Next Chapter

Im at a loss for what to blog. To many things happening and too many emotions running around my head. A lot of it I don't know if I wanna share.

Im trying to get organized and.. start life again. Its a weird thing to do. But Ive made a decision. Im leaving this blog. Im just gonna start all over again. fresh and new. Im not giving up on this blog. its just finished. So, lets do something different...

Judgment Day

There is this couple next to me that is drunk/fighting as they use the computers.. They are on opposite sides of the table and he keeps yelling for her to come over and look at something, and she keeps coming, and then he tells her to get away from him.. in very vulgar terms... and she just takes it and goes back to her computer. I would so dump him. In fact, I would probably poor some hot liquid on him and then dump him. Then I would break a window in his car... (but he probably dosent have one).

But she wont. She will probably take it all her life and they will have 4 beautifully miserable kids together and he will be a jerk his whole life and she will do nothing. And then "monkey see monkey do" and the cycle will continue... It is so sad. I hate having to be around this all the time. PA is so ghetto and gross. Dont get me wrong. I love it here. So many people willing to listen. but it is such a miserable little city.

I cant tell you how much missionaries (not from Utah) will make fun of Utah. And I know its not perfect, but I love my happy little vally, and I defend it to the end. I believe it is better than the alternative. This couple is a model of like 30-40% of the relationships up here in PA. It is so disturbing I want to barf.

We were watching mormon messages the other day. We watched one about this civility experiment. It was very good. This homeless man they interview says some very profound things. He talks about how, he believes, there are more ways to do good in this world than to do bad. But its up to us to make the choice. He also says that the majority of people are mostly good. Its hard to believe it, but I do.

That drunk guy just left and, in a loud whisper, ever so "slyly" told his girlfriend that he will go get them a "hit" and they will meet in the van in a few minutes...

And just as I finished that paragraph.. What great timing.

Pray that the second coming holds off until PA is more ready for it.

15 Minutes

I played my song in Ward conference. I told everyone that I couldnt read music and the rumors started flying about how I had never had a piano lesson in my life and that I play by ear and that I wrote the song... I just let it happen. No harm in it.

Then this one guy visiting from Alberta gets up after church and starts playing the piano all professional like. He was trying to show me up. It was obvious that he was better than me and didnt like all these rumors of my excellence. I messed up like 3 times on my simple song, and he had probably been playing for like 10 years, But no one even payed attention to him. everyone kept coming up to me and asking me what song it was and where I got the composition and I just told them I arranged it myself and let the rumors fly.

Do I feel bad? Not really. I am mediocre at a lot of things, but not 'really good' at anything. I believe they say, "jack of all trades, master of none". But for that day I was a legend, and loving it.

So play on, little punk from Alberta. No ones listening. Your just making a turd of yourself, and not being very classy, I would say. And this is Saskatchewan, redneck capital of Canada, and we dont like your high and mighty type around here.

Put that in your nerd and smoke it.

Squoze

Also, I was just told this week, for the first time in my 21 year old life, the Squoze is not a word... I have always said squoze as the past tense of squeeze... how has no one caught that and corrected me!? I feel like a retard!

Elder Turner sure thinks I am.

We determined that I must have made some connection with the word 'freeze', which is 'froze' is past tense... freeze froze squeeze squoze...

I have also realized that I use the word squozen on occasion..

Thanks for nothing public Education

Neither of us Can Believe It

On Friday I picked up Elder Turner headed back up to PA. Elder Turner is from Japan. He lived there 8 years and moved to the States. He is from Las Vegas now. He is not Japanese. He just was at one point.

We have been getting along really well. But some eerie junk is going on.. Someone told him before he got with me, that he would enjoy it because we are so similar. But he didnt really believe it.. But since he has been here we have discovered that we have the same body wash and scrubber (which did NOT come in a set) we use the same batteries, watch all the same shows, are the same height, have the same shoe shine kit, are both known mission wide for keeping the apartment clean, and we both always sleep with the wall to our right... I mean, sleeping with the wall to your right!? Come on! I always thought I was weird for doing that..

