Hello everybody!!!!
Well, I’m kinda annoyed right now… I just spent 45 minutes writing a letter to you guys and it all got deleted!!! uggh annoying. But here I go again.
Well here is the news you’ve all been waiting for… where in the wide sweet world of Wisconsin are you Elder Kissell? well, I’m NOT in Wisconsin!! I am in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan in Marquette. Pretty awesome. It is great up here. I’m so glad I’m not in Milwaukee right now! The weather was quite disgusting there.
But, day 1. The flight here was great. I’m so glad I got to talk to you for so long mom!! I found out why our plane was delayed…the plane wouldn’t start. Not something you would tell your passengers I don’t think. But whatever that’s just me. So they got a new one. But the plane was really small, smallest I’ve been on. The flight was pretty short, 2 hours or so, and I just wrote letters and relaxed the whole time. good stuff. Then when we got to Milwaukee, we flew over Lake Michigan and over downtown. It’s pretty big. In between the size of Spokane and Seattle. But when we landed we had to walk outside then into the airport. The weather was so miserable!! HOT and MUGGY!!! it was literally like walking into a sauna. Terrible. I was sweating after just walking 2 minutes into the airport. but Pres. Barrett was there to greet us along with Sis. Barrett and a few elders. Pres. Barrett is so cool. He is a big old previous football player and is just awesome. He greeted me in German and I responded likewise. Pretty funny. But after getting all of our bags and stuff we headed out to do missionary work!! We were each given 2 Book of Mormons and a few pass along cards and were separated into groups. Pres. Barrett was in my group along with new missionaries Sis. Hogge and Smaelie. An older elder, elder Godfrey was also in our group. So we went down to the lakefront, hot and nasty central, to do our thing. It was crazy. It reminded me a lot like the beaches in Hawaii except the palm trees were replaced by big oak trees. But white sandy beaches, bikini clad rollerbladers, ripped shirtless muscle dudes, black guys breakdancing by their cars, volleyball, beach balls, umbrellas, beach towels, the whole shebang…in Wisconsin. It was pretty weird. But quite a few people just walked by us and were jerks about it. So I wasn’t too motivated, but we finally talked to a way cool guy and he took a BOM and we talked for 10 min or so. So that was cool. But we had a total of 6 BOMs and we each had to get rid of 2. So I was pretty scared but I did it. Not too hard. pretty easy actually. But after the 3 of us (Smaelie, Godfrey, and I) were done with that, we met back up with the sister and Pres. They’d given all theirs away too. So then we headed back to the mission home and got to write our letters home…have you gotten that yet? I imagine it’ll take awhile. But I wrote you something and the Barretts said they were gonna stick some other things in there too. Anyways, wrote letters and got situated for the night. Then we had a delicious dinner. SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE MTC!! I love real food!! Crazy. After dinner we had a real nice testimony meeting and I shared my reason for coming on a mission in my testimony….i don’t know if you know what that is so I’ll tell you. It’s because of the plan of salvation and the role that it has played in my life. I love it so much and am so excited to be with you all in heaven after earth and I want to share that joy and happiness with other people. So I talked about dad in that testimony and shared about why I’m here. It was good. Then after testimony meeting we had our interviews with Pres. Barrett. He asked me about dad and my testimony I bore and asked if I would go more in depth about it and I said of course. So I shared everything I loved and knew about dad and how and why he died and just everything. I unloaded pretty much. I bore my testimony on how I knew it was true and that the church was true and the spirit was just so strong and I could totally feel dads presence there. After I was done, almost in tears and my voice shaking, Pres. Barrett just sat there for a few moments looking at me and smiling and said “He’s here right now.” It was so cool that he could feel him too. I couldn’t describe it. It was just amazing. I know that he is a man called of God and I already love him so much. I know that I am here for the right reasons and that I’m supposed to be here. I’m so glad I am. We then proceeded to talk a bit more about him and then some other mission stuff and then I had another interview with some older elders. They too asked me why I was here and I told them again and they were really touched by what I said. Then they asked me to teach them a lesson on the plan of salvation as one of the elders role played as a father who just lost his son. So I taught and bore my testimony. After I was done they were both shaky and gave me a big hug and said I would be a great elder and that I had one of the stronger testimonies they’ve heard. So that was pretty awesome. I’m way excited to teach that for reals. Then blake and I played some killer ping pong and hung out with everybody til bedtime.
