Highest highs and lowest lows

Elder T. in Duncan, OK.

So so so good to hear from everyone this week! Probably won't have time to reply back to y'alls emails, but I LOVED reading them!! That's such a cool story about those people in Norway that Grandpa Traasdahl baptized!!  Warms my heart to hear that!

Well let's get started, what a busy week I've had... let me tell you what.  Had two exchanges this week, one with the AP's, and the other with one of our district leaders.  Ha and had you asked me a few months ago if I'd ever be going on an exchange with the AP's I'd have laughed in your face.  But yeah it was a really sweet exchange.  I went with elder C. up to Moore.  Oh he's my grandpa btw, he trained Elder Woodland.  So we're kin.  Haha but some crazy stuff happened on the exchange.

We were out finding, praying with folk, and we knocked into a preacher. Long story short, we asked if we could pray with him, he said no, but he'd like to pray for us.  So we said of course, we love prayers!  So he step out of his door and then started asking us questions like "Who is Jesus Christ?", "Who is God?", "Who is Joseph Smith?", "So you don't worship Jospeh Smith?", "Why are you teaching people that?".  I wish you coulda been there.  This guy was just going off trying to "catch" us in our "lies".  And we just stood there and answered his questions and set him straight in his falsehoods and testified!!  And then of course he started throwing out all the anti he knew at us  and then Elder C. and I, respectfully, start asking this guys the questions about doctrine, and he fumbled for answers... Fulfillment of scripture.  I need to be a better scriptorian but in the D&C it says that if you open you mouth it shall be filled with the spirit and you shall not be confounded before men.   So we left him with our testimonies of Christ, thanked him for his faith in Christ, and wished him well in life.

While on exchanges with one of our district leaders in Ada, I also got to teach a Muslim man. The whole time he was smoking but long story short  there too we testified of Christ as well and man, theres nothing like getting that feeling in your chest of the spirit when you leave your witness of the Savior of the world.  Especially to someone who believes that He was merely a holy man, who taught good principles.  So those were some highlights of the week.

Pops you said we'd experience our highest highs and lowest lows.  Amen to that.  I had both of those this week.  Just told you of my highs this week.  A low just happen last night.  We met with a man who wanted his name removed from the records. He still has a testimony, he told us that much.  He wasn't converted anymore.  He got a job that he had to work on sundays and stopped coming to church.  Now he went to another church on Saturdays that he's off and that's his new home now.  CPR saves lives.  It can also save our spiritual lives. Church, Prayer, and Reading scriptures.  So basic but soooo VITAL!!! Like I've said before, if Satan can get us to stop communicating with Heavenly Father, he's won the battle.  He does that by getting us to not go to church, or by not keeping the sabbath day holy, by not saying our prayers, and not reading our scriptures.  I left that man's house with such a sadness in my heart.  Nothing we said or did could change his mind.   And like Tyler said, 2 Nephi 2:28 applies so well here. He had lost his eternal perspective.  We too can lose that perspective by forgetting to do these basic fundamentals of the gospel.

On a better note though I want to say thanks to Aunt Jody and Uncle Chris for their package they sent me! That was a bright spot in my day! Already used their pancake mix they sent. Anyways I love y'all.  You mean the world to me!!!  Let me know if I can do anything for you guys.  LOVE YOU!!!

Elder Traasdahl

P.S. Happy happy happy birthday Austin and Dad!!! (since i won't get to say it on the 4th and 5th... and I dont want to be late about it!)

Lift, Encourage, Inspire, & Bless!

Oh what a day what a day! I don't know why, but this week felt like it's been one of the longest ones of my mission so far.  Minus those first few days of the MTC.  I made it through! And life goes on. 

How is everybody though!? Colby's going to Jacksonville, Florida?  That's sweet! Speaking Spanish too!  Kinda cool that he gets to report to the Mexico MTC.  Oh and the best of wishes to Hillary too! She'll be great.

Well I got your package mom, with all those goodies. Ate the sour patch watermelons in two days! Which actually is really good for me. I also got the two white shirts as well.

Well Elder Zerkle just informed me that we have to leave, sooo I've got to type fast. Gosh dang I always get cut short on this. Haha well Duncan. Interesting place. I kinda feel like I'm on a really long exchange, and this isn't quite my area yet.  I think it's because I still don't feel like I should be a zone leader. Haha and I think I have a curse.  Ministering opportunities, the gospel term for drama, always seem to follow me.  

Lift, encourage, inspire, and bless! 

So Elder Zerkle and I have been talking alot about how we can work with the district leaders to help these missionaries out. The other thing about Duncan, the area, is that for a change, there's a ton of investigators! I'm still trying to learn all of them, what they've been taught, how long we've been meeting with them, how they were found, ya know, the works.  Trying to keep it all straight is a task.  Elder Zerkle has already been here for 3 transfers so sometimes he just goes and goes and assumes I know whats going on, haha and I dont.  It's all good though.  Elder Zerkle is a great guy.  Great missionary.  Really laid back, in the sense that he's really easy to get along with.  From Sin City.  Likes to ride dirt bikes.  Really blunt and straight forward when teaching, which is what I was praying for.  I asked Heavenly Father to give me a companion that could help me be a more bold teacher. and viola!  The Lord answers our prayers.

