Story of the Week

Hey,

     Well, our good weather had to stop at one point. Of course it would happen right when I get put on a bike too...but this week we had CONSTANT rain and cold and wind. It was tough to deal with, but it was fun at the same time. I have been soaked so so much this week and muddy and everything. But there was a surprising amount of people out in the driving rain so we talked to them and we gave the Spanish Sister missionaries like 7 referrals, which was awesome! As for our teaching and whatnot, there is a lot of potential but we can't make anyone do anything, so they just have to decide for themselves if this is what they want for them.
     It's really hard to believe I'm in my 4th week now! Isn't that crazy!? Time is flying by SO fast it's incredible. Thanks for the shirt too! And the stamps!

     Uhmmm, I went on exchanges with the ZL's (Zone Leader's) this week because my companion is the DL (District Leader), so I went with Elder Epps and we get along great. He's from NC and our ZL's are Spanish speaking. So during our lessons I didn't say much other than no hablo espanol pero comprendo un pocco. That was about it, but I did understand a ton. I just can't speak it. I had an interview with President Bunker this week too. He meets with every missionary every 3 months. I told him that if he ever needs another spanish speaking missionary, I'd be willing to learn and help out. It really would be awesome to speak spanish too because there are so many people we meet on the street that start off speaking perfect english and then they switch to spanish and they say they don't understand. If I knew spanish I would be like AHHH PERFECTO, PORQUE YO HABLO ESPANOL!!! But I can't...I try to speak as much spanish as possible though. Oh well.

     So here is your story of the week... while we were on exchanges, me and Elder Epps were going to teach this lady and in the middle of the lesson the lady starts to breast feed?!?!?!!!! WHAT THE HECK!? I was freaking out in my head. I tried to play it cool but I was flippin out. Elder Epps just kept on teaching like nothing happened. I just pulled out my scriptures and just looked stuff up! Put a blanket over or something - geez! Her kid was like 3 years old too...a little old I think. Man, it was crazy! After the lesson Elder Epps was laughing at me. Understandable because I was just so uncomfortable. But now I have a good story! There will be more to come I'm sure.

     Napa is a very hard area too. It hasn't really opened up. Elder Marsh said it's one of the hardest he's been in on his mission. People just don't remember appointments and they fall through a lot. I'm sure I've said that before, but I don't remember. But yeah, it get frustrating sometimes, but I'm dealing with it pretty good! My teaching is also getting really good too which is always a plus. The other day Elder Marsh said he forgot that I was a new missionary. I was really surprised because I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. But I guess I'm making progress. I still have a ton to learn though. But I'm loving it out here. It's such an awesome experience and I really wouldn't rather be doing anything else with my life at this time. I haven't ever loved the Book of Mormon so much either. When I'm reading it, it's just so hard to put it down. I'm almost done with it. I'm on like Ether 9. But I love the gospel. I've never felt this much love to the gospel before and I haven't ever felt the presence of the Spirit so much either. I LOVE IT!

     So that's all I have to report on this week. I'm glad you had a good time in BXL mom! I'm jealous. Those chocolates gave me some nostalgia. And I loved the letter from Tony! Haha, it made me laugh. As for that message on the phone, let's just say I put it there for him. Hope you guys have a great week. I love you!

Elder Edwards

First Month Under My Belt

MAN! Can you believe that I've been on my mission for over a month now? It's hard to believe how fast time flies. So anyway, this week has been intense. I am now a full-time biking missionary. Our car was taken away because the Sisters were going to open a new area and they decided that we needed to bike...........................  My legs hurt, a lot. But it's good exercise and we get to talk to a ton of people. 

We've run into some pretty interesting people. But, anyway, those 2 investigators we had baptismal dates with dropped out. We're still teaching them, but they aren't ready to be baptized yet. It's saddening. This week has been really hard with people cancelling appointments and whatnot. But I keep hearing a voice in my head that says, "be of good cheer" so that's what I'm trying to do. It's tough though,, no doubt about that. 

