Specialized Training

Good day to everyone! we've had a good week! We had interviews and specialized training with Pres. Greer. It was a really good experience. They talked about finding, and how baptisms are great opportunities to find new investigators. We should ask the person being baptized to invite a lot of family, friends, and neighbors to come. They also gave us a new dvd about a guy named German who joined the church and how his mother later joined the church because of the spirit she felt there. Its really good and we're going to start sharing it with the members of the branch. Interviews went well. President Greer just encouraged me to keep up the good work in training Elder Judd, and then he repeated to me how we're getting 60 more missionaries in our mission starting next year and how the Spanish compliment will double. He then told me to expect to train 1, 2, or even 3 more times. So looks like I'll be busy.

Things are going good with Elder Judd, we've been getting around finding and teaching. We're hoping to find 5 new investigators this week. We have about 7 return appointments set up from referrals we have received and from people we've found tracting, so hopefully those will all work out. One of those is the Ex of our Recent Convert, Ismael. We got permission with Pres. Greer to go through with it and we have a fhe set up with her, Ismael and the Alquicira family this Friday! We're excited for that.

Other than that we've just been getting ready for the approaching holiday season. Last Monday i found a Christmas tree at goodwill for cheap cheap cheap, so I got that for our apartment. I'm glad we found that, I had to have a tree for Christmas, no matter how small. So I was glad we were able to find a 6 ft one. We plan to ask for ornament donations from the families we visit so we can get it looking festive.

Well that's about it for this week.

Take care, all!

Elder Derek S. Partridge

Happy November

Happy November!

Hey everyone, we have had a good week. On Tuesday Elder Anderson and I went around so he could say bye to everyone. Our branch and the salmon creek ward had a Trunk or treat, so we put on funny hats that we got at value village and passed out some candy. I wore a dog hat and he wore a leprechaun hat. It was pretty funny. The branch relief society was in the building knitting scarves while the kids went and collected candy. I guess it’s a stake RS service project so it was cool to see that our Branch was doing their part. On Wednesday morning I took Anderson to the transfer site and sent him off to Pasco, and then I waited for mi hijo to arrive. After a couple hours of waiting the transfer group showed up with Elder Judd. He is from St. George, Utah. He has 12 brothers and sisters, 3 of which are adopted from Ethiopia. He is 8th in line. He's probably about 6'2" so he's nice and tall like me, and he is a fire ball! He's doing good with Spanish, and he's already contributing a good part to our lessons. That day we went and visited Ismael and then had dinner with the Ortiz family. He loves the food so he is set!

So throughout the week we did a good amount of tracting and teaching people. Including Samira and Joel. Elder Judd invited Joel to be baptized and he agreed so we'll have another one coming up in January! On Saturday we had our Stake missionary breakfast at Bro. Chapman's house. He's the high counselor over missionary work in our stake. It was very good to mingle with the other missionaries and then to discuss the work in our stake. 5 of the companionships in our stake and 6 in our zone are training right now. So we've got a lot of fresh new faces. On Friday we went to the Vancouver Stake Center for a Trainer/Trainee mtg. It was very instructive. One of the things that was interesting that Pres. Greer told us was that our Compliment of missionaries in the WKM is going up from 190 to 250 starting in January. He also told us that the amount of sisters was going to double, which I had expected, than he told us that the number of Spanish missionaries was also going to double, which caught me off guard. I was expecting maybe 5 new companionships but 15? They're going to open a lot of new areas! It'll be interesting to see what happens.

Sunday went well, we had 3 confirmations, 1 baby blessing, and the sacrament. That was a lot of ordinances! We got Samira and Joel out, which was good. Something that surprised me was that Ismaels, Ex-, the mother of his children came to church! So we're going to try to set up a FHE with her and start teaching her! Maybe the gospel can patch up the relationship and they can get married! That would be really cool!

Well that’s about it, I hope everyone has a great week! Thanksgiving is coming!!!!

