Mission Presidents

This is Pres. and Sis Sonne. They have been taking great care of Elder Partridge for the past 9 months and many other missionaries for the past 3 years. Sadly, it is their time to be released and go back to their regular lives. Fortunately, they are moving to Utah and will be just a short distance from where we visit family, so Elder B will get to stay in touch and visit them often! Thanks for all of your service! You will be missed!



William Blake Sonne, 64, Utah Salt Lake City Mission; Windermere Ward, Orlando Florida South Stake; Area Seventy; former stake president and counselor, bishop, sealer and missionary in the Central British Mission. Retired COO, Arnold Palmer Golf Management Co. Born in Los Angeles, Calif., to Joseph Dean and Hazel Blake Sonne. Married Elizabeth Kay Bickmore, five children.

An Institute and Continuing Education teacher, Sister Sonne is a former ward Relief Society president, ward Young Women adviser, temple ordinance worker and gospel doctrine teacher. Born in Pocatello, Idaho, to Levi Smith and Ellen McMinn Bickmore.

This is Pres. and Sis. Winn. They will now take over for the next 3 years where Pres. and Sis. Sonne leave off. They will devote ALL of their time to the wonderful missionaries in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission. I'm sure they'll continue to take care of our son!



Bruce R Winn, 54, and Nancy Kay Holderness Winn, seven children, Wilmington 2nd Ward, Wilmington Delaware Stake. Brother Winn is president of the Newark 2nd (YSA) Branch and is a former high councilor, bishop and counselor, seminary teacher, elders quorum president and missionary in the Japan Kobe Mission. Chief executive officer, Corporation Service Company. Born in Logan, Utah, to Paul Bennett and Donna Rae Robinson Winn.

Sister Winn is a former counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, counselor in stake and ward Primary presidencies, nursery leader and ward Young Women president. Born in Sacramento, Calif., to James Skiffington and Ardelle Sarah Mickelson Holderness.

June 30, 2010 Email

Hi!
I'm good! This first week was awesome! Optimism is the key here! It's going to be hard! It's pretty much exactly like things were in Rose Park North when Elder Dyson and I got white washed in, so he will know exactly how it feels! Pres. Winn isn't here yet. He comes on July 1, so tomorrow. And he's coming to visit us at our apartment tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM.
That's good to hear that L didn't have a headache the other day, even if it was only for a few minutes! I think it's just all in her head. haha get it!
That's a bummer to hear that K is still having problems with the staph infection, but I'm glad she's gonna stick it out! I'm always praying for the fam and I put y’all on the prayer roll today!
Tell Dad “you're welcome” for the Father’s Day card and I love him!
I'm really glad to hear that Stanton did so well on his farewell talk and is DOING so well! He'll be a great missionary!
I did get the CDs and the MRI info. I'm excited! Elder Dolan freaking loves you for the CDs! He gave me a large embrace!
We still don't have any people we're teaching, but we've found like 5 pretty solid potential investigators that we scheduled appointments with! There was a fireside at our stake center this past Sunday hosted by the North Stake and I saw a bunch of people there that I knew! Not gonna lie, our apartment sucks pretty bad! It's a legit apartment instead of a member home. It smells like cigarette smoke all the time b/c the air conditioner drags the stench in from outside, so we light incense to try to drowned out that smell! So it's bad! Our shower goes a million miles per hour and our sink is plugged up really good! I feel a little retarded b/c it only took a week for me to realize that we have a dish washer! We don't have a car b/c neither of us can drive; me b/c I see two of everything, and my companion b/c he drifted a whole church parking lot! But it's not bad b/c our area's so small! We only cover 4 wards! So not too bad at all! On Friday for my MRI we're getting a ride with the zone leaders.
I would totally have some plans for fireworks on the 4th, but the handbook says no, so no fireworks! Obedience! But they'll be all over so I'm sure I'll enjoy it! We don't go out and work that night, which will be interesting to see what happens b/c everyone will be celebrating the 4th the day before or the day after b/c it's on Sunday this year! I hope you all have a good one!
Love you tons!
Elder Partridge