We've been teaching this one young family. Mostly the mom, she is 24 and her name is Jessica. She has 3 kids already! She has a 7 year old, 5 and 3 year old. AND SHE'S 24! Crazy young! But she is the sweetest person ever. She is awesome. Before we met her, she hasn't ever learned of God or Jesus Christ. She is just soaking up the lessons so far. I can see them being a strong family in the church. So they're great. I don't really know what else to say of our other investigators.  They're not really progressing but they aren't regressing, just staying static. Which sucks, because you don't know what to do. 

Oh, happy Valentines day, too, I guess. Thanks for the package!  It was wonderful! One problem though.  You haven't sent me any short sleeve shirts yet! I sweat SO much with biking, which means I can't wear the same shirt more than 1 day. I only have 1 short sleeve shirt too, and it's only February! I'm going to DIE in the summer if i don't get any short sleeve shirts. So that would be greatly appreciated thanks! 

Anyways, I really like my zone.  We have some good missionaries. They're all pretty fun guys, too, goofy also. On Wednesday, there was a leadership training meeting in Santa Rosa, so Elder Marsh and all the DLs and ZLs went as well as the trainers so I was in a threesome for the day with Elder Hanson and Elder Phipps. It was a ton of fun! I took over my area and we had 2 people cancel so we tracted for freaking EVER! It was a lot of fun. though.  Tracting is very interesting. It's very ineffective, but that's where all the stories come from I hear. Idk, but it was a ton of fun. Me and Elder Hanson (he came out on the same day as me) get along real well. 

Sunday was an interesting day... Church was really good and a recent convert was called to be Elder Quorum instructor. He's really smart! He was awesome. But that's not what I wanted to say... sorry, but I had 3 flat tires in less than 24 hours. Awesome, huh? So Sunday, we got a ride to church and we got a ride home.  Then we walked the rest of the day. We must have walked 5-7 miles. My feet hurt a lot. Our church is 3 miles away from our apt and we walked from there back to our apt while going out of our way to see people. So yesterday was intense. 

The weather here has been INCREDIBLE! It's been in the high 60s or low 70s all week with no clouds in the sky at all! It's been absolutely beautiful! And of course, today it's raining and it's supposed to rain for a few days. I'm rockin my rain coat right now, pretty stylish! OH! Something interesting, Elder Marsh taught me how to play the piano! We were at church an hour early before our meeting so he taught me. I can read notes and stuff and I'm teaching myself how to play some hymns. I've always wanted to play and now I have my chance! I can practice every Monday! WOO! hopefully i'll be good when i get back. 

Sooo, I don't really know what else to write. I know you asked some questions in your last letter, but I don't remember them... whoops. But so far I've memorized all the principles in Lessons 1-4 in Preach My Gospel (GREAT BOOK!) and I've memorized about 10-15 scriptures? Somewhere around there. I'm trying to memorize 1 a day. It's going pretty good! 

Mom, I hope you're having fun in BXL.  I don't know when you get back, but I hope it was fun. Dad, do work at work haha make that cash money! As for Max, idk he is just awesome. I love those pictures you sent me of him! The one of us at the football game was good, too. I liked them all and I appreciate it! Elder Marsh was wondering why I have more pictures of Max then of anyone else.  I thought it was funny. 

Soo yeah! Keep doing work on the blog and facebook.  I'm going to send home my memory card from my camera here soon so you can upload new pictures to the blog and facebook, but i need stamps... can you send me a package of stamps? I don't wanna wait another week before I can mail stuff! 

Well, I have to go.  I'm gonna email colin and tanner.  I didn't have time for that last week. OH! Shelley sent me a letter using Dearelder! IT STILL WORKS! It arrived really fast too, only like 2 days, and she lives in Kentucky!  So spread the word that dearelder.com still works while I'm in the field and that it is speedy, too! Thanks a lot pops/moms. I love you both and keep on keepin!  Hopefully some interesting things happen this week that i can tell you about next Monday in my letter. We'll see! Have a great week! Enjoy the weather!