Next day was the day I found out where I was going and who my trainer was. My companion is Elder Turney. He’s way cool. he was actually born in Germany because his dad is a teacher at a military base and he has lived there his whole life and is fluent in german. Pretty cool. but he is a really nice guy, almost too nice, and we get along great and teach great together. We have been getting along great and I don’t think we’ll ever not get along like elder olsen and I haha. He isn’t weird like him. But ya he’s awesome. He’s also the district leader so we are pretty by the book and rule obeying elders. Lame…just kidding. I plan on being totally obedient don’t worry. But after a few meetings and lunch and stuff, we headed up to our area. There are 3 sets of elders in the UP. One set in Houghton (furthest north), one set in Marquette (2nd furthest north) and one in Marinette (right on the Wisconsin/Michigan line). So we started our 6 stinkin hour drive to Marquette. Oh and before I forget… our mission cars are TRUCKS!!!!! Sweet!! Not as cool as my truck but still cool. Little Chevy Colorados that get terrible mileage. Oh well, it’s a truck. So after resting in Marinette for a while, we started our commute again up to Marquette. Still a good 3 hours away. The scenery was really pretty. Green open pastures with black and white cows and bright red barns and farmhouses, dense clusters of trees, and rivers here and there. In Michigan, it is just dense lush green forests and grass. Pretty awesome. It is pretty wet over here so it is green all the time I guess. The weather is SO MUCH better than in Milwaukee too. There isn’t a ton of humidity and the temp. is perfect. But we got there at like 10 oclock. By the way, we are on Eastern Standard Time here in Marquette. So 3 hours I believe ahead of Washington. So we crashed that night with the Houghton elders stayin the night with us. Our apartment is sweet too. It used to be a 4 elder apartment so now it’s 2 and there is a lot of room. we have big kitchen and a sweet workout room with free weights!!!! Makes me happy.
Wednesdays-Fridays we do service at like the coolest place in Marquette. It’s at a childrens museum and we volunteer down there. Guess what we get to do…you won’t believe me but do missionaries lie? No they don’t. I get to PLAY WITH REPTILES!!!!! so cool. There’s about 6 snakes, 6 turtles, and 10 different kinds of lizards. There’s a big old boa constrictor, about 6-7 feet long named Zeus I like to play with a lot. He’s awesome. They’re getting a chameleon so I’m pretty excited about that, and lot’s of other stuff. And this place is just cool. There are a lot of awesome interactive displays and sweet things like that. If you all are ever up in the UP for some reason, definitely go there. I’m so happy I get to do that for SERVICE of all things. You have no clue.
