June 2, 2014~ "If I had a nickle..."

Good morning Arizona!  It was good to hear from you this week!  The first week of summer is done and gone!  Braden it sounds like you're having a good ol' time babysitting!  Enjoy the job!  Mom I'm sure your lesson went really well.  I enjoyed the photo that you sent me that you used in the lesson.  The church has really stepped up it's game in the media department.  And yes I have seen the Mormon Message about bullying, it's super good!  We've used it a couple times for our dinner messages with families that have a lot of youth.  Austin, keep up those smokin skills!  Of meat that is... haha and keep on workin on those wing recipes.  And pops!  Mom mentioned that you were going on a walk this morning.  What's the word on this triathalon you wanted to try to do in October?

Well this week, we had a pretty neat miracle.  We found the son of one of the active members of our ward, who's not a member!  His name is Rick.  Apparently he's been through lots of sets of missionaries.  He came to church this Sunday, and in our gospel principles class it was father (Rick) son (Rick Jr.) WML who taught the class, and 4 missionaries.   Haha so our WML, Br. Murray, essentially focused the whole lesson on Rick Jr. and in so many words said "why haven't you been dunked yet?"  Our sacrament meeting yesterday was really good too. Every testimony in one way or another testified of Christ as their Savior.  Except one little boy who walked up there and bore testimony how it's ok to lie sometimes, because his mom lied to and old woman to help her think she was safe.  Funny enough the little boy was the son of a member of the stake presidency, who was sitting on the stand.

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to go back to a baptism in Norman, for a girl named Annie Witter.  I didn't mention much about her while I was in Norman, because I only taught her twice.  She has a really neat story though.  She was intro'd to the gospel by her boyfriend at age 16.   Her parents said she had to wait till she was 17 to get baptized, to make sure it was her decision, and not a romantic decision.  17 came around, and her parents said she had to wait till she was 18. May 30th was her 18th bday, and she was baptized May 31st. Throughout the whole time her family wouldn't come to church or talk to members or missionaries.  However, her family came to the baptism!  Annie bore her testimony after she was baptized, and she said some things that hit home.  She said "If I had a nickle for every time in my life that I've felt whole, complete, and adequate, and worth something, then today I could tell you that I would have one nickle.  Because today I took upon myself the name of Christ and promised to follow him for the rest of my life.  I know too that this is his church, the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-Day Saints."  

It made me sad to see that she didn't feel adequate most of her life, however what she said deepened my understanding of a principle of the gospel.   It's in making and keeping our covenants that we receive a fullness of joy!  The promises we make with God are meant to enable us and help us become better people, not burden us down with tasks and restrictions. We can recognize our divine worth and potential when we choose to respect each promise we make with God.  What a blessing it is that we have the opportunity to do so!  Could you imagine what life would be like if we didn't have that chance? Man!  Talk about being tossed to and fro.  Anyways, I also am so grateful for and know of the special blessings of strong family relationships.  I love you all so much, and am grateful for all the help you've been to me!  Keep on keepin on!  Love ya

Elder Traasdahl

May 27th, 2014~ Top Ten List of Mission Life in Stillwater

Well hey  hey familia!!  It's good to hear that you enjoyed your time in California, it's even better to hear that we still want to keep our roots in AZ!   Haha.  B dog!  I hear that you've grown up a ton.  That's not cool.  You're not supposed to grow up! Haha just messin.  Someone needs to keep Austin in line.  Way to go with the flag routes too.  I remember those days.  Fun fun. That picture of the auditorium you sent was incredible!  That would've so cool to have been there to listen to the choir record!  I don't doubt that it gave you chills, I get chills only thinking about it!

Mom I really enjoyed the top ten of the trip that you shared, and you asked for the top ten of my week, so here you go!

This weeks top ten 10!

10.  Getting to help Zach and Ila Edens move into their new home.  They have a dachshund.  A dog like Basil that's got the funniest personality, her name is Rue.  Super awesome. I guess along with that helping the Wall's family move too.  Solid family.

