Elder Traasdahl grows...

Alright alright alright I've got about 10 mins to get this bad boy out because the library is closing so we're gonna see how good 'Mrs. what's her name' at Poston taught us in typing class! Shout out to Kyle Frost first-- Wednesday's a big day! Live it up in the MTC baby! Grandma E and and Grandma T, loved loved loved your Christmas cards, thank you so much! I love you guys!  And for that matter thank you to everyone who sent me christmas cards, its great to see how everyone is doing back home! 

So the other day at a member's home, I saw a scale. I stepped on it. And I was disgusted with myself. I'M FAT. 185!! And I've only been out something like 3 months! At this rate I'm gonna be like 260 lbs by the time I get home! So ya, I've gained some weight.   Alot. Haha, I'm a lost cause now. I think I'm gonna say 200 is my cap, and after that some serious weight loss is going to have to happen. 

It snowed this week too, on Christmas and on Friday. So I guess I had my first White Christmas! And I've decided that I could actually live in a place that snowed, because its pretty sweet! Got some good videos too, you'll enjoy them. I'll send the memory card home either this week or next. 

Investigators wise, we had a good lesson with W. yesterday. She believes everything that we teach her.  She's got a solid relationship with Christ too.  Her only dealio is that because her baptism was a spiritual experience for her, she doesn't need to be baptized again. Thats where we at with her. We also taught a former non denom preacher the other day. That was interesting. We left him with a Book of Mormon and he said he'd read so we're going back this week. And we found a small family.  Haven't taught them yet, but prayed with them, and should meet with them Wednesday. Don't know if it'll go anywhere, but they just had a Christmas baby so it's the perfect time for them to receive the gospel! The Lord places us in peoples path doesn't he?  Haha aight well I gotta get this off before the computer shuts off. LOVE YOU! Next week will be better. Tyler, keep training that son of yours!  What a wonderful gift the gopsel is.  LOVE Y'ALL!!

Elder Traasdahl

A good day for a phone call

We talked to our missionaries yesterday on Christmas morning!  It was the BEST!!!  So good to hear their voices and laughter.  Lot's of love was shared and we look forward to talking to them again on Mothers Day.  Pfahshh.  No Prob.  Only 5 months to go.

We are grateful Elder Traasdahl has the opportunity to serve in Oklahoma. It was great to hear him say, 'Ya'all' and he told us how he was fixin' to go to a Christmas lunch and dinner-- weather permitting.  He was SO funny and is enjoying his companion Elder Anderson.  Three Months complete 21 to go but whose counting?

I loved the following quote from one of Elder Holland's recent talks.  It Helped take away the 'ouch' of Mrs. Clause only putting 2 less stockings on the couch Christmas Eve:

Peace on Earth Tribute

Hello readers.  I received this and wanted to share.  (This is one of the songs off the CD Elder Traasdahl referred to as 'Majestic' in this weeks email.) May your holidays be all that you hoped for.  M

Dear friends of MCO -  As we all mourn in the sadness of so many lives lost this week, we are reminded of the sweet and hopeful message in the words of this beautiful carol.  Feel free to share this video so it will reach those who are suffering so greatly at this time.  May we all find "peace on earth, and goodwill to men."

www.MormonChoralOrganizations.org

"Far Out Man!"

(Note:  Elder Traasdahl was sent a christmas package from home containing gifts individually wrapped for the '12 days of Christmas'.  That will help you make sense of his update.)

Am I the only one who doesn't know what far out means? Found out this week that it's supposed to mean "cool". A less active member said it and I just looked at her like "whaaaat?" Just had to share. Okay okay okay, how's it going?! Shout out to Mama Banks real fast, thanks for the treats! They were gone in two days. And my Christmas package! Awesome awesome stuff. Ha confession... I didn't have the self control to wait. Sooo I kinda opened them all in one night.  I got to have my Christmas about two weeks early! Lucky me! Because I saw the conference Ensign, and had to use that, and then the hot chocolate mix (which was like the 10th day?) ha no way I wasn't going to use that! Side note real fast, this weather out here is so weird. One night we were biking around and it was like 20 degrees. Everytime we went down a hill I could hardly see because my eyes would just water. Then two days later, it's up in the 50s! and it's stayed that way for this last week... but it's supposed to get cold again. Now you can see why I couldn't wait for that hot chocolate! Ha and then those sour patch kids.. man. It took all the control in me not to eat it in one day. So i finished it off in 3. I liked those little toy gun things, Elder Townsend and I would have wars in our apartment at night after planning. Then he stepped on his. So there goes that fun. And mom! O Holy Night CD. My goodness. Does the word magestic do it justice? I love it! 

