4.26.2010

Hola everybody. How is everybody doing? You mentioned you wanted Elder Palica's smarts to rub off on me. I'm happy to say it somewhat has. He taught me how to solve a rubix cube so now I can do it without the cheatsheet he wrote out for me. You should be so proud of me.

So things here are going better. We've met with a couple of the members this week and taught them short lessons. The ward I am in is known as the "refiners fire" for missionaries becuase they literally won't do anything. It is kinda weird because every ward I've been in out here is super missionary minded and then I come here and people really don't notice the 6 Elders in the ward. Supposidly President Paulson has threatened several times to close all of the areas that go to that ward until they try harder. I guess we'll have to see. The Stake has asked every member to do 1 hour of missionary service a month (Which is not hard to do). Before I got here some members had the elders over for a short lesson. We called them back to see if we could set up a time to follow up with them and they said "Oh, we've already met with the missionaries this month. Lets try it for next month." Lets just say I want to be a good member when I get home.

So we have been tracting Everyday, all day. Every time we are out though we find a new potential investigator so things are going good. Like I'm working really hard but I kinda feel like I'm on a treadmill. I'm doing the best I can but I'm not really going anywhere. Things will pick up though. This week we found somebody whom we are extremely exctied about. We knocked on a door and I woman asked if we were from a certain church and we explained that we weren't and explained who we were. She looked genuinly relieved. She invited us in to learn more. I guess she has been meeting with that other faith but is scared of them. She mentions that she doesn't like what they teach, and feels confused, scared, and worried when they are over. We shared with her the scripture about how the spirit feels and asked if she felt any of those around them. She said no. We asked her how she felt around us and said exactly what the scripture said. She was bawling and said she had been praying to know the truth and knows that we were sent to find her. Funny thing was that entire street nobody answered and the few that did were rude. She was the last house on the street and before her I really wanted to quit and go to another street. I guess it's important to plan by the spirit as well as teach by it.

Our apartment is pretty nice. Only Elder Palica and I live in it but Elder Clarine (the District Leader) and Elder Burch (My old comp. from Selkirk) are over quite often. Since we don't have a car they drive us to church, P-Day stuff, District meetings, and we get meals together quite often. Members in this ward don't feed us too much (I haven't had one since I've been here) but its ok because we buy food ourselves. I am eating good though so don't worry. My Suits are doing good as well. I saw in the stores the other day they had Machine Washable suits made of recycleble material. If you see that material in China can you hook me up. Love ya.

Well thanks for the emails and your love. I got a letter from Jessica today and the Madsons are moving back to Utah which is great and Mandy is engaged which is great as well. Both exciting news.

Well I love you all and hope you enjoy your week.

Love, Elder Turner

4.19.2010

Well I've been in Winnipeg for about 4 days now and things are going good. My new companion is from Spanish Fork, UT. He is a nice kid but kinda sheltered. He graduated High school at 14 and has already done three years of university before coming out so he is pretty smart. He plans on getting a doctorite in Physics so yeah...he is pretty smart. He is kinda socially awkward though and we are working with getting him comfortable to talk to people.

Things are going well here, I came into Henderson Area (thats the area we live in) and noticed we had 1 investigator, so Elder Palica and I are doing alot of finding. We are also planning on working with Part-member families, less actives, and members in general. We just have to keep working hard and we will be blessed. I wanted to go through the former investigator records as well but quickly found out that many of them are "made up" records of some Elders who wanted to make it look like they were working. Now we have to clean that all up so this is going to be one tiring transfer.

I miss Selkirk terribly but I'm excited to move onto another adventure. I ran into one of the members from Selkirk today in the grocery store which was great to see. She is a yoga instructor and last week did a free yoga class at the church. She said that Sandy and her girls, Christi, and Elder Smith and his greenie were there which is great. Sandy and Christi have been hard to get out to the church for activities so hopefully this helped with the fellowship and making them feel comfortable.

Its sad that last transfer I worked really hard and things were picking up towards the end of the transfer. Now I got to put more work in but hopefully have the same results. Well not too much to report, everything is good here. It is nice to be in the city and see other missionaries all the time.