9.  Getting condemned to hell and declared as false prophets and deceivers by 3 different people in the same hour last night :) (That's a good story for another time, probably after the mish)

8.  Watching Elder Whitehead almost throw up 4 different times at dinner this week as we were eating pozole.  (it's a hispanic dish, I'm sure Austin will know what it is.  Basically water, pork, and hominy all boiled together.) I thoroughly enjoyed it! haha

7.  Having time  yesterday to clean the apartment.

6.  I was able to do the baptism interview for a 75 yr old woman named Cecilia.  It was really special experience.  The lord has definitely prepared her for the gospel.  She was baptized in the Cushing ward on Saturday, and that was the first baptism that ward has had in years.

5.  Emails today!  It sounds like you had a wonderful time in California!

4.  We have 2 priesthood blessings this week.  The power of God is real!

3.  I think I'll have to go back to last night's experience.  In our conversation with this group of people a man had his own copy of the B.o.M that he's had for years and he said "I've read this book, and it doesn't talk about Christ anywhere!  Show me one place where it talks about Christ!"  So we did :)  I know the principles in D&C 11:21 correct and true.

2.  I was on exchanges in Cushing, and we Okie talked with 3 people that were drunk out of their mind.  If you want to laugh, talk to a drunk Okie.

1. Getting to go to temple on Saturday as Justin Duren received his endowment before he left for his misson!

Dad to answer your question, Robin and Michelle's date is for June 21st.  Their situation got a little more interesting this past week.  Michelle kicked Robin out, and he's now living in a homeless shelter.  Soooo we're trying to figure out the best way to go about teaching the both of them and having the both of them come to church, while at the same time keeping the peace between them.

This Sunday too the Flowers family came to church!  I'm not sure if I've told you much about them... they were found a month before I came into the area, and were baptized the Sunday before I got here.  They didn't get confirmed until a week and a half later, because they wouldn't come to church so we got them to come down on a Wednesday night.  Since their baptism they hadn't come to church.  My personal opinion is that their baptism was one of those "I'm going home, so we need to baptize them now!" on the part of the missionary that was here before me, rather than "what's best for flowers family?"  Anyways, they came to church for the first hour, which was a mini miracle.  The next hurdle to climb is to have them stay for the 2nd and 3rd hour, because they haven't ever stayed for those, even when they were investigating the church.

I love you all lots, and I continue to pray for you!  Keep on with the CPR!  Going to Church, saying your Prayers, and Reading the scriptures!

Elder Traasdahl

May 19, 2014~ "I can't see anything to love."

Good morning America!  Here's an Okie classic for you that happened this week.  We were visiting with a recent convert, and during our conversation we were talking about Christ's life and his ministry.  In the middle of our conversation, our recent convert said "and you see, that's just wrong! That's what Christ did to Jesus!"  #Trinityfail.  It's safe to say that there's some confusion to clear up.  It's also safe to that I had a hard time trying not to bust up laughing when she said that.  

Yayyy for Austin's graduation though!!  That's super exciting! That was a really neat poem/quote you shared too Aust. "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul!"  Love it. And what's this rumor I hear about a trip to California?  Fun fun! Well shoot this week.  Lot's happened.  There were many fiery darts and shafts in the whirlwind flung my way as well. Small example to illustrate that point, we were talking with a guy on the street and during a few minutes of a conversation he wouldn't look us in the eye.  It wasn't a "I'm scared to talk to you" but rather a "I'd rather look at dirt than you" type deal. Haha and it's happened before and it'll happen again, no big deal.  But this time my guard was down and I let it get under my skin.  So the new battle to fight now is not giving in to the "well heck I don't care anymore I'm done with this" attitude.  Because in the words of my Samoan friend Elder Tommy "aint nobody got time for that!"

This week we were able to set 2 baptismal dates with Robin and Michelle, the couple I was telling you about on Mother's day.  To be honest we're not sure about Robin's desires, we think he's more interested in becoming converted to the gospel of Michelle rather than the Gospel of Christ, however we have high hopes for Michelle!  This week we also had the special opportunity to volunteer for the Special Olympics!  Apparently it's always held in Stillwater and it's the big deal here.  My biggest regret was that I forgot to bring my camera!  It was a definite moment to remember though.  We also were able to do some service and chop some wood this week for the first time.  Pictures to come.  Sad to say, after the experience, I felt like my man card needed to be revoked.  Haha if only you could've been there.  So Pops, you should get some wood, and axe, and a chopping block in the back yard, so we can practice chopping wood.

