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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Elder Inman Letter August 26, 2013

Not an all too exciting week.

This letter we probably be pretty short, there isn't a lot to report on! We had our first District Meeting of the transfer this last Wednesday and had discussions on temple covenants. The Law of the Gospel, the Law of Obedience, the Law of Sacrifice, Consecration, and Chastity. President Mecham challenged us to study the covenants so that when we went to the Temple Thursday, it would mean a lot more to us. I gave the discussion on  the Law of Obedience and I learned a ton more than I ever have. Turns out those Laws get pretty deep! After district meeting we did another service project...more yard work yay! Lots of pulling weeds, weed eating and so forth. It was fun though!

THURSDAY. TEMPLE DAY. The new endowment film is awesome. My mind was blown and it was SO much better than the previous one. They don't even compare. Our whole zone went through today and we got to go to a private meeting in the chapel with the Temple President. SO SWEET! We could ask whatever questions we wanted, and we talked about the Everlasting Covenant and how the God Head covenanted with EACH OTHER to obey and carry out their distinct and crucial roles in the Plan of Salvation. So cool. I wrote down all the really good details :)

Afterwards, the mission paid for us to eat at Golden Corral, and then we drove to Laurel (20ish miles) and ate a second, homemade authentic italian dinner. I felt so fat. But it was worth it.

Friday we had dinner at Alyssa Grant's house. It turns out that Alyssa and Elder Brisco went to the SAME elementary school at the SAME time and were in the SAME class in 6th grade. Small world or what?! This was in Chandler apparently, and they rode the same bus. Pretty cool! More info on Elder Brisco, he grew up in Chandler, moved to Saudi Arabia for 3 years because his Dad was offered a computer programming job there, and then moved back to Thatcher where he went to EA. Also he claims to have a black belt in Taekwondo...He talks about it a lot.

Saturday was pretty sweet. We set up a concert for Jordan Sparks! Apparently she was performing for a charity/fundraising event of some sort. Ironically all the missionaries in Billings were setting up the bar stands and shining wine glasses haha. Avoid the appearance of evil huh? We were supposed to sing at a Hotel which was said to be at a certain crossroad in Downtown Billings. The sisters gave us 4 different wrong directions so we ended up walking several miles (we were on foot because it was supposed to be close) and considered crossing the private property of the railroad they led us too. We never got to sing, so we headed back to the fundraiser place and got free lemonade at the Farmer's Market! It's a big deal up here. Ever heard of the Hutterites (HOOT-ER-ITES)? They are similar to the Amish and are famous in the farmers market for their bread and vegetables.

Elder Bonaro gave a talk on recieving personal revelation, and Eliza Smith (a member of our ward) gave a talk comparing the "Our Journey Home" with The Wizard of Oz. Actually some pretty cool comparisons! Who would have thought. So TIM...who usually shows up in a tank top, shorts, gages, and a hat to church, showed up Sunday with DRESS SLACKS, DRESS SHOES, A BRAIDED BELT, WITH A TUCKED IN WHITE BUTTON UP SHIRT. Blew our minds! No gages or hat! And then Kyle Hamburg, who 4 months ago hated people and didn't have any interest in coming to church, WILLINGLY and OFFERED to answer questions and read in Gospel essentials! So happy! In Priesthood, Kyle raised his hand to ask who his home teaching assignment was. Goes to show that ANYONE can completely change. 

Later that Sunday night, we saw a mailbox (a brick mailbox mind you), that had somehow been broken in half probably by a drunk driver. It had to have totaled the car. Anyways, whoever hit it, had taken the top half, set it upright, and put the mailbox on top of it as if it would look normal. 3 feet shorter than usual. With the bottom half 10 feet away haha.

Also we tied Elder Schramm to his bed frame.

Sounds like the family is doing great! Jesse always seems to have a great time camping no matter what the circumstances. And that is so cool to hear that Jesse had been praying for friends and understanding. That makes me want to cry, because he tries so hard and doesn't understand a lot of things but is beginning to see that prayer works. I love you all and have an awesome week!
 

 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Elder Inman Letter August 19, 2013

Yeee-haw!



People claim to have served in the best mission. False. They are all wrong. And you'll see why in a little bit :) How's it going all?! This week was so much better than the last...because Elder Bonaro and I are REUNITED! During planning Tuesday night, I felt strongly that we needed to fast for our area the following day/ Elder Bonaro quickly agreed. So Elder Bonaro and I fasted the next day at Zone Leader training where they provided a free lunch and Elder Brisco thought he was hilarious because he was eating and we weren't.

