Another Week in Gila Valley

Thanks for all of your emails and letters this week . I dont remember if i said this or not already but as I go throughout the week i write in a little note book all the things i want to include in my next email. so Today im just going to list them all off after i address some of your questions.

I Bought a bike. (See Photo) its pretty sick.  super legit bike for a legit price :D

The fire in Sierra Vista relocated a couple elders. One of which was in the MTC with me. I got to see him last Wednesday at a zone conference. ha he said it was pretty scary seeing all the fire so close to them.

As for me, the fires arnt close to us at all. the horizons are a little smoky but thats it. no problems here.

Our money that we use for food and stuff is on a "blue card" which is basically a debit card. it gets reloaded at the first of the month with 120 bucks. so far i havent had any need for more than that. because most of our dinners are covered by members so we just buy eggs and milk and some lunch stuff. pretty sweet.

This last week we got to help tear out a roof! it was tons of fun but super super dirty as you can see by the photos haha. Also we poured a porch slab for the campbells last week that i forgot to tell you about. Obviously that was way fun too. clyde wouldnt have been very happy with the job though. they werent very good at finishing it, but they are happy with it so thats all that matters.

I decided on my Scripture for my Plaque! finaly. D&C 43:15, just found it this morning. sorry it took so long.

I gave a talk in church yesterday. that was pretty fun. it was easy. it was on the importance of missionary work in the latter days. simple haha. I thought it went ok. lots of people said they liked it when i would talk to people in the halls, but i feel like most were just saying that because you have to tell people they give good talks.

The letter about the dog was not the funnest letter i have read on the mish. Im sad to hear that he bit that girl. im glad that she is ok. I guess my opinion on the matter would be to try and get him on a farm or a ranch. It would be sad to see him rot away in a shelter, so do what you can to not send him there i guess. and let me know what you end up doing. i trust that you will make a good decision. I would ask though that if you do end up sending him to the pound to please just lie to me and tell me that he is going somewhere else where he will have fun :P

The area is still pretty slow, although it feels like its about to go hot. so we are just working hard from day to day trying to talk to who we can about the church. Both Elder sims and i are working on being more bold when we contact. saying things like "This is the only true church" "The church will only bless your life" (deletion by editor). ha typing that reminded me of a instance that happened lst week. We were walking down the street and this guy was welding on a trailer and we asked him how he was doing and if we could help him, he replies "If your going to start preaching to me you can leave!" ha he was so pissed it was awesome.

We dropped an investigator last week. she told us that she didnt intended on being baptized ever. and didnt want to give us false hope or waste our time. We thought she was doing so good too. :/

Elder sims and i are going to be putting on a youth fireside on the 17th its gonna be so sick. we are uninviting all the leaders :D and telling the youth to not show up in shirts and ties. heck we arnt even wearing our church clothes. its gonna be sick! ill let you know how it goes after the fact.

 

Thats pretty much all i got for this week. Check out the attached photos. Love you all.

Elder Ettinger

 

ps. There was a black bear spotted last week in some Cotton Fields. i didnt even know there were bears in the freakin desert :D

Dirty Companions

Filthy legs

The sick new bike

Pres. Lunt with Ames.
Pres. Lunt is a counselor in Ames's mission presidency and
was Locke's  choir teacher in high school:)

Weekly Letter - Kyle

Hello Everyone!,

 

This week has been pretty much te same as the weeks in the past, some really slow missionary work, and not alot really going on.

 

We were out and about seeing the less actives around our area, we ended up finding a "lost" member, who hadn't been to church for the longest time. We ended up teaching her, and her sister, and their five little kids last saturday! it was the coolest and most fun ever! It was really hard to teach the children because they're only 5 years old and younger, so we just put in the finding faith in christ video and they watched a few minutes of it and ran off and went to play like all little kids do. But, it was cool because they're mothers, tara and krystal, enjoyed asking us questions they had, and us explaining some things to them about the church. We asked them if they wanted to come to church the next day. They said they wanted to, but, to take it like an hour at a time. Start with primary for the kids and build up from there. Sadly they didn't come to church yesterday.

