World Wide Training, Two Dinners....and a "Scary Female Cop"

This week was pretty good. Monday we went and played ball at the church and I dunked on the rim and broke it, so that was pretty bad. We went back later that week and fixed it, but man, I am either getting fat or dunked it too hard hahah. And I am finally loosing my fat. I am about 166 now, so yea, I have a goal to get down to 160 before I come home. We also had dinner with "A" and he is a Star Wars fanatic so that was cool. 

Tuesday I was on an exchange with Elder Elliot and that was good. It rained all day and some of the streets flooded pretty good. It was an okay day, but I was happy to go back to my little comp (he's taller than Elder Routledge haha), he is my friend haha. We're so weird, it is not even funny. He is like how Scott and I act mixed with the oddness of me and Brando hahaha. 

Wednesday we had a WORLD WIDE MISSIONARY TRAINING from the Quorum of the 12 and a few other General Authorities. It was crazy, nothing new, but they got all 75 000 missionaries excited to work harder. It was pretty cool. I doubt you will be able to see it, but it was so amazing and it also made me sad because they told us how great we are and I am running out of time. I have not done enough yet, it kills me time is going by way too fast. I really am not excited about coming home mom (NOT what this mom wanted to hear). I am not stressing out, but it is just crazy. 
We also had to get our trunk fixed. We slammed it too hard and almost broke it, but it's all good now though. 

Thursday was a cool day. We applied a lot of what we learned in our weekly planning form training. It was sooo cool, it was a good planning session. We also had a fun experience. We drove past this one girl 5 times on purpose because she was driving up and down the street, 20 feet back and forth. It was weird so we were watching her. It was so funny, but she was like, who are these guys and we were the crazy ones with going up and down the street. 

Elder Routledge and his District

Friday we had a pretty good district meeting. We applied a lot of what we learned and just got a spiritual uplifting, so it was a good meeting. We also had 2 dinners by mistake. We went to the Bishop's and he fed us because we thought we had no dinner, then our real dinner called us at 7:30 and said, "hey, where are you?" so we rushed over there and ate. The husband is a military cop, and what he told, the army sounds horrible ! He said some of his training was insane and at any time he could be called to Iraq and work for 6 months away from his wife (they are a young couple). So, yeah, I think I can officially cross that off for now...for now!! (Yeah !! Mom didn't want him to enlist!)

Always with food in his mouth....

Saturday was cool. We had a few good lessons this morning, then were called to do last minute service moving some guy...the craziest move ever!! 
So we got there and started putting stuff in the truck. It was husband getting his stuff out of soon to be ex-wive's garage...yea, you see where it's going...well, wife shows up and she is made because he is taking THEIR stuff. They start yelling, swearing and going nuts and we're standing there with two other members, like uuuuhhhh, then get this, the police show up and start getting into it! This lady cop was freaking scary! She got them calmed down and she was like, "Who are you two?" and told her we were just helping and she said okay, that's fine, then she almost took the one guy down and I was in her way and I jumped the freak out of the way fast hahah. It was just crazy! Then to end the night, we had an awesome dinner with the guy that burned my shirt hahaha. Don't worry, mom, it was a bad shirt hahaha. 

Sending emails home

Sunday was cool. We had a nice church meeting. This girl, Zoe, gave her farewell talk. She is going to Chile this week, a different mission though, but that was cool because of Austyn. Then we had two nice visits tonight. 

Well mom, Dad, Shell, Scotty...I love all of you so much and I sent letters to you all, so enjoy. 
Muah
I'll talk to you all soon. Love you lots!!!

** There is a member in Elder Routledge's area that has been fantastic with sending photos she takes of the missionaries.  

As a small way of showing how much their parents appreciate all the photos, 

E. Routledge and E. Huston gave her this: 

Service Work, One Year Out!....and a 5 LB BURGER !!!

Hey Mom. I am super sorry for last week. This week will be better!! So first, AUSTYN I LOVE YOU AND MISS ALL MY FRIENDS. YOU ALL LOOK SO GOOD!!!
Mom, you should send more BofM action figures haha. I love those !!
Well, 365 days left today, so that was really freaking weird. I will not lie, it's a tad creepy that I have one year left already. It is cool, but scary at the same time. And one more thing. I don't care if they get offended...JARED, you started your papers, you need to finish them. I hear you are working on them and that's great, but DO NOT delay GOING !! THAT'S TIME THE LORD NEEDS. HE NEEDS YOU, so get your butt in gear, friend. Love you lots, have a good week. A mission is too precise to waste !!!

