December 29, 2010 Email

Hey.

We got together as a mission on the 18th for the Christmas devotional, and everyone besides Tooele and Wyoming got together again on Christmas eve. But we did our own thing on Christmas eve and Christmas, and it was pretty sweet! We played 6 base kick ball Christmas eve! so hectic and so fun! Even though I'm not good at it at all! And on Christmas night we went to a member's very large house and played all sorts of things! My favorite was reverse charades. It's like charades, only one person is guessing and everyone else is acting it out! My favorite to act out was birth! I did pretty good! haha

The dinner was good too on Christmas! The family we ate with had family over from Spanish Fork, and their daughter knows Dayne! That was sweet!

Good question about transfers changing to Monday. I'd imagine they will also switch to Monday.

I'm definitely keeping L and everyone else in my prayers! I hope everything is ok!

I haven't seen Rhett and Mandy in a LONG time! I'll ask Elder Orme if he lives near to them.

Emerald's baptism is most definitely still on! She's so excited! There are a few other families that want us to come by and have expressed interest in joining the church, we're just anxious to meet with them. I had a cool experience this week with a promise in the Book of Mormon. I was preparing a talk on Sunday an hour before church started and while receiving inspiration as to what to say, I was led to Mormon 9 where Mormon gives a promise for those who pray in faith that that which we pray for will be answered. So I decided to put that promise to the test. Later that night, after dinner, we got a phone call from a single mom named Audrey. She has four kids and she got our phone number by looking us up on Facebook. She just moved to Tooele and has been less-active for 3-4 years. She wants to get involved again and we're teaching her whole family! They're an amazing family and it seems like they've been through a lot.

The Lord has a hand in all our lives and will guide us for the best and will always provide for us. All He asks of us is to trust Him, and Hearken to (listen and obey) His direction.

Love,
Elder Partridge

December 22, 2010 Email!

Your email is EXTREMELY LONG today, Mom! So I'll tell you a little about what's going on and please keep in mind all these things in the email for when we talk on Christmas, or hopefully Skype! (I suggested the Skype idea and it was approved!)
So...so much for having a car. Tiwi, the black box from Hades that monitors everything you do in the car, that a lot of time doesn't know what it's talking about, put Elder Orme in the "yellow" zone again. So as a penalty, he is suspended from driving for 45 days. And we all know I can't drive, of course. So I am now a DL in Tooele with no car. There is actually 3/4 of the mission that can't drive. Needless to say Tiwi is hindering the work. We're much less productive walking in our area, but so much for my rant.
We had a lesson with a girl named Emerald on Monday and it was pretty awesome. She's been going to church with a friend for a couple months and is on date for Jan. 8! Sweet!
Being DL is pretty cool especially with more changes that just happened. I gave a training for the first time on Tues. and we have a district goal of 12 baptisms in the district in Jan. That's the average the whole zone has been baptizing for the last 4 months. 11-12. And the Lord is providing.
We are gonna see so many miracles!
So we went to the Temple this morning because E. Orme had a doctors appointment in SLC and guess who was in the session...Kristi Oaks, who is no longer Oaks. That was crazy! It really doesn't set in when I hear people are getting married apparently, but that was crazy!
Thanks a ton for the 12 days of Christmas packages. Funny story. I was just holding on to the packages and didn't open them till last night because I wanted to save them for Christmas, and then I got revelation; maybe there's a camera as one of the gifts. (Because I was thinking of getting a camera today to have for Christmas). So I opened the packages last night and discovered it all. So needless to say I opened a lot of presents last night. Thanks for doing both ideas, too. I'm so spoiled!
Love you all tons! Have a great Christmas, and I'll talk to you soooooon!
3 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

December 15, 2010 Email

Elder Partridge & Elder Wilkinson

Hi!
It's transfer time and everyone's been saying I'm going to Wyoming. Elder Wilkinson even said he had a dream last night that I'm going out to Wyoming, but transfers happened this morning and I'm not in Wyoming. I'm over in Tooele! Apparently it's the "promised land" so I'm psyched! and the Lord has called me to be District Leader here. So this means I'll miss the wedding tonight of Bill and Tiffany, and I won't be able to go to their baptism on Sat. So that's lame to the extreme, but I know the Lord really has plans for me here in the Tooele North Stake! It was kinda annoying having to take down the Christmas tree and take it. Definitely not angering (I think I just made up a new word), but pretty annoying and pestering. Anywho, Bill and Tiffany are so solid and are doing everything they need to. It is the coolest thing to have them be so prepared! I know the Lord has more people like that prepared for us here in Tooele and He will lead us to them and provide if we have Faith in Him. That's something that Elder Wilkinson has helped me with, because he told me I need to show more faith and so last transfer I did all I could to build that faith and it was amazing! So I am expecting big things from the Lord here this next 6 weeks. My comp is Elder Orme. He was serving around me when I was first trained in Rose Park North. He is in at least a few pics on my memory stick I sent home and on a video or two also. Like the one of Elder Rohbock and E. Orme and myself shooting the can off each others head. And IDK what else. So ya I'm excited! It's gonna be a little crazy! We missed the exit to Tooele and had to go all the way out to Grantsville and make the detour. haha I'm excited. I think I've said that a few times! Probably cuz it's true! I'm back living with a member and we have a washer and dryer! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! We also have a car; one of the new Ford Fusions. And of course, I couldn't leave the tandem behind...it's weird packing after not having to for so long though! It's apparently difficult to find people here in this area, but I feel that the Lord has brought me here to find many people who are ready to receive the restored gospel in their lives and show that they have that desire by entering into the covenant of baptism.

