Ok, honestly will the time just slow down! I start every email the same way. "Man, this week flew by"...I’m to the point now where it is just ridiculous and I hate even thinking about how fast it actually passes. It’s inconceivable! Drives me nuts! Alright now the ranting is over. My soap box has been passed on to some other missionary I’m sure and I can start a real email!
This week was incredible! To preface the week, we saw another child of our Heavenly Father proceed in faith to being baptized. Steven was baptized on the 23rd of July after a long wait. I'll talk about that more later. But that was definitely the high point of the week!
Last p-day was kind of just weird but I’m pretty sure I mentioned that last week. We buried a horse. Pretty....bizarre. Can't say that I expect to do that again anytime soon but the rest of the day was just pretty normal. We wrote some good letters. I wrote this mystery sister missionary that is serving on temple square. This lady in our branch came up to me on Sunday and said her little sister was serving a mission and that she thought I should write her and gave me her address and her picture. Crazy thing about it is that it's happened again since then. Two "referrals" later. haha. We'll see if I even get a letter back! Could be fun to get to know someone from the inside out tho.
Lately we have been teaching this guy named Brian. He is 17 years old and on September 14th he is going into the military. He is so solid. The first time we met with him and told him about the restoration of the gospel and we left him with a Book of Mormon and invited him to read from it and pray for himself to know if it is true. We get a call the next day and it's from Brian and Brian and I proceeded to talk for about 20 minutes about the gospel. He said he just knew it was true and was so excited to be baptized. He read from the Book of Mormon and that night said he just couldn’t sleep because he was just so happy. The thing that he had been searching for his entire life had finally been found and he couldn’t quit grinning. It was so amazing! He marked his own day to be baptized for the 16th of August (his birthday) and he wants to make plans to serve a mission. Could it get any better?!?! Ah! Awesome kid and I’m excited for his life to unfold for him now.
Iowa sweet corn has finally sprung a leak! We have been eating it non-stop! Members just give us bags upon bags of corn. It’s a good thing Elder Howard and I love it or we would be starving! Its great tho. I suppose it's healthy too! Just a side note. My diet has been working for all that are interested. I have lost about 9 pounds on the self titled "sweat yer' rear end off and drink water diet." I am trying to cut soda and super processed foods. So far, so good. The 131 degree heat index weather helps with the sweatin yer' bum off part!
We did have one good rain storm this week. You have never seen a rainstorm until you have been to Iowa. Note to all those passing through a rain storm... don't have a contest to see who can hold their hand out the window the longest while driving 65 miles an hour down the road. Eeks! And when we got home and were planning, we heard some thunder right after a bolt of lightning struck and lo and behold... the church about 100 yards from our house got hit and was a blazing in flames! So crazy!!
I have officially become a tailor. Howard calls me a seamstress. I took out my own pants this week! My skinny little Brazilian body just doesn’t fit in my white baptismal pants. Life task acquired! Oh, and bonus!!! I can't even believe that I forgot to say this so far....today I am learning how to knit!!! Dad I am bringing back the old school trends!! Crocheting is gone and knitting is in again. Just you wait. I will be throwing out touques like a mad man!
This weekend was nuts! So we get a call on Friday afternoon from Steven (our baptism) and he says his car has broken down and just lost his job. He lives 30 miles away from town and we have no members out there. So real world problems do happen! Satan really did not want him to be baptized. So crazy! So we came up with a plan, finding members who work there to bring him up Saturday and then stay with members Saturday night, be confirmed Sunday in church and since he was a member by that point we could drive him back if we taught someone else down there because we can only give rides to members who we are going to a lesson with - (if there is a loop hole, I will find it) so we accomplished the plan. Steven was baptized on Saturday and confirmed Sunday and all is well. Awesome baptism and while we were changing after Steven leans over to me with a tear in his eye and just says..."Excell...it was worth it." So awesome! Sacrifice truly does bring forth the blessings of heaven! I now know that more than ever!
This week has been great. I continue to grow so much! Trying to solve real world problem riddles is not easy but worth it. It made me feel like that one riddle where you have to get all the people across the river but certain people cant ride with others. It was great in the long run!
I thought a lot this week about turning 21. In a week I will be of that grand old age. I remember when I was younger looking at 21 year olds and just being amazed. Now I am one. When did that happen? It just is one more testimony that time flies so fast and we only have so much time here in our mortal bodies to accomplish some of the most important parts of eternity. What we do now will last forever and it goes by so fast. Makes you really think about what you do every day. Is it really worth it? I find myself about 3 weeks from my "hump day". Another mark in history but a bitter-sweet one. More bitter than sweet. I don’t want my mission to end. It has changed my life. I still have time and I plan on focusing on it, not the time I have remaining. It's one big lesson that I am learning. The past is already over. The future is yet to come. All you can do anything about is right now. Live it up. No regrets! Tomorrow begins today. What my children look to in the future depends on what I do now. Today is my defining moment. Tomorrow's change is based on today's actions. It all rests on what you do today!
I love you all so much! I can't say that enough! I don’t know who all reads this... whether it is immediate family or friends or strangers, but I love you and my love for you is growing, as am I! Have a great week!
The gospel is true!
Elder Excell!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Q&A - July 25, 2011
1. When is the next transfer week?
August 11 I think is the day, so that week is when p-day would be Wednesday. we find out the Saturday before tho.