But I got introduced to tracting that day, not my thing. I just wish the people would come to us. It’s scary but I gotta stop being a baby and just do it I guess. Lots of slammed doors and jerks. Oh well. But we went and met a lot of members and current investigators so that was good. They all thought I was cool and enjoyed talking to me. We met our investigator and his fam with a baptismal date. his name is zach and he is way excited to be baptized. It’s on July 11 and it’ll be great. We’ve been teaching lots of members lessons about the restoration so that they will see our way of teaching and begin to trust us. It was a suggestion from the MTC on how to get member referrals. It is a lot of fun for me to teach and I love feeling the spirit while doing it. All the members seem to love me, so no complaints there. Church was pretty different though in a missionaries shoes. Lots of meetings you have to go to before. But they’re interesting and I don’t mind it. but I met the rest of the members I didn’t meet and so that was cool. I gave the opening prayer too. It was pretty awkward though, NOBODY sings. I started to sing at my regular loudness level and I was the loudest one. Pretty awkward but oh well. I think they whisper sing or something. But went to the classes and everything and after church we taught a few lessons to new investigators and those all went great too. The spirit is an amazing teacher, not Elder Kissell. So it’s always good to have him on your side. We had dinner at a member’s house and I ate some things I didn’t like and it wasn’t too bad!! like key lime pie. it was actually pretty good though. But I heard pie is a big thing up here and BBQ is too. So I think I came to the right place if they love everything I do. Also had a great experience tracting too yesterday. Marquette is a college town (Northern Michigan University) and so we went on a college street and talked to a lot of drunk and stoned college kids. But we went to a nicer home and a lady your age mom came and talked with us for about 15 minutes and we are going to see her again in like 2 weeks. She is definitely ready and I hope we are able to teach well. It was great. after that we went and taught a few more lessons at members homes and then the elders give the sacrament to a lady in the ward here so we went and did that with one of the 2 priests. his name is James and he’s way cool. But it was neat doing the sacrament again and talking with her. She really likes my voice for some reason and just smiled whenever I talked. Kinda funny. After that we went home and did our nightly planning and went to bed.
Saturday was a pretty rough day though. All our appointments fell through and nothing worked out. It was depressing and annoying and we drove all the way up to these weird towns called Negaunee and Ishpeming. We are allotted 1900 miles every month and you’ll be surprised how fast those go. So that was a waste. But oh well. At dinner time I prayed that things would start going better and that we would be more motivated and have a better day. Prayer is so cool. My prayer was answered through a lady named Sis. Salani, a less active older woman who is an RM herself. We told her our day kinda stinked and she bore her testimony and gave us some great advice. it was awesome. And things just started getting better from there. It was great.
Marquette is a totally sweet place. Right on the shore of Lake Superior and trees all over the place. Everything is lush and green. It’s a small town of like 19000. There is a big catholic cathedral, so lots of catholics. As well as lots of Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, and people like that. Not a ton of LDS. But that’s what I’m here for! It is a beautiful place though and I am gonna learn to love it and the people here for sure.
Mom can you send me those family pictures you were going to give me? I’d also like some more of you and dad too if you could. I’ll be sending you mine as soon as I get my cord or buy one! so next pday definitely. I’m developing some today so you’ll probably get some in the snail mail this week hopefully.
But I gotta go now…hopefully this one won’t be deleted. I’m buying a bike today so hopefully I have money!!
I love you so much mom!!!! I’m glad I got to talk to you and am excited for Christmas/ I love the rest of ya’ll too!!! You are all in my prayers and I pray a lot so I hope you guys are all doing great!! I know I’m in all of your prayers too so thank you very much. I need them. I love you all so much!!!!
Love
Elder Kissell
by the way…my address is this for at least until August 6th, more than likely longer.
Elder Jesse Kissell
725 Grove St. #11
Marquette, MI 49855
and if you guys send me a package, send it through the USPS. I think you send those right to the mission office and it is free for them to forward it to me. if it is anything else I have to wait until zone conference to get it or I have to pay for the postage to get it up to me. so it makes it easier for all of us. but I love you all!!!!!!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Hello Everybody!
Hello everybody!! Particularly mom!
Well this week was pretty crazy. I have my flight plans and itinerary already! I leave Tuesday morning at 9:30 and am off to Milwaukee. You know what i learned? I GET TO CALL YOU AT THE AIRPORT!!!!! So mom, be sure to be home in the morning around 7-8ish. I will be calling you. I'm so excited. If any of my other family wants to be there or something that would be sweet too. Maybe figure out conference calls or something. i dunno. But i think i can only call one person and that's gonna be mom.
