What a great week to be alive. What a great week to be a missionary. I am reminded constantly of how blessed I am to be here in the Iowa Des Moines Mission serving the Lord. What a blessing! This week has been a great week! I took the time this morning to write down some quick notes as to the highlights of the week so that I would not forget to mention anything!
Tuesday we had exchanges with the Elders in the Oskaloosa area. They are the zone leaders and it's so much fun to all get together every so often! We had a lot of success together and had some good memories. I can now say that I know how to catch bats after spending about an hour at night trying to help out a recent convert with a bat infestation. You take a dark colored long sock (missionary socks work great) and put rocks in very middle of the inside of the sock. Tie knots around the pebbles and make a noise that apparently throws off sonar and peaks the curiosity of the bats. When the bat flies right above you to see what it is you throw the sock in the air and the bat will latch on to it. When the bat is then drug to the ground because of the weight you proceed to kill them in the least brutal way possible. Shovels work well. It was a great night. I’m sure the neighbors thought we were crazy. Just picture four guys in white shirts and ties very popularly known as the Mormons at dusk throwing stuff in the air and
shaking rocks to make noise. Maybe we are a cult?! haha!
That day we also had the great opportunity to do something stupid but hey, you only live once, right? We did the bomb challenge. It is the second hottest hot sauce in the world and you have to put one drop on your tongue and not drink anything or puke for ten minutes. Wow. Great
idea, right? (Note: Habanera liquid is not mild) I completed the challenge tho and was rewarded the satisfaction of signing my name amongst a list of other idiots who have the title Elder.
Uncle Steve bought us a grill and some Iowa chops on Wednesday. Best day ever! I will carry that with me my whole mission! We are struggling with meat in moderation though, to say the least! :)
I made Excell Pizza for district meeting. It went super well - very thoroughly enjoyed.
It rained so hard this weekend! There were trees down in the roads and on houses. We spent some time cleaning up the town but it just poured. Hence the reason we were tracting a road in the country that literally just ended in what is now a lake. It is huge - like bigger than Rigby lake! about 4 times that! I’ll send pictures! It rains so much here!
This week I have been thinking about why I am here. What is it that I am really trying to accomplish and why. I have come to the conclusion that I am here to help stop moral decay in the world with the gospel. To save those being threatened by the temptations so devastatingly thrust at humanity. I see the way that god is viewed in society - the fact that people can't pray in public anymore. Compare that to the declaration of independence recognizing the providence from the "Almighty". This nation was founded on a belief and gratitude for Heavenly Father that has long since been lost. Marriage is a thing of the past. Anyone wanting to commit themselves to anything for more than a few years must be crazy. When not so long ago the word divorce
had no place in our society. Self control and self discipline has slipped. The way control is viewed these days in ridiculous to say the least. Take drugs and gambling for example. It's out of control. It is out of control as a whole because at the root of control, being self
control, there is no practice. This nation and this world has removed itself so far from God that many do not even know him or recognize his presence. The further we fall away from that central belief in God, the further we fall off the plane of moral standard. In my eyes it's
time to look back. Time to go back to the basics. It's not a complicated fix. It does not matter who we put into office or what laws are enacted. There is no law that can adequately replace moral standards. It starts with the individual. It starts with us. It starts with me. To quote more famous people, such as prophets and apostles: 2 Cor. 3:17 "and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." or Psalms 33:11-12 "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the
thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." And finally, Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which
ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." We need to go back to basics. It starts with personal integrity and personal standards. It's time for all us individually and collectively to be a little better, to walk a little straighter and as Gordon B. Hinckley said, to stand a little taller. Now I am an optimist. No matter the social decay occurring around us, too late is not an option. I believe it can and will be better. It is my witness and my testimony that the way to do so is
through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The life map that the Creator gave us. It is through small and simple things that this great change can be brought to pass. Scripture study cannot be overlooked. Prayers can not be missed. And church attendance is absolutely necessary. In a world where standards fall lower every day, we must stand taller. I know it is possible through His gospel. I have seen it change lives. I have seen it in others and me personally! I love this gospel and by it I will live!
Things I have learned this week:
-Cookies steak seasoning...the best!
-I bought some pearl snap shirts, I love them. They are the best. The thrift store ladies said I will be looking "downtown"!
-Western cut suits, old man pants, and pearl snap shirts; I finally have found my style.
-"You can roll up a bowl of popcorn" -Elder Howard
-Bats can be caught
-I talk way too fast...thank you radio for that lesson.
I love you all so much! Keep writing to the same address.
8515 Douglas Ave. #19
Urbandale, IA 50322
They will always forward my mail! I'm so happy! And I hope you all are too! Can't wait to hear from you!
Elder Excell
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Q&A - June 29, 2011
1. I'd love to hear the details of how you and Elder Howard were asked to
> do an interview for the radio.
We walked by the park and this guy...dr. bob leonard just asked us to
sit down and pulled out a mic hooked to a tape recorder! neat, huh? i
talk way to fast tho and can't get the words earth and church
distinguished amongst themselves. haha! great opportunity to learn
and grow tho!
> 2. Did you have to get special permission from President Jergensen to do
> the interview?
We asked him afterwards if they could air it and he loved the idea. He
is supposedly listening to it now so we'll see what the president's
verdict is. our only gray area is politics but we tried to answer that
question about mitt romney as best we could!
> 3. Are you still in Knoxville with Elder Howard?
6 more weeks of awesomeness with elder howard in the hard knox!
