Days of '47 Parade

IT'S BEEN FOUND!!! (Thanks, Rachel!) I recorded it with a camera off the computer screen, so it's not the best picture, but we still think it's great! You'll first see them walking behind the white police car with their white shirts and dark pants, then to the left of the lady newscaster as she's talking about the parade, and it only gets better from there! He's the TALL one on the right!

July 28, 2010 Email

HI mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and everyone else!)
Ya, I'm not the biggest fan of the stim shocking therapy experience, so we'll see what I want to do when I get home to see how my nerves are doing. I thought about possibly getting a balance board to do in the mornings along with the face exercises. What do you think?
That was nice of Denise to let you go early. I'm glad to hear you were safe! The parade sounded great like always! Too bad it was only Provo Mission missionaries in the Spanish Fork parade though. That's funny they got the most applause, because I'm pretty sure we did too, (besides Pres. Uchtdorf). So during the parade we were assigned to a specific block to actually proselyte and do missionary work and there were missionaries stretching the whole length of the parade route. So we were at the very beginning where everything first comes out and where the TV crew is and everything. When the parade ended I said, "let's go be in the parade." So Elder Jackson, Elder Thomas and I went behind the marines driving at the end of the parade, and with just the three of us we got probably the most applause out of anything/anyone. I felt sooooooooo cool! plus we got on TV! So you should see if anyone taped it or saved it on teevo (however you spell it). And you'll see just 3 of us at the end of the parade after the Liahona Polynesian band. But gets better; as we go farther down the parade we pass by other missionary's areas that they're assigned to and they jump in. So it went from just 3 of us starting it to about 125 or so missionaries by the end. And about 4-5 times we sang "Called to Serve" SLC Mission style! It was sweet. I got a couple videos. So I'm glad you weren't there to go and run out and walk with us! haha That would have been awkward.
I bet the family party was good like always. hahaha That's funny what Uncle Howie said about his new golf clubs not working and taking them back! What kind did he get. Elder Hunt says that Calaway clubs are the best, and Taylor Made comes in a close second. And Elder Hunt is LEGIT! It's funny because when we got home from the parade at 1:00 I was thinking about how you were probably at the family party.
I was home by 9:00pm on the 24th, so no fireworks for me; still way too bright outside. I bet it's cool to see Gma and Gpa's. I think it's pretty sweet that Brad's going to live there. I miss playing cards with the fam! Pretty fun stuff. Glad to hear you got back safe.
I can see how Kayla would be a little excited to come home after dealing with all that she has while in Fiji. It's still a sweet experience. Thankfully my living conditions aren't that bad! haha Good to hear L is doing good, too. Wisdom teeth, huh? fun fun stuff. Sorry I won't be home to laugh at the things she says while on pain meds…I mean help her feel better. :) I just hope she doesn't react to pain medication like I did and start hallucinating. Summer's just flown right by! It's pretty crazy. But then again so did the school year! All this time is just flying by!
I got the envelope of letters. Thanks. I do think it's interesting how similar Holden's experiences and mine are. I read Eric's Farewell talk; Awesome!
We just added 2 people on Monday and are going to be teaching them on Friday. They're both way awesome! Especially one of the Ladies named Rochelle. She has a hilarious little 4 yr. old boy that just loves missionaries. Rochelle has been coming to church since May, but just recently has been coming to our ward. We spoke in that ward on Sunday and when we contacted Rochelle the next day she just cracked the door open and started talking to us and after a few seconds recognized us as the Elders that spoke at church the day before! She flung the door wide open and got the biggest smile on her face. I'm excited to teach her. Plus she gave us some greens to take home that she'd just made, because E. Jackson told her how much he liked them.
Rose Park isn't Ghetto or very rough at all. Granted it's one of the "Roughest" areas in Salt Lake, but it's really not bad, especially for a missionary. I'm not worried at all no matter where I end up, because as long as I'm not doing stupid stuff it's a slim to none chance of anyone even messing with me. We don't get to cover a Polynesian ward here. But we do still have some Polynesian people that attend the English wards we cover. Dinner appointments are good. We get fed almost every day!
I miss the monsoon, but we had a decent thunder/lightning storm last night. There was one really good clump of large purple lightning bolts that flashed at the same time, but still nothing like I'm used to during the monsoon.
Disneyworld sounded "fun," especially Harry Potter's wand shop. I'd ask, but you told me not to so I won't. haha Glad I didn't miss too much, but glad you had fun still. I agree that Cali is way better to go to for Disneyland.
DAD'S GETTING FACEBOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WOW! What a shocker!
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TONS!
Elder B