2. Do you still have a baptism scheduled this week?
We had it on Saturday the 23rd. Super awesome and I'm excited to tell you about it. I'll send pics next week!
3. Have you gotten any relief from the heat? What have the temperatures been like this past week?
This week we had a new record setter. 131 degrees Monday with the heat index. It was brutal.
August 11 I think is the day, so that week is when p-day would be Wednesday. we find out the Saturday before tho.
2. Do you still have a baptism scheduled this week?
We had it on Saturday the 23rd. Super awesome and I'm excited to tell you about it. I'll send pics next week!
3. Have you gotten any relief from the heat? What have the temperatures been like this past week?
This week we had a new record setter. 131 degrees Monday with the heat index. It was brutal.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Pictures
Three showers a day! 2 in water and 1 in sweat!
Man this week has just been full to the brim! It has just been go, go, go, and because of that, the time has gone by abnormally fast! It always goes by fast but more seemingly so this week than others.
As I said last week, on Tuesday we went to Nauvoo and saw the Nauvoo pageant with a less active family in our branch. It was soooo good! The pageant itself was phenomenal! I loved it and it brought back so many memories of acting. I want to be in one of the church pageants someday. What a great experience it would be! Funny story in Nauvoo...we went to get pizza at Ziggy's pizza and it was great but about halfway through the pizza Elder Howard saw this girl that he went to high school with. Needless to say it was a little bizarre but funny to see his face! Another funny story...when we were actually entering the grounds for the pageant, there were people handing out newspapers and I thought nothing of it. I knew that the little volunteer youth handed them out so I took one thinking it was ok. About 50 yards farther and one of the youth offers me a newspaper and I said, "I think I already have one" and he kinda chuckled and said..."Elder, that's the anti-Mormon newspaper." I felt like a fool. It was pretty funny tho. I had passed through the anti zone and didn't even notice. It was nice to be in Nauvoo during the pageant when so many members were there. I felt appreciated.
We didn’t get home from the pageant 'til about 2 am but we slept for 4 and half hours and then woke up at 6:30 just like normal and did the daily routine. Wednesday was also interviews with President Jergensen tho. I love interviews! It seems like regardless the president, I just leave wanting to go give more to the Lord at every step. He is a great man tho.
Thursday, we had probably the most sobering and humbling lesson I have ever been in. It was with a young woman named Brandi who is about 25 years old. I feel particularly close to people that age because obviously I can relate to them a lot. I know the struggles they faced were similar to mine. It was such a tough lesson tho because we found out that Brandi is a meth addict. Also she does every other drug possible and worse is she does anything to get those drugs. She will use her body in every possible way to get her drugs. She was in rehab for a year and a half and then came back clean but 6 months later was just right back worse than before. She has lost her three kids. She has now had a divorce and all because of drugs. We asked her if she wanted to change and you could just hear the conflict raging inside her head. Part of her wants more than ever to quit so she can have her kids but the other part of her says that she wants to always be doing drugs because she loves the way she feels. It’s so sad to see somebody close to my age go through that. I want to help so badly but have no control over it. I just want to spend 24 hours a day with her and keep her safe from drugs and everything but that's not how God's plan works. The plan we accepted before coming to this earth gave us the ability to choose. It’s just sad to see some of our brothers and sisters following that path with their choices. :( Heartbreaking really. I can't imagine how Heavenly Father feels.
The corn is growing like crazy! Knee high by the 4th of July is a joke. It's already 8 feet tall and climbing. I had my first ear of Iowa sweet corn. It was delicious. I also checked off a mission goal to run through a corn field. I learned some valuable lessons from that. I guess now is a better time than ever to share those with you:
Things I learned this week:
-Running against the rows of corn is a lot more painful then running with the rows
-How to bury a horse...yes we buried one today. (I wore my pearl snap button shirt to be a true cowboy) very sad
-Corn has micro fibers that feel much like shards of glass when running through a field.
-2 months can seem like 2 days.
-Iowa is hotter than Brazil. 126 degrees two days ago. Yee haw!
-Pollinating lilies love white shirts. White shirts do not love pollinating lilies.
-Spray and wash works miracles.
-Newborn babies are the most amazing precious thing ever. Two sets of newborn twins in our branch now!
I splurged last week and bought a good voice recorder. I decided I wanted to have some way to hear some of the things I did on my mission. So I have been recording some lessons and the talk that I gave on Sunday. It was really good. It doesn’t have a USB port tho so I will try to find another way to send some voice memos home. I also bought a card reader so I can send pictures through email. I may not have time this week but I will try to send them!
This week, I still just have so much thought dedicated to figuring out what our world has come to. When will the moral decay end? I sometimes wonder how I did not notice it sooner. When did bad things of "the olden days" become right to do today? That's just not how it should work! Ever!! We have grasped more about the atom than the Sermon on the Mount. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace. I find myself just wanting to do something about it! I want it to stop! I know this country and this world has a lot more potential than what I saw in Brandi this week! But sometimes, unfortunately, that is where I see it going! I sometimes just want to conk people on the head and say, "what in tarnation do ya think yer doin!?!?!"
My sister, who I admire deeply, wrote a proclamation of her beliefs and standards and this week I had the chance to read it. First off, Cassi you are amazing! I love you! Second, I believe we all should be doing the same thing! I would encourage every one who reads this to ask my sister to read her proclamation and write one of your one. Because of morally upstanding individual efforts made by those who walk against the popular flow of popularity, this world has maintained some decency and that is the only cure to fix the problems we create! This week I am writing my proclamation and I invite everyone to do the same! Anyone who takes me up on this, I would love to have a copy of your proclamations too! Aspire to inspire before you expire.