> 4. What was the highlight of your week?
Grilling all the way to the celestial kingdom! (See email!)
> 5. Any questions for us?
Not that i can think of....i am doing so well right now, I couldn't ask
for much more! One thing, can you send me a ward list for our ward. I'd like to start writing
some families in the ward! Thanks mom! I love you so much! Expect some
pictures this week!
> do an interview for the radio.
We walked by the park and this guy...dr. bob leonard just asked us to
sit down and pulled out a mic hooked to a tape recorder! neat, huh? i
talk way to fast tho and can't get the words earth and church
distinguished amongst themselves. haha! great opportunity to learn
and grow tho!
> 2. Did you have to get special permission from President Jergensen to do
> the interview?
We asked him afterwards if they could air it and he loved the idea. He
is supposedly listening to it now so we'll see what the president's
verdict is. our only gray area is politics but we tried to answer that
question about mitt romney as best we could!
> 3. Are you still in Knoxville with Elder Howard?
6 more weeks of awesomeness with elder howard in the hard knox!
> 4. What was the highlight of your week?
Grilling all the way to the celestial kingdom! (See email!)
> 5. Any questions for us?
Not that i can think of....i am doing so well right now, I couldn't ask
for much more! One thing, can you send me a ward list for our ward. I'd like to start writing
some families in the ward! Thanks mom! I love you so much! Expect some
pictures this week!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Men on a Mission - Podcast
You’ve seen them. Two young men walking side by side down the street, or on bicycles. Backpacks, dark slacks, white shirts, neckties, nametags, and a story to tell. Who are they? Where are they from? What’s their story? Dr. Bob Leonard speaks with Elder Howard, from Pleasant Grove, Utah, and Elder Excell, from Pocatello, Idaho, both with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
www.kniakrls.com/2011/06/in-depth-men-on-a-mission/
Elder Excell and Elder Howard were approached by a local radio station and asked to do a 20 minute interview for the radio. What an awesome opportunity for them to share their message! What a great opportunity for us to hear his voice! You can listen to a podcast of that interview by following the link above.
www.kniakrls.com/2011/06/in-depth-men-on-a-mission/
Elder Excell and Elder Howard were approached by a local radio station and asked to do a 20 minute interview for the radio. What an awesome opportunity for them to share their message! What a great opportunity for us to hear his voice! You can listen to a podcast of that interview by following the link above.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Pictures
Fireflies, floods, and fast cars.
I feel as if i have so much to say in this email! It has been such a full week. Full of appointments. Full of the spirit. Full of opportunities. Full of fun. Just full, full, full! So we'll start at the beginning of last Monday night.
We were victorious in one thing monday night and that was that we locked ourselves out of our apartment! Man i seem to be good at that! I would love to say it was Elder Howard (who is in charge of the keys) but alas, we are a companionship! :) We only had to sit on the trunk of the car (quick editor's note...our car is a 2011 fusion not 2010 as the author has previously stated) for about an hour tho til we got the landlord to come smoke his pipe in front of our door with a spare key! Besides, if it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have got to catch the bunny in our yard. No pets though...so we let him get away!
Tuesday was an early morning to get up to ames for zone conference! I love this mission by the way! So unified and loving and just no back biting or gossip! I love it! Zone conference was great! We got to hear from our zone leaders about the doctrine of christ, which i have truly grown such a deep love and appreciateion for. We heard from the area doctor. He had a calculation for BMI on the projector screen and the dreadful moment came to calculate. I am overweight according to the numbers. Diet time for elder excell. I have goals for an ending weight as a missionary and i refuse to go home with the average additional 25 pounds! I WILL NOT DO IT! But to all those who are wondering (MOM), I am healthy! My thumb nail has even grown back. Sister Jergensen spoke to us about loving kindness. I hope to show more charity as a missionary and as a member of the church. Lunch was amazing thanks to the cooking of Uncle Steve and Braxton. The chicken was a hit as well as the burgers and hot dogs. Great lunch and everyone was very appreciative of my uncle! Haha! It was very cool to see them! I hope to see them more! I wondered how it would affect me but i can't say that it did really. Not in any negative way at least. I loved seeing them but once the moment was over, I was focused on what was at hand. I am trying really hard to do that now and for the rest of my life. I want to focus on the present with the past and future in mind but never outweighing what i have in front of me. President Jergensen spoke to us about the doctrine of chirst and it was great as well! I love that man and am so happy to be in this mission!
Wednesday we found a new investigator. He actually found us which is even better! He is golden! He came up to us in walmart said that he has been investigating the church with missionaries in Georgia for a year or more and was just waiting for a divorce to go through to be baptized. He actually set his own date to be baptized and is awesome! July 16th!
This week i am running out of time! The library is super busy so i will try to hurry here!
My thoughts this week have been focused on loving the lord! I have realized that i will never be able to do his work until i do so. I have read john 21 and drawn so much from it! I love it so much! When peter and the disciples have been without the savior and kinda moving on for the rest of their lives and go back to fishing he comes back to them! He says, "whoa what are you doing. Have you not learned." and an awesome example of charity he performs in cooking breakfast for them on the beach after they recognize him and dive off the ship to meet him again. He then asks peter three times, since peter loves the number three by this point, if he loves him. Peter replies yes all three times and then he states, "If ye love me feed my sheep." That is my calling in which i am so grateful for! I truly do love my savior more each day! I want that to grow for the rest of my life! I have realized this whole mission thing is not a 2 year assignment but one that i have taken upon me for the rest of my life. It is also one that i look forward to and am so happy that i have the chance to share the gospel. I have the great opportunity of doing nothing but that for two years. Perspective is everything! I love where i am and what i can become through this gospel!
