Hey,
Long time no speak...
Not much has happened in the last four days.
I finally got to send some pictures home.
We helped a member of the ward put together his new cabinets.
All the missionaries in our ward (there's five of us (did I mention that Elder Decker came to the east side mid-transfer?)) sang "Lord, I Would Follow Thee" in sacrament meeting. I think we did a pretty good job. We got to practice twice; and two of us were sick, except for that morning.
Other than that, things have been going pretty well.
I hope everything's going great for y'all.
Have a good week!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Monday, March 15, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010 - CTR
Hi, y'all!
Another week has passed in the TLM.
First of all, just so you know, next week's P-day will be on Monday instead of Thursday. The zone leaders want to do a zone activity before interviews on Tuesday. Our new goal is 60 baptisms a month, and so our short-term goal is 45. They want to do something to better unify us so we can achieve it. So on Monday, we're all going to go to the Cadillac Ranch, followed by a FHE at a member's home. It sounds exciting. (It also means we'll have 10 days without a P-day.)
Also, my temple recommend was going to expire at the end of the month. I told President Robison, and so he pulled me aside and interviewed me right there. He took my old one and said he'll mail my new one to me. It occurred to me then that that was my very first one. It was also weird being without one for the first time since getting it. It felt very weird. In fact, I borrowed a "For the Strength of Youth" mini-pamphlet from one of the youth and stuck it in my wallet where the recommend would be. A couple days later, my new one came in the mail. Holding a current temple recommend means something more to me now.
One day, we passed a lady that was quickly walking along the street. When we tried to speak to her, she asked if we could calm her ex-husband down who was threatening to kill himself. We went to the address she gave us, and sure enough, there was a man sitting on his porch, with a garden hose tied into a noose that was slung over the porch. We tried talking to him. He was in a bad situation (just out of jail, no money, no documentation, no nothing). He was also too mad to talk to. We ended up leaving and calling the police. We're sure we did the right thing. I just hope things turn out alright for him.
In other news, we have been challenged by the zone leaders to read the Book of Mormon before General Conference (in three weeks). That's about 25 pages per day. I am not a fan of speed reading scriptures, but it has still been pretty interesting to do. I've learned quite a bit in the three days I've been doing it.
Speaking of news, we were out on our bikes the other day, and a gentleman stopped his truck to talk to us. He said he was a columnist for the local paper and wanted to do a little article on us in a couple weeks. That should be pretty cool to do.
Great things happen everyday. I'm learning everyday, and experiencing things only a mission could afford. I'm glad I can be a missionary.
I know the Church is true.
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Another week has passed in the TLM.
First of all, just so you know, next week's P-day will be on Monday instead of Thursday. The zone leaders want to do a zone activity before interviews on Tuesday. Our new goal is 60 baptisms a month, and so our short-term goal is 45. They want to do something to better unify us so we can achieve it. So on Monday, we're all going to go to the Cadillac Ranch, followed by a FHE at a member's home. It sounds exciting. (It also means we'll have 10 days without a P-day.)
Also, my temple recommend was going to expire at the end of the month. I told President Robison, and so he pulled me aside and interviewed me right there. He took my old one and said he'll mail my new one to me. It occurred to me then that that was my very first one. It was also weird being without one for the first time since getting it. It felt very weird. In fact, I borrowed a "For the Strength of Youth" mini-pamphlet from one of the youth and stuck it in my wallet where the recommend would be. A couple days later, my new one came in the mail. Holding a current temple recommend means something more to me now.
One day, we passed a lady that was quickly walking along the street. When we tried to speak to her, she asked if we could calm her ex-husband down who was threatening to kill himself. We went to the address she gave us, and sure enough, there was a man sitting on his porch, with a garden hose tied into a noose that was slung over the porch. We tried talking to him. He was in a bad situation (just out of jail, no money, no documentation, no nothing). He was also too mad to talk to. We ended up leaving and calling the police. We're sure we did the right thing. I just hope things turn out alright for him.
In other news, we have been challenged by the zone leaders to read the Book of Mormon before General Conference (in three weeks). That's about 25 pages per day. I am not a fan of speed reading scriptures, but it has still been pretty interesting to do. I've learned quite a bit in the three days I've been doing it.
Speaking of news, we were out on our bikes the other day, and a gentleman stopped his truck to talk to us. He said he was a columnist for the local paper and wanted to do a little article on us in a couple weeks. That should be pretty cool to do.