He is not shy at all, which is a big change from the last 6 months of companions I have had. He talks during lessons! I dont even have to stare at him for 40 seconds! Its great!

I'll miss the Mann, but Turner and I are also getting along great.

Pres Monson does his thing

He starts by telling us that there are 3 new temples in the works! Great! First in Colorado. Second in Idaho... Well. Ill just let you watch this. he tells it better.

...The 3rd.. in Canada. In Manitoba. In Winnipeg... In this mission!!!

I couldnt contain myself! I wanted to jump up and down or clap or yell or something! Everyone one in the chapel (like 4 people) was shocked and mildly happy. But to them it was just another temple in Canada. For me, it was a Temple in Canada! And in Winnipeg of all places! My Mission! A temple for MY people! I was so happy for my fellow saints in Winnipeg. I was so happy. It made me feel like I had accomplished something! I was buzzed. What a great way to start off conference.

The rest was also good.

Patience is great

She is sometimes hard to understand, but she is great. She said the closing prayer last time, and she had her son bring her a blanket to cover her head, and she sang a song first and then said this LONG and FAST prayer in her native laguage. it was wonderful. I wish we prayed like that. She wants to come to church, but wants to wait till she gets a Job so she can use the excuse of work to sneak to our church... oh boy.. She is hilarious. I hope we dont get her in trouble with the JW's. Or get ourselves in trouble with them..

All I know it that if things get rough, at least I can get blood transfusions...

The church is true. And Patience says that if it is true we have to do everything we can to go to it. even if it means cutting off our finger.... again.. she is great.

3 Stories For You

Her name is Sandy

So, we were tracting this street. 7th st. E. to be exact. 900 block. And we were just about to go in, because it was 5 to 9. I know this sounds cliche, but it was literally the last house we were going to knock on. 909 A (it was like a duplex). So we knock and this lady comes to the door. Elder Schumann introduces us and she immediately says "No thank you, I am not interested AT ALL with religion." Elder Schumann asked why and she said that she has been going through a really hard time for 4 years, and God has not helped her at all. She prayed and prayed... and nothing has changed. Then I started to testify to her that God did, in fact, love her, and that he wanted to help her. She just needed to draw nearer to him first. She then tells us a bit about her situation. "I dont drink," she says "I dont smoke, and yet, my 9 year old little girl is stuck with my alcoholic ex-husband, because he has money, and money talks" She goes on to explain that none of her children are living with her. But she is most heart broken about her little girl, because they are all drinkers, and she dosent want her to go that way. At this point i said something else, but i dont remember what it was. She looks at us for a while and says, I cant have you standing out there in the cold, come in and ill make you some hot chocolate.

Wow. I have never had a contact turn from that into THAT. But it gets better.

We sat with her a while and asked if we could share a bit of our message. she says yes. We explain the book of Mormon and tell her that this will bring her the happiness she is looking for. It wont fix all her problems, but it will give her hope and bring her at peace with God. She starts to talk again about her kids, and how she can tell that we were well raised and that being kind to people was important to us. She said her kids dont know that. "I would rather have you sitting her, playing cards with me or whatever, than my own kids". She said "When you come back I'll have too..." and then I didnt hear what she said, because all I could think about was her inviting us back! We never said anything about coming back... She must have caught herself too, because after she said. "You know, I think it would be a good idea for you to come back. I could really use some hope right now".

Wow.. powerful. The spirit was so strong.