Things i have learned this week!
-fireflies are awesome!!! i caught some and i love them! new fascination!
-sprint cars are loud enough to hear from miles away.
-rain can cause flooding.
-our mission mom is as concerned as my mom and has divised emergency prep packs for everyone. :)
-I am overweight. :( but only by a little and im doing better!
-Limpy makes great food. I already knew that but wanted to throw it in.
-Iowa is the prettiest place ever and has the best sunsets.
-Iowa can be hotter than brazil!
I love my family so much! I will continue to send pictures every two weeks! I love you! I'm getting the boot!
Love, Elder Excell
We were victorious in one thing monday night and that was that we locked ourselves out of our apartment! Man i seem to be good at that! I would love to say it was Elder Howard (who is in charge of the keys) but alas, we are a companionship! :) We only had to sit on the trunk of the car (quick editor's note...our car is a 2011 fusion not 2010 as the author has previously stated) for about an hour tho til we got the landlord to come smoke his pipe in front of our door with a spare key! Besides, if it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have got to catch the bunny in our yard. No pets though...so we let him get away!
Tuesday was an early morning to get up to ames for zone conference! I love this mission by the way! So unified and loving and just no back biting or gossip! I love it! Zone conference was great! We got to hear from our zone leaders about the doctrine of christ, which i have truly grown such a deep love and appreciateion for. We heard from the area doctor. He had a calculation for BMI on the projector screen and the dreadful moment came to calculate. I am overweight according to the numbers. Diet time for elder excell. I have goals for an ending weight as a missionary and i refuse to go home with the average additional 25 pounds! I WILL NOT DO IT! But to all those who are wondering (MOM), I am healthy! My thumb nail has even grown back. Sister Jergensen spoke to us about loving kindness. I hope to show more charity as a missionary and as a member of the church. Lunch was amazing thanks to the cooking of Uncle Steve and Braxton. The chicken was a hit as well as the burgers and hot dogs. Great lunch and everyone was very appreciative of my uncle! Haha! It was very cool to see them! I hope to see them more! I wondered how it would affect me but i can't say that it did really. Not in any negative way at least. I loved seeing them but once the moment was over, I was focused on what was at hand. I am trying really hard to do that now and for the rest of my life. I want to focus on the present with the past and future in mind but never outweighing what i have in front of me. President Jergensen spoke to us about the doctrine of chirst and it was great as well! I love that man and am so happy to be in this mission!
Wednesday we found a new investigator. He actually found us which is even better! He is golden! He came up to us in walmart said that he has been investigating the church with missionaries in Georgia for a year or more and was just waiting for a divorce to go through to be baptized. He actually set his own date to be baptized and is awesome! July 16th!
This week i am running out of time! The library is super busy so i will try to hurry here!
My thoughts this week have been focused on loving the lord! I have realized that i will never be able to do his work until i do so. I have read john 21 and drawn so much from it! I love it so much! When peter and the disciples have been without the savior and kinda moving on for the rest of their lives and go back to fishing he comes back to them! He says, "whoa what are you doing. Have you not learned." and an awesome example of charity he performs in cooking breakfast for them on the beach after they recognize him and dive off the ship to meet him again. He then asks peter three times, since peter loves the number three by this point, if he loves him. Peter replies yes all three times and then he states, "If ye love me feed my sheep." That is my calling in which i am so grateful for! I truly do love my savior more each day! I want that to grow for the rest of my life! I have realized this whole mission thing is not a 2 year assignment but one that i have taken upon me for the rest of my life. It is also one that i look forward to and am so happy that i have the chance to share the gospel. I have the great opportunity of doing nothing but that for two years. Perspective is everything! I love where i am and what i can become through this gospel!
Things i have learned this week!
-fireflies are awesome!!! i caught some and i love them! new fascination!
-sprint cars are loud enough to hear from miles away.
-rain can cause flooding.
-our mission mom is as concerned as my mom and has divised emergency prep packs for everyone. :)
-I am overweight. :( but only by a little and im doing better!
-Limpy makes great food. I already knew that but wanted to throw it in.
-Iowa is the prettiest place ever and has the best sunsets.
-Iowa can be hotter than brazil!
I love my family so much! I will continue to send pictures every two weeks! I love you! I'm getting the boot!
Love, Elder Excell
Q&A - June 20, 2011
1. When is transfer week?
Transfer calls are this saturday and if one of us is transferred we would leave for the transfer meeting next thursday. so a week and a half away. i think we'll stick together tho
2. How long do companionship's in your mission typically stay together?
3-6 months typically but only one together isn't rare either. i'm not your typical greenie either. i'm kind of a wild card so we dont know really.
3. President Jergensen said something about the email on transfer week being different. I think he said that your pday would be on Wednesday of that week. Is that correct?
yes p-day next week is wednesday before transfers.
4. How many times each week do you go to Pleasantville and Pella?
P-ville...not as often. once every other week maybe. and pella probably twice a week. it is the most gorgeous drive. i just wonder in awe and amazement. so gorgeous. rolling green hills and lake side views. beautiful.
5. Are there individual branches in Pleasantville and Pella or do they come to church in Knoxville?
P-ville and pella are part of our congregation. we pretty much have marion county as an area for the branch here.