Great things happen everyday. I'm learning everyday, and experiencing things only a mission could afford. I'm glad I can be a missionary.
I know the Church is true.
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010 - Last Zone Conference
Hello!
How are things going?
It's been a pretty good week.
Today is Elder Engstrom's year mark. That means it's Elder Cherrington's also.
We just had zone conference on Tuesday. It was my last one, and it was on my 23rd-month mark. It was very good - probably the best yet. The zone leaders spoke about talking with everyone you pass, at least ten people per day. I was asked to bear my "final testimony", it being the last time in a zone conference before I go home.
This weekend, we also had our stake conference. (This transfer starts with stake conference and will end with General Conference. Isn't that cool? (That'll also be the fifth General Conference in my mission.)) The stake president is President Vest. He was just called six months ago, making this his first official stake conference as president. He is also very young (~35), energetic, and also very missionary-minded. He gave a powerful talk in the general session, where he declared the stake presidency's vision for the stake. He used the same scripture that President Jarvis used that says that where there is no vision, the people perish. As part of the vision, he included that the Amarillo Stake will be split within ten years.
Visiting the conference was Elder Gibbons of the Seventy. He testified of this and said it could be done in even less time. Elder Gibbons is a very good speaker. I enjoyed listening to his talks during the three sessions I attended.
President Robison told the missionaries that there are two other stakes who are also planning on splitting in the next few years. He wants it done before he goes home in 16 months! Sister Robison said that it seems that once we doubled baptisms, everyone else jumped on board, and saw what could be made of this region and what the people and members here are capable of accomplishing.
Anyways, I'm glad that I've been able to witness the changes that have gone on here and I'm excited to see what else we can do.
I have been getting all your emails (at least, I think it's all; I wouldn't know how to tell if I've missed any), and I'm still looking for a way to send pictures home. Keep on the lookout. It may be that I can only send a few at a time.
I am learning so much every day.
I love this work, and I know the Church is true.
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
How are things going?
It's been a pretty good week.
Today is Elder Engstrom's year mark. That means it's Elder Cherrington's also.
We just had zone conference on Tuesday. It was my last one, and it was on my 23rd-month mark. It was very good - probably the best yet. The zone leaders spoke about talking with everyone you pass, at least ten people per day. I was asked to bear my "final testimony", it being the last time in a zone conference before I go home.
This weekend, we also had our stake conference. (This transfer starts with stake conference and will end with General Conference. Isn't that cool? (That'll also be the fifth General Conference in my mission.)) The stake president is President Vest. He was just called six months ago, making this his first official stake conference as president. He is also very young (~35), energetic, and also very missionary-minded. He gave a powerful talk in the general session, where he declared the stake presidency's vision for the stake. He used the same scripture that President Jarvis used that says that where there is no vision, the people perish. As part of the vision, he included that the Amarillo Stake will be split within ten years.
Visiting the conference was Elder Gibbons of the Seventy. He testified of this and said it could be done in even less time. Elder Gibbons is a very good speaker. I enjoyed listening to his talks during the three sessions I attended.
President Robison told the missionaries that there are two other stakes who are also planning on splitting in the next few years. He wants it done before he goes home in 16 months! Sister Robison said that it seems that once we doubled baptisms, everyone else jumped on board, and saw what could be made of this region and what the people and members here are capable of accomplishing.
Anyways, I'm glad that I've been able to witness the changes that have gone on here and I'm excited to see what else we can do.
I have been getting all your emails (at least, I think it's all; I wouldn't know how to tell if I've missed any), and I'm still looking for a way to send pictures home. Keep on the lookout. It may be that I can only send a few at a time.
I am learning so much every day.
I love this work, and I know the Church is true.
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010 - Final transfer / final 6 weeks
Hello!
How's it going?
It's transfer week, and, unexpectedly, Elder Pearce got transferred. It means that he has had a new companion each transfer, and that I have to break in yet another companion. My new one is Elder Engstrom. He came out at the same time as Elder Cherrington, and so will be hitting his year mark this transfer. (Which reminds me, I'll be hitting my two-year-mark this transfer!) Elder Pearce is now off in Hobbs, NM, and Elder Engstrom arrived from Ruidoso, NM, making this the first Texas area of his mission.
Things have been going really well. The weather has been beautifully clear and warm. It did snow again the other week (all over the whole mission, in fact), but it's almost all gone now.
Elder Pearce and I had a great week, teaching almost 30 lessons. Our ward really likes us and we're getting some great support. If we plan right and plan ahead, then we will able to get a lot of work done.