After emails...before
the 5 lb burger 

Monday was insane. So this week, I ate a 5 lb burger or tried hahaha. I only ate 4 lbs of it but, oh my, it was so much food, I felt so sick after. You have no idea how sick I felt hahaha. We had a dinner with a member that night as well, and told them and they said, "Oh don't eat if you can't". It was crazy. That night we went and had a good talk and lesson with one of our less actives and we tried not to die with all the food we ate hahaha. It was a really good day. 

That's one
HUGE burger!!

Tuesday was cool. We had service all morning. We put some branches in a bin for this lady and we also went and helped out at the food bank this morning, so that was cool. We were packing boxes for hungry families. We had a nice lesson with a less active named "A" and we read some scriptures with him. We also had a nice less with two other less active members. The one man is like, 98 and does not really know what's up (or down!) so that was fun. He just kept saying, "It's mighty rough be old" haha. It was funny, but we were able to pull a spiritual thought out of it haha. 

Definitely Before...

I also went to the dentist today and I got a few things cleaned up for free. I am cavity free besides one little one that is too small to treat, so in 6 months I'll go back and get it patched up, but I am clean :) We had an awesome lesson with a Star Wars freak and he gave it all away to me haha. 

Wednesday was good but slower. We did some service and had a district leader council so that was pretty cool. 

After some service work

Thursday was fun. We did more service cutting boards for an older guy and I ended up bashing my pinky all up. It's okay now, but I cut it up good and got a good bruise on it. Haha, how do I always hurt myself :). 
Today was my 1 YEAR!! So we went to a less active's home and I did my shirt burn haha. It was so great!!! It felt so good to burn it haha. It was great, we had some smores over the dirt and banana splits, it was a freaking awesome night. 

Before.....

Friday was so, ugh, I was so mad at today!!! So we had a big zone meeting and you now how every transfer we have a big meeting? Well, the Quorum of the 12 has banned that in all missions world wide so that freaking had me steaming. I literally almost burst out in the meeting. It was bad, but now I have calmed down and have realized that they are inspired men, so it will be for the good. They don't want us wasting time and stuff I still don't get, but we keep the commandments. That's what we do, even the ones we don't get. 

Only 'After' photo received...

Saturday I was on an awesome exchange with Elder Leavett and that was so great. He is my ZL (Zone Leader) and I freaking love him. We had such a good day.We had 5 lessons and stayed busy all day. He is so much like Liam, it was like being with one of my friends haha. I loved it, a good day today. 

Sunday we had nice church meetings and a nice dinner. The dinner was with the people over Pathway out here and I think I might give it a try when I get home, so that's cool. 

Well, mom dad Shel, Scott...I love you all. My friends and family, MUAH to you all. Have a great week. Thank you for all you do for me and I love you all !!!

Muah, Muah 

Love Elder Routledge

Very Short Email, Lots of Pictures...and a 5lb burger !

Welcome to Santa Maria

Mom, I am sending a lot of pictures of my comp and I. We have to go 30 minutes up North to eat a 5 lb burger so this will be short haha. This has been a good week. 

Santa Maria Rain

Monday was good. We had a ping pong marathon and then had dinner with the Peterson's. 
I'm just going to tell you what we did this week. 
We had a lot of rain come down this week, like it rained for the majority of the week. We had lots of good lessons and kept pretty busy. The rain storms are coming for sure. 
We did some great service this week at a Food Bank place so that was cool. 

Gun Collection

We went and taught a guy who is a gun freak so that was fun. I have those in every area where I serve haha! My companion ate a clover that he picked this week. I really wanted a new CTR ring, so a member ordered one for me from Amazon. I'll send you a picture of it soon. 

Elders Huston &
Routledge

The reason this is so short is because everyone is emailing me like crazy today, it is insane!! And we're rushed because we have to get up to AG today to eat that burger. Now, I am not putting food before you, haha, I swear. 
We had a good week. Being DL is pretty fun. It is more work for sure, but it is good. We had a lot of fun lessons with some really cool people. 