Wednesday splits went pretty well! Funny story about that...As you know, we look for less-actives for splits. We came to a house looking for a "Jessica Gallager who should be in her young 20's. We knock the door and a girl in her young twenties answers the door.

"Hello, we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and we are looking for Jessica Gallager. Does she still live here?
- "No She moved."
"Oh. Well thank you for your help. Have you ever talked to missionaries before?"
- "Yeah I'm good."
"Ok well what was your name?
- "Jessica"
.....
Hmmmm. It also said "Gallager" on the mailbox. Nice one. So we are definitely going back there haha.

Friday was so SWEET. Brother Zabawa, a member of the Bishopric who is a convert to the church, hosted a missionary event at his house. This is the guy who owns the Mercedes dealership and several others...needless to say his house is enormous. Three full stories. Anyways, he is super pumped about missionary work and so every year he provides a 5 course STEAK dinner for everyone who attends. Your ticket in, is to bring a non-member or less-active with you. There were about 90 people there! SO sweet! After dinner, a few of us played a game of Soccer at the park right behind his house. You know those foreigners I talked about a few weeks ago from Turkey? 3 of them came! And they owned us at soccer. I am NOT a soccer player. Near the goal, I was guarding one of the Turks and he kicked the ball so hard to score, and nailed me in the ----- at point blank range. I dropped haha. He felt really bad, but I eventually stood up. 5 Minutes later, Elder Bonaro (who loves soccer) kicks it hard to score and I barely jumped high enough to avoid getting hit in the same spot. Instead it got both my thighs pretty good.  I hate soccer now haha. After Soccer, the whole ward did a skit on the Plan of Salvation. It wasn't done very well and Brother Zabawa went way to deep. He does that a lot. But afterwards, a girl named Jordan who came with a member, asked us some questions about the degrees of Glory!

Saturday was so weird, fun, and awesome haha. I'll start with the night before (Friday). When Elder Schramm was showering, he noticed the ceiling tile above was drooping pretty bad and dripping...yeah. So, we stabbed the center with a knife to see if water would come out. Interestingly enough, there wasn't. But the sheet rock was extremely damp. We ignored it till the next morning. I showered, Brisco showered, and then Elder Wade showered. While Elder Wade was showering (washing his hair), the how ceiling tile collapsed and fell on his head! So the tile was now all wet sheetrock all in the tub. He comes out and says, "Guys.. I just got hit by the ceiling." We looked and sure enough, he did hahahaha. Turns out, that the water pipe had a small hole right in the middle of it that has been dripping water for who knows how long. So we find the owner and he cleans it out. We are all in the living room (5 of us now) and the owner walks out of the bathroom holding a large spoon. Apparently, this spoon was ABOVE the ceiling tile and fell with the rest of the sheet rock. Then, looking at the spoon, the bottom was burned black...the previous owner of our apartment, was a meth addict and would hide the spoon above the shower and use it to inhale fumes. 

Our owner then said, "and the previous owner before that was an alcoholic who owned a dog. We do not allow pets, so he kept the dog in a kennel in the corner and COVERED it with a mound of clothes so no one would know." Also, our neighbors smoke weed. They are kind enough to change the flavor every week, but needless to say our apartment smells horrible all the time haha.

The day just got so much better though! WE GOT PERMISSION FROM PRESIDENT TO GO TO THE FAIR. Tannah O'banion was singing at the fair at 1 and then Chase Edward was bull riding in the Rodeo that night! We were able to talk to a lot of people and gave out a Book of Mormon! We got a lot of dirty looks but we loved it. Tannah did SO good, she basically sounds like Adele. And the Rodeo was SO awesome! Never been to one, but it was crazy. That takes a lot of talent and bravery. I would be terrified to do that.

Sunday was good. Jordan, the one that asked questions about the Plan of Salvation, wanted to meet up. So the three of us taught the Plan of Salvation, and it went amazingly well. Super spiritual. Unfortunately, she is going to go to SDSU Wednesday. Josh Connor is moving this week, and Baudry is starting school :/ It's like we are losing everyone :/ But Meagan is getting baptized August 31 it is official!

