May 28th 2013

Sorry Mom,

Yesterday was Memorial Day so I couldn't email due to the library being closed. So we are allowed to take some time today to send a quick email home. So Eugene is Crazy. My companion is awesome. The YSA work is like being a new missionary again because of how different it is. People really don't want to talk religion so that makes it difficult. Eugene is filled with a ton of Crazy people. The first day I was here I talked to a guy named Hill Billie Duck. But I like seeing the crazies because it makes things interesting. A lot of people here are not very respectful of religion which is sad to see. But there are people that really are those that have been looking for the Gospel.

So my first week here has been a huge adjustment. We have YSA Elders, YSA Sisters, Chinese Elders, and family ward sisters who all cover the campus. But we also cover all of the YSA in the surrounding 3 stakes.

Being on the Campus and surrounding area is weird. It's different to see the college life outside of Utah. There are tons of Sororities and Fraternities around campus that are huge. Night time seems to be the time to party, play beer pong, throw frisbees at beer bottles, or bean bag toss when you are super drunk. Or get crazy high. It's a peculiar lifestyle. And honestly it's pretty gross. Yeah. But my companion is awesome! Elder Henrie is from New Mexico and is super chill. We are really trying to see what we can do to get the work going here in Eugene. So we met with President and Sister Young to talk about the work and how we can improve.

 So on Memorial Day we went to a place called hometown buffet for lunch. Which was a terrible mistake. I ate 4 plates of food, then went back to some missionaries' apartment and spent the next few hours vomiting. I was throwing up until this afternoon. But I'm doing pretty good now. Still feel sick but not bad.     

May 20th 2013

Sorry I am emailing later then usual. I am now in Eugene over the YSA ward. My companions are coming in together but he doesn't show up until 8:45 so Elder Black and I are chilling here at the University of Oregon until he gets here. We are the new zone leaders over the Eugene zone. We have 14 elders and 6 sisters. I have been told that all we basically do is hang out on campus and talk to people. And we travel throughout Eugene and surrounding areas to teach the young single adults.

I wasn't really excited to get this assignment but after hearing about it I think it will be a lot of fun. It will be a HUGE change from Brookings. I'm pretty bummed to leave there but I guess I'm suppose to be here. We had some awesome people in Brookings that I didn't want to leave. Especially Jeff and Molly who were the greatest ever! They were who I have been praying to meet for the past 20 months so I was pretty dang sad to leave. In my last weeks email I told President about them and the experience we had. When I got the transfer call president asked if I would allow him to share my email in a fireside Saturday night. Then on Sunday morning he called and said he wanted to meet them within the next month. When I got to Eugene he said that on Sunday he shared my experience in a Stake conference. I didn't have the opportunity to really say goodbye to them because they were gone or tied up with things on Saturday and Sunday so that was a huge bummer. But all I can do is pray that Elder Davis and His companion Elder Argyle will take care of them. They have both only been out 3 months but I have faith in Davis. He is a good missionary.

But on a positive note Lori got baptized the Saturday before I left. She wanted to before one of us got transferred we could be there. Her and Jeff were suppose to get married but they couldn't because of a money issue so Jeff moved out so she could make her date. We had 7 Investigators there which was awesome! Elder Davis Baptized her and I confirmed her. I wish I could have stayed but I know President is inspired and this is where he needs me to be. But if he changes his mind at all I will be there in a heart beat! Best area of my mission.

Oh and before I forget we had another awesome miracle happen that was CRAZY! We were doing our new missionary training in the morning time on Tuesday when we got a phone call from an unknown number. I answered the phone and it was a lady that we gave a Book of Mormon to probably 3 or more weeks ago named Shelia. She said that she had been reading and praying about the Book of Mormon we gave her a few weeks ago and she believes it came from the Lord. She asked if we could meet with her to go over some questions she had and if she could get some more books. So we set up to meet with her 2 hours later at the church.

Shelia had gotten back a few years ago from Jerusalem after studying the Bible for 7 years at a Bible college. She seems to know pretty good Hebrew and studies A LOT. She had read up to 3 Nephi 21 and had over 30 questions written down that she wanted to go over. They were pretty in depth so we only got to go over 2 of them but we gave her Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. She went home and get straight in to D&C. I was completely blown away at what had happened with her. She said that when she reads the Book of Mormon she says that it is congruent with the Bible and answers a lot of questions that she had. When we answered a few of her questions she said: "Oh now that makes so much more sense!" She was just blown away with the things we were sharing with her and asked us why she didn't know about any of this sooner. Elder Davis and Argyle will be meeting with her I think this week. She is so eager to learn more. 

