Elder P. Traasdahl: Good Bye to Duncan, OK

Lot's of exciting things are happening to wrap up this month of September and to begin October.
G-CON!!!! (General Conference) Countdown to Christmas is how I see it basically. Two days of awesomeness!! This email is going to need to be quick as well. We're going down to Ardmore this p-day, to get things in order for the sister missionaries that are coming and to play laser tag.

The news has come though. Drum roll please..... I'm getting transferred! And guess where i'm goin? Norman baby!! Haha I was sad about having to leave Duncan, because I love the members here, but hearing I was going back to the Norman zone put a smile on my face! OU here I come! My new companion will be Elder Ravsten. He's a stud, straight up. I've always wanted to serve with him, so I'm super pumped about it. He's been in Norman for 6 months already, so I don't anticipate having any troubles with member trust of the ward, but we'll see.

The Norman zone is the largest in the mission as well, and the majority is within the Norman metro area, so it'll be a stark contrast from the Duncan zone. Word on the street is too in the Norman 4th ward (my soon to be new area) we get fed almost every day.

We've had a good go of it this week. We were able to talk with H. and her husband J. yesterday for a good while. It wasn't a formal lesson, more of an informal chat on the porch. More of something I envision myself doing as a regular member of the church. It was really neat though, to see them have a quizical look on their face, know they have a question in the back of their mind, then finally ask it, and then have the ability to answer their question to meet their needs. For the longest time I thought that I'd need to have memorized answers for all questions. As we answered their questions we relied upon our own personal experiences, which was the best for them because we became real people with real experiences that they could understand. One of J's questions was "have you never felt the need, in a worship service, to just get up and start praisin the Lord and raisin your hands and dancing?" Haha I was about to say something like no, that's irreverent and not how God has instructed us to worship, but that would've gone south real quick. I just said that when I go to worship God I go to seek guidance and direction, and I know that answers come to me through the quiet thoughts and impressions that come to me in my mind and heart. I can't feel those when there's whoopin and hollerin and loud music playin.

This last Sunday we had combined 3rd hour of everyone but the primary, and Bishop let the missionaries have the floor for it. We played some videos from the Work of Salvation website, had some testimonies from members and bada bang bada boom! Left hook right hook with the spirit! Right afterward some members came up to us and said, "Ya know, there are some friends that I know I've been needing to invite to church, but now I understand better why I should. I'm going to invite them to come next week." That was just one of many comments. It was awesome!

Final thought, just want to share a testimony builder I had this week. We were teaching R., and asked her what the ideal conditions she felt would be to restore lost trust. The conclusion she came to was an example in the old testament. Joseph, who got sold into Egypt. She made the comment "He was in the most unlikely circumstances, yet look at who he became to be." Her next example was Moses, when children were being killed. Her last example was Christ, who also was born at a time when children were being killed. Those examples, men, Christ, of course the Son of God,were called from unlikely circumstances. And then Joseph Smith. A 14 year old boy, with very little education, and only a desire to know the truth and the faith to receive an answer, called to restore what was lost. The authority to act in God's name, to administer His church and perform saving ordinances is once again on the earth! What a beautiful message. I hope you all have blessed week! Love you!

Elder Traasdahl