This week we get to go to the temple, I am super pumped about that! Have an awesome week!



Cow roping. Caught and tied within 9 seconds


Elder Wade

Chase Slade was with us! (Recent Convert)

(Left to Right) Elders Brisco, Wade, Me

Monday, August 12, 2013

Elder Inman Letter August 12, 2013

I miss Elder Bonaro already!!

My new greenie's name is Elder Brisco. The mini Dwight Schrutte. Because we work in the office, I was expecting to get a tech guy, but Elder Brisco has spent his entire life in front of a computer. He lived in Saudi Arabia for 3 years because his dad was a computer programmer over there. He's white and actually lives in Chandler, AZ and going to EA in Thatcher. He is also a computer programmer and has a black belt in Taekwando. SO he could probably kill me.

Update on Elder Bonaro, he somehow managed to make both his flights to Miami and back in the same day! He successfully got his visa :) He called me from Minneapolis asking about transfers. I know we butted heads a lot, but towards the end, Elder Bonaro and I got to be really good friends and we worked well in the Singles ward. So last Monday I spent the day with Elder Isaacson and Schramm and we had dinner with one of their members...I don't even know what I ate! It was a Korean lady and it was some type of Soup/sauce on rice. It had oysters and shrimp, and a bunch of unknown substances. I didn't ask haha. When we got home, the three of us stayed up eating cake till Elder Bonaro got home at 1230AM. We made "megabed" with all our mattresses together and talked all night.

Tuesday we took a second P-day since Elder Bonaro didn't get one. Rylee Nelson's parents took Me, Elder Bonaro, and Elder Schramm out to a fancy Italian restaurant because Elder Bonaro was leaving, it was Rylee's mom's birthday, AND Rylee's last night! Super nice of them to take us out. Afterwards, the BYU-I Dance Alliance was doing a show here in Billings, and President Mecham wanted all of us to go! So we got in for free, and members were handing us their extra tickets to give to people outside who weren't members. The dances were SWEET! And a lot of people we were able to talk to.

Wednesday Morning I was still with Elder Bonaro and we taught our Golden investigator Josh Connor. We actually were asking for a member to be present, and we got a hold of Tyler Nelson, the one who introduced us to Chase. He came...AND BROUGHT SOMEONE WITH HIM! He brought a guy named Baudry who is from Cameroon Africa. So we were teaching the Plan of Salvation to two different investigators with different needs. It was extremely tough. Baudry seemed to get a lot out of it, but I hope we didn't lose Josh :/

Thursday we tried something new with the ward. Josh Smith (EQP) wanted to have a, "Missionary Night" where we invite Less-Actives and investigators to a discussion specifically designed to meet their needs. People like Tim enjoys listening but doesn't ask questions. So the idea is that all of Tim's fellowshippers (Josh and Landon) ask those question for him because they know him best. We as missionaries want to talk the least. It went really well! Josh, Tim, and Landon were there. Meagan, an investigator on baptismal date for August 31 was there with her fellowshipper. Chase Slade came (recent convert) and a few other members.We discussed what true happiness was. We watched the Mormon Message, "The Will of God" by D. Todd Christopherson. Probably my favorite mormon message ever. Watch it for FHE!

We picked up 2 new investigators this week. Both were referals and we have return appointments with one of them named Jake (good name). Decker, was found by the zone leaders in Walmart (he works there). He said he loves Jesus Christ and wouldn't mind having missionaries over to talk about religion. This was Elder Brisco's first discussion ever! It went relatively well and he accepted a Book of Mormon! Hopefully he will come to an activity! and church! He asked some good questions about Prophets.

I have SO MUCH online work to do! The phone directory for the whole mission, Zone Baptism goals and actual, President's iCloud calendar and contact list, as well as phone reports. So we did that all day Saturday!

Yesterday was interesting. More than half the ward was in Powell, WY for a YSA conference so there were only maybe 45 people in church. Elder Brisco and I were the speakers...and I was left with 40 MINUTES to speak. I was terrified haha. We spoke on conference talks, mine was President Uchtdorf's, "The Hope of God's Light." It's a good one!

Well that sums up my week. Good news though! Elder Bonaro is going to be my companion again! We are going to be a tri-panionship. President Interviewed me asking about Elder Bonaro and he told me that they weren't planning on transferring him but they wanted him to experience what it was like to be transferred from an area you have come to love. So he will be with us tomorrow!!