 

Love,

Elder Edwards

First Assignment

HEY!

 

Wow, it's been forever since I've been able to write. Last Monday I couldn't write because I was traveling and such. But now I'm out in the field and it is my first official P-day. So, yes, mom, P-day is Monday. And I see that you got my apartment address already, so sweet!  It's just me and my trainer-Elder Marsh. He's been out for 20 months so he is almost done. He only has 2 more transfers, I think. He is a good trainer to the fact that he is so experienced, but also because he is so experienced he is moving at about 117mph whereas I'm only at about 31mph. But it's good! I like him a lot and we have no contention between us which is nice. 

So, this first week was AWESOME. In the fact that the weather has been upper 70s and lower 80s. It was 85 on Thursday!!!!!!!!  It's incredible here. Napa is really nice. It's in a valley and there are super green hill/mountains all around the town. So, I'm really enjoying it. I'm not timid anymore when it comes to tracting or street contacting. I've had a lot of people just close the door in my face, too, but that's okay.  Another guy said he's studied the Book of Mormon and he said that Mormons don't believe in Jesus Christ. He continued saying that our church leaders worship the devil and things like that.  So that was interesting.  Don't know where people get that stuff.  I did, however, find someone that invited us back so I got my first return appointment on like Wednesday. We have 2 people set up for baptisms this month, and hopefully we'll have a few more. We street contacted into a lady yesterday who said she has been attending many churches and she is searching. Good thing we found her huh?! 

But I'm loving the work! It is EXTREMELY hard, though. We only taught maybe 7-9 lessons this week and our goal is 15. I've found out that a lot of the day is just going around trying to catch people at home. It's about 75% chasing people around trying to catch them. So it definitely is HARD.

So waking up at 6:30 is even harder now by the way. I feel like that guy on The District. I'm ALWAYS tired. It's pretty rough right now with how tired I am. This work is HARD! like I said, but I'm pushin' through. I know what I'm doing is right. But, yeah, this is where I need to be and I'm trying my hardest to share the Gospel. I feel good doing it. Especially after I got through the timid/hesitant phase of my first few days out here. Now I just go straight up to people and start talking to them. 

So this week with our lessons, Elder Marsh taught the huge majority of them, but slowly he is bringing me in. I taught a lesson last night to Bryan (getting baptized a week from sat) that went decently well.  I love Bryan! He is an ex-marine and has tons of crazy stories. He's gonna teach me how to fend off the gangsta/mexicans of Napa haha. He's great! he shows people the BOM all the time and he passes out our little pass-along cards to people too. He is more of a missionary than almost anyone in our ward and he isn't even a member yet! 

But our ward is SUPER nice! According to Elder Marsh, we have the best bishop in the mission. Bishop Kastner runs a car dealership and he is a fantastic missionary! Members are HUGE assets to the work. In a lot of ways, they are a WHOLE lot more effective/important than the missionaries. The members don't hardly use us, so we're trying to stress that. So for all of you out there (including you DAD!) USE THE MISSIONARIESSSSS!!!!!!!!! Take them with you when you hometeach or when you visit people. But really... use the missionaries. Also give them referrals! We can't get any referrals from the ward and that is a huge set back for us because we have to find everyone on our own--which is hard. 

But yeah, I'm doin the best I can!  I'm memorizing a scripture a day which is sweet! I've noticed my memory improves a ton as well. I'm remembering things that i wouldn't normally remember.  Its good brain exercise. so for you old people out there, memorize scrips and you won't be so forgetful! Just kidding of course! Old people are the best! 

Uhmmmmm you probably had more questions but I can't really remember what they were... as i just talked about remembering things hahaha oh shucks! OHHH! yes! send me snail mail as well as emails! I like all sorts of mail! 

