Hide Race Photos

Yes, this is Elder Partridge, on a hide, being pulled behind a horse!

I hope his mouth is closed!

Hang on!

Elder Partridge rolls off and Elder Hancock jumps on!

They got under 10 seconds and took 2nd place!

Can you believe how happy...and dirty they look?!

July 25, 2011 Email

Hola bonitas!

Haha, we decided we'd try a new finding activity; hide racing! We knew we couldn't be on horses, but it said nothing about being drug behind them. It reminded me of going tubing at the lake, only you're on dirt/poop instead of water, you're being drug by a horse not a boat, and you don't eat it quite as bad surprisingly! Shout out to my boy Ryan Niederer for getting us in, and Coach Kennedy for pulling us. She didn't go easy on us, but she could have pushed us harder. It was a fantastic boost for the work! We are hearing about non-members talking to their friends about it and they are willing to listen to us, and we now have full trust of all the members here! Fantastic!

This is Elder Hancock's second transfer, but he's already doing better now than where I am after 2 years of missionary work! I am definitely giving the posterity flag to him. And the cactus! He is an amazing Elder. Must be something to do with the AZ heat or something! We're serving in the Lyman Stake aka "the Bridger Valley". We cover Lyman, Mountain View, Urie, Fort Bridger, Lone Tree, Roberts, etc.

I just had a time line realization and wrote some essays this morning. (For his college applications) I've been kinda prolonging doing it for a while so I could only keep studying Preach My Gospel and the scriptures, but I need to git er dun!

I'm good for memory on my camera! No worries there. We don't usually make it to Wally World because we like to stay in Lyman on p-day. Oh snap! and for my b day I would die for some homemade salsa and salsa verde that you make...the smooth stuff! I don't know if you could do that, but it would be sweet. And I don't know if this is too much to ask, but if at all possible, could you send me my boots out so I can wear them on p-day? If not, no worries, but that would be great!

Jeez Lewise! That's good timing with the pic of the girls in the rain! I miss it!

We get our mail forwarded out to us every week.

We have a baptism tomorrow for Arian. I haven't talked much about her, if at all, but she's an amazing girl, I'll tell you all about it next week. Pinky promise.

Love you tons! Will "talk" to you next week.

Love Elder Partridge

Baptism Pictures

This was at Sammy Hood's baptism on Monday.

July 18, 2011 Email

Howdy Bukeroo,

"My name's not Bukeroo." "Sure it is partner." I'll give you a hint. I'm on the "Home home on the range. Where the deer and the antelope play..." It starts with a W and ends with a yoming. Ya, you guessed it. And I'm with the hardest working companion in the mission. His name is Elder Hancock and he is from a ranch in AZ on the border of Mexico. Between Nogales and Douglas. Steller. We just had a baptism today of a girl named Sammy Hood! She is completely solid. She's one of the most fun, outgoing, firm converts I've seen. It seemed like she was already a member when I first met her. We are getting so much accomplished. Actually, she just showed up with her fellowshipper, Jordan Madsen, so I'll let them introduce themselves.

hello mama partridge :)
my name is jordan madsen and i just met your son yesterday and he is really cool haha i've only got to see him for 2 days but i already like him. i probably seem really creepy but thats ok haha me and my best friend who just got baptised today just saw the missionary truck at the library and wanted to stop and say hi and they wanted us to write letters to their moms (you) so here it is. I am 17 years old and love volleyball basketball and track. I have recently become a cowgirl and love to do cowgirl stuff. riding horses and things of that nature haha i would tell you a story but i havent known elder partridge that long so we dont have stories... yet haha so i will say ta ta for now :)
astalavista :)
Jordan Madsen :):):)

