fought a good fight

This week has been so awesome!

So on Monday night we had our "Homecourt" (lesson with an investigator in a members home) with the Fournier's at the Nelson's house and the Vanderholms. The idea was that the adults were going to talk and share stories with Sis. Fournier to help her overcome her doubts and we were going to get Joanne ready for her baptism, all after a lovely dinner. Well when we got there, Sterling, there older son who hadn't been real interested in the past, announced he wanted to get baptized. So we took them in the other room and taught him the 1st lesson and asked him what date he would like to be baptized. He said as soon as possible, he didn't want to wait. So we said "well how about Sunday with your sister?" and he said yes. So we taught him everything this week and got him all ready to go, and yesterday Sterling and Joanne Fournier were baptized by their father. It was AWESOME!!!

Well just wanted to tell you the news. I can say I really sprinted the past week. These past 2 years have been filled with Incomprehensible joy and fulfillment. I'm going to miss Washington so much.

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

See y'all soon!

Stirring Training

It has been yet another great week. On Tuesday we had a zone meeting with a stirring training from our Stake President, Hunsaker, on getting the members involved. He's pretty legit. He is a young guy, served a mission in Japan. He was called as bishop when he was 27 and is now a Stake President and he is in his late 30's to early 40's.He said whenever he goes to a regional meeting the questions asked are always. What stake are you from, how many grand kids do you have and what is your stake baptismal goal? He says it’s kind of intimidating because he doesn't have any grand-kids his wife is pregnant though. He was a really funny and exciting guy.

After Lunch at Cafe Rio we exchanged with the Zone Leaders. I went with Elder Davis in Wenatchee. We had a good day and were able to go teach a lot of people.

 
Things are going smooth with the Fournier's. They're 9 year old daughter Joann is going to be baptized this Sunday after church. She is a smart little girl and teaching her has been fun. She is adopted. I think she's Japanese but I'm not sure. Everything is going smooth there. They came out to church and our Ward Barbecue this weekend.

The Barbecue had a good turnout. We had a lot of members come we had a couple investigator and less active families come and we also had a lot of non members who were brought by friends from the young men. The youth have done a lot of missionary work here in the past. That is the best kind of mission prep. There is a young man named Kelly who is going to serve his mission in South Africa starting in November. He was invited to mutual by the Bishop’s son, and took the missionary lessons, started coming to church, and got baptized about a year ago. He is inviting friends to activities now.

I've been inspired lately by several accounts and stories involving desire, effort, diligence, and Priorities. One of those being from Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk entitled desire. He tells the story of Aaron Ralston, a man who was hiking alone in Utah and whose arm became trapped under an 800 pound boulder. After 5 days of struggling to free himself from it, he was about ready to just give up. Then he saw a vision of a 3-year old boy running towards him and he scooped the boy up with his left arm. With this newly kindled flame of a vision, and a desire in him he decided living, and raising a family was more important than keeping his right arm and dying. And so he broke the bone, and cut off his arm with his pocket knife, and hiked the 5 miles back to his car and survived.

 I want to maintain righteous desires, a heightened vision, and willingness to put forth effort, diligence, and sacrifice in order to reach my goals, for the rest of my mission and my future.

Have a great week everyone I'll see you soon!

-Elder Partridge

 

 

 

Are you allowed to drink?

Hey Family! It’s been a great week. We had our District Meeting on Brewster on Tuesday. We were talking about the importance of preparing our investigators to keep commitments in helping them prepare to make and keep the baptismal covenant. Afterwards we ate at La Milpa. It was quite tasty I got a Torta and a large horchata for only 4.75. What a deal!

 On Wednesday Elder Berg went to Spokane for a doctor appointment and I got to go out with the High priest group leader, Bro. Nelson, during the afternoon and with a priest named Aaron during the evening. It was a great day. We got to see several inactive members and teach several investigators and find some service opportunities to open people’s hearts. I was reminded of the value of working with members because I felt like it opened doors to have a member with me. Figuratively and literally. People know them from the community or from church service and so are more willing to let us in. 

We got a similar message from our Bishop yesterday in a meeting with us and our WML Jeffrey England. He told us when we don't have anything to do, get in the members’ homes, befriend them, inspire them, challenge them. His family had been strengthened much in the past by interactions with missionaries and so that's what he wanted us to do. So on Sunday afternoon we got two of our priests, Manny and Joe, and we did a split. We were out covering more ground, teaching investigators and visiting and challenging members. It was a very beneficial thing and we decided we will try to do this every Sunday afternoon.

This morning I read 3 conference talks Catch the Wave By Elder Russell M. Nelson, We Are One By President Henry B. Eyring, and Come, All Ye Sons of God By President Thomas S. Monson to refresh my member missionary knowledge.

On Thursday we moved in with the Riggins. They are an older couple that live on the south shore, so it’s a new environment. We have a great view out our window of the lake. I'll send you a picture of that.