Elder Routledge & Austin

On Sunday I saw Austin, as you know. It was so cool to see him, and man, I was just shot back to memory lane seeing him! (Austin was Elder Routledge's first companion in the mission field). What else this week ? Really, we just had a pretty normal week  and just tried hard to stay busy. It is really awesome out here. Just hard work, but I love it. 

BEFORE the burger...

I have been drinking no-sugar pop all morning to expand my stomach to prep for the burger haha. 

Mom, Dad, Scott, Shel, I love you all soooooo much. I am so sorry this is so dang short but MUAH. 
Muah, I'll talk to you all soon muah !!!!!!

PS - Hey, so just to be clear. I love writing letters and emails, so don't think I don't want to write you all, I just get slow sometimes but if anything, just let everyone back home know I love you sooo much and I am so grateful for everything you all do!!!!!!!!!

Elder Routledge & Elder Huston

After doing service at a Food Bank 

New Companion, New District....and a Fortune Cookie

Elders Hurst &
Routledge

Hello Mom, I have some updates for you!!!
My new comp is SO MUCH like Scott!!! He is pretty great haha. He has the same sense of humor and all, I love it haha. SCOTT, I LOVE LIVING WITH YOUR TWIN HAHAHA!!! 

Monday was good. I got some really nice shoes with the money I got at Christmas. I did a lot of shout outs and went and said bye to some members. It was slow, but good. 

Saying Goodbye

Tuesday was transfer meeting. It was cool because I am driving. I had to drive to the new area and it was like, 2.5 hours up north, so that was pretty crazy and a long drive. My new area is inland so no ocean view, but it looks pretty nice. Kinda like farm land, like Canada. Tonight I met both the WML (Ward Mission Leader) and the Bishop and that was cool. They are both super nice guys. 

Missing Canada, maybe?

Wednesday was the first day in the new area. We met a pretty cool family named the Gomez'. Tonight we went and helped a family move out and that was a tad bit crazy. We also had a DL (District Leader) Council where we talked about the zone and how to set up a great zone goal. It was pretty cool. I also had to call everyone in the district, 10 of us total, and see how everything is going. 

Santa Maria district

Thursday was cool. We did a lot of walking today. We have a car, but it was nice out, so we walked a lot. My comp is pretty cool, he is a huge basketball star. We also had to to to Santa Barbara which is an hour drive. I had DL training with the Assistance's so that was cool. They just told me how to be a good District Leader. 

Made for each other

Friday was our district meeting and that was cool. We had some nice talks, set some cool New Year's Resolutions, and had an awesome lunch. That night we had to be in early so we cleaned our apartment top to bottom. It's kinda cool being in a clean apartment. 

It's crazy what you'll find
inside a fortune cookie :)

Saturday we went and caught a random dog for some guy and returned it to him. We also went and did some emergency service putting sandbags in place for a lady on her farm. Being on that farm was, no joke, like being home. It was weird. 
Sunday was good. I bore my testimony, met some awesome members and had a nice dinner with our Bishop. 

Well mom, dad, shell bell, Scotty...sorry this is so short. I really am so grateful for EVERYTHING you do. Muah and thank you. We'll talk very soon. 
Love you, Love you all 

Elder Routledge

Christmas....Goodbye to Ventura....Hello to Santa Maria!

Hello Mom, Dad and Family (Elder Hunt). 
How are you all? Well, Skype was good, of course. That made me a tad sad, but hey, it was the boost I needed to carry on. 
For updates this week, Sister Carleton (one of the Brazil Visa waiters) emailed me and so did Elder Hunt. 
Since we talked this week, this will be shorter, but... I am leaving Ventura to go up to Santa Maria, Third Ward and since President is going to tell you, I might as well. I am going DL (District Leader), so that should be fun, I think haha. Another reason, this will be short is because I am sending like 30 pictures home hahaha (I just LOVE getting pictures !!). 

Christmas Present
I Am Canadian Shirt 

Monday was kinda boring, and yea, I think I crashed the computer with all the pictures I just sent hahah. So Monday we did really nothing. 

Tuesday was good, more of a full day. We did service in the morning and helped a member move stuff around and cleaned up his driveway. We also went Christmas caroling with a member and that was fun. 

Have enough ties??

