April 28, 2010 Email

Dear Everyone,

In response to my Mom's question, ya it is Elder Oaks as in Dallin Oaks! The first lesson fell through with Cy b/c his aunt had to go to the hospital and he had to babysit her kids! So we just ate dinner with Elder and Sister Oaks instead that night! Then, instead of the normal spiritual thought at the end of dinner, we role played to Elder Oaks! He gave us a scenario and we had to teach to his needs. and we had to teach in 15 min. It was pretty intimidating when he told us about it, but as we started and Elder Atchley offered the opening prayer I got the most peaceful, calming feeling and was totally relaxed! It was an amazing feeling! Then we listened to the promptings of the Spirit and had an amazing role play! We rescheduled to have another lesson with Cy 2 days ago, Monday, and he didn't show up to that lesson either, but this time he didn't call and let us know he wouldn't be able to make it! So yesterday we went by the gas station where he works and talked to him and the reason he didn't come was b/c he talked to his aunt and she told him who Elder Oaks was (an apostle) and he is WAY scared now. So we will be putting the lessons on hold and keep stopping by every once in a while to talk to him and what not! But on Monday we had a great conversation with Elder and Sister Oaks. And we had ice cream and cookies and brownies with them! Guess what kind of ice cream Elder Oaks really likes: Orange cream! It was extremely good!

I bet Kayla's graduation was amazing! I totally shook Elder Christopherson's hand at conference! I bet his talk was amazing! They usually are! You should get that on my i pod if possible! Another one that popped into my head the other day is called "Profile of a Prophet " by Hugh B. Brown. You guys should listen to these talks you're getting me, too!

I saw Sister Goff on Monday afternoon! She saw us getting out of the car at the Wendy's in Sugarhouse and she said, "I saw a tall, lanky missionary get out of the car and I thought 'that has to be Elder Partridge,'" and sure enough it was me! She also knew where I'm serving b/c she reads my emails! yay

Prom- what a good time of the year! Congrats to Val and Will!

That's too bad that L's back in the boot! She had a good run! haha All I can say is I know how frustrated she must be! just have a fun positive attitude about it all and it will be better than you can imagine! It's all about the attitude!

That's sweet to hear about the Gila Valley Temple! It looks good on lds.org! It's pretty cool that I'll be able to go to the new temples when I get back!

I'll tell ya what I'm excited for! MOTHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's pretty cool! I love getting mail every weekish, too!

The teaching pool is still growing! We are definitely seeing the blessings and miracles!

Yesterday we had a sweet lesson with Mike Kennedy who is going to be baptized May 15. And a funny thing happened; while I was reading a scripture in the Book of Mormon, I totally said one of the words with a Utah accent! I unfortunately can't remember the scripture off the top of my head, but it was pretty much the equivalent of saying krik instead of creek! ha

We were on 24 hr exchanges with our Zone Leaders yesterday! I stayed in the area with Elder Clem! My zone Leaders are studs! Their area is the U of U, the singles wards! We walked A LOT yesterday! Something else cool about yesterday was that we went to eat at L & L Hawaiian BBQ! It was really good and of course I got the Hawaiian sun drink! The best; Passo-Guava! There was a lot of dust in the air yesterday from all the wind, and every time there's a lot of wind, there's a storm the next day. And sure enough, it's snowing today; on April 28! Craziest weather I've ever seen! But it kinda reminded me of dust storms in AZ, but not nearly as cool! Cuz here the dust was just all in the air at once, but back home it moved in a huge dust wall-like the movie Hidalgo!

That's sweet to hear that Brandon saw my Zone Leader! He would have either talked to Elder Clem or Elder Norton. Those are my Zone Leaders and I've taught with both of them and they're great!

I'm issuing a challenge to the fam! One day of your choice-do the missionary schedule! Wake up at 6:25, study your scrips (you only have to as long as you want, not for 2 hours like us), share your testimony with someone (it can be anyone-dad, some one random on the street, whom ever) and be in bed by 10:30. You don't have to do all the rules though! You can still watch TV, listen to music, etc. just live the basic schedule! I think that would be sweet!