June 24, 2010 Email

Hi!
It was pretty sweet to be able to see Brandon before I left the area! It totally reminded me of going to Grandma’s or to Aunt Floss's when we had an otter pop.
We had a baptism on Saturday-Lily. We went and it was really great, especially b/c of our musical number! We arranged A VERSION of “I Need Thee Every Hour”! Elder Hunt played the guitar and we sang and I had a couple of solos! I recorded it on my ipod when we were practicing before, but I wish I would have gotten the actual one at the baptism b/c it was nearly flawless! which was definitely not us alone! Totally the Lord helping us out on that one b/c we found out Tues. that we were doing one, then Wed. night we got the guitar, Thurs. we started messing around with it and practicing and Friday we totally changed everything! so it was barely finished by Sat @ 4:00 for the baptism! And to make things crazier, we got so excited that when we left, we forgot the hymns made simple book that has the chord progression on it! So when we got there we scrambled to find the right chords and when they were in the song, etc. and I was really nervous about it! A little like I felt before role-playing a lesson to Elder Oaks! As soon as the first notes came out of my golden pipes I felt extremely calm! I've definitely been blessed with a gift! Same with Elder Hunt! He said he felt way nervous right until we sat down! Sweet! And afterwards everyone came up to us and told us how amazing it was!
Mike's baptism was on Sunday-Father's Day! And what a Fathers Day! Elder Hunt and I filled up the font for 2 1/2 hrs before the baptism and we had the guitar there to keep us busy! We arranged a version of “How Great Thou Art”, and yes I recorded that one, too! (We should totally make a CD!) Mike Fenton performed the baptism and Brian Heart did the confirmation! We forgot to grab the right movie to play for when they were getting changed right after the baptism, so instead, we did our musical number! and it was really good again! and there was totally an after party!
It was so weird to see Bro. Finlinson in the Temple last week! He said hi to me and I was thinking “I know you from somewhere”, but then when he said who he was it all clicked!
Our poor family! Aren't we so lucky that the Lord sees us as a strong enough family to heap all these trials on!? K’s leg must feel so bad! I can only imagine how much that must hurt! I'm really glad she is getting better now though! I hope she won’t have to come home early! I'm just glad that I'm not left out of everything. I'm going to have a fun time overcoming the challenges that beset me this transfer! It is true, Elder Hunt and I were a good match, but no longer! For I am now BACK, yes, back in Rose Park! And it seems for an indefinite period of time! I'm serving in the stake just South of my first area! Yahoo! (A little sarcasm and a little legit excitement)! This transfer will be for 7 weeks because the last one was for 5 because of Pres. Wynn coming into the mission and Pres. and Sis. Sonne going home! I saw Bro. Cutrer and Kalvin Dille yesterday while walking down the street my first day in the area! They were coming back from Kalvin getting his Patriachal Blessing! It's pretty amazing to see that Kalvin is doing so well! Elder Piefer (who has been serving there since I left) said he comes to church every week! That's sweet!~
Anywho, glad to hear things are improving with K and hope things get figured out with L! I love dad TONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's amazing! And I love you too, mom! You're just as great!
Love,
Elder Partridge

June 16, 2010 Email

Hi Everyone!
I totally agree that this week has gone by fast!
We got to do yard work on Saturday! We went up the canyon and weeded for Rick Riley's wife! She's less active and we're trying to get her to support Rick b/c she's holding him back a little bit! So his daughter said if we want her to progress, we should weed in the garden for her, so we did and she loves us now. So we're gonna use that to our advantage and see if we can't get her to come to church with Rick!
It's funny how the gospel can fix so many problems if we applied it in our community! Too bad there are so many people that are ignorant of that truth! But that's what I'm trying to help with! And it's sweet to be able to be a tool in the hands of the Lord as he moves that truth forward!
That's a pretty sweet missionary story, Mom! That's what I get to do practically every day and most times it's pretty awkward! And it's really hard to talk to anyone in this area b/c they all don't like us and blow right by us!
Daniel and Caleb are both studs and are going to be amazing missionaries!
That's so cool that Kayla went sky diving in Fiji! I mean normal sky diving is cool, but when you jump out of the plane and see the whole island with the ocean around it it's pretty sweet!
I got a letter from Brandon in the door last night. He gave me his address and told me I should come over some time so I will!
I appreciate everything you do for me btw! just saying!
Good to hear from you and keep me posted on L! Have a fantastic week! Good luck with work and life! Love ya!
B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