I'm pretty ready to be done with the MTC. I love it don't get me wrong, but eating, studying, and going to the bathroom everyday all day just isn't for me. I want to get out and actually talk to people. We have been doing lots of helpful things that will get us ready for teaching in weird situations and to different kinds of people so i'm glad i am learning lots. My teachers are still cool and totally awesome and i am learning lots from them. Bro Sainsbury had to switch his schedule and can't teach us anymore so that's lame. But Bro Bunker is still there. My comp is still pretty weird. He just talks about pokemon and video games and it's pretty weird. I don't like alot of the things he does and sometimes he tries to argue with me about some things. pretty dumb. i just laugh at it and talk to somebody else. he also seems to act gay alot too...i hope he isn't. that would be weird. but we still get along good enough to do what we need to do and we teach really well together. The other day actually we did exchanges with another district which happened to be blakes district and his companion was my new companion for a few hours. our district is so much farther ahead in teaching than they are. he wasn't a very good teacher. i'm not bragging or anything it is just true and we seem to understand everything way better than they all do. But this guy Elder Crossley is going to Milwaukee as well. There are 16 Elders and Sisters going to Milwaukee! all leaving same day and time and everything. pretty excited.
I'm starting to get used to the food here, but it is still gross. i guess my bowels are starting to get used to it. but i'm still losing weight and lovin it. Thanks for the pie mom! it was like a costco pie i think and it's probably an 8" pie. I dunno. but it's big enough for me and i'm still working on it. Nowhere near as good as your pies either. And thanks for the cookies hilary! just got them today. I have a pantry full of pies and cookies and stuff that you all have been sending me. along with candy and chocolate departing elders gave to me. I'm pretty cool.
Mom, those letters you sent me over the weekened made me sad. About waldo and bro. manwaring. Please find waldo a new home with kids to play with. it really sounds like he needs it. i couldn't concentrate for an hour or so after reading about him running away for that long and getting more ticks. Did they come out? I think that he probably went up into the mountains trying to find me because that is where we would go and that would be one of the only places he would get ticks and get dirty. Lame. I bet that the hole he is getting out of is in the southwest corner of the backyard under the lilac next to the Schneiders. you might need to fill it with concrete. Make sure there are no ticks whatsoever left on waldo. they make him lethargic and act weird. You don't have to burn them off just pull them out and get it over with. i'm just guessing waldo wouldn't want a flame anywhere near him. i don't believe we have any matches. Probably a few lighters in my fireworks box. you can give those to clark by the way. and tell clark that he needs to mow the lawn. i told him to every week but i guess he isn't keeping up. And i'm sad to hear about bro manwaring. i never knew him but heard lots about him and that would be a terrible way to die. I am thinking about them and was sad to hear that.
How are the elders doing in my room? are they lazy? do they help you out? are you getting the help you need from the ward and anybody? What's the job story?
At the MTC, i dont know if i've told you about this, but there is a place called the RC. That is the Referral Center. People call that place when they want to request a church DVD or talk to somebody about the gospel. I HATE IT!!!! i would way rather talk to somebody in person than on the phone. I just can't do it. but yesterday some lady called me that wanted to commit suicide...scary...but i talked to her about it and she was very thankful and close to tears for what i talked to her about. I'm glad i was there for her. and she ordered a DVD too so hopefully all will be well with her. And i sent missionarys to teach her too. But i've had some other good experiences there too but i just am afraid of messing up and sounding like a dork. My buddy Elder Stong who is going to Tucson has been cussed out 8 times by somebody on the other line. That hasn't happened to me yet luckily.
There are a ton of people here with the swine flu. I don't know how many but a few guys in our district got tested for it but didn't have it luckily. They were just sick with something else. I am totally fine don't worry about me. But to test if you have it they stick a huge Qtip up your nose and swab your brain or sinus's or something but they say it hurts really bad. so hopefully i don't have to do it.
I thought of something the other day... i'm not allowed to make phonecalls so i won't be able to know how much money is on my account so my theory is to just make sure there is a substantial amount on it all the time. that would be helpful.