-Elder Partridge

Extraordinary Sunday

Dear Everyone,

We've had a ordinary week here in Vancouver topped with an extraordinary sunday. Throughout the week we went about business as usual getting Odi ready for his baptism, visiting other investigators. It was Stake Conference weekend and so we had to move the Baptism to Sunday afternoon because of the Adult session on saturday. We had the baptismal interview and he passes. The sisters had 2 investigators that decided they wanted to get baptized this weekend too and not wait: A woman named Gloria and her Daughter Giovanna. So they also got them all interviewed and ready to go. So come Sunday morning, we go to the church and start filling the font, and then go to the special Morning session. Elder Gavarret of the first quorom of the Seventy came and he wanted to have a morning session specifically to talk to the Spanish member Recent Converts and Investigators, and also any english Recent Converts. It was a really cool little meeting. We got a pretty good turn out and Odi came as well as Ismael. Elder Gavarret was really funny and there was a great spirit there. One of the things he talked about is how there are to types of members in the church. Mormones, and Mormoncitos ("little mormons" members that lack dedication, conversion, or deep rooted testimony) He said to not be Mormoncitos and to study the scriptures and obey the commandments so that we can have deep rooted faith, conversion and testimonies.

We then went on to Stake Conference where President Barrus President Greer and Sister Greer and Elder Gavarret Spoke. It was very good.

After that we went on to the Relief Society room and got everything situated for what was the most special and spiritual baptisms I think any of us had ever been too. We started with the prayer and hymn, and then Sister Morelli, (a great friend and fellowshipper of Odi) gave a great talk on the importance and meaning of the Ordinance of baptism. Following that Brother Alder, went into the font and first baptized Odi, and then Gloria and Giovanna. By the time it was Giovanna's turn he was in tears. We then watched Gordon B. Hinkley's testimony of the Restoration on the Special Witnesses of Christ DVD and sang another hymn. At this point Bro. Huerena came in and whispered something into our Branch President, President Ross's ear. Then after President Greer, Stake President Barrus, and Elder Gavarret walked into the door and took their seats at the front. It was then announced that All three would bear their testimony. First President Greer Bore his testimony and then President Bairus, with President Ross translating and then Elder Gavarret got up and addressed the converts in Spanish. It was so awesome, we were enveloped in the spirit. The Stake president related how they were on their way to leave and visit a sick member and then take him to the airport, when Elder Gavarret stopped and said he wanted to stop by at the baptism first. What a once in the lifetime opportunity to have a General Authority come to your baptism! That definitely went straight into the Journal. Well we enjoyed the rest of the day going and visiting people.

But Wait There is more. That night we were sitting in the apartment planning when we got a phone call from President Greer. He then asked me to train a new missionary this upcoming transfer. He than asked Elder Anderson to finish the training of a missionary who has been in Pasco with the Zone Leaders for his first transfer. So Transfers are on Wednesday, I purposefully left that for the end. Wow I'm pretty overwhelmed and excited to train. Looks like I'll be in Vancouver until January!

Well thats all the news for this week! Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Derek Partridge

Ishmael's baptism

Hello everyone! We’ve had a super good week. Ismael's baptism went through without a hitch. He invited his daughters to come. It’s really cool how quick he accepted the gospel. He saw that it was good for him and he knew that it was true. I think what really got him was general conference. Last week he was saying he wasn't quite sure he'd be ready for the 13th but this week we met with him the Monday after conference and he said he was ready. He truly must of felt the spirit and truth of the words of the living prophet and apostles of god. He's awesome! Sister Ruiz invited a friend to the baptism and she also came to church the next day. So we're going to start teaching her. Its really cool how we receive blessings and people are placed in our path as missionaries.

Elder Holland's talk in General Conference was excellent. It was actually a modified version of a talk he gave at the MTC in January of 2011. Every companionship in our mission has a copy of it on DVD. I prefer the MTC version of it to the one he gave in conference. He talks a little more about the history and Purpose of Preach My Gospel at the beginning and then goes in to talking about Peter. It is really a powerful talk but that version appears to be only available to a select audience of full time missionaries, and we aren't to take or make copies of it.

