Marilyn's Baptism

Hey Friends and Family,

 

We had a Baptism!!! Marilyn is now a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! It was a great day. Elder Heiner was permitted to come for the Baptism, but also was asked to perform the Baptism. It meant a lot to him as he has not seen many enter in the the Waters of Baptism. It was so cool to see him again too. President and Sister Pitt were also in attendance.Its great to know that I've made life long friends here. Even more so as many of them live in the West. Something tells me that I'll be down in the Western States often over the course of my life for one reason or another.

 

The Baptism itself went off fairly well, with the execption of the Font. Our ward Mission leader was concerned the Water would be cold, so he took the time to fill the font for 5 minutes a time, waiting then for 30 minutes for the hot Water tank to fill again, resulting in a sauna like atmosphere. I Kinda thought that it was a little hot (more like scolding). They had expected the water to cool some by the time of the Baptism. The expression on Marilyn's face as she stuck her foot into the water told me otherwise. So we had to run some cold water to try and cool it off. Which caused some over flow to occur and some general unreverence by those who were watching. But even with all that, we went through with the Baptism and all was well. Oh, Except for me playing the Piano. I played for the whole program, which included a musical number in the middle. I played the intro and then stopped, as I realized that those singing were giving me a confused look. Then I realised I was not playing the right song. Opps. But Again, it was Rectified and all went well.

 

The following day I had the priviledge of performing the ordinance of confirmation. I've loved being able to use the Priesthood to bless others. Oh man. 30 seconds! Well Sorry to cut this Short. love you all.

 

Miss Ya!! I'll make it better next week!

Elder Sunada

In the Twinkling of an eye...

Hey!

 

Ok yes, I know. I'm a day late. Again. But I have a good reason!! I was in Charleston most of Yesterday and didn't have a chance to write. But I'll start at the top of the week.

 

During the First part of the week things were going pretty normal. Had some good lessons and Elder Heiner and I were getting more accustomed to getting around by bike. The work was going well and we stayed pretty busy. Thursday however Elder Moreang became pretty sick. It was decided that he would stay in our apartment with one of us while the other two Elders would take the car and try to make the appointments of both North and South Parkersburg. So I spent all of Friday and half of Saturday inside taking care of him. I figured it was only fair as He'd done so for me when I was recovering. It was also a great chance to get some cooking practice in! I made several meals for all of us so the Others could come, eat and run. Did some good cleaning, and took a well needed nap. Thankfully he got better by Sunday morning and things went by normally for Church. We even had 2 investigators and a Random who showed up and said we could teach him!

 

After returning home from Church however we got a phone Call. Elder Heiner answered. It was President. He would be at our apartment in 45mins so sit tight. After he hung up we sat there looking at each other. "Did you commit any large or grievous Sins lately?". Nope. Hmm. Its always a little unnerving when President says he's stopping by Randomly. Last time it happened I was informed that Grandpa had passed away. We waited somewhat uneasily to hear what News or rebuking we would get. I'll confirm right now that we didn't do anything bad! Turns out it was something quite different.

 

They Showed up around 3. When he walked into the door he gave us only a brief greeting then said he needed to meet with us both privately. He and Elder Heiner went up stairs while Sister Pitt and I talked about missionaries and mission experience. After about 10 or 15 mins Elder Heiner came down and we exchanged places. Presidents opening words to me after a prayer were "Now the Elders down in Russel are having some problems..." I knew that could only mean one thing. Emergency Transfer. Either Elder Heiner or I would be leaving Parkersburg, and soon. They were both good Elders who just really struggled with each others personalities for even the remaining week before Transfers. President Explained that after giving the situation considerable thought and prayer he felt it right that Elder Heiner should go and Replace Elder Penn in Russel, and that Elder Penn would join me here in Parkersburg. We were to meet in Charleston at 9am Monday morning. I admit I was a bit shocked. Elder Heiner and I had accomplished so much together. We had worked hard to build an area that had only 2 people to a whiteboard full of investigators and potential contacts. Also we'd come a long ways in our personal journeys. We'd both been tried and tested together and Also built a great Friendship. It was going to be sad to see him leave so suddenly.

 

And then there was Elder Penn. I've actually served around Elder Penn in Lynchburg. He was one of my District leaders there just before I left. He's from Ventura California and is a Recent Convert of 3 years. Part way through his mission he had to go home and get spinal surgery. He returned a few months later and has been working on adapting to the mission again. There's a good reason why they don't like sending us home half way through. Its always hard to find your place again once you've been released and called again. I'm not sure if its comforting to know that President trusts me enough to put me in difficult circumstances haha. But If I do know anything its that I can trust that He is the Lords servant, and this is the Lords will. I've seen it many times that President Pitt is inspired to lead this mission. In fact in this past transfer has been the most successful Transfer the mission has ever seen. He's been inspired to send me help even though he had no idea I was struggling. I know that whatever comes of all this It will work out.