I sent home my alarm clock and my cell phone charger today mom. I dunno why i had the charger but i did and my alarm clock is just too big for me. so be expecting that soon. I am taking lots of pictures but i haven't developed any yet. you can develop them here i think but i don't know how yet and i will probably do that soon. but if not, i will just do it in wisconsin and send them. but don't worry you will get them sooner or later.
tell bro anderton thank you for his and emmets letter! i would reply to him but i lost his address. But just tell him thanks and all the news i have.
But i am glad to hear that all is going well so far up there. Be sure to keep sending letters EVERYBODY! letters are definetely sweet. And mom be sure to be ready for my call tuesday morning.
Richard C. Edgely was our devotional speaker last night. Not a very exciting guy to listen to but his message was good. planting seeds in our mission blesses thousands of lives even if we don't know it so we need to always try our best and never give up.
But i love you so much mom! i'm excited to call you soon! I love everybody else too!!!!! i pray for all of you all the time like a million times a day. i hope you can feel it and feel of my love. i miss you all!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Elder Kissell
Well this week was pretty crazy. I have my flight plans and itinerary already! I leave Tuesday morning at 9:30 and am off to Milwaukee. You know what i learned? I GET TO CALL YOU AT THE AIRPORT!!!!! So mom, be sure to be home in the morning around 7-8ish. I will be calling you. I'm so excited. If any of my other family wants to be there or something that would be sweet too. Maybe figure out conference calls or something. i dunno. But i think i can only call one person and that's gonna be mom.
I'm pretty ready to be done with the MTC. I love it don't get me wrong, but eating, studying, and going to the bathroom everyday all day just isn't for me. I want to get out and actually talk to people. We have been doing lots of helpful things that will get us ready for teaching in weird situations and to different kinds of people so i'm glad i am learning lots. My teachers are still cool and totally awesome and i am learning lots from them. Bro Sainsbury had to switch his schedule and can't teach us anymore so that's lame. But Bro Bunker is still there. My comp is still pretty weird. He just talks about pokemon and video games and it's pretty weird. I don't like alot of the things he does and sometimes he tries to argue with me about some things. pretty dumb. i just laugh at it and talk to somebody else. he also seems to act gay alot too...i hope he isn't. that would be weird. but we still get along good enough to do what we need to do and we teach really well together. The other day actually we did exchanges with another district which happened to be blakes district and his companion was my new companion for a few hours. our district is so much farther ahead in teaching than they are. he wasn't a very good teacher. i'm not bragging or anything it is just true and we seem to understand everything way better than they all do. But this guy Elder Crossley is going to Milwaukee as well. There are 16 Elders and Sisters going to Milwaukee! all leaving same day and time and everything. pretty excited.
I'm starting to get used to the food here, but it is still gross. i guess my bowels are starting to get used to it. but i'm still losing weight and lovin it. Thanks for the pie mom! it was like a costco pie i think and it's probably an 8" pie. I dunno. but it's big enough for me and i'm still working on it. Nowhere near as good as your pies either. And thanks for the cookies hilary! just got them today. I have a pantry full of pies and cookies and stuff that you all have been sending me. along with candy and chocolate departing elders gave to me. I'm pretty cool.
Mom, those letters you sent me over the weekened made me sad. About waldo and bro. manwaring. Please find waldo a new home with kids to play with. it really sounds like he needs it. i couldn't concentrate for an hour or so after reading about him running away for that long and getting more ticks. Did they come out? I think that he probably went up into the mountains trying to find me because that is where we would go and that would be one of the only places he would get ticks and get dirty. Lame. I bet that the hole he is getting out of is in the southwest corner of the backyard under the lilac next to the Schneiders. you might need to fill it with concrete. Make sure there are no ticks whatsoever left on waldo. they make him lethargic and act weird. You don't have to burn them off just pull them out and get it over with. i'm just guessing waldo wouldn't want a flame anywhere near him. i don't believe we have any matches. Probably a few lighters in my fireworks box. you can give those to clark by the way. and tell clark that he needs to mow the lawn. i told him to every week but i guess he isn't keeping up. And i'm sad to hear about bro manwaring. i never knew him but heard lots about him and that would be a terrible way to die. I am thinking about them and was sad to hear that.
