October 25, 2010

Hello everyone! How is it going? This week was pretty good for me. I moved into my new area. The Queensland and Parkland wards and am back in the zone that I started my mission in. In fact I am even in the same district as Chapparal. Which is pretty awesome. I've been able to see some of the members from there already and it has been awesome to see them. My new companion, Elder Hurley, is awesome. I love being around him. He is a hard worker but also knows how to have fun and enjoy himself. I can tell already that this is going to be a great transfer. I was really sad to leave my last area, especially since both of us were leaving. I was afraid that all the work I put into that area and all the progress I had would be lost, but Elder Barber who went in there with his greenie seems like a great missionary and I am sure that area is in good hands.

I have been able to have a lot of fun in this area already though. We carved pumpkins with some of the other missionaries. We helped a member get rid of his 100 year old piano. And by get rid of it I mean that we put it in the back of his truck, went to a big parking lot and he went in reverse really fast and then hit the brakes and the piano went flying out the back and got destroyed! Don't worry... we cleaned it all up. Nobody would ever know that we were ever there. But it was definitely the best service I have ever done. I have a feeling I am going to love it here.

We have an investigator named Angie who has a date for November 27th. That's awesome. We had a lesson with her and her excommunicated husband who is also working on coming back. The lesson was sweet. We went over Alma 36 and just talked to her about it. She had some concerns about getting baptized but we were able to resolve them pretty easily. She is ready for baptism. She really is. I don't know if I am going to help her towards it at all, but I hope I do. I hope that I was put here for a reason. And maybe that reason was to help her to overcome some problem that hasn't come out yet. Or maybe the reason I am here is for someone else. An investigator we don't have yet. We were walking around one day and found this guy named Christopher. Well he kind of found us. He saw us and walked up to us and asked if we were Mormon. And he said he had just moved there and was a born again Christian and was looking for a church he could go to and asked if visitors were allowed in our church so we told him when it started and he said he might be there and we set up an appointment to go visit him yesterday but he wasn't home. We were walking up to the house and the guy came out and said. We aren't interested... it wasn't Christopher though so we went up and he came back out and he said Christopher lived in the basement so we went around back and knocked on his door and he didn't answer. I thought that might happen though. he seemed like a kind of sketchy guy. But we are going to try back again soon to see if he is there. He didn't come to church which is sad, but maybe he will show up some Sunday.

I am really loving this area and Elder Hurley and I am excited to see what good I can do here. Thank you all for everything! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love
Elder Townsend

The girls at Cochrane Home Treasures

Me, Elder Crowe, Elder McFarland and Elder Hurley

Our room... I haven't unpacked yet because we are moving

ps. So... I forgot to tell you all that when I got to the area Elder Hurley told me that the member we are living with is really frustrated with missionaries in his house and wants us gone... so we spent a lot of the week looking for a new place to live. We went to a lot of members but President Archibald wants us out of there as soon as possible and we couldn't find a member that could house us that soon so we are going to be moving into an appartment this week sometime. I don't know if that will be a good thing or not. I think it will be nice, but I have really enjoyed being with members so far on my mission. But it could be a nice change. I always feel like we are getting in the way of the members we are living with. So that will be something fun to tell you guys about next week!

love you all!

October 19, 2010

Hey Everyone! How is it going? So transfers are this week. I am getting transferred down to the SE Calgary again in the South stake to Queensland and Parkland wards. I am going to be a senior companion to a guy named Elder Hurley. I don't really know anything about him but I am excited to get down there and see what I can do in that area. I really am sad to leave Cochrane but I guess it is what the Lord wants and I am looking forward to seeing the good that I can do there with the members and the investigators. I am a little nervous to be a senior companion but I am looking forward to it. It is going to be a great experience for me and will help me focus on being a great missionary and doing the best I can at planning and staying busy. I am truly sad to leave though. I hate that as soon as I start seeing some success in an area that I get transferred out of here. I was just barely starting to like it here. I came in and it was going really slow and I was working hard to get this area started again and then as soon as it starts to pick up I leave. And it's not just me. They are purging our area. Me and Elder Grace are leaving. He's going to Fort Macleod. And Cochrane is getting a trainer and a new guy. It is really sad but I guess it is what the Lord wants for all of us. It will be for the best and I am looking forward to seeing what happens.

This week wasn't too exciting though. We just had a lot of service that we did and lessons with members. We weren't able to have a lesson with any of our investigators. But we did go on exchanges with the zone leaders and me and Elder Clarke stayed in our area. That was fun. Not really. We spent most of the day at the library because he had to do a bunch of zone leader paperwork and then we went and had dinner and then we had a lesson with some friends of members in our ward. Their friends have been coming to church for two weeks and we asked if they wanted to learn more and they said sure we have a lot of questions you can answer. And they did. It was weird. He started out with questions like why don't we pray to Heavenly Mother and why Jesus is always pictured as a white guy with brown hair. And then the member friend showed up. He was late and then they just started talking about random stuff. We as missionaries didn't even get a word in once he came. Then when it was time to leave we barely even got a chance to have a prayer before we left. The new missionaries are going to have a lesson with them on Wednesday though. I wish them the best of luck.