 

BUT!! we did talk to this one less active on wednesday, he said he didn't want to come to church alone, without his non-member wife and little son. So we told him he should be strong and set the example for his family and come to church. Guess who came to church yesterday?? Dan brown, (thats his name), his wife and son! all three came to church! and he also is going to feed us dinner tonght! and hopefully we can start teaching them the lessons. So we're pretty excited about that.

 

The reason that my email is a little later in the day today, is because for P-day today we went up to big bear and went on a sweet hike! to castle rock. It has a way way awesome view of the lake. I forgot to take my camera, but my companion got a picture of us up there. so we'l get something printed sometime and i'll send some pictures home.

 

Our dog buddy, that poor little guy, like ames said, i wasn't really happy to recieve that letter about the accident back at home. i'm really glad that the girl wasn't seriously injured and that she recovered well! I think that buddy would have alot more fun out on a farm or a ranch of some kind. With lots and lots of room to run around. So i Think you should try and do your best at having him end up there. Buddy was such a fun dog, i wanna try and visit him if he stays in town somewhere with his new family. Can you please send me a picture of that ol' pup? i wanna have somethin to remember him.

 

Sounds like the lot up at kolob is coming along. Good work mom and dad, Sorry the tough amazing crew isn't there. Just a few more months ha ;) Keep up the good work everyone!

 

This week didn't really have anything super fun to report. I hope some more fun things happen this next week when i write, however, since its 4th of july, i'm not sure if we'll be able to email that day... So it may be a couple days late. just a heads up on that.

 

I love everyone so very much! thanks for all of the love and support you give me! i pray for everyone every night! My family is the best ever! Remember to let people know that i love recieving mail. And i'm gonna do my very best to write people back. it takes alot of time and stamps. So i'll do the best i can.

 

Love, Elder Kyle Ettinger

Hello Family - Kyle

Dear family,

 

This week has been quite different than the week previous, the missionary work, like i said last week, is really slow, and hard to find people to teach. As of right now, we have one kid who is wanting to get the priesthood, i think i told you about him last week. We're gonna be teaching him the plan of salvation. He has a "super mario bro's" layout of the plan of salvation, so he can get the most out of it and understand it well. (Because he's a geek that plays video games quite often) I'm pretty excited to get in and continue to teach him! and hopefully we can participate in giving him the amazing priesthood athority! This past week we also contacted a less-active member, who really wants to change his life around, and possibly have his wife listen to the lessons as well, and become baptized and join the church. But, he is like trying to keep it a secret from his wife that he's even been talking to us out on the front porch. So i hope that his wife gives us a chance and we can change their family's life for the better.

 

Dad, happy fathers day! a day late i know, but i didn't know what to send you. And i now know that it takes like four days to send a letter home! So i just like panic'd and didn't know what to do. My bad! But, to answer your question about the apple tree's...yes. I have seen one apple tree. And its in our neighbors backyard. aka. our appartments front yard. Make sense? But other than that, its a hot dry desert here in apple valley, but the area is so awesome! Also, applevalley isnt close to the military base, thats part of some other mission area that i really don't know much about. But, i've heard of missionaries serving on the base and stuff. One of these days we're gonna hike up "Bell Mountain" and get some pictures of apple valley. Hopefully on a day where its not smoggy and gross! California air is discusting compared to home!

 

This tuesday we have a greenie orientation thing down at our presidents home i think. Its gonna be sweet because i get to see elder millward again! See how he's doing, and i'll probably give president Godwin a word or two about being companions with elder millward out in the field sometime! Which i would be so stoked about, because we're way good pals, and we taught so well and seemed to convert millions in the MTC, so i wanna try and do the same here in San berdoo.

 

Mom, you would be sad to hear that i worked outside for two and a half hours saturday and didn't wear sunscreen.... i'm gonna start calling my mission "San Burn-ardino" But, because of the wind constantly blowing in the high desert, it sometimes doesn't feel as hot as it really is.

 

Today being P-day, we challanged Victorville to a game of softball, and we're totally gonna kill them! so i'm pretty excited about that.

