March 24, 2014

Dear Family,

 

This week was a quick one. We saw a lot of good things happen. It was pretty busy with transfers and we went to a baptism in Carlsbad, it was one of Elder Morrison's last wards, and a person that he was close to. Crazy thing is, we thought we had a dependable ride to take us there, but, he dropped us off and said we would need to find a ride home, don't you think that someone would tell you that before hand? haha, especially since we asked him a long time before hand.

 

So we had to poke around Carlsbad 1st ward to find a ride home.

 

We tracked into a less active family's house and it turns out that they have a 14 year old nephew that is living with them who wants to be taught! It was super awesome, because they would never have been found otherwise, they had just moved their and would never have transferred their records over to the ward. SO, we will be seeing shortly if he will be taught by us or the Spanish Elders. It will probably be Spanish Elders, even though he speaks perfect English, just because he is from Mexico and all of his family lives down there. BUT, I am happy to give someone else an amazing referral, because I know I have had some great ones.  

 

Me and Elder Morrison have been getting along great, we are both without any money though haha so we have been scrounging from other missionaries for food. And we strategically borrowed a roll of toilet paper while we were on exchanges. we call it "Broke-Recon". Since we have been together we have had about 6 dollars combined haha, and we bought laundry soap with that. so it has been actually pretty exciting. Now I know the real price you have to pay when you buy a ton of ribs and wings for a district activity haha. We can't wait until the last Friday of the month when we get our allowance :)

The District has done better than ever these last two weeks, finally all of the training has started falling into place. (Matt. 13:3-8)

 

I hope that all is going well, I gotta go play some games with the Elders and Sisters in the best District in the Mission. haha

 

Love, Elder Strong

Faith V. aka "Faithy" eating an orange slice

Smores

March 17, 2014 - Happy 311 Day!

happy 311 day!

March 17, 2014 - Pictures

 Dinner from el Pollo Loco in Bro. V Van

Elder Morrison is a metal head and he decided he was going to jam while dinner was being prepared at the M.......

March 17, 2014

Dear Family,

Well hi there,it is good to talk to all of you! This week has been pretty great, I got my new companion, his name is Elder Morrison, he is from Palmyra, New York.. pretty crazy huh? It has helped introductions carry into teaching so much! haha

We opened our calls on the same day, and were in the MTC at the same time! FINALLY I am with someone that isn't brand new or going home! We have been having tons of success, our first night together we picked up a new investigator and set a date with him! The rest of the week pretty much went just as well, we have picked up tons of potentials, and set a lot of appointments for this week. He is super funny and we have a lot of the same interests. I am excited to see how this transfer goes.

I have had a ton of questions about politics the last few weeks so I have been studying talks on my spare time (when I am not studying for investigators). I found an Ensign Magazine from June 1976 that is a GOLD MINE for this topic, because it is the issue that is about the U.S. Bicentenial. I have found a lot of great things that have strengthened my testimony of the church and that it is divinely led. It is heartwarming to see how much the Lord truly loves every man, woman, and child, no matter what. 

God has given us all the freedom to choose for ourselves, and he has inspired the hearts of many to protect that freedom, especially in this country.

I love you all and hope everything goes well this week!

--
Elder James Riley Strong

March 10, 2014 - FRESH OFF THE BOAT and Bro. V's house

 Brother V. while we eat Sudanese food, she said it was called (ZAM-Boo-cKSA) but she said that both of the dishes were called that, so we decided that Zambuksa just meant "food".

A--- M-------- (the Mom) K--- and H---

 Bro. V's dog after I banished him for getting hair on my pants.

Bro. V showing us a "good time"

P.S. Bro V is our Ward mission leader

March 10, 2014 - The Elders of the TRUE and LIVING Church

Dear Family,

I don't know if you remember me talking about S---- H----, he was a friend of mine in Escondido. We met him last July, and he said "I really don't want to waste your time, I just want to know how I can get Baptized."