I'm particularly excited about the ward's pre-missionaries. There are three of them and they're willing to go teach with us, and we're happy to ask. One of them is leaving close to the end of April. It's exciting to help prepare however we can.
There were a lot of changes this transfer. Many areas were whitewashed. Elder Christopherson also left (to train in Midland), and Elder Lowe came up from Abilene to serve with Elder Butterworth. It's good to see another familiar face. I am so relieved that everyone transferred here are people I already like.
A member of our ward came and fixed Elder Engstrom's bike when he arrived, and while he was at it, he adjusted / fixed mine.
There is a lot of exciting things going on in this part of the vineyard, and I'm so glad to be a part of it.
I know the Church is true.
Have a great week!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
How's it going?
It's transfer week, and, unexpectedly, Elder Pearce got transferred. It means that he has had a new companion each transfer, and that I have to break in yet another companion. My new one is Elder Engstrom. He came out at the same time as Elder Cherrington, and so will be hitting his year mark this transfer. (Which reminds me, I'll be hitting my two-year-mark this transfer!) Elder Pearce is now off in Hobbs, NM, and Elder Engstrom arrived from Ruidoso, NM, making this the first Texas area of his mission.
Things have been going really well. The weather has been beautifully clear and warm. It did snow again the other week (all over the whole mission, in fact), but it's almost all gone now.
Elder Pearce and I had a great week, teaching almost 30 lessons. Our ward really likes us and we're getting some great support. If we plan right and plan ahead, then we will able to get a lot of work done.
I'm particularly excited about the ward's pre-missionaries. There are three of them and they're willing to go teach with us, and we're happy to ask. One of them is leaving close to the end of April. It's exciting to help prepare however we can.
There were a lot of changes this transfer. Many areas were whitewashed. Elder Christopherson also left (to train in Midland), and Elder Lowe came up from Abilene to serve with Elder Butterworth. It's good to see another familiar face. I am so relieved that everyone transferred here are people I already like.
A member of our ward came and fixed Elder Engstrom's bike when he arrived, and while he was at it, he adjusted / fixed mine.
There is a lot of exciting things going on in this part of the vineyard, and I'm so glad to be a part of it.
I know the Church is true.
Have a great week!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hey!
It's been another beautiful week here in the Texas Panhandle!
The weather's been clearing up, and it's been getting warmer.
The change in temperature has also brought its fair share of sickness, too. I got a little cold. Fortunately, it is *little*. It won't last near as long as the last one.
The work here has been really picking up. We're doing a lot better than when I arrived.
I'm learning new things everyday. What a wonderful blessing that is!
Some days are tough. Just the other day, it seemed everyone was mean at us. Usually that doesn't really mean much, but sometimes, it adds up. Still, though, some of the most exciting times in missionary work are when you're meeting new people.
I've (re-) learned that you have to look at things positively, and choose to be happy. That's a tough lesson for a cynic like me. I've also (re-) learned that you have to rely on the Spirit if you are to do anything of great worth, or accomplish something of value. If you do, you can do more than you could if you were the smartest or most able person on the planet. It also means that even if you are the lowliest of God's children, you can still do many great and important things here on earth.
The Church is true!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
It's been another beautiful week here in the Texas Panhandle!
The weather's been clearing up, and it's been getting warmer.
The change in temperature has also brought its fair share of sickness, too. I got a little cold. Fortunately, it is *little*. It won't last near as long as the last one.
The work here has been really picking up. We're doing a lot better than when I arrived.
I'm learning new things everyday. What a wonderful blessing that is!
Some days are tough. Just the other day, it seemed everyone was mean at us. Usually that doesn't really mean much, but sometimes, it adds up. Still, though, some of the most exciting times in missionary work are when you're meeting new people.
I've (re-) learned that you have to look at things positively, and choose to be happy. That's a tough lesson for a cynic like me. I've also (re-) learned that you have to rely on the Spirit if you are to do anything of great worth, or accomplish something of value. If you do, you can do more than you could if you were the smartest or most able person on the planet. It also means that even if you are the lowliest of God's children, you can still do many great and important things here on earth.
The Church is true!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Hey!
What's been going on?
Things are going well here. Our work is slowly speeding up and we're getting a lot more done than before. It helps that the weather is cooperating. It also helps that we're bit-by-bit planning more effectively. When you plan things ahead, things go so much more smoothly.
