.
Last Monday, we watched Elder Purcell attempt the Adam Emmeneker Challenge. It is literally 5 pounds of food. Two halves of Jethro’s BBQ huge tenderloin, an 8-ounce Angus steak burger topped with melted cheddar cheese, 8 ounces of Texas brisket, several slices of applewood-smoked bacon, two large buffalo chicken tenders, two squares of fried cheese and a ladleful of white cheddar sauce. Anybody remember Man vs. Food?? Ya, this sandwich was on it. It's not all that bad except they give you also a ton of waffle fries and 15 minutes to do it all. Needless to say there are only 7 people on the wall of fame, and the rest of the restaurant is the walls of shame. Purcell didn't quite make it. He had one tenderloin and a bun left. Close. This is his second time doing it. He's convinced after 3 it's in the bag! He's an awesome kid tho! He's huge. He reminds me of Hagrid and the best part is he's ticklish!!
We also played disk golf on p-day. It was a lot of fun! I'm much better at normal golf, but ya know...I’ve had a bit more practice with it. We will be playing again today in the merciless 34 degree weather. Winter has officially hit Des Moines. You can smell it in the air!
Tuesday we had to coordinate a lot for the mission conference we had with Elder Bowen on Friday. Since it was in Des Moines and we are the Des Moines zone leaders, we had to set it all up and make sure to dot the i's and cross the t's. It was actually really cool. I enjoy the feeling of setting up and coordinating events. Makes me feel professional. We also taught Matt and Theresa again on Tuesday. Good people. We have great lessons with them but they just won't come to church yet. It's a little heart breaking but it'll happen this week. I have a good feeling about it.
Wednesday we also got to spend in our area. It was a good day. We walked this popular bike path that we can contact people on usually. Bad news was it was freezing so no one likes to ride their bikes anymore. Oh well. We taught quite a few member lessons and we helped put up some Christmas lights for some people. It was a lot of fun. I'm always surprised at how much I just love helping others. It's just a natural high I think to help someone who needs it.
Thursday we went on exchanges with Elder Johnson and Elder Folsom. We call Elder Johnson either Elder Johnson the younger or Johnson of greater girth. He's a big boy. I went with Elder Folsom from Oregon and we didn’t have too much success but we had a good time. We did teach one lesson that was really super good! They are teaching a guy that loves the Book of Mormon and so we just answered all the questions of his soul he had. It was awesome. We read Moroni chapter 10 with him and as we were reading he was just like, "man this is just like reading my mind. It’s answering all my questions before I even ask them." What a great summary of the Book of Mormon. He's a very solid investigator and should be baptized soon!
Friday was the mission tour. It was great!!! I learned so much from Elder Bowen. He's just a great guy. I walked away from the whole experience just as I always do from zone conference with a desire to do better and inspired to do a little more. I guess the biggest thing I walked away with this time was how too often we just simply do not understand who we are. I have come to understand much better who I am but also who it is that Heavenly Father expects me to be. I have so much more to do. I am so far from where He would like to see me but I am getting there and that's all that really matters. I know He loves me still the same and is proud of my efforts. The whole world is in front of all of us. We have an infinite and eternal potential. We just need to look to it and strive for it. Amazingly enough, all of the coordinating efforts were a success. The wireless mic was where it needed to be and the song came together and the lunch was fantastic and it all went smoothly. Elder Bowen is actually uncle to Brother Nielsen who we live with so Sister Bowen came to our house on Saturday and checked our room. She said it passes. She was a mission president's wife once so she has some good experience in judging.
Saturday we got to run the score board for the Iowa’s games and volunteer there. We took 30 elders with us to Ames and watched and scored and assisted in a 3rd grade through 8th grade boys and girls basketball tournament. It was a lot of fun. Kinda just something out of the ordinary so it was nice. There are some pretty talented kids these days. It seems like younger generations just out-do everyone previous to them. We only messed up the score board a couple of times tho. I'm thankful the parents glared at us and yelled a bit so we knew when to fix it.
Sunday was stake conference. Very good meeting and President Nye has been released and President Pence is now the stake president in Des Moines.
Things I learned this week....
-The record time to eat a Adam Emmeneker stands at 7 minutes 30 seconds....gross.
-Arizona boys don't like cold or snow. =)
-Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money.... jk, I already knew that....
-Japanese anime cartoons are extremely provocative....shelving library books teaches you a lot.
-My GPS, ”Katie Rae" needs to be updated. Roads change far too frequently.
This week I have just been trying to count my blessings. With Thanksgiving and all, I have realized how thankful I am and should be year round. I need to express my gratitude more. But I am particularly thankful this year for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always known who I wanted to be but couldn’t ever seem to connect the dots of where I was and where I wanted to be. I have just grown such a large testimony that this gospel that I agree willingly to abide by is helping me and making me who I want to be. It is the line between now and all my future goals. I have even thought this week several times that even if this church was not true...which I know it is but if it was not....I would still follow it because it helps me have the lifestyle that I know is most spiritually healthy for me. It is the best path for me. Bonus is that I know the church is true and that just makes it all the better! I love it! I guess King Benjamin summarized it quite well....Mosiah 2:41....