1. Chopping wood. Here I go mid swing! 

Yes, I could have better form, I know... haha

2. #teamwork myself and Elder Whitehead.

Scripture thought and experience of the week:  Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. vs 6.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."   I was on exchanges this weekend with one of our DL's.  At the end of each exchange, we do what's called an exchange report, to help ourselves focus on a goal that we want to work on or a skill/attribute that we want to obtain.  Throughout our conversation and exchange noticed some things about this elder.  He is a great missionary and I've served around him for 6 months of my mission.  Whenever he did something good or someone complimented him however he would disregard it and then proceed to point out a fault or weakness of his.  As we were talking I had the thought "I wonder if he loves himself?"  It thought that was an odd thought to have but it lingered, so I told him, "Elder, I've never asked someone this before, and you don't have to answer this. But think to yourself.  Do you love yourself?"  There was a pause as he thought, and I fully intended for the conversation to continue.  This elder answered the question though, and said "No, I don't think I do.  I can't see anything to love."  I was taken aback by his answer, but tried not to show it.  He then asked, "Elder Traasdahl, how do you learn to love yourself?"  How would you answer that?  Haha because in the moment it was on my shoulders to answer!  And I knew that this was a serious and real concern.  Prov 3:5-6 came to my mind, and I said a serious prayer.  I said "Heavenly Father, I'm calling one in for the team.  Let me know what to say to help this elder out!"  I trusted in the Lord and fam I'm tellin you what, he directed my path.  

What came out of that conversation was a daily 6 step process that this elder needs to take to learn to love himself.  After looking at it I thought to myself "wow, I never would've been able to come up with this on my own.  Ever."  Alma 26:12 at the beginning of my mission became one of my favorite scriptures and continues to be.  I know that we all are nothing, yet I know that in the strength of the Lord we can do ALL things!  Be it help a member of our ward gain a testimony, serving a fellow deacon, taking the MCAT :), helping a comp, and on and on.  My testimony continues to be strengthened through the daily experiences of living the gospel and keeping the commandments.  I love you all so much and thank you so much for you support and love!

Elder Traasdahl

May 12, 2014~ To be enabled

Well we're back to the mode of electronic communication my dear family!  It was a real treat to be able to chat with all of you last night . I believe it was a blessing in disguise we weren't able to Skype.  Haha Elder Whitehead, when he was done, came out of the room he was in with tear filled eyes and it took a little bit for him to gain his composure back.  Not that that's bad in any way, I just think I may have come out the same had I been able to Skype.  Anyways all is well!  Bdog, I didn't know you were the next William Joseph!  That's awesome!  Keep up the great work on your ivory tickling skills!  Aust thanks for the work out routines, that will really help.  Like you said, now I'll have at least some fighting chance come August when we're all back together pumpin iron!  Dad it looks like you scored with the Mothers Day gift, that's a pretty sweet lookin bike!  Next item on the list: one of those Ninja speed racing bikes. And mother. I feel bad because I didn't get a card or do anything special for mother's day, even though you deserve all of that and more.  I believe there's a quote by Abraham Lincoln where he says "All that am, and ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."  I don't believe I can say it any better myself than that!

I told you last night about the new couple that we found, Robin and Michelle.  We're really excited to have the opportunity to continue working with them.  We dropped a part member family this past week too, that missionaries have been meeting with for almost a year now.  It's come to the point where the member in the family wants to only hang with us and the spouse isn't willing to make any changes.   It's sad to see, the elders quorum in the ward is on top of it so we know that they won't go without a visit from the ward.  This past week we also received 3 referrals from other missionaries in Stillwater who are in other areas, so that's been a great blessing.  We haven't been able to contact all of them yet however. Hopefully next week I'll have better news!