That's about it for this week. I will try and send pictures maybe later if a get a chance.

May 6th 2013

Hey mom,

So I'm not exactly sure but I think I know who you are talking about. which is weird because I don't think I ever gave him your contact information. weird.

So this week was pretty mellow. It was super hot here for a few days which was nice but at the same time wasn't very fun to walk around in. We had a little miracle happen. When we left the apartment on Thursday it was super hot so I said to Elder Davis I hope we run in to the ice cream truck today. Then we went to teach Chris and Katie. Then we were on our way to another appointment and I said something along the lines of that I wanted to find the ice cream truck so we could get some ice cream. As soon as I said that the ice cream man came around the corner pulled over and said that he sees us walking around a lot and wanted to treat us to some free ice cream. ICE CREAM MIRACLE! It was pretty great. Then we later ran in to this kinda crazy drunk guy named woody.

So we have had some pretty good lessons this week. One of our investigators finished the Book of Mormon and probably half of the book Our Heritage. They want to have a BBQ before one of us leaves on may 20th. They are really nice but they just want to learn about the church for the sake of learning. But they love for us to come and visit them. Last time we were there they gave us some smoked salmon that they caught that was pretty dang good.

We tracted in to a guy named Ivan who is Hispanic and he is pretty excited about the Book of Mormon and Christ visiting the Americas.

Lori is still getting baptized on the 18th which is great! Her Fiancee and her were planning on getting married on June 1st but she really wants to get baptized before one of us goes. So they are going to have bishop marry them in his office so she can get baptized Then they are having a formal wedding on the 1st of June. 

So that's it for this week! Looking forward to talking to everyone on mothers day!

Apr 29th, 2013

Hey mom! thanks for the email. Things are going pretty good here in Brookings. Yesterday we had Lori show up with her son Christian as well as another lady we are working with named Katie and her 4 kids. So that was great!

So there aren't too many highlights for this last week. We did have an awesome lesson with Seth and Cassandra this last week. We were going to teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ but they had some questions that took the lesson down a different path. They had some questions about the Plan of Salvation and our pre-earth life and life after this. So we were explaining a little about it and that our families can be sealed forever. So we started talking about eternal marriage and the Temple. At first they weren't terribly happy hearing about eternal marriage because they thought that when you were married here on earth that you were stuck forever even after divorce. So they thought that they were sealed still to their previous spouses still. So we had to explain that they weren't and that marriage isn't eternal until we go the the temple and are sealed for eternity. That we aren't sealed unless we do that. After we explained that they had a sigh of relief and then started giving each other high fives. Then they started talking about how they should maybe get sealed together and to their kids. Cassandra had one of the Salt Lake City temple pass along cards and said "I want to get sealed here!" then Seth said "Yeah I wanna get sealed in Hogwarts!" So we talked to them about what steps need to be taken in order to do so and that the first step is to pray and think about what we have taught them. Then to be Baptized by someone that holds that proper Priesthood authority. They are awesome! 

So that is the highlight for the week!  

Apr 22nd 2013

Hey mom! 

Thanks for the emails. So first in response to your questions in the interview President had a little more structure where he had a few questions that he asks everyone when in interviews. Then we just talked about the area and possibilities of what is going to happen after I leave here. He asked some questions about former areas I have worked in and former companions. He told me that I seem to do better in remote areas and I told him I would rather be in smaller towns over big towns. So he said that when I get transferred he will probably put me in a smaller isolated community. I think partly because I enjoy it more and because he can trust me in not doing something stupid and disobedient. The only downside is he also said that he may put me out somewhere with someone that struggles with obedience in the middle of no where. Because they wont have any option of doing something disobedient with me. Or I will double transfer train another place like Brookings. But I dunno we will see what happens. Transfers are on May 20th so one of us will be leaving on that day. I'm not 100% sure but I think that I will be leaving because this is Elder Davis' first area. Going back to interviews yes we interview with Sister Young when your companion is with President.

So this week was okay. We had some pretty good highs and lows. Last P-day a member in the ward took us golfing at the golf course he manages which was awesome! Then we came back went tracting and had our dinner late because it was going to be dropped off to us. I started feeling really sick and puked for the first time on the mission! I was sitting on the tub the first time I puked which turns out not to be a good idea because I got vomit up my nose which burns! Then the pizza was dropped off so all I could smell was puke and pizza. Then I puked again. But I woke up the next morning and felt great! 

We met some awesome people this week through tracting. A family let us in and we were able to teach them the Plan of Salvation. The husband is an excommunicated Jehovah's witness and I will say they are incredibly harsh on those that they excommunicate. But we have another lesson with them this week. We also tracted in to another lady who had accepted a baptismal date which is awesome! And we had a really spiritual lesson a lady named Heather which was awesome!

