2016 was amazing! I'm ready for 2017. January 2, 2017

We met with the Sanchez family again! So ever since we lost contact with them we've knocked on their door every day or anytime that were in the area. I was worried Elder Hilton just thought I was knocking on the door for fun but they finally answered and we're going to meet with them this week so I'm really excited.

And we usually in this area we get a flat every transfer because we're always driving on dirt roads trying to get to our appointments and we finally got our flat. Later that day though, someone left something on the road and it took a chunk out of the tire. The tire was so worn down so there was no saving it. We went to Fletcher's and bought a new flashy tire. It was quite an adventure but now I'm a master at changing tires.

We also got to eat at Texas roadhouse, a member took us and I got chicken fried steak and it was one of the best days ever. The members here down in Buckeye are just super cool.

This was a way different week though with the holidays. So many people were out of town and busy. It was hard trying to meet with people and schedule times we could meet. We did get to teach some people though. We met with the Woods early in the week because they went to a team roping competition because they're super cool like that. The Woods are super cool also because they just walked into church one day and wanted someone to teach them.

Also, all the mutual theme songs are on LDS music!!

And guys I'm super excited for the new year. 2016 was amazing. I grew more in that year than I ever have. (It was technically the middle of 2015-July 2016 but whatever, I'll call it all 2016.) I started mountain biking and birdwatching and finished my Eagle, became a billiard master, wrote a book, ate grilled cheese (a lot), worked on family relationships, graduated high school, stopped procrastinating (near the end of the year), kept a job, prepared for a mission, left on a mission, and became more than I ever was. The new year, to me, was the end of the best period of growth for me. But the biggest thing I learned in 2016 is that I have more life left to go. It was the end of the beginning of my life, especially where I graduated and left on a mission. This is also the only year, January to December, where I can dedicate 100% of time to study and service.

This week, especially near the end, I could feel something guiding me. I'm getting stronger, more obedient, more compassionate, smarter even. I'm realizing that The Lord has more in store for me right now and I need to be more aware of where he guides me than ever before. And I can feel it now as I rekindle that fire of starting new just like July 27 when I went into the MTC. Just like Aug 17 when I stepped into Cottonwood. Even Nov 9 when I came here to Buckeye. Now it's January 1, where I feel and know that Heavenly Father is guiding me.

I've thought a lot about last year, but I'm ready for 2017.

And video because everywhere I go doesn't stop raining. It was crazy.

Merry Christmas!!! Dec 26, 2016

This week was awesome. On Sunday we had a young couple look up the church address and they came and asked if missionaries would teach them. They're the woods and they've been super fun to teach. They have a ranch out by the power plant where they do team roping.

This week we also have been very busy. We haven't had much time so in the time we had we've been teaching and finding. We haven't found many people yet. Just the woods this week.

But it's been a great week. I still learning lots.

For Christmas we had breakfast with the members we live with which was super fun and then had to go to church right after. Our two new investigators came and thought it was awesome. Then we started our Christmas call to family. I loved getting to see them all! It was very nice and I felt so good afterwards. I got to see my dumb dog too. Then we ate lunch with the Cosmans and that was fun too. We played a fun game where you sing songs about a certain topic. The last group who can't think of that topic loses. Then we are with the Endersons who have always had missionaries coming over for Christmas.

That was really it. For Christmas Eve we really just played games with the other Elders.

The week before Christmas, Pres Griffon gave to me...December 19, 2016

So the week started out with introducing Elder Hilton to the ward. We got lost. More than a few times. I'm so directionally challenged. Scout camp is coming back to haunt me. I signed up for the

Orienteering class but got totally lost on the way there and now I've just never learned directions. That time to learn is now. And it needs to happen fast. And yes I do have a gps but the gps has no idea what roads I'm driving on. We do work out in an area called Tonapah which means unmarked random dirt roads. Yay!

So way out here in the desert the dirt apparently can be pretty sandy and soft. Our truck which tries so hard to be a real truck but is just a Nissan Frontier got super stuck. The wheels were just digging themselves deeper. So we had to call a member with a real truck and he pulled us out of the ditch.

We also had both ward Christmas parties. For the Skyline Ward we had a dinner and the primary put on a cool program. We spent most of the party introducing ourselves so that the members could meet Elder Hilton and there was a lot of small talk. I'm still learning how to small talk and it's way more exhausting than I thought it would be.

The Palo Verde Ward had a cowboy style Christmas party. We went out to a ranch. A member of the ward has a cooking pit and so we had pitted pigs. We got to help pull it all apart for pulled pork sandwiches. They were so good! There was so much left over that we got just a cut of meat that we hadn't even pulled yet because there was so much pork left over.

This week has been interesting. Getting lost a lot. Reading maps. Eating pork. And driving a lot.

We may have run the phone over a bit. December 13, 2016

We've taught the Sanchez family a few other times yes. They're super awesome! We also teach another family who are super cool! They are preparing for baptism but their daughter just got baptized a few weeks ago.

I have Google Maps, downloaded offline and a gps in the car. Problem being with many roads out here is that Maps has no idea where we are so I get lost but it's no biggie. Elder Bies knows where it is if I need him so I can call him when I'm on exchanges getting lost.

So Elder Bies has three months left. He's a big Pokemon nerd. A fun guy. I love being around him. I learn a lot from him. He's just a great guy and I blessed to have met him. He's getting transferred tomorrow which makes me Senior companion and I now lead the area. I'm probably now the driver too. I don't know if I know the area well enough yet but I think I can do this. My new companions name is Elder Hilton. I haven't met him yet but I hear he's super cool. 

