1.23.2011

So, this week has been very busy. Fortunatley for me, I love being busy. We found quite alot of people this week to teach and we are really excited about them. Things are going really well which is kinda gives me mixed feelings becuse transfers are next week (we find out this friday) and before I kinda was ready to go but now I'm not so sure. We'll see though. Transfers are always an exciting time.

We were able to meet with the Marinos again and it was great. We invited them to be baptized and they expressed feelings that they wanted to make sure they would be committed to it so they want to start with littlier things first. We invited them to a church tour this wednesday and they will be coming. We are very excited about it. We gave every member of the family and called it thier "Blessing Jars". If they read they get a jewel if they pray they get a jewel, if they do each of those for a week they get a bigger jewel. If they have us over they all get a jewel. If they come to church they get a sea shell. The kids are really excited about doing it and the parents are catching the fire. We had a problem with them not really keeping their committments. We called them the other day and she said that every day the girls wake up and ask to say a prayer and to read. We are really excited to see them to start progressing. They are a super great family.

Not too much else to report on this week. Sorry. Elder Mitton and I have to give talks next week in church which could be the last week for one of us. I really love this ward (best of my mission) so it would be sad to go.

Mom, Justin said that they would figure out housing and all that. If Kevin can room with Matt than I can room with my buds. I know when to do my work and I'll be fine. Whether we room together or not we'll still be with eachother all the time so I'll save more time by not traveling (time that could be spent studying). Can't argue with that. haha Tony and J get home pretty soon. That is crazy to think about. I heard you tried to get President Paulson to release me on the 4th. That is ridiculous. I told him it would be fine if I went two days before school started. I guess he decided to give me a week (prob. because of you haha).

Well, Love ya all,
Elder Turner

1.17.2011

Mom, By the way you're too old to use LOL...just a side note

So this past week was a great week. Everything seems to be getting better here in the Canada Winnipeg Mission. We had a ton of appointments and that makes me happy because I love teaching. We also got alot of finding in last week and found some really great people. I'm excited to start teaching them.

As for the choir performance, it isn't until Feb. 20th or so. Transfers are on the 3rd and I'm pretty sure I'm leaving this transfer so I won't actually have to perform it. I'm actually really happy about that. It sounds good but it is just weird.

Alot of our investigators are just kinda floating around. Not too many are progressing. We're still working with them but alot of them require time and patience. Definately patience is something I've improved on since my mission. It's kinda required here.

The weather has been extremely cold this week. Yesterday we were out tracting in -34C. That is just too cold for me haha. Being on my mission has taught me never to complain about Las Vegas Winters again. I truely miss the heat.

Well not too much else to write about. We're working hard and keeping the area on a steady incline. The whole mission is improving which is great to see. Every area in our zone found at least 1 new investigator which has never happened for at least two years. Everyone is working really hard and its good to see. Oh and i got the family letter.

So we were teaching an appointment and the member we brought along told us it was his birthday on Saturday and invited us to stop by for some cake. He said it was an open house party and to come around 5. Well we did and that is when it went downhill haha. We knocked on the door and his wife answered and was dressed really weird (Spandex and a long sweater and weird 80's hair). We were the only ones there when this man and his wife. both dressed in weird 80's clothes. We had no idea what was going on. Than a few members of the church started showing up dressed in 80's clothes as well and come to find out they were having an 80's themed party. Weird but than they had 7 adults there and us and they needed 8 to play some murder mystery game but we can't play games like that so we ruined their game...woops. Than we had to leave (or wanted to) after about 30 min and they were playing some game so we told them we were leaving and they stopped the games and made everyone go to the kitchen to cut the cake and give us a piece. We left right after. That was honestly the weirdest meal appointment I've ever been too. Elder Mitton and I just kept giving eachother discerning looks cause we didn't know what was happening the entire night. haha Thought you'd like to hear that story.

well I love you all. Have a great week.

Love,
Elder Turner

1.10.2011

So this week was ok. We taught alot of people this past one which is good but not any real progress. We were finally able to meet with the Marinos which was great but they have stuff planned every weekend this month so they won't be to make it to church this month...great. They are such a great family and they know they need the gospel so bad. We're just going to have to go slow with them, thats ok though. The ones that take a long time are usually the best members.