Last night we had transfer calls. I'm going to be staying here in the Noble/Purcell area, and Elder Townsend is going to blackwell, with Elder White, my mtc comp! Ha i got a good chuckle outta that. Elder Andersen, don't know who he is, other than the fact that he was Elder Townsend's father, (lingo for trainer) is coming here to be the District Leader. So I'll get to meet him on Wednesday.  I just can't help but get the feeling that I haven't learned yet from this area what i'm supposed to. So I guess the Lord is letting me stay to try and figure it out! I honestly think though that he's trying to get me to be more faithful. As you know, the work here has been slow. Really slow. And through Elder Bowen's mission tour, and an interview with President Taylor, I keep getting rebuked by the spirit, because the theme always comes up "The Lord's hand is at work in your area. God has not pulled out of Noble." So I really need to humble myself and have more faith in God. It's really easy to say ohhhh the area's dead, nothing will happen, when the key indicators are going that way. It takes more to put your faith in God and know that he's preparing people, and we're here to find them, even if 95% of the the area is content with where they're at right now in life and their religion. 

Elder Andersen sounds like a good missionary, he only has 3 months left. So I think we can get somethin goin this transfer. And I realized the other day that I haven't told you about our newest progressing investigator. Her name's W., she's around 80 years old. I think she let us come back because she's a nice old lady, but when we taught here the Plan of Salvation she agreed with it 100%. Her hang up is that she thinks that her baptism was valid, and there's no need to be baptized again. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she committed to read and pray about it, and she did so sincerely too. So I think that if she listens, she'll get her answer soon. The P. family, the one that we tracted into that got super close to baptism, keeps on dropping our appointments and doesn't answer their phones. It's really frustrating. He goes back to work this next two weeks, so we wont be able to talk to them for a bit. Personal opinion is that they don't want to give up their crutches yet. Smoking, chewing, and booze. It's insane how many people smoke here. So, next time we talk to them, whenever that is, we're just going to find out if they even want us coming back. 

Fun fact of the day: Did you know Adam had a wife before Eve? Her name was Lucifer. And she was so jealous of Eve, so that's why she tempted her. Haha we heard that the other and I was just like "What the heck? Are you on something right now?" The lady who was telling us was dead serious too. She then lectured us on how we need to study the bible more, because it's allll in there. Thank goodness for a modern day prophet, who receives revelation from God for the Church. That right there just goes to show why we need to have a living prophet on the earth. I don't know why I'm going back to this but I just want to share a little tid bit I just had pop in my head. I'm not sure if I've shared it yet, but Alma 26:12 seems to be my theme scripture so far. And I think Heavenly Father wants me to put it in action now. Because I've always been like woww what a great scripture! But like I said, I can improve in so many ways. And when it says "in His strength I can do all things", I think that absolutely means what it says. So, my goal this transfer, which I'm getting, just you watch, is to get a baptism. Or to get a baptism set up for next transfer. So there it is. New transfer - new Elder Traasdahl! Gonna increase my faith and bam! Miracles will happen. That about sums it up though. I love each and everyone one of you!!! Thank you for your prayers, I really can feel the strength that comes from them. And I can't wait to call home! Ok, well again I LOVE YOU, annnnnd don't ever forget, the church is true through and through!!

Elder Traasdahl

P.S. Ha we got asked the other day in Jamba Juice "Do Mormons believe in Santa?" The things people hear!

Tie-ing it all together

One of the few things that change from day to day besides the faces of the people you interact with while serving a mission, is the color of tie you wear.  On this day it was red.

On this day it was green but more importantly was the fact that he tucked his pants in his socks -- to avoid more sewing/repairing.  Quick learner. 

Elder T.  said, 'Not good to get this as your fortune at a Chinese buffet when on a mission....'  
(now that was totally off subject but post worthy)

And it was a thumbs up blue tie on this happy day in Purcell.

Rain or Shine video....

Happy Day...  just figured out how to upload videos.  So this one is kind of dated but I love it.

Suggestion for future missionaries:  buy a large enough umbrella.  

Frog Count & The Absent Minded Professor

JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME! LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!!!!  It's Christmas time!! Can you feel it?!! 

So here's how I'm gonna break it down for y'all. To answer your question mom,  the work hasn't really be goin.  The lady we had the super awesome heavenly gift with like a month ago (she lost her job just an hour before we came), dropped us. She told us she has her church, she's going to that, but she's happy with us & she appreciates our thoughtfulness.  Another one bites the dust.  And with like two other potential investigators when we've had solid appointments with them-- no joke --a half hour before we’re scheduled to meet they called and told us they've had a death in the family or a friend died, so they'll have to cancel. I mean c'mon! The odds of that! But we're still keepin on!! 

So all I've got really is a lot of stories of day to day stuff that I keep forgetting to tell. We were eating with a member at Mazzio's, a pizza place, and we had this cute waitress.   After dinner I mention to Elder Townsend "Hey didn't you think that waitress was cute? She was like the first semi attractive girl I've seen here since I've been out." He just looked at me and said, "Elder Traasdahl. You've clearly been in Purcell too long."  Looks like I've already got my missionary goggles! yea yea!  Another thing, I don’t know if I've already said this before, but if I have you'll get to hear it again. Oklahoma has some weird obsession with frog decorations. No joke. We play a game when we're out walking to see who can count the most frog decorations at a house. One has 37. 