Other than that  most of our investigator pool that we're working with are either people who missionaries have been meeting with for months, and we're going to need to make a decision too on whether or not we're going to drop them, or friends of recent converts.  We do a lot of teaching/visits to recent converts and we've been able to network through them and 5 of our potential investigators that we have right now are friends of recent converts.  We still have more people to find though! So miracles to come.

Like I mentioned last night briefly Elder Whitehead and I are holding a specialized training meeting next Monday and we'll be discussing overcoming fear and discouragement.

This morning in my studies, in preparation for that, I was reading in Matt 14, and the account of Peter when he walked on water.  There's a ton in there that I learned that I'll have to share another time, but one of my favorite insights was in vs 30.  It says "But when he (Peter) saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me."  In Peter's moment of fear and failure, he cried out to Christ and said "Lord, save me."  His response wasn't "well, I tried and failed, so that proves it can't be done."  Neither was it "I'm sinking! Looks like I need to go swim back to the boat where I know I can find safety."  He asked for help from his Savior, and "immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him... And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased."  I was thinking about it too and after Christ helped Peter how do you think they got back to the ship?  It doesn't say it in there, but it makes sense that they walked!  I don't think Christ would've taken Peter by the hand drug him along while He walked back to the boat.  With the aide and help of Christ,  Peter accomplished his goal and walked on water back to the boat.  

I've learned and know that in our moments of fear and failure, there's one source we can turn to for help.  To be enabled.  That source is our Savior. What a blessing that we can have opportunities where we fail and are afraid!  Because we then have the privilege of being led by the hand of Christ and come to know Him.  I love this gospel and I love my Savior. You're a tremendous family and I love all of you!  This week, when you're either afraid, or feel like you're failing, like Peter, call out "Lord, save me!" and watch as you're led by the hand back to the boat.  I hope you all have an incredible week! Love you!

Elder Traasdahl

May 5, 2014~ Adjusting to the transfer: Stillwater is a whole new different creature

I'm telling you what, it's been such a long time since I've had a week that has felt like it's taken so long to go by!  Haha I don't know why but it feels like it's been ages since we've talked! But it's good to hear from you, and it'll be good to chat with you on Mother's Day.  Mom! that's no good to hear that you got stung by a scorpion!  That's one critter that we hardly see out here anymore, thank goodness.  The fireflies are starting to come out now, which is really neat.  Those things are super cool.  And what the heck!  Austin and Dad had some bdays!!  I forgot to mention something about that last week.  Happy birthdays!! And bdog school's almost out isn't it?  Woo hoo!!  

Well Stillwater is a whole new different creature.  Haha it's pretty nuts.  In a good way though.  The bishop here is super gung-ho missionary minded, our WML is a my way or the highway type guy with his sights set on baptizing all of Stillwater, and together they've got a game plan.  On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights from 6:30-8:30 and then 6-9 on Saturday two brethren go on splits with us and we go our separate ways and visit people.  So the expectation's been set that we need to find enough people to have appointments to go to during those times.  In the last 2 weeks this area just had 7 baptisms, so they essentially baptized their whole investigator pool, and now we're left with filling it back up!  Haha but it's a good problem to have.  This expectation too isn't just from our Bishop but also across the stake.  Most the areas in the zone have the same type of systems going on.  Upon coming into the zone, I've noticed too that it seems like President W. has stacked this zone with some of the (best) missionaries in the mission.  It all starts from the top though!  President Bowen, the Stillwater stake president, set this expectation a year or so ago and now it continues move forward.

This past week though has been filled with coming to grips that I'm actually leaving Norman, and then trying to learn a whole new ward, investigators, less actives, and so forth.  My mind has been slightly mush these past few days.  This week though I've taken a lot of comfort in the experience of Ammon and his brethren.  President asked the mission to study Alma 26 this past week so we did and verse 1 really stuck out to me.  It says  "And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus:  My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?"  I really liked this verse because it helps us realize that when they started out on their journey, they weren't expecting loads and loads of converts.   I'm sure they probably thought maybe a handful of people converted to the Lord would've been more than they could have asked for.  They still embarked on their journey though because they knew they needed to follow the promptings of the spirit that they felt, and that those feelings were from God.  They knew and trust that if they did follow those feelings, then they didn't need to worry about any other detail.  I also appreciate Ammon's example because he took time to reflect upon the experience after he acted in faith.

