Update
Amazing hike
Last week the whole zone got together for a hike up Crouters Mountain and it was beautiful because the leaves were all just changing. The hike goes right to the point of the mountain and you can see everything from up there. I took the liberty of attaching a few photos including one big panorama photo, but I’m not sure how that will send through this, so sorry in advance if it doesnt work. I had a blast hiking with everyone and getting talk with with missionaries that I don’t usually get to see.
Online Pros
So a big emphasis in our mission has been on using technology to find people that are interested in learning more about the church. Part of that is that our mission has been using Facebook for a while now on our tablets, and we just recently got upgraded from our flip phones to smart phones to make it all easier. My companion and I made a Facebook page for the county and got our Bishop to let us use some left over budget to boost our posts to targeted audiences. Really cool stuff but also really creepy how much Facebook knows about all of us. Anyway, we’ve been able to see some real success come out of that and rumor has it that we are going to be expanding our online reach after the new year (vague I know, you’ll just have to wait and see)!
Our Struggle Waking Up
So this whole working two areas thing has been pretty hard and we always get home super tired. What’s harder though has been trying to wake up in the morning. Usually we wake up, walk out into the living room, and sit on the couches like zombies for a while. We decided to change that though and now every morning the first thing we do is a push up contest to wake ourselves up haha. It’s worked pretty well so far.
Suit alterations
This week I thought I would be smart to go into a tailor and have my suit altered a little because the pants were getting too short (struggle of being tall). They said we could pick them up on Friday at 1. However I had forgotten that we had interviews with our Mission President on Friday and out ride was picking us up at 1:30. Needless to say we caught our ride, but we cut it close haha.
CATAN
At interviews with President, generally one companion goes in with President and the other companion sits in the hallway and talks with the Presidents wife. While my companion was in with President, Sister Alexander had me make a list of all of my strengths, talents, and spiritual gifts. I wasn’t sure what to write so she started to ask me what admirable qualities I saw in my parents, and then asked me if I saw those same qualities in myself. It was really neat to see how long the list got! She finished by asking me if I could do anything for a day that would make me the happiest, what would it be? This is where I got really homesick. Before I give my answer though, there is something you should know about my family. Over the past few years we have developed a bit of a tradition of playing an extremely competitive game of Settlers of Catan every Sunday evening. Now back to my story. I told her that I would probably be with my family (because my family is the bomb) and honestly if I could do anything for a day that would make me happiest, I would be playing Catan with them. I got pretty homesick as I said that. Instantly, Sister Alexander’s eyes lit up, and she said “that’s what our family does too!” So ya, I bonded with the Mission Presidents wife through Catan haha.
I encourage all of you to make a similar list of your strengths, talents, and spiritual gifts and share it with someone else close to you and commit to help each other develop and strengthen those talents. And if you run out of ideas, then try doing what Sister Alexander had me do, and think about your parents.
Sorry for the long email, but I hope the pictures make up for it!
Love y’all!
Elder Klingler
Pictures:
1. Really cool picture from the hike
2. The panorama view from the peak
3. My companion and I on the peak (haha)
4. The whole zone. And yes, I am pretty much blocked by the tree haha
5. Me almost dropping my tablet off the cliff trying to get a cool picture.
