January 27, 2010 Email

Hey Everyone!
Just a quick update about what's up!
We had Zone Conference this week! That's when we receive training from the Mission President and his assistants! We also got a treat today b/c we got to hear President Sonne, President Alba, and President Atkinson all speak and give us trainings! It's very rare for the Mission Presidency to all be together! The reason this Zone Conference was especially good was b/c President Sonne announced the new standard of missionary work for 2010 in this mission! We spent last year becoming Zion missionaries and saw the Lord work miracles by preparing 2,086 people in the boundaries of this mission to be baptized! That is amazing! The Standard of excellence in this year is now, obtaining Zion in this mission to live a celestial culture and putting all faith in the Lord to bring forth this marvelous work! and we do all we can as missionaries to bring this to a reality! The beginning goal for this year is 2500 baptisms in 2010! but if all goes according to plans (which things should go better than according to plans) this goal will be destroyed as we obey and put into effect the things we learn, then we will have people placed in our paths that are ready to hear and accept this gospel and the everlasting and immense joy it brings to all those who will believe in the gospel of Christ and accept it in their lives! I know that this is true; that having the knowledge of this gospel in my life and having the opportunity to share this knowledge with others has brought me more joy than anything else I could be doing for these 2 years! I know that I have been called to serve here in Salt Lake for a specific reason! Thank you all for everything! God bless you in all you do!
Love,
Elder Partridge!
P.S."I am doing a great work and cannot come down!"

January 20, 2010 Email

Dear everyone,
This week's been fun! Basically my zone that I'm still in (Pioneer Zone) is the cream of the crop of missionaries this transfer! We have strictly obedient missionaries that were hand picked by President Sonne to be in this Zone and make it the standard for the mission! I'm so blessed and honored to be considered one of the meticulously obedient missionaries! This is going to be an incredible 6 weeks! B/c my companion is District leader, I have the opportunity to go on many exchanges! So far in the last week I've been on 5! It's amazing! There is an Elder who is 1 transfer younger than me in the mission from China! His name is Elder Gu! that means valley! I was able to go on exchanges w/ him yesterday! He's an amazing missionary! He knows a ton of english already and wants to talk to everyone even though he only feels comfortable introducing himself! Then I get to talk more and share my testimony more! Another cool thing in our zone is that we are instructed to "Hard Commit" every day to build our confidence in our testimony, and to find the "Elect" that are ready for the gospel in their lives; and everyone in the zone has done this every day for the past 5 days straight! That is almost unheard of! It's kindof a big deal! ha I also have a "mother" in the mission now! Her name is Sister Hernandez! She's pretty cool! It's cool to have Sisters in the zone though! Thanks for everything yall do for me fam.
Love,
Elder Partridge

January 14, 2010 Email

Hey everybody!
I had a fun 3 weeks with Elder Rohbock and then transfers came along again! I'm still in Rose Park North and I got another companion: Elder Koepsell! I'm excited for this transfer! The work is really picking up and we have great expectations! Elder Koepsell is the District leader in our District which is a great privilege for me b/c he will be going on exchanges almost every day with the other missionaries in our district, and being his companion, I'll be totally in charge of our area and setting things up! Missionaries only get called to be DLC (District Leaders Companion) for 2 reasons: they need someone to babysit them, or the Mission President trusts them! I really hope President Sonne trusts me instead of thinking I need to be babysat! hahaha It's pretty much the coolest thing that's ever happened to me! It's kinda a big deal! We went golfing the other day in the snow while we were waiting for another Elder to get done making his visits to people in the mission! (b/c he went home today)! Let's just say watch out Tiger! haha We get to watch Forever Strong today! yay! I love that movie! Besides transfers, not too much has happened this week that's really exciting! I love getting letters from you all and thoroughly enjoy reading them! Please cut me some slack if I don't respond right away! I'm trying my best to fill in all my free time by doing things that will help me stay completely focused on the work I am engaged in! I love you all and hope all is going well!
Mucho Gusto y Adios!

Elder Partridge!

His first companion and his current companion. (Thanks, Chris!)

January 6, 2010 Email!

Hi Everybody!
I'm back after much excitement and holiday fun! Betwixt all the fun of the holidays, much has happened! A week ago today I got the stomach flu! I woke up sick at 4 in the morning and was sick until the next morning! It wasn't fun! I had to just stay in the apartment and couldn't do anything! Very lame! On Saturday, we had a baptism for David Solomon! It was incredible! I had the opportunity to give a talk on baptism and perform the ordinance of baptism! There were over 150 people at his baptism! His family is Samoan so it was huge! We had to hold the program in the chapel and tried to cram everyone into the font room to see the baptism! Afterwards, David's aunt gave us leis made out of the Hersheys Nuggets chocolate! In the culture it's just custom to hug and give a kiss on the cheek, so David's aunt put the lei around me and gave me a hug and kissed me on the cheek! Those of you who know me can well guess, I turned soooooooo red! haha It was so weird b/c that's not something that normally happens on a mission in Salt Lake! haha After the baptism program, everyone went into the cultural hall/gym and had a huge Samoan feast! We got stuffed! And of course they had us take food home, too! Something else that happened this week was the half transfer! Elder Dyson and 15 other missionaries went home 3 weeks early to be home for Christmas! So I got a new companion! His name is Elder Rohbock! He is also tall and when we go in to teach a lesson, people always comment on how tall we are standing next to each other! Christmas was a blast! We went to Elder Rohbock's last area down in Millcreek to spend the day with him! There were also other missionaries there including Elder Jorgensen from the MTC! It was sweet to be able to chill w/him on Christmas! We had breakfast, opened presents watched PG movies and got to talk to our families! Best Present Ever! My family's still the same! haha On New Years Eve we stayed up and played some sweet cards with the people we stay with! We played stuff like go fish, war, old maid! You know, sweet stuff like that! It was amazing! And then at 12 we got to pop some bubble wrap! Best New Years Eve ever!!! kinda! Anywho, love you all and hope to hear from you soon! Have a great day!
Love Elder Partridge!