 

The Other Missionaries joined us for his last night of packing and getting things ready for the following day. I got to bed pretty late and up early to drive. We got to the mission home and made the exchange. For Elder Heiner even though he hated leaving Parkersburg he did get one perk. He's serving with Elder Rollins, whom he'd served with near the beginning of his mission. He told many stories about him and is excited for this rare exception of getting to reserve with a old companion.

 

The first order of Business Elder Penn and I had was to get new tires for the car. The steel wires were showing on one of the tires and the rest were pretty bald. We had said a prayer going down that they'd last us till Charleston. Waiting for the tires gave us some time to walk around and catch some lunch together. He was way excited to serve with me, and despite his exuberance of energy at times, I was kinda grateful for him too. I knew it was going to be an interesting Transition (for instance last night, he likes it really cold when he sleeps. I froze out but we'll work through that) He also has the most Baptisms in the mission at 26. There is much excitement about it all!

 

Before heading back to Parkersburg there was one other thing we had to do. We walked into the ICU at Charleston Memorial to go Visit Scott Walker, The Very man who met me in a hospital bed a few months before. He'd had a heart attack at a stake dance the weekend previous. He was grateful to see us and we gave him another blessing. It was nice to be able to pay him back in a way.

 

Well my times up. I love you all. Always be grateful for the challenges God gives us to Grow.

Elder Sunada

 

 

 

 

 

Yarnball FIGHT!

Hey everyone!

 

Its been another great week in the West Virgina Charleston Mission! Elder Heiner and I have been able to recover from the slight drop in the past weeks performance despite me even getting sick for a day! I think something I ate didn't agree with me and for the last part of the day into the night I wasn't doing so Hot. But I got everything cleared up and felt back too 100% by the morning.

 

We've been able to teach some great lessons this past week and were able to pick up 5 new investigators, included in which are 2 young families :D! Its so much fun to teach when you can teach a family together, even though it presents its own challenges. We were also able to get some people to Church on Sunday and it was a great meeting! One of the most stressful things is waiting before church for Investigators who say they are coming. We try to help greet them and make sure they know where they are going. But it always gets down to the last 5 minutes and you start to sweat, Are they coming?! Thankfully this time they did! well at least a few of them.

 

Talking to one who we've been trying to get to come for the past month she was telling us how much she enjoyed it and felt welcomed. Everything went well once she was there but there's always so much opposition from the other side that stops them. I've noticed that especially as we've had more success there have been more things that have been more problems that come up that prevent people from being able to meet with us, or come to church or read. Whatever it may be there is always a struggle. But more from the mouths of our investigators than our own, when you just put those struggles aside and try and live the Gospel, you find that it really wasn't such a struggle, and it was all worth it. Its such a wonderful thing to see people come to know for themselves that they can be happy and that they know they are loved.

 

Want you all to know I love you too!

Elder Sunada

 

 

Parkersburg along the Ohio

Sweet Mama they got a Timmy's!

Yarn Ball FIGHT!

I won.

 

Happy SA Day!

Hey Everyone!

 

The Winter weather Finally came! We had our first decent snow dump, which was still pretty weak. Only 2-3 inches fell and stayed. But None the less it got decently chilly for a few days! Elder Heiner the Arizonan was not impressed. It also was Souths turn for the car, so we got to walk around outside during the worst of it. I can't wait till I get to experience a real winter again! Even the Locals say this is a strangely warm winter, though they don't seem to be complaining about it.

 

The Work this week was a little slower. In part due to the weather and the accompanying colds and sicknesses that have been going around. We're still very excited for the work to continue here in Parkersburg. We had our Zone Conference last week and President Pitt gave a wonderful message encouraging all of us that we could find teach and Baptise before the end of the Transfer. I've decided that I need to work more on my faith to become a better servant. During the conference we were talking about how to deal with certain situations in which their may be exceptions to the goals we had planned. Then Sister Little spoke up and said that we just needed faith that If we do what we need to we have the Lords Promise that we will be successful. She didn't question. She Just Believed. I'm going to work on following her example over the next several weeks. Which gets hard when sometimes that includes Night Tracting. But Something to work on right?

 

Well this weeks letter was short, but I still want to let you all know how much I love you and how grateful I am for the support that I get from the Home front and anywhere else.

 

In the Words of Pres. Thornock in his email to us last year,

"Happy Singles Awareness Day!"

 

Elder Sunada

Highs & Lows

What a Crazy week. Its been the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows and back again. 