6. Where is Elder Franz serving and where did you see him? It's probably awesome for you to be able to see a familiar face in the crowd!
Elder Franz is in Fort Dodge right now. I saw him at leadership training and also zone conference. Such an awesome kid! He has 6 months left here. This is a good time for me to mention that he knows earl and earl still remembers dad by his first name and apparently still has stories! I hope i get to meet earl. he says he has a pump organ for me!
7. What was the highlight of your week?
Zone conference and meeting steven. You'll see in the letter!
Transfer calls are this saturday and if one of us is transferred we would leave for the transfer meeting next thursday. so a week and a half away. i think we'll stick together tho
2. How long do companionship's in your mission typically stay together?
3-6 months typically but only one together isn't rare either. i'm not your typical greenie either. i'm kind of a wild card so we dont know really.
3. President Jergensen said something about the email on transfer week being different. I think he said that your pday would be on Wednesday of that week. Is that correct?
yes p-day next week is wednesday before transfers.
4. How many times each week do you go to Pleasantville and Pella?
P-ville...not as often. once every other week maybe. and pella probably twice a week. it is the most gorgeous drive. i just wonder in awe and amazement. so gorgeous. rolling green hills and lake side views. beautiful.
5. Are there individual branches in Pleasantville and Pella or do they come to church in Knoxville?
P-ville and pella are part of our congregation. we pretty much have marion county as an area for the branch here.
6. Where is Elder Franz serving and where did you see him? It's probably awesome for you to be able to see a familiar face in the crowd!
Elder Franz is in Fort Dodge right now. I saw him at leadership training and also zone conference. Such an awesome kid! He has 6 months left here. This is a good time for me to mention that he knows earl and earl still remembers dad by his first name and apparently still has stories! I hope i get to meet earl. he says he has a pump organ for me!
7. What was the highlight of your week?
Zone conference and meeting steven. You'll see in the letter!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Iowa thunderstorms...you wish you had them!
So...until today at approximately 12:30 central standard time I was not aware that my 10 month mark is this week! say what!?!? I don't want to think about it. That is so crazy to me that one month has already gone by and it went like the blink of an eye! Not cool! It has been such a great week! I write these emails thinking each week that there is no way the next week can be better but I always sit here 7 days later so surprised at how great the week has been! It's a weird phenomenon! So this week....we'll start at the beginning....
Wednesday and Thursday this week we had leadership meaning which they have every transfer and all the greenies, trainers, district leaders, zone leaders, and assistants meet up with president and we get trained on how to be better. It was the most spiritual meeting i have ever been to so far. I hope to be able to say that about every meeting by qualifying myself more each week for the spirit. It was great tho. We went through the essentials of preach my gospel and how we can be better teachers. We have been focusing in this mission about the Doctrine of Christ and how it can bless us, our families, and this mission. It has been so great for me. President gave us the challenge to internalize the doctrine of Christ in our hearts. He promised us if we studied it seriously for seven days with sincere prayer that we would be able to internalize that doctrine and have it become a party of us. what a blessing that has been for me. the doctrine of Christ as i am finding is nothing more complex than what Christ taughtaught while he was here on the earth. Or in other words the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Faith, repentance, baptism (sacrament participation after baptism), gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. When we complete that cycle over and over and over again it is like a spiral staircase. yes we are taking what seemingly feels like the same steps over and over and over but after time we realize we have been climbing and growing closer to our heavenly father. That doctrine as nephi says at the very end of 2 nephi chapter 31 is the only way by which we can return to live with father in heaven. There is no other way. We follow those the rest of our lives and we will be blessed.
Wednesday night when we came back to Knoxville after being in Des Moines for the meeting we had two other missionaries with us named Elder Moses and Elder Roberts. We had some exchanges and me and Elder Moses had the most intense hour and half that night. We went to Sister Thomas's house to give some service moving stuff around, (She is older and hurting bad because she went in for a x-ray of her hip and the ball of her femur is missing...ya ouch a bit) so we go over and she has a handicapped son that it 38 years old named Rick! He is my best friend! I love that kid! I’m sending a picture of me and him home today! look for it! But while me and Moses are over there Rick comes inside and says that "Luck (the dog) is dead". To which Sister Thomas replies "Rick just give him some water, I’m sure he's just hot" about 10 minutes go by and Rick comes back in the room and says, "I think lucky is dead. I put the water by his face and he's not even moving"...at this point Moses and I are a bit concerned for lucky. We go outside and sure enough lucky was dead. We don't know how but she had been dead for a while. So while we are looking at lucky the best thing possible happens of course and princess the other dog runs out the door and down the street! So we rush to go tell Sister Thomas lucky died. We don’t know how to clean up a dead dog. Especially while we are on bikes so we are running, nay sprinting after princess while calling the branch president to see what to do with lucky. We eventually have a square off with princess after running around the neighborhood. Moses sat on one side of this lady's house (and this lady of course is hysterically laughing at the Mormons chasing a dog)...(don't worry we talked to her about the gospel while we caught princess) and i am on the other side of the house and princess take off and like the professional dog catcher i am i dive and snag her foot and she's done for. We carry this sheep dog two blocks away back to Sister Thomas's. Oh, and mind you, it's 93 degrees outside and raining. It was great! I will never forget that night!
Saturday we had Matt's baptism. (Pictures also being sent) and it was amazing! Matt has been meeting with missionaries for about a month and a half and was progressing very well! He is 38 years old and has psoriasis very badly. all over his body and so he has a lot of peeling skin. Any way...great guy and I love him to death! He has definitely been prepared by the lord through his life and was meant to find the gospel. His baptism was very spiritual. They always are.