Something that both of my companions have been finding out about me too is my absent mindedness. I'm sure you can empathize with them Dad. Haha but we left the apartment a few weeks ago on our bikes and we were about 2 miles away when I realized, ‘wait a second, something's missing. This is way too easy to ride right now.’  Ha, I had forgotten my backpack! Course Elder Townsend wouldn't let me go back and get it, because it "was a waste of time" and "I should know better" so I went that day til dinner without my backpack! It’s funny how naked you feel without your scriptures and materials 'n stuff. I also forgot to put on my helmet once, and I made him go back with me for that. Safety first! I'm thinking on taping a checklist to the door, so I look at it each time before I leave. Good idea eh? 

Eyyo bdog!! Mom has mentioned that you've picked up indexing! That's AWESOME! Keep it going man! I don’t know where I heard it, but I know someone important in the church said as you do family history work aka indexing, you'll have extra strength to be guarded against temptation! So keep it going man! What a great example you are to me. 

On Saturday we went on mini exchanges with our Zone Leaders, Elder Fransen and Elder Hendersen. Both of em are studs. They came down to help us jump start our area. Elder Fransen came with me, and he served in this area for 6 months, so he knew his way around the place. He mentioned a couple of times "that's the second time that person has rejected me!"  It was really funny. But Elder Fransen, he's a finding machine. He was chasing people down, heck he saw people that I didn't even know were there!  He talked to EVERYONE. And that's not an exaggeration. He made me oym this kid that looked like he was in high school, and I was like ‘What? No!’  And then I thought of Tyler's last email and so I gave myself inside my mind three chest bumps and did it!  And take a guess, you're expecting this kid to be our next golden investigator right? A miracle story!  Ha nope. I went up to him and was like "hey how's it going" and then tried to talk about the gospel, and I was awkward. Straight up. Hahaha it was bad. But! I can only get better and I know as I get more comfortable doing it I'll get better. And, even though it was a terrible oym, I still know I was fulfilling my purpose and doing that which it is we are commanded to do. Talk to people. 

Another story that just happened yesterday actually was way cool because it just shows the power of the priesthood.  A recent convert, came up to us after church and asked us if we could go give his nephew a blessing who's 6 months old and has some respiratory deal-io that's going on that could either be harmless or super super bad. Now he explained it to me better but that's how I understood it. The little baby also had the flu or something or rather. So with the mother's permission, she's not a member, we went over there and gave this baby boy a blessing. Justin called her an hour or so later and his sister said that her son was crawling and being active like he hadn't been since before he was sick! Justin was so excited. I told him, "Hey man, this could be that chance you were praying for to introduce the gospel to them." Missionary in the making!  Anyways, it was a reaffirmation of my testimony that the priesthood truly is the authority to act in God's name. What a sacred responsibility it is to hold the priesthood. My time's up but I LOVE YOU. And that goes for each and every single person that is reading this! Keep on keepin on and NEVER forget. The church is true through and through!! Oh and real quick shout out to Bishop Knight and his amazing emails. I'm always uplifted as I read them. Ok bye, I love y'all!!!

Elder Traasdahl

Tis the Season: To Remember...

To Request a free Copy of he Holy Bible click HERE.

The Okie

To quote another Elder in the field, "Oh my good to the ness!!!" Has another week gone by?? I can't believe this transfer is already halfway over! So here's the rundown of the week my family. Elder Townsend and I, in our comp inventory, set a goal to run every other morning, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. So this Tuesday, 6:30 a.m., we woke up, geared up, and went outside.  And we ran.  And it was 28 stinkin’ degrees outside!!!!   Haha I had that beanie cap thing you sent out to me Dad on and those thin gloves on, a jacket, my shorts on with my pajama pants over them and I was still freezing!  But we made the goal so we ran!   Haha and Elder Townsend over here used to be a track athlete & ran for state.  He's bustin my chops and we ran for what felt like forever, and I was like "aight we good to go back now?" and he said "that only took us three minutes!" Ha but I'm still alive! and that only happened once because Thursday we had temple conference and Saturday exchanges. 

Temple conference though! Maaaaaan. What a beautiful place the temple is. It was such a treat to get to go. I know we hear it all the time, but the temple really really is the house of the Lord. Sometimes I wish I could just go and sit there all day!  During temple conference we found out some specifics about all the new missionaries. We're going to have 130 english elders, 30 spanish elders, 40 english sisters, and 16 spanish elders. That's 56 sisters sisters total. We have like 13 right now. Its gonna be nuts!! Most of these new missionaries are going to come in March-June, but they'll start next transfer. Enough about that though, gotta get to some stories. 

My testimony this week had been so strengthened let me tell you what!! It's been the week of anti. First guy Joe, crazy guy comes at us saying the B.o.M can't be the most correct book on the earth (go to intro of B.o.M for the Joseph Smith quote) and E. Townsend and I pretty much taught the restoration in our testimonies. That was a warm up. Ken was this second guy. Haha this guy. What a weirdo! He was a referral from a member, who just gave him to us to probably get him to get off the members back.  So we call this guy and meet with him at a park, because he wanted to meet in "neutral territory". First thing he says after the greetings is, "So the best way this works out is I get 10 minutes you get 10 minuntes." We agreed and then he dives right into it. He said "So here's where you guys are wrong," and then he goes off like a little engine! Man you could've seen steam blowin outta his ears! I've never heard more anti doctrine come at me at once, and all of it was ridiculous! He finishes and he was sure he had us. The whole time we just sat there and smiled, and then again we taught the restoration through our testimonies and all he said after that was "will you admit joseph smith had multiple wifes?"   We said “ya”. And he was like "I won't follow a man that does something like that!!" I then said (I was getting tired of him) "Would you have followed Abraham?"  Shut him down...