***If ANYONE taped the SLC Days of 47 Parade with the missionaries on it, PLEASE let me know!!!! Cynthia

July 21, 2010 Email

Hi!
My favorite thing that you sent in the package, as of now, would have to be the fruit snacks. L did a great job picking those out. They taste and look great. Thanks L. Pretty much the only time we have to go to the store is on p-day. And I'm afraid if I have any money just sitting around extra I'd end up spending it on something that I don't need. It would be better if you guys just use that extra money you'd send to me or save me some for when I get home, cause college in Hawaii isn't exactly going to be cheap!
I don’t know when the off-balance all started, but I'm not too worried about it. I'll definitely stay aware of what my body says. Is there any way they can see how much my nerves have grown between then and now. I could see how me being in walking areas would make me more off balance because I'm more tired and I did really start noticing it after I left Rose Park the first time. But now that I think of it, I wasn't really walking a lot before to be able to really tell that I was off balance, so I don’t know. I'll be careful.
I did go to the temple today. After 2 weeks of summer cleaning I got to go back. It was pretty crazy. We were running way behind. We got off TRAX by the temple at 7:50 and we were trying to make the 8:00 session. You'll never guess who we ran into by the reflection pool on the way...Elder Perry in his t-shirt, jeans, and ball cap! It was a pretty good swap for being late. Plus we made it to the session anyways. Ya, we got to talk with him for literally about a minute. He wanted to make sure we were going to be teaching 20 lessons this week and if not to make sure the ward mission leader gets us more to teach. haha I love his personality. We aren't teaching that much right now for a couple of reasons. 1: we're getting rid of ALL fluff numbers that deceive how we're really doing. 2: The area is in recovery status from being murdered! (Oh, that's when an area is usually good and the missionaries don't live up to the potential/ success that the area could do.)
Everyone we're teaching is doing well! We are getting more people every week to teach. Now hopefully we'll be able to start losing a couple investigators (by means of baptism) so we can keep adding more!
Sounds like Nick is going to be awesome! Especially because I can see him just being totally real with people! It will be cool if he runs into Rhett and Mandy!
That's cool to hear about Ms. Slocum and Mekeli knowing each other!
I'm really proud of Eric! I bet I would have loved his farewell! That is pretty awesome about what he said about you and the other friends’ parents! MAN!!!!!!!!!!!! You really did make my day by saying the girls said that they miss me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure that both sides of my face smiled when I read that. (not really but...haha).
That is tough that you couldn't go to Eric's setting apart, but that's SO HARD that you had to go to a DBacks game. haha It's still crazy for me to think whenever you talk about L not being able to drive because of her medical stuff, cause when I left she still couldn't drive, so I'm thinking, "Well of course she can't drive, let alone down town in Phoenix." haha I bet now she's better at driving than me. Granted I see two of everything and haven't driven in almost 2 years legally. haha
"Oh, I also reminded Eric that there was a chance you'd be married by the time he got home, he said that was fine as long as you named your child after him. I assume he meant a son... :P" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You and E are the funniest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You made me laugh out loud! and that doesn't happen while reading emails!
I love the Carlisle's! They're amazing.
I’ve got to go! Sorry, I'm getting kicked off!
Love B.