This week we are really focusing on member work. we are trying to get this branch so excited about missionary work that they go find people for us to teach. It truly is the best way to spread the gospel is through the members. It's so much better for the investigator and so much more efficient for the missionary. We are going to change this area. The last baptism they had was two years ago until Saturday!
Oh!!!! I saw Andy Newman's mom!!! She knew i would be at leadership in Des Moines and so she met me there with healthy granola bars! I love that lady! She is so awesome!
What i have learned this week......
-Birds can pick up squirrels
-Sheep dogs are fast
-25 cents can buy you a dictionary
-galloping along with 50 missionaries running through the pouring rain around the block is hilarious.
-people enjoy intellectual humans
-girls in brazil and girls in iowa wear similar clothes when it's warm outside :(
-clip on ties are efficient and loosen your neck a bit
-elder howard "makes up" words and phrases...not "knows" a vast amount of phrases and words
-tractor shows are popular in iowa
-camera cards can be magically erased...sorry elder howard for your misfortune
This week, my thoughts have once again been focused on what our potential is. Who we really are and how is that measured. I sit astounded at the potential each individual has. The potential that god has given us to become like him. I've never let that hit me before like I have this week. I am a god in embryo. Each of you who reads this is a god or goddess in embryo. How incredible is that! But that is after this life. I’ve been trying to concentrate on how it is that we can reach our full potential in this life and i have come to one conclusion. I know that the only way to become the person i want to be, is through the gospel of Jesus Christ it just makes sense. Every step we take puts us one step closer to him or one step further away from him. I know that when we step further away from him, the flaxen cord, or the silky velvety rope we are bound with by Satan turns from soft thread to metal chains and we are bound. when we follow Christ, sure narrow is the gate, but the possibilities become endless and the exponentially multiply with ever step closer to Christ we take. Ponder that. We become more free to choose when we follow Christ We have the ability to choose who we become and those choices become more numerable with each righteous desire and righteous choice we make. I am amazed at what the gospel has done for me. I am enthralled with the potential i have been given. I can't imagine not having it. I know that through this gospel comes real happiness. Not a happiness that dies off but one that lasts forever....and yes literally forever.
I feel as if i should bear my testimony. I know that this gospel provides happiness in every aspect of life. I know that life has purpose. I know what the purpose of my existence on this terrestrial planet is. I know what it is that i need to do to return to my heavenly father. I know that it only through Christ and his gospel or doctrine than mankind may be saved. I know that by the grace of god i will be saved but only after all that i do. I know Christ ransomed himself for every person who has walked this planet is walking and will yet walk this planet. I know the church that i claim membership to is his church. It is presided over by a prophet of god. A man that has the authority to act in God's name. I know that the work in which i participate myself is a miracle. It is a work. But most definitely it is a wonder. I know miracles occur each and every day. Nothing that happens falls short of classifiable evidence of a miracle. In this life there are no coincidences. I know that agency was and is the plan today that was offered in a council before the world was, and our presence here states what we chose. We chose right. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that i have to be a missionary. I am so thankful for the spirit of which I feel every day. I love my savior. I love heavenly father. I love my president. I love my mission. I love my companion. I love my family. I love the life that I have been given. I want to show each individual son and daughter of God the love that i have for them and more importantly the love that heavenly father has for them.
I love you all so much! Elder Howard is beating me in chick mail so all you girls out there....drop me a line yo!
Elder Excell
Wednesday and Thursday this week we had leadership meaning which they have every transfer and all the greenies, trainers, district leaders, zone leaders, and assistants meet up with president and we get trained on how to be better. It was the most spiritual meeting i have ever been to so far. I hope to be able to say that about every meeting by qualifying myself more each week for the spirit. It was great tho. We went through the essentials of preach my gospel and how we can be better teachers. We have been focusing in this mission about the Doctrine of Christ and how it can bless us, our families, and this mission. It has been so great for me. President gave us the challenge to internalize the doctrine of Christ in our hearts. He promised us if we studied it seriously for seven days with sincere prayer that we would be able to internalize that doctrine and have it become a party of us. what a blessing that has been for me. the doctrine of Christ as i am finding is nothing more complex than what Christ taughtaught while he was here on the earth. Or in other words the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Faith, repentance, baptism (sacrament participation after baptism), gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. When we complete that cycle over and over and over again it is like a spiral staircase. yes we are taking what seemingly feels like the same steps over and over and over but after time we realize we have been climbing and growing closer to our heavenly father. That doctrine as nephi says at the very end of 2 nephi chapter 31 is the only way by which we can return to live with father in heaven. There is no other way. We follow those the rest of our lives and we will be blessed.