Hey Momma Partridge:):):)
This is Sammy, one of the girls your son has just recently started teaching. I just got baptized today and I'm so greatful that he got to be there:) Your son got to meet me in a interesting way. Well Elder Hancock, the missionary that has been teaching me from day one, decides to surprise me with meeting your son. One fabulous morning I was walking back from the barn after feeding my steers(male cows without their pride and joy) and i was in my boxers and a tee-shirt and was pretty embarrased about the whole ordeal but it was ok...... thought that i should drop in with a little hello and tell u, u have a an amazing son:):) so glad i have been able to meet him
Have a beautiful day
Love Sammy :):):)


PS! I love you family. Thought since you are always wondering who I'm teaching it would be better if they just introduce themselves! Love you!
Love Elder Partridge

July 11, 2011 Email

Buenos tardes,

We worked our tails off this week. Literally, there they go. Oh well; you know how it goes. It seems that it will be worth it. We went to the movies on the fourth of July. Como? Ya! We saw "17 Miracles" by TC Christensen (the same guy who did Forever Strong-Kia haha- and the Joseph Smith Movie, etc). What an amazing film! Full of miracles. And another cool thing is that "Albert" is in one of the wards I'm covering. It was so cool to see him and look at Elder Green and we both were like, "I know him!" He's such a great part in the movie, too. It was such a big deal too because TC Christensen came and talked to us after the film. Big deal! It reminded me of when Mark Mabry did the fireside and talked about different miracles behind the pictures; likewise, he shared some of the symbolism and miracles they saw shooting the film.

On the drive home we got off the freeway on Bangerter at a spot where you can see the whole valley, and there were fireworks everywhere shooting up! It was insane! Then while driving through the neighborhoods, there were fireworks lining both sides of the street exploding over our heads! It felt more like a war zone than anything else! Crazy cool!

It's official! I'm getting transferred to another area! I'm going to be a DL again! I'm so stoked to be hands on with the missionaries I'll be looking over! President just barely gave me the call and told me that it's a great area I'm getting called to! I am stoked!

Anywho, the Spanish Elders in our stake just baptized a lady named Rosio that we found a couple weeks ago. Well, more like she found herself and we were able to point her in the right direction. She came to church by herself for the first time 4 weeks ago, and no one knew about it. We were at another ward and we didn't hear anything from members. Then she came again the next week and one of our ward mission leaders got ahold of her and got her information and gave it to us. So we went by that evening and talked to her and put her on date! She said, "I want to make this covenant with God!" I don't know how much more solid and prepared someone can be! She smoked, but as soon as we mentioned that she will have to quit in order to be baptized she quit. It is incredible to see how determined this hermana (sister) is to following our Lord and Savior in everything she does.

We had an amazing miracle this morning! Kinda silly, but we were definitely blessed. We were out of gas last night. Straight up out of gas, and we didn't know it till this morning when we went around the corner to fill up. We put 16.447 gallons into our tank; and I'm pretty sure it's oly a 15 gallon tank. So we weren't just empty, we were running dry.

Well this is where I leave you because duty calls; we are going to get a couple married! Felicidades!

Con amor,
Elder Partridge!

July 4, 2011 Email

From the crossroads of the west,

"This is the 91st weekly general letter to the people who want to hear about what's going on in Salt Lake with me."

Gooooood morning Zion; this is your host, Zion Elder Partridge coming to you live from the Granger East Stake in West Valley City, UT. Looks like things were a little wet this past weekend with baptisms. We had the baptism of Teresa Avila. She just barely turned 9 and their family just moved into the stake a couple weeks ago and became active. She was baptized at the stake baptism by her uncle. We showed them the tea bag related to the gospel and they were ecstatic!

We got a referral this last week for Mone'sha and so we called her and left a message. She called back at 3:45 am; yes in the morning, and left a message that she was in Wendover and wanted a ride. Then later she sent us a text and told us she was going to be baptized LDS. So we gave her a call and talked to her, and this is the cool part. Guess how we got the referral...On her way over here from California she stopped by the one and only Cove Fort! I was like, "oh, I know that place! They give you pioneer toys and obsidian to play with on 12 hour car rides from UT to AZ!" haha So hopefully we'll get hold of her soon to teach her.