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
I love all of you! I am so thankful for you and all that you do for me and how you support me however it is. I can’t say that I wouldn’t be here without your support because I believe I would be, but how much better it is for me knowing my cheering section is very full. How comforting it is to know that that same cheering section includes my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We are all on the same side!
Hugs and Kisses ya'll
Elder Excell
p.s. "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." -Helen Keller
Last Monday, we watched Elder Purcell attempt the Adam Emmeneker Challenge. It is literally 5 pounds of food. Two halves of Jethro’s BBQ huge tenderloin, an 8-ounce Angus steak burger topped with melted cheddar cheese, 8 ounces of Texas brisket, several slices of applewood-smoked bacon, two large buffalo chicken tenders, two squares of fried cheese and a ladleful of white cheddar sauce. Anybody remember Man vs. Food?? Ya, this sandwich was on it. It's not all that bad except they give you also a ton of waffle fries and 15 minutes to do it all. Needless to say there are only 7 people on the wall of fame, and the rest of the restaurant is the walls of shame. Purcell didn't quite make it. He had one tenderloin and a bun left. Close. This is his second time doing it. He's convinced after 3 it's in the bag! He's an awesome kid tho! He's huge. He reminds me of Hagrid and the best part is he's ticklish!!
We also played disk golf on p-day. It was a lot of fun! I'm much better at normal golf, but ya know...I’ve had a bit more practice with it. We will be playing again today in the merciless 34 degree weather. Winter has officially hit Des Moines. You can smell it in the air!
Tuesday we had to coordinate a lot for the mission conference we had with Elder Bowen on Friday. Since it was in Des Moines and we are the Des Moines zone leaders, we had to set it all up and make sure to dot the i's and cross the t's. It was actually really cool. I enjoy the feeling of setting up and coordinating events. Makes me feel professional. We also taught Matt and Theresa again on Tuesday. Good people. We have great lessons with them but they just won't come to church yet. It's a little heart breaking but it'll happen this week. I have a good feeling about it.
Wednesday we also got to spend in our area. It was a good day. We walked this popular bike path that we can contact people on usually. Bad news was it was freezing so no one likes to ride their bikes anymore. Oh well. We taught quite a few member lessons and we helped put up some Christmas lights for some people. It was a lot of fun. I'm always surprised at how much I just love helping others. It's just a natural high I think to help someone who needs it.
Thursday we went on exchanges with Elder Johnson and Elder Folsom. We call Elder Johnson either Elder Johnson the younger or Johnson of greater girth. He's a big boy. I went with Elder Folsom from Oregon and we didn’t have too much success but we had a good time. We did teach one lesson that was really super good! They are teaching a guy that loves the Book of Mormon and so we just answered all the questions of his soul he had. It was awesome. We read Moroni chapter 10 with him and as we were reading he was just like, "man this is just like reading my mind. It’s answering all my questions before I even ask them." What a great summary of the Book of Mormon. He's a very solid investigator and should be baptized soon!
Friday was the mission tour. It was great!!! I learned so much from Elder Bowen. He's just a great guy. I walked away from the whole experience just as I always do from zone conference with a desire to do better and inspired to do a little more. I guess the biggest thing I walked away with this time was how too often we just simply do not understand who we are. I have come to understand much better who I am but also who it is that Heavenly Father expects me to be. I have so much more to do. I am so far from where He would like to see me but I am getting there and that's all that really matters. I know He loves me still the same and is proud of my efforts. The whole world is in front of all of us. We have an infinite and eternal potential. We just need to look to it and strive for it. Amazingly enough, all of the coordinating efforts were a success. The wireless mic was where it needed to be and the song came together and the lunch was fantastic and it all went smoothly. Elder Bowen is actually uncle to Brother Nielsen who we live with so Sister Bowen came to our house on Saturday and checked our room. She said it passes. She was a mission president's wife once so she has some good experience in judging.
Saturday we got to run the score board for the Iowa’s games and volunteer there. We took 30 elders with us to Ames and watched and scored and assisted in a 3rd grade through 8th grade boys and girls basketball tournament. It was a lot of fun. Kinda just something out of the ordinary so it was nice. There are some pretty talented kids these days. It seems like younger generations just out-do everyone previous to them. We only messed up the score board a couple of times tho. I'm thankful the parents glared at us and yelled a bit so we knew when to fix it.
Sunday was stake conference. Very good meeting and President Nye has been released and President Pence is now the stake president in Des Moines.
Things I learned this week....
-The record time to eat a Adam Emmeneker stands at 7 minutes 30 seconds....gross.
-Arizona boys don't like cold or snow. =)
-Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money.... jk, I already knew that....
-Japanese anime cartoons are extremely provocative....shelving library books teaches you a lot.