We're also gonna go tie thrift shopping later today when we find some time. I thought i brought a bunch of tie's out to the field. I was very wrong, there are missionaries who have like 150 ties or more! its like a stupid high amount! So i'm gonna start catching up by getting some more.

 

Sounds like mom is doing alot of work at home! Good job mom! Sounds like dad is probably on the sidelines watching mom work.... Just kiddin! love ya dad! Ha i'm sorry about buddy being a bum and not wanting to be brushed still. We were in a members home eating dinner one night (And yes the members feed us really well, we have a dinner appointment just about every night.) and the members had a little Beagle Puppy dog, just born the day before, and it was just the cuttest thing ever! I miss it when buddy was a cute little pup. now he's just all big and smart and most of the time disobiedient! Good luck with him!

 

I'm still loving my mission! even though the work is slow and the members aren't super excited to help out with the missionary work. I'm going on companion exchanges this next wednesday, and i'm paired up with the next newest missionary, and we're serving in my ward. So i get to drive the car now, and call all of the shots. Which i'm actually really excited about. I have a good feeling that something amazing and spiritual might happen.

 

Sounds like everthing back at home is going just as well as when we left it. How is the freeway construction coming along? i told elder Bowler about the freeway being all messed up. And the way i explained the new freeway exit, he laughed and just thought it was another wasted project that the city does. we talk about good ol' st george sometimes, and all the crazy things that have happened there before.

 

Anyways, i love all of you! Thanks for all of your love and support while i'm out here on this amazing adventure!

We've already been out a month! And it feels like it could've only been a week or two. By the end of this transfer we'll be two months old. Ha the way missionaries say there "mission age" is pretty funny stuff. Elder bowler just had his 1st birthday (aka 1 year) this past thursday. So he burned a white shirt, and we built a fire and cooked some hamburgers out back. Good times.

 

i keep rambling on, so i guess i'll end here.

 

Love you all! Have a great week!

 

Love, Elder Kyle Ettinger

"What I Like to Call P-Dizzle Day" - Ames

So yet another PDAY in the field, It was good hearing from you all. (Not from kyle yet) ha last week we were on the computer at pretty much the same time so it was almost like we were in a chat room. we got a couple emails back and forth before he left. It was pretty fun haha.

The weather, like mom said is just hot. there isnt much more than that. There is quite a bit of wind in the afternoons though, and thats when we are out walking around, so it makes it seem not so hot. and also growing up in STG made it alot easyer. it really isnt too bad here. like i havent really even sweat that much.

an update on the bike, there is that bike shop in safford that dad pointed out. they had like zero selection there so i went ahead and orderd a new bike :D i figured i want one that will last me the two years as well as when i get home. The Trek series came out with a new 2012 Model of there 3500 bike, so they oredered in two of them so i could see the colors. And they come with disc brakes. none of that standard pressure garbage. Its going to be like 440 if i remember right. I hope thats not a big deal. if you could just make sure there is enough money in my debit account to cover it i dont care where the funds come from. whether mine or yours i dont care. Because according to the mission records our area is an "ALL BIKE" area, So why we have a car right now im not sure. haha. we are expecting them to take it from us any day now. so i need a bike pretty quick.

I was able to meet Dave lunt last monday. we went out to the institute to play some pool and ping pong. just so happened that he was there tuning some pianos. ha. he is a super legit guy. i didnt have my camera with me so i didnt get a photo but he said that we could come over to his house anytime and visit. He has a super low voice. :D

The Missionary work is going great. I love seeing the little miracles everyday. I dont know if i mentioned the Campbell family last time, but there two boys had there baptismal interveiws last night, and both passed :D  both of the boys are trying to finish the BOM by there baptizm. which right now is set for the 2nd of july, 

I totaly understand now how the missionaries can get attached to the people they are teaching. the campbell family is so freaking cool. My comp and i split up on sundays with the ward missionaries so we can cover both of our wards. so i got to sit with the campbell family and i got to help keep kaitlyn, age 2, quiet during the meeting. ha she is so cute. A guy behind us gave her his ipad to settle her down and she freaking loved it. I was tempted to play some games with her haha (not really) By the way, how is that ipod treating you dad? Addicted yet?