My district is awesome, Elder marsh is the DL, and we have a car and bikes, although our car is being taken from us on Wednesday, so we'll be on bikes for a long time which SUCKS! It's flippin hot outside! We ate at a member's house last night and we ate OUTSIDE on the patio... incredible! it's only the beginning of Feb. Blows my mind. Our zone leaders are also awesome as well as the rest of the zone. 

Our apartment is decent. Not the best, but it works. Our shower has stupidly ridiculous water pressure. I'm not sure what is up with it. It's comparable to a fire hose. It shoots out at about 100 mph. That'll wake ya up in the morning... but it's better than just a little dribble I guess right? It actually kinda hurts, man is that thing ridiculous.

I'm living off of nothing! It's crazy. I've had about 8-10 turkey/ham sandwiches this week for lunch and dinner with nothing but bread and mustard and mayo. Delicious! I also drank a gallon of milk in a week. Not a lot of variety, but I'm doin' fine! This email is MASSIVE. I've just realized.  Sorry! Have fun putting this up on the blog and editing it. 

But I have to go now.  I have to email the pres. He is awesome, by the way. I found out not too long ago that they have pink tie Tuesdays! So you should send me my pink tie! (his wife has breast cancer). I ALSO found out that Pres. bunker is leaving like a few months before I'll be done. which kinda sucks because I'll have a new president to deal with and also new rules and such. Gonna be interesting. I wish i could stay with Pres. bunker the whole time. 

Anyway, enjoy Belgium mom! Tell everyone hi for me! and make good choices and pray and read your scriptures every day like me! Seriously, we pray about 50 times a day. It's awesome. I'm almost done with the BOM again too which is sweet! About another 2-3 weeks and I'll finish it. Then I'm gonna read the New Testament. Man so much info!!! ahhhH!!!!!!! Well, until next Monday! Send me some good stuff in the mail and also email! And I don't have time to write Colin and Tanner right now, so can you give them a call for me and let them know how I'm doing? Let them know I love them! And I love you guys too! You're great parents! Keep up the good work! Love you both! Give Maxwell loves for me, I miss that pup... bye! Have a good week!

 

Love, Elder Edwards

Arrived in California!

Brennan landed in California this week.  His first assignment is in Napa and he's living in the Chardonnay Apartments!  Very funny.  Anyway, we just got a postcard from him, so read on.  And his new address is posted on the right.  He'd love to hear from you!

***
Hi!  This place is absolutely beautiful!!  No picture really does it justice.  The weather is incredible, too!  I'm definitely going to need short-sleeve shirts.  I'm so excited to get to work!  President and Sister Bunker are AWESOME, too!  P-day is on Monday, so that's when you'll hear from me next!

Love you!

I'm Here

Although we can only assume that Elder Edwards made it safely to Santa Rosa, we did get a Very Short call from him on Monday (I'm sure this was the first time he has put coins in a pay phone - so proud). He was at the Salt Lake Airport with 12 other Elders on their way to Santa Rosa. He sounded great, excited and ready to get on with it.

P-Day (Preparation Day) Letter - Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Hey!

I only have 26 minutes to write! We're put on a timer here so I'm not going to worry too much about grammar and whatnot. But anyway! Dear elder does WORK. I've gotten those the same day you wrote them so keep sending those! Once I get out in the field you won't be ale to use that service anymore, it only works while I'm at the MTC. Thanks for the cookies too, haha. They were enjoyed. But newsssss, hmmm...I don't even know what to say! The days just mesh together here and there is always so much going on that I can't remember certain things. But I'll try and remember for you....uhhh, I'm getting used to getting up at 6:15 every day so that is nice. We've done a TON of teaching! I really feel like I'm getting a whole lot better at it. It's really a HARD thing. "Don't teach lessons, teach people." That is a really hard principle to follow. You only have 45 minutes for a lesson (not supposed to be longer than that) and if you're visiting that investigator for the first time you have to find out what they're like and what they're concerns/problems are and then teach according to those things. I have the first 2 lessons memorized in the sense that I know all the doctrines and principles in them. I know good scriptures in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon for both of them as well. I'm starting to memorize a lot of scriptures as well. I have a goal to memorize 1 scripture a day. Speaking of scriptures, I bought a new set. I got  a Bible and a Book of Mormon in a separate thing so I can cross referece really easy. I got the blue with the silver pages! I'm going to start color coordinating my markings in them also. I already have a little template down.

