Young Joseph Smith

สวัสดีครับ Hello!

How is everyone doing? I assume you're all doing great, because I don't hear anyone saying otherwise. This was a great week. Nothing super eventful really happened, but we just had a great time getting out there and met a lot of people who show some promise!

HOUSE OF HIGHLIGHTS

- While out in the boonies, looking for people, we were prompted to go up this long driveway and knock the door. Someone actually opened the door as we got to it and he told us he was looking for a change in his life and he took us showing up as a sign that he needs to start learning from us. His mom is interested too!!! 

- We invited our friend, Logan, to be baptized this week. He wasn't too enthusiastic about it, but his little brother off to the side said, "I want to!!" So I guess the baptismal invite ricocheted off of him and onto his brother haha.

- We found the "mystery shack" in real life. We snuck onto the property and took a few pictures before getting out of there.

- I had a few really fun english classes with my friend Pauline.

- An asian lady who was visiting the church told me that I "look like John Smith in the book!" My comp, Elder Jones, also tells me often that I look like a young Joseph Smith. Praise to the Man, right?

- In one night this week, after we ate dinner, we had two different members bring us dinner. Not great for my gut size, but definitely great for my stomach overall haha.

- President Kearon visited the mission this week. He's the one who did the conference talk about being stung by a scorpion a while ago. He is my favorite person, he's hilarious. He also gave really good advice on inviting others to read the Book of Mormon. It's a precious gift and it should be treated as such!!!

Jesus loves you, and so do I!

เอ็ลเดอร์ โจเซฟ สมิธ (Elde Joseph Smith)

Elder Barrett

 

Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty

 สวัสดีครับ Hello!

Final week of the transfer is in the books, and I'm staying one more in Orting! It's crazy to think I've already spent 4.5 months and gone through 3 companions in my time here so far, and now I'm entering into my last transfer as a missionary. All of that aside, I had an awesome week!

DON'T CALL ME HONEY

We tried to have a lesson with our friend Michael, who has been progressing ever so slowly. He was about to head out, but invited us to come in for a bit. He pointed to the field by the side of his house and he told us that he had a Russian friend who has been keeping bees over there. Once he said that, I noticed a million bees flying in every direction around a few white boxes in the field. It was insane. We talked for a bit inside and he gave us each a jar of fresh honey. It's the best honey ever.

REAL LESSONS IN ORTING

Immediately after Zone Council on Tuesday, we headed up Patterson Road for a lesson with Norine. We've finally started having consistent lessons with her and she really enjoyed getting back into talking about religious things. This week we shared the Plan of Salvation with her. It especially struck a chord with her when we told her about the spirit world. Her family has dealt with a lot of death recently, so being able to hear exactly where they are right at this moment was very impactful and I could see it and feel it. She had been on date for baptism a long time ago but said it wasn't the best time for them back when they were initially committed. We invited her to talk to her husband about baptism and to prayerfully decide if it's something they're ready for. Prayers for Norine!

A FEW BLESSINGS

We finally got in contact with a few people who have been really tough to get back in contact with since we've met them. We're really excited to get stuff going with these people again, because they have a lot of interest and it would be amazing to see them actually start to progress. Namely Josh and Renae, who have been some of our best finds over the last transfer. We also found someone else while we were tracting this week. His name is Russ and he showed a lot of interest in learning more. Very open minded and willing to listen. Elder Stucki said that he was "high as a kite" but that was probably just the spirit making his eyes all red and watery, right?

LAST THINGS LAST

- Today marks the beginning of my final transfer. T-minus 6 weeks remaining.

- We had a zone breakfast at the stake president's house on saturday. Best breakfast I've had in a long time haha.

- We're being bombarded with food and candy. All of a sudden, our fridge is stocked to the top.

เอ็ลเดอร์ จนถึงที่สุด (Elder, to the end)

Elder Barrett

It's Heating Up!

 สวัสดีครับ Hello!

This was a pretty quiet week here in Orting. Lots of missed appointments and lots of disappointment, but hey it wouldn't be missionary work otherwise, right? But it wasn't all bad!

YOU GON' LEARN TODAY

We finally had lessons with two people weve been working with! Michael and Logan have been on our "to-do list" for a while now. Logan has been in our area book for a looooong time, but we haven't been able to get anything going with him until recently. We met Michael more recently, but we had our first sit-down lesson with him this week and it went really well! He's been very receptive, but hasn't been keeping commitments. We offered to read the Book of Mormon with him and he liked that idea, so that's what well be trying! I also had a few fun english classes, and it feels good to be able to still practice my Thai, even though I wont get a chance to go back go Thailand as a missionary.

ON THE TRAIL THAT WE BLAZE

We've been going pretty far off the beaten path to try to find some of the members of our ward. Ignoring plenty of "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" signs along the way haha. There have been a few really crazy roads, but only one of them we decided was too narrow and steep. A few wrong addresses and a lot of dumb addresses and roads. I guess that's what you get when you go to a place that's all gravel roads. We kicked up a lot of dust and met some really great people along the way. The journey was the best part haha.

