Your Potential, Your Privileges Video

Where to find True Hope...

Elder Traasdahl and his current companion, Elder Andersen spend hours and hours each week knocking on doors desiring to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here's  a door they came across one day.

Some people think you can find Hope in a cardboard sign but it really comes from the truths of the restored gospel.

It brings joy to this angel missionary -- snow angel missionary -- to share
his testimony when he gets a chance.

& Elder Andersen too.

A Positive Thought or Two

Mi familia!!! Como estas? B-dog if I knew Chinese i'd use it, but I dont! K so some orders of business. Ya know those boots I brought? Don't ever use them, and I don't anticipate using them. Ever. And they're big and a waste of packing space. Soooo I'm not sure what to do with them. I might end up sending them home. And I have two shoe shine kits. Haha Mom we packed Tyler's with mine. oops! I might send that home too one of these days. And I never did get to hear that Trevor Larson story. About his mission and and kid from his mission serving in Mesa? 

Speaking of which be on the look out for and Elder Petersen. He got called to serve in the Mesa mission, and he's from here. His dad is a Stake Pres in Stillwater I think. So if you hear the name feed him good! I don't know him but there is a possibility I might get to meet his family somewhere down the line here. 

And Dad guess what. I really enjoyed your positive thinking letter dealio you sent. So much so, that Elder Andersen and I dedicated a day after I got that letter to have a positive day. So for every negative thought we had, we had to say two positive thoughts. And man! I didn't realize how negative I was being until we started doing that! And yes, that definitely was a difference in the day! So as a companionship we now call each other out as we get negative, and it's sorta just a rule now to have to say two positive thoughts afterwards. Try it! You'll be surprised at the results. 

So here's the update on the investigators. Didn't get to see W. this week. Shame I know. But we're going to see here early on this week. We found a new family, that had previously investigated before. They were really hesitant to let us in, and in fact shut us down at first, but because we just stood there and listened, and smiled and listened, the wife said we could come back and talk with them. So we came back and taught the 1st discussion. The wife, feels like there's multiple prophets that prophecy. The husband is quiet. So this week we'll see what's up. And then the small family I talked about last week, we taught them last night. Man they're awesome. J. is just a chill guy. If I wasn't on a mish we'd probably be friends. He's a real spiritual guy, and she's had religion all her life. He even said during the lesson "man, we need some revelation in todays world! look how crazy its getting!" So they committed to read the Book of Mormon and again, we'll see where it goes. And that's about a wrap for what we've got going on right now.

Missionary thought for the week though. Read Jacob 5. It's a doozy, I know, but its AWESOME. Totally talking about today, and missionary work, and what our role is. As missionaries, yes, but also as members as well. Ha and yes, before I always tried to read through it as fast as I could to get it over with, but really try to dig deep in that chapter. This time as I read it I notice how the Lord of the vineyard (Christ) kept saying (paraphrased) "it grievieth me that I should lose this tree". or "this vineyard". happens 7 times. So they keep on trying to nourish it. From that I realized man, imagine the love that Christ has for us. He grieves when he loses us. He is the shepherd, and we are His flock. He doesn't want a single sheep to be lost. As one who represents Jesus Christ, do I feel that same love? And as members of the church, we have taken upon us the name of Christ at baptism. Each week during the sacrament we renew that promise, to be his disciple. Do we feel that same love for those around us? For those closest to us? I love the insights that the Book of Mormon brings us. Ha I can't believe I used to struggle to read for 15 minutes. Braden, Austin, Mom, Dad, and all my friends and extended family, I love you. Thank you for your support and encouragement! The Church is true through and through!

Elder Traasdahl

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!