Our ward just got a new missionary food coordinator. Well some people call her the Missionary Food Nazi haha I guess she had the calling before and people got offended which I don't know how but anyway we have supper everyday this week which is unheard of in this mission. It is pretty nice to see that the ward is really supporting us. Personally if it was either teaching them or eating with them Id rather teach but we're slowly making progress with the ward. They are literally one of the best wards in the mission and they are really starting to trust us. (The hole didn't ruin our trust haha). On that note the hole is fixed so you can stop worrying.

Side note: We're in the choir and the song we are singing for our next performance is "If you could Hie to Kolob"

Not too much else happened this week. We keep moving on and good things will happen. We had Elder Terrence Smith of the Seventy come talk to us and we learned a ton. It really helps us keep our focus when stuff like that happens.

Well not too much else to say. Love ya all and hope you have a great week.

Love,
Elder Turner...eh

1.3.2011

The first is of our district the other is of the two missionaries that were in our ward but are now going to the Regina (Elder Ziegler, the taller one, and Elder Dunn, the tall but not as tall one) and the last picture is of a hole that Elder Dunn and I put into the wall of the church because we were horse playing (I'm not even going to sugar coat it) I'll let you know if I have to pay anything to fix it. haha love ya.

One is of a house in our area that is crazyily decorted (there is even music playing outside of it) the other is of Kelsey and Hailey on Christmas day and the last is me exercising. Believe me, I'm pedaling. It really confused my brain cause the top half of me wanted to sleep but my legs were exercising.

So first off, I want everyone to know that it was not my fault about the hole. I was picked up and put through the wall. Whether i was horse playing prior to the picking up is another story. We talked to the building manager and he didn't really care. He said it would be an easy fix, just cut it out from stud to stud and put another piece in. He said "No Cost, don't worry about it" but I said if there is any cost to let me know. I'll also ask him again this week. He made fun of me quite a bit though haha. Our bishop also had a hay day with it and still continues to make fun of me. On Sunday i was moving a chair during class to the front of the room and he said "be carefull not to hit anyone...or the walls" haha I just laughed. Everybody was pretty cool with it. Only the Bishop and the building mananger knows it was us so I didn't get ragged on too much. And mom, now the parents can say "Don't fool around in the church, do you remember what happened to Elder Turner" Everybody is an example, some what to do and what not to do.

Thank the G-units for the presents and I will still send them a thank you card. I still need Grandpa Turner's address. I don't have it so that christmas card is just sitting on my desk. At least now I can add the Thank you part to it.

The weather here has been soooooooooo cold. haha I don't know how Kevin got Frostbite at -10. That is nothing. I'm actually wearing a very light coat (if a coat at all) at -10. It has been in the -30's here lately and it can be really miserable to tract sometimes. Luckily we taught quite a bit last week so we weren't outside very often.

Oh yeah and the reason I'm writing today is because the libraries were all closed yesterday for the New Year holiday. just an FYI

About my coming home date, I don't know the exact date. I believe my release date is Sept. 3 but I might have to go home a bit early to make it for school. I was just thinking a week. You can call the office and get that date though. I know that they know it.

This past week was alot better for us. Alot of things are starting to align and the work is getting a bit easier in the area. One of my favorite people to teach now is a recent Convert of a month that was just prepared. Her name is Celeste and she is so great. She was in the other area but now that we cover both areas we get to teach her. Her husband was killed in a car accident in August so she was going through a rough time. We taught her 5 year old (Patrick) last night about the Plan of Salvation because he is starting to ask questions about his dad. He is the cutest and most fun kid ever. haha They are a great family.

Welll not to much else to write I hope all goes well for everybody and hope you had a great New Year.

Love,
Elder Turner

12.19.2010

Merry Christmas:

I decided since I get to write you every week and Brian and Cami will be gone and so will Destiny and Mark that I would just skip phone calls this year. We're going to be very busy on Christmas day and all so hopefully you don't mind.

So this past week was ok. We finally got ahold of Kathryn and we're meeting with her this week but unfortunatley she is moving at the end of the month out of our area so we won't be able to teach her after that. She still is going to be baptized in the other ward in January and I'll be able to go to her baptism so that will be good.