Her name is Patience

So the next day, we are finishing up that same street. Nothing much happened, and it was time to go in for lunch, But because of some scheduling stuff, Elder Schumann asked if I wanted to keep tracting another half hour and go in later. I said sure, not really wanting too, because it was so cold. But it must have been a prompting too him, because at one of the houses this BIG black lady came to the door, and with absolutely NO hesitation said "Come in", so we stepped in. Then she said "Sit down". and points to her couch. I was actually a little hesitant.. I didnt know what was up.. did she think we were someone else? We sat down and she just sits there, holding her very cute, very wide eyed baby girl on her lap. She dosent say anything... so we start talking. And she is just listening to everything we say and loving it. She says she is Jehovah Witness, but that she dosent like it very much, because she likes to pray, and she dosent like their prayers. She said her spirit will get weak if she dosent pray. She told us that she had been fasting, and she was just about to end her fast with a prayer, and we came to the door. She said "God sent you". She is so great! she is from Nigeria. Dad said he baptized a Nigerian man on his mission. So i have to baptize this lady and her family. They are so funny. The culture is so different and friendly. i love it. She just invites us inside instead of making us talk to her at the door. That is normal to her! I am going to do that all the time now. It was so funny and I am already in love with her family.

His name is Eduardo

I also met this man from the Philippines. He is already a member. He is amazing. We went over to teach his roommate, who ended up not being there for the lesson. so we just taught him. He shared with us his conversion story. He was born roman catholic. Everyone in the Philippines is. He wasnt content though, and so he searched. He became a Born Again Christian. His first in counter with the church was around this time, I believe. There was a man, that would walk to church and pass his house. He lived somewhere down the block, but he didnt know him. But he would always sit on his porch as he walked by, and the member would always shout "Hello my friend!" and walk on by.

He never knew he was a member. A year or so later, the man stopped coming by. and a while after that, this man got a job in Saudi Arabia. While he was there, he met the other men he was working with, one of the men came up to him and said "I know you! You are my friend!" It was the same man that passed him on the street on his way to church. In the next couple of month, he was introduced to some of the teaching of the Gospel by him, and by another man, who was a return missionary. They did not have scriptures in Saudi Arabia. It was against the law, and you could receive the death penalty for it. So they just talked. His friend told him "All you have to do to know that this is true, is to pray, very hard, and ask God". So he did. That night, he had a dream about a beautiful white building. It looked like a church. He asked his friend about it, and he pulled out a picture of the temple in the Philippines. "Is this is?" He asked. "Yes! Thats the church! What Church is this". He said, "this is a Temple. This is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". He said "I want to go there". But his friend said that he had to be a member of the church. "He said, "...Ok, Teach me about your church".

In the next few weeks the return missionary and his friend taught him the 6 discussions. He took lots of notes, he said. He was especially intrigued by eternal families. That is what he wanted. At the end of the discussions his friend asked him if he wanted to be baptized. He said yes, "I want to be baptized NOW. Can you baptize me now?" Unfortunately, they had to say no. They explained that they did not have the priesthood keys to do so.. He was heart broken.. they told him that when he had vacation time, find the Elders and tell them you want to be baptized. He had to wait something like 6 months before he had 1 month of vacation time. He went back to the Philipinnes and told his wife "I want to marry you for time and all eternity. Do you want to be with me forever" She said yes. and so he called the missionaries. they lived 2 hours away from his house... he had to travel there every week to retake the discussions. He took them 2 at a time. He was baptized the end of the month. Some how, he got permission to receive the priesthood and baptize his wife the same day... That wouldnt fly anymore. But it is romantic in this story. He is now away from home once again, in Canada. But he now has a large family, all in the covenant. He has helped 27 people to accept the Gospel. And that is just from HIM alone. Not including all the people that they have now helped, and also his son, who just returned from his mission. This guy is amazing.

I Can't Get Too Mad

We are teaching one of the Halcro girls friends. Her name is Cassie. She is super funny, and I am excited to work with her. She is super down to earth and really thinks about the things we tell her and ask her todo. She is thinking about baptism and we learned about why she hasnt decided on a date yet. She just wants the support of her parents, and shes not getting that from her mom yet. Her dad sounds good though.

She said she leaves for a soccer trip on July 15th. That is my freaking 2 year mark! She said it is very possible for her to be baptized before that.

that is great. We will get 'er. She is gonna be great.