When we were tracting on Saturday, we were at an intersection when a guy pulled over  behind us, opened his door, and puked. It was pretty funny. Then we did service for 4 hours for this guy that we tracted in to. it was pretty cool. anyways that's about it for this week! love ya!

Elder Berg

Apr 16th, 2013

Hey mom! thanks for the email. Things are going pretty good here in Brookings. Yesterday we had Lori show up with her son Christian as well as another lady we are working with named Katie and her 4 kids. So that was great!

So there aren't too many highlights for this last week. We did have an awesome lesson with Seth and Cassandra this last week. We were going to teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ but they had some questions that took the lesson down a different path. They had some questions about the Plan of Salvation and our pre-earth life and life after this. So we were explaining a little about it and that our families can be sealed forever. So we started talking about eternal marriage and the Temple. At first they weren't terribly happy hearing about eternal marriage because they thought that when you were married here on earth that you were stuck forever even after divorce. So they thought that they were sealed still to their previous spouses still. So we had to explain that they weren't and that marriage isn't eternal until we go the the temple and are sealed for eternity. That we aren't sealed unless we do that. After we explained that they had a sigh of relief and then started giving each other high fives. Then they started talking about how they should maybe get sealed together and to their kids. Cassandra had one of the Salt Lake City temple pass along cards and said "I want to get sealed here!" then Seth said "Yeah I wanna get sealed in Hogwarts!" So we talked to them about what steps need to be taken in order to do so and that the first step is to pray and think about what we have taught them. Then to be Baptized by someone that holds that proper Priesthood authority. They are awesome! 

So that is the highlight for the week!  

Brookings Pics

April 8th 2013

Hey Mom,

Things have been going pretty good here in Brookings. This morning we had interviews with President and Sister Young. It was pretty good to be able to talk with them for while. Usually interviews are like 3-5 minutes but this one was a little longer for everyone because they are coming to each area to do interviews. Yesterday we spoke in sacrament meeting. It was great for investigators and non-members to be there because we spoke on the apostasy and the Restoration. But none of our investigators showed up which was super lame.

On Monday we set a baptismal date with someone but on Sunday they said that they weren't ready to make that commitment. So that was a high-low for us. Friday we went to North Bend for Zone Training meeting which was pretty good but the drive takes forever and a day. In order to get there on time we have to leave here at about 5:30 to be at the meeting by 8.

Last p-day we went to see some of the redwoods that are up the Chetco river. Those trees are huge! you could stand inside one of them and still  be able to touch the sides. Well that is pretty much it for this week. We are trying to get a few people on a baptismal date so hopefully everything will work out!

April 1st 2013

Hey mom!

Thanks for the email. This week was pretty good. President Young came down to teach the 3rd hour yesterday which was awesome! That will probably be one of the most memorable Sundays ever. Before church we had a meeting with the Priesthood executive committee and had a dedicatory prayer for the Brookings ward boundary. It was a great experience. It was fast and testimony meeting so there were tons of people that got up to bear their testimonies and we ended super late because there was a constant flow of people to the pulpit. The 3rd hour lesson was about Easter and about how we can share the Gospel with people around us. Then we had dinner with President and Sister Young with our ward mission leader.

So a few days ago we were tracting down a road and met a guy named Chris who said that we could come back on Sunday. So we came back and met with him and his girlfriend after our dinner with our ward mission leader. We had a great brief visit with them but we had to go because they completely forgot we were coming and were having guests over for an Easter celebration. But he had some family that was LDS and had said that he thinks God is trying to tell him something lately. Then his girlfriend Katie said "More like he came and kicked the door down!" So he really wants to come to church and meet with us more. He told us that he has and aunt who is LDS and has been trying to get him to church for a while. Sunday she called him to see if he went yet and when he said no she said "Do you need me to send the missionaries over there?" And he told her he had talked to us a few days earlier and that we were coming by later that day.

We have an investigator who is getting baptized in about a month! We are really excited about it. Her Husband is a member but hasn't been active since the mid 90's but loves the church.

Anyways those are the highlights for this week. 

March 25th, 2013

Hey Mom,
Things are going pretty good here in Brookings. We have had quite a few cancellations this week. We have been visiting a ton of less actives. We have been invited in to homes to say prayers with people. I believe 3 different people let us in to do that so that has been pretty cool. But that's about all that has been happening lately. We taught the Petersons this week and Mrs Peterson is a super detailed reader. So far she had read into Mosiah and had a few really in depth questions for us. But luckily we were able to answer them. But now they want us to wait a month before we come back.