-My GPS, ”Katie Rae" needs to be updated. Roads change far too frequently.
This week I have just been trying to count my blessings. With Thanksgiving and all, I have realized how thankful I am and should be year round. I need to express my gratitude more. But I am particularly thankful this year for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always known who I wanted to be but couldn’t ever seem to connect the dots of where I was and where I wanted to be. I have just grown such a large testimony that this gospel that I agree willingly to abide by is helping me and making me who I want to be. It is the line between now and all my future goals. I have even thought this week several times that even if this church was not true...which I know it is but if it was not....I would still follow it because it helps me have the lifestyle that I know is most spiritually healthy for me. It is the best path for me. Bonus is that I know the church is true and that just makes it all the better! I love it! I guess King Benjamin summarized it quite well....Mosiah 2:41....
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."
I love all of you! I am so thankful for you and all that you do for me and how you support me however it is. I can’t say that I wouldn’t be here without your support because I believe I would be, but how much better it is for me knowing my cheering section is very full. How comforting it is to know that that same cheering section includes my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We are all on the same side!
Hugs and Kisses ya'll
Elder Excell
p.s. "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." -Helen Keller
Monday, November 14, 2011
Q&A - November 14, 2011
1. How is your ankle?
It's still super tender. I'll explain the updates on it in the email.
2. Are you still on crutches?
Heck no! I couldnt stand the things! I just couldn't do them anymore. I don't care what a doctor says. I will not use crutches! And no one wants to let the cripple missionary in their home to teach them about Jesus!
3. I'm wondering if you've been able to keep up with your Portuguese at all? Do you have time?
I actually watch some approved movies in portuguese still and read my scriptures. I write some different people from Brazil still and all of them have commented on how well my Portuguese still sounds. I guess I'm doing alright.
4. How much of your week is spent fulfilling zone leader responsibilities and how much of of your time is spent tracting and doing normal missionary stuff?
Last week it was about half and half. I wish we had more time to be in our area but that's just not what the Lord needs. He blesses us tho for our diligence however it is that we serve tho!
5. What was the most difficult thing you accomplished this week?
Learning a new area and new companion is sometimes overwhelming but it's gettting much better. Just a lot to take in all at once.
It's still super tender. I'll explain the updates on it in the email.
2. Are you still on crutches?
Heck no! I couldnt stand the things! I just couldn't do them anymore. I don't care what a doctor says. I will not use crutches! And no one wants to let the cripple missionary in their home to teach them about Jesus!
3. I'm wondering if you've been able to keep up with your Portuguese at all? Do you have time?
I actually watch some approved movies in portuguese still and read my scriptures. I write some different people from Brazil still and all of them have commented on how well my Portuguese still sounds. I guess I'm doing alright.
4. How much of your week is spent fulfilling zone leader responsibilities and how much of of your time is spent tracting and doing normal missionary stuff?
Last week it was about half and half. I wish we had more time to be in our area but that's just not what the Lord needs. He blesses us tho for our diligence however it is that we serve tho!
5. What was the most difficult thing you accomplished this week?
Learning a new area and new companion is sometimes overwhelming but it's gettting much better. Just a lot to take in all at once.
Please Turn Off Cellular Phones
What a super fast week! I thought life got faster after being a district leader. As soon as you say good bye to that and hello to zone leader, you quickly realize your time is just very precious. I guess it's not really "my time" to begin with but I am learning I have less and less and less of it.
This week, on Tuesday, we had what is called Zone Leader Council. It is where all the zone leaders in the mission meet in Iowa City and have a day-long meeting about progress in the mission and plans for the future. We drove up with the A.P.'s and with Ames zone leaders and Boone zone leaders. Elder Franz is one of the Boone zone leaders so we sat together on the way up and back and just talked about people from high school. It was super fun to hear updates and reminisce. I also solved my first Rubik's Cube. I am still quite slow but I at least did it. Now, I can officially call myself intelligent. haha.
The Conference itself was perhaps the most spiritual meeting I have been in during my mission and perhaps my life. With the end of the year approaching we have to decide on a baptismal goal for 2012 and there has been a lot of debate about it. This year's goal was 500 to heaven in 2011. Well as of right now we are at 292 baptisms for the year. The goal of 500 was inspired though and we all felt that and knew that. So we went back and forth and back and forth for nearly 2 hours on what the new goal should be and why. A lot of very good ideas from everyone but we were still not coming to a complete consensus. Elder Phillips, serving in Oskaloosa now, suggested we get on our knees as a group and pray together asking for heaven's help in setting this goal. Elder Phillips offered said prayer and it was very powerful. President Jergensen then stood up and said with power and authority, "Elders, the goal is 400. The sacrifice is Music. From now on, this mission will listen to Mormon Tabernacle Choir only." After which he seated himself and the spirit engulfed the room. I get chills even now thinking back on it. It was an incredible moment. We knew the next topic was the music of the mission and all had very adamant opinions on those rules. What should be allowed and what should not. When president stood and said that, the spirit did the teaching. There was no more discussion. After he sat down, there was only testimony of the new inspired goal and how to accomplish it. As a zone leader, my responsibility was to pass on the new goal and the new rules to my districts. The spirit was present in both district meetings as we presented our new goals and rules and it was overpowering. It has truly been such a blessing to see in the mission. Every one has a very keen love for the music we listened to but we all have now a strong conviction for the new goal and can testify in unity that "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven".