But anyway, that's boring news. Uhmmm, exciting.... OH! We had a devotional last night that was AWESOME. It's always one of the general authorities. I was hoping for Pres. Monson, but it was Elder David F. Evans of the First Presidency of the Seventy. I kinda feel like someone called him Monday night and asked him to speak Tuesday night because he talked about Pres. Monson the whole time. It was a great talk! But half of it was quotes and teachings from Pres. Monson.  I've never really thought about a prophet in our day TODAY. I've beeh so focused on Joseph Smith that I kinda forgot we have a living prophet. Haha, is that bad? But last night was awesome. My whole district sings in the MTC choir and we sang Joseph's First Prayer. It was an AWESOME arrangement. I got chills and shivers going down my spine the whole time!

I can't believe I'e been here for 2 and a half weeks already... it's really crazy how time is flying by, and it's even more crazy how much I'm learning.  I study all day, every day, literally. I taught my district in Sunday School (that's the DL's job is to teach on Sunday) and I wasn't nervous or anything. I was confident and I feel like I did pretty well, although it was on the Great Apostasy and the Restoration which I've been studying ever sine I stepped foot in this place - haha.

Anyway, I'm getting along with everyone really well and made some new sister friends in another district that has their classroom right next to ours, They are a lot of fun and the elders in their class are pretty lame and boring it seems like, but my elders and sisters are the BOMB! I've been trying to convince Elder Norwood to transfer to BYU after our missions and we'll live together. He's from SLC and went to community college there. He's a whole lot of fun! So is his companion - Elder Halle (pronounced like Halle Berry).

I can't  believe it's the Steeler and Packers in the Super Bowl!??! Who would have thought... I'm glad the Pats and the Jets didn't make it though. I was hoping Atlanta would make it, they deserve to have a ring with Matt Ryan. It's weird talking about sports, haven't done that since I left to come here. Everything is so weird! I don't feel 19 years old... more like 20+. Boys really do become men in the MTC. That's what G-ma told me before I left. She also sent me a package full of candies. Haha, bless her heart! The uptight elder in our district is finally chillin out so that is good too! Everything is really meshing together. But I really have to owe my growth in knowledge to my teachers. I have 2 of THE best teachers I've ever had in my life. I'm convinced they're some of the best in the MTC. Brother Kirk (from somewhere in Texas and served in Mississippi and Brother Bastian from I can't remember and served in Kenya). They're amazing They make us figure things out on our own, They WON'T answer questions - haha - it gets kind of annoying but it makes me work for it and it's really paying off. I've become real independent with my learning. If I have a question, thanks to Bro.  Bastian, I search and search and pray until I find one. They're awesome and I love them. Not only are they great teachers, they're AMAZING people. So much fun. Bro. Kirk is so goofy and fun. Ahhhh - I want to take them with me. Oh well... me and my companion are getting along pretty well too so that is always good. I'm preparing myself for that weird comp that I WILL get out in the field. I keep wanting to say when I get out on my mission, but then I remember I AM on my mission right now. Weird. I miss my puppy too. Give him some love from me!

Alright, I gotta wrap up. I gotta write Colin and Tanner.