To answer your question from before, this is a geographically small area. It is most definitely one of the smallest in the whole mission, if not the smallest. I really love it. Because it's small, we don't have to worry about transportation, even if we're only on bikes. It's also almost all residential, so we'll never "run out" of work. Most of the local members live in our area. We also have a fair amount of commercial zones, so if ever we want to eat out, we don't have to go far.
One thing I noticed early on when I arrived is how stupid some missionaries (including me) are when biking at night. I was biking along one evening, and it occurred to me: I'm biking on a black bicycle, wearing an all-black coat, an all-black helmet, black shoes, black socks, black gloves, having no rear light, and it's night-time. How stupid! There's not that much I can do about it, and I have a front light (a flashlight taped to my handlebars), but the thought just popped in my mind.
Anyways, I don't have much to say today.
Still looking for a way to send my pictures. Be on the lookout for them.
The Church is true!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Something I wish I knew before my mission: how to cheaply seal a crack in a shoe.
What's been going on?
Things are going well here. Our work is slowly speeding up and we're getting a lot more done than before. It helps that the weather is cooperating. It also helps that we're bit-by-bit planning more effectively. When you plan things ahead, things go so much more smoothly.
To answer your question from before, this is a geographically small area. It is most definitely one of the smallest in the whole mission, if not the smallest. I really love it. Because it's small, we don't have to worry about transportation, even if we're only on bikes. It's also almost all residential, so we'll never "run out" of work. Most of the local members live in our area. We also have a fair amount of commercial zones, so if ever we want to eat out, we don't have to go far.
One thing I noticed early on when I arrived is how stupid some missionaries (including me) are when biking at night. I was biking along one evening, and it occurred to me: I'm biking on a black bicycle, wearing an all-black coat, an all-black helmet, black shoes, black socks, black gloves, having no rear light, and it's night-time. How stupid! There's not that much I can do about it, and I have a front light (a flashlight taped to my handlebars), but the thought just popped in my mind.
Anyways, I don't have much to say today.
Still looking for a way to send my pictures. Be on the lookout for them.
The Church is true!
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Something I wish I knew before my mission: how to cheaply seal a crack in a shoe.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010 - "And since we've no place to go..."
Hello!
Elder Wong here, writing from what I thought was Amarillo, Texas, but I'm not too entirely sure.
Last week, on Wednesday/Thursday, we got tons of sleet - itty-bitty pellets of ice. By Thursday morning, it became slush and snow. All the mission vehicles in Amarillo were parked, and we were stuck in the apartment. We did manage to pass the time by reading our stack of Ensigns and visiting the Ambassador Hotel across the street, and Oliver's Saddle Shop down the block. Friday we were stuck inside also, so we did a lot of planning. Saturday and Sunday we managed to arrange for people to give us rides to appointments and teach with us. (Regardless of weather, how often do missionaries in Montreal do that? Other than my mission prep, I don't remember anyone mentioning doing lessons alongside the missionaries...)
On Sunday, our ward's meetings were cancelled.
Just a few days before the snow, it was sunny and comparatively warm. We didn't need any jackets (or grocery bags lining our shoes). I also got in a bike wreck. My front wheel slipped to the side and I flipped right over the bike. I don't remember it, but I hit my knee somewhere in the process, which got a little cut, and it was sore for a while. Anyways, since the days we were stuck inside, we decided that we couldn't just sit around doing nothing. Elder Pearce had black boots and I had Wal-Mart bags over my socks (I found a crack in each of my new shoes!), so we decided to go walking. After a long afternoon of nothing, we came back with wet feet. Then we decided to go biking. So since that time, we've been riding our bikes in the snow. If it's not too wet and if it's not too slippery, we do fine, and we manage to get places. Sometimes, it's actually kinda fun. It's funny: we can ride our bikes in the snow better than most Texans can drive in the snow.
Then it started to rain. We tried biking out in that, but we got wet and consequently, very cold. Not only that, one man we tried to visit, whom we had been teaching for quite some time, asked us not to return. Needless to say, it was a miserable day.
But I did get the package you sent last Friday. Thanks for all the info and also that talk. Elder Cherrington had a friend that sent him the full version, given at BYU, and there are some things in there that aren't mentioned in the Ensign. You should check it out.
In other news, Elder Christopherson's companion, Elder Butterworth, finally arrived. Elder Christopherson is so relieved to have an official companion. Elder Butterworth is yet another one of those missionaries that came to the mission while I was in the office.