Wednesday, we had exchanges with the A.P.s. They are some great missionaries. We were in their area so we lost another day in ours but the work of the Lord was being done and nothing else really matters. They have been a great example to me in being diligent in whatever it is the Lord calls you to do.
Thursday and Friday we had district meetings with the east side of Des Moines and the west side. Running things back and forth for them keeps us pretty busy as well. I also helped some sisters practice for a musical number for our mission tour with Elder Bowen of the seventy. they needed a temporary accompanist so I filled in. It's been so nice living at the Nielsen's. Not only do i just love them but they have a baby grand piano that I love very much.
Elder Johnson and I have been on the subject of Harry Potter very much this week. He's a fanatic. We've been sorting everyone in the mission and people we meet into their respective houses. We, ourselves, actually took a test online to see where we should be. 122 questions with demographical information and you can know too! haha! I'm in gryffindor and he is from huffle puff. Very fitting. I think I have a lot of slytherin qualities tho. I think as I grow up I will become more slytherin. We walked into the Nielsen's and they were watching harry potter 7.2 and we just ran the opposite direction. Elder Johnson is excited to see it in a month. As for me....9 months will do. I can wait. :)
We had a 3 course meal last night. Super good. There is a member in our ward who just loves to cook. So we had a really good salad and then for the main course some roasted pork tenderloin with garlic mashed potatoes with some gourmet green beans. She had fancy names for them all but I don't remember. Dessert was some chocolate molten lave cake with homemade marshmallows and home made whip cream. It was all super good. She has 17 different kinds of salt...that's pretty nuts.
We had a super good lesson this week with Matt and Theresa, some investigators. They are progressing very well and super interested. More so than we expected. I am excited to see how things turn out there. Jared Fee in Knoxville got baptized! I love that kid! He got baptized on 11-11-2011. Awesome! And the Jone's family in Des Moines
Just for everyones information, I did make a wish at 11:11 a.m. I wished to have a date with Taylor Swift and Emma Watson in 9 months. I figure you can't have a much better opportunity to wish than that! :)
-Things I learned this week----
-The spirit does the teaching, we do the talking
-There exists a 5 lb. burger in Des Moines and Elder Purcell will be attempting it in 15 minutes. I'm a witness. :)
-I can wait to have kids for a while. My mission has been great birth control.
-When nurturing your baby under a blanket...please use a blanket that does not have a lot of holes in the stitching. Took me straight back to Brazil! It was pretty awkward for the other 4 missionaries sitting with me. haha!
Well y'all....I have to go witness Elder Purcell the boy become a man. I'll tell you all about it next week and send some pics too! Supposedly we're playing Frisbee golf today as well with the west side elders. Pretty excited!
Since I am in a Harry Potter sort of mood, let me end with some quotes from J.K. Rowling the genius....
Since I am in a Harry Potter sort of mood, let me end with some quotes from J.K. Rowling the genius....
-"Now is the time to do what is right, or what is easy."
-“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
-“It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
-“It takes much bravery to stand up to our enemies but we need as much bravery to stand up to our friends.”
-“Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.”
I love y'all!!
I love y'all!!
Elder Excell
House of Gryffindor
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Monday, November 7, 2011
Pictures!
Q&A - November 7, 2011
1. Where in the Iowa Des Moines Mission did you land?!?
I am in the Waukee area and Waukee ward. It is in the Des Moines Zone.
2. Who is your new companion? Where is he from?
Elder Michael Johnson....do you remember how I got that letter from the mission office for Elder Johnson that was going back out like me...yep it's him. He's from Mesa, AZ. Awesome guy. This is his last transfer tho so I am killing him off!
3. What is the best thing about him?
He looks like Jude Law mixed with Juaquin Phoenix.
4. What are some of your responsibilities as Zone Leader?
I don't even know. We collect all the numbers, do a lot of baptismal interviews...I did 4 last night...and we also are just the relayers of info from president and the ap's. It's a lot of fun tho!
5. Is there a ward or branch where you are now? How big is it?
It's gigantic compared to what I am used to. It's a ward and has about the same membership as the Highland 7th Ward. It's definitely a change. My first fully functioning without missionaries ward!
6. We had a crazy little snow storm on Friday. Do you have snow yet? Are you freezing?
No snow yet and it looks super warm today. We'll see. It's coming soon tho.