Wednesday night when we came back to Knoxville after being in Des Moines for the meeting we had two other missionaries with us named Elder Moses and Elder Roberts. We had some exchanges and me and Elder Moses had the most intense hour and half that night. We went to Sister Thomas's house to give some service moving stuff around, (She is older and hurting bad because she went in for a x-ray of her hip and the ball of her femur is missing...ya ouch a bit) so we go over and she has a handicapped son that it 38 years old named Rick! He is my best friend! I love that kid! I’m sending a picture of me and him home today! look for it! But while me and Moses are over there Rick comes inside and says that "Luck (the dog) is dead". To which Sister Thomas replies "Rick just give him some water, I’m sure he's just hot" about 10 minutes go by and Rick comes back in the room and says, "I think lucky is dead. I put the water by his face and he's not even moving"...at this point Moses and I are a bit concerned for lucky. We go outside and sure enough lucky was dead. We don't know how but she had been dead for a while. So while we are looking at lucky the best thing possible happens of course and princess the other dog runs out the door and down the street! So we rush to go tell Sister Thomas lucky died. We don’t know how to clean up a dead dog. Especially while we are on bikes so we are running, nay sprinting after princess while calling the branch president to see what to do with lucky. We eventually have a square off with princess after running around the neighborhood. Moses sat on one side of this lady's house (and this lady of course is hysterically laughing at the Mormons chasing a dog)...(don't worry we talked to her about the gospel while we caught princess) and i am on the other side of the house and princess take off and like the professional dog catcher i am i dive and snag her foot and she's done for. We carry this sheep dog two blocks away back to Sister Thomas's. Oh, and mind you, it's 93 degrees outside and raining. It was great! I will never forget that night!
Saturday we had Matt's baptism. (Pictures also being sent) and it was amazing! Matt has been meeting with missionaries for about a month and a half and was progressing very well! He is 38 years old and has psoriasis very badly. all over his body and so he has a lot of peeling skin. Any way...great guy and I love him to death! He has definitely been prepared by the lord through his life and was meant to find the gospel. His baptism was very spiritual. They always are.
This week we are really focusing on member work. we are trying to get this branch so excited about missionary work that they go find people for us to teach. It truly is the best way to spread the gospel is through the members. It's so much better for the investigator and so much more efficient for the missionary. We are going to change this area. The last baptism they had was two years ago until Saturday!
Oh!!!! I saw Andy Newman's mom!!! She knew i would be at leadership in Des Moines and so she met me there with healthy granola bars! I love that lady! She is so awesome!
What i have learned this week......
-Birds can pick up squirrels
-Sheep dogs are fast
-25 cents can buy you a dictionary
-galloping along with 50 missionaries running through the pouring rain around the block is hilarious.
-people enjoy intellectual humans
-girls in brazil and girls in iowa wear similar clothes when it's warm outside :(
-clip on ties are efficient and loosen your neck a bit
-elder howard "makes up" words and phrases...not "knows" a vast amount of phrases and words
-tractor shows are popular in iowa
-camera cards can be magically erased...sorry elder howard for your misfortune
This week, my thoughts have once again been focused on what our potential is. Who we really are and how is that measured. I sit astounded at the potential each individual has. The potential that god has given us to become like him. I've never let that hit me before like I have this week. I am a god in embryo. Each of you who reads this is a god or goddess in embryo. How incredible is that! But that is after this life. I’ve been trying to concentrate on how it is that we can reach our full potential in this life and i have come to one conclusion. I know that the only way to become the person i want to be, is through the gospel of Jesus Christ it just makes sense. Every step we take puts us one step closer to him or one step further away from him. I know that when we step further away from him, the flaxen cord, or the silky velvety rope we are bound with by Satan turns from soft thread to metal chains and we are bound. when we follow Christ, sure narrow is the gate, but the possibilities become endless and the exponentially multiply with ever step closer to Christ we take. Ponder that. We become more free to choose when we follow Christ We have the ability to choose who we become and those choices become more numerable with each righteous desire and righteous choice we make. I am amazed at what the gospel has done for me. I am enthralled with the potential i have been given. I can't imagine not having it. I know that through this gospel comes real happiness. Not a happiness that dies off but one that lasts forever....and yes literally forever.
I feel as if i should bear my testimony. I know that this gospel provides happiness in every aspect of life. I know that life has purpose. I know what the purpose of my existence on this terrestrial planet is. I know what it is that i need to do to return to my heavenly father. I know that it only through Christ and his gospel or doctrine than mankind may be saved. I know that by the grace of god i will be saved but only after all that i do. I know Christ ransomed himself for every person who has walked this planet is walking and will yet walk this planet. I know the church that i claim membership to is his church. It is presided over by a prophet of god. A man that has the authority to act in God's name. I know that the work in which i participate myself is a miracle. It is a work. But most definitely it is a wonder. I know miracles occur each and every day. Nothing that happens falls short of classifiable evidence of a miracle. In this life there are no coincidences. I know that agency was and is the plan today that was offered in a council before the world was, and our presence here states what we chose. We chose right. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that i have to be a missionary. I am so thankful for the spirit of which I feel every day. I love my savior. I love heavenly father. I love my president. I love my mission. I love my companion. I love my family. I love the life that I have been given. I want to show each individual son and daughter of God the love that i have for them and more importantly the love that heavenly father has for them.
I love you all so much! Elder Howard is beating me in chick mail so all you girls out there....drop me a line yo!
Elder Excell
Q&A - June 13, 2011
1. I'd love to hear more about Matt Northway. Is this someone that you just started teaching when you got there or had missionaries been working with him before that?
See email. I will tell all about it!
2. Will the corn in Iowa be knee-high by the 4th of July?
It's knee high already! It's coming in strong!
3. What color is your favorite tie?
I don't have this color but every good man ought to have a purple tie. i just haven't reached that status yet! purple is just the way to go!
4. You mentioned that you only have dinner appointments a couple of times each week. What kinds of things are you cooking for yourself? Ramen noodles or pork chop dinners?
