Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

If you've ever wondered How God feels about you, here's a great video to ponder...

A new Nickname

We've been enjoying a nice few days of 60 degree weather! And then of course craziness -- the weather decides to change its mood and this morning it was back to high 20's low 30's. One of these days I'll get used to it. Or not. Well I wish that I could give you some awesome updates about everyone that I had told you about last week, and all the lessons we had taught them, but gosh dang this week was rough. Is it just Oklahoma or is it a universal phenomenon for people to choose to not hold appointments? Funny too how I just talked about Hope and Patience, and then the very next week, our most promising week, is the most patience trying week. All the appointments we had set up with our investigators had fallen through. They either cancelled on us, or when we showed up weren't home, or were there and just didn't answer, etc. etc. So of course that gave us more time to do some finding.  At the end of last transfer I thought I really had talked to nearly every person in town, Purcell, Lexington, and Noble. Well, I'm learning such is not the case. I almost have talked to most everybody. Haha nahh just kidding. But I do think I have talked to some people twice. Before I was scared of that, but Elder Andersen one day when I mentioned that fear said "So what? Ask them 'are you now ready to listen to our message about the Gospel of Jesus Christ?'" 

We did find though a women who's husband died in the Fort Hood shooting. That was a tender experience praying with her. We're supposed to meet with her tonight actually, so if all goes well I'll let you know next week. And while I'm on the subject it's incredible how powerful prayer can be, and how quickly prayer can invite the spirit. It's through the prayer of faith that we invite the spirit. I know too that I just quoted a scripture but I'm not Tyler sooo I can't tell ya where it's at. Haha action item for the week: retain scripture verses!

Quick funny stories. We were riding through Purcell, and passed the local drug house. I passed it up cause I've talked to the peeps before and they're crazy, but E. Andersen hasn't so there was a woman outside and he stopped and talk to her and she was as high as kite.  She asked us what our names were and when I told her my name she couldn't ever begin to say the Traaz part of it so she stopped, looked at the ground for 30 sec, and then said triumphantly, "I'm going to call you twilight! you look like twilight!"   Ha, sooo I've been stuck with that dang name since. Half the zone calls me that now too. Joy. 

Spiritual thought for the day too. I was reading in Mosiah 23. It's talks about how the people of Alma were being righteous, following the ways of the Lord, and doing everything right. Get the picture? They were following the commandments! But then, again, it says somethin like "the Lord chooses to chasten his people to try their patience and faith". When I read that I was like 'man! Here we go!' Even if we're doing everything right, Heavenly Father still will give us trials, to try our patience and our faith, to see if our hearts are really pure. Are we obeying out of fear or love?  Those who obey out of fear will fold under the trial, but those who obey out of love will endure.  And I thought "which do I obey out of? Love or fear?" Great self reflection! Anyways gotta run. LOVE Y'ALL!!!! keep on keepin on, and the church is true through and through!

Hurray! Memory Card came Today!

A fall leaf fell while Elder T. was out knocking on doors one day...

A big 'ol dirty truck to one up' Elder Tyler's Cat.

What the roads in winter look like in Noble, OK

What a really cute Missionary looks like in Noble, OK

I know it's not too surprising...  Elder Traasdahl found a nut on his mission.

And I just couldn't leave this picture out although it obviously didn't come From Elder Traasdahl's memory card.  Kelsey and Paige came by a few days ago for Paige to say 'goodbye'.  Sigh.  Once inside they walked right over to look at the twins pics.  So I documented their friendship via technology.  Paige will shortly be called Sister Tingey as she is leaving for the Phillipes this week to serve as a sister missionary (you can follow her blog listed in the Favorites section).   I kind of want to take a trip there now just to see how good of a job she does.  She will inspire many to follow Christ and come to know of his love because she is so full of  His light.  I'm blessed to call these two girls friends and I just love them to pieces!~  Kelsey -- after Wednesday it's you and me.   Salsa & home made tamale date soon!   Paige -- we will write you and pray for you!

"What a week what a week!"

I just want to start off by saying that I love you guys. Man!  What a week what a week! The work is moving forward!  We're finding people and we're teaching!  And with that I'm learning that I have so much room for improvements that I need to make when it comes to teaching.  But this week:  We went on two exchanges, back to back. One with the elders in our district (because Elder Andersen is the District Leader) and then one with our Zone Leaders.  I went to Norman on the first exchange, and then for the second exhange stayed in Noble.  It was kinda nuts because while up in Norman I didn't have time to plan for the exchange with our Zone Leaders in Noble, so I basically did some planning on the fly and made things up as we went.  Haha it was interesting.  Oh! And we also had a priest from our ward with us do a mini-mission, from Friday at 4 pm to Sun. 4pm. Never heard of one before but basically it is what it sounds like. He gets it approved by the mission pres. and stake pres. and bishop and then comes with us for 48 hrs and lives the missionary life. Sleeps in our apartment and everything. I actually thought it was a really neat idea because it gives you a more realisitic idea of what a mission is going to be like.

 

During the exchange with our Zone Leaders, like I said I was planning on the fly... So cool story. I had nothing planned for like two hours.  Elder Hendersen and I, on a previous exchange, probably two months ago, when I was comps with Elder Townsend, had tracted into a guy and he said he was busy for a few weeks but come back later.  So I remembered that and was like what the heck--  Why not?  So we went back to this guy's house and his wife actually answered the door but let us in, and we taught them.  Long story short, you could see the desire in her eyes and kinda maybe his --invitation to baptism and she said I'd like that and he said I don't believe in baptism.  No worries though!  It gives us something to work with! 

 

Yesterday we taugh another couple, who also has a newborn child (notice how we keep on finding families? It's awesome!!).  They let us in after we prayed with them a few days ago and they never had any type of religion in their life ever.  So this lesson was really different for me, because we started basic basic square one. But man let me tell you what, end of lesson, invitation to baptism, and the husband, who mentioned to us that he keeps "getting in trouble" said ya and the wife said she wants to understand more.  No worries!  Haha we have somethin to work with!  They've got the desire!  Man it's awesome.  I love it.

 

Oh and I gave a talk yesterday at church. Only had Saturday to prepare for it.  Iiiiiiiit was interesting. I didn't write it out. I went the bullet point method. And then tried the expound on it. The talk was on Elder D. Todd Christopherson's talk in the January Ensign titled "Reverence for God is the Beginning of Wisdom".   Not your everday sacrament meeting talk but I enjoyed speaking about it.  In the talk I made mention about Tyler, and afterwards half the ward was like "you have a twin?!" And I had the thought "I've been having dinner in your homes for the last 4 months now... how do you not know?" Ha I love this ward though.  Good good people here.  A lot of characters. 

 

In our studies this week I've been studying Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel, the Christlike Attributes. Ha man I've never been more rebuked in my studies before in my life. Two of my favorite attributes that have really stuck out to me are Hope and Patience. It says that Hope "is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance" (courtesy of lds.org) and Patience "is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious". Haha I'm not nearly as hopeful or patient as I need to be. So Elder Andersen and I made a goal to work on hope and patience this next week.  Because boy howdy do I need to work on those.  Alrighty, well I've gotta skidaddle. I love y'all, and pray for you each and every night! Keep on keepin on! The Lord's hand is ever present in our lives, we just have to seek him!

Elder Traasdahl

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