October 29, 2013 Starting Over

Whats up everybody?! This week was slammin'!! I dont know why I said that but it was a super good week. We went on exchanges this week with the zone leaders and I held my own with just me being able to speak spanish. It definatly was a week a miracles!

Starting off... Im getting transfered. We got the call last night and Im not sure where Im going but we find out at transfer meeting tomorrow to figure it all out!  Really sad Im pretty bummed but at the same time I kindof knew it was comming and have been getting excited for it. Plus idk I just want to see the whole mission so thats good too! Im just really nervous for the people here.

Also David has a new date and he fasted this week so his dad could get papers to stay in the U.S. so that went super well I think they has their cort date either today or yesterday. We are going by later today. Also we have another new investigator with a date. Lauriano! Super solid guy but like everybody else he has a problem. He cant read! Everything we read to him he loves and he accepted babtism. We have been using the gospel art book to teach him and it has worked out really well. Its just going to be hard to get a testimony in a bood you have never read. But he says he knows the book of mormon is the word of God so Im actually not worried at all.

Roberto is... Oh boy a rollorcoster of emotions!! Its crazy over there! Elder knowlton and I went over there and he pulled us out of the house and told us not to come back. Pretty crazy after all the stuff we have gone through. But throught he persuasive power of the spirit and lots of stories and time we had FHE with them last night and he wants us to come all the time. He was just embaressed that he relapsed. So that is also starting over. He will report to rehab on janurary 2nd. Pretty rough house let me tell ya! but last night was a miracle and he feels the spirit big time and he knows what he has to do all he has to do is change.

We teamed us with 2nd ward and had a fall festival. I dressed up as Elder Knowlton and He dressed up as me (haha super creative I know) But we has a huge turn out and Ive havest seen so many members in one place in so long it was weird! Plus no member knew us so it was double weird. But David came and thats all that matters. Also the wilkersons came so that was a huge W for team missionaries. Other then that life is pretty cherry. biking is the best as always. Its still 80 degrees outside. And we got food in the fridge what more do you need? But I think thats all for today folks i will send out my new address when I can but for now jsut enjoy your halloween! WE are not allowed to go out so it should be a fun planning day in the new apartment. Welp. Geaux Tigers we had a nice feel good win for homecoming. Geaux saints. And Have a good week I know I will!

-Elder Drollinger   

October 21, 2013 This week in the (225)

Whats up fam! i hope all is going well!! This week was super sweet and im so pumped for another one!

First off Juan is going to the temple this saturday!!! We are all so excited for him and he is even feeding elder andrews and I this week! So we are extatic about that and it should be a solid day. We also have the Wilkerson babtism not this saturday but the next! So the dad was doing super well, in fact he went 8 days smoke free but he relapsed this weekend hardcore so we get to start from square one agein. Fyi addiction recovery is just as hard on the people around you as it is for yourself. They are so happy and proud of their dad but this weekend was a real bummer. Their trailer is better and cleaned up not which is a mirror of thir house (spiritually) They did take a step back but I know we can take two foreword they have too much potential, support, and faith not too. Also we have been teaching the gomez fam and he has been sweet about reading and stuff but we think they might have gotten deported because nobody is home now. But we will see. Also things with David are going really well he was in New Orleans this last week with his aunt so he didnt come to curch but he will get another date tomorrow when we see him and his dad has turned a corner in supporting him. I think the whole situation with him and his visa expiring made him realize that tomorrow is never promised and he has to do something today! Motivated familly though he does really well in buisness so he sould be able to get citizenship for that alone. They are working it out. We also got a Less active family to commit to the temple! They are ready to go but they never come to church and have had some trials getting robbed a bunch lately. But they came agein to church this week for the first time in forever and had a way way way powerful expirience. I got lucky enough to sit next to them and help them out at church it was sweet! We meet with them 2 times a week and its also sweet because they work at night so we have the day time to see them! Also is our area there are like no strong members but Martin just said he is moving next week to our area and he has a powerful testimony and is way strong. So our member present lessons should go up very soon! And that will help a bunch with us. Also Jonathin is investigating agein after we had a lesson with him on saturday. he is 20 years old and super funny. He knows Felipe the Elders quarum president and they are friends. We will see how he does this week and if he comes to noche de hogar (fam night) tonight at Felipe's house. Yea so as you can tell a sweet week to be in south Baton Rouge plus! we had a babtism this week in the branch with the sister's investigator!!! That really opened the flood gates for another investigator who plays soccer with us and countless others because she has the desire to do missionary work! Baton Rouge is truely where the milk and honey is!!!