I gotta run, the comp is threatening to shut the computer down on me. LOVE YOU ALL, and I'll write more next week!! promise. The church is true through and through!!  Christ is at the head of it and He leads it through Thomas S. Monson! I testify of that!

Elder Traasdahl the Okie

The Black Name Tag

Elder Traasdahl wears this name tag where ever he journeys in Oklahoma and here's a few places that have seen it first hand:

Ohio University

Noble and Lexington Area

and lots of pastures

and the driver of this semi truck -- who is a teenager who drives it to seminary.
It's his only transportation.

A peek at life in Purcell, OK

Elder Traasdahl finds a huge dog...

a Spider inside his apartment...

a few friends to laugh with...

truth &...

Baptism day for this young man!

And I just found 'the latest and greatest OU fan!

Missing cinnamon rolls, a Needle and Investigators

Howdy howdy howd it do! I've given up on trying to keep proper English. I've decided that will be part of my "relearning phase" that I'm going to have to go through when I get back. Who said English speaking wasn't a foreign language?

Soooo this week this week this week. What a journey. Lot's of ups and downs. I'm just gonna ramble, and good luck trying to make sense of what I say. We finally got in contact with a referral that we've been trying to contact for a month now, so I was super stoked for that. We go down to her house, talk to her (back story, this referral was supposed to be super promising) and find out she's just interested in all religions, won't convert, husbands a devout Southern Baptist, and basically a whole lot less promising then we thought she'd be. When we came to her door though she saw us and raised her arms in the air and said " Oh my pilgrims!" I guess that's what we are now. Pilgrims! Haha but they have two boys and gosh I'm tellin you what. They're great people. But from what it sounds like the husband's going to be a problem.

Have a mentioned yet my increasing dislike of husbands? Well if I have you get to hear it again. We talk to and pray with these women, who are interested, feel the spirit, and want us to come back, and then we do and often the husband opens up and turns us away. It's So frustrating! With Beth though (the referral) she offered to have us back over for dinner, so that's our one shot! At least when we talk to her we'll have the spirit with us and then we'll know that she knows and it'll be up to her to act. 

Funny story, well stories, two times this week we've caught people taking pictures of us. Once in a subway, and once at a thanksgiving dealio at the church building. At subway it was this asian guy that tried to act like he was texting. Problem was his thumbs weren't moving. After he took the picture though he didn't even stay in line to order food! I guess he got what he needed and left! Haha. The other time was when we were at the stake center, eating with some other elder's ward mission leader's family and one of his nieces of family friends, same thing.  Acted like she was texting, but this time the flash went off. Haha so it was wayyyy obvious. Elder Clontz turned to her and said "did you just take a picture of us?" She said "No..uh well ya.." I guess she's friends with President Taylor's son so she took a pic of us and sent it to him.

For Thanksgiving though we spent the morning playing football with the wards in the Norman area. Our ward is too old to want to do anything like that so we came up and played with them. It was awesome! Kinda hard though cause it totally reminded me of playing across the house with the family back home. The only thing missing this time was your cinnamon rolls mom! Gosh dang good stuff. But after that we went to our bishop's house and had Thanksgiving lunch/dinner there. It was some good food.  After that we just went back to the apartment and had to stay there for the rest of the day! Looong day. But journal writing, letter writing, and scriptures keep you entertained.

Friday we had another thanksgiving with a family in our ward. It was BBQ. So good! These folks out here know how to BBQ! Oh just remembered, I got your package Mom with all the pictures. They were awesome. Absolutely loved it! Shout out to all friends and family. Feel free to send pictures my way. I love to brag to the comp and any other elder that comes on exchanges about y'all. Because y'all are AMAZING!! Guess what I'm picking up too? Sewing! Never thought I'd say that in my life. But I have three slacks that have taken some damage from getting caught up in the gear thingy of my bike. So frustrating. You'd think after doing it once I'd learn!  Nope, took three times. So I've been sewing quite a bit this last week. I'm pretty much a jack of all trades now. Hah I did lose a needle in the couch though... Hope to never find it again, because I'm sure it'll be a painful experience. And when I say lost it in the couch I don't mean it the cracks, I mean like in the places where you sit. So maybe in the near future you might hear a story about that. 

