Monday April 24, 2017 Millwood, WA

Hey! Thanks for all the birthday wishes.

Where do you do your laundry now?

We do our laundry at a member’s house. They do it for us. They’re awesome!

Do you have any plans for your birthday...I know you can't have many plans, but did you get yourself a cake or anything?

Umm kinda... you got the text from Sis. Christensen so that’s pretty much the plan.

I've been wondering, what do you Elders do for service there in Millwood?

Just random stuff. We don’t do too much service. 

Thanks for the update. I did get the package thanks sooooo much!!!! Those things are awesome! You guys are the best!

So this week was actually really good! We had a great lesson with our investigator Mary. She is so solid. We had a great lesson and we put her on date! She is set to be baptized on the 20th of May! That’s really exciting especially because the work has been pretty slow here for a while so that’s one of the highlights for my week!

So the next thing is that we were having dinner at the Christensen’s and we shared a lesson and we asked if they would invite somebody for us to teach in their home and they decided that they would trust us with their deaf sister! So now I have to really brush up on my ASL because they want us to teach a lesson in sign language! So that’s crazy! They’re putting a lot of trust in us. By the way, Elder McKnight knows ASL too. He learned it when he was growing up so he’s pretty fluent. But that’s the most exciting things for this week and also my birthday! So over all it’s been a really good couple of days!

Well I’ll send some pics and try to do better at that...we'll see. But thanks again. Love you all! Talk to ya later!
-Elder St. John

 Check out this nice house!

 With his birthday gear!

 

We got another text from the Christensen's on Sunday night. They're the same family that fed Colten & his other companion a couple of weeks ago. They fed these two on Sunday night and found out Colten's birthday is this week. They're having them back to eat dinner on Wednesday night to celebrate Colten's birthday. They asked for the recipe of Colten's favorite chocolate cake and also wanted to know what his favorite meal is. Lucky, lucky boy, he's gonna eat salmon this week! People are very nice.

Monday April 17, 2017 Millwood, WA

Hi

1. Most importantly...how's the new companion? Tell us about him.

1. His name is Elder McKnight! He’s from Gainesville, Florida! So that’s new. He’s awesome and is a really hard worker so we should get a lot done.

2. The secretary at Brooke's kids' school has a daughter that recently returned from your mission and knew you when you served in Kamiah. Something about a broken syrup bottle?

2. Yeah her name is Sister Lott! She’s awesome!

3. Did you get our package? Are you happy I didn't forget an Easter tie this year?

3. Yes I did! Thank you soooo much. It was awesome. (I still don’t really like peeps but thanks anyway!)

4. How was your Easter? Did you get to eat at someone's house? Anything good?

4. Easter was awesome! We ate at the Hyde’s. Ham and stuff.

5. Do you need more pro active?

5. Not at the moment. Maybe in a couple weeks.

6. Where do you do your grocery shopping now that you're in a city?

6. Walmart!

7. Dad's wondering if you miss have protein powder?

7. I don’t because I have some! The one we used to get. The cookies and cream. Tyler sent it to me a while ago.

8. Your birthday is coming up - any requests?

8. Hmmm I don’t really know. I had some ideas and then I forgot. A good soccer ball? Maybe?

9. Are you ever going to send me another picture? It's been a long time.

9. I’ll think about it. ;)

So, this week was good. A little crazy with transfers and stuff but it was really good. We worked hard and found a couple of new people we might be able to teach. I’ll keep you updated. We have been working really hard to get people to teach and that has taken up most of our time. Things are looking up around here with the Easter time and better weather (hopefully) we will start getting the work going.

That’s really all that’s going on here. Our investigator Shelby had his wife and kids walk out on him the other day. So, that makes it hard on him. I hope he sees that he needs a change in his life. This gospel changes people more than anything I’ve ever seen. It’s really cool to see the light of Christ enter into people and start making them more than they ever thought they could be.

We had a really good Easter today in our ward. It was really good because it was actually sunny! We had a great program with lots of good singers! West Valley has a lot of talented people. I love the tie you sent. It’s interesting. I’ve never seen one like it before! I’m disappointed that there was no egg hunt at our house this year. So, my little sisters need to step up their game. I do miss holidays with the family. But I don’t miss the pictures. Sorry mom.

Well love ya!

-Elder St. John 

 

 

A nice lady in Walmart stopped these Elders, took a picture of them and texted it to their moms. Bless her heart.