I heard perrys date of leave got delayed, i dont know if you heard or not, something about not having enough trainers in the field or something? anyways he doesnt leave till october 7th. kind of sucks. i will have been out almost 5 months by then :D

Thanks for The post cards and letters. It is fun to get mail from everyone. My comp showed me this really cool way of organizing all the letters and keeping them safe through the mission. Apparently alot of missionaries dont save their letters. i thought that was pretty dumb. Im going to keep every scrap of paper people send me :D

Sounds like everyone is doing good. and so am i. Loving the work out here. Did i mention how awesome the members are? this last week a lady pulled over on the street as we were walking and handed us 10 bucks to go buy some lunch haha i asked elder sims if that happens alot. he said he has had a total of 60 bucks handed to him on his mission so far. cant wait to rack in the dough.

Love you all, Stay sweet,

    ~Elder Ettinger~

Ames 6/13

    So iv been in the mission field for a whole week!! it went by super fast though. like it was nuts. I still havent got a bike yet. there isnt any real need, our area is small and we cover two wards, so we walk to the one we live in, and then drive to the other, park, and then walk.

My comp, Elder Sims, is way cool. All i have heard from people is that i couldnt have gotten a better trainer. So im stoked about that.

There are so many members here in the Gila Valley, which is a good thing and a bad thing, good because we have dinner appointments every night so i have yet to cook a dinner :D, but a bad thing because there are no non members, and those who are have heared it a ton of times and dont want to hear it again.

I will mention one family though, The Campbells. The mom has been inactive since 19 so the husband and all the kids arnt members. The dad works at some local prison so he is a super tough guy, like he doesnt really want to know about the church, and he wont let his kids get baptized until he knows that they know its true... that was at the beginning of the week when i met them. They have been going to church (all but the dad) for the last three or four weeks. and the older son, 12, has wanted to get baptized for a couple of weeks. the younger son, 10, Just gained a testimony last week :D you can see it in him. its crazy how his countenance has changed :) so they both set a goal for themselves, without us saying anything, to be baptized by the end of the month :D and also you can tell that the dad is a little more interested to learn. and we think that after he sees his two boys get baptized then he will soften up a bit. so thats where we are at now, there are truly miracles happening in this area, even though the work is slower.

     Thanks for the addresses. i have been wanting to send them some letters the last little while.

And yes. that address that linds gave you is my appartment. Send mail there unless it is getting close to transfer day, because then i may or may not be there anymore ?? thats the whole point in sending them to the mission office.

Ha k funny story. The first day i got here i changed into my short sleve shirt so that i wouldnt be so hot. and i forgot to swap my tag into the pocket. Super Greene move. We went to walmart where we met up with other missionaries in the zone and all of them were like "Whats your name i cant read your tag?", and every day since then, when we call the DL at night he reminds elder sims to make sure i wear my tag the next day. I dont think i will be hearing the end of it any time soon :D.

The work is great out here, im having alot of fun. We got a new investegator on saturday, and we are going to the first lesson tonight. So hopefully that goes well :D

Congrats dad on the Marathon. You better not screw up boston. :D

Love you all !!

-Elder Ettinger-

 

ps sorry maren about not being able to see HP7p2 at midnight. Im not going to be able to see it either :/

pps. if anything big happens in the news let me know. because we dont hear anything out here. apparently it took like a week before the elders here knew about the earthquakes in japan lol.

Kyle 6/13

hello everyone! I was so excited to hear all the news from back at home! and to tell you about my companion from st george and what not! But it looks like you guys already know!! Now i have nothing to write about ha! just kidding. This week has gone by pretty fast! The apple Valley area is pretty dead and slow right now. i've only taught a half of one lesson so far. To a less-active member who wants to learn more about getting the priesthood. So it was fun to teach him. We've gone out and checked on some potential investigators, who havn't been contacted in about a year or two. So almost all of them have lost interest in the church. Sad day. But i'm still having loads of fun out here in the Field.