He couldn't get baptized right away because he was on parole, and it is part of the repentance process to fulfill the requirements of the law if you have committed a serious crime before you are baptized. His Parole Officer said he could get off early but it was more lengthy than we expected. He finally stood before the Judge and told him that he felt he had made the changes necessary to be let off of Parole. And that is definitely a true statement.

On Saturday, he was Baptized by one of my favorite members C---- S-----. Elder English is still in the ward that he was baptized in, and him and his companion gave a presentation while we waited for Chuck and Steve to dress, and Elder Despain and I came back to the Twin Oaks Valley Ward to give the talks at his service.

It was great to see how much Elders Despain and English have grown since I was with them at the start of their missions, and to see all of the members that I love from the TOV Ward. But mostly, it was soul quenching to see Steve finally enter into the font, something he has had a strong testimony of for a long time, coupled with a desire to give back to the Lord for all of the blessings he has seen in the past few years of his life.

Transfers are tomorrow and Elder Campbell is leaving, and I will recieve a new companion. Obviously.

That is about it, things are going good. not much different really.

Love you!

P.S. K--- , I sent this to you so you could send these pictures to Bro. Birch

   

--
Elder James Riley Strong

March 3, 2014 - Pictures to Dad

Nice! here are some recents, an older Cuda, that seemed cool and different, don't know much about it, but its a V8.

I drool over this truck, it is parked in our complex, love the style.

 

and a Cafe Racer turned into a Bobber, it's a Norton Comando, I think I want to take something like that and customize it a little. not quite this much tho. Maybe a Triumph Bonneville

March 03, 2014

Dear Family,

This week has been great. It rained a TON, We went to the Temple, and we had a miracle.

The Temple was great of course, there were a couple of Sister Missionaries from the San Diego Mission working on the grounds and we were talking to them and one had a very distinct accent, so I asked her where she was from and she told me it was a "small Island you have never heard of called "Gittipez" (something like that)

I told her, "I know where that is, do you know a Sister Beretara serving in the Carlsbad Mission?"

 She jumped up a little and said "YES I DO! I went to school with her, she is one of my best friends!"

I told her "Well, she is in the 10 o'clock session right now, and will be out soon" and then she FREAKED OUT, haha it was really entertaining to see them both so far away from home, but still together for a few minutes of the day. They must get pressed a lot about where they are from because the first time Sister B told our Zone where she was from she said "Guinipigs, shhhh it's a secret" haha.

Then it rained like we were in some apocalypse movie for 2 days non stop, probably the last rain I'll see for a year haha. Because today it is 68 degrees and I wish I had my longboard right now. No one was out and since we live in Vista we were muddy from the "country side" so no one wanted to let us in. We did help some college students move out in the rain, and they gave us all of the food in their fridge that they were going to throw away. YAY!

This guy named Alex, was driving home after getting let go (he was pretty brutally fired by a fraud committing lunatic) and he was praying to know what he should do. He then pulled into his parking spot, got out of his car and 2 missionaries (Elder Hamblin and I, on exchanges) walked up to him, and asked him if we could teach him about the plan that Heavenly Father had for all of us, he then told us what happened to him and that he felt like God sent us to help him out. AWESOME!!! He is really reserved, and his wife is super Presbyterian, he told us that he wasn't looking to change his faith (he believes that no church is the only true church) but that he wanted us to tell him more about what it was that we taught. He has a lot of faith in Jesus Christ, and he is really genuine and I think that he is an amazing person. He came to church with us yesterday for the first 2 hours, and it turns out that his sister is LDS, cool huh?

And then something sad happened, Badger Bob, one of my favorite people in the whole world is going on a trip and wont be back for months. Google him, you should be able to find something on BADGER BOB. He makes helmets out of pelts and antlers and anything really, he is a crazy biker, and he travels all over the country selling helmets and other biker paraphernalia, it has been fun talking to him, he is Bro. Calkins next door neighbor, and we talk to him at least once a week, he always asks cool questions about the gospel, his wife is Jewish. They have a HUGE Doberman.

well. have a nice week.

Badger Bob

Elder Strong