Monday April 10, 2017 Millwood, WA

Hey! Well this week has been good.

1. You mentioned poor health last week. Were you sick, or your companion, or both?

1. Yeah mostly me being sick with just weird muscle aches and stuff but I’m better now.

2. You also mentioned having to modify your p-day last week because of the big NCAA game. Gonzaga lost as I'm sure you know. How did your town react?

2. People were disappointed but nothing really that bad. They just moved on with their lives.

3. Have you been using the Easter video and cards in your work this month?

3. Yes a ton! They’re great for getting into people’s houses and sharing Christ with them.

4. Do you attend just one ward in your area now? What are your duties there?

4. Yup just one. What do you mean by duties? We just do missionary work.

Well this week was better. The weather has been the same. It snowed this morning. Super lame. It sounds like you had a good time in San Diego like always. I do miss it.

This week we had some referrals come up to us from some other missionaries and we followed up with them and it seems like at least one of them is interested so hopefully we can get the ball rolling here.

It was transfer calls last night and I found out that Elder Holmgren is leaving. He is going to Kamiah!!!! Crazy he’s going to my old area and I’m way excited for him. My next comp will come tomorrow so that’s exciting. I hope he’s a good missionary so that we can get the work going in this area. His name is Elder McNight I think. I’ll find out tomorrow.

Well that’s all that’s new. Nothing crazy. Our mission for zone training studied D&C 88 and we went really deep into stuff. I’ve never learned so much about the gospel ever! I’m really happy for all the knowledge I’m gaining out here - it’s amazing. Read the scriptures, they answer all the questions we have. Well love ya and talk to ya later!

(also I could use some more hair stuff soon please)

-Elder St. John

We received this picture from a family who fed Elder St. John and Elder Holmgren on Sunday this week. We're thankful for any texts we receive like this because Elder St. John is pretty much the worst at sending pictures.

Monday April 3, 2017 Millwood, WA

Well hello.

1. How was your Conference watching experience in this new area?

1. It was really good. I think Conference is easier to listen to on a mission and the speakers always seem to touch you in a different way.

2. Where did you watch conference?

2. We watched it at the church building.

3. What was your favorite talk?

3. My favorite talk was probably Pres. Eyring’s in the Priesthood session. It was really cool.

4. Gonzaga won their game on Saturday and they play North Carolilna for the championship Monday night. Is your town going crazy?

4. It’s going mildly crazy...we have to switch our p day schedule a little because people are really into it. 

So this week was a little rough lots of rain and rain and rain and poor health. But the work moves on. Not too much to update on. I loved General Conference. It really brightened up my week. We got to watch it in the church building which I am thankful for. It gives us a good environment to focus in. I learned a lot and I look forward to being able to study the talks some more when they come out.

So kinda a cool story. First we have the Marshallese elders in our district (if you don’t know what that is look up the marshal islands) but Elder Chen is the only one right now because his companion got et'd (emergency transferred) the other week. So he’s one man running it right now. So he comes with us in a trio every once in a while. On Sunday we went to go do a baptism interview for one of his investigators. Obviously I don’t know Marshallese but that’s ok. We got a translator so help out. But it was really cool. They have a very different culture. We had the interview between sessions of conference so we were there and conference was starting so we just watched it there. It was cool.

Well have fun in San Diego! How long are you there for? Don’t get sunburnt as bad as I usually do! Love ya! Have fun.

-Elder St. John

Monday March 27, 2017 Millwood, WA

Hey to answer your questions…

1.For our ward newsletter they always ask us to put something in from our missionary. Do you have anything spiritual you'd like me to put in? Sometimes I have a hard time piecing together a little message from you seeing as you're a man of few words:)

1. Ummm I don’t know. I’ll think about it. It’s hard for me to write stuff like that when I have a lot of people to email and I don’t think about it all week until the very last moment before I email. I guess I’m just busy. But I’ll work on it.

2. Do you have a great umbrella?

2. Yeah I have a really good one. That we got at Ross or something.

3. How are your shoes holding up in all the rain?

3. Really good. The brown one’s don’t really like water but I’m in a car so it’s not that bad. 

Well this week the weather has been pretty lame. Rain, rain a little sun and then rain. This next week doesn't look too much better. So, funny thing we have a "back yard" kinda. There are squirrels that run back and forth so I decided to give them some peanuts. So now I have some squirrel friends haha.