After reading my letter it sounds kind of like I'm upset or something so I apologize if that is the impression you recieved. I am happy to be here and excited to get this area moving. I guess I'm just tired and sore from P-day activity. Well I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love, Elder Turner

4.14.2010

So this past week has been extremely good. A ton of our investigators are progressing and we even set a baptismal date with a 24 yr. old kid named Chris. He smokes weed alot and isn't all there alot while we are teaching him but he wants to quit and wants to do better. He is planning on quitting on Wednesday. He actually said he wanted to come to church which is something that Elder Burch and I Tried to do last transfer and he would never come. Elder Smith and I went by on Sunday morning to wake him up, than we went by 30 min later (9:30am) to make sure everything was ok and he was dressed and ready to go. Than we went to church and waited, and waited, and waited and Chris never showed up. Karl showed up though and we were really excited. We weren't expecting him but he decided he wanted to come this week. We later went by Chris and found out he was watching TV and lost track of time. He's going to be a difficult one but he really is sincere and wants to do better.
Elder Smith and I found a lady the other day while tracting named Kristen. She said she had talked with missionaries at her door before and wasn't interested. We've been working alot on being personable with people and joking around alot more with people. We started talking to her about families and stuff and were cracking jokes and she invited us to come back. We than offered help and raked her whole yard in our suits. Since than we have met with her twice and she is really really good. She understands everything, has been praying alot, and reading. She is what we would consider a "golden investigator" and proves that Selkirk really isn't "Tracted out"
We are meeting with a lady named Sharon who is really good and really nice. We've become pretty close and she gave us a really good homemade pumpkin pie. Ahh man it was good. She is honestly the nicest lady and one of the best moms I know. She is a single mother of four and on the weekends she fosters two girls. She is really busy but is trying to do whats right. We are meeting with her tomorrow.
We are also meeting with another one of our really good investigators named Christy whom we've become close with as well. She is progressing really well. We have been taking a couple in our ward and the wife and Christy get along great and have become really good friends.
Tonight we are meeting with Sandy who is another single woman who would get baptized soon but is having trouble knowing Joseph Smith is a true prophet. We are trying to help her understand it better. She doesn't like reading the Book of Mormon because she feels as if she is cheating on her church but she has promised this week to read 10 min a day ever day the Book of Mormon (her daughter made her even put her hand on the bible and make an oath to do it) haha it was funny. Tonight we are planning on watching the Jeffrey R. Holland talk on the Book of Mormon with her from the October General Conference. We are also meeting with Karl tonight who has a baptismal date.
Also the members here are really great and are getting a few referrals from them. We have been working really hard and Selkirk really has turned around and I would consider it probably my favorite area. I love it here and I love all of our investigators and the members here. Which is really sad now because I'm being moved down to Winnipeg on Thursday. I'm excited for change but I truly am going to miss Selkirk. It's going to be hard to leave. I called all of our investigators and set up times to meet with them before I leave but I'm thinking its going to be hard to say good bye. Elder Smith is staying up in Selkirk and is going to be training a greenie so he is pretty excited about that. I'm going back to a busing area (there are like 4 in the whole mission and I'm going to have been in two of them. President must not trust me with cars) My new companion is going to be Elder Palica from Provo, UT. He came out the same transfer as Elder Smith so one transfer after me. I can't believe though I've been on my mission for 7 1/2 months. It doesn't seem like its been that long but apparently it has been. Well I hope everybody has a good week and I'll talk to you later. Remember that I will now be writing on Monday so be prepared. Love ya
Elder Turner

4.7.2010

Well this week has been alot of fun but exhausting. I am extremely tired right now. This past week our car went into the shop as you know and the weather was pretty good but one day it was pooring rain and it eventually turned into hail which was not fun. That morning I made the executive decision that it wasn't going to rain so i didn't wear a coat which was not a good decision. I was very very cold. Also lots of hail hitting you in the face while tracting is not the most fun thing to do in the world. haha it was good though.

We were suppose to get our car on Thursday but it wasn't ready yet (typical Dealerships) and because of the long Easter weekend we weren't going to get our car till Monday. The problem with that was we were going down to Winnipeg for Saturday and Sunday for general conference and than we had District Meeting in Winnipeg today (Tuesday). The Assistants figured it would be easier for us to just stay down in Winnipeg for 4 days. haha it was lots of fun. A senior couple drove up and picked us up for conference and than we stayed with the Zone Leaders until today when they just dropped us off. We did get our car back as well. Because we were in the city for P-day though we got P-day activity which I haven't had in about 3 months. To say the least I am limping everywhere because of how sore I am but it was a good time. For Easter Supper I had White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with a hot dog. Haha it was good though. It's the life of a missionary.