I love where I am. I love who I am. I love my family. I love my companion. I love my Savior. I love being a missionary. I love doing good things. I love trying to be a superhero. I love inspiring people. I love persons of character and integrity. I love Knoxville, Iowa. I love my life and I could not ask for anything better!
Have a good week ya'll. I'll talk to you probably much sooner than later!
Elder Excell
As I said last week, on Tuesday we went to Nauvoo and saw the Nauvoo pageant with a less active family in our branch. It was soooo good! The pageant itself was phenomenal! I loved it and it brought back so many memories of acting. I want to be in one of the church pageants someday. What a great experience it would be! Funny story in Nauvoo...we went to get pizza at Ziggy's pizza and it was great but about halfway through the pizza Elder Howard saw this girl that he went to high school with. Needless to say it was a little bizarre but funny to see his face! Another funny story...when we were actually entering the grounds for the pageant, there were people handing out newspapers and I thought nothing of it. I knew that the little volunteer youth handed them out so I took one thinking it was ok. About 50 yards farther and one of the youth offers me a newspaper and I said, "I think I already have one" and he kinda chuckled and said..."Elder, that's the anti-Mormon newspaper." I felt like a fool. It was pretty funny tho. I had passed through the anti zone and didn't even notice. It was nice to be in Nauvoo during the pageant when so many members were there. I felt appreciated.
We didn’t get home from the pageant 'til about 2 am but we slept for 4 and half hours and then woke up at 6:30 just like normal and did the daily routine. Wednesday was also interviews with President Jergensen tho. I love interviews! It seems like regardless the president, I just leave wanting to go give more to the Lord at every step. He is a great man tho.
Thursday, we had probably the most sobering and humbling lesson I have ever been in. It was with a young woman named Brandi who is about 25 years old. I feel particularly close to people that age because obviously I can relate to them a lot. I know the struggles they faced were similar to mine. It was such a tough lesson tho because we found out that Brandi is a meth addict. Also she does every other drug possible and worse is she does anything to get those drugs. She will use her body in every possible way to get her drugs. She was in rehab for a year and a half and then came back clean but 6 months later was just right back worse than before. She has lost her three kids. She has now had a divorce and all because of drugs. We asked her if she wanted to change and you could just hear the conflict raging inside her head. Part of her wants more than ever to quit so she can have her kids but the other part of her says that she wants to always be doing drugs because she loves the way she feels. It’s so sad to see somebody close to my age go through that. I want to help so badly but have no control over it. I just want to spend 24 hours a day with her and keep her safe from drugs and everything but that's not how God's plan works. The plan we accepted before coming to this earth gave us the ability to choose. It’s just sad to see some of our brothers and sisters following that path with their choices. :( Heartbreaking really. I can't imagine how Heavenly Father feels.
The corn is growing like crazy! Knee high by the 4th of July is a joke. It's already 8 feet tall and climbing. I had my first ear of Iowa sweet corn. It was delicious. I also checked off a mission goal to run through a corn field. I learned some valuable lessons from that. I guess now is a better time than ever to share those with you:
Things I learned this week:
-Running against the rows of corn is a lot more painful then running with the rows
-How to bury a horse...yes we buried one today. (I wore my pearl snap button shirt to be a true cowboy) very sad
-Corn has micro fibers that feel much like shards of glass when running through a field.
-2 months can seem like 2 days.
-Iowa is hotter than Brazil. 126 degrees two days ago. Yee haw!
-Pollinating lilies love white shirts. White shirts do not love pollinating lilies.
-Spray and wash works miracles.
-Newborn babies are the most amazing precious thing ever. Two sets of newborn twins in our branch now!
I splurged last week and bought a good voice recorder. I decided I wanted to have some way to hear some of the things I did on my mission. So I have been recording some lessons and the talk that I gave on Sunday. It was really good. It doesn’t have a USB port tho so I will try to find another way to send some voice memos home. I also bought a card reader so I can send pictures through email. I may not have time this week but I will try to send them!
This week, I still just have so much thought dedicated to figuring out what our world has come to. When will the moral decay end? I sometimes wonder how I did not notice it sooner. When did bad things of "the olden days" become right to do today? That's just not how it should work! Ever!! We have grasped more about the atom than the Sermon on the Mount. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace. I find myself just wanting to do something about it! I want it to stop! I know this country and this world has a lot more potential than what I saw in Brandi this week! But sometimes, unfortunately, that is where I see it going! I sometimes just want to conk people on the head and say, "what in tarnation do ya think yer doin!?!?!"
My sister, who I admire deeply, wrote a proclamation of her beliefs and standards and this week I had the chance to read it. First off, Cassi you are amazing! I love you! Second, I believe we all should be doing the same thing! I would encourage every one who reads this to ask my sister to read her proclamation and write one of your one. Because of morally upstanding individual efforts made by those who walk against the popular flow of popularity, this world has maintained some decency and that is the only cure to fix the problems we create! This week I am writing my proclamation and I invite everyone to do the same! Anyone who takes me up on this, I would love to have a copy of your proclamations too! Aspire to inspire before you expire.