I can't believe Jesse is going to seminary and actually ENJOYING it! Good for him. I can just imagine how excited he is for school again. But he's such a stud at dances! Torie sounds like she is loaded with things to do. We have such a busy family! Emily Hatch is going to Jacksonville?! That is where Elder Bonaro is from! Awesome. Tell her I said congrats! Thank you for everything you help me with and I can feel your prayers daily! Love you!

Spiritual Though: When Christ was baptized, the Holy Ghost descended in the sign of the dove. What is cool about that, is that John the Baptist was told to look for that sign to confirm he had baptized the Savior. John the Baptist did not know that Jesus was actually the Christ until that had taken place. Jesus Christ also didn't fully understand who he was until this time. He learned gradually like we all do. Afterwards, he fasted for 40 days because he had come to a full knowledge of who he was. If you remember, Satan tempted Christ. What I learned, is that it wasn't the THINGS Satan was tempting Christ with (Kingdom, etc.). The way the sciptures are written, Satan says, "IF though be the Son of God...do this." Satan was tempting Christ to doubt his Divine sonship. Then on the cross, Satan did the same. "IF thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross and save yourself." HE wanted Christ to feel completely abandoned and challenged his Faith. It goes to show how much Satan knows us. So even the Son of God and John the baptist needed the confirmation of the Holy Ghost to recognize truth.
 
Megabed and the Burnstead Crips! (That's what we call our selves).

 

Monday, August 5, 2013

Elder Inman Letter August 5, 2013

Emotional Rollercoaster!

I cannot begin to describe how weird this week was. So many things happened and so many things seemed to go wrong. Yet, some things worked out and that's how it is supposed to be I guess! All in the Lord's hands. We think our family home evening lesson went well! In fact we know it did (I'll talk about that later). We decided to teach the Restoration to the ward (to about 50 people) and at the end told them to take out their phones right then and text the very first non-member that comes to mind and invite them to church or an activity. We also brought copies of the Book of Mormon as well as some pamphlets. By the end, we gave away ALL of our remaining pamphlets and were left with on 2 copies of the Book of Mormon (gave away 18). SO we are pretty stoked to see that develop! Afterwards for the activity they had a jello war...we didn't participate in that one haha.
 
Wednesday. Most emotionally draining day of the mission so far. More so for Elder Bonaro. Wednesday are our District meetings at the stake center and start at 9:00AM On the way over, Elder Bonaro got a call from the mission home saying that his representative that keeps track of his visa wanted to contact him and give him an update. So he was pretty excited and called her. She asked the question, "Did you by chance go to the Consulate in Miami and picked up your visa recently?" He replies, "No....I am still in Montana." "That's what I thought...the Consulate is claiming that someone with YOUR photo ID came and picked up your visa on May second along with your passport and birth certificate" she says. WHAT IN THE WORLD?! Someone was THAT convincing to pick up his passport?! You can imagine the flood of emotions that hit Elder Bonaro. Someone had stolen his identity, and his visa that he has been waiting for since December, is gone. THe lady that represents him for the church just says, "So we will have to just reapply for a passport and then a visa so you should get it within another 2 months." Elder Bonaro is thinking, is NO ONE concerned about what just happened?! Apply for a new one and totally forget someone has my identity?! He was flat out angry. All light and hope went out of him. He asked Veronica, his representative, to give him the Conssulate number to call for himself. She said they had already called twice to confirm that this was the case. He said he didn't care, and called. Of course, they are all pre-recorded messages and to add they were all in fluent Portuguese. So we tried random numbers to even try and do extensions. No luck. As you know, we are the only Elders in the mission with a tablet. So during District meeting, he was using that to email the consulate to get the whole story. They actually replied with this email...
 
"Dear David Bonaro, thank for your inquiry about your visa. Your visa was picked up by yourself on May 2, 2013." Fuming Elder Bonaro replied, "Picked up by whom? I am in Montana and have never heard anything about my visa! Can you check again?" So first of all, his visa has been here for 3 months and he could have left forever ago. Second, he was being told that HE had picked up his visa. They checked and said they did not have it. We called President Mecham and he said that he can only reapply. So, Elder Bonaro sent one last email saying that he was really upset and wanted to actually talk to somebody. We didn't hear anything for a couple hours. We actually got to go pick up brand new 2013 Ford Fusions off the lot that day, so that was cool, but I was worried about Elder Bonaro driving himself when that angry. Anyways, we are on our way to an appointment and he got on email on the tablet.
 