We were finally able to meeet with the Fournier’s again. Their daughter Joann will be baptized on the 22nd but Sis. Fournier isn't quite ready. We hope we can get them all squared away soon! Also it rained a lot on Thursday night.

We had kind of a surprise when we went to visit Juan Valdovinos the other day. He is someone that we just started teaching. His roommate was already an investigator. He showed mild interest over the past 2 weeks. Then when we were going to teach him that night he asked us, "are you allowed to Drink in your church?" we told him we don't drink beer. He asked if we could do a couple of other things, the answer was the same, "We don’t do that" and then an explanation of why a loving heavenly father gives commandments. The next question surprised us, "What does one need to do to join your church?" He accepted the invitation to be baptized, and we will continue teaching and preparing him in the coming weeks.

 We've been seeing many miracles and how the lord prepares people to hear his message!

Have a great week everybody!

-Elder Partridge

Super duper week

This week has been super duper! 

We have been teaching an autistic 10 year old named Jesus. His parents are less active. His sister, who suggested we teach him and his mom also would like him to get baptized. So we taught him the 3rd lesson. It has been interesting, because he isn't always very engaged or interested in what we are teaching. One of his favorite things to do is to go to Walmart so they can buy DVD's. He gets pretty anxious about this and if he doesn't get his way he gets pretty upset. One day he said "No More Church!" and so his mom replied "No more Walmart" He was devastated to say the least. We were able to get him a baptismal date this week though!

 

With the septic stuff all figured out we were able to start helping rich with his sheet rock. We got the hard part basically done, the ceiling so we'll go back another day to help with the rest. He came to church yesterday so that was good.

 

We got too much Ice cream this week. it seemed like every dinner they said, "I hope you have room for dessert, we have Ice cream!" the Tillamook Udderly chocolate flavor is to die for though.

We got to have interviews on Friday! It was exciting. President basically just told me to Keep working hard. I guess when you're at my point that's about all there is to say. It was a good experience. I gave a training on why we shouldn't be pushy or manipulative, nor vague or apologetic when inviting people to repent. I got a lot of laughs so I guess that is good.

 

On Saturday we went to help clean up after the library book sell. It was another good service opportunity. They had us boxing up books and carrying them outside. 

 

We had a cool day yesterday, we got squared away with our Ward Missionary A-team and who was coming out with us when. We got to go with Manny, a recent convert to go visit some people in the afternoon. It was awesome, he had a good time and it helped to rekindle the flame of the gospel in his life.

 

There is a lady named Yadira that we have been trying to teach but have never found her husband home. We found out she had taken English classes from the church and really liked the teachers, Bro. and Sis. Hanks. So we invited the Hanks to go with us last night and had a lesson with her. While in the end she told us she was catholic and didn't want to pursue it more she did say she would read the Book of Mormon. Dropping someone doesn't seem so bad when you know they have friendship with members already.

 

It was a super duper week!
-Elder Partridge

Human Back Hoe

Well this weeks sheetrocking project turned into a septic project. We were digging big ditches in Rich's yard to solve a plugged up problem. We left the cleaning out of the pipes to him though. It was pretty fun, I got to show Elder Berg and Bro. Richard why they call me the Human Back Hoe. We got a lot done for him so It was good!

We met a guy named Eliseo a week or 2 ago and he's a pretty nice firm Devout C+E Catholic. He's got a nice family of 12 kids. He's lived in the area for 20 or 30 years and I like the guy so we've been trying to get him out to a church tour or an activity so He can feel the spirit and his awesome family can come be that strength we need in the Spanish Branch. He agreed to come on a church tour Tuesday afternoon if we'd come to the Catholic social dinner that Saturday. We said "why not" and it was a deal. Tuesday rolled around, we had a member who he was acquainted with ready to come with us, and he didn't show. He got out of work late, so we decided we'd show him and not got to the dinner at the catholic church. We finally got the chance to go catch up with him on Sunday night when he was drinking modelo and watching novellas and it turned out he didn't go to the Catholic dinner either. So we're going to try to reschedule for this week.

On Tuesday I got to go on exchange with my Nieto, Elder Sanchez! I brought him here to Chelan and we set out to find people to teach. After a nice lesson with a Lady named Fausta who wasn't interested, a headache of confusion trying to find someone who could help a guy with his car which had broken down almost in the middle of nowhere and a cancelled church tour we went to dinner with Bro. Riggin at La Brisa, a local mexican restaurant, and than frozen yogurt after. I had a bit of a hard time trying to explain what froyo was to Elder Sanchez who had never heard of it or eaten it before, but he Enjoyed it, so it was good. Still no comparison to Frozen Custard.

We had a sweet lesson with Fernando. Jeff England's family had him in their home to be taught. He brought his kids, who were friends with Jeffrey's kids. It was interesting because before they arrived Jeff's son was saying how he didn't want to sit in for the lesson and neither would his friend because it would be boring. It turned out that his friend, between running around and playing outside did come and sit with us several times to participate and was interested in what was taught.