I love where I am. I love who I am. I love my family. I love my companion. I love my Savior. I love being a missionary. I love doing good things. I love trying to be a superhero. I love inspiring people. I love persons of character and integrity. I love Knoxville, Iowa. I love my life and I could not ask for anything better!
Have a good week ya'll. I'll talk to you probably much sooner than later!
Elder Excell
Q&A - July 18, 2011
1. I'm anxious to hear details about the Nauvoo Pageant!!??
It was great and I'll write all about it in my email!
2. Did you by chance see Uncle Bruce and Aunt Sue while you were in Nauvoo?
We didn't. We didn't have much free time but I now know their address so I will see them next time!
3. Did you have to get special permission from President Jergensen to go?
We get to go once on our mission to the pageant and 4 times to the temple so I exhausted my pageant in hopes that I will be in that zone next year and helping at the pageant. We'll see. Regardless, it was awesome!
4. What was the best part of your week?
So much! It's so hard to pick a favorite part or a best part because it just is all so good!
It was great and I'll write all about it in my email!
2. Did you by chance see Uncle Bruce and Aunt Sue while you were in Nauvoo?
We didn't. We didn't have much free time but I now know their address so I will see them next time!
3. Did you have to get special permission from President Jergensen to go?
We get to go once on our mission to the pageant and 4 times to the temple so I exhausted my pageant in hopes that I will be in that zone next year and helping at the pageant. We'll see. Regardless, it was awesome!
4. What was the best part of your week?
So much! It's so hard to pick a favorite part or a best part because it just is all so good!
Pictures!!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Dictate whether difficult times will define you or destroy you.
Tuesday already! It never ceases to amaze me how fast I can count to seven when it takes 24 hours to count by one. Obviously this week it is a little different. It is Tuesday instead of Monday here in the Knoxville Public Library. Typically our P-day should have been yesterday but we have decided to go to the Nauvoo Pageant tonight with some members in the area and so that takes out p-day for the week! I can't even express how excited I am to be going! It will be such a great day!
This week has been phenomenal! Every week seems to get faster and better consistently! Last Tuesday we had our first meeting with the Miller family. They are a great family. Mom and dad and three kids - 16, 14, and 9 year old kids! They are all members except for Josh who is nine years old and also the dad of the family is not a member. We were asked by mom to come by and teach Josh because after your 9th birthday we get to step in and have the fantastic opportunity to teach him. We are also trying to work with his dad though and see what the deal is. We know that once he was so close to being baptized and showing that faith in Christ but we are gonna do it! That family is great! I love them already!
I am continually so thankful for the chore of mowing the lawn when I was younger and the opportunity I had to work at the golf course. I am mowing enough lawns here to start a business! If only, if only... But it has been great. I have found that I love mowing so much! I would mow a lawn at any time of day! It's such a great service to some people too! Last week we were walking by this less active member's house and her daughter was mowing the lawn so I went and took the mower and did the lawn while Elder Howard talked with the family about the gospel! It was great teamwork! And the best part was that they came to church again on Sunday! Our sacrament meeting attendance has been doing so well lately! We have really worked with members this transfer and a half and the less active members as well to work from the inside out here in Knoxville. We had, I think, 45 people week one and this Sunday we had 60!! It was so great to see everyone at church!
We got to go to Indianola, Iowa this week for exchanges too! It’s so good to be able to go on exchanges! I love them! They live in this house though and the guy who lived there now lives in a nursing home but he was kinda crazy. So the missionary home is full of Hitler stuff and demon books! Kinda weird for a missionary home but ya know...whatever Trevor!
We had a zone meeting. Not quite zone conference but just our zone instead of 4 or 5 zones. It was a good meeting. The zone emphasis is member work! Something Elder Howard and I have been trying to already do but we have some new ideas and it'll be great! The mission focus this transfer is the Book of Mormon. We are trying to teach and study solely from the Book of Mormon. It has been such a blessing. That book has more spiritual strength than any other. We of course believe the Bible to be true always and forever but because of the numerous translations it has lost a lot of precious and simple truths that are vital to Christ's teachings. The Book of Mormon being translated once by the power of God and not by man has made all the difference in the world. My testimony of that book has grown immensely just from the last week of implementing that habit. I know that book to be true and because of that book I know that Jesus is the Christ and his gospel is the path back to God if we choose to take it!
Steven is still doing so well! We changed his baptismal date though to the 23rd of this month because his work schedule interfered. He is doing so well and his faith has grown so much this past couple of weeks. We invited him to ask God for forgiveness of what he's done in his life and the next day he told us that he just felt the burdens of those past instances leave his shoulders. It's so true. Forgiveness is possible and Steven now knows it. He is so excited to be baptized in a couple weeks!
I know this week Harry Potter comes out so I have spent some of my nights lately coming up with a mission to Harry Potter comparison that I will be sending in the mail. I'm hoping that my mom will scan it up to the blog for all to see! It is quite humorous if I do say so myself! That movie is bound to be great! But I would rather be here in all truthfulness.
Last night we had a Family Night with the branch. We played a sweet game involving throwing plungers at a chalk board. (Truly missionary made right?) It went over great! I think we are going to do that weekly now. I also made brownies and cookies. The branch now calls me Betty Crocker. I guess I’ll take that as a compliment. Betty Crocker seems like a nice enough gal! I just feel so blessed to have the talents that I do and the ability I had to grow those talents before my mission and how beneficial they have been while serving a mission! It’s great! Never did I think that mowing the lawn, cooking good food, and playing the piano...etc etc...would be of such great worth!