LAST THINGS LAST

- Orting teriyaki restaurants are kinda weak.

- We had Zone Conference this week. My next one will be the last one of my mission!

- One more week until my final transfer. 😳

- Don't forget that I love you!

เอ็ลเดอร์ อายุยี่สบปีแล้ว (Elder, you're a year old.)

Elder Barrett

"People Juice Is a Thing!"

 สวัสดีครับ Hello!

Welcome back to another week in the Washington Seattle Mission. It was certainly one to remember. Why, you ask? Couldn't tell you, I forgot. Just kidding, there's gonna be a whole email after this paragraph. Obviously I'm gonna tell you all about it.

I MET PRESIDENT OAKS

President Dallin H. Oaks, yeah THAT Dallin H. Oaks, came to the mission on Saturday for a mission conference. I got to meet him and his talk was amazing. I have a lot I could talk about but the most important part of it all was just how it felt when he was talking. When he spoke about the Savior, you could just feel his confidence and conviction. It was just a very spiritual event and very testimony strengthening to be able to listen to an apostle of the Lord speak to us. We got there early and ended up sitting front and center in the chapel. It was awesome. Something really cool that he mentioned was that there will be missionary work to do in our mission languages in the spirit world. That was an incredible feeling to know that my efforts to learn Thai weren't just for a 3 month span of my life and nothing else. I definitely need to bust open some of those books I've got on my desk and start studying up again haha.

DESTROYING CHILDREN

I had a missionary coordination meeting at the church building on Wednesday. When we were just about to finish up, someone poked their head in and let us know that some non member kids we had wanted to meet were in there and they were playing dodgeball. Finally all of my elementary training is paying off. We had a good time, and I destroyed some young men in dodgeball. It was the greatest. 😂 Oh and of course I made good friends with those two boys that I've been trying to meet for 3 transfers haha.

LAST THINGS LAST

- Had a long conversation with a member about how people juice is an up and coming alternative to cremation.

- Waffle Crisp cereal is a revelation.

- Regardless you skimmed down to this point of the email or if you're a good person, I still love you!

เอ็ลเดอร์ นั่งต่อหน้าอัครสาวก (Elder, sit in front of the Apostles.)

Elder Barrett

Missionaries v. MegaFly (TITLE BOUT)

 สวัสดีครับ Hello, there.

This was an absolutely amazing week. We got let to some really cool people and had a few awesome miracles take place in the Orting area. And we finally defeated my nemesis, the MegaFly.

THE CARBONADO EFFECT

Elder Stucki was leading us down a road past the skatepark, which was odd because we had no reason to be going in the direction we were, but then we heard someone call out to us from the parking lot. We crossed the road (responsibly looking both ways first) and talked to him. His name was Tanner. He and his wife with their new baby were camping in neighboring Carbonado, when they got robbed. He took their tent, phone, wallets, everything. It was a rough situation. He asked us if we knew of anyone who had some work for him to do so he could earn enough money for the gas home to Pasco, WA. We were able to get ahold of a member who was willing to help out, but he would take about an hour to get there. So we just kept talking to them and got to know them a bit. They were really really sweet people and said something that really amazes me, "whoever stole our stuff probably needed it more than we did, so I hope they're getting what they need." If it was me, the only thing I'd be wishing that person got was a knuckle sandwich, but their humility was insane. It was awesome to see that God puts these people in your path. And sometimes, your path will get changed just so that you can meet them! We left them with a Book of Mormon, because it really helps out in difficult or stressful situations. They very happily accepted.

TRACTING FINDS

We knocked into someone who got us a water bottle and then had a lot of interest in the message we were sharing. He was asking all of the perfect questions, like, "How can you know which church is true?" And "what makes your church different?" It was the best. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he wants to come to church and check it out!

Remember how last week I mentioned that our baptismal dater gave us the wrong number and we couldn't contact her? GUESS WHO WE KNOCKED INTO??? That's right, it was Renae! She gave us her actual number, because she forgot she had recently changed it. But now, we have her address, too! Someone somewhere really wants us to keep talking to Renae.

FLY FIGHTING

MegaFly, the winged menace of the Orting Apartment, had been buzzing around for around a week, spreading terror and probably some diseases. We made several assassination attempts, but to no avail. Finally, we'd had enough. We took shoes, towels, everything except a fly swatter (but MegaFly is too beefy for a fly swatter anyways) to try to take him down. It was a hard fought battle, but Elder Stucki whipped the towel and ended MegaFly's reign of terror once and for all.

LAST THINGS LAST

- Jasmine rice is the king of rice.

- Holes in your socks are a trophy, not a disgrace.

- Sometimes, just listening to someone can be the greatest experience.

- The war with MegaFly was desensitizing, but nothing can change the fact that I love you!

เอ็ลเดอร์ ผู้ล่าแมลง (Elder Insect Hunter)

Elder Barrett