Well in other news this week Odi's son got baptized in California on Saturday also! Odi is very proud and happy and It has motivated him a lot. So much to where he is now on his 4th day without smoking. if he can keep it up than he'll be able to be baptized on the 27th so we're excited about that! The Sister missionaries also have a baptism planned for the 27th so it will be an exciting month for our branch!

We went to Multnomah Falls today. It was really beautiful! We went with 2 other companionships in our zone. We had a lot of fun and got some good pictures. Well I hope everyone has a good week!

-Elder Partridge

Derek's Address

Derek loves letters.  His address is 8202 W. Quinault Ave. #D
Kennewick, WA  99336

Conference

Well this week was pretty packed and busy. We've been trying to meet with our Investigators and then get them out to conference and all that. And than conference took a lot of time. But was very uplifting. We got Ismael out to the 2 saturday sessions so that was good. I was very surprised about the announcement that President Monson made. This is a very historic announcement I think. I think short term it will provide a big boost in missionaries, and long term, in conjunction with the new Young Mens, young womens, and seminary curriculum based on Preach My gospel that there will be more people that will be prepared and have the desire to serve missions. The work is hastening on! It appears this is also where the six week spanish pilot program comes in. Elder Holland stated in the press conference that the MTC training for all missionaries will be shortened by 1/3. This is a really exciting thing!

In other news our investigators are progressing pretty well here. Ismael is on track for baptism this Saturday. We just need to review a couple more things and than have his interview on Thursday. He really enjoyed conference and he says he likes church and believes in what we have taught him. We haven't been able to get in contact with German still sadly. It appears he is going to need more time. We met with Samira and Joel this week to and things were going good.

So this week I had authentic pupusas. The Pupusa is a food from El Salvador. I have tried it before at a taco truck in Boardman but this time I had them made by a real Abuela Salvadorena. They were so good. Essentially what it is, is a thick tortilla with beans and cheese cooked into it topped with cabbage and salsa rojo. They were very very good. I'm going to have her teach me how to make them before I leave.
Well thats all for this week, take care everyone!

con amor,

Elder Partridge

Portland

Wow 23 new missionaries?? Thats NUTS Happy Birthday mom!!!!!

 

Well its been a good week here in Vancouver. October has started and still no rain. We had our temple trip this morning, thats why I'm emailing on Tuesday instead of Monday again. It was cool to have another opportunity to go to the portland temple. I really enjoy the drive through Portland, everything looks so interesting, I'd like to visit Portland in depth when I'm able, but as for now its out of the mission. Anyways this week has been pretty good. We've worked a lot with Odi this week and his roomate Pedro. Pedro is the brother of sister Morelli and is a big old goof ball. Its hard to get him to take things seriously. We did however have success with showing him some of the ol' book of mormon seminary videos. He seemed to get a lot out of them and enjoy them. Odi's still doing better step by step. We're teaching him gospel principles that we feel will aid in his efforts to quit smoking. We talked about the power of prayer, and read Enos with him. We watched the BoM Seminary video about agency, which by the way is phenomenal. I would recommend it to anyone. As long as we keep working with him and supporting him he'll be able to make that change in his life. Ismael is doing good also. We're having some problems with german, but we're still working with him.

We're pretty excited for conference coming up!!! I like to read the opening verses of Mosiah 2 and apply them to my preparation for General Conference. I like how king Benjamin opens his address by asking that they not "come up hither to ^btrifle with the words" which he spoke to them, "but that [they] should ^chearken unto [him], and open [their] ears that [they] may hear, and [their] ^dhearts that [they] may understand, and [their] ^eminds that the ^fmysteries of God may be unfolded to [their] view[s]."

This is the attitude that I would like to be able to take towards every general conference. I know that as we do that we will be blessed and receive "that portion that shall be meted unto every man."

 

Well thanks for the birthday wishes hope everyone has a great week!!!!

Love, Elder Derek Partridge