I was also thinking about why people are converted. And why they open their door up to us. Here is what I decided. King Lamoni after being converted went with Ammon to his dad's house and then they left. Ammon gave him to the other sons of Mosiah who had been in prison their to go teach them. Kindof like a refferal. I realized that how they talked to the king is litteraly the same speach we us today in my eyes it went something like this.

Sons of mosiah: Hey! We are missionarys from the church of crist have you talked to missionarys before?

King: Yea actually I have! where did Elder Ammon go I love that guy!

SoM: He got transfered  and is serving in another area but we can help you out!

King: Ok yea actually I do have some questions come on in!

King: So are their Prophets on the earth today?

SoM: Yea there are we actually have a prophet today!

                          (Continues with questions)

Som: (in Alma chapter 22:16)

16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt ^abow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the ^bhope which thou desirest.

King: Ok yea I will pray to know if the church is true!

Then he faints and becomes converted. What a golden investigator! But what I noticed was that Aaron didnt say that you can recive the faith you desire but he said the hope. In Either 12:4 it says:

4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God.

We can recive the faith we need without first having the hope that it can come to pass. The king might of had feeling that what Ammon said was true and his faith increased but Aaron increased his hope and thats what "{made him} sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorifyGod"

So spred some hope this week and help out the missionarys cuse hope is whats going to get them reading in the book of mormon!

i think thats it this week even though a bunch more happened. I decided in my emails you see maybe like 2% of what actualy goes down here in the (225). THe swamp is a great place to be even if it smells really bad all the time. And even though LSU lost super bad they are still #1 in my heart. Geaux Tigers. anyways gotta jet we are going out to campus today to go to the bookstore. Next week I think we are going to the capitol building which should be super fun as well but not as fun as the temple!

have a good week I know I will!!

-Elder Drollinger

 

October 14, 2013 The Weekly Grinder

Holla Familia! Como Estan Todos?

This week was a little better then last week. Actually a lot better now that I think about it but first things first. Some of you may be wondering how you pronunce "Geaux" Geaux is French but at the same time its not even french. Its a made up word but if you were french you would say is like you would say "Go". Since Louisianna used to be french the people root for their teams but saying that. For example "Geaux Tigers or Geaux Saints". Now you know (Rachel). haha This week we actually went down into New Orleans! They say its a city designed by the french and populated by the blacks and that is the most acurate description I could tell you about that place. Its a mad house! But! We did go see Drew Brees' house so that was cool its right by the Downtown apartment. There is still damage from Katrina way bad but people just kind of live with it. But is was a nice visit Elder Andrews passed his diabeties test so he can still be a missionary! We went with the office elders and ran some errends as well and we got to see most of the mission. It was great! The highlight this week was Roberto stopped smoking!!! He has been trying for 15 years and gavee up on it. When we talked about babtizing his daughter he got really into it and hasent missed church and want to meet with us. He went from 2 packs a day fro 2 years down to a half a pack a day 4 days ago and now he hasnt smoked in 4 days and counting. We need to get him to 7 to be official but the point is he has never done this before and we might delay the babtizm if president feels like he is worthy and if its something he want to do. But right now its the 27th of this month for the date. Which is the same date that Juan our secritary in the branch is going through the temple for the first time! Im pretty stoked and its the last saturday of the transfer so im safe! We also went to the temple this week! What a great expirience that was!! The temple on the mission just seems like such a blessing and especially for us becasue we might be the only area or missionarys that get to see it every day. Its better then home! But seriously its a crazy blessing and Im so glad we have it! But yea it was a good week and I needed it. This week elder McCutchoun and I are on exchanges. He is only a transfer ahead of me so it should be fun for two new people to spanish to have an area to ourselves but im not worried at all we both speak super well, but its going to be great he is an amazing elder who has had to go through a lot. Im sad to hear about the wheat this year thats a real bummer and Im really sorry.