Wednesday was cool. We went and did some more service for Penny. She is an active, older lady and then we went to the Griffeth's and they took us out for lunch. That was so good, we went to like, a smoke grill place. 
We had our bible study and that was sweet. We also had a really nice lesson with Renea and we tried to set up a date, but she is not quite ready yet. 
We had a nice visit with Sister Curiel, then Sister Tanaka, and after that, a nice visit with a guy named Dan, who is pretty cool. 
We went out with Dan and ate, so that was pretty cool, the second time that day haha. For dinner, we had a memeber take us to a really great hamburger joint called, 'The Habit'...soooo gooood. 
After supper we had a nice visit with this outdoors man. He is not a member, but his wife is and we talked about Banff and hunting...oh so great!!!

Thursday was cool. We went caroling to all the places in our district and I went back to Fillmore so that was awesome to go back there. We went to a few other area's as well and then back to President's house for a Christmas Eve party and that was fun. We had 2 zones there, so like 40 missionaries. That was fun!

Friday was cool. We had an awesome district meeting and I set a new goal for this year to be obedient. We had a great meal at the Terry's and we also talked to our families. Hahaha. Mine is doing so great!!!! Well, pretty great. They cried lots and made me cry hehehe ;) I love y'all so much!!! 
Then we hung out at the Tennison's for the rest of the night. That was good, except Lauren was being annoying, emailing y'all and would not tell me hahahah. 

Saturday and Sunday were saying goodbye pretty much and just getting photos. It was good and I am pretty happy about leaving. Not that Ventura was bad, just I'm excited to go up North so it should be good. 

Ventura, California 

Well, mom, have a Happy New Year. Dad, I love you so much and I am so grateful for all of you. Dad, you are the best, keep being the best you!!
Shel, be happy. One year is nothing, then we'll be in YSA together
Scotty, so great to see you! I love you brother, you are the best. I miss you so much. 

MAMA and Cin, Brea, Niss, Papa, Kym and everyone else...it was great to see y'all and to know you're doing okay. 
I love you all, and I'll see you soon. 

Elder Routledge

Crazy Dream, Mission Extension...and CHRISTMAS !!

This was weird. So I was having minor doubts, okay not doubts, just a bad day, so I pleaded with the Lord for an answer if this church was true, and well, he sure answered me, because the next morning I only read talks about the power of the Book of Mormon, then that night I had a dream. In that dream were lots of people, but the only two I remember are you and...Sister Armsworthy. I was up on some stand and I was bearing my testimony to everyone and I could not even speak because I was crying so much and through my tears, I quietly uttered, "I know this church is true" and I just remember waking up with peace and joy come over my body !! Then, I got 4 packages with some amazing ties and some amazing gifts ! I was talking to the AP, Elder Young about Elder Dial, then I got a tie from him. How cool!!! ALSO PICTURES!!!! YAY!!!! 
I want to say a special thank you to Mom, Dad, Momma, Papa and all the men who put ties in here. Thank you!!!
So..that is the big updates but it was a good, crazy week!!!

Monday was cool. We had a hike that was very cold, like 50 degrees with wind, man was it cold! We also had a really nice dinner and got a little present from Sister Black so that was pretty great. That's really all for Monday. 

Tuesday was, well that crazy dream...yep that is all. 

Wednesday we had an actual busy day. We had a nice visit with Mark in the morning & a great lesson with Renea (she is new and very solid). We also had a nice visit with Laura. She is a great lady, she is 47 and can no longer walk and is in some home. It is rather sad, so we co by with a handful of joy...or try haha. We also had a great lesson with Nancy. She is newer as well and she really loved the lesson. She is searching. 

Festival of Lights 

Thursday was...okay AMAZING. So we had our Christmas program for the mission and we got a new scripture theme to work on and it is patience, the thing I struggle with the most. That was very weird to have that be the new theme. WE also talked about how we can be better missionaries and that was pretty cool. We had a great lunch, and man, they can cool. Like chicken with stuffing and veggies...so good. We had a mission talent show as well, and that was so funny and just so great. The last part of the day, President and Sister Felix talked about angels and how they are all around us and that was out of the park, great !!! It was cool, but we got a new challenge...so we have to read the WHOLE Book of Mormon by MARCH!!! But wait...we have to mark every time it talks about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So anytime it mentions, faith, repentance, baptism, getting the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end...I am on 1 Nephi 12 so far. It was a great day !!!! 