To add to that list of talents, next week by Tuesday I will know how to knit. Crocheting has been banned in our mission to only p-day because it got out of control so I thought I would make it a transfer goal to learn how to knit. Kicking it old school like my dad when he served here 25 years ago! I will be a knitting machine!
Things I learned this week-
-Birds attack squirrels in Iowa.
-$3 self wash car wash will do better than 5 dollar automatic car washes
-Iowa gets hot and stays hot 24 hours a day.
-Bigfoot exists. I taught him. SO HAIRY! '
-The largest operating windmill in the United states is in my area. (Pella) GO DUTCH!
-Missions come to an end. (Kenon is home as well as my first trainer, Elder Palmer) Yikes!!
-Elder Howard attracts gay guys.
-Free things do exist in life. I got the sweetest ugliest 3 piece suit ever! Minus the pants! The hunt is on!
This week and every week I get to see some...interesting people. It's hard to believe that such people exist and sometimes I have the, what I think to be normal, thought cross the mind saying, "Why don’t you just clean yourself up and be a better more civilized respectful person." This week I have had some thoughts though. Everyone on the green and blue ball called earth has challenges and yes some are more difficult than others. In hind sight, my life has been simple compared to what others must go through, and I’m sure I have not seen the half of it. I realized this week that I have no room to judge others and ask them to just be better because I have no idea what that is like for them! I have not had to walk that path that they must and I have not had to pass through those challenges like they have. I have now learned that on our final judgment score sheet that a "degree of difficulty" score will be calculated! I feel so blessed to have been born into a good family in a country where I may believe as I please. I am so every indebted to my Savior for those blessings. The other great tid bit to be learned is that there is someone who has passed through those varying difficult challenges. Our savior, Jesus Christ. He has been through all we have. He suffered everything that we may ever have to suffer. Can I understand that fully?...no. And I do not profess to but I know that he did and that because of that he has compassion for all of us. I have compassion for those people who have been through what I have been through and who are going through what I have gone through. Christ is no different. We learn from experience and he knows from experience! I am so grateful for him and his sacrifice for me! I am truly indebted! I love my Savior! I love my family! I am so happy to be here and could not be happier! I love Knoxville and the people here! I hope to grow that love every day and eventually see all mankind as Christ would see them! I hope you all have a great week with a redefined determination to serve the Lord and be a little better everyday! I love you all! Truly!
Elder Zack Excell!
This week has been phenomenal! Every week seems to get faster and better consistently! Last Tuesday we had our first meeting with the Miller family. They are a great family. Mom and dad and three kids - 16, 14, and 9 year old kids! They are all members except for Josh who is nine years old and also the dad of the family is not a member. We were asked by mom to come by and teach Josh because after your 9th birthday we get to step in and have the fantastic opportunity to teach him. We are also trying to work with his dad though and see what the deal is. We know that once he was so close to being baptized and showing that faith in Christ but we are gonna do it! That family is great! I love them already!
I am continually so thankful for the chore of mowing the lawn when I was younger and the opportunity I had to work at the golf course. I am mowing enough lawns here to start a business! If only, if only... But it has been great. I have found that I love mowing so much! I would mow a lawn at any time of day! It's such a great service to some people too! Last week we were walking by this less active member's house and her daughter was mowing the lawn so I went and took the mower and did the lawn while Elder Howard talked with the family about the gospel! It was great teamwork! And the best part was that they came to church again on Sunday! Our sacrament meeting attendance has been doing so well lately! We have really worked with members this transfer and a half and the less active members as well to work from the inside out here in Knoxville. We had, I think, 45 people week one and this Sunday we had 60!! It was so great to see everyone at church!
We got to go to Indianola, Iowa this week for exchanges too! It’s so good to be able to go on exchanges! I love them! They live in this house though and the guy who lived there now lives in a nursing home but he was kinda crazy. So the missionary home is full of Hitler stuff and demon books! Kinda weird for a missionary home but ya know...whatever Trevor!
We had a zone meeting. Not quite zone conference but just our zone instead of 4 or 5 zones. It was a good meeting. The zone emphasis is member work! Something Elder Howard and I have been trying to already do but we have some new ideas and it'll be great! The mission focus this transfer is the Book of Mormon. We are trying to teach and study solely from the Book of Mormon. It has been such a blessing. That book has more spiritual strength than any other. We of course believe the Bible to be true always and forever but because of the numerous translations it has lost a lot of precious and simple truths that are vital to Christ's teachings. The Book of Mormon being translated once by the power of God and not by man has made all the difference in the world. My testimony of that book has grown immensely just from the last week of implementing that habit. I know that book to be true and because of that book I know that Jesus is the Christ and his gospel is the path back to God if we choose to take it!
Steven is still doing so well! We changed his baptismal date though to the 23rd of this month because his work schedule interfered. He is doing so well and his faith has grown so much this past couple of weeks. We invited him to ask God for forgiveness of what he's done in his life and the next day he told us that he just felt the burdens of those past instances leave his shoulders. It's so true. Forgiveness is possible and Steven now knows it. He is so excited to be baptized in a couple weeks!
I know this week Harry Potter comes out so I have spent some of my nights lately coming up with a mission to Harry Potter comparison that I will be sending in the mail. I'm hoping that my mom will scan it up to the blog for all to see! It is quite humorous if I do say so myself! That movie is bound to be great! But I would rather be here in all truthfulness.