Now for the coolest part of the email...the story about my eye! First of all- it really hurt yesterday with the wind and dust and I got some mulch stuck in it from a stupid little dirt devil that went right in our path, but all of that is beside the point! So, 2 days ago I was having a pretty tough and trying day and I was really frustrated! So anyway, end of suspense: I cried out of both my eyes! LAGIT! Ya, missionaries can cry too! Point is, my right eye (the bad one) formed a tear that I actually had to wipe away! MIRACLE! Just thought y'all would want to know that!

Looking forward to another great week! Enjoy yours, too!

Love,
Elder B

April 21, 2010 Email

Hey Everybody!

Just a couple of Sweet things I thought Everyone might want to know. First of all, last night I ate dinner with Brother Dibble! He served in Austria with President Wright! So President Wright, Brother Dibble says hello! I've seen someone from home the past two days in a row! Two days ago we were having a "pancakes for referrals" breakfast/lunch at the institute at the U of U. As I was going with another missionary through the lobbies to round people up and tell them about it I saw Cozette Jenkins from MVT at the U visiting her boyfriend! It's always really awkward whenever I see people I know! Then yesterday Elder Atchley (my comp) and I were walking down the street to check a referral we'd gotten and we stopped and talked to some girls that were outside that offered us some water. So we started talking to them and introduced ourselves like we usually do when we talk to people, and I kept thinking, "she looks like someone I know," but I wasn't going to say anything b/c I've done that before already and that was really embarrassing! haha Anyway, turns out I did know her! It was Julie Tukuafu! So that was pretty cool too! Then as we were saying goodbye I had to remind her that missionaries don't hug! haha

Our teaching pool is getting gradually larger! which is really awesome! Especially for the area that I'm in right now! Something else that is amazing, we're teaching a guy named Cy tonight in Elder and Sister Oaks home! It's a pretty amazing story if I say so myself! Sister Oaks goes to the gas station a lot to get her Diet coke and she always talks to Cy (who works the cash register there). And she invited him to have dinner and a lesson with us-the missionaries! She is a perfect example of a missionary minded person! We can share the gospel with anyone! Even the people at the local gas station where we go to get our Diet Coke!

Have a safe trip up here fam! Don't make fun of dad's driving too much! haha

Love you all!

Elder Partridge!

April 14, 2010 Email

Hi Everyone!
I'm glad you guys had a good laugh about me leaving all my stuff in Rose Park! I did too! My comp didn't know what to think! but now he knows me a lot better now! I didn't get to go to Rose Park again though! The Zone Leaders, Elders Norton and Clem, went and got everything! btw, my ZLs are the missionaries that Brandon had over for dinner the other month! We had Zone Conference yesterday and it was our zone, (Temple Zone), and the other zone was Rose Park Zone, (my last zone). Everyone I saw was so happy to see me! They ALL said that they needed me back in Rose Park! Especially Elder Peer! haha He misses me soo much! In his words, "Man I miss your clumsiness so bad!"
That's cool to hear that some people live/grew up in this area! Speaking of which, I was on member exchanges last night and I went to teach a family and help them become more motivated to be member missionaries! It turns out that they are the grandparents of Joseph Kjar (pronounced car), someone I know from MVT. It gets even better. It also turns out that we visited the Christensen's. Bro. Christensen grew up in Spanish Fork! You'll never guess who his math teacher was! GRANDPA!!! When he heard his name he literally ran up the stairs, grabbed his year books and flew back down the stairs! He showed me the pics in the year books of grandpa and what he wrote in them! Then he told some stories like when he would be talking and what grandpa would do to get him to be quiet! haha And of course he commented on what a great teacher he was!
Things are really slow, but progressing! We are definitely building the area up for success! It's probably going to take all transfer to turn it into a strong area and start baptizing, but it's well on its way to getting that way!
I'll tell you what, I LOVE being in a walking area! I'm just sad I can't ride a bike! We get a ride from Elder Wiel and Aguilar when we go to the temple, but we don't go as often as I'd like!
We're really being cracked down on for our amount of time for emailing, so I don't have as much time to type as I used to!
Love you tons!
Loves, Elder B

TRANSFERRED!