7. What is your new apartment like?
We actually live in the Taj Mahal of missionary living quarters. We live in the basement of some members that are about 35 years old with two boys. awesome family! We play games every night and just chat! So much fun! I'll spend thanksgiving and most likely christmas with a family. So sweet!
8. Where are you writing your email from today? Are you in the library like in Knoxville?
We are kinda having district p-day with the West Des Moines district. We are in the West Des Moines public library.
9. Do you still have the same car or did it stay in Knoxville?
New car and they just barely got it the day before I came. It has about 300 miles on it now but when they got it it only had 40. 2011 toyota corrola.
10. What was the best part of your week?
It was all a blur to be real honest. Transfer week with daylight savings threw me off.
I am in the Waukee area and Waukee ward. It is in the Des Moines Zone.
2. Who is your new companion? Where is he from?
Elder Michael Johnson....do you remember how I got that letter from the mission office for Elder Johnson that was going back out like me...yep it's him. He's from Mesa, AZ. Awesome guy. This is his last transfer tho so I am killing him off!
3. What is the best thing about him?
He looks like Jude Law mixed with Juaquin Phoenix.
4. What are some of your responsibilities as Zone Leader?
I don't even know. We collect all the numbers, do a lot of baptismal interviews...I did 4 last night...and we also are just the relayers of info from president and the ap's. It's a lot of fun tho!
5. Is there a ward or branch where you are now? How big is it?
It's gigantic compared to what I am used to. It's a ward and has about the same membership as the Highland 7th Ward. It's definitely a change. My first fully functioning without missionaries ward!
6. We had a crazy little snow storm on Friday. Do you have snow yet? Are you freezing?
No snow yet and it looks super warm today. We'll see. It's coming soon tho.
7. What is your new apartment like?
We actually live in the Taj Mahal of missionary living quarters. We live in the basement of some members that are about 35 years old with two boys. awesome family! We play games every night and just chat! So much fun! I'll spend thanksgiving and most likely christmas with a family. So sweet!
8. Where are you writing your email from today? Are you in the library like in Knoxville?
We are kinda having district p-day with the West Des Moines district. We are in the West Des Moines public library.
9. Do you still have the same car or did it stay in Knoxville?
New car and they just barely got it the day before I came. It has about 300 miles on it now but when they got it it only had 40. 2011 toyota corrola.
10. What was the best part of your week?
It was all a blur to be real honest. Transfer week with daylight savings threw me off.
Waukee!!!!
Man! So, for being a short week, this week has been packed with so much! I can't even really get it all straight and I’m sure that by the end of this letter, I will send it off and about 5 minutes later, either remember that I forgot to say something or something else entirely will happen that I’ll forget to write next week. I guess I’m understanding better why return missionaries talk so much about their missions...besides it being the best two years, it's the two years of memories that you forgot to tell this person or that person and so you just try to talk all the time about it to cover your bases. Haha.
On Wednesday, last week, I had my last p-day in Knoxville and it was really effective and good. We said goodbye to some people, played some soccer, broke my ankle...oh wait, I guess I should write about that. So, truth be told, I did not break my ankle but severely sprained it. Interesting side note...Dr. McKellar in my ward here in Waukee, who checked it out, knows Dave Adams, Rich Harper, and the rest of the crew in Rigby. I guess they all used to be in this ward once upon a time. His wife came up to me at church and asked if I knew the Adam’s and well ya, of course I do. Cool connections all over the place. Anyway, I sprained my ankle pretty good. I’ve been on crutches for about a week almost and I figure Heavenly Father just wanted to give me the opportunity to learn upper body strength and build up the calluses in my arm pits. It put a little damper on my last night in Knoxville but I didn’t let it slow me down. I got some crutches and we hobbled to see everyone else we needed to. I’m going to miss that place so much but I’ll see most of them soon at stake conference! :)
Thursday, we drove to Iowa City through 40 mph winds and that was a blast. We made it there and my dreams came true. Me and Elder Johnson are serving together in Waukee, Iowa and the zone leaders over the Des Moines zone. It’s a little spooky cause we will most likely go out with the visiting general authorities coming in two weeks. Elder Bowen, of the seventy, was born in Idaho tho so we should get along. I drove back from Iowa City with some members from Waukee in a Prius. If it wasn’t for my luggage, we probably would have blown off the road. Oh, and I set a record for heaviest packed bag. 103 pounds. That’s just one bag by the way. As a review on the Prius...decent car...not for me.
Waukee is going to be so different than all my other areas! I’ve never served in a ward before that doesn’t need the missionaries to teach primary, speak in sacrament meeting, and play the organ each week. It’ll be a bit of a change but I’m so looking forward to it. It is definitely the nicer end of town. For example, I saw a lady in the doctor’s office wearing a Louis Vuitton purse and Versace sunglasses. Not to mention the Louis Vuitton purse at the thrift store for $2.99. I almost bought it out of sheer amazement. Haha. I also saw a Ferrari the other day just parked in a driveway. Nuts!