"Dear David Bonaro, we apologize for the misinformation, your visa is here at the consulate and will have to be picked up by you between the hours of 3 and 4 on a weekday." He didn't even know what to feel. Or what to do, because now he had a visa and will actually be going to Brazil soon. So today, he is flying out to Miami, by himself, taking a cap to the consulate to pick it up, and then is supposed to back on a return flight by 5:15 to Montana. To add stress, his flight arrives at about 3:15, it's a half hour drive to the Consulate, and he will have to go back to the airport in Miami traffic during rush hour, go through security and be on a plane by 5:15. He has like a half hour window to get it all done. Chances are he will be there for another night in a Hotel, by himself, and leave tomorrow back to Montana. Ridiculous. Later that night, we went to Tim's (our investigator) house to celebrate his birthday! It was so cool that a non-member had an all Mormon party haha.
So that is where Elder Bonaro is at currently! I am with the Pioneer Park Elders Issacson and Schramm. Crazy story ever right? We are not sure whether someone actually did pick up his visa and it magically reappeared. We are claiming it as a 3 Nephite story haha. Maybe he was supposed to be in the Singles ward for that 3 months! 
 
Thursday we went golfing with a potential investigator of Hannah Stott's. Turns out that I like golf! A huge storm hit later that day similar to a Monsoon but with higher winds. Downpour of heavy rain as well as hail. Apparently in Twin Bridges, my last area, a mini tornado hit and up-rooted 13 full grown trees that damaged several buildings and the whole town was out of power for 3 days. 
 
Friday we did some service at Joe Weitz house again, this time spreading mulch and gravel. Later, we were celebrating another investigators birthday bowling! Her name is Meagan and she is actually on date for this weekend to be baptized into our ward! The sister missionaries taught her mostly and they were bowling too because no one could come to Meagan's party. The Friday night activity later was Bunco at Hannah Stott's house. Good turnout and a lot of fun!
 
Saturday we actually got to try and find people haha. That was refreshing. Another fun story, we felt prompted to talk to this guy that was sitting outside his home talking to a friend. After talking to him, he had been a stage 4 alcoholic for 24 years. You could tell. This guy was probably permanently drunk. I guess he has been sober for 15 years now though (other than communion he says haha). He now claims to have the Spirit of Prophecy, Healing, and was saved because Christ did all the work so therefore he does not have to any. Great mind set. I brought up to him, "So...say you went out and killed someone. You are fine because Christ payed that price and you hold absolutely no guilt?" He avoids the question and then says, "The scriptures do not say, thou shalt not kill. They say thou shalt not MURDER." I don't know what Bible he is reading but Exodus 20:13 clearly says kill. He claimed that was an earthly law, not a heavenly law. Yeah your right, Jehovah was just kidding when he wrote that commandment on a stone tablet without hands. Idiot. He said he is a preacher and was smarter than us. If only he knew.
 
Sunday. Best day ever as always. We had 111 people in the chapel! Record! The ward has more than doubled since we have been here. Not just because of us, but the ward is so missionary minded! Our lesson Monday, had brought SIX potential investigators to church. All three hours. How sick is that?! Later that night, Rylee Nelson who is a ward missionary, had her farewell party for her mission at her house. She leaves for a Brazil mission Wednesday. She has helped us out so much and because of her, we will have a reactivation soon! :D
 
Sorry this letter is enormous, just a lot to report. Today is also transfer calls! I was so stressed. Turns out that I am STAYING in the Rimrock YSA ward and will be officially training a brand new missionary. SO EXCITED! Elder Bonaro is going to Laurel (about 20 minutes away) to be companions with someone form my District. Tomorrow is also my 6 month mark! Hallelujah! Time flies so fast. I am so pumped for Alex Hackney! Tell him to email me! Proud of that kid. Dad how was your Birthday? Torie how is your drumset? Jesse is going to SEMINARY?! When did this happen?! Mom you are awesome for dealing with so many seminary students! If anyone could handle it, it would be you! I love you all. Thank you dad for the Journal entries, they are extremely relatable currently! Have a great week!
 
 
 
Bishop Williams and Sister Williams

Elder Bonaro