There are a lot of changes happening in the mission and they're pretty exciting. They could be lame if you look at it that way, or hard to adapt to, but I'm excited for the changes the Lord has in store for us in the mission. Very cool! What big changes are happening in your life and with the fam? Any New Years resolutions? Do you have the missionaries in the ward over very much, or do they ever come by much? How's the job search coming, K? How was prom L? Did you kiss him? haha jk. But seriously. I miss those days! School dances, not kissing. ok this is awkward. ha ha ha or I guess in this time of year ho ho ho. We've got the Christmas devotional coming up here on Sat. and Elder Richard G. Hinckley is going to be there. Cool!

So my camera is broken but Elder Orme said he'd fix it. Apparently he's good at tinkering with that stuff, so we'll see. I am horrible with cameras! First I lost it on the Choir tour to San Fran, then I lost it in Austria and was blessed that someone found it, then the internal screen cracked on my first camera on the mission by some ridiculous unknown means and now the shutter, lens zoom thing is broken because it landed on it! aahhhhh... I feel bad! I'll get what pictures I can to you by Christmas hopefully. I love you lots!

Oh, PS, I had a sweet experience at Wal-Mart today here in Tooele! We've been working as a mission on asking people for referrals on P-day even in the check out lines. So I totally struck up a conversation with a sister in our stake in line behind me to check out and I asked her if there was anyone she knew and she acted surprised and kinda didn't know what to say so she just said no. So I asked her to pray and ask Heavenly Father who she knows that could use the gospel and she said she'd do it. But then I should have set up a time to check on that! Darn! But she will see the miracle of the Lord and let us know! Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts. My challenge is for everyone reading this to pray and ask Heavenly Father who you know who you want to accept the gospel and then expect an answer and direction from God to lead you to that person!

Love y'all!
Elder Partridge

A Message from Elder Partridge

December 8, 2010 Email

Hello all you lovely people,

I must say that I don't really miss the days of home work and extra hours at school and being sleep deprived. Well I still feel sleep deprived, but in a different, better way. I can't wait to have some Creme Brulee when I get back. But guess what I had on Mon. night at the Carlisle's for FHE...Pavlova!!! YUM! I knew L would do well playing her harp for the concert, too! Good for you L for relying on the Lord for help. Especially asking for a blessing!

Thanks for keeping me up to date with all the e-mails. I have a couple packages/envelopes to send home of accumulated stuff. So hopefully soon.

HAHAHA you guys are so funny! I definitely got a package in the form of a tree that just happens to be the type used at Christmas time.

So we just added some solid investigators yesterday. Their names are Bill and Tiffany and they have a 9 month son named Kalil. We talked with them about their goals and desires and they want to be married and baptized and be a family forever. So they just want everything we want people to have. It's sweet. They came to church for the first time on Sunday since they were kids. And I didn't even know about them being there until after church, but I felt for some reason to bear my testimony in that ward. and than we met them and they are ridiculously solid! on date for baptism on Dec. 18.

Sarah is progressing well and we still have a lot of faith that she'll be baptized on Dec. 18 also. She doesn't know for sure because she hasn't recognized the answer, but during Zone meeting on Mon. both E. Wilkinson and I got revelation at the same time of what we need to do to help Sarah recognize her answer.

So this is a normal day in a missionaries life: 6:25 am-wake up, 8:00 am-personal study, 9:00 am-companion study, 10:00 am-go out and work, 12:00 pm-lunch, 5:00 pm-dinner, 9:00 pm-go in for the night (or 9:30 if in a lesson). 10:30 pm go to bed. and everything in between is finding teaching and more.

The suit is pretty nice and is good. The word I would use to describe how I feel while wearing it is...crisp; yes crisp is the word. nothing flashy for sure but great. It fits fantastic.

Romero and Salina are still on pause because she's still out of it from her surgery, and the Wet's are still a work in progress; her son that we are trying to teach always is leaving right as we get there, but the Lord is definitely providing for us.