I have been cooking great and i know elder howard is loving it. haha! i've made pizza, chicken parmesan, santa fe chicken and rice. stroganoff. it's been great. i'm going on a diet now tho. i refuse to gain the standard 20 pounds! i will not do it!
5. The best part of my week was...
Matt's baptism! The whole week tho was just amazing
See email. I will tell all about it!
2. Will the corn in Iowa be knee-high by the 4th of July?
It's knee high already! It's coming in strong!
3. What color is your favorite tie?
I don't have this color but every good man ought to have a purple tie. i just haven't reached that status yet! purple is just the way to go!
4. You mentioned that you only have dinner appointments a couple of times each week. What kinds of things are you cooking for yourself? Ramen noodles or pork chop dinners?
I have been cooking great and i know elder howard is loving it. haha! i've made pizza, chicken parmesan, santa fe chicken and rice. stroganoff. it's been great. i'm going on a diet now tho. i refuse to gain the standard 20 pounds! i will not do it!
5. The best part of my week was...
Matt's baptism! The whole week tho was just amazing
Monday, June 6, 2011
Some Lessons Learned
Crazy awesome week! I simply cannot say enough how awesome it is to be a missionary and to be here in the Iowa Des Moines Mission - now, the best mission in the world! I am so happy that I am here and don't want to be anywhere else! It may be hard at times but I can say it is the most worthwhile thing ever and I am so happy to do it.
As far as goings on in the great town of Knoxville, we keep on keeping on. This week in particular, I have found out that I do not want to be a psychiatrist. Among the many career aspirations I have, that is no longer on the list. I would go nuts. I have learned this from experience. For privacy's sake I will call this woman Amy. Amy is a member of the church and has been for a couple years. She has been diagnosed with bi-polar disease and also Schizophrenia. We get a call about 2 am on Monday night last week from "Amy" and she wants us to come cast demons out of her house. Well, being the stalwart obedient missionaries we are, we stay in our house and call her home teachers to go check it out. She receives a blessing and her house is blessed. The home teachers leave and we run into her in town the next day. We ask her how she is doing and she says the prayer didn't work. I may be 20 years old but I know prayer works! No prayer is insignificant. Joseph Smith was 14 and offered a small probably seemingly insignificant prayer and look where we are. Prayer works. So I am not convinced. We go to her house under her suggestion and upon arrival, she says she wants us to leave. That we bring evil spirits with us. Ok? So, the next day we are going to check up on her. She still doesn’t believe that any prayer is working and that she was cursed when they put the oil on her head for the blessing. We tried talking to her for two hours nearly and for the first hour with little response. Definitely a practice of patience. She starts to open up but she opens up to the stories I wasn't looking for. She tells us in quite graphic detail of the abuse she received from her husband both physical and mental and sexual. We try to get off the topic and talk to her about baptism. She starts warming up and lets us come inside. (Oh yeah...this is happening on the sidewalk until now) We get inside and it is a mess! Stuff everywhere! We don't feel right inside because she is alone and kinda crazy so we stayed in the hall. Then she started screaming louder than I have ever heard any human scream and I couldn't take it anymore. I got our phone out and called 911. I had to. No choice. The cops had apparently been looking for her all day. She was released from the hospital the night before but then at work was attempting suicide and ran. It was nice to know though that through all of that, God had us in the place where we could help. As frustrating and emotionally and mentally exhausting as it was, we were meant to be there! Maybe if it were in a plush room with leather sofas the whole psychiatric thing would be ok...just not for me I guess! :)
Matt Northway is still gonna be baptized Saturday! Awesome! You know how in every talk at church or in every lesson given, the person talking says, "while preparing this lesson I have learned more than those who will hear it"? That's how I feel everyday. I learn more from these people than I could possibly be teaching them! I feel so blessed to have that opportunity.
This week my mind has been constantly drawn to those things that I find myself thankful for. I can't seem to numb them. I have always seen others who are thankful and thought to myself, "am I really thankful?" and up until now, I don't think that I have been. It seems like the things that I have been thankful for in my mind, I am now thankful for in my soul. I think that's when things become real for us or become profound. They become important to us when they are more than just a thought but when they become a part of us. Perhaps the reason family is so important is because it is a part of us. Not just a love in our mind. It consumes you. Perhaps that’s why the prophets of old and modern day both say to study the scriptures until they consume you. "Feast on the words of Christ" Because when we reach that point we reach true conversion and true whatever it may be. True love is love in your heart not just your mind. True knowledge is that taken from your head to your heart. Just a thought I have been developing this week.
I also have been focused this week on what I need to do to consecrate my time here - to dedicate my entire self - to leave the “world” out of my world. I've been pulling several thoughts from several talks. I just hope to be able to complete my sanctification as a missionary and not regret one single moment because I did it 100% with my "heart, might, mind, and strength". Might and strength I do well. Putting my whole heart and my whole head is always a challenge and what I will try to do better at. True.
Other things I have learned this week:
-I now know how to install a swamp cooler
-Magnesium will clean out your system and provide entertainment at 2 am when you are fighting your comp for the bathroom.
-The mission life can be compared to Harry Potter in every way shape and form.
-Western cut suits are awesome although mission unapproved. I now own one. Send me a bolo! Cowboy boots too! jk!
-Career aspiration: Rock star or surgeon...or both
Well, I best be getting. The Knoxville library is a crowded place and people are waiting! I hope you all know that I love you and I love what I am doing! I can't imagine a better place to be! Another week down unfortunately! I'll talk to ya'll next week!