A New One Every Month

So we met a lady named Kathleen last week. She was very timid, but super nice. She said we could come back "anytime". So we went back on Sunday (not like we had to go to church or anything). We taught her about the restoration and it went really well! We invited her to be baptized and she accepted! She said she really wanted to start going to a church.

She is super! We just got done teaching her about an hour ago, and she said the closing prayer and asked for a comfirmation that the Book of Mormon was true. She said that she felt so happy after the prayer. She just felt really good, she said. She got her answer. Man! I cant baptize these people fast enough! haha!

We're Cool

We went to the Halcro's twice. They are so fun! Sister Halcro is a Mckay, and reminds me of mom because her obsession with chocolate. Although she is not weird like mom, because she likes MILK chocolate! The best kind. So we get chocolate when we go there. Brother Halcro is always cracking jokes, in ANY situation, and is supper funny. (ex. When his oldest daughter was born, RIGHT AFTER SHE WAS DELIVERED he turns to the doctor and says "I'm just glad shes not Chinese!" and the confused doctor asks why. He says "Well, I heard 1 in ever 3 babies born now adays is Chinese." bu dum cheee. haha! love it. He had to be saving that one for a while) Already love the Halcros BTW. I'm glad I'll be living with the Scheiss' after the mish, so I can go visit them on occation.

As Usual

We waited for the transfer train to come in from Winnipeg.. They were REALLY late. Turns out that they all got pulled over for tickets!.. so that delayed things. Well 12 o'clock rolls around and they still werent there! Then we got a phone call from the sisters "The Elder Rolled off the road! They rolled over like 4 times!"

So the ZLs run off and we are left there.. wondering. Then they call and say "Find a place to sleep. We are gonna be a while"

So we all leave, But we took a detour to go see the wreck. The truck was upright, and no one was there. So we called the sisters and they told us what happened. The Elders are fine. Slipped on ice and went over the overpass.. They didnt have any blockers to keep cars from falling off that thing... thats stupid.

One of the Sisters is brand new. She was heading for her first area.. what a welcome. CWM!

So much better than texting

It all started when I lost a key, and my oil vile in a field. A field of SNOW! remember how I said we had 4 feet? Well sometimes I just cant help running through it. It is so fun!

There is a playground in the middle of this field and I ran to the monkeybars, did a backflip and jumped in the snow and it was great... then that night.. I realized I didnt have my key.. or my vile. I was only a little upset, because we also set a couple of baptism dates with our new investigators Christie and Frank. They are great. Both 20. Im actually older than them! it is really weird to teach people your age..

Anyway. We decided to go back the next day and look for them.... I was SO certain we would never find them. 4 feet of snow remember! But I didnt doubt that God knew right where they were, and he would lead me to them, if it was in his plans.

So I prayed, and looked, and found nothing. I followed my foot steps into the far end of the field before I decided that it was ridiculous and i would never find anything.

So I started walking back, But instead of logically following my footsteps back, I decided i wanted to trounced through the deep snow back. Then in the middle of the feild, I stumbled upon a imprint of my body after jumping in the snow... I sat there for a minute... just taking it in. I knew my key was going to be here.. I dont know how. I just felt it.

I dug around lightly, where they key would have fallen out of my pocket.. and there it was... A small miracle. I thanked Heavenly Father, then asked about my oil vile. I kept digging, but it wasnt there. I felt like I should check one more time at the monkey bars.. But I had checked there thoroughly before.. But I went anyway.

There were a lot of holes in the ground where I dug there... but I picked a hole, and started digging.. Nothing for a while... So I kept digging. I was about to give up, thinking that finding the key was good enough, and I was pushing my luck with the Big Guy. I was the one that was stupid enough to run through the snow with a stray key and oil vile in my pocket...