Last night we had a Family Night with the branch. We played a sweet game involving throwing plungers at a chalk board. (Truly missionary made right?) It went over great! I think we are going to do that weekly now. I also made brownies and cookies. The branch now calls me Betty Crocker. I guess I’ll take that as a compliment. Betty Crocker seems like a nice enough gal! I just feel so blessed to have the talents that I do and the ability I had to grow those talents before my mission and how beneficial they have been while serving a mission! It’s great! Never did I think that mowing the lawn, cooking good food, and playing the piano...etc etc...would be of such great worth!
To add to that list of talents, next week by Tuesday I will know how to knit. Crocheting has been banned in our mission to only p-day because it got out of control so I thought I would make it a transfer goal to learn how to knit. Kicking it old school like my dad when he served here 25 years ago! I will be a knitting machine!
Things I learned this week-
-Birds attack squirrels in Iowa.
-$3 self wash car wash will do better than 5 dollar automatic car washes
-Iowa gets hot and stays hot 24 hours a day.
-Bigfoot exists. I taught him. SO HAIRY! '
-The largest operating windmill in the United states is in my area. (Pella) GO DUTCH!
-Missions come to an end. (Kenon is home as well as my first trainer, Elder Palmer) Yikes!!
-Elder Howard attracts gay guys.
-Free things do exist in life. I got the sweetest ugliest 3 piece suit ever! Minus the pants! The hunt is on!
This week and every week I get to see some...interesting people. It's hard to believe that such people exist and sometimes I have the, what I think to be normal, thought cross the mind saying, "Why don’t you just clean yourself up and be a better more civilized respectful person." This week I have had some thoughts though. Everyone on the green and blue ball called earth has challenges and yes some are more difficult than others. In hind sight, my life has been simple compared to what others must go through, and I’m sure I have not seen the half of it. I realized this week that I have no room to judge others and ask them to just be better because I have no idea what that is like for them! I have not had to walk that path that they must and I have not had to pass through those challenges like they have. I have now learned that on our final judgment score sheet that a "degree of difficulty" score will be calculated! I feel so blessed to have been born into a good family in a country where I may believe as I please. I am so every indebted to my Savior for those blessings. The other great tid bit to be learned is that there is someone who has passed through those varying difficult challenges. Our savior, Jesus Christ. He has been through all we have. He suffered everything that we may ever have to suffer. Can I understand that fully?...no. And I do not profess to but I know that he did and that because of that he has compassion for all of us. I have compassion for those people who have been through what I have been through and who are going through what I have gone through. Christ is no different. We learn from experience and he knows from experience! I am so grateful for him and his sacrifice for me! I am truly indebted! I love my Savior! I love my family! I am so happy to be here and could not be happier! I love Knoxville and the people here! I hope to grow that love every day and eventually see all mankind as Christ would see them! I hope you all have a great week with a redefined determination to serve the Lord and be a little better everyday! I love you all! Truly!
Elder Zack Excell!
Q&A - July 12, 2011
1. Are you healthy?
Healthy I am. I have had no problems adjusting to the food here. It's a little better on my bowels than Brazil was! :)
2. Are you happy?
I could not be happier right now. I am so grateful for this time that I have to serve the Lord and to help his work and myself. Life could just simply not get better!
3. Do you know how much your family loves you??
I try to understand it and then it boggles my mind cause I can't comprehend it. Does that sound about right?!
Healthy I am. I have had no problems adjusting to the food here. It's a little better on my bowels than Brazil was! :)
2. Are you happy?
I could not be happier right now. I am so grateful for this time that I have to serve the Lord and to help his work and myself. Life could just simply not get better!
3. Do you know how much your family loves you??
I try to understand it and then it boggles my mind cause I can't comprehend it. Does that sound about right?!
Video to Share
No email today because tomorrow will be our p-day and I'll explain why then but i wanted to send this. I hope trek goes great. I can't wait to hear what the spirit teaches you over the week. I love this video. Can you please put it on my blog! I love you!
The Mormon Channel
http://mormonchannel.org/video?lang=eng#!
The Mormon Channel
http://mormonchannel.org/video?lang=eng#!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Short Freedom Week!
Well it hasn't been nearly as long as it usually is between writing this time but that just means it went by even faster! It's been a great short week tho! We have accomplished a lot and the work continues to roll on!
This week we went to a new city called Melcher-Dallas to knock some doors in a new place and it's just a little town. A lot like Cokeville if I were to put a comparison on it. We knocked into this one guy named Jerry. He was....interesting. He is a member of the church and he loves to talk. He was just visiting in his camper for the week and we happened to show up on his door mat. He went on and on about how much he loved the church. Then he went crazy. Told us that he just bought a .50 caliber rifle and asked us if he was to point it at us and threaten to kill us if we didn't denounce our faith then what would we do...well, needless to say, Elder Howard and I just said we would say that you couldn’t destroy our faith. He just looked at us and said "yep...that’s the right answer". Whew, glad I answered that one right! Haha! He also told us he struggles to understand how women in the bible were 90 and pregnant and how Adam lived to be nearly a thousand years old. We tried our best to just tell him with God, all things are possible. He also told us that he wants to practice polygamy...I hate to judge and all but I’m pretty sure jerry is inactive. :)
We also taught a deaf lady in Melcher Dallas. That was also...interesting. She wasn’t deaf but rather "hard of hearing". My definition of that of course for her is that if a jet airplane landed in the driveway she wouldn’t know. It was pretty fun to teach screaming tho. Definitely something new to do! :)
Lately we've been meeting with a member named Cherry. She is such a rock star. She is like 80 years old and in the nursing home lately because she's falling apart. She has such faith tho in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's so inspiring. She hasn’t been able to go to church for a while because of that but this week she made it to testimony meeting and it was incredible! She bore such a sweet pure simple testimony. We visit her twice a week just to keep her company. The nursing home staff know us well now and so do all of cherr's friends. We're pretty tight with that group. I have learned so much from them. I am absolutely sure that there is something to learn from every single person if we will just take the time to do so!