Elder Excell
As far as goings on in the great town of Knoxville, we keep on keeping on. This week in particular, I have found out that I do not want to be a psychiatrist. Among the many career aspirations I have, that is no longer on the list. I would go nuts. I have learned this from experience. For privacy's sake I will call this woman Amy. Amy is a member of the church and has been for a couple years. She has been diagnosed with bi-polar disease and also Schizophrenia. We get a call about 2 am on Monday night last week from "Amy" and she wants us to come cast demons out of her house. Well, being the stalwart obedient missionaries we are, we stay in our house and call her home teachers to go check it out. She receives a blessing and her house is blessed. The home teachers leave and we run into her in town the next day. We ask her how she is doing and she says the prayer didn't work. I may be 20 years old but I know prayer works! No prayer is insignificant. Joseph Smith was 14 and offered a small probably seemingly insignificant prayer and look where we are. Prayer works. So I am not convinced. We go to her house under her suggestion and upon arrival, she says she wants us to leave. That we bring evil spirits with us. Ok? So, the next day we are going to check up on her. She still doesn’t believe that any prayer is working and that she was cursed when they put the oil on her head for the blessing. We tried talking to her for two hours nearly and for the first hour with little response. Definitely a practice of patience. She starts to open up but she opens up to the stories I wasn't looking for. She tells us in quite graphic detail of the abuse she received from her husband both physical and mental and sexual. We try to get off the topic and talk to her about baptism. She starts warming up and lets us come inside. (Oh yeah...this is happening on the sidewalk until now) We get inside and it is a mess! Stuff everywhere! We don't feel right inside because she is alone and kinda crazy so we stayed in the hall. Then she started screaming louder than I have ever heard any human scream and I couldn't take it anymore. I got our phone out and called 911. I had to. No choice. The cops had apparently been looking for her all day. She was released from the hospital the night before but then at work was attempting suicide and ran. It was nice to know though that through all of that, God had us in the place where we could help. As frustrating and emotionally and mentally exhausting as it was, we were meant to be there! Maybe if it were in a plush room with leather sofas the whole psychiatric thing would be ok...just not for me I guess! :)
Matt Northway is still gonna be baptized Saturday! Awesome! You know how in every talk at church or in every lesson given, the person talking says, "while preparing this lesson I have learned more than those who will hear it"? That's how I feel everyday. I learn more from these people than I could possibly be teaching them! I feel so blessed to have that opportunity.
This week my mind has been constantly drawn to those things that I find myself thankful for. I can't seem to numb them. I have always seen others who are thankful and thought to myself, "am I really thankful?" and up until now, I don't think that I have been. It seems like the things that I have been thankful for in my mind, I am now thankful for in my soul. I think that's when things become real for us or become profound. They become important to us when they are more than just a thought but when they become a part of us. Perhaps the reason family is so important is because it is a part of us. Not just a love in our mind. It consumes you. Perhaps that’s why the prophets of old and modern day both say to study the scriptures until they consume you. "Feast on the words of Christ" Because when we reach that point we reach true conversion and true whatever it may be. True love is love in your heart not just your mind. True knowledge is that taken from your head to your heart. Just a thought I have been developing this week.
I also have been focused this week on what I need to do to consecrate my time here - to dedicate my entire self - to leave the “world” out of my world. I've been pulling several thoughts from several talks. I just hope to be able to complete my sanctification as a missionary and not regret one single moment because I did it 100% with my "heart, might, mind, and strength". Might and strength I do well. Putting my whole heart and my whole head is always a challenge and what I will try to do better at. True.
Other things I have learned this week:
-I now know how to install a swamp cooler
-Magnesium will clean out your system and provide entertainment at 2 am when you are fighting your comp for the bathroom.
-The mission life can be compared to Harry Potter in every way shape and form.
-Western cut suits are awesome although mission unapproved. I now own one. Send me a bolo! Cowboy boots too! jk!
-Career aspiration: Rock star or surgeon...or both
Well, I best be getting. The Knoxville library is a crowded place and people are waiting! I hope you all know that I love you and I love what I am doing! I can't imagine a better place to be! Another week down unfortunately! I'll talk to ya'll next week!
Elder Excell
Q&A - June 6, 2011
1. The weather shows that it has gotten quite warm in Iowa. Are you asked to wear a suit each day or do you get to wear your short sleeves and a tie?
Every day that it is above 70 degrees we get to wear shirt and tie only! So pretty much every day!
2. What fun things are on the schedule today for p-day?
Today is a letter day for both of us. We have a lot of catch up! I know, it's only been three weeks and I am catching up! :)
3. How many miles would you guess that you've put on your bike this week?
This week....hmmm......around 50 I'd say. I love it tho!
4. What was the hardest part of your week?
All of it. But it's also all been the easiest.
5. What was the best part of your week?
It's all been the best! It's been the best week ever comprised of the best days ever! I just can't express enough how much i love being here!
Every day that it is above 70 degrees we get to wear shirt and tie only! So pretty much every day!
2. What fun things are on the schedule today for p-day?
Today is a letter day for both of us. We have a lot of catch up! I know, it's only been three weeks and I am catching up! :)
3. How many miles would you guess that you've put on your bike this week?
This week....hmmm......around 50 I'd say. I love it tho!
4. What was the hardest part of your week?
All of it. But it's also all been the easiest.
5. What was the best part of your week?
It's all been the best! It's been the best week ever comprised of the best days ever! I just can't express enough how much i love being here!
Pictures in the Mailbox!
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