July 14, 2010 Email

Dear Family and Everyone Else,
I love the packages soooooooo much! Thanks a ton for them! It felt so good to have some more socks and extremely good to have more food! It's funny because after I got off the computer last week I thought, “oh, I should have asked for fruit snacks,” and then you sent them. My parents love me.
That’s sweet that Rebecca’s going to Atlanta. It should be pretty awesome. Almost as cool as Salt Lake. :)
Thanks for the good news! No more MRI’s for 2 years!!!
That's just cool that you're in Orlando. Thanks for giving me the advice to read at least an hour a day, Dad. It's a good thing that I already do that every day so I can be an expert in pretty much any subject, only I think the scriptures outweigh anything else that could be read. That coupled with Preach My Gospel for while I’m on the mish.
Guess what? I spoke in 3 wards this last Sunday on 3 different topics, and they all went really well thanks to the help of the Spirit and the gifts that Heavenly Father has blessed me with.
So yesterday we added a guy named Fred Preston. Fred is displaced from hurricane Katrina and has been in SLC since then. Anywho, Fred is funny. He said how he really liked our church. He'd been going to the Baptist Church for a while and he got tired of hearing about that fire and brimstone over and over. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he was really excited, so we committed him to read Mormon Chapter 9. Then we committed him for baptism and he said, "Well, I'll have to really think about that, I'm gonna talk to my friend who's Mormon and all, but I'm gonna seriously think about that!” It's funny because it's hard for me to understand him because he has such a thick southern accent.
We're also teaching a guy named Garret Nicholson. Garret is a former investigator and he used to play football for the Y, but now he is going to go to the U. We met with him a couple days ago and explained to him that we're not just going to teach him so that he can know things, because any church and religion out there can make a bad man good and a good man better, but we're going to teach him how he can return to live with God again. We talked about our purpose here on earth and it was pretty spiritual.
Last year Elder Jackson was over in this area and he worked around this guy Kyle because he was teaching George's wife and what not. Anywho, we saw Kyle on Saturday and it was pretty sweet. So Kyle has had a rougher past and is 25 and just got shot at the other week at the Samoan BBQ on Memorial Day. So we're teaching Kyle now because we really want to help him and in our lesson with him the other day we read with him in Alma Chapter 36 and the Spirit was so strong while we were reading through it with him. I learned so much that I'd never even thought about before. That's one way you can tell that the Spirit's there. Plus just the way you feel. Anyway Kyle was so bright and beaming when we left that day it was so cool! He's like, "So when are you gonna be back...What time...ALRIGHT!"
I know the trials I’ve been through have made me strong and I plan on staying strong, relying on the Lord to continue to overcome my challenges and progressing in all that I do! Love you tons! Thanks bunches for the packages. They really made my day/week.

Love,
Elder Partridge

July 7, 2010 Email

Hey Y’all!
Yesterday was Megan Franz's baptism and Elder Hunt and I did our musical number which was really scary with my nose all runny and clogged, but it went pretty well! It was a great service, just really hot! There were a TON of people crammed into that little room! She had a lot of people there to give her great support! I got to lead the music, too!
I still have my cold! It's been a week now and it's getting old! I was well enough to enjoy the weekend a little though. We celebrated on the 5th b/c that's when the state of Utah declared they were celebrating, but everyone else in UT must have missed that b/c they did everything on the 3rd and 4th, but we were already inside by the time people started lighting off fireworks!
The MRI went good. As far as the results go, I hope it went well! Elder Clem and I got to see the end of the Uruguay vs. Ghana World Cup game b/c it was on in the waiting room!
That would be pretty sweet if you were in Pres. and Sis. Sonne’s Ward for their welcome home! I'd be jealous!
I bet you'll love being in Florida no matter what the weather's like! Is L still going? I bet she's excited!
My area's pretty dead! But not for long! I just hope we'll spend our time more productively than we have been. It's hard. But the honeymoon period (the first week and a half) is over and things are starting to get harder! None of our appointments went through and it was pretty frustrating on Sunday when I did a lot of digging through forms and found a list of a lot of appointments for the first week we were in the area with our investigators that we didn't know we had and didn't have any info about them!
I do remember Dizzy! That's too bad he died! He was funny!
Thanks for the update on everyone! I'm praying for you every day!
Unfortunately I don't see us getting a new apt. any time soon! But I enjoyed Pres. Winn coming and visiting with us!
It's good to hear all the guys are doing so well! I’ll look forward to getting their updates!
It doesn't seem like it's been anywhere near 9 months! I was talking to someone the other day and they asked how long I'd been out and when I told them they said, "So you're almost done." and I said “not really,” but they said, "yep b/c the next year is going to just fly by!"
Definitely tell the Elliot's hi for me and keep me posted on Rebecca's call!
Love ya!
B

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