It's been super hot lately! Heat index of 115 degrees. It's been....refreshing! I got my camelback tho so I have been well hydrated and doing so well with it. Elder Howard and I just keep going. We are like best friends which is so nice! I love the kid!
Steven is still set to be baptized on the 16th of this month! He came up to us in Wal-Mart and said he had been taking lessons from missionaries for about a year now in Georgia and just moved back home here in Iowa. He had some stuff holding him back from being baptized in Georgia so he moved away and he is stoked to "take the plunge" as he announced in elder's quorum. Super awesome guy with a lot of faith! I admire him and everyone else who is doing all they can to get closer to God. It's not always the easiest thing to do. It's a hard job but as our last baptism Matt Northway told us.."the retirement plan is awesome". :)
The 4th of July was so much fun! I love our branch. We still had our p-day yesterday on Monday and so in the morning we went to a member's house and played darts. I am getting pretty good so all you dart players in Idaho, watch yourselves!
We also sold our car...I wish. We want to trade it in for two motorcycles really badly but president and the white handbook of missionary rules isn't too keen on that idea. We
try to convince them of the gas you'd save but I don't think they'll budge! :)
Last night there was a branch/block party at a member's house in Pleasantville. There were tons of people there so we went and talked to a lot of people and enjoyed the time with the branch. I love them so much!! They are just my family here and every one of them is great. We get treated almost too well here. I almost feel guilty for all the other missionaries because this branch is awesome!
This week I have been unintentionally focusing myself on integrity. I have been thinking about how important it truly is and how much it affects us. Integrity, just like a wise man once said, is "What you do when no one else is watching and what you think when there is nothing else to think about." I have been doing a little research in the scriptures about it and Job was a huge example of integrity. In Job 27:5 he even says "till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me." The stripling warriors as well were integrous. It says they were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. They weren’t just true 99 percent of the time but rather all the time. They were also true in everything they did. I don't think there is any coincidence that in the admonition of Paul to the Philippians in chapter 4 verse 10 he states honesty and truthfulness as the first qualities. Until we have good integrity nothing else can improve. The stripling warriors weren't just true when it mattered to someone else but at ALL times. In ALL places and in ALL things. They were the same through and through. I absolutely know that we must change our very nature to be able to change at all. That includes our integrity. We have to change our very nature and if we ever hope to change the nature of the world we live in we cannot look past the very nature of ourselves first. If we want to see the world become more honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and doing good to all men we must indeed do it ourselves. I've heard it said that we cannot lift others up until we are on higher ground. I know that to be true. It is also very well put by my friend Albus Dumbledore..."Now is the time to do what is right or what is easy" Integrous people will always do the first. Going back to the stripling warriors...because of the integrity in which they held themselves they were successful in their pursuits. They accomplished their goals. I know that we can do the
same. We can do all things that are righteous when we earnestly desire to have them done with all our hearts, might, minds and souls.
I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to learn these lessons. I know that I am where I need to be. I know that trials are heaven sent and for our benefit. If we did not stretch, we would never grow. And I know life has rough patches. I testify that they indeed happen, but they can be overcome with Christ. Gordon B. Hinckley said "If you think your life is hard, the pioneers are laughing in your face"
I love you all! I am so grateful for your prayers and love! I feel them from this far away and I hope you feel of my love for you as well! God be with you til we meet again! I love you! Be happy. Smile!
CTR.
Elder Excell
This week we went to a new city called Melcher-Dallas to knock some doors in a new place and it's just a little town. A lot like Cokeville if I were to put a comparison on it. We knocked into this one guy named Jerry. He was....interesting. He is a member of the church and he loves to talk. He was just visiting in his camper for the week and we happened to show up on his door mat. He went on and on about how much he loved the church. Then he went crazy. Told us that he just bought a .50 caliber rifle and asked us if he was to point it at us and threaten to kill us if we didn't denounce our faith then what would we do...well, needless to say, Elder Howard and I just said we would say that you couldn’t destroy our faith. He just looked at us and said "yep...that’s the right answer". Whew, glad I answered that one right! Haha! He also told us he struggles to understand how women in the bible were 90 and pregnant and how Adam lived to be nearly a thousand years old. We tried our best to just tell him with God, all things are possible. He also told us that he wants to practice polygamy...I hate to judge and all but I’m pretty sure jerry is inactive. :)
We also taught a deaf lady in Melcher Dallas. That was also...interesting. She wasn’t deaf but rather "hard of hearing". My definition of that of course for her is that if a jet airplane landed in the driveway she wouldn’t know. It was pretty fun to teach screaming tho. Definitely something new to do! :)
Lately we've been meeting with a member named Cherry. She is such a rock star. She is like 80 years old and in the nursing home lately because she's falling apart. She has such faith tho in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's so inspiring. She hasn’t been able to go to church for a while because of that but this week she made it to testimony meeting and it was incredible! She bore such a sweet pure simple testimony. We visit her twice a week just to keep her company. The nursing home staff know us well now and so do all of cherr's friends. We're pretty tight with that group. I have learned so much from them. I am absolutely sure that there is something to learn from every single person if we will just take the time to do so!