Conference was amazing and thankfully we don't have to wear suit coats anymore. Everyone is super excited and happy to just be able to wear their white shirts. There is nothing better than being able to walk outside with beautiful temperature with just a rolled up white shirt. I'm excited to hear how you liked conference. We did have to go to the city because they only show it at the chapels. Here it is not on the TV and some members watch it online. It kinda makes you realize how blessed we are to get it on the TV. Elder Hollands talk was really good and a super power house but I was a little disappointed because I wanted another powerhouse talk about something like the Book of Mormon one he did last time. We share that one with investigators but I don't think we will share this one about Pornography. Elder Uchtdorf gave a great talk, my favorite of the General Conference, about Patience in the Priesthood Session.

Mom/Cami/Destiny I recommend you watch that one, if not the entire Priesthood Session because it was really good. Also I don't remember the speaker but he gave a talk about mothers that I really enjoyed. All in all it was a great conference.

So yesterday in Winnipeg I bought new dress shoes on my home card just to let you know. They were $100 but they were on clearance for $50 and they are really nice brown dress shoes. I also took $20 out last week from the ATM (@ Scotiabank!!!!) I needed it for laundry and fast offerings and I was out of money on my allotment card. I'm just grateful that they allot us a certain amount each month because I would be out of money in like my first 6 months if they gave us all of it.

This Sunday we get our Transfer calls so I'll let you know how that goes. My guess is that I am leaving Selkirk but President Paulson does what he wants and it is not always what you expect. In fact, it is rarely what you expect. Well not much else to mention. I know as soon as I leave the Library I'm going to remember something to tell you that I've been thinking about for a week but what ever. Well I love you and hope you have a great time in China with all the extra baggage.

Love,
Elder Turner

3.30.2010

This picture is of me in front of Chuck the Catfish.

This week has been extremely good but extremely tiring. The weather here has been extremely nice and really good. Yesterday was +15 C so yeah things are getting nice here in Selkirk. The ice in the river is cracked and gone but the river is flooded. There is a bridge that goes out to East Selkirk and is about 20-30 ft above water normally and now nobody can cross because its too high. The water is going to be at its highest on Saturday hopefully so well have to see how much higher it will get.

I'm not sure if I told you but when I was Elder Burch a car backed up into us and messed up our bumper while we were parked. Well today was the day we were told to bring the car into the shop and it won't be ready till Thursday so Selkirk just became a walking area. haha and of course after a week of great weather on our way into the library it started to rain. haha. just our luck. Plus we have lots and lots of appointments today and tomorrow on opposite sides of the city so things will be interesting.

The other day the Szypkowski's had us over for supper and than we helped them move an extremely heavy piano out of somebodies house and into their house. Their son, Bart, just returned from a mission in BC, Canada a week ago and he had learned how to play the piano on his mission so when his mom heard him play she decided they needed a piano because he is really good. Don't expect the same thing from me though. They are a really nice family and live just outside of Selkirk in St. Andrews. They were like one of the first members in Poland and pretty much started their branch their and in Austria. They are an amazing family and true Mormon Pioneers.

I'm happy to hear Morgan is going on a Mission. He'll do good in Denmark. I honestly can't believe Dillion and Reese are home/coming home. Two years just flew by with them. haha that is crazy to think about.

We had zone conference this past week. I really enjoy zone conferences and you learn alot. Most of the time I have to review my notes the next personal study because I just learn so much.

I'm super excited for General Conference this next week. After General Conference us as missionaries here in The Canada Winnipeg Mission don't have to wear suit coats anymore except to meetings. I'm so excited to walk around the streets in just a white shirt. I'm also excited for the talks. They should be good. I'm excited to see what Jeffrey R. Holland is going to speak on, all i know is it is going to be a powerhouse talk. Lets just hope its not on something boring...like food storage.

I'm going to try and get some pictures off today. I was wondering that whenever you send me a package (the next one will probably be my birthday) if you could send me my CD Player and Speakers. I'm not sure where they are but if you come across them that would be great.

Well I love you all and I'll talk to you later.