I guess you could say the harvest out here is going great the sister's babtizm is friday and I know this is going to open the flood gates for our area and we should have a way good turn out from our investigators because babtizms for hispanics are a huge deal. Plus we talk to everyone about it haha. We also have a new investigator or a few actually. The Gomez family! The husband and wife, and his father all live in the same house and are solid and it sounds like they took lessons in honduras. The catch is is the husband (David) just got taken to imigration and is awaiting deportation. She is like 3 months pregnant and living with her father in law so its an intresting situation. But they are solid as a rock!

Soccer this week was good i scored 3 goals and was even a team capitan! Better watch out marianne! They have a semi-pro leauge here and they play for money. Thats the guys we play with and they are good but I am fast so it makes it fun. But they mean buisness and they dont play around when it comes to soccer it dosent matter how good of friends you are you are never that close. Its great. Anyways I gotta run but Geaux Tigers! Dr. Wittenburg came by it sounds like he might have seen me we spent all weekend on the bikes on burbank where everyone goes to to get to the stadium. Who Dat' Geaux Saints 6-0? Sounds like they are doing good as well. Have a good week I know I will.

-Elder Drollinger

sorry no bugs this week but I did run over a dead armadillo with my bike

October 6, 2013 *Kind of a rated R letter heads up it was a wild week*

Dear Family!

Yea the heading says it all ive seen some crazy stuff this week kind of a downer but there is always Hope! Especialy after confrence! So is all started when on exchanges Elder O'donnal and I went to a dinner apointment. This in of itself is the tender mercy that this couple signed up. They are not married and the woman is 8 months pregnant. They are working on getting married. Anyways we pulled up and it just felt wrong. We went up to the house, the lights were on but nobody answered. We returned to the car and called our member that was going to attend with us. We then tried agein. They answered the door together, the moment they did so I had an overwelming feeling of darkness. I have not felt that way in a very long time or maybe ever. Tears were in both of their eyes and they asked us to come back later. Then they started fighting. Pushing , punches, screaming, swearing and all things ugly! I never prayed so hard for the spirit and for an angel then at that moment. Thats when we called President Wall! He said we couldnt call the cops because she had to call them so we could only watch through the window. We retreated to the car after it was clear we needed a plan. We called the member agein and he sped over. He came in to the house and we talked it out with them. He was our angel that came. He spoke with the spirit and knew the perfect thing to say. They calmed down and wept. We left the house with a kneeling prayer and left the rest to them and God. The next day we visited them. After we left they opened up The Proclomation to the world and read and counceled together! They apologized for their action and sought for repentance. They had changed! Im so greatgul they signed up on that day because God knew what would happen. What a miricle The Proclomation is as well!! It was a rollar coaster but they learned to turn in times of conflict to the Lord and his council. They are meeting with the branch president.