How are the elders doing in my room? are they lazy? do they help you out? are you getting the help you need from the ward and anybody? What's the job story?
At the MTC, i dont know if i've told you about this, but there is a place called the RC. That is the Referral Center. People call that place when they want to request a church DVD or talk to somebody about the gospel. I HATE IT!!!! i would way rather talk to somebody in person than on the phone. I just can't do it. but yesterday some lady called me that wanted to commit suicide...scary...but i talked to her about it and she was very thankful and close to tears for what i talked to her about. I'm glad i was there for her. and she ordered a DVD too so hopefully all will be well with her. And i sent missionarys to teach her too. But i've had some other good experiences there too but i just am afraid of messing up and sounding like a dork. My buddy Elder Stong who is going to Tucson has been cussed out 8 times by somebody on the other line. That hasn't happened to me yet luckily.
There are a ton of people here with the swine flu. I don't know how many but a few guys in our district got tested for it but didn't have it luckily. They were just sick with something else. I am totally fine don't worry about me. But to test if you have it they stick a huge Qtip up your nose and swab your brain or sinus's or something but they say it hurts really bad. so hopefully i don't have to do it.
I thought of something the other day... i'm not allowed to make phonecalls so i won't be able to know how much money is on my account so my theory is to just make sure there is a substantial amount on it all the time. that would be helpful.
I sent home my alarm clock and my cell phone charger today mom. I dunno why i had the charger but i did and my alarm clock is just too big for me. so be expecting that soon. I am taking lots of pictures but i haven't developed any yet. you can develop them here i think but i don't know how yet and i will probably do that soon. but if not, i will just do it in wisconsin and send them. but don't worry you will get them sooner or later.
tell bro anderton thank you for his and emmets letter! i would reply to him but i lost his address. But just tell him thanks and all the news i have.
But i am glad to hear that all is going well so far up there. Be sure to keep sending letters EVERYBODY! letters are definetely sweet. And mom be sure to be ready for my call tuesday morning.
Richard C. Edgely was our devotional speaker last night. Not a very exciting guy to listen to but his message was good. planting seeds in our mission blesses thousands of lives even if we don't know it so we need to always try our best and never give up.
But i love you so much mom! i'm excited to call you soon! I love everybody else too!!!!! i pray for all of you all the time like a million times a day. i hope you can feel it and feel of my love. i miss you all!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Elder Kissell
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Hello!!!
MOM!!!
Have you checked the real mailbox yet? I sent you a letter the first night i got here. So hopefully you get that soon. But i LOVE THE MTC!!! It rocks so much here. Everyday i have been here i have been brought to tears because of how strong the spirit is. I love the gospel so much. Wednesday is my pday so that's when i'm allowed to email. But i can't believe it has already been a week since i've got here! i'm basically an old pro now. But i have already memorized the first vision....something i thought i'd never do. And the missionaries purpose and the articles of faith and almost D&C 4. I'm proud of myself.
My companions name is Elder Olsen, he's from St. George Utah. He's a great kid but we are pretty much polar opposites. He likes to play video games alot and read. Something i don't do alot but hey, we can learn from each other right? We get along pretty good, good enough to get done what we need to. My whole room is going to Milwaukee. Unfortunately Blake is not in my room. In fact i have only seen him like 6 times. Lame. But his comp is going to Milwaukee too so at least 6 of us are going there. I'm pretty excited. We're leaving the MTC in only 12 days!!! WHAT?!?!? I know. But already i feel prepared. You can teach anything by the spirit and i have that almost all the time here so i can teach anything. My district is super cool too. It is made up of Milwaukee-ites and Tucson-ites. We all get along great and have great times. Our teachers, Bro. Sainsbury and Bro. Bunker are awesome. They are hilarious and are amazing teachers.
