Waukee!!!!

Man! So, for being a short week, this week has been packed with so much! I can't even really get it all straight and I’m sure that by the end of this letter, I will send it off and about 5 minutes later, either remember that I forgot to say something or something else entirely will happen that I’ll forget to write next week. I guess I’m understanding better why return missionaries talk so much about their missions...besides it being the best two years, it's the two years of memories that you forgot to tell this person or that person and so you just try to talk all the time about it to cover your bases. Haha.

On Wednesday, last week, I had my last p-day in Knoxville and it was really effective and good. We said goodbye to some people, played some soccer, broke my ankle...oh wait, I guess I should write about that. So, truth be told, I did not break my ankle but severely sprained it. Interesting side note...Dr. McKellar in my ward here in Waukee, who checked it out, knows Dave Adams, Rich Harper, and the rest of the crew in Rigby. I guess they all used to be in this ward once upon a time. His wife came up to me at church and asked if I knew the Adam’s and well ya, of course I do. Cool connections all over the place. Anyway, I sprained my ankle pretty good. I’ve been on crutches for about a week almost and I figure Heavenly Father just wanted to give me the opportunity to learn upper body strength and build up the calluses in my arm pits. It put a little damper on my last night in Knoxville but I didn’t let it slow me down. I got some crutches and we hobbled to see everyone else we needed to. I’m going to miss that place so much but I’ll see most of them soon at stake conference! :)

Thursday, we drove to Iowa City through 40 mph winds and that was a blast. We made it there and my dreams came true. Me and Elder Johnson are serving together in Waukee, Iowa and the zone leaders over the Des Moines zone. It’s a little spooky cause we will most likely go out with the visiting general authorities coming in two weeks. Elder Bowen, of the seventy, was born in Idaho tho so we should get along. I drove back from Iowa City with some members from Waukee in a Prius. If it wasn’t for my luggage, we probably would have blown off the road. Oh, and I set a record for heaviest packed bag. 103 pounds. That’s just one bag by the way. As a review on the Prius...decent car...not for me.

Waukee is going to be so different than all my other areas! I’ve never served in a ward before that doesn’t need the missionaries to teach primary, speak in sacrament meeting, and play the organ each week. It’ll be a bit of a change but I’m so looking forward to it. It is definitely the nicer end of town. For example, I saw a lady in the doctor’s office wearing a Louis Vuitton purse and Versace sunglasses. Not to mention the Louis Vuitton purse at the thrift store for $2.99. I almost bought it out of sheer amazement. Haha. I also saw a Ferrari the other day just parked in a driveway. Nuts!

We live in the Taj Mahal of missionary living quarters. We live with the Nielsen’s and I love them so much! They are a younger couple about 35 years old with 2 boys. Their boys are a hoot. Ages 10 and 7 I think. We play games at night or have Nerf wars. It’s just like being a part of a family. He is an ophthalmologist. I’ve thought lately that I could do that. I would love it actually.

Saturday, we had our ward's day of service. Elder Johnson and I were in a group with the bishop and one other young man and we went and raked leaves and trimmed bushes at two houses. Both were very appreciative. The first older man lived in a duplex and we were just assigned to do his but we were told by him to do the neighbors too. Come to find out that it was not part of the contract for the group we did our work for. He hustled us. Well played, my friend. Well played. In total we raked 60+ compost bags of leaves. I came to the conclusion that I have zero biceps. Scratch that....I had zero biceps. It was a fantastic workout.

Sunday at church, I felt like the guest of honor. I felt so welcome. This ward is fantastic. They all do such a great job with what they do. It is made up of quite a few younger couples and their kids. We don't go a single day without a dinner appointment. So great! They all sign up for the appointments online. Everyone has ipads and what not. It’s a fun ward. I’m really looking forward to serving here!! There are quite a few connections with people back home too. A lot of doctors and med school students...who knows...maybe I will be here for school sometime!?

Elder Johnson is a stud. We get along so well and understand each other very well. It’s going to be a great transfer and then it's for sure that I’ll be getting a new companion. Elder Johnson will be gone and done. I’m proud of him. Good kid!

Things I learned this week--
-Apparently, severely sprained ankles hurt worse than breaks.
-Louis Vuitton purses sell for $2.99 in the stores I shop at.
-BMW's are really nice cars. I will have one someday!
-Monopoly Deal---probably the funnest game ever. So much better than Monopoly!

This week, I have been focusing spiritually on the progression that we all need to make as humans and the progression we promised to make as members of the Lord's church. We promise at baptism, and in all other covenants with God, that we will do our best. That's all the Lord really requires of us. He just wants the best for us and knows it comes from doing the best we can! There is truly only one thing we can do for the Lord that has to come from us. Think on it. There is only one thing that the Lord does not already have. He is the creator of all and the owner of all, but there is one thing that we possess that we should strive to give to the Lord, and that is our will. Our whole goal here is to master ourselves to a sufficient state that we may be rulers over other things of our Heavenly Father’s. We do that by giving all of ourself to the lord. We will not be perfect and that's good because the Lord doesn’t demand immediate perfection but only immediate progress.

I love ya'll! A week will go by in no time! I can't wait to hear the updates of life!
Hugs and kisses ya'll,
Elder Excell