Now you might notice that I haven't mentioned much about missionary work yet. That's the "down" part of this week. We've had some great experiences with heavenly gifting (meaning offering to pray with people.) I can't tell you how many times we've asked to pray with people, they say yes, and we find out that they've had a death in the family or are just going through a really hard time and need help in their life. We say the prayer with them and they thank us, but once we ask to come again and share our message about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how we can find solace and strength through it they say 'no thanks'. I don't understand it!  The military family-- we haven't been able to meet with them yet, which is also something else that just stunk about this week. He's gone away working in the oil fields, and she's been busy with family over Thanksgiving weekend and all that jazz. Getting in contact with folks out here is another challenge that missionaries face across the board. We have a few other investigators, but they just aren't progressing (keeping commitments) and so we're trying to find people who are serious about changing their lives and really wanting to know and have that desire to find the truth. Time's about up, Elder Townsend is threatening to skip lunch if I don't get off. Ha ya right. Anyways I love each and every one of you. Like always, I pray for everyone back home, and just a thought. EVERY MEMBER IS A MISSIONARY!!!!! That really is the only way we find success, is through members. LOVE YOUUU!!!

 

Elder Traasdahl

We found a family!!!

Hey heyyy heyyyy howwwww y'allllllll doin?? It's Thanksgiving this week!! Can you believe how fast time flies! Shoot I was just in the MTC last week! First things first though, congrats to all my other buddies that got their mission calls! You guys that get to go to the same mission, you better enjoy it! Haha just wait though till you're comps and you have to live with eachother 24/7. Talk about a trial of your faith. Haha, nahhh i'm just messin! 

So funny story to start off the week. Our investigator pool is down to like zilch. Nothin. Nada. So we've been tracting for about 2 hours everyday this last week. On Tuesday we knocked on this door and this old woman opened it up and we asked if we could say a prayer with her, told her we were representatives of Jesus Christ. Soon as we said that this look of horror came on her face and she took a step back and said, almost in a sassy voice " I'm baptist, I've been all my life, and we've got nothing in common." Elder Townsend then said "Ma'am we're just asking to say a prayer and ask for a blessing to be on your home, because we know that prayer is something we all have in common." Haha she just stood there and didn't know what to say. Her response? "Goodbye".  We have yet to have a successful Heavenly Gift with an old lady.

There's this church in town, called the First Baptist Church. Their church is HUGE. Like a cathedral no joke. It's run more like a business than a religion you can say. Sometimes entire neighborhoods go to this church, and when we tract there Elder Townsend and I have a theory now that they have a "baptist calling system". We knock a door, they turn us down, then call the rest of the neighborhood to let them know the Mormons are out. Haha because there have been plenty of times when we've knocked a door, heard people speaking inside, and they just don't answer. Now how else do they know who it is??? 

Anyways, time for the good story. We found a family!!! We tracted into them, and they actually asked us to come back a few hours later. I thought they were just shrugging us off. But we came back later that night, and they invited us in like they knew us! Turns out 6 years ago they had taken the discussions in Missouri and were really close to being baptized, but the dad had gotten shipped off because he was in the Navy at the time. So they've been living in OK for the last 6 years and haven't had contact with the missionaries till now! Best part is that they said they'd like to get baptized and want to raise their kids in the church! So we'll see where that goes.

Another great part of this week was Elder Shayne M. Bowen's visit to our mission. IT WAS INTENSE!  Story though, that you would appreciate mom. There were a few of us Elder's in the restroom, and we were talking about Elder Bowen and what he was going to say (This was before he talked to us) and one elder said "Man I'm probably going to feel so guilty that I'm going to have to go home. It's been a fun three transfers!" I then said "Haha yaaaa, I've served a good transfer, I've done my time" kiddingly of course. Guess who walked into the restroom right as I said that? President Taylor. Can you believe the timing of that!!?!?! He heard me say that and said "We serve all our transfers!" Later on, when we were walking through the line shaking Elder Bowen's hand and President's as well, he said to me, "You ready to serve this transfer?" Haha he was joking of course but I was like aughhh! I Totally would say something like that. Oh well! 

Elder Bowen though. That guy is LEGIT. And yes I realize I used that word but this is the time where it is appropriate!! I'm not going to be able to sum up 3 1/2 hrs of him talking to us in this email, but here are a few things he said. 1.) If we knew who we were, we would act differently. Sounds nice, but really think about it. Not who we are now, but who we were in the pre-existence. He made the comment that "if you had a glimpse of who you were in the pre-existence, and how righteous you were, you would have no desire to do evil in this life." What an incredible promise! He then made that connection with the Abrahamic Covenant, and how God works with his children through covenants, and how we are a convenant keeping people. He talked about an hour about that, and then transition into the Oath and Covenant of the priesthood. It opened my eyes into what a responsibility it is to be a holder of the priesthood. While he talked about the priesthood though, he always, after he made a point to the elders about it, he never excluded the sisters or left them out. I want to get into what he said about it but I'm running out of time, so maybe next week I'll try to. 

Sorry this email was a short one.  We had to give some service before we came and it pushed us back a half hour! And I forgot my card reader, so pictures will come next week. Thanks for all those who sent me letters this week! It's a joy to hear from y'all. This week in your prayers, remember to count your many blessings! Because the Lord does bless us! Elder Bowen, (the only part he got emotional about) said "God will work in the very details of your lives if you'll let him." Never forget the Church is true through and through!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL! Keep on keepin on and if I can ever do anything for ya, give me a holler.