Guess who came to devotional last night? ELDER BEDNAR!!!!!!! it was so cool. He gave a talk on how we know if it's the Holy Ghost we are feeling or if it is just us. In essence what he said was that if we are being good boys and girls, living the gospel, keeping our covenants, and being the best we can, every good feeling we have will be the Holy Ghost. So remember that. It was a talk i needed to hear because i had been wondering about it quite a bit myself. It was so cool. He was about 50 yards away from us and he is a hilarious guy outside of general conference. I'm excited for next weeks whoever that is.
The food sucks here. I've lost about 5 pounds because i hate it so much. It usually looks amazing but it doesn't mix well in your stomach. Plus every gym time we've had i've ran alot and worked out pretty hard so that could be contributing too. But i have dropped a hole in my belt and my pants are pretty loose. So maybe you should send some food and fatten me up a little bit:) just kidding.
That's pretty weird that the elders are moving into our house...i doubt that these ones are lazy but if they are don't be afraid to tell them. seriously. I'm glad that you are getting alot of help from people, at least it sounds like it. I pray for you all the time and that people will help you out. I'm certain waldo will be excited about the elders living there too. it'll keep him entertained.
It sounds like you had a good time in Utah while you were here. The person that i saw right when you dropped me off was Tanner Vail, if you remember him. I've seen him quite a bit as well as Burke Crawford and Matthias Warner. So yeah there's like 4 Wenatcheeites here. pretty awesome. I'm glad you made it home safe and were rockin out to Neil Diamond. Good times. I could possibly be on the new Missionary movie or just on the BYU channel about the MTC or something cuz whenever a district leaves in our zone, we all sing for them. One night there was a tv crew up there when we did it and they filmed us for like 10 minutes so i very well could be on something. Pretty cool. I was gonna go to choir yesterday but nobody else could or wanted to so maybe next week. But we sing like 10 times a day no joke so i am singing alot and loving the hymns. You also told me to make sure i pray every day.... i counted how many times i did one day. any guesses? 20 times!!! So don't worry about that i've got it covered. And i am definetely reaping the rewards. The MTC is so amazing. My least favorite part is definetely sitting in class. These bricks are so tortureous. So i usually have to go take a walk with my comp to wear it off and then go back and sit again for a million more hours.
They have a cool thing here called the TRC where we go and practice our lessons with a less active person as the investigator. It's pretty neat. But Elder Olsen and I did that the other day with an older man, 60's or so, as our investigator. You could tell that he was feeling the spirit and i was definetely tearing up again. I hope we helped him out. I know that the discussion definetely went awesome and the spirit was definetely there. So cool. I just think it's so crazy that i am actually a missionary now. I looked up to our elders so much because of the way they taught and how they taught with the spirit and now I'M doing that!!! I love it here so much and i know that i am supposed to be here and am doing the right thing. I have felt dad with me too. I know that he is proud of me and is helping me when he can.
Mom i love you so much. You are an amazing mom and i miss you so much already. You make me smile and laugh in your letters and i know that you love me. You are the best and i pray for and think about you all the time. But remember to read your scriptures and pray all the time and remember that every good feeling you have is the Holy Ghost telling you to do something.
I love you mom.
Elder Kissell
p.s. i leave on the 23rd!! Only what 13 more days?! wow!!!
Have you checked the real mailbox yet? I sent you a letter the first night i got here. So hopefully you get that soon. But i LOVE THE MTC!!! It rocks so much here. Everyday i have been here i have been brought to tears because of how strong the spirit is. I love the gospel so much. Wednesday is my pday so that's when i'm allowed to email. But i can't believe it has already been a week since i've got here! i'm basically an old pro now. But i have already memorized the first vision....something i thought i'd never do. And the missionaries purpose and the articles of faith and almost D&C 4. I'm proud of myself.