We live in the Taj Mahal of missionary living quarters. We live with the Nielsen’s and I love them so much! They are a younger couple about 35 years old with 2 boys. Their boys are a hoot. Ages 10 and 7 I think. We play games at night or have Nerf wars. It’s just like being a part of a family. He is an ophthalmologist. I’ve thought lately that I could do that. I would love it actually.
Saturday, we had our ward's day of service. Elder Johnson and I were in a group with the bishop and one other young man and we went and raked leaves and trimmed bushes at two houses. Both were very appreciative. The first older man lived in a duplex and we were just assigned to do his but we were told by him to do the neighbors too. Come to find out that it was not part of the contract for the group we did our work for. He hustled us. Well played, my friend. Well played. In total we raked 60+ compost bags of leaves. I came to the conclusion that I have zero biceps. Scratch that....I had zero biceps. It was a fantastic workout.
Sunday at church, I felt like the guest of honor. I felt so welcome. This ward is fantastic. They all do such a great job with what they do. It is made up of quite a few younger couples and their kids. We don't go a single day without a dinner appointment. So great! They all sign up for the appointments online. Everyone has ipads and what not. It’s a fun ward. I’m really looking forward to serving here!! There are quite a few connections with people back home too. A lot of doctors and med school students...who knows...maybe I will be here for school sometime!?
Elder Johnson is a stud. We get along so well and understand each other very well. It’s going to be a great transfer and then it's for sure that I’ll be getting a new companion. Elder Johnson will be gone and done. I’m proud of him. Good kid!
Things I learned this week--
-Apparently, severely sprained ankles hurt worse than breaks.
-Louis Vuitton purses sell for $2.99 in the stores I shop at.
-BMW's are really nice cars. I will have one someday!
-Monopoly Deal---probably the funnest game ever. So much better than Monopoly!
This week, I have been focusing spiritually on the progression that we all need to make as humans and the progression we promised to make as members of the Lord's church. We promise at baptism, and in all other covenants with God, that we will do our best. That's all the Lord really requires of us. He just wants the best for us and knows it comes from doing the best we can! There is truly only one thing we can do for the Lord that has to come from us. Think on it. There is only one thing that the Lord does not already have. He is the creator of all and the owner of all, but there is one thing that we possess that we should strive to give to the Lord, and that is our will. Our whole goal here is to master ourselves to a sufficient state that we may be rulers over other things of our Heavenly Father’s. We do that by giving all of ourself to the lord. We will not be perfect and that's good because the Lord doesn’t demand immediate perfection but only immediate progress.
I love ya'll! A week will go by in no time! I can't wait to hear the updates of life!
Hugs and kisses ya'll,
Elder Excell
On Wednesday, last week, I had my last p-day in Knoxville and it was really effective and good. We said goodbye to some people, played some soccer, broke my ankle...oh wait, I guess I should write about that. So, truth be told, I did not break my ankle but severely sprained it. Interesting side note...Dr. McKellar in my ward here in Waukee, who checked it out, knows Dave Adams, Rich Harper, and the rest of the crew in Rigby. I guess they all used to be in this ward once upon a time. His wife came up to me at church and asked if I knew the Adam’s and well ya, of course I do. Cool connections all over the place. Anyway, I sprained my ankle pretty good. I’ve been on crutches for about a week almost and I figure Heavenly Father just wanted to give me the opportunity to learn upper body strength and build up the calluses in my arm pits. It put a little damper on my last night in Knoxville but I didn’t let it slow me down. I got some crutches and we hobbled to see everyone else we needed to. I’m going to miss that place so much but I’ll see most of them soon at stake conference! :)
Thursday, we drove to Iowa City through 40 mph winds and that was a blast. We made it there and my dreams came true. Me and Elder Johnson are serving together in Waukee, Iowa and the zone leaders over the Des Moines zone. It’s a little spooky cause we will most likely go out with the visiting general authorities coming in two weeks. Elder Bowen, of the seventy, was born in Idaho tho so we should get along. I drove back from Iowa City with some members from Waukee in a Prius. If it wasn’t for my luggage, we probably would have blown off the road. Oh, and I set a record for heaviest packed bag. 103 pounds. That’s just one bag by the way. As a review on the Prius...decent car...not for me.
Waukee is going to be so different than all my other areas! I’ve never served in a ward before that doesn’t need the missionaries to teach primary, speak in sacrament meeting, and play the organ each week. It’ll be a bit of a change but I’m so looking forward to it. It is definitely the nicer end of town. For example, I saw a lady in the doctor’s office wearing a Louis Vuitton purse and Versace sunglasses. Not to mention the Louis Vuitton purse at the thrift store for $2.99. I almost bought it out of sheer amazement. Haha. I also saw a Ferrari the other day just parked in a driveway. Nuts!