One thing I forgot to mention when I first got here is about the signs all over the city. I've spoken with many missionaries who would tell me about these signs with random messages on them placed all around town. Now that I'm serving here, I've been able to see quite a few, and find out what those missionaries were talking about. They've been put up by a man named Stanley Marsh. He's some rich dude who loves to spend money and is more eccentric than he is rich. He made the Cadillac Ranch, which is a bunch of cars half-buried front-first in the ground, and people are invited to come and spray paint them as they will. Anyways, he also put up signs (all of them diamond-shaped, like construction signs) in hundreds of locations around Amarillo, each with a quote, random saying, picture, or something.
A couple days ago, I got "the call". The call that I used to make while I was in the office. Sister Hansen called and asked which airport I wanted to fly to at the end of my mission. (You could tell she was tearing up a little over the phone.) I told her YUL. (I actually told her PET, which is what I thought they renamed it to. No one told me that the initials didn't change. I could've had a free flight to Brazil!)
Anyways, I hope all is well at home. I'm still looking for ways to send my pictures home.
Take care, and remember that the Church is true.
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
Elder Wong here, writing from what I thought was Amarillo, Texas, but I'm not too entirely sure.
Last week, on Wednesday/Thursday, we got tons of sleet - itty-bitty pellets of ice. By Thursday morning, it became slush and snow. All the mission vehicles in Amarillo were parked, and we were stuck in the apartment. We did manage to pass the time by reading our stack of Ensigns and visiting the Ambassador Hotel across the street, and Oliver's Saddle Shop down the block. Friday we were stuck inside also, so we did a lot of planning. Saturday and Sunday we managed to arrange for people to give us rides to appointments and teach with us. (Regardless of weather, how often do missionaries in Montreal do that? Other than my mission prep, I don't remember anyone mentioning doing lessons alongside the missionaries...)
On Sunday, our ward's meetings were cancelled.
Just a few days before the snow, it was sunny and comparatively warm. We didn't need any jackets (or grocery bags lining our shoes). I also got in a bike wreck. My front wheel slipped to the side and I flipped right over the bike. I don't remember it, but I hit my knee somewhere in the process, which got a little cut, and it was sore for a while. Anyways, since the days we were stuck inside, we decided that we couldn't just sit around doing nothing. Elder Pearce had black boots and I had Wal-Mart bags over my socks (I found a crack in each of my new shoes!), so we decided to go walking. After a long afternoon of nothing, we came back with wet feet. Then we decided to go biking. So since that time, we've been riding our bikes in the snow. If it's not too wet and if it's not too slippery, we do fine, and we manage to get places. Sometimes, it's actually kinda fun. It's funny: we can ride our bikes in the snow better than most Texans can drive in the snow.
Then it started to rain. We tried biking out in that, but we got wet and consequently, very cold. Not only that, one man we tried to visit, whom we had been teaching for quite some time, asked us not to return. Needless to say, it was a miserable day.
But I did get the package you sent last Friday. Thanks for all the info and also that talk. Elder Cherrington had a friend that sent him the full version, given at BYU, and there are some things in there that aren't mentioned in the Ensign. You should check it out.
In other news, Elder Christopherson's companion, Elder Butterworth, finally arrived. Elder Christopherson is so relieved to have an official companion. Elder Butterworth is yet another one of those missionaries that came to the mission while I was in the office.
One thing I forgot to mention when I first got here is about the signs all over the city. I've spoken with many missionaries who would tell me about these signs with random messages on them placed all around town. Now that I'm serving here, I've been able to see quite a few, and find out what those missionaries were talking about. They've been put up by a man named Stanley Marsh. He's some rich dude who loves to spend money and is more eccentric than he is rich. He made the Cadillac Ranch, which is a bunch of cars half-buried front-first in the ground, and people are invited to come and spray paint them as they will. Anyways, he also put up signs (all of them diamond-shaped, like construction signs) in hundreds of locations around Amarillo, each with a quote, random saying, picture, or something.
A couple days ago, I got "the call". The call that I used to make while I was in the office. Sister Hansen called and asked which airport I wanted to fly to at the end of my mission. (You could tell she was tearing up a little over the phone.) I told her YUL. (I actually told her PET, which is what I thought they renamed it to. No one told me that the initials didn't change. I could've had a free flight to Brazil!)
Anyways, I hope all is well at home. I'm still looking for ways to send my pictures home.
Take care, and remember that the Church is true.
Love,
-Elder Brandon Wong
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