 

The week started off pretty well. We had a great PDay chilling with the South Elder before Elder Reidhead would be transferred. We also had a lesson set up with Carlos and a Spanish speaking member to help us out. Well that didn't go so well. In fact, it was one of the hardest experiences on my mission thus far. Due to a strange and sad series of events, Carlos decided to drop us. I was pretty crushed. I'd already come to love the guy and wanted to much to help him out. But Satan has a way of entering into people hearts and turning them away. Elder Heiner had been feeling down already due to some pretty nasty doors and just general lack of success in this area. After Carlos, I was pretty low too. 

 

We got up Wednesday morning, neither having much to say or to do with each other. It was just a depressing day. I felt so helpless in knowing what to do besides pray and read the scriptures. It helped, but the weight of the previous days events still hung heavy over us. I had to make it to a doctors appointment in order to be officially discharged from the Doctors care. On the way there we got a unexpected phone call from the Assistants. Elder Leah would be staying with us for a few days. Most people had expected for Elder Leah to be released from assistant since he's been there quite a while, but instead a new one was called and they became a Tripanionship (3 serving together). We soon learnt why. After my appointment we picked him up and headed back. We went out to work, but were still dragging around our pity party balloons by our heels. Thanks to his motivation we were still able to make a successful evening out of it.

 

The next morning during Weekly planning he addressed us forwardly. President Pitt had sent him to Evaluate the area because of its struggles over the past year. It had picked up since Elder Heiner and I have been together but we still weren't producing much fruit. But Elder Leah wasn't sent to rebuke us. He came to build us up and improve where we'd fallen short. It was still a tough pill for us to swallow, and a very humbling experience, but it also came as an answer to many prayers. Not only did it come at an Ideal time to build us up at our lowest of lows, but I'd been praying for months to the Lord to help make me a more effective missionary. I'll admit, this is the hardest work I've ever had to do. Its draining physically, mentally and emotionally. It makes getting up at 6:30am to work in the cold at the concrete pipe plant seem like child's play. I was in good spirits, but still knowing that I was not achieving my potential when it mattered most. But the Lord Answered my prayers. He just had to bring my low enough to do it. I don't know that if Carlos hadn't dropped us if I'd have been as willing to take Elder Leah's Advice. But I'm glad it all worked out the way it did.

 

Even more so because since we had that meeting, the Lord has blessed us. We went out and worked hard all that day and the day after and I saw more success than I've ever seen. We have 3 new investigators, 3 baptismal dates, 10 Books of Mormon given out, and a list of over 10 people to go back and Visit. This has been the hardest week of my mission, but it has also been my best. Funny how that works. I Know I'm still going to struggle at becoming a better missionary, and with people dropping us and low times, but I know too that the Lord has my back and I can always rely on him. Its built my testimony and given me strength to carry on. 

 

Thank you for all the prayers that come my way from home. I Love each one and need them.

 

Love Elder Sunada

 

Yo Hablo Espanol?‏

Its been pretty fun this past week trying to keep on top of things. I think I mentioned that We were teaching a man named Carlos, and yes, he is Mexican. Which is way sweet!! I love teaching and working with the Brown brothers! Its really fun too because though he understands most of what we say, he doesn't speak very well. Likewise with my Spanish I can get what he's trying to say most of the time, but I know I'm butchering all of the grammar and congregations of verbs. But its ok. We both get our points across for the most part and he really loves us coming over. We will be going over tonight with a member who served a Spanish speaking mission in California and are going to extend a baptismal invitation! So its way exciting. 

 

A few weeks ago we got a referral from Pres. Pitt to go visit a man he talked to in Taco Bell. President Pitt is an awesome example because he's never hesitant to share the Gospel where ever he goes. We only got the Address for the man who happened to live in Walker West Virginia which is in the Rural part of our area. Looking on the map we tried to decided the best way to get there. Either A: take the long way on the highway, or B: take a back road and save miles. We of course chose B and decided to go on an adventure. We ended going up and over several mountains on a one lane pot-hole-and-gravel road out in the Boonies. It was way fun to drive don't get me wrong, but I decided there could probably be a more effective way to work. So I gave in and bought a GPS. And actually I think it will be worth it. I went through and uploaded the ward roster on it so we always know where the members are and who we can work with in a specific area. I don't need it much for getting around in the city but its proven helpful in finding country homes and points of interest. Found out there's a Lebanese restaurant downtown I would like to try out! Cultured food yay!

 

Also Friday was an exciting time in the mission as we had Elder Pieper of the 70 come to Address us. It was a long meeting lasting nearly 8 hours of teaching. Half of the mission met in Charleston and the Rest met the next day in Roanoke. He spoke to us on many topics including Finding the Elect, How to use Missionary work to bless the Members, and how to use peoples desires to help them make Righteous covenants with God. It was an intense meeting and I have already been able to start applying the principles that he gave us. I think one of the coolest things about being instructed in missionary work is I've never been instructed on tactics to convince people the Gospel is true. Its always been things more along the lines of "Learn to love them to open their hearts", "Listen closely to the Spirit for what to say", "Serve others as much as possible, Regardless of their interest in the Message".  There's a wonderful quote from Elder Packer of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles which goes something like this:

"A study of true doctrine will do more to help improve behaviour, than a study of Behaviour will improve behaviour."