 

Elder Bowler is an awesome trainer and companion! he's pretty layed back, but when its time to work he doesn't waste anytime at all. He went to dixie as you know, and only knew of me because i was one of the "twins" when we were at dixie sophomore year or whatever. Ha.

 

Thats so cool that dad qualified for the boston marathon! Good luck with running it dad!! I forgot that he was gonna run up in provo! I've just had mission on my mind 24-7, i forget what plans people had back at home ha! In a few days i'll have served ONE month! I'm such a little greenie still! ha, but the time has already gone by so fast, because i'm just having so much fun here. Even though the work is slow and what not. Today, being P-day, we're doing our email, gonna go to lunch, then off the the stake center to play a mad game of dodgeball! They say it gets pretty intense! so i'm way stoked about it ha!

 

THe ward members here are so nice! and it seems like everyone we talk to knows someone from st george. two different people know the snyders in our stake which i thought was pretty funny. But, the members feed us just about every night. Last night i got to give the spiritual thought. and i related prayer, to the time that we got lost hiking the MIA exit out of the boundry hike. i shared our family experiences and how we would stop and pray, and show our thanks to heavenly father for getting us that far. every level that we climbed. It was way cool! i'm way excited to have some way cool mission stories, elder bowler says right now, my mission stories are my life stories from home, which is fun to share with people.

 

MY direct appartment that i'm living in, the address is

(Elder Kyle Ettinger)

13917 Okesa Road

Apple Valley, CA 92307

 

we're actually living in a garage that has been carpeted and fitted with some couch's and beds and stuff! ITs way way nice to live in! we have plenty of space and room for just elder bowler and myself.

 

Elder millwards parents and family showed up at the airport before we went through security, his mom knows someone from st george who was following our blog, and said her son was mentioned in it. its crazy to see how fast stuff spreads around! This world is just so small!!

 

I'm loving my mission so much! even though the work is slow, i still have the "Greenie fire" as the older missoinaries call it. Elder bowler and myself are confident that we'll get the village ward of apple valley up and running again, since we're both new to the area, we kinda starting all over. Its called White-washing an area, because when you get in the new area, both past missionaries just leave you a couple notes on white paper about the people and maybe some investigators, then you're just on your own.

 

When we set our goals for the week, we have our own fun goal we set.... Iits how many shopping carts we see in the area, without being close to a parking lot, ya know, just out in a field, or someones yard. Last week our total was 20. It keeps things alive when the work is slow ha.

 

Well, i love everyone so very much! Its sometimes hard to remember all of your questions, so i try to answer as many as i can! so i hope i did alright! Sounds like the mission pres. or sister Godwin told you everything anyways!!! Gee!! ha.

 

Enjoy this week!! You guys are awesome!! love you all!

 

Peace! Elder Kyle Ettinger

 

p.s i'm only a 4 or 5 hours away from home! I feel so close! ha. But i'm not home sick or anything. LDS missions are just so fun and exciting!!! I don't really think about home alot. Don't take that the wrong way or anything. I think you get my point

Letter from Ames's Mission President

Pres. Walker, Elder Ames Ettinger, Sister Walker

Elder Ettinger's safe arrival in San Bernardino

Dear family of Elder Ettinger,,

We wanted to write to you and express our gratitude to you for sharing your missionary with us for the next two years.  We have enjoyed meeting him.  He is a fine young man and we have enjoyed our interactions with him and look forward to many more. There are two pictures attached, one was taken at the airport and the other with us at the conference tree. 

We met the arriving missionaries at the Ontario airport. Your missionary, along with 8 elders and 6 sisters, arrived at the airport about 9:30 , June 7.  They looked amazing as they were coming down the escalator - they all looked so happy and nervous, the sisters looking so neat and tidy and all the elders in white crisp shirts, new suits and shined shoes.  While we were waiting for their luggage, we had a quick visit with each of them.    They were excited and just a little uneasy, (maybe more than a little) wondering what was happening next.  The Assistants had been waiting in the area in 2 pick-up trucks  and the mission van, waiting for our phone call.  We called, they arrived and all luggage was loaded into the vehicles.  We transported them to the Etiwanda LDS chapel where all the other missionaries that were being transferred as well as the new missionaries' trainers, were waiting.  Two additional new elder's were there waiting, for a total of  11 elders and 6 sisters.  The entire chapel was full as we brought in the new missionaries.  It was an exciting meeting for all involved.