Elder Traasdahl, The Simple Twin

Much to be Grateful For this Thanksgiving

I came across this video on the life of the Savior this morning and couldn't get through it without great emotion.  I invite you to watch -- in a place of quiet --  no other distractions or noise and let the Spirit teach you as you view the video.  Pretty powerful experience.  

With Thanksgiving next week, I've been pondering things I am grateful for.   At the top of my list is the Savior and the opportunity Elder Traasdahl has to teach of Him.  I'm thankful for my missionary sons who are striving to bring the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to all in their path.  It's not an easy thing.  Many believe they have been 'Saved' already... but without the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, they are missing a piece to life's puzzle.  I'm thankful that long ago there was reason for the Apostle John to teach John 3:16, 17.   I am also thankful for the Book of Mormon which in addition to the Bible bears witness and record of Jesus Christ.  I am thankful for the prophet Joseph Smith who was instrumental in bringing forth the restoration of the gospel...  just as it was in ancient days when Christ walked the earth.   Gratitude is mine that LDS missionaries are out spending each day striving to teach lost truths.  I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who watches over us & has a plan that allows us to return and live with Him again.  

I am thankful for my Elder Brother, even Jesus the Christ!

Enjoy the video and quite possibly -- grab a tissue first.

 John 3:16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The Monster Storm and Many Yellow Vests

Hurricane Sandy Helping Hands from Joshua Brown on Vimeo.

 

Here's a few items that caught my attention this week.  Many missionaries on the East coast are pitching in to clean up.  They're white shirts and ties have been exchanged for work clothes.  The following link will take you to a news story from the LDS newsroom with details. Click HERE. It's Good to know that although those on the east coast just experienced great adversity with the recent hurricane, in addition to other Faiths, Latter day Saints have risen to the cry for help. A key excerpt from the article: "In... Jon Carbone's home, volunteers helped strip damaged sheetrock from most of the basement. Carbone said he appreciated the group's willingness to help anyone in need. "Everybody's being helped by you people," he said. It's not just, "Hey, you're a Catholic, so I'm going to help you; you're Pentecostal, I'm going to help you.' No, you're a human being. You're going to help them all."

I just loved that last sentence. God loves all of his children, and there are many in need. So you see, it's not just missionaries that can give service right now... It's all of us.

 

  

If you're interested in helping Hurricane Sandy victims in a comfy sort of way --  here's a link for another service opportunity.  Click Here.  

University of Oklahoma & a bunch of missionary pics

Flexing 
10-12

Not flexing.

You know that primary song, 'Search, ponder, pray'?
Well missionaries do a lot of that. 
They also apparently have lots of planning too.

I just love this picture.  The elders got to go to OU.  But if you look at the pic there is some sybolism there that goes well with a quote from Elder Holland. "The future of this world has long been declared; the final outcome between good and evil is already known.  There is absolutely no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard.   The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team's jersey we want to wear!" 
11/12

And the last shot of the day Elder T. said--'whose to say Star Wars isn't real?"
  Yes, here's a way cool light saber.  
And I wasn't talking about the gun Elder Traasdahl is using. 
He uses a different kind of 'light' to fight the dark side.  

255 miles since being out

What a week, what a week. Let's start with the obvious, since it's me, and it happened this week. The election. Gosh dang. Really? Man. I can't believe it. Haha like you said Austin, gut check for sure. Cool experience though came from it though that I'd like to share. Sooo I'm not sure if I've ever really let on to how much this whole "the country has two clearly different choices to make" slash "which path will the country go" has meant to me, but it has. In the sense that future hopes and dreams are riding on what happens. Make sense? Hah I just reread that and I don't feel like I explained it well enough but I can't think of a better way to explain it. Oh well. Anyways, Tuesday night, word got around the missionaries that Romney lost, and it's an understatement to say that I was dissapointed. Devastated might be too strong a word, but somewhere near there. It put me in the dumps for a while. 

Such were my thoughts/feelings when Wednesday night I was knelt down and prayed and you could say I poured out my soul to Heavenly Father. I knew that as long as I was in this state of mind and mood I wasn't going to be an effective missionary. As I was praying, some lyrics to a hymn came to mind. They kept on running through my mind over and over but I couldn't remember which hymn it was! I finally found it on Friday. 'How Firm a Foundation', verse 3. These were the words that came to my mind as I was praying. "Fear not, I am with thee, Oh be not dismayed. For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand." Talk about having your prayers answered. So I really don't care now what happens. I love too the message that was shared in your stake conference back home. Be a wise optimist. Christ commanded to be of good cheer. Happiness is a choice, and a commandment, no matter our circumstances!  It's so easy to say that yet -- the application of it so much more difficult. I appreciate though what Austin told me to do. Find something to smile about each day. Look for the Lord's hand in our lives.