I also got to shake Elder Neil L. Andersen's hand on Saturday.  That was pretty awesome.  He talked with our mission for about half an hour.  Gotta run though, sorry I couldn't say more.  Next week promise!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!   You're in my prayers.  Oh and I'll have plenty of time to write letters, because the closest missionaries are 50 miles away from us. So you might get a letter in the mail. LOVE YOU!

 Bahama Bucks -- TX

This is what a mail box sees when a missionary doesn't get any letters in the mail...

Goodbye Texas - Hello Duncan, Oklahoma

"The Lone Star District"

Checkkkk it check it out, pretty soon Austin's going to be rolling in the dough! That's pretty sweet though man, haha I'd walk into that Level one place and drop like a rag doll, passed out probably. So props to you!    Braden Sweet!  New Shoes... Good to hear that you made it through tax season Pops, and Mom another EVMCO concert is nothin for you! You got it!  Well gosh I just love you guys. 

This week has been a good week. We were able to give two blessings, and they were two really cool experiences. One was to a man, less active fella, who's wife had just left him 11 days earlier.  He called us out of the blue and said "Elders, I know I haven't been to church in 3 years, but I know that the priesthood is real, and right now I need a blessing of comfort." So Elder Owen was a boss and gave him a blessing. 

While on exchanges in Wichita Falls Central, Elder Chapman and I went and gave one of their investigators a blessing who was in the hospital as well.  I'm not gonna lie, it gave me the willies to walk through the hospital and back into the ICU unit where their investigator was.  But I made it out alive so all is well!  Also while on the exchange I got to go to a church service for a charismatic church, that a less active member went to and invited us to. I believe it's a break off or type of pentacostal church. First time I've ever been to a church other than ours, and it definitely was an experiece. They sang these Christian rock songs for about the first hour of the service (which was the most unapproved music I've ever listened to that was approved) haha annnnd then the pastor had his 30 min sermon.  And all through out that hour and half there was a ton of "Oh Jesus! Praise Jesus!" type stuff.  It was interesting however.  Because during the service, you could pick out the the pieces of restored truth that they had, and how then it would be twisted to fit the logic of man.  It totally made sense why there was a need for the restoration.  When we walked in, alllll eyes turned on us.  And they were like "why are you guys here?"  But then they welcomed us and they were the friendliest people.  No joke.  I honestly wish that I could be more like them and fellowship like they did.  Now it might be because they had a congregation of 25 so any visitors they want to keep but it doesn't matter.  They still were awesome at making everyone feel welcomed, and I did really appreciate that about coming to their service. 

The other cool thing that happened this week was Lucas R. blessed the sacrament at the servicemans group!! It was so cool to watch him be able to do that.  He did so good too!  Elder Owen blessed the bread and Lucas blessed the water, and goodness, my heart was filled with joy.  Too bad life isn't like T-VO or whatever its called where you can pause, rewind the tv, and watch it over and over again.  

And yes, Dad I guess you saw from his FB post, I am leaving Burkburnett. I debated whether or not to tell you guys this part of it or not, but I realize it'll make things not make sense in the future.  I just don't want it to seem like there's a "ladder" in the mission.  Cause there isn't.  If there was a ladder in the mission then there'd be a ladder in the Church.  And if there was a ladder in the Church then we'd all be failures if we weren't the prophet.  And that ain't gonna happen.  But I got a phone call last wednesday from President Taylor and he asked me to serve as a Zone Leader. I found out last night that I'll be going to Duncan, Oklahoma, and my new companion is going to be an Elder Zerkle. Kinda cool thing is that the Stake President of the Lawton Stake, President Peterson, goes to the Duncan ward, and his son is actually serving in the Mesa, Arizona mission!  I believe last I talked to him he said he's in the southern phoenix part of the mission, but you never know, he could always come to Montecito ward!  That would be neat.  Elder Cutler, who came out with me, also got called as a Zone Leader, and he and I will be the two "youngest" ZL's.  It's going to be a ride that's for sure.  So yes I'll be going to transfers and will be able to get the packages at the mission office.  A quick side note before I gotta run, of the 8 elders in the district, 5 of us are leaving... President Taylor decided to clean house in Texas.  Anyways, I love y'all, thank you so much for all that you do!!! Please let me know if there's ever anything that I could ever do for any of you!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE, THROUGH AND THROUGH!!!!

Elder Traasdahl

"Stand Strong"

"Texas has taught me Love"

It's so good to hear from everyone!! Goodness, I've been blessed with such a wonderful family. Well this week again it's going to be a shorter one, sorry. Don't have that much time. Conference this week though snuck up on me! I totally forgot that it was this weekend! I LOVED IT!! IT WAS SOOO GOOOOOD!!!! The Lord is speaking to us! FAMILIES are central to God's eternal purposes, and we are to treat them as such! VIRTUE is sacred. As I was watching Robert D. Hales talk during the priesthood session, I realized something. We are living the Book of Mormon right now. The world and it's people is becoming ever increasingly wicked, and the prophets are declaring repentance and obedience and a return to God's commandments.  How many talks were on obedience?  Like nearly every one in some way or another.  I loved Holland's quote too about Faith, when he said something along the lines of "When you're looking for faith and asking God for it, stand on the ground that you've already won."  I took pages and pages of notes, haha I wish that I could call you guys and talk to y'all about it for hours, but oh well!  