So I stopped.... and looked up. And there, on top of the pile of snow I was just digging out of the hole, was my snow cover vile. You could barley even see the gold through the snow around it... I cant even describe to you what I felt in that moment.. Shock, Awe, Peace, Love, EXCITEMENT! I pick it up slowly and walked back to the car where my comp was waiting. I showed it to him and said "God answers prayer"

-40 C day

At -40 they always issue a frost bite warning. Frostbite within mintues! Sometimes seconds, if the wind is blowin' hard. This winter has been SO crazy! We have about 4 feet of snow outside right now. I haven't seen the ground in a long time. And People are running out of places to put it all! Their driveways are PILED on either side. Some of the piles are as tall as me. And people are on their roofs shoveling them off, for fear that they will collapse.

According to the farmers almanac, we have less than HALF of the snow we are expected to get this year.... 8 feet! HOLY JUNK! That is a butt load of snow... Lucky the farmers almanac is a load of garbage. No one can predict the weather that far in advance... or at all, for that matter. But who knows. Its been right before (probably).

Mom said something about winter only being 4 months long... its starts snowing in october here, and ends about april... hopefully. It should all be melted in may. How long is that?

this year may be a bit different. late May, early June. thats when I expect all THIS snow to melt.

My mission is so cool. (no pun intended)

CWM's finest!

Prez told us a while back that he might pull us out. Then this week, we were on exchanges, and I was with our (former AP) DL. And Prez called to tell me, he was pulling us out.. for sure.

I was freaking, because (A) We had been doing really good this week, but he didnt know, cause he dosent find out till the end. And (B) How were we going to find the motivation to go out and find people.. when 2 weeks into the transfer Prez basically says "Dont Bother"..

Well our DL didnt like the idea of us leaving, So that night he calls up the APs and gives them a talking to. I wasnt there for the convo, but one of our ZLs (Elder O'driscoll, He's super great) told us he was telling them it was a 'Poor Decision' and he wanted to know why. Crazy. He was defending our area hard core.

Then he talked to Prez and Prez basically said "Find them an apartment or their out". He really dosent like us living in the church... So the next day he tells that to Prez Harrold (BP) and he is like... "Oh.. ok.." Its sad, because he talks all about how the missionaries are the blood of this branch.. and if they left... it would kill them... sad.. and when Prez told me we were outta here, he said I had to tell everyone! I was scared. I didnt want them to think we werent doing work or something..

Well, we went and talked to this realestate guy, and we hadnt really found a suitable apartment in the past, but this guys says that one just opened for cheap and is 2 bedroom and refurbished and is on a month to month lease! Just perfect for Prez!

So we check it out and it is great! We aren't getting it though, We are waiting till one upstairs in the same place opens up. It is it a better location i guess, but is not as nice looking.. but missionary apartments are supposed to be I guess..

So God wants us in Melville. That is all there is to it. And we killed it this week. Prez called to congratulate us. I once had the AP's call to tell me i did good, but never Prez. Man, So good.

I'm goin' to the Jo-Ho's

We met a lot of Jo-Ho's (Jehovah's Witnesses) this week. We had one invite us in the other day. She was SO nice. She was super great and just wanted to talk about the bible and was genuinely interested in what we believe, not because she wanted to join, but because she was curious. So its wasnt all the normal JW junk about trying to convert us and stuff. She was SO animated.. almost comically so.. you would have been good friends. her name was Bunny..

We talked with them about how we believe Jehovah is Jesus. They thought we were crazy. She offered us tea, and we said we didnt drink tea. She said "Oh, thats right, you dont drink anything black." Then she asked if Hot chocolate was ok. we said yes.. But I was confused about what she said about "black drinks". Turns out they thought that we didnt drink anything black, because Cain was cursed to be black... haha! oh boy. Never heard that one before. She thought we were raciest against drinks! bwaaha! We taught them the WOW.

Well, It's all over...

Elder Liechty,

I am sorry to report that your driving privileges have been suspended for the remainder of your mission. If missionaries are involved in any preventable accident that requires a claims adjuster or that could lead to litigation or action against the Church, they automatically lose their driver certification and are not allowed to drive again during their mission. Any exceptions must be approved by the Missionary Department after all the facts have been reviewed. Your certification has been revoked as of 22Dec2010.