That was pretty much it for my week though. Not too exciting. We have been able to spend a lot of time with Tina and answering some more of her questions. She really is amazing. She is sincerely interested and I can't believe how awesome she is. She is going to be really sad when we go tell her that we are leaving, but I am sure the next missionaries will be able to do a great job with her as well. I am really sad to leave. I truly am. I love it here. But it's what God wants not what I want. So I'll let you all know next week how things go. No pictures again this week... sorry... I love you all! Thanks for everything!

love
Elder Townsend

October 11, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! And no I'm not just saying that in advance. In Canada this is their thanksgiving. Weird I know. But it's pretty sweet. It means I get two this year. And we even had a turkey bowl this morning. It was fun. I didn't think I would get one. But I did! Whoo hoo! It was cold and wet though. And there were little rocks in the grass. It wasn't very safe. haha.

This week was pretty fun though. I didn't get a chance to take any pictures though. Sad day. But we were able to do a lot of service. Even Pday we didn't have anything to do so we went and helped Tina at Home Treasures. That was fun. Then Tuesday we had district meetings and then stake president Miller had the missionaries in the zone over for lunch and then talked about how we need to be more unified with our wards. So that took pretty much all day. That was weird. Then Wednesday we had interviews with President Archibald. He told us that we need to start having better back up plans and it's true. I'm pretty bad at those. But I am working on it. I guess I just get lazy because most of our first plans won't ever fall through. haha. It was good though. I like interviews with president. They are nice and we only get them every other transfer now. Isn't that sad? I thought so.

Then on Friday we had dinner with the Reilly's and their son Nick who we have been teaching was there and so we had a lesson with them afterwards and it went really well. His parents kind of took over the lesson but it did go well, but he isn't ready for baptism so he won't be getting baptized this weekend sadly but he will eventually.

Then on Sunday we went to church and afterwards Tina called us and asked if we would come answer some of her questions about the Book of Mormon. That's right she has been reading! A lot actually! It's awesome! So we went and talked to her and her daughter Megan for a while. That was sweet! They seem to be understanding a lot more than before. They are pretty caught up on coffee though. Well, Megan has a lot more problems but Tina can't get over that. But that isn't too hard to overcome though. And we are even going over to her house for thanksgiving dinner today so I am excited! It means this letter is pretty short though because dinner is pretty soon. So hopefully we can continue to talk to her about things today. And the rest of her family will be there too! Sweet!

Well, that's pretty much it for my week. I'll talk to you guys next week and let you know if I am leaving Cochrane or not. I really hope not. I don't like transfers. I like it here a lot. I really do. Thanks for everything guys! I love you all!

Love,
Elder Townsend

October 4, 2010

Hello everybody. How are things going with you guys? Things are going pretty well up here in Canada. It's definitely becoming winter again. I've already scraped ice off my windshield a couple of times. The leaves are all yellow and orange and covering everything. It's starting to get dark before I fall asleep again. haha. It's pretty weird. We had a really bad summer and they say this winter should be pretty mild too. So I guess that not too bad.

So this week was pretty good. Not too much exciting happened. Last Monday we went to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. That was pretty fun. We went and met the Banff missionaries in Canmore and then drove together there. It was pretty sweet. Those lakes really are beautiful. I love Canada. And the best part is that you don't really have to hike to them. The parking lot is pretty much right there! haha. It was absolutely beautiful though. I loved it.

Then Tuesday we had district meeting. Those are three hours long now though. The district leader is teaching us everything he learned in the meetings last week. So they are kind of long. But they are good. Then we went and helped a member and his neighbor lay sod in their yards. That was fun. And of course it decided to start pouring on us right before we started and stop right when we finished. So we were soaked and covered in mud. It was actually a lot of fun though. I really enjoyed it. Also on Monday I hit my 11 month mark... weird. Time flies when you're having fun I guess. haha.

Then Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we did a lot of service during the days and teaching at night. So that's good. I really like it here. The service opportunities are awesome and I really do have a lot of fun doing it. We even get a lot of opportunities to talk about the church to people. In fact this week we even gave Tina, the manager at the thrift store, a Book of Mormon. That was pretty sweet. She even said she might read it. And she found me on Facebook and is probably going to be reading this so everyone should tell her she should read it. Ready? one... two... three! TINA YOU SHOULD READ IT!... welp. There ya go Tina. they said it. haha, Tina is really fun though. I really enjoy working with her and the rest of the people at Home Treasures. So thanks to all of them!