 I know at times that I act in faith and then don't give myself the credit I deserve, or Heavenly Father the credit he deserves for providing the blessings that he did because of the act of faith taken.  Rather those blessings can be looked over or counted for nought because of their simplicity.  Anyways, I know that reflective learning is progressive learning.  Not progressive in the bad way, but the good way :)  I know that the gospel is true, and I know that God loves you.  We were talking with an atheist the other day, who was a really pleasant man, but when it came to God he was prideful and mocked Him.  He asked me how I knew God was real, and I told him of an experience I had where I knew that God loved me, which is the foundation of my testimony.  As I bore my testimony those same feelings came back which reaffirmed to me that God is our Father, and that he does love us.  After I finished sharing that experience, this man was silent for a few moments, and then cracked a joke to change the subject because he was uncomfortable with feeling the spirit.  It was sad to see.  However I know that that's true.  I love you all, and look forward to talking to soon!

Elder Traasdahl

April 28th ~ Transfer Alert - Stillwater, Oklahoma is next on the list

April 28th, 2014

Hello familia!  Well it sounds like you all have had such a wonderful week!  Aust, I feel your pain, I was afflicted too this week with a cold.  It doesn't sound like I got it as bad as you did, but I've been hacking up some good mucus and my voice dropped a few octaves and I a few snot filled hanky's later I was set!  Mom I used those on guard beadlets you sent and the peppermint oil, the deliverance oil and sought a priesthood blessing and I've been able to plug along!  Braden way to hook Basil up with a comfortable bed!  He'd thank you for that if he could talk.

 Well let's get down to business!  We got the call yesterday afternoon and I'm getting transferred to Stillwater.  It still hasn't really hit me yet that I'm leaving though.  Haha I've been here so long that it doesn't feel like I can leave, even though I know I needed the change.  I was stopping by saying bye to a few families yesterday and plan to throughout the day today and man!  It feels like I'm saying goodbye all over again to my family as if I was leaving for my mission!  Norman's been good to me, I've loved serving here.  I know though that change is good and I'll learn a lot in Stillwater.  The area/zone I'm going to is one of the highest baptizing zone's in the mission, so I'm looking forward to teaching a lot and learning how to work with member effectively, because that's the reason why they're so successful.

The members in that stake are really missionary minded, and the stake president has a goal to have his stake be split because of the growth of their missionary efforts.  There was a missionary who came home and gave his homecoming talk this past Sunday, and he said something interesting in his talk.  He said "I hope that there's been something that' been said today that has given you a desire to change, because if it hasn't, then you've merely been entertained.  If you're not changed then you've only been entertained."  That really struck me because it's a really stark contrast but it's makes a really good point.  We can either allow a message to affect us and the decisions that we make, or we can let it be a nice flowery message that we enjoy and the effects wear off as soon as our thoughts are distracted by the next entertaining idea or message.  I feel the key difference on whether we allow a message or doctrine to either change us or merely entertain is whether or not we have an open heart and an open mind, with a spirit of humility about us.  Well I love all of you lots and look forward to talking to you on Mothers day!!

Elder Traasdahl

1. This is Paul Wognaku.  Convert to the church.  He's had 5 strokes, which has left him paralyzed and unable to talk.  He has the slight use of 1 arm so the way we communicate is we talk to him and he writes back his response on a piece of paper. He's from Africa and was a professor at OU before his health problems.  We would visit him and sing him hymns and read a chapter with him so he could have some influence of the spirit in his life.  He also speaks 3 languages, but can't use them.. pretty rough situation.

2. The Richichi family.  He's a computer wiz that's hooked us up when we've needed technical help in any trainings and she's a great cook that would always fill in the holes of our dinner calendar. Great family!

3. The Norman zone!

4. Elder Vance caught me about to sneeze. He got a fancy camera so he's been trigger happy the last few weeks

Pictures from Spring 2014