Bishop Causse, in a CES Fireside just recently spoke and gave a talk called "We Are the Architects of Our Own Happiness". Wonderful talk. He labeled 3 principles of happiness. 1. Recognize personal worth. 2. Become who you are. 3. Trust in God's promises. We can do all this through the Gospel of Christ. Through the Atonement, we can feel of God's love for us, and realize that he cared enough for us to make that great sacrifice on our behalf. I love what Tyler said, "it's awesome to realize i'm probably experiencing 1/24591384571390482739046712349578134985723498239867349057813490578234905782390485719034857239046872390485723904857190348572349082739067 of what my Lord felt when he took everything I have gone through, am going through, and will go through on Himself. " When you think about that how could you not feel loved?? As we apply then the 5 principles of the Gospel of Christ, we become who we were meant to be. We become the person God sees us as, not the individual we limit ourselves to be.

The last principle of happiness comes from trusting in God's promises. Which is the simple definition of hope. Pulling from Tyler again, cause I love it, Faith------> Hope--------> Happiness-------> Peace. It's beautiful how the Gospel answers have answers to life's questions and is the way for us to have happiness in life. That's why we go on missions!! Hymn #324. Check it out. Also search "The Value of a Full Time Mission" Goood good stuff.

Well Elder Shayne M. Bowen is coming to our mission this Thursday, I'm sooo stoked!! It's going to be intense, I already know it. I'm going to take so many notes. This last week though not much has been going on. Our investigator pull is ever so slowly dwindling. Elder Townsend isn't afraid to go tracting for a few hours a day though so y'all ready know what we're gonna be doing! Gotta teach them Baptists, J-dubs, Methodists and Holy Rollers! We've been biking alot lately. As of today, I've biked 255 miles since being out.

Oh, please send out some gloves and ear muffs, or something to cover my ears. And the reason i'm asking is because it's getting cooolllddd! 40-50's. Haha and apparantly it's only supposed to get colder. Haha now I realized I've got nothin on Mr. "it snowed first day of conference!!!" but i'm tellin you what, this fetchin wind out here is bad. No if's and's or but's. No joke, no matter what direction you're biking it seems you're always biking into a headwind. Still haven't figured that one out yet... Other than that everything is the same! It's good to hear about home, nice to see life is still going on. I love y'all and ALWAYS remember the church is true through and through!! LOVE YOU!!!!

It's "y'all" not "ya'll"

All these mission calls!! SO FETCHING AWESOME!!!!!!!! I love it. (I sent Parker a list of 7 friends who just got called to missions all over the world - Spain, Peru, Ukraine, Las Vegas, etc.)  The world doesn't know what's going to hit it! Better watch out -- Mesa AZ represents. Haha, on a serious note though that really is cool all the different places everyone is going. I'm so excited to get back and hear everyone's stories. To all departing homies/missionaries - Go read "Becoming a Consecrated Missionary", by Tad R. Callister. I know i've already talked about this talk, but it's worth talking about again, it's that good. Read it, live it, love it! Ha I've read it 5 times no joke, annnnnd I've got such a long ways to go. But that's okay, the Lord doesn't expect perfection.  He just expects progress. I've really been trying to wrap my mind around that, because I see a problem with myself and I want it fixed right away. But changing yourself, your nature, takes time. Thank goodness for the Atonement.

Aight so lot's of things happened this week, news wise. You know how the missionary applications went from 700 to 4,000 in like a week?  53% of those applications were sisters.  Well we're getting some in OKC. Before I came this mission had 114 missionaries. The transfer before me and when I came out it jumped to 130. Guess how many, of those 4,000 missionaries we're getting? 86!! So now we'll have 216 missionaries! Crazy huh!? These 18-19 year old missionaries will start coming in phases, not this transfer, but the next. So that'll be December. And they'll keep coming til March. President Taylor also asked that a lot of them be sister missionaries. The implications of this? 86 trainers.   Lets say half of the 86 are sisters, so 43 elder trainers. Spaced out over two transfers. Thats 23 trainers each transfer. Basically, it's been hinted on many occasions that I'll be training after this next transfer. And it'll most likely be one of the 18 year old missionaries. Ha, if that happens I feel for that missionary! But more importantly this also means that most areas, in the populated areas, will be doubled up. Our's could possibly, will most like be split. Our ward is already like a large branch, and to have 2 sets of missionaries trying to work out who gets what members to come out with us will be interesting. But it's all for the future to tell so we'll see! 

And speaking of transfers we got "transfer doctrine" last night. Any ideas what's happening?  I'm staying in the Noble/Purcell area. Elder Woodland, on the other hand, is being transferred to Elk City. Which I have no clue where the heck that is but apparantly it's way the heck out there. So my new comp will be an Elder Townsend. Transfers are Wednesday so I'll meet him them. It's crazy though because Noble though will be "my area" now! Kinda intimidating because I'll be calling the shots now in a sense, since I know the area and my new comp doesnt. It's fine though, because when I can't do it that's when prayer kicks it. Alma 26:12. Love that scripture. Found it in my studies one day and no scripture has ever felt like it has described me better.

I got your package on Saturday, with the stickers and goodies! Haven't had a chance to enjoy the hot chocolate yet-- I'm saving it for a really cold day. The lowest it's gotten so far is low 40's. What gets ya though is the wind here. Its nasty. Blows right through your jacket. 