Also on a good note we found some new investigators! That’s exciting! His name is Shebly and her name is Ulicia or something weird like that. But they are pretty cool and very humbled and ready for the gospel. It will be a very long and slow road for them but a very rewarding one as well.

So there’s this guy in a different ward who is at the same church building as our ward but he reminds me of dad. Haha. He wears a leather jacket and is about the same height, has glasses and carries the same computer thing that dad does. Made me laugh.

Well the work is starting to make a turn here. We’ve been working a lot on member trust because there is a lot of support to the missionaries but not a lot of work or action so we have been working on that. This week was good and not too much happened, just normal missionary craziness.

Pay attention to conference this week. It’s a pretty special time for us and we should really focus on the words of the prophets. Even though they might not make sense at the moment they will always show what the Lord wants for us. I have seen that all throughout time prophets have warned us of things to come and even though the people were righteous at the time they didn’t pay any attention to that and that’s where they lost their way. So listen to the prophets! They won’t lead you astray! Well I love you and miss you!

-Elder St. John 

Monday March 20, 2017 Millwood, WA

Hey!
1. Was your week any more successful than last week?
1. Yes a little bit. The work is still slow but it should be getting better. I have faith!

2. We got a message from Bro Orton saying he got word that you had dinner at one of Kellie Orton's husband's relative’s homes. David and Tiffany Hyde. That's cool. Small world.

2. Haha yeah that was funny!

3. Have you heard anything about Gonzaga's basketball success?

3. Yes a little. I’ve heard they’re doing good.

4. Have you heard anything about the new Nintendo game system? It's called the Switch. And Imagine Dragons has a new really good song out and it's on the Nintendo commercial. Makes me think of you every time it's on!

4. Yeah I’ve actually held it! Haha don’t worry I didn’t play it. The Hyde’s had one so they showed it to me.

5. Do you have your bike with you? If so you should send us a picture of it! 

5. Yes, I’ll take one this week.

Hey so thanks for the update! This week has been good. The weather warmed up just enough that we could go out and street contact to find some people to teach. We have enjoyed the weather warming up but it rains a lot here. Like way more than Utah. It’s weird.

We talked to a lot of people and had some good conversations. The coolest one was that we found a Russian lady who is old. We started talking to her and she knows like no English at all. Like zero. She was just rambling off to us in Russian and we were just smiling and nodding. So we called Elder Markov who is from Russia and asked him to talk to her and now they’re going to teach her! So that’s exciting.

So we also found out that one of our potentials Ricky lives in a crazy person place so we probably won’t teach him. Bummer.

We have really been focusing on the members and trying to get them to help us in missionary work. But the people here are very different than my last area so it’s been a struggle. Well that’s mostly been my week. I got a haircut today. Missing Brooke’s haircuts a lot! Well love ya!

-Elder St. John

Monday March 13, 2017 Millwood, WA

1. Did you get my letter as well as your shoes?
1. I got the shoes! Not the letter yet though.

2. What is your normal day like there? How is it different than in Kamiah?

2. It’s about the same as in Kamiah, just a lot faster paced and we don’t teach as many lessons. So, it’s more knocking on doors and stuff like that.

3. I think we saw you had a zone conference this week. How was it? How far do you have to travel to get there now?

3. Yup! It was really good! We get to hear from President at those so that’s always good. We only have to travel like 15 minutes so its way nice!

4. Are you closer to real stores (Walmart, any fast food) now?

4. Yes we shop at Walmart and yeah there are restaurants but I don’t like to eat at them very much.

5. Do you think you'll have the opportunity to play some soccer? I'm guessing maybe because you had me send your shoes. 

5. Yes I do. And I’ve been wanting better shoes for gym floors so that will help thanks!

So, this week was really slow the first couple of days and we were really struggling to work hard and find people to teach. But then we had zone conference and zone training and it really uplifted both of us and the work started to be better! Maybe it was just our attitude but it really helped us a lot to have that spiritual upliftment.

We had a really good weekend and found some new potential gators this Friday. I’m way excited to follow up with them and see if we can teach them! One of them is named Ricky and he’s black. I’ll keep you updated on that. Well that’s about it this week. I’ll send some pics! Love you all and have a good week!

-Elder St. John

Some pictures of our apartment

 

 And a car that's not ours.