Love, Elder Edwards

P.S. Send me a package of collar things please. I realize how important they ar and I need some, ASAP! If possible!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hey there parents! I loved all the e-mails you sent me this week! Just kidding. But really, I haven't received any mail at all since I've been here, kind of depressing but I was expecting it I suppose. ****MOM INSERTING COMMENT HERE - Peter and I both tried to send Brennan e-mails, but his account wasn't up yet - so, we paid to have a service deliver them, which they didn't do! By the day after he wrote this, he had those original letters as well as a box of cookies**** Well anyway, I hope you got my first letter letting you know that I'm alive. I'm loving it here, it is such a great experience. I haven't ever felt the Spirit so strongly before in my life. Me and my companion - Elder Blake - have done a lot of teaching already. We have taught maybe 5-8 lessons in just a week! I'm starting to get a little more comfortable during lessons. My mouth still gets real dry and I stumble over my words, but I'm getting there. I study and work 16 hours a day here, just about every hour is scheduled for us, and then it is left up to us to plan during those times what we want to do when we don't have a teacher there. We usually have a teacher come and teach in the morning, usually about 8-11:30 and at night from about 5:30-9. Everything in between is MDT (missionary directed time). So I have been studying Preach My Gospel a TON and also the scriptures and just the gospel in general. My knowledge has grown so much, it's incredible how much I've learned in just the week that I've been here. I feel like I've been here a lot longer too.

Anyway, I get along with everyone in my district pretty well. We have a really good group. I'm pretty good friends with another companionship - Elder Halle and Elder Norwood. Elder Halle is from some small town in MO. Elder Norwood is from Salt Lake. They're both really fun, energetic and goofy....

So I had a great experience yesterday. Me and Elder Blake went tot he TRC (Teaching Resource Center) where you teach people who act like investigators. They make it seem really real. But yesterday, we were teaching another Elder who was acting the part of an investigator. I guess he wanted to make it really hard or something because me and Elder Blake crashed and burned for the first time. This investigator had NO motivation and didn't see the need to do anything. I explained the need to pray and to serve your fellow man and also the need to come unto Christ. But he just kept saying, "that is really great that you believe that, but I just don't see the need to do any of that." So it was the first time that I realized that there will be people out there like that and I as completely unprepared for it. I did everything I knew how to do, but it wasn't enough. Same with Elder Blake. So we left that appointment VERY discouraged. I had tears in my eyes. I was thinking that I couldn't do this and that it would be too hard. That was early in the morning at 8:00. The rest of the day the Lord looked out for me. All the lessons we had yesterday and meetings were all about not being discouraged and picking yourself up after a bad experience. This was not in the day planning either. The MTC wasn't like, "today we're going to instill discouragement in the missionaries and the build them back up to teach them a lesson." Me and Elder Blake were the ONLY ones that had that experience. The rest had great lessons. So I firmly believe that the Lord was looking out for me and just preparing me for what is surely to come. Later that night, we had a missionary devotional, which you will be pleased to know that I sang in the choir for, and we had Elder Gong of the First Presidency of the Seventy come and speak to us. Guess what his topic was? It was "Be of Good Cheer." Incredible, huh? The Lord truly does look out for us in our times of need, and I REALLY needed Him yesterday. It was an awesome day looking back on it now because I learned a valuable lesson. I know that Dad said that I'll get discouraged and down, but to just pick myself up. But you don't really know what to expect until it actually happens. So, I'm so so so grateful for the lesson I learned yesterday. I have a TON of reasons to be of good cheer - the gospel, my faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, my family, spreading the gospel, being a missionary, and even my little puppy Max. Who I miss a TON. Don't worry I miss both of you too!

***Brennan then asks me to send him some personal things****

...I'm being a good district leader. I've gotten comfortable with it and I'm doing the best that I know how. It's good experience though. I also have a great Branch Presidency. They're all great and I like them a lot.

The food here is pretty tasty! It's a lot better than the Cannon Center. It can't be the same food. Impossible. We eat so early too. We have breakfast at 7, lunch at 11:30 (the only normal time we eat), and dinner at 4:30. 4:30?!?! seriously? That is a midday snack for me...But it's weird. Well, I have to go now, my 30 minutes of e-mail time is up. I'm so grateful I'm here and I'm trying my hardest to learn more about the gospel and to be an effective missionary. I love you both! Keep up on that blog and facebook Momma! And please keep me updated on what the blog says, and what's going on in facebook, football, annnnnnnd just how everyone is doing is suppose.

Love, Elder Edwards