We live in the Taj Mahal of missionary living quarters. We live with the Nielsen’s and I love them so much! They are a younger couple about 35 years old with 2 boys. Their boys are a hoot. Ages 10 and 7 I think. We play games at night or have Nerf wars. It’s just like being a part of a family. He is an ophthalmologist. I’ve thought lately that I could do that. I would love it actually.
Saturday, we had our ward's day of service. Elder Johnson and I were in a group with the bishop and one other young man and we went and raked leaves and trimmed bushes at two houses. Both were very appreciative. The first older man lived in a duplex and we were just assigned to do his but we were told by him to do the neighbors too. Come to find out that it was not part of the contract for the group we did our work for. He hustled us. Well played, my friend. Well played. In total we raked 60+ compost bags of leaves. I came to the conclusion that I have zero biceps. Scratch that....I had zero biceps. It was a fantastic workout.
Sunday at church, I felt like the guest of honor. I felt so welcome. This ward is fantastic. They all do such a great job with what they do. It is made up of quite a few younger couples and their kids. We don't go a single day without a dinner appointment. So great! They all sign up for the appointments online. Everyone has ipads and what not. It’s a fun ward. I’m really looking forward to serving here!! There are quite a few connections with people back home too. A lot of doctors and med school students...who knows...maybe I will be here for school sometime!?
Elder Johnson is a stud. We get along so well and understand each other very well. It’s going to be a great transfer and then it's for sure that I’ll be getting a new companion. Elder Johnson will be gone and done. I’m proud of him. Good kid!
Things I learned this week--
-Apparently, severely sprained ankles hurt worse than breaks.
-Louis Vuitton purses sell for $2.99 in the stores I shop at.
-BMW's are really nice cars. I will have one someday!
-Monopoly Deal---probably the funnest game ever. So much better than Monopoly!
This week, I have been focusing spiritually on the progression that we all need to make as humans and the progression we promised to make as members of the Lord's church. We promise at baptism, and in all other covenants with God, that we will do our best. That's all the Lord really requires of us. He just wants the best for us and knows it comes from doing the best we can! There is truly only one thing we can do for the Lord that has to come from us. Think on it. There is only one thing that the Lord does not already have. He is the creator of all and the owner of all, but there is one thing that we possess that we should strive to give to the Lord, and that is our will. Our whole goal here is to master ourselves to a sufficient state that we may be rulers over other things of our Heavenly Father’s. We do that by giving all of ourself to the lord. We will not be perfect and that's good because the Lord doesn’t demand immediate perfection but only immediate progress.
I love ya'll! A week will go by in no time! I can't wait to hear the updates of life!
Hugs and kisses ya'll,
Elder Excell
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Pictures!
Rely and Apply
Well for all of you who have not yet been informed....I will no longer be able to call Knoxville home. They are finally giving me the boot. I guess I was called to the Iowa Des Moines mission tho and not just the Knoxville Iowa Mission. I have loved this area sooooo much! I will miss it a lot but I am determined to not let my absence from Knoxville take me away from my presence in wherever it is that I find myself tomorrow afternoon. All I know is that my last day in Knoxville will be packed. I have so much to do and so little time to do it....I guess that's just preparation for life tho! I have been called by the Lord to be a zone leader. I feel pretty inadequate for the job but I guess like it says in Doctrine and Covenants...that's kind of a prerequisite for the job. "And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thresh the nations by the power of his Spirit." (D&C 35:13) I guess I'm in the right spot!
Knoxville has given me so much! I've obviously been here for too long tho because I can't separate the days anymore and what happened. I have no idea what we did this week because I can't remember when the weeks started and when they ended. I feel a lot like Charles Dickens...
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
I have learned so much here in Knoxville. I decided tho that I would spend some time in this letter to convey what I most learned in this area. I have titled my letter "Rely and Apply" because that is what I have most learned here in Knoxville. I have learned through experiences beyond counting that you have to rely on the Lord. I have found in my tenure here that when you rely on yourself too much and the Lord too little...you are very off balance and eventually you will fall and hit the bottom where you learn the lesson I did. You must rely on the Lord. I have read countless times in this area Proverbs 3:5-6...."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I have learned the pattern for successful living is as this...we must pray as if all depended on the Lord and do all in our power as if it all depended on us.
The next most important thing I have learned is to apply what we learn. We have to do so. I would go as far as to say it is the biggest problem in the world. We fail to apply the lessons that we have personally, individually, and collectively learned. We cannot progress without application of what we learn. Nephi even said.... "for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." (1 Nephi 19:23) I can also testify of the principle of application. James E Talmage I believe is the one who said, "Knowledge used constitutes wisdom." It is essential for us to do so.
This week we built a retaining wall. That was quite the chore. It will be cool to drive friends and family by someday and say, "hey, I did that." It took me back to my 6th grade days building the wall out in Casper. I remember that's where I got the Birds and the Bees talk! haha! It brought back some good memories! Time flies. That was a decade ago!
Kind of a bummer...we will have a baptism here in Knoxville on 11-11-11. (That was my idea for a date) :) Jared will be baptized and I couldn't be happier for him! I committed him to send me pictures tho!