We left the chapel with the new missionaries and a load of chairs in the AP’s truck and went to the the Glen Helen Park at the mouth of the Cajon Pass.  Sister Mills, a local historian, (she is an amazing sister who loves to meet the missionaries) met us there and told us how the area had been settled.  The first settlement efforts were conducted by Spanish missionaries, and Spanish landowners starting about 1810.  During the U.S. Mexican war the Mormon Battalion (the only religiously based battalion in U.S. history) was organized in Iowa in 1847 and after a march through what would become the Southwestern part of the U.S. it arrived in San Diego and was eventually stationed in what would become San Bernardino and the surrounding areas.  Jefferson Hunt, a Captain in the Mormon Battalion was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as were all the members of the battalion.  Since many people call Church members Mormons, the Battalion was known as the Mormon Battalion.  Among its many assignment a portion of the Mormon Battalion was sent to guard the Cajon pass and protect it from possible marauding indians. After the members of the Mormon Battalion were mustered out of their service, they returned to Salt Lake City to join their families.  President Young saw that Southern California could be a valuable supply route for the Utah pioneers.  So to establish a mail route and a supply stop/route for immigrants coming through California, President Young used church funds to buy property in the desired area from Antonio Maria Lugo, a Mexican rancher who had obtained a 35,000 acre grant after Mexico won independence from Spain.  Twenty families were asked by President Young to colonize the area.  Fifteen former Battalion men and their families were among the Saint who settled in the area in 1851, including Captain Jefferson Hunt.  The story of the settling the area here in San Bernardino was told in a story written by Sister Mills for the February, 2003 Ensign, if you are interested in reading more about it. 

After the experience at the park we took the new missionaries to the mission home to have lunch and an orientation meeting.  After the meeting about medical, financial and transportation issues they had initial interview with President Godwin. We cooked hamburgers, hot dogs and a little relaxing time where the missionaries could socialize with one another.  Later in the afternoon, their transportation arrived and they went to their various apartments to begin their service here.

Also for your information, we wanted to tell you about what we have been doing prior to your missionary’s arrival here in the field.

We  (President and I) have been involved in training the zone and district leaders in the new Simplified curriculum for the past  months.  They, the zone leaders and district leaders are involved in teaching the same program to all other missionaries in their areas.  We, along with members of the mission presidency and other senior missionaries will be attending those various meetings for the next few months.  This program will be taught to all new missionaries when they report to the MTC beginning in August of this year.  By that time, all of the missionaries here in the mission will know the program.  Preach My Gospel is the text the missionaries will continue to use, but there is an additional approach that has been prayerfully directed by the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles.  We were told in the MTC this past July in the Mission President's Seminar that they have spent many, many hours on bended knee and in the temple receiving inspiration on how to make it easier for the missionaries to teach and the investigators to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The use of additional principles contained within Preach My Gospel are being used to invite the Spirit in the initial interactions with a new investigator.  This process allows ample opportunity for the missionaries to ask inspired questions and then address the needs of those they teach.  The principle of the Doctrine of Christ is taught first where possible, but following the Spirit is still essential for the direction of the work.  The knowledge of the material in Preach My Gospel is vital to teaching by the Spirit, but not in rote fashion. 

We hope this information will be helpful to you. Some of it may  be retold to you by your missionary, but hopefully you have learned something you didn't know before.

We are looking forward to working with your missionary in this most wonderful of experiences - preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in this area.  There is a lot of diversity here.   The missionaries learn a lot about other cultures while they are serving here in San Bernardino.

We have a mission blog where I post pictures of the missionaries.  I will be posting pictures of the departing and incoming missionaries each transfer.  We also post other mission news and things of interest.   We try to get pictures of all of them, but keep checking because we add to it routinely.  The address or the blog is http://sanbmnews.blogspot.com.   If you ever have any questions, please call or send an e-mail anytime. 

