Scoop, There It Is!

 สวัสดีทางชนบท Howdy!

First week in Orting is in the books! It is certainly a change of pace from Seattle, but I love it! It's a really small town, and it has all of the small town charms, so I've been loving it to death.

IT AINT MUCH BUT IT'S HONEST WORK

A lot of the work down here is service based. So we've been mowing lawns, stocking food banks, moving the heaviest bathroom vanity in the known universe, and chopping wood for one of the strangest men in the known universe. It's been a good time. The weather has been very very good, so being out and serving has been a ton of fun. Also, my tan is coming back gradually. And with that, my watch tan line, let's go!

THE GREY DOT GRIND

The area book over here is full of people who haven't been taught in a long long long long long long time. So, we took it upon ourselves to reach out to these people!! In an area as small as this one, tracting is not the thing to do. Everyone here has been tracted several times over. So we've just been going after those who have already been found. We met a few cool people! We'll have to see if they're going to start progressing more as we meet with them.

The other way we've been trying to find people to teach is through the members! The obvious play when you have a population of members as high as Orting has. So I've done soooooo much texting. So much, in fact, that my thumbs are actually sore. This email is a labor of love haha. But from that, we have a really full schedule next week! Looking forward to meeting some of the awesome members down here and getting my hands dirty helping them out in any way they need (even if my stick arms aren't strong enough to lift their stuff).

A DAY OF MIRACLES

I've been listening to the most recent Conference, and a talk that stood out to me was "Behold! I am a God of Miracles!" By Elder Rasband. In it, he shares about an experience where an online devotional the church had put so much time and so many resources into was in danger of being cancelled because the power at the set went out unexpectedly. He prayed for a miracle, according to the Lord's will, that the lights would go on and the devotional could go on. And they eventually did! He later found out that he wasn't alone in his prayer, as President Nelson texted him and told him that he, too, prayed for a miracle. This is still a day of miracles. In Moroni 7:27 and 29, it says, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men? ...And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men." This truly is a day of miracles. Though you may not completely understand the reasons for all things, and though you my feel like God has abandoned you at times, remember that God works according to man's faith. If we trust in Him, though they may not be Earth-shattering we will see His hand working personal and loving miracles. Be patient, exercise a particle of faith, and never forget that God "doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world."

LAST THINGS LAST

-"Scoop There It Is" is the best name for an ice cream shop ever.

- I successfully used an axe and didn't lose any body parts.

- I'm teaching more English classes, so more Thai people!!

- Never forget that I love you. *tips cowboy hat and rides over the horizon*

เอ็ลเดอร์ คาวบอย (Elder Cowboy)

Elder Barrett

So Very Close

 เฮลโล Hello!

This was my last week in Alki YSA! I got transfer news on Saturday and I'm going to Orting in the Enumclaw Zone! Pretty excited, not going to lie. I loved my time out here, but now i finally get to see some of the more beautiful parts of the mission. It's more rural, so it will definitely be a new experience.

IT'S RIGHT THERE COME ONNNN

This week we spent a lot of time preparing Jai for his baptism. We taught a bunch of lessons and even went to dinner with him for his birthday (which also happens to be Elder Knapp's birthday). Everything was going very well and it was looking like he was going to make it to his baptismal date for Saturday. On Friday, we were having the toughest time getting ahold of him and barely got his interview solidified. It happened in the last possible 30 minutes. That was a stressful day, but then came the day of his actual baptism. He didn't respond to anything we texted him all day. Then, about 1 minute before he was supposed to be at the church, he sent me a novel of a text message rambling on about random insignificant things that had never been a problem before and some couldn't even be defined as an issue for someone to be baptized. It was the worst. He cancelled on us. Too bad I won't be around to keep working with him, but I know he's going to be ready one day.

I AM AN OFFICIAL FISH

I got news this week that this is now my permanent assignment. That means that I won't get to go back to Thailand. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I'm still happy to be in Washington. I really miss Thailand sometimes. I miss the people, the sights, the food, the language, and all of that. But if I take a step back, I can see all of the things that I get here, that I couldn't get to experience anywhere else. Since the Seattle area is so diverse, I get to teach people from all over the world. Different backgrounds and experiences. Just this week, I got to meet an African man named Momodu who got baptized, and gives the best prayers in his broken English. So even though my time in Thailand is over, my mission certainly is not and I know God has prepared people for me to serve right here where I am.

INFURIATING UNFAIRNESS

As I've been going back through the talks of the most recent General Conference, "Infuriating Unfairness" by Elder Dale G. Renlund has stood out to me. While the things that happened to me may be seen as unfair or unsatisfying, I think he put it best when he said: 

"When faced with unfairness, we can push ourselves away from God or we can be drawn toward Him for help and support. For example, the prolonged warfare between the Nephites and the Lamanites affected people differently. Mormon observed that “many had become hardened” while others “were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God.” Do not let unfairness harden you or corrode your faith in God. Instead, ask God for help. Increase your appreciation for and reliance on the Savior. Rather than becoming bitter, let Him help you become better. Allow Him to help you persevere, to let your afflictions be “swallowed up in the joy of Christ.” Join Him in His mission “to heal the brokenhearted,” strive to mitigate unfairness, and become a stonecatcher."