If you have a chance, just thought of this, see if you can find a video of an interview of President Taylor on Oklahoma Channel 9 News.  (See in the post below).   They asked if he could clarify some things about mormons, and I guess he did! Word is we'll get see it at our Temple Conference, but that's later on in the year. Just wanted to pass the word on in case y'all wanted to check it out. And I learned too that it's "y'all" not "ya'll". Didn't know there was a right way to spell it. 

ELECTION DAY IS TOMORROW! Crazy crazy stuff. Yes I did vote by the way. Can't tell for who though... that's private information :). 

Last night we had a baptism! For a 13 year old boy name Clifford. I'm pretty sure I've told you about him. It was really neat. Br. Oleson baptized him. Haha afterwards he asked "Can I go swimming in there now?" If I have time I'll send a pic.

This week Elder Woodland and I got hit with allgeries and a cold, it was brutal. He's good, I'm still having some side effects from the cold. Nothing some meds can't take care of. I'm taking your concoction of sleeping vitamins mother, and they seem to be working! haha too well in fact. It's sooo hard for me to get up in the mornings! Don't worry, I still do. Gotta keep in shape! Can't be gettin fat! I've already gained 10 lbs! I weighed myself in a members house the other day.  And I got a haircut today. Buzzed it. No joke. Guess what this means? B-DOG has to buzz his head!! Haha don't have any pictures yet, but maybe next week I'll have a few to send. I'm serious though, I really buzzed my head. Can you hear the disbelief in my voice? Because I still can't believe that I let Elder Teisina do it either. Last thought, than I have to run. Day lights savings it stupid! We had to do it yesterday and gosh I got so confused!! I tried to figure it out and I just stopped, there was no point. Oh and Tyler, haha your emails are hilarious. They crack me up. Don't know how to shake a hand eh? C'mon man that's missionary 101! Haha love you. And I love all y'all too! I pray for each and every one of you each night! Thank you for your love and support! Keep up the good work, and never forget, the church is true through and through!

Love,

Elder Traasdahl

News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |



Well, this was an interesting news report to say the least.  It's the one Elder Traasdahl mentioned in his email today.  And yes,  it was kind of cool to see Parker's Mission President - Pres. Taylor be interviewed.  Great idea on the part of the news team  in OK -- to clear up 'misconceptions' regarding the Mormon church.  The only problem is that the reporter in part added to them.  :)  Oh well.   At least she tried.  The comment on dating:  incorrect.  Missions are a 'requirement':  incorrect.  Missionary service is a personal choice. The #'s about how many missionaries in Oklahoma and worldwide:  Incorrect and incorrect.  Elder Traasdahl stated the actual number of missionaries in his mission so between his email today and the info. below you can clear up some misconceptions on your own.  

[The info. below came from a talk from Russell M. Nelson this past Oct.  Worldwide General Conference regarding what my sons are out doing right now.   
And by the way, it's accurate.] 

"In this great worldwide audience, many of you are not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and know very little about us and our missionaries. You are here or tuned in because you want to know more about the Mormons and what our missionaries teach. As you learn more about us, you will find that we share many of the same values. We encourage you to keep all that is good and true and then see if we can add more. In this world filled with challenges, we do need help from time to time. Religion, eternal truth, and our missionaries are vital parts of that help.

Our young missionaries set aside their education, occupation, dating, and whatever else young adults would typically be doing at this stage of life. For 18 to 24 months they put it all on hold because of their deep desire to serve the Lord.² And some of our missionaries serve in their more mature years of life... 

Some of you may wonder about the name Mormon. It is a nickname for us. It is not our real name, though we are widely known as Mormons. The term is derived from a book of sacred scripture known as the Book of Mormon.

The true name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the reestablished original Church of Jesus Christ. When He walked upon the earth, He organized His Church. He called Apostles, Seventies, and other leaders to whom He gave priesthood authority to act in His name.³ After Christ and His Apostles passed away, men changed the ordinances and doctrine. The original Church and the priesthood were lost. After the Dark Ages, and under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ brought back His Church. Now it lives again, restored and functioning under His divine direction.⁴

We follow the Lord Jesus Christ and teach of Him. We know that after His glorious triumph over death, the resurrected Lord appeared to His disciples on numerous occasions. He ate with them. He walked with them. Before His final Ascension, He commissioned them to “go … and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”⁵ The Apostles heeded that instruction. They also called upon others to help them fulfill the Lord’s command.

Today, under the direction of modern apostles and prophets, that same charge has been extended to missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These missionaries serve in more than 150 nations. As representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, they strive to fulfill that divine command—renewed in our day by the Lord Himself—to take the fulness of the gospel abroad and bless the lives of people everywhere.⁶

Missionaries in their late teens or early 20s are young in ways of the world. But they are blessed with gifts—such as the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of God, and testimonies of the truth—that make them powerful ambassadors of the Lord. They share the good news of the gospel that will bring true joy and everlasting happiness to all who heed their message.