Love,

Elder Turner

3.23.2010

Howdy Ya'll,

Supposedly that is the typical "American" Accent up here in Canada. Alot of times people are surprised to hear that Elder Smith and I are from America. They aren't ignorant or anything. Canadian people actually know the states alot more than I do. Actually I would say we are kind of ignorant, I have absolutely no idea about Canada or its provinces. If somebody asks you what the capital of Canada is, do not say Toronto. Its not. Now that I'm thinking about it I can't even remember what the actual capital is. All I know is it is not in Manitoba.

Anyway, things are going well here in Selkirk. Alot of good things are starting to pan out here. We just work as hard as we possibly can and God takes care of the rest. We are working with a less-active lady and her part-member family. The husband is against religion. She might be going to church and being nice to us for the wrong reasons, but both of her sons expressed desires to be baptized. She wouldn't let them before but she said they could this time. We just have to discern her true intentions for coming to church because if she isn't genuinely interested in becoming active again we aren't going to baptize her kids into inactivity.

Another less active man called an active member this week asked for home teachers, a book of Mormon, and he wants his son to take the baptismal lessons. But they still haven't come out to church so again we will have to check on their intentions for getting him baptized.

Karl had to cancel our last appointment but we have a standing appointment with him on Tuesdays so tonight we should be meeting with him if nothing comes up. We are also hoping that he has picked a date. Also we are meeting with a lady named Sandy who we are hoping to set a date with soon.

We have been going out to Stonewall lately. We have two investigators out there and they both seem really good so hopefully we will be working with them for a while. The only bad thing is they have to work around our schedule and when we go up there rather than when they are actually available so that makes it difficult sometimes.

Well not much else to report. I accidentally used all the money on my allotment card so I ended up having to use my home card twice yesterday. Sorry, I know it costs more money but I only use it when I'm about to purchase something with my allotment card and I get declined. At that point I can't run to Scotiabank and take out money.

Last week we went on exchanges with our district leader and Elder Smith had to go with a missionary that is less than obedient. It kind of bothered him because he didn't know what to do and was awkward. My exchange went great though. I got to go with a Zone leader and I learned alot. One thing he said was "There are those missionaries who say they aren't going to change their personality or not follow a rule because they don't want to but I'm going to follow every rule and do what I'm suppose to. If my personality changes, who care? Its who God wants me to be" I like that. If we do what we are suppose to, we will become who God wants us to be. Anyway I'll get off my soap box.

Love,
Elder Turner

I forgot to mention how nice it has been up here. We have been in the positives and the weather her is just the best right now. The river should be breaking this week which is exciting. supposedly the ice sometimes will make a dam and flood the city so some exciting times ahead. Also they have the machine that cuts up the ice to prevent it from damming and this past week it fell through the ice and they can't get it back until all the ice is gone. haha a quarter of a million dollars is just sitting at the bottom of the river. haha well that's about it for the weather love ya.

3.16.2010

Well not too much has happened this week. Elder Smith and I have been finding like crazy which has made me extremely tired all of the time haha. More than usual. We found 14 New investigators last week which is about 8 more than we found all of last transfer. Things are going well here but I literally am tired all of the time. haha

Last night we drove and stayed with the district leader so we could go to District Meeting and than afterward I was going to be going on an exchange with the zone leaders but the Carpets at the church are being redone and so our district meeting got changed till tomorrow so I literally drove in last night for a sleep over. I'm back up in Selkirk now with one of the Zone Leaders, Elder Willardson, while Elder Smith is down in Winnipeg with Elder Farr, Our district leader.

We met with Carl last week and it went really well. He has a super strong testimony but hasn't necessarily gotten answers to his prayers so we talked about real intent and how one way to show real intent is to set a baptismal date and promise to God that he will be baptized on that date if he gets an answer. He was excited to kind of put a "deadline" on God. We are meeting with him tomorrow and he said that he would have a date planned out.

We went out to Stonewall this week. It is another small town about 30 min from our home and we tracted out there. It is a more conservative town and we found some really good investigators.

Things are going pretty slow up here in Selkirk so I don't have too much to report but things are going good. Sorry I don't have too much to write but I'm falling asleep here at the computer. Lately I've been falling asleep when ever I'm not moving. I took a 3 hour nap yesterday for P--day. It was great. haha. WEll I love ya.

Elder Turner