This last week we've had success though!  We had 3 new investigators.  We taught a guy named R., a guy named J., and a guy named B. J. seems the most promising.  He's got some awesome faith in Christ and he's interested because his sister just joined, and she used to not be religious at all.  So he's all "what is it about you Mormons?"  Hmmm, must be the truth!   Haha but oh! Lucas  just got ordained a priest yesterday! It was really cool experience. So he's doing really good.

With this apostle coming on the 20th, there will also be a member of the 70 and a member of the presiding bishopbric. So 3 general authoritites, not 1! and the meeting will only last for 1 1/2 hours.  Still awesome though. As for mail though, send any to the mission office now, because transfers are a week and half from now, and I don't know what's going to happen.  May or may not stay, I've heard both.  

My last thoughts are about something I'm realizing about leadership, and how it applies to the doctrine of Christ. And this only really all came together as I was waiting for a computer to open up to email.  As a leader, I've come to notice and have realized that you're expected to sacrifice.  There have been multiple experiences this transfer where when someone needs to draw the short end of the stick, who does everyone look to to do it? The leader.  And I've gone and done it, because it was expected.  Reflecting back on these experiences, I've at times done it with bitterness in my heart, and then I've done it with love.  As I was waiting for a computer, at first  I was bitter, because this was a re-occurance where I was only going to get a few moments to email my family, and another week to shoot off a short email.  And then I was watching the district email, and I thought of their families, and how much joy they'll have this day from the emails they'll receive from them, and the bitterness left my heart, and no longer did waiting seem a bother to me.  I could've waited all day.  And then my thoughts turned towards Christ.  And his ultimate sacrifice.  And why was he willing to pay the price for us?  Why was he willing to perform the Atonement?  Because of his love for us.  I can not comprehend the love it must've taken, but I can try to by striving to love those that I'm around.  Real leadership is about love, not the title.  Texas has taught me love.  Mom and Dad, thanks for your examples to me about sacrafice, and putting others before yourselves.  I don't know if you realize what an influence that has been on me and how I've been able to rely on that example right now in this moment of my life. Thanks for all of your love and support fam, and please let me know if I can ever do anything for you guys!

Love,

Elder Traasdahl

Pics in TX

This week Elder Traasdahl came across some crazy weather.  As you can see one side was a cloudy sky while the other side of the picture captured a sudden crazy rain storm. 

Yep, Happy Easter!

For the record, I think he was fixing the tire... not looking for easter eggs.

I'm Still Alive. All is well.

So this is going to be a short one, sorry. I had to wait back for a group of elders to get their bikes looked at by the neighborhood bike guru, and that took a good 2 hours. Sooooo bye bye email time. Sorry. And the email to Pres. took a while too.  But hey! I'm still alive! All is well. Haha loved loved loved your emails though this week! Dad, got your letter this week, that made my day. That was a super neat pic of B and Aust you sent walking by eachother. That made my day too. And you guys lost?! It was bound to happen sometime, might as well happen now and to those guys. For my week though, goodness gracious, what to share. Didn't get to do an easter egg hunt last week, our pday was shot because Elder Owen had a nose bleed for an hour so he wanted to go to an Urgent Care to get it checked out. So we did, and waited forever, and guess what the solution to the problem was? Vasaline in the nose and this handy dandy nose stopper thing. I'll send a pic home of it. 

But guess what? Elder Owen likes to cook, so we are eating good, or have been these past few weeks.  I just split the ingredients with him and he does all the work and I eat it!  Pretty nice.  This week I went on an exchange, well two actually, but one of them was with Elder Woodward in Wichita Falls Central, and during the exchange we went to this guys house and it was pretty neat because the way it worked out with our plans and all it was one of those things where just the right amount of people fell through at the right time so that we could be at his place, at the right time to catch him.  Make sense?  So we taught him half of the 1st discussion and Christ's ministry.  We invited him to be baptised and committed him to Apr. 27th!  Super awesome lesson, very spiritual.  Now I've just gotta do that in my own area!  Yeah things are still falling through.  We have set appointments and members with us, but it just doesn't want to happen for some reason.  That scrip I shared on FB though, 3 Nephi 5:13, has been a real strength to me this week.  Each time I want to throw in the "mental towel" so to speak, that puppy just starts rolling in my head like a loudspeaker till I'm in high spirits.  Heavenly Father really is trying to get me to learn something here, so I'm learning!  Haha shoot well that's about all I can think of right now that's going on.  Oh goodness almost forgot.  On Apr. 20th an Apostle is coming to our mission!!!!  Don't know which one, we won't know that till the actual day. But neat huh? I'm super stoked for that. Finished the Book of Mormon too this week! 1 time down, to infinity and beyond! Gotta run, love all y'alls!

Elder Traasdahl