I don't think badly of or hold it against Jeff's son knowing it was quite natural and I would have felt the same at his age. But I thought what a valuable lesson it was, for LDS children at a tender age to see that the Gospel is interesting and important.

Bishop unveiled more of his Ward Missionary game plan yesterday at church. The Priest Ward Missionaries are going to receive an assignment of a person to visit every week, and They'll go with us to complete that assignment.

Bishop's got a great vision and he's been showing videos from the Hastening website in ward council every week. Its awesome to see how things are moving.

We had another miracle at church yesterday, chances seemed poor for a spanish sacrament meeting, seeing as the 2 weeks before nobody had come. As we were discussing this in Ward Council a sister came and asked for someone who speaks spanish. Elder Berg and I went out and there was a Hispanic man in his 40's and his 14 year old son. They were from Sonora Mexico, members of the church. The Boy came up by suggestion of his Grandma to attend school and learn English. The father would be staying for 2 months, and than going to mexico for 2 months alternating throughout the year. They had gotten in contact with the bishopric to find out if there was a church here and they were here to attend. So we had our spanish sacrament meeting with them and a few other white members who had come out to support. I got to give my talk which I had been sitting on for 2 weeks and it was good! Jeffrey, our Ward Mission Leader and kind of the Spanish Group Leader enlisted him immediately to go visit inactive members this week and invite them to church. It was awesome! I'm excited to see what this brings!

This was a more newsy lengthy letter so I hope you enjoyed it!

Love Elder Partridge

Priests

We're going to go help a man named Rich put in sheetrock this week.  He's a former investigator our bishop asked us to go see. He is a really nice guy, he's in his 50's and has long hair but I can see him being a High Priest Group leader. 

 
We got to change out our car this week with transfers. They sent our '09 Malibu down to Richland and we got a '13 Cruze. So that makes me happy. It's so much smoother to drive. It's like trading in your aircraft carrier for a fighter jet. 

Our guy Fernando got back from Mexico this week. He was visiting his mother who had fallen ill. He's a really solid guy; he has a wife and 3 kids. We were comforting him and shared a bit about how God loves us and blesses our families. 

 We were able to meet with Faustino again, he lives with some rowdy guys in a picker cabin in the orchards. He is kind of surrounded by a bad influence but he likes what we teach him and you can tell he has good desires. We were asking him what he wanted from life and what were his goals, he said his main thing was to get married and have a happy family. We told him that was a good goal, and that we had something that could help him have a happy family, and shared some of the plan of Salvation with him. He was intrigued, we'll be back to talk more with him soon.

Our bishop called all the Priests as Ward Missionaries this week. So it’s time to get them working! There's a good group of 5 or 6 here, and it will be fun working with them. We can get them broken in for their missions.

But that’s about it for this week, Take care everyone!

-Elder Derek Partridge

 

Food Bank

It’s been a sweet week. We volunteer at the local food bank every Tuesday, so we did that this week. It’s been pretty fun. We basically just help people take the food to their cars. I got to talking to the Catholic Priest that was also volunteering. He gives the Spanish sermons too, so we basically talked about learning Spanish. It’s a fun deal.

This week we've been continuing our efforts to pump up the Spanish group. Unfortunately we didn't get a turn out to our volley ball activity, or sacrament meeting. We will keep trying.

We had an exchange this Thursday, after a zone meeting. I went with one of our ZL's Elder Decker and we stayed in Chelan. We got a lot of work done it was awesome. We had just had training on talking to everyone, and so that's what we did. We were able to see a lot of good potentials and a new investigator come from it. One guy we talked to gave us some peaches from his tree and we ate them while we talked to him. The peaches are SOOO good. It’s awesome to be able to get them from anyone's tree.

The Fournier's are doing well, just keep praying for them. We got to go by and teach them this week. We're hoping all will continue to go well. 

Yesterday we went to talk to Martin, we were sitting with him out on a bench in the middle of some apple orchards. We were teaching him the first lesson and he brought up some concerns about apostles and stuff, and also about the gift of tongues. His friend Eleazar came out and sat by us. We talked through the gift of tongues thing with him. Right there in Acts 2 it says everyone understood the apostles in their native language. They weren't babbling. They accepted it and then we had to get going so we said a prayer with them. His friend Eleazar said he really liked our discussion and he was going to ponder about it. So hopefully we'll see some more good stuff from them.

We got transfer calls! Good news I am staying and so is Elder Berg, so I'll be here til the end! Elder Judd got called as a ZL. My boy's doing good! And his trainee, my grandson Elder Sanchez is getting transferred into my district. So it’s going to be a fun last transfer. Still haven't heard what’s happening with Elder Dowuona Hammond, I hear he's doing really good though!

Have a great week!

-Elder Partridge