Festival of Lights 

Friday I got my packages, so that was great!!! I opened the ones I was supposed to hahah. It was great. It will be the best Christmas and hey, if when we Skype, you're at Mommas, that would be crazy...just saying...
We did a lot of service helping someone move. That makes like 40 moves on my mission now. Probably 25, but lots. We also went and had a nice visit with Penny and HEY..GUESS WHAT??? I FINISHED THE NEW TESTAMENT ! It was great. Revelations was a tad hard, but oh so great!!

Saturday I was on an exchange so we stayed pretty busy and tonight I saw the parade of lights, which is a bunch of boats lit up, driving past the harbor. It was great. And hey, we actually got rain here, it is a miracle.

Sunday was pretty good. So Elder Bronson and I sang in the ward music sacrament meeting, so that was cool. We had a great lesson the second hour on the 12 tribes of Israel and that was really cool. I actually learned a lot from it. 
Sunday night we went to Lauren's for her birthday and that was fun. 
It has been a really great week. 

Mom, Dad, Shel, Scott, Mama, Papa, Niss, Star, Brea, Kris, Austin, Trish, Cin I Love you all!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Have a great week, enjoy Christmas Eve for me and party hard in my honor. 
Muah
We'll see y'all in a year. 

PS - Mom, my mission will be extended for one week, so I'll be home the next week in January 2017, so the 15th of March. We'll be having a 7 week transfer because the 2 week to 3 week change for the MTC time will tack on a week. 
Muah
Love you, 
Bye :)

Big Waves, a Fun Christmas Party and A Blessing

Updates..really not lots at all, just doing good. Skype times, we'll talk and let you know soon, but probs in the evening like 5 maybe or something like that. (eek !! This Momma can NOT wait for that !!). I know you hate hearing this, but it will be short because, you know Christmas, everyone is talking to me. (I hate short emails, but I'm grateful for all of you emailing him. Thank you <3). 

Monday was good. We had a nice view of some crazy waves, so that was cool. We saw some surfers out there and for sports, we went and played football in a field and that was cool. We had a nice dinner with our Ward Mission Leader and that was cool. Tonight we saw the Tennisons and Lauren is in Canada visiting, getting me some Canadian goodies hahaha so that is cool.

Tuesday was good. I was on an exchange with Elder DeCosta. That was nice, we had a good, busy day and had some great talks about our missions and it was just a fun day. 

Wednesday was simple. We went to a lesson with Mark, had a nice bible study, a nice dinner with the Colvens and Elder Bronson and I had a really good talk and set up some good goals to be better. I am trying hard to be positive but I am finding it hard and I don't know why. Sometimes the smallest things bother me, it's not some major problem, so you can take a breath haha (He knows his mother VERY well lol). 

Thursday was good. We had a really great weekly planning meeting and we talk lots about our and how to better our missionary efforts. We had a nice lesson with Lauren's little sister because she reached out to us and wants to become active again, so that was a cool little miracle. We had a nice dinner with one of the Bishopric members and the Floyds joined us as well. 

Friday we had a great district meeting. We plan to have a secret Santa so that is going to be fun. We also had dinner with a member in which we were 40 minutes late for, but she was super nice about it, so it worked out. 

Saturday all we pretty did was set up for the awesome party. We tried some people, then went back and had a great dinner, a cool little show and an awesome Christmas party. It was really awesome. I got so full, we got some good left overs and we took them to Mark and that cheered him up.It was just a good day. 

Sunday we had a really nice Sunday in church and the Spirit was just so great there. It was pretty awesome. We also delivered the Sacrament and gave a blessing to one of our sicker members, so that was nice. Then we headed back for Stake choir warm up and I did okay. I missed a few notes, but you could not really tell, but it was fun singing up there in front of everyone. It was really fun and it brought a lot of joy to me and Elder Bronson. 

Well mom, this is short and I am sorry. We'll skype soon and we'll talk lots haha. I love you so much muah. Dad, your great. Keep it up. Your the best, Shel. Love you and just keep finding joy and seek the gospel. Scott, well you're just great, love you brother!! 
Love you all, talk to you all soon. MUAH Bye

Kev