This past week wasn't the best for the work that we had going on. Unfortunately with the Christmas season coming up nobody wants to meet these next couple weeks. Christmas is a great time but also a tough time.

Well not too much else to write about. Mom, Stop crying I'm going to be calling you on Christmas, I was kidding. We are pretty busy on Christmas but That is the only time we can do it. Will Brian and Cami be on Three way? Will Destiny and Mark be back in time for Christmas? Well I love you all and hope you have a great Christmas week. Oh yeah I almost forgot. Elder Mitton and I are staying together for antoher transfer but the other area in our ward is closing so we will now be covering the entire ward boundries (you can probably look it up online: London Ward) It is a huge area so hopefully we can keep up. Well love ya.

Love,
Elder Turner

12.13.2010

First off, Its cold. Very Very cold. I don't know how winnipegians do it but somehow they manage. I asked one person "how do you Winnipegians do the winter?" and they responded with "grudgingly" haha I thought that was funny. So last night Our church put on something called "Prelude to Christmas" and it is like a musical production with our church and also a local catholic church. At the production the Priest of the Catholic church got up and told this joke: He said, "I'm sure not many of you know this but there is a story in the Catholic church that goes like this: One day the pope had a very important meeting with all of his cardinals and so he told his secratary "do not inturupt me for any reason, I don't care if someone calls or comes in, do not interupt me" and than he went into his meeting. He was a little preturbed when the secratary did come in and say there was a call for him. Grudgingly he left the meeting and said that he told her not to inturupt. She responded, No, you need to take this call. After a few minutes he went back into the meeting and said "I got some good news and I got some bad news" Everyone decided they wanted to hear the good news" he told them that Jesus was on the phone and he has returned for the second coming. Everybody was pretty excited and than said wait but you said there was bad news " He said yeah...He was calling from Salt Lake." Haha I thought it was a pretty funny joke, especially since it came from the Catholic Priest.

Anyway on to our week. We had a fairly good week. We found a former investigator named Laurant who hasn't been visited with missionaries for 5 years but he is Golden. He said he recieved some anti material 5 years ago but doesn't care anymore. He came to church for the first time and loved it but while he was there he said he found the antil pamphlet and wants us to come over to talk about some things. I'm not too worried becuase I think we can explain it to him and he trusts us quite a bit. He is from Benine, Africa and is just a super humble great man.

Kathryn has been difficult to get ahold of this past week. I think her common law is making it slightly difficult for her to do things so we have to work through that. She is still great just have to work through some things.

The marinos are great. The dad called his dad (who is a pastor or something down in florida) who has been trying to get his son to join a church forever so he called him excited to tell him about his baptism date. Well, his dad didn't share his excitment. He was actually pretty upset. We talked to the Marinos and he said it is ultimately his decission he just would rather have his dad's approval. We will probably have to work through that unfortunately. He said he wishes his dad would just not be so closed minded and supportive. They still want to be baptized just might take a bit longer now. They need your prayers...seriously.

Well not much else to say. When you walk outside in your sweater or in a bathing suit on the cruise, please remember that your son is wearing Big boots, two pairs of socks, long johns, a sweater, a big parka, two pairs of gloves, ear muffs, a Toque (a beanie), and a scarf and is still cold.

Love,
Elder Turner

12.6.2010

Here are some pictures from my old area, not sure if I ever sent them. The one with the hispanic family is an active member family (the younger woman is the one that called mom for her birthday), the other big family is a less active family we were working with, and the woman and the boy are Melina and her son. She was the really golden investigator with a not so golden "other"

Here are a few more pictures that I'm not sure If i sent before. One of them is of Curtis. Our neighbor in our old area who always gave us a ton of food and baked us a ton of pies (he's not a member).

One of them is of my pumpkin that I carved. It is Igor holding a skull. I used a stencil.

The other picture is something that I learned you could do on the camera so we were having fun the other day with it.

and the last one is of me and my neices/nephew. Oldest to Youngest: Matea, Naleah, Quintin and Pria Their last name is olsen.

I don't take alot of pictures but I take a few. Here are two that I though you would enjoy. The fur is taken from off our big coats.