June 9, 2010 Email

Hello,
Sounds like things are busy, busy, busy in AZ! I totally forgot about girls' camp coming up! Crazy times! How's all that going? Fun? How's Lauren doing? Did they find out what's wrong yet? How is NYC? Is it still there? Was the plane ride good? Do you feel like you're in an interrogation yet?
Thanks for the Hello from NYC! Hello from SLC! I bet mom is just giddy being in NYC! haha Enjoy it all for me! I bet it's pretty sweet in there! And I'm pretty sure you're having a great time! IDK what the hotel has as far as computers and things, but it looks like you've got an amazing view! Times Square looks pretty lagit! I sure know that the rain won't ruin any plans you have! It never did at Disneyland! It just made things better!
I bet you'll probably have to go through the mission office to let me know about the appt. for my MRI. That is funny how they all called and the letter came and everything right as we're talking about it, too! I'll feel pretty cool when I can say, "Ya I have to go to the doctor for an MRI to make sure everything's still ok! It's kinda a big deal!"
Wow! Lucky Lauren for being able to stay with Sirrine's and Taylor's while you're gone! That is if she makes it back from dropping you off at the airport ok! I haven't heard anything so I assume she did! phew! Just kidding!
So ya, whoever stole my wallet didn't take anything or use my cards or anything so they either felt bad or are just weird!
We had a baptism this week! Aiko got baptized and it was one of the most organized baptisms I've ever had on my mission! There was a slide show and everything and the baptismal font is really awesome/big! It was pretty crazy when 14 people stood in the confirmation circle though, and the talks were really good! That's the low down on Aiko's baptism! It was awesome!
Thanks for all the support and love and prayers and Love and Support and Love and emails and everything! and love!
I love you!
Elder Partridge!

Neighbors

This is Elder B's cousin, Brandon. Come to find out, they live about a block away from each other!!! How cool is that?!

June 2, 2010 Email

Hey!
Sounds like a fun drive back to AZ! It was pretty weird to see you guys, but that's to be expected. haha My haircut looks great! Elder Norton did a great job! Not as good as you of course but... ya. I do live in a very nice area! Did you drive up the canyon at all or even the area above Foothill?
Kayla's funny! I hope she liked the message!
Things went well today! We taught Megan! She's getting baptized on June 26! She prayed last week about Joseph Smith to see if he was a prophet and then she said she pondered right after she prayed like we asked her to and she said at first it was kinda boring just thinking about things, but pretty soon she got an amazingly strong feeling of peace and calmness and she knew she got an answer that Joseph Smith is a prophet!
I think it was worth the drive to come have dinner too! haha I don't feel any different besides what I told you about when you were here! The off balance I'd say has gotten worse but as far as the tiredness factor; that's just b/c I'm working my tail off EVERY DAY in a really big walking area!
Thanks so much for the ipod! I love it! The funny thing is that even with everything that's on there, it's still not even half full! Crazy huh!?! That'll be exciting for dad to get an ipod!
Oh thanks for asking about anything else I want/need sent up. If you could send up my pin striped bored shorts at all that would be cool! We're gonna go swimming in the Great Salt Lake next week for P-Day! Just Kidding! I just want them to sleep in! haha
Love B!

May 26, 2010 Email

Hey everyone!

I bet Laura's wedding was really nice! Tame's cool! Not gonna lie! It's good to know that he enjoys my emails! I especially like the pics! The other Elders are jealous! That's cool about Caleb Allred! He's a stud! I totally forgot about the missionary farewell packet b/c it's been such a big gap between my friends leaving for their missions! I totally saw Zac Cook at conference and it was sweet! That's so cool about Rebecca Crowe putting in her mission papers, too! Very cool stuff happening!

So this last week has been pretty bomb! Bomb digity!

We had a sweet lesson or 11 or something! And they were amazing! One night we had a lesson with Steven from South Korea and we planned to teach him one thing, but he brought out a concern and we had just learned how to address concerns before teaching our lesson so we abandoned our lesson plan and totally addressed his concerns! And he is truely having a desire to know if there is a God!

Anyway, that's the cool story for the week!!!

I'll ttyl fellas!

Love, B!

A Most Memorable Memorial Day

A couple of weeks ago we were talking about going to UT for Memorial Day. I called Elder B's mission office and made arrangements to take Elder Partridge and Elder Hunt to dinner on Monday night. We left Sunday afternoon, took them to dinner Monday evening, and headed home Tuesday afternoon. It was probably one of the craziest things we've ever done, but sooooo worth it! He's doing great and still the same wonderful B!