I've come to know that that's a true statement and I've seen it work. We are taught to apply principles in our lives, so that we can become more effective in the lives of others. Everything else I've had to learn by experience. The knocking on doors, talking to people in the Street, making more than awkward phone calls. Not much in the manual on that. But that's also been the fun part of it too. 

 

We also had some rough doors this past week. Every now and then we get one that is particularly unpleasant and we have to remind our selves that even Christ himself was persecuted. The very Son of God was hated for his Testimony and rejected by his own. Are the Servants better than the Master? Always a humbling thought. 

 

Its Transfers tomorrow, but I will be staying here with Elder Heiner. I'm stoked. We have some Great "Compunity". Sisters will be doubling out the Elders in Marietta and Elder Dailey will Replace Elder Reidhead in Parkersburg south. So some interesting changes in the District but that should be ok too. I think Thats all.

 

Love ya!

Elder Sunada

 

Timmy Time

Hey Everyone!

 

Sorry for the Delay! Government workers take every Holiday they can so the Library was closed yesterday. 

 

But...

IT FINALLY SNOWED! I mean not a lot of snow, But there is a little snow on the ground and its a tad Chilly outside. In fact the night it got cold our Thermostat inside our apartment also decided to have its battery die. It was a pretty chilly morning inside. But thankfully Elder Heiner had some extra batteries and saved the day. 

 

I Don't know if they did this back home, But the Stake decided that since New Years fell on a Fast Sunday they didn't want to crash any one's party so they moved Fast Sunday to next week. Because of this last moment change they needed some speakers. Turns out the Sunday I went in for Surgery I was also assigned to speak, So this was the perfect opportunity for me to complete my assignment. Bishop Bohning Even made the comment to me that "not even an appendectomy will get you out of speaking. Don't try breaking your leg either..." He's a funny guy.

 

Other than that its been back to work as usual. Some street Contacting, Checking on follow ups, People forgetting or dropping appointments. Missionary life. We did do some shopping at the mall. The first really decent mall I've seen on the mission. Nothing all that exciting but a somewhat big deal. I typically try to avoid the mall unless I need something there. To many people doing normal things. I don't know its just weird as a missionary. I bought a pretty sweet hat though. When I figure out how to upload pictures on to this Libraries computers I'll show it. 

 

OH! And Guess where we went for Lunch?! That's Right. Tim Hortons. And Yes, It was Glorious. I think some people in there were a little concerned with my Enthusiasm. But hey, if you Can't go to home to Canada, The next best thing is bringing a little bit of Canada to you. They just don't get it.  

 

Well I think that's all for this week folks! Hope Y'all had a great New year with plenty of great food and fun to Boot!

 

Elder Sunada

 

Back to the Streets

Wassup yall!

For an update from last week, I am doing much much better! I was discharged from the Hospital on Tuesday evening and stayed the next two nights at the Overbys, who took great care of me and nursed me back to health. We stayed at Souths apartment the rest of the week through Christmas, which made it easier to share the car seeing as I wasn't able to do much work on my feet. But my recovery was rapid! I'm currently back on my feet, off all painkillers as of last Friday. Since then I've been getting around very well. Rarely do I ever feel the surgical pain. I'm almost at full mobility again (I still have a hard time stretching all the way backwards like I used to but all good aside from that). So This week I'm planning on getting back into the full swing of things again as though It never happened.

Christmas has been really fun this year too. Spending it with the other Elders made it so much more enjoyable as we all were able to keep the excitement up. They are good Missionaries who are hard working and fun to be around. I'm in a great District! I really hope Elder Heiner and I will be able to find some to add to our teaching pool so we can get the ball rolling. I've had a much harder time Street contacting here than in any other area. Most people will tell you straight up that they're not interested and just walk off. I guess that's just city folk though. But There are good people here I know it!

OH! And there's also something else way exciting here. I ask the locals what there is to see and do around town. The Answer is typically, Not much. haha but what they don't realize is how cool it is that they have Not one, but TWO TIM HORTONS!! That's right. Timbits in Parkersburg West Virginia. I nearly Cried for joy when I saw that beautiful Canadian Icon. We even have gift cards to go there!! I'm super stoked! But I think that's All I got for the moment.

Thanks again for all the Prayers that went out on my Behalf. My biggest fear was that I'd be stuck in recovery mode for weeks of my mission. But I'm now ready to continue the work I was sent here to do. I know it was by the Power of God that things went so smoothly and that I am as healthy as I am.

I love you all so much and I hope that each of you were able to feel the Spirit of Christ this Christmas Season.

Elder Sunada