Right before he left Rose Park.

Transfers have come! I'm in the Bonneville and Monument Park North Stakes! They are way hard! My companion (Elder Atchley) put it perfect when he described it as working as hard as you can to get that little bit out of a tube of toothpaste and you only will end up getting a little out! but I know there's more in there than we think! Elder Atchley is from Texas! He was born and raised in Oklahoma though! He has a sister that is going to ASU right now! Both his parents are converts to the church and have great stories about how it happened!

The Hogle Zoo and "This is the Place" Monument are in my area! and just outside my area is East High! (Where High School Musical was filmed!). BTW, I'm in Temple Zone which covers Sugarhouse where Scott and Bri live! I don't cover their stake but it's in my zone!

It was hard to leave "my hood" in Rose Park, but I'm excited to be over here! The fault line is also in my area! I'll be sure to take pics!

I left my apartment in Rose Park last night and this morning I woke up and showered then realized I had left ALL my underwear in my last apartment. Then as I was getting ready for the day it just kept getting better! I also forgot ALL my white shirts, and my razor! all of which are pretty dang important! So I'll be getting those later today! hahaha I'm going off of Elder Wirthlin's talk! Instead of getting frustrated or angry, I just laugh! haha Laughter is going to be an important key in this new area because it could probably overwhelm you and discourage you if you let it! Thank goodness I have an amazing companion that laughs with me at experiences with people that don't like us, because there are a lot of them here!

That was soooo fun to see Kayla at General Conference! I also saw Brooke LeBaron, Austin Owens, Steven Hancock, Bishop Riggs and Sister Riggs, and others! Bishop Riggs almost tackled me into the reflection pool! haha! Crazy cool! It made me a little trunky to see some people, but I was over it the very next day!

Sorry to everyone if I don't write back as quick as normal. Actually moving somewhere for transfers has made me extra busy!

Love you all!
Elder Partridge!

PS All you people in Mesa! I'm in the same zone as
Elder Wiel! "Goodeal Baby!"

Another Baptism

This is Bro. Dille. He was baptized on Tuesday evening before B was transferred.

Congratulations!

*Thanks, Bro. C!

Conference

6 Months Baby! Crazy!

Talofa!

I officially hit 6 months yesterday. so the tradition is to burn a tie. It was pretty cool! not gonna lie! I can't believe it's been this long though already! I don't even know what's going on! I'm pretty much trippin' cuz I can't grasp the fact that it's been this long! Now I know what old people mean when they say they remember stuff like it was yesterday! It's so weird! And everyone always talks about how fast a mission goes by! but i had no idea how fast until I'm actually on one! Which is pretty sad considering that I love being on a mission and i don't want it to end this fast!

We had another baptism last weekend in the Samoan Ward! We baptized a guy named Charles Tuigamala! He's soooooooo sweet! He is the guy that got up at the beginning of the month and bore his testimony before he was even a member of the church! and he has such a strong foundation! His father is the pastor of another church back in Samoa and he called his dad and let him know that he was getting baptized! That took a lot of courage! But the coolest part of the story is that his father is sooooo happy for his son! Charles is disappointed that he didn't get baptized before he was married because he really wants to serve a mission! haha The thing that's going to be amazing that I am looking forward to so much, is the day that Charles and his wife Moe go to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity! This is the kind of thing that makes a mission so amazing! and I can't even begin to describe it in words!

We went to the temple today and in the session right behind us, all the General Authorities went through a session! so all the apostles and Pres. Monson etc. were in the temple just a session behind us! Another surprise-It's snowing! in (pretty much) April. Crazy!

Saturday+Sunday=GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look for me when you're up there! That's all I have to say about that.
Everyone have a great day!
Love Elder Partridge!


**About transfers next week, he wrote: I'm already dreading the call on Tues. b/c I'm almost positive I'll get transfered and I LOVE this stake! It has amazing members and the work is really turning around! The Lord is really looking out for it and preparing people! I'm especially going to miss the Samoan Ward!