Wish me luck! 

This week not too much happened. We did lose the phone for a few days. We finally found it by the gate we have to open every day on a dirt road. We may have run the phone over a bit :)

This is going to be interesting though. I'm leading this area now. And I'll probably be here a long time because now I'm the senior companion and you usually stay in an area for awhile when your senior and then right before the Mission President leaves (five months away) he keeps everything as stable as possible. And when a new President comes in they usually don't change much for awhile while they learn the mission. #buckeyeforever

"They just do whatever God sends them to do that day." December 5, 2016

So this Tuesday was another exchange and I was with Elder Crook. I led the area and got very lost. But we found where we were eventually and worked. No one was interested on Tuesday but that's ok. After that, we went to visit this referral. Turns out she moved away a few years ago but the man living there told me that following the spirit is important. Amen brother.

After an exchange with Elder Olvera we saw this family moving out as we were getting ready to head home. The next few hours was spent moving heavy furniture and boxes. I'm pretty sure I'm a professional mover by now. It was a rough move so to make up for it they asked if we wanted some pizza they were going to get. We told them we'll have a piece cuz pizza tastes good. While we were sitting they asked, "so do you guys always do this, did you just wake up this morning and think I'm gonna help someone move out." When someone else there we were talking to during the move who I thought was cool said, "They just do whatever God sends them to do that day." That was an awesome moment.

So on Wednesday we decided to go tracting. We have a new ward that had everyone that missionaries were working with moved to a different ward because of boundary changes. So this one ward was empty. So we started from the bottom and knocked doors. It's been four weeks and no one has wanted to hear anything about Christ or Christmas. But on Wednesday we tracted into this one family, the Sanchez family. They've been looking for someone to teach them about God so that they could give opportunities to have Christ in their life to their new son. We met with them again on Thursday and taught a lesson on Friday. They came to church and loved it and we're meeting with them again today. They're so cool!

This week has been awesome and amazing and especially because of Christmas. People just want to hear about Christ during this time of year. And this new initiative has been awesome. Whoever's reading this go on Mormon.org and find the advent calendar. It's amazing!

Missionary work is amazing and spiritual and I've learned and grown more than I ever have in my life. But the best part of the week every week is Sunday. The sabbath. The things you learn at church will guide you in your life. The only other physical places I've learned more is at home or at the temple. And the two things I do that guide me the most is prayer and the scriptures. We all know ways to bring God into our lives. Praying to our Heavenly Father and His word, the scriptures. The next step is to gain a testimony that it works for you too. I know it will. Try it out. Read and pray. See what happens.

A Saguaro that Waves. November 28, 2016

Annie was baptized and I don't know if I said that last week but she's a relief society sister who is super cool. The other missionaries have been teaching Annie for a while before I got here and she was baptized right after I got here. She's got really great friends in the church who have helped her out. Same with Markayla, she was also baptized. We're still teaching her parents and they're doing great as well!

For Thanksgiving, we ate at two members houses. The Ricks and the McWilliams. I ate too much food. It was so good! Elder Bies and I also made a chocolate peanut butter mile high icebox pie.It tasted awesome. And we also made lil smokies wrapped in bacon covered in brown sugar.

This week on Sunday I heard an amazing talk about gaining wisdom and avoiding stumbling blocks. We also ate meatball subs after because one of our wards fed us right after church because we are there for seven hours through lunch.

My little cousin Evelyn sent flat Stanley over here because "flat Stanley needed a vacation. Welcome to Buckeye, Arizona Stanley. My little cousin is cool!

Today for pday we set up Christmas decorations.

The saguaro that waves.

I still no hablo bueno. November 21, 2016

So I want to apologize about last week. I was whining and I was complaining. This area is a great place filled with better than great people. I couldn't see it because I thought it was hard. I was not seeing the true purpose. I am here to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. I'm here to do anything I can to make a difference. I don't want to be the missionary who stops progressing during times when it's hard and complains about it being hard. I want to be someone who doesn't listen to what he hears and makes a difference. It will be a process to become that and the atonement will be what can get me to that point and I know I will not become perfect but I know I will be perfect in trying to be that kind of missionary.

Buckeye is an interesting place full of interesting smells and interesting dirt roads when it rains which happened yesterday. It's a place full of people who are amazing. I should be grateful to be here and I hope I am.

This week has been busy and crazy. Annie was baptized this Saturday and it was some planning ahead of time but it went well. It's amazing to see someone make that first step.

This week has also been crazy in the sense that I was in charge of the area for a few hours while Elder Bies was in a meeting in Phoenix. I was lost due to my map reading skills but it all went well. We tracted into a lot of Spanish people so I could brush up on my Spanish speaking. I still no hablo bueno.

We also baked pumpkin pie! Which was fun and messy! We ate it at our early Thanksgiving dinner at the Penrods who are an awesome family. I ate pecan pie for the second time ever too.

Lately here in Buckeye we are driving through rough road in the truck to get to places where we can knock doors because one part of the area is completely new. We're doing what we can to find someone to teach there and it's going better. It feels like we're close to finding someone who's ready to listen. In the other part of the area it's really rural and spread out and it's so cool to drive through there. I've seen saguaros that wave at us every time we drive by. There's also one family that we meet with and their daughter is being baptized this week. It's amazing to see how strong they are.

my new place...