I'll definitely fulfill that request for your Christmas gift! Thanks! Some of the pics might unfortunately be late for Christmas, because the camera fell when I set it down and the zoom/ lens thing is stuck out, so I'm gonna need to get it fixed before Christmas. The Carlisle's know a place where it can be fixed. Is that ok or do you want me to take a different approach? I never got my cactus garden, but we'll have to see what happens. Hopefully I'll be able to do something with that.

I'm pretty sure everyone is just intimidated by Elder Wilkinson and myself when they see 2 towering men dressed in black at the door.

I love Gary and his family! I will definitely be praying for him and his wife. I'll be excited to see them when I get home. Bummer for Tame that he got hit. Everything's going crazy there at Mt. View! Crazy that 9th grade is going to be there, too.

We went with some investigators to watch the Joseph Smith movie and I actually forgot how crazy things get at Temple Square during the Christmas lights, and ya, I've been there a couple times!

Overall things are going well; just from all the blessings the Lord is pouring out for us. Thanks for everything you all do for me! I'll ttyl guys!

Love,
Elder Partridge

A few pics

Elder Partridge and his "greenie", Elder Wilkinson.

A greenie is a brand new missionary that Elder Partridge will train how to be

the perfect missionary! :) If you know how tall B is, it will give you some idea

as to how tall Elder W is! AWESOME!!!

If you look closely, you can see Elder Partridge's name. This was at transfers.

*Pics courtesy of Sis. Winn's blog

December 2, 2010 Email

Hey Everyone!

You made Easter Pageant again! WOW!!! What does this make now, a bazillion years!? That's pretty sweet that L and Payton get to do it together. haha I'm pretty sure if I was in Easter Pageant next year as an angel with my balance, I'd fall from great heights. ouch...but we'll see what happens in a year and 4 months. I hope Dads knees hold up with the kneeling as a wise man. The gold one is pretty much the best anyway.

Haha I love Anatomy with Mrs. Blackburn! She's a pretty awesome teacher! Not gonna lie. It was during class my junior year that I ran on the tables. Those were some fun times. How do you like the class L?

Ya we kinda showed a little to much personality some times in our choir concert, but we definitely were ourselves. I bet it was just different because I wasn't in it. Wow, that comment about hot cocoa just made me want some. I think I will tonight. The people who live in our same apartment complex thought we were crazy earlier today because E. Wilkinson and I went out in gym shorts and t-shirts and flip flops. haha I know you'll do great with the harp solo L cuz you're the best. Just don't forget to pray and practice. The 2 P's if you will. I'll pray for you, too. Thanks for NOT reminding me that I will be back for all this next year. haha

Wow! I want to be in L's Winter Formal group and have creme' brule'! that would be great. I'm pretty sure you can't mess up creme' brule' anyway. So ya, you'll do great Mom!

I most definitely loved all the Thanksgiving day pics you sent! We had a total of 3 dinners ourselves. One was with one of our ward mission leaders. I ate like it was our only dinner, of course, and it was amazing food. The company was awesome, too. Bro. Bradshaw is hilarious, and his family made it funner. We talked about which actresses were hottest and of course I felt awkward. But it was funny. Our dinner with the Carlisle's was good as well apparently, because I ate a ton there, too. Thank goodness we only had dessert at our third dinner. I felt awfully glutinous.

I totally wore my new suit today that I got yesterday after leadership meeting and I got some new shoes and galoshes. So no worries! Sarah's baptism is 3 days after transfers. If I do end up getting transferred than ya, I can come back. The growing trend is for trainers to stay with their greenies for 2 transfers. I stayed with Dyson 1 1/2 transfers because it was easiest. But I'll go wherever the Lord wants me to go, but it could make things different for Christmas being a week after transfers. Thankfully Elder Wilkinson got better like the day after emailing. The Wet's are from Sudan. Romero and Salina have not been around a long time, but I am totally going to ask the Relief Society to help them. I feel dumb I didn't think of that earlier. Thanks Mom!

One thing that really helps me is planning! We pretty much have to as missionaries, but it works out really good and you can see what your priorities are.

I'm sorry you've had a tough couple days at work Dad! I got swore at by a LA guy we've been teaching and thrown out of his house because he thought we were lying to him and was intoxicated. I love you a ton Dad and am happy I'm your son, and you'll be proud of me; I kept E. Wilkinson awake a couple nights ago because I was snoring so loud, and then it sounded like I was about to stop, but no.

I've changed a lot more than I thought I have since I've come out. I've found that out by reading in my journal from last year and being pretty dang shocked at some of the things I wrote.

Pres. and Sis. Winn are amazing! That was nice of her to say. (Comment on our family blog)

I don't have any more requests for dinner (He meant to say Christmas. He must have been hungry when writing this!), but I need to know what I can get for you all! and don't tell me nothing, cuz I want to get you something, but IDK what. Oh ya, that DVD with the Joseph Smith movie on it will be fantastic! you know the one we talked about at conference time.

I love you a ton!.

Thanks,
Elder Partridge