It's been super hot lately! Heat index of 115 degrees. It's been....refreshing! I got my camelback tho so I have been well hydrated and doing so well with it. Elder Howard and I just keep going. We are like best friends which is so nice! I love the kid!
Steven is still set to be baptized on the 16th of this month! He came up to us in Wal-Mart and said he had been taking lessons from missionaries for about a year now in Georgia and just moved back home here in Iowa. He had some stuff holding him back from being baptized in Georgia so he moved away and he is stoked to "take the plunge" as he announced in elder's quorum. Super awesome guy with a lot of faith! I admire him and everyone else who is doing all they can to get closer to God. It's not always the easiest thing to do. It's a hard job but as our last baptism Matt Northway told us.."the retirement plan is awesome". :)
The 4th of July was so much fun! I love our branch. We still had our p-day yesterday on Monday and so in the morning we went to a member's house and played darts. I am getting pretty good so all you dart players in Idaho, watch yourselves!
We also sold our car...I wish. We want to trade it in for two motorcycles really badly but president and the white handbook of missionary rules isn't too keen on that idea. We
try to convince them of the gas you'd save but I don't think they'll budge! :)
Last night there was a branch/block party at a member's house in Pleasantville. There were tons of people there so we went and talked to a lot of people and enjoyed the time with the branch. I love them so much!! They are just my family here and every one of them is great. We get treated almost too well here. I almost feel guilty for all the other missionaries because this branch is awesome!
This week I have been unintentionally focusing myself on integrity. I have been thinking about how important it truly is and how much it affects us. Integrity, just like a wise man once said, is "What you do when no one else is watching and what you think when there is nothing else to think about." I have been doing a little research in the scriptures about it and Job was a huge example of integrity. In Job 27:5 he even says "till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me." The stripling warriors as well were integrous. It says they were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. They weren’t just true 99 percent of the time but rather all the time. They were also true in everything they did. I don't think there is any coincidence that in the admonition of Paul to the Philippians in chapter 4 verse 10 he states honesty and truthfulness as the first qualities. Until we have good integrity nothing else can improve. The stripling warriors weren't just true when it mattered to someone else but at ALL times. In ALL places and in ALL things. They were the same through and through. I absolutely know that we must change our very nature to be able to change at all. That includes our integrity. We have to change our very nature and if we ever hope to change the nature of the world we live in we cannot look past the very nature of ourselves first. If we want to see the world become more honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and doing good to all men we must indeed do it ourselves. I've heard it said that we cannot lift others up until we are on higher ground. I know that to be true. It is also very well put by my friend Albus Dumbledore..."Now is the time to do what is right or what is easy" Integrous people will always do the first. Going back to the stripling warriors...because of the integrity in which they held themselves they were successful in their pursuits. They accomplished their goals. I know that we can do the
same. We can do all things that are righteous when we earnestly desire to have them done with all our hearts, might, minds and souls.
I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to learn these lessons. I know that I am where I need to be. I know that trials are heaven sent and for our benefit. If we did not stretch, we would never grow. And I know life has rough patches. I testify that they indeed happen, but they can be overcome with Christ. Gordon B. Hinckley said "If you think your life is hard, the pioneers are laughing in your face"
I love you all! I am so grateful for your prayers and love! I feel them from this far away and I hope you feel of my love for you as well! God be with you til we meet again! I love you! Be happy. Smile!
CTR.
Elder Excell
Q&A - July 5, 2011
1. How did you celebrate Independence Day in Knoxville?
I'll write it in the email! It was such a fun night!!
2. You have a birthday just around the corner. Do you have a wish list?
Not really...I am so happy - I can't imagine what could really make me happier. I would say just money for souveniers and stuff for when I get to that point.
3. What is your favorite thing about being a missionary?
I smile a lot. I love smiling!
4. How many serious investigators are you and Elder Howard teaching right now?
Right now just one. We've weeded out our pool and are searching for new again!
5. On average, how many letters do you receive from friends and family each week?
4-5. It's been great. Keep it up tho!
6. What was the highlight of your week?
4th of July was great as a missionary in America!
7. Do you have any questions for us?
How much is gas in Idaho? $3.39 right now here in Iowa.
I'll write it in the email! It was such a fun night!!
2. You have a birthday just around the corner. Do you have a wish list?
Not really...I am so happy - I can't imagine what could really make me happier. I would say just money for souveniers and stuff for when I get to that point.
3. What is your favorite thing about being a missionary?
I smile a lot. I love smiling!
4. How many serious investigators are you and Elder Howard teaching right now?
Right now just one. We've weeded out our pool and are searching for new again!
5. On average, how many letters do you receive from friends and family each week?
4-5. It's been great. Keep it up tho!
6. What was the highlight of your week?
4th of July was great as a missionary in America!
7. Do you have any questions for us?
How much is gas in Idaho? $3.39 right now here in Iowa.
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