Let Him help you become better through the refining fire of trials. Trust in the Lord, and He will consecrate your trials for your gain.

LAST THINGS LAST

- I have eaten so much garbage food I'm gonna actually be fat.

- When investigators want to listen to my favorite music, that is a tender mercy.

- I've been in a weird trio for 2 days before I go to Enumclaw. It's been fun and weird and hilarious.

- I hit my 18 month mark this week. 18 months in, and y'know what? I still love you!

เอ็ลเดอร์ ชนบท (Rural Elder)

Elder Barrett

Cross Eyed Javelin Thrower

He didn't set any records, but he did keep the crowd alert.

เฮลโล Hello!

This was another typical week in Alki YSA, but there are always things to find and do out here. So here are some of the highlights!

JAI FOR DAYS

Jai is amazing. His journey to where he is now is incredible. He was in a dark place before welcoming in the gospel into his life. Now, he's happy, has purpose in life, and some new great friends who wear shirts and ties haha. We had a few great lesson with him. He is doing so great! His baptismal date is this saturday, the 17th! Please send some prayers for him as hes coming to the home stretch! And pray for me that I wont get fat from all the candy he feeds me.

SEATTLE SAFETY BLITZ

We had a goal this week as a mission to get as many "testifying contacts" as possible. So we went up to West Seattle and had a quick blitz. California Avenue is really really busy, especially on weekends when the sun is out. Perfect conditions for a street contacting blitz. In under an hour Elder Kase and I had 100 contacts. It was so much fun, because we had been struggling to get anything going all week. It was definitely just what we needed to really get us going. After the blitz, Elder Knapp and I finished up a few more contacts by hitting downtown Burien. That was fun stuff.

LAST THINGS LAST

- I'm gonna ask one more time to pray that Jai will be able to keep his baptismal date!!

- I'm finishing my sister mission! 18 months down, bring on the last 6!

- No matter where you're at, or how great capacity to feel love is, just know that I love you!

เอ็ลเดอร์ ตื่นเช้าๆ (Elder woke up early.)

Elder Barrett

Error 404. Pictures not found. (Sorry about that)

Come On, Persecute Me!!

 เฮลโล Hello!

It's been another week in Alki YSA. We were lucky to have Easter and General Conference this week. Great chance to hear from modern day prophets and apostles. I also got to spend a day in West Seattle on an exchange! 

PERSECUTE ME

We were finding some dots in our area book and as we went to one building, one guy started yelling at us about not soliciting. We calmly informed him that we weren't soliciting, we were visiting some people we had met earlier this week. He kept yelling, but we just kept walking away from him and towards the other building. Neither of the people we tried to get in contact with were home, so it was time for the final test: the person who lived at that guy's building. We confidently walked towards the opening of the building. He was watching his kids (at least I think they were his?) play in the front. As we walked his way, he yelled, "stay back!!! We don't have masks on!" Ok, dude. We were wearing masks, so we really paid him no attention. Then he started yelling about not soliciting again. We calmly told him that we were visiting someone in his building. Even gave him the apartment number and name, but apparently this guy doesn't know his neighbors, because he didnt believe we had actually met anyone there. He was just a stream of cussing and screaming. Even as we talked to a family member of the person we met. He was screaming, talking about calling the police, on and on. The actual guy we went to see wasn't home, unfortunately. As we started walking out, we started filming us, asking for our nametags and stuff. We knew we were protected by the law and this dude couldn't touch us. But when he asked for our actual IDs, we were tired of his crap. We walked away. We were actually surprisingly calm and confident as this guy was harassing us. He uses very colorful language, even around his kids. Must be a sailor. While we were walking away, he said, "you're so full of ___! You're ______ lying! Is lying part of your religion? Go pray about THAT!" He had some real zingers, no doubt about that. But we had places to be, and we clearly already live rent-free in his head.

CONFERENCE CENTER THEATER

Watching conference on a phone isn't ideal, so we made a plan. We got a chord to connect a phone to a TV in the stake center. While we were looking for a room to set up shop in, Elder Knapp jokingly suggested the mother's room. He opened the door and it was actually perfect haha. So we set up in there and had our own theater to watch conference in, complete with a bowl of Cadbury eggs. The Samoan Elders even showed up, so it was a party.

EASTER

Mosiah 3:8-11 reads: "8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men.

11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned." 

Jesus Christ did rise on the third day. And because he overcame death, so can we. Both spiritual and physical. The prophet spoke about clearing out debris from our lives that are limiting our eternal progression. Find that thing that's keeping you back and clear it out!!

LAST THINGS LAST

- I went to Vashon Island on Monday! Found a bunch of sand dollars and crabs. It was neat.

- My guitar skills are so rusty.

- I love you more than Cadbury eggs!

เอ็ลเดอร์ อ้วน (Fat Elder)

Elder Barrett