Warmest regards,
Sister Godwin
President Godwin

Kyle and the other new missionaries with their mission president,
Pres. Godwin, in the front.

Kyle with President and Sister Godwin

Companions from St. George

Eldon Karratti, a man from St. George who works in Los Angeles, delivered Kyle's bike for us.  Instead of taking it to the mission office, he was able to take it right to Kyle.  That  was so nice of him.  He also took a picture of Kyle and his new companion, Elder Bowler, who is also from St. George.  What are the chances of that?  Kyle is in Apple Valley.  I'm looking forward to hearing from him.

Elder Kyle Ettinger and Elder Bowler

Ames made it to Tucson!

So I made it all the way to Tucson, our flights were both pretty short so it was no big deal.

We had to wake up at 3 to get ready to get to the airport on time. Lame. :/

Tucson is hot, everyone wasnt lying when they said it was going to be. Its alot more deserty too. like alot more space and a lot less grass. lame.

Before I forget about it, SEND ME MY BIKE!! We will need them in every area, and some areas are bike only areas... so i need it. and i would rather have my own then have to buy some piece of crap bike here :P

So as i go though the week I write things down that i want to include in my emails and letters to other people. so here goes:

So are you ready to hear about where my first area is??? hmmm???

Well first of all I had to get up at 5 this morning because we had to get ready and be at the Trancfer cite at 630 :/ another early morning. I cant wait to sleep in tomorow until 615 :D ... :( thats when we have to wake up in this mission eww. So guess where my area is??

Gila Valley :) so stoked!!

Just asctualy got here about an hour or so ago, the transfer process is freaking long and required frequent stops for dropping off other missionaries and picking others up. we had to stop and unload and reload twice before we got here.

My apartment is pretty legit. its a farily new complex and apparently is the best appartment and bed in the entire mission :) I love the blessings.

My trainer aka "Dad" is Elder Sims, He is a spanish spaking missionary so we are in what is called a "Zebra" Companionship. One spanish one english missionary. It apparently happens quite often in the mission. He seems really cool and like a hard worker. We will see more when we start working.

In the MTC they said that in arizona we would be teaching like 4-5 lessons a day, because the members work so well and get us lots of referals.

Apparently here in Gila Valley we only teach 8 lessons a week because everyone is either a member or has already heard the lessons? we will see what goes down. We have a Dinner appointment tonight and so hopefuly we can score a referal or someting... Im not really sure how it all works.

We will probibly be comps for two transfers because there is some new 12 week training program that is starting up ? Well see what goes down.

Im going to send some pictures too because I can now actualy use a normal computer. Not one of those monitors they had at the MTC :P

I hope Kyle got to his mish ok, Im sure you did. Ill hear from you next week, My Pday is on monday unless it is transfer week then it is on Tuesday

Im super excited to get in some doors, Its really hot down here but we can just call that the Spirit :P

Love you all

Thanks for the Love and support 

-Elder Ettinger-

PS. Havent met President Lunt yet, Apparently he is over this area though. So sometime soon.

Ames and Kyle  May 29. 2011

Ames's MTC District

Goofy brothers/companions June 5, 2011

1st companion, Elder Sims & Elder Ettinger in Tucson

6/1/11 Letters

From Ames:

So im only in the MTC for a few more days :D i fly out on monday at like 710 in the morning. Im so excited to get to the feild.

First before i forget, apparently the mission office in tucson has changed their address. could you please call them using the number on one of those letters they sent, or find it online and find out what the adress is? cuz everyone will have the wrong one... and if you could dearelder me asap so i can start circulating that around. ill probibly send some postcards or something from tucson.

 

Addressing the questions everyone had:

One of my comps is going to tucson with me, the other is going to colorado springs

all but two elders in my district are going to tucson. so im excited about that.

Ill send some pictures in a few days. we cant email photos from the mtc computers because they are so protected and stuff... they dont even have a desktop its just a start menu with like the sites we can go to...

I dont use the other bag at all :P it would have been a hassel. and there are some backpacks in the bookstore here but they are all lame and i dont want any of them.

i leave on the 6th so they will just have to forward it on or something. it will get to me someday.