Next story of why I hate Saten and his war on the family. I got back the next day and a couple we are teaching asked us to translate. They said it was for a notary and we were just happy to serve we agreed! We got there and they were fighting in the car. Turns out they arnt married and they are making the document to give the child to the mom. So pretty much we were splittling up their family and translating so they could do so. Lots of more crying and fighting but I was expirienced now! I pulled out The Proclamation but they wouldnt have it. they read over it but did not accept. So she has the rights now to ashley the most precious little honderanian 3 year old on the planet Sad day. The next day we returned and tought The wife but the husband ran away. She is reading the Book of Mormon and progressing. Maybe things will get better I dont know it looks pretty grim for them. But do you see the diffrence in their lives?! The gospel is true and its only through it the family can be saved. Just listen to Elder Oaks talk! Crazy stuff...
I guess the other thing that gets me is drinking. That litteraly destroys homes. you know its about to get real when you walk up to a door and you crunch glass in your feet from all the broken beer bottles or all the dozens upon dozens of caps. But thats why God has missionarys right? I will be honest I did hit kindof a low point this week. After all of this I was on my bike. Sick and coughing and I thought "man things couldnt get worse right now" Then Karren our lovely friend in the Gulf Began to Pour buckets of rain on my head the entire day and to top it all off David couldnt meet with us this week and we need to move his date. So as I was sitting there in the rain I thought "this is the worst." then I just started thinking that this was what I prepped for my whole life was this moment right here!!! Was I going to give up? not a chance. So I drug Elder Andrews at the speed of sound on bikes visiting and teaching all that we could. Ill be honest GC got in the way a little bit. haha I remember we stopped at a light and Elder A said "Are you sure your are sick you look fine to me" hahah but the good news is I got a new inhaler SUPPRISE! Kindof saved my life a few times but i am getting better now and havent used it in about 24 hours it was a nasty sickness. but we got to go now and save blas our lovely friend who we need to save his life by translating at least he is taking pills now he needs sugery to take out his new grafted bone. The docters love us there.

Have a good Week I know I will!!

-Elder Drollinger

September 30, 2013 Hola!

Phew! just got back from the hospital! Translating is stressful esspecially when you are needed on p-day buts all good I love the hospital!!! Its a great place and I love the way it runs its beautiful! Two words. HUGE ROACH!!! Last night the biggest thing I had ever seen came across our floor Im talkin Big TIme!!! At least 4 inches long and 2 across and if you count the antennas it was at least 8! We cought it and but a basket on it. Then it busted out, crawled up Elder Andrews leg and he kicked it out it was so funny and discusting at the same time. Dont worry its dead but it took a lot of effort and paper towels. The work is moving foreword really well and we got feed this week! A man from Idaho working with a hispanic here feed us they are solid and both served missions. David is doing ok I guess we are working with his dad he is really holding him back. But its going to happen I just know it! We actually did a lot of service this week and we are still working with pete becasue whenever the eenglish missionarys come he is not home (bummer!) hahaha Im not too upset :) We did a lot of finding too which is a favorite avtivity of mine because you meet some flat out weird people and its great haha. Since i came from the hospital I dont have pictures from the culture night they are back at the apartment but holy smokes hispanics know how to throw a party!!! We had decorations, live band, tons of food and triple the number in our congergation came!! Then only like 50 came to church but at least we got them in the door! Our president dressed up and the tables were pushed aside for dancing it was like... crazy!!! Plus the food was good haha. We are getting excited for general confrence and so are the members and we have a bunch of investigators coming aleady so I hope its good! Anywasy I gotta go I might finish emailing later we got cut short today but i will finish!

-have a good week I know I will! Geaux Tigers (Supid Georgia)

-Elder Drollinger

September 23, 2013 Hola Familia!