Then came conference. That was awesome. I absolutely loved it. It was ten hours long but it was a great ten hours. I loved Elder Holland's talk Saturday morning. It was a great way to start off the conference. He really made me think of how much I really do appreciate all of my family and love them so much. So thank you guys. You really are awesome. It actually made me really sad when I heard him talk because I really wanted to go home and be with you guys and be able to just give you a hug. But then it made me also want to work hard so when I do get the chance to hug you guys again I will know I did everything I could to have a great mission. I love you all so much! I really do! I cant say it enough! The rest of conference was pretty good too. A lot about making the right choices in life. It was a good conference. It was weird though because here in Cochrane they had it in the church building since the stake center is so far away, but most people must have just watched it on the computer because it was really just me, Elder Grace, and like four other people there the whole time. So we had the whole building to ourselves. Which was a good thing though. I enjoyed the solitude a little bit. After I left the Sunday afternoon session though I thought about how I only had two more conferences on my mission... weird. But I'm going to make the next year the best year of my life!

Thanks for everything! You all are amazing! I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love,
Elder Townsend

Moraine Lake. Look how beautiful that lake is. Again though... the sun was in the wrong place for good pictures... Thats Elder Grace's fault this time.

Glacier that feeds Lake LouiseThis is Elder Hepworth... and his favorite sign. haha

September 27, 2010

Hey everyone! How is it going? This week was awesome for me! A lot happened so I'll try to get everything in without making this email too long haha. so Monday kind of sucked. we didn't have anything to do for Pday so we went to the church and I played with some Lincoln logs I found in the nursery and then took a nap... not the best Pday ever. haha.

But the rest of the week was exciting. Elder Grace had a bunch of meetings that he had to go to in Calgary and so did the senior companion from Banff so me and Elder Mercado were on exchanges pretty much all week. Tuesday through Friday until dinner. It was awesome! I love that guy! He is amazing! We had a lot of fun together. We were able to do a lot of service. Which is awesome. I love he service here. And the people there seem to love us a lot! Especially at the thrift store. There are a bunch of ladies there that are awesome! I love them! They are hilarious and make going there a lot of fun. And the manager there is named Tina. She is awesome. The last time we went there she bought us a whole box of peaches. She heard me say I liked peaches and then she went to the farmers market and bought us some. Isn't that awesome? I thought so. We work with Compassion Africa as well with Jon and Tim and Wanda. They are hilarious. Tim and Wanda are great. I've never seen two grown people act like them. It makes it really fun to go there when we do though. They are amazing. They are moving down to SE Calgary in Oct though. So we don't get to work with them for much longer. That's pretty sad. We have the food bank as well. Elder Mercado loves going there because we get free food. He loves food. As any good Philippine does. haha. It really was a great week though. We were able to teach the 8 year old out in Morley again. That was awesome. She seems to be doing amazing and it's great for her mom to hear this all as well. And we were able to teach Nick Reilly again. He is going awesome! He has a baptismal date for October 16th!!! I was so excited! He was a little hesitant about it and we did kind of push it on him. But at least he has that as a goal he can work towards. When it comes to that date either he will be baptized or his true concerns will come out. Either one will be good. haha.

Oh, then Saturday we had the Cochrane food drive. That was awesome! We went around and collected food all morning. And if people didn't have food on their porch then we knocked on the door and asked if they had any. It was awesome. I felt like I was tracting but it was weird because there were a lot of people that were actually excited to see us. haha. But we couldn't talk about the church at all because the food drive people didn't want us too. But our church hosted it so all the food that was collected went to our church and got sorted and boxed. That was awesome. It was a great opportunity for people to get into our church. There were even pastors and stuff from the other churches here that asked if they could go into the chapel and they were very surprised that it looked so normal and were very grateful they had the chance to see it. So that was sweet. The community is starting to think that we are a little more normal I think. haha.

But the most exciting part about this week. Besides the baptismal date was that I went to BC!!!!! That's right! Beautiful British Columbia! haha Wednesday when me and Elder Mercado were on exchanges a member from his branch asked if they could take us there to meet all the less actives there.... OF COURSE! haha. So we went to Lake Louise and saw the people there. That was beautiful! Then we drove on over to a little town of Fields BC. I was so excited! It was awesome and beautiful! No wonder they call it beautiful British Columbia. Although Lake Louise was still in Alberta... but still. I love it here in Canada. It really is a beautiful country.

That's pretty much it for my week though. Not bad, eh? I was pretty excited! And we are going to Moraine Lake today for Pday. I am excited!

Thanks for everything! I love you guys!

Love
Elder Townsend

Lake Louise! Beautiful, eh? haha

BC!!!!!!!!Canadian Rockies

Elder Mercado. haha

Dad wanted a picture of the sisters in the district. This is Sister Riley and Sister Ireland. Sister Riley got transferred though. Now we have Sister Hill. But no picture of her, sorry.

Hi Kim.

I am sitting here talking to your son and he is raving about your COWBOY SALSA.

He tells me you MAY give me the recipe if I ask.

So I am asking.

Would you mind sending it to me?

I will try to make it like yours so he will feel at home.

Thanks………Bonnie

PS…. We are really enjoying having your son in our home. Devin is very friendly and very willing to serve in this mission. We often just end up talking for long periods of time on any matter that may come up. We love him, he is a wonderful young man.