My companions name is Elder Olsen, he's from St. George Utah. He's a great kid but we are pretty much polar opposites. He likes to play video games alot and read. Something i don't do alot but hey, we can learn from each other right? We get along pretty good, good enough to get done what we need to. My whole room is going to Milwaukee. Unfortunately Blake is not in my room. In fact i have only seen him like 6 times. Lame. But his comp is going to Milwaukee too so at least 6 of us are going there. I'm pretty excited. We're leaving the MTC in only 12 days!!! WHAT?!?!? I know. But already i feel prepared. You can teach anything by the spirit and i have that almost all the time here so i can teach anything. My district is super cool too. It is made up of Milwaukee-ites and Tucson-ites. We all get along great and have great times. Our teachers, Bro. Sainsbury and Bro. Bunker are awesome. They are hilarious and are amazing teachers.
Guess who came to devotional last night? ELDER BEDNAR!!!!!!! it was so cool. He gave a talk on how we know if it's the Holy Ghost we are feeling or if it is just us. In essence what he said was that if we are being good boys and girls, living the gospel, keeping our covenants, and being the best we can, every good feeling we have will be the Holy Ghost. So remember that. It was a talk i needed to hear because i had been wondering about it quite a bit myself. It was so cool. He was about 50 yards away from us and he is a hilarious guy outside of general conference. I'm excited for next weeks whoever that is.
The food sucks here. I've lost about 5 pounds because i hate it so much. It usually looks amazing but it doesn't mix well in your stomach. Plus every gym time we've had i've ran alot and worked out pretty hard so that could be contributing too. But i have dropped a hole in my belt and my pants are pretty loose. So maybe you should send some food and fatten me up a little bit:) just kidding.
That's pretty weird that the elders are moving into our house...i doubt that these ones are lazy but if they are don't be afraid to tell them. seriously. I'm glad that you are getting alot of help from people, at least it sounds like it. I pray for you all the time and that people will help you out. I'm certain waldo will be excited about the elders living there too. it'll keep him entertained.
It sounds like you had a good time in Utah while you were here. The person that i saw right when you dropped me off was Tanner Vail, if you remember him. I've seen him quite a bit as well as Burke Crawford and Matthias Warner. So yeah there's like 4 Wenatcheeites here. pretty awesome. I'm glad you made it home safe and were rockin out to Neil Diamond. Good times. I could possibly be on the new Missionary movie or just on the BYU channel about the MTC or something cuz whenever a district leaves in our zone, we all sing for them. One night there was a tv crew up there when we did it and they filmed us for like 10 minutes so i very well could be on something. Pretty cool. I was gonna go to choir yesterday but nobody else could or wanted to so maybe next week. But we sing like 10 times a day no joke so i am singing alot and loving the hymns. You also told me to make sure i pray every day.... i counted how many times i did one day. any guesses? 20 times!!! So don't worry about that i've got it covered. And i am definetely reaping the rewards. The MTC is so amazing. My least favorite part is definetely sitting in class. These bricks are so tortureous. So i usually have to go take a walk with my comp to wear it off and then go back and sit again for a million more hours.
They have a cool thing here called the TRC where we go and practice our lessons with a less active person as the investigator. It's pretty neat. But Elder Olsen and I did that the other day with an older man, 60's or so, as our investigator. You could tell that he was feeling the spirit and i was definetely tearing up again. I hope we helped him out. I know that the discussion definetely went awesome and the spirit was definetely there. So cool. I just think it's so crazy that i am actually a missionary now. I looked up to our elders so much because of the way they taught and how they taught with the spirit and now I'M doing that!!! I love it here so much and i know that i am supposed to be here and am doing the right thing. I have felt dad with me too. I know that he is proud of me and is helping me when he can.
Mom i love you so much. You are an amazing mom and i miss you so much already. You make me smile and laugh in your letters and i know that you love me. You are the best and i pray for and think about you all the time. But remember to read your scriptures and pray all the time and remember that every good feeling you have is the Holy Ghost telling you to do something.
I love you mom.
Elder Kissell
p.s. i leave on the 23rd!! Only what 13 more days?! wow!!!
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