They've made air-born fireworks legal here and people are lighting them off all night. Literally! It's ridiculous! I am doing great! We are going to the movies tonight as a mission. It's "17 Miracles", and then T.C. Christensen, the director, is going to speak to us. Pretty big deal! It'll be fun. I'll take pics.

I'll be praying for L! And everyone else, too! Thanks for the update.

Love you tons. I need to let another missionary e-mail now.

Love,
Elder Partridge

June 27, 2011 Email

haha "oh my dear,"

You guys are just too funny. I love it!

We went to the Temple today and one of our Ward Mission Leaders took us to eat at a restaurant. After we email, we are going to the p-day activity. It should be fun. Our area just seemed to get a huge shot of pump-up juice. We got a bunch of referrals and some of them already want to be baptized. But ya, it's not too hot here, but it doesn't get too cold either. We watched fireworks that were in Taylorsville 2 nights ago from our apartment parking lot. It got me thinking about Disneyland and me and Elder Green talked about when we can go. He gets done in March-April next year so we could go then between semesters or on Spring Break or whatever.

Guess who I saw a couple hours ago at the Deseret Book downtown...Sandy Williams, who is no longer Williams because she's re-married. So you'll probably hear something from her.

Sounds like L has quite the story as always. I was impressed to hear about her speaking at Phoenix Children's. I wonder if that's what Virginia wanted me to do for my surgery; or something like unto it.? Oh well, props to her. I'm glad you're being cautious with her melanoma stuff. I'll keep praying for you!

Shout out to the whole Halm family! I love you! Congrats on ALL the great things that are happening in your family! BTW, how is Hudson doing? Tearing it up in Ghana, I assume...? Jackson and Talia really do need to make a trip up here and do a session in the Salt Lake Temple while I'm here so I can go with them! That would be so great!

I didn't know Landon got married, too. Congrats to him. It was weird, in all the sacrament meetings we went to yesterday, the common theme for everyone, it seemed, was marriage. Even the people who had different topics spent the majority of their talks speaking about marriage. Really!? ok!

I hope you told Christian I love him! But I hope you didn't give him a "good game" for me, that would be weird. I'm sure he did fantastic, he's such a stud!

That will be fun for L to take dance from Alex! I could only imagine how much fun they're going to have. Actually, no I can't.

Wow you saw a lot of people at the farewell!!! I'm glad they all remember me! It's been a little while. It doesn't seem that way, but it's true. But at the same time it doesn't seem like I've ever done anything in my life besides missionary work. I'll be way excited when I get home, too ( different mind you than excited to go home). I won't know what I'll do, but I know I'll be excited about whatever it is that I don't know what I'm doing!??

Haha Elder Green says he doesn't know what you're talking about with Alex L. Haha I love him! He helps everyone so much. Especially me.

Sounds like fun stuff for Kaitlyn. I am still not sure what I'm planning on doing for college as of where to go, but we'll see!

I'm assuming you're coming up for the 24th? We pretty much always do. It's funny, Elder Green and I both think that the 24th is a bigger holiday here than the 4th. We also are curious thinking back on last year how we were in the parade (which I started) and if Pres. Winn got any flack for it. If so, I'm pretty sure he'll tell us NO this year. Fun things!

Fun news for the Stone family, too! I will talk to Pres. Winn to see if I can call or email Dayne and get things set up for us to spend a day. We have Zone Conference on Friday so I'll be able to see him in person there, also Zone Leader Council this Wednesday so I could talk to him there. We'll see what happens!

Congrats to Austin on the mission call! Have fun speaking Espanol; I know I do!

Love you tons! Keep up the good work there...and I'll do the same. It's the best! We are seeing so many miracles all of a sudden. I'll have to tell you about them some time!

Love Elder Partridge!