CONGRATS TO RACHEL!!!!!!! Thats sweat!!! Nicaragua will be great and I hear if you talk to people they get babtized within the week hahaha The work here is on FIRE!! The sisters have an investigator who is getting babtized the same day as David!! Thats 2!!! Since Febuary!! The branch is going crazy as well! We are currently in operation Buble Burst. We are trying to get so many people to church that president has to put us in the chapel and re-arrange the whole schedual Muahaha its a great plan and our branch President isi working really hard to fight for it in the meetings. All the members as well are really catching the vision and are more dedicated then ever. With these babtisms the work I know will explode. Im on top of the clouds after this week! Aslo, this man who stuggles with smoking and he wants to babbtize his daughter but he cant, anyways he realized that he is holding her back and she is getting babtized as well!!! AHHHHH!!!!! He has really come a long ways esspecially in the past 2 weeks!! I think the diffrence is FHE! They are now holding in their house and the spirit now can dwell there and it makes ALL the diffrence so have FHE it changes lives!! PLUS we are stil working with Peter, man I love that guy he is just sweat and so preped its not even funny... We are so blessed as well! At bishops store house they accidently sent a ton of extra food so they gave it to us and all the baton rouge missionarys that were there as well! Our cubords are stocked and our freezer is full! I dont know if life could get and better right now.. Oh yea! We also played soccer in the pouring rain this week and it was a blast!! Its way more fun that way. We got dumped on on saturday... Speaking of which on top of all that a couple in our ward got sealed!!!! on Saturday!!! We went and it was so great if not the highlight of the week if there was one. That was a great day! After we went to an all you can eat buffet and celebrated with their childen (they are older and not members) it was great for them to see their parents litterally glowing in happiness and the joy they recieve from the temple. I hope they see that and want it in their lives. Yea like I said the branch is on fire and its only getting better! LSU is cruzing ferom what I hear. We had Ihop on saturday as well and ate with all the tailgaters it was sweat. Plus we randomly found a girl on the street who stopped us. She was babtized about a year ago and even keeps in contact with her sister missionary. She moved from den springs and didnt like the ward but thats ok becasue the LSU ysa ward has a new member now! i dont know if we will ever see her agein though because the sister missionarys took over. Thats ok though. OH! Spider is Louisianna are HUUUGGGEEEE!!! We were biking and I though I was cool by going off the road. NOT! Here down south the road is the only place that is not swamp so you just have to realize that. Anyways I drove though a spider web I couldent see. Then, the largest Banana Spider was on my handle bars. I stared death right in the face and it was right by my hand. Thanks to my stength and courage I threw my bike down and ran away like a little girl. its mouth might could have taken off my arm in one bite. Not really but it was about the size of my hand and thats pretty big if you come from the west. Plus is was yellow and black it was pretty nasty. Anyways were are about to go play ball and translate for a court case (turns our we have another job! Playing lawer!) Its going to be fun Ill talk about it next week. Have a good week I know I will!!!!!

-Elder Drollinger

September 17, 2013 The Latest from the Field

Como Estan Todos?!

Sounds like their is a ton going on in the outside world! Sounds like Boulder got hit pretty hard as well. 17 inches huh? Guess thats why is didnt rain here this week!! Im glad you all had fun at the farm as well Im sad I had to miss out! We are actually digging a garden this week for a member tomorrow so im pretty excited for that! There is nothing like manual labor in 94 heat with 80% humidity haha This week was crazy though!! The exchange went super well and I got to be a college kid for a few days! haha We did freedom speach ally where we get people to sign up and ask questions on campus its great! i also went to my first 2 singles ward and institute activities haha It was weird and it was also weird because I did it as a missionary but it was fun we played ultamite frizebee and the other we had lunch! There was a member who took us in his super nice BMW as well it was a blast! We tracked around campus and saw all the tailgating (people here tailgate all week its crazy) To top it all off we got invited to dinner at an investigators house. 

This week we finally contacted Peter!! He is from he carribian and he has the coolest aura I guess you could say he is too legit! We commited him to babtism and he gave up drinking in one lesson and we hardly said a word! Too bad he is english haha and we are turning him over in our next lesson tonight. sad day. But he is giving us a carribian bbq so Im stoked about that!! He is soo golden! THe other cool part is David! (He is ours for real) He got a date!!!! He is so ready! October 12th is the day and we are biking with him to church because his dad wont wake up to give him a ride but he is soo golden as well. This week finally paid off Im on top of the clouds. It dosent even feel like Im on a mission any more in the sence that I just living life and sharing the gospel. People look at you weird and treat you diffrent but its all good.

Spanish is going well we have been translating a lot and Im getting pretty good! i dont have to worry about it so much and I can just talk like a normal person insted of looking super novice while I speak haha

Oh! also this week is transfers so thats why Im writing on tuesday. Im staying here with Elder Andrews but Elder Page is leaving :( Other than that our district is the same.

Welp! We are about to go play some frizbee at LSU so i guess I will see y'all next week! Eat some cajun food its super good and drink some Orchata and Alovera Drink they are so so so so so good I love it!!

have a good week I know I will!!!

Mischif Managed

-Elder Drollinger