The TRC is soooo much fun. we got to teach a new convert last week and his nonmember grandson. it was soo cool. i love teaching and if you teach by the spirit it is so easy.

There is quite a bit of time on PDays to get everyting done. iv written like four letters and now email. and i have got my laundry all done and still am going to the temple in an hour or so. Its so much fun i cant even describe.

 

Thats funny that the dog doesnt listen very well haha. he alwasy seemed fine for me ;)

throw a ball for him from me :D

 

Maren,

Yes i feel like im getting better at teaching, we did some role plays with some new missionaries and they were so bad, but thats how i was two weeks ago haha. so yes there is some improvement.

I have been eating alot of salads and wraps. cuz all the other food is garbage. like its gotten so bad.

also good luck on your upcoming test.

 

Kim Nelson,

I have an elder in my district from Tropic Utah, small world right. His name is Elder Eddy. Do you know any Eddy's?

 

I Dont have much to say because this week was exactly like last.

Ill have more to say next week when im in TUCSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hope all is well.

love you all lots.

 

Elder Ettinger

 

From Kyle:

Hey everyone!,

This past week in the MTC has been awesome! we're learning so many things each day! and learning better ways to teach our investigators and stuff. My hand is pretty much all healed up now, but the stitches aren't all the way gone yet. TRC is the coolest most fun thing ever! we are teaching this guy named Mark Turco, he was raised baptist i think. but we taught him about god, jesus christ, and why we're here on earth, and also why we're here on earth. And loads more. but, we committed him to be baptised! which was super exciting for elder millward and myself.
There are four guys in our district going to forworth texas, and there are four going to san berdoo. All of my roomates are going to california, and the other room is going to texas make sense?

I'm getting so very excited to get to california and start working and changing lives! My testimony has grown so very much and its awesome!!

 

Guess what!! We just got back from doing more initiatory work at the temple. we had to go back in to find one of our other elders that was with us and guess who came up to me.... Our cousin Katy! it was such a happy coincidince! i just said hello, told her when we were heading to the field, and then we had to be on our way. But, it was super sweet! She said she was gonna text maren and tell her, and make all of you guys jealous.

 

The past two weeks have just flown on by! and i can tell that its gonna probably continue to be like that! i meant to bring the letters that you guys send to me. so i can answer the questions you ask. but i forgot this time. So i'm doing my best to remember them. Thanks for the package with the goodies and my drum pad and shoes and stuff! i appreciate it alot! Getting packages here is like christmas! everyone in the district like gathers around as your open your box ha!!

 

I think my next opportunity to write is going to be in california when i get there. i'm not sure if i'm allowed to call in the airport. plus it may just make me miss the family all over again, which i'd rather stay away from. But, as of right now i'm doing great! loving my mission! and SO SO SO glad i chose to come! I'm so stoked to help the people in california!

 

I'm sorry you dont have your hard strong buff workers anymore! looks like the lot up at kolob is just a wreck and a mess! Good luck cleaning it all up!!

 

Mom, they have a little computer thing to load your pictures from the memory card. kinda like at walmart ya know? and it only took a day to get them printed, then you pick them up and pay the next day. Its great!

 

I love you guys all so very much!! i'm wanting to check out the eldersettinger blog when i get to my mission! when i can actually go to an internet site other than LDS.org and mormon.org ha! they really restriced us here in the MTC. But its probably a good idea to keep everyone safe! I still see ames quite a bit, and christian clayton! My old Co-work buddy! there are two other boys that we went to dixie with, christian stovall and jared sullivan that i saw as well! its awesome to see people we know around here.

 

well i love you all lots! and i'm so appreciative of your support and love! i can always feel your prayers! and i'm praying for my fam back at home!! we're reminded here a few times that when we choose to go on a mission, our family is safe and protected while we're gone. So i keep that it mind alot.

 

Enjoy your week!! i know i'll enjoy mine! love you guys! keep having fun! and Stay happy and joyful!!

Love, Elder Kyle Ettinger

 

I'll talk to you again when i'm in the field!!!! Time to get to work!!