Transfer, War Museum and LOTS of Pictures !!

Hello mom. 
Updates - I head off to Ventura 2nd ward to serve there. I am very excited to go and think it will be great. I love the new starts. This is going to be a short email with lots of pictures !

Monday was cool. We went to an old War museum, which was very cool. There were lots of awesome things on the seabee's which were a WW2 construction team so they had some very cool things and there was the coolest quilt. After that we saw Wrebell & Kenna and Josh. 

Tuesday was good. We had food share service in the morning, then later that day we went on splits with the ward missionaries. We also had our sports night which was fun and then had smoothies after. 

Wednesday we visited people, like all day, lesson after lesson. We were on the strand, so down by the ocean, almost all day seeing people. Then we went and visited the Thorckmortens (gun guy) and that was, well you know, awesome. By the way, when I return I am growing my beard out and getting me a gun (think it's time my Canadian boy come home...he's becoming Americanized !!! lol). We also had dinner with Brandon and his wife and she gave us haircuts and that night we went on splits again. 

Thursday we had weekly planning and that was good. We had two dinners so that is always good. Friday we had a district meeting and saw people and then on Saturday and Sunday we said goodbye and got lots of photos. 

I do not have lots of time, I want to send a few things to y'all. 
So, first I am really so grateful for my mission and the friends I am making and the things I am seeing. It has really dawned on me that I have already been out 10 months and, no lie, it feels like I blinked one time. The joy that comes from serving is so grand, but it makes time vanish. 

I am so very thankful for just all of you back home, everyone of you. I pray for you all every single night. You are so amazing. A mission would be impossible without your support. 
Now I know mom is probably crying, but mom, dad, you are the best parents I could ever have. You do so much for me and I do not say thank you enough. 

Shelby and Scott. You are the best family, I love you both SOOO much. You two are so great. I think about you both all the time and love you both so freaking much, you don't even know. 

Friends - Jared, Austyn, Brandon, Nick, Andrew. You guys are just the best. Thank you as well. Freak, I miss hanging out with y'all, but remember just TAKE IT LIKE A GOPHER. 

I love you all so much back home. Thank you and we'll talk next week. 
Elder Routledge

(there were lots of photos sent this week but Elder Routledge didn't add in the names of the people. I'm guessing most of these are members that looked after him while he was serving in the Oxnard ward)
 

Lessons, Big Baby and more Food

Ocean View

I have turned into a baby. It was like 60 degrees and I was freezing cold, I even put on a coat and was still cold. Ahhh I have no idea why. 

So this week was better. Monday we got an oil change in our car, had a zone activity where we played volleyball and had a great dinner with Tilio (the Samoan). He has invited us over for Thanksgiving. A Samoan holiday, yep I am in deep waters haha. After we met Kenna and Josh and have set a new date for their baptism, December 5. 

Cali Sunset

Tuesday was cool. We went and did some Mormon.org stuff, went and had lunch with this RC (not sure what that is) and had a lesson with him as well, and saw water seals haha. We also had another lesson with Nora (the older lady) and then had a nice dinner in a beach house and saw kenna and Josh again after. 


Wednesday we met with Kenna and Josh again. With them being so ready and us moving the date, we try to see them as often as we can. This morning we had a meeting with our WML (Ward Mission Leader) and that was good. We went over some of the names of the people we are working with, then had lunch at the other Elders apartment. We also taught Wrebell this week, we taught Joey and had dinner with the Nelsons. We ended the night with a lesson with the Renosso's. We were running around all day and I was super sick this week, so it was crazy. Any down time we had, which was like none, I was resting because I was coughing up cows (I'm guessing coughing a lot?) and was so sore. I am feeling a big amount better now, not great, but I am doing better. 


Thursday was sweet. We had a good weekly planning session, had our apartment inspections, which were not bad, and had a deep clean today. Now our apartment is spotless, not that it wasn't before, they are just very picky. We ate at a buffet for lunch which was good and we tried to stop by and talk to a few people. Today was good. 

Oh no, time is running out. There is never enough time for emails. 
Friday was good. We had a really good zone meeting and Pres. said that our mission is very young. We have almost half of our missionaries under 6 months out, well over half, so Pres. just talked about how we can be good examples and work hard for them. Tonight I ate at an Asian place and I am starting to like fish I think. I'm not sure yet, though. 


Saturday and Sunday were good. I was on an exchange with a Hawaiin Elder named Elder DeCosta. He is really cool and we had a really good day. 
Sunday we had a great day of church and a nice dinner at the Ybanez home. 

Well mom, keep doing awesome. Make sure you read and help the family do great as well. Believe it or not, you kinda lead them back home :)
Just keep up everything you do. It is so great. 

Muah 
I love you all so much

Crazy week, funny beards and an awesome note

Updates. It has been crazy because of lots of reasons, but a few things. I can grow a full beard in like 3 days, so that's cool. I shave everyday though. 

3 Day Beard ? 

How great is dad doing ! Reading the Book of Mormon every day and challenging me. Man, I can not wait for us to get sealed, we're a perfect family :)

So Monday sucked lots. We had to run around a ton and do a lot of stuff, like pay off a ticket we got 2 weeks ago again. Stupid Oxnard tickets. They street sweep 1 street a week and if you're in the way, ticket. It was a crazy Monday but we had a nice, healthy dinner at the Edwards' and got to play with some bunnies after, so it was okay after all. 

Tuesday was nuts. We helped this lady move and I am a Star Wars freak now. I found a toy light saber and took it home because she said I could. We had interviews with President Felix and that was nice. We just chatted about the mission and stuff and then we went and met with this kid named, Tyler this week. He is a member but we helped him with a school project which turned into us laughing a ton and poking holes in stuff. 

Wednesday was cool. We went and built Christmas trees out of cans at the Food Share warehouse and that was pretty fun. We also stopped by this older lady's house. Her name is Nora and she's ill, so we just checked in our her and then after we went back to Tyler's to help some more. 

Cali Sunset

Thursday I was on an exchange with Elder Goad, he goes home in 2 weeks. That was a fun day as we went and taught a guy named Joey with his boss who is a member. That was a very good spiritual lesson. We also went to Wrebbel's (he's the Philippine guy) and that was really great to see him. He is a very good man and I just saw him as a waste of time until this week when he opened up and I was truly humbled by his love for us coming over. We also went to the Throckmorten's and of course the gun guy...we saw lots of guns. He showed us his secret gun safe with at least 40 weapons inside. HE IS A COOL MAN. 

Friday was good. We had a really powerful district meeting. It was a good meeting and after we went and did some service building a shed, so that was most of the day. 

Saturday was Halloween, so we had Josh and Kenna's baptism interview. Kenna passed but Josh did not so we moved it back a week. The rest of the day was trying to meet with people and then we had to be in by 6 and just chilled for the rest of the night. 

Dancing Pelicans

Sunday was horrible but great. We found out that the Elder that failed Josh in the interview should have passed him, but because he failed, his mom is just furious with us for not allowing him to be baptized. Her and the dad got into a massive fight over it and Josh is super sad and discouraged and Kenna pretty much hates us now, so this has been a tough day, but I fasted hard for them and we did see a slight change. They still both want to meet us, but we have had no contact with the mom yet, but we are trying to build up the relationship again. 
It was pretty crazy to say the least. I was a little ticked off with the Elder but I know that I need to not be. I know the Lord will help us through it. 

Other than this road block, it has been a pretty great week. 
Mom, Dad, Shel, Scott and family. I love you all. I am doing very well here. 
Things are busy with both wards but very good. 
Talk to you all next week. 
Muah

Best Note I've Ever Received <3