While you are waiting for your car to be repaired, no car will be reassigned!!* While waiting for the repair of your vehicle, you and your companion are essentially walking*. Once the vehicle is repaired, Elder Stokes will be the designated driver.

Elder Paulson

*Emphasis added

Sooo.. while driving down a unlit gravel road covered in snow and ice, late at night, somewhere on a farm in backwoods Saskatcha'bush'... I some how crashed our car in a ditch. Oh yeah. And it was overcast too.

And now that its happened, and I have officially lost my driving privileges and every ounce of pride I once had... I have nothing to do but laugh with 'em.

It was stupid. But it makes a GREAT story.

We got stuck. We got REAL stuck. Not just "grab your ford pick up and a ratchet tie" stuck. Im talking tow-truck-rocking, more-damage-getting-out-than-

in stuck. It was bad... I mean good! Stuck real good.

I tend to exaggerate, I know. But trust me, although I AM exaggerating, im doing it that much.

And yes we caught air. At LEAST a few inches.

I told the police i was going about 50-60 ks. (not to fast.. for a back road) But that was just a guess. I had no idea how fast I was going. Probably closer to 60 than 50.

Anyway. We were coming back from a lesson that lasted far too long, with a less active member who lives much to far away from our home. The only reason we were visiting him was because it was on our way back from the baptism.

It was about 9:00 and we still had 45 min till we would be home. Anyway. He lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere. And we were driving down his... driveway? (its like a road leading to his house, but its half a mile long." Well, thats supposed to lead us back to the road that takes us to the main road. Problem is, his driveway? "T"s when it comes to this road. I didnt see the "T" soon enough. And... Breaks... Slide... Ditch... Crash...

You get it.

many phone calls later we were on our way home. The member and his wife were SO helpful and I will always be grateful. We were given permission to drive one of their cars home, after a failed attempt to get our car out. He even went to get his bobcat.. and he got it stuck! there is a LOT of snow out in the middle of nowhere.

So. the next day we came and got everything sorted out and got the tow guy and figured out a ride for us and it took the whole day. Super lame, and gave me a head ache.

So the week was lame. Because we had to walk.. But we were still able to do a bunch of stuff for Christmas and people have been nice to take us places. Its been good. I feel bad.. but not that much.

We will see what happens

I told all the youth in the branch (there are a TON) to read the Book of Mormon, and whoever does it the fastest gets a prize. Some of them are competing for my name tag. One of their friends, who is not a member, is doing it too. We really want to teach her soon. How cool would that be if she has already read the BOM.

They all started THAT day! One of the kids was on like 2 Nephi that night! Crazy. If only it was that easy to get investigators to read.

Love Melville

The Gerstners were wonderful. You walk into their home, and you would never guess they were less active. Pictures of the prophet on the wall, "Ensigns" all over. We talked forever about heart surgery, pork pie and a vision Sister gerstner had about a naked man on an alabaster stone bench (?). So funny. I could not stop smiling the whole visit. They all talk over eachother (brother and sister Gerstner and their 40 year old son that lives with them) So hilarious. I got a picture with them after. I love them. They gave us REAL scottish shortbread afterwards. So sweet.

More

This man we have been teaching, named Chuck (who is the funniest guy ever) came up to me in church and said, "I want to be baptized. when can we do it." We have been working with him for about 3 months, and he always said he wasnt ready, but he has been reading the BOM everyday. He is saying morning prayers and he is coming to church whenever he can. He is ready.

Then he said "Are you gonna be able to hold me? I'm like 250 pounds!" I was shocked. He is a big guy, but i was shocked because he wanted ME to baptize him.. I amlost started to cry (and I kinda did later that night, reflecting on it) I have never been asked to baptize anyone before. And I love Chuck so much. He is so funny. And Brenda (his Girl) is so hilarious to talk to. I love every moment I get to spend with them. But also... transfers are comming up, so I may not be able to do this one.. its bitter sweet. But im just glad he is doing it.

So that is happening in January, after he gets married. . We meet some wonderfully prepared people.