Things I learned this week----
-You can never allow yourself to be too comfortable...when you do, change is certain.
-The definition of a missionary 10 for 10. "I give you 10 of my ugliest ties and you give me your ten ugliest ties."...I'm planning a ten for ten with Elder Wilson tomorrow!
-Space Bags are amazing. They take your suitcase space to a new level. I can fit so much by vacuuming out all the excess air!
-Hairspray will always outdo gel. Gel is nasty. Hairspray is awesome.
-I've been with Elder Smith too long....I choke on my own saliva way too often now! Thank heavens for transfers! =) Love ya Smith!
It's a week of change. I've learned to truly appreciate change. I used to not enjoy the feeling of vulnerability and I still don't think that I do completely, but I enjoy it because I know it is the precipice and preceding feeling before growth. Change is essential for growth. If our bodies did not go through some sort of physical change, we could never physically grow, and so it is spiritually. If we don't spiritually change, we will never spiritually grow. It's an eternal principle. I am grateful though for one thing that has never and will never change. That is the nature of my Heavenly Father. "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?" (Mormon 9:9)
I have learned another principle over the span of my short lifetime that regardless of our ever changing choices, worldly morals, and day to day actions, our Heavenly Father does not change. Regardless of the times we forget, or perhaps purposefully do not call upon his name in prayer, and how long apart the instances may be when we do pray, he is always there waiting for us. His arms are always extended towards us.
I am so thankful for all the opportunities that I have. I can only now hope to take all those opportunities and succeed in doing so. I love ya'll! See ya in a few! =)
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell
Knoxville has given me so much! I've obviously been here for too long tho because I can't separate the days anymore and what happened. I have no idea what we did this week because I can't remember when the weeks started and when they ended. I feel a lot like Charles Dickens...
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
I have learned so much here in Knoxville. I decided tho that I would spend some time in this letter to convey what I most learned in this area. I have titled my letter "Rely and Apply" because that is what I have most learned here in Knoxville. I have learned through experiences beyond counting that you have to rely on the Lord. I have found in my tenure here that when you rely on yourself too much and the Lord too little...you are very off balance and eventually you will fall and hit the bottom where you learn the lesson I did. You must rely on the Lord. I have read countless times in this area Proverbs 3:5-6...."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I have learned the pattern for successful living is as this...we must pray as if all depended on the Lord and do all in our power as if it all depended on us.
The next most important thing I have learned is to apply what we learn. We have to do so. I would go as far as to say it is the biggest problem in the world. We fail to apply the lessons that we have personally, individually, and collectively learned. We cannot progress without application of what we learn. Nephi even said.... "for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." (1 Nephi 19:23) I can also testify of the principle of application. James E Talmage I believe is the one who said, "Knowledge used constitutes wisdom." It is essential for us to do so.
This week we built a retaining wall. That was quite the chore. It will be cool to drive friends and family by someday and say, "hey, I did that." It took me back to my 6th grade days building the wall out in Casper. I remember that's where I got the Birds and the Bees talk! haha! It brought back some good memories! Time flies. That was a decade ago!
Kind of a bummer...we will have a baptism here in Knoxville on 11-11-11. (That was my idea for a date) :) Jared will be baptized and I couldn't be happier for him! I committed him to send me pictures tho!
Things I learned this week----
-You can never allow yourself to be too comfortable...when you do, change is certain.
-The definition of a missionary 10 for 10. "I give you 10 of my ugliest ties and you give me your ten ugliest ties."...I'm planning a ten for ten with Elder Wilson tomorrow!
-Space Bags are amazing. They take your suitcase space to a new level. I can fit so much by vacuuming out all the excess air!
-Hairspray will always outdo gel. Gel is nasty. Hairspray is awesome.
-I've been with Elder Smith too long....I choke on my own saliva way too often now! Thank heavens for transfers! =) Love ya Smith!
It's a week of change. I've learned to truly appreciate change. I used to not enjoy the feeling of vulnerability and I still don't think that I do completely, but I enjoy it because I know it is the precipice and preceding feeling before growth. Change is essential for growth. If our bodies did not go through some sort of physical change, we could never physically grow, and so it is spiritually. If we don't spiritually change, we will never spiritually grow. It's an eternal principle. I am grateful though for one thing that has never and will never change. That is the nature of my Heavenly Father. "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?" (Mormon 9:9)
I have learned another principle over the span of my short lifetime that regardless of our ever changing choices, worldly morals, and day to day actions, our Heavenly Father does not change. Regardless of the times we forget, or perhaps purposefully do not call upon his name in prayer, and how long apart the instances may be when we do pray, he is always there waiting for us. His arms are always extended towards us.
I am so thankful for all the opportunities that I have. I can only now hope to take all those opportunities and succeed in doing so. I love ya'll! See ya in a few! =)
Hugs and Kisses,
Elder Excell
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