Rollercoaster of a week

Hi Mom!

So this week was the biggest up and down. The first 2 days were average. Then on wednesday we had the biggest rollercoaster of good things and bad things. So We started off with service that we do weekley at this goodwill place for 2 hours. Then as we were walking out we saw some ties we wanted to get. So we buy them. Then one of the cashiers was like "what church do you guys go too cuz im looking for a christain one"? Then I explained who we were and where church is and what time and gave her a mormon.org card with our names and number. I felt really good and as we were getting into the car the manager came out and chastized me for proselyting during business hours. In my head i was like "Bro you obviulsy dont know missionaries cuz i answered a question and if you thinkt thats prosilyting you should see what we really do" So i just appologized and we left.

Then we had 3 appointments all fall through that night. But ended it good was we got a new gator (thats what we call investigators)! we taught him the restoration on the door and when we commited him to reading the B.O.M. and coming to church he said "I will, because it feels like thats something important and that I should do, you know?" after he explained he wanted to go to a church because he really wanted something "like that" in his life. That ended that emotionally up and down day on a really good note.

This area is so hard to find people to teach. Everyone is either a school teacher at either Universites or Elementaries and the rest work in DC. So we only have a small window to tract every night after dinner till 830. Were trying so hard and our faith and patience was tested reallly good and we finally got a gator. That felt so amazing. Were way excited to FINALLY teach. So the rest of the week was average then sunday hit. Man it was awesome. A great fast sunday then did some tracting then we went to a members house who were all brazilian and he had Bazilian Stroganaugh. HOLY COW so good. Then we went to a spanish baptism out in great falls. My companion found this kid named fransico who is 15 and committed him to baptism the night before he was transfered so we got to attend the baptism. Through Fransiscos example, his mom. grandma and grandpa were all baptized and the best part was it was on the Grandpas birthday. So we celebrated 2 things afterwards. But the spirit was so incredible. The whole serivice was in spanish and i couldnt understand a word yet i knew what was going on and it was awesome. Then all the elders got up and we sang "I am a child of god" in spanish. That was so incredible. Then the conductor asked us to stay up there and in english told Fransisco "This is what its like to be a real man" and pointed at all of us. Man that was so humbling and i was way shocked when he said that. Then the member that picked us up, drove a Pontiac Trans AM T-Top so we drove home in style. That added to the fun. This week had it all but im loving it!

Love Elder Powell

Back to normal...

Hey Mom,

So this week started off way slow because i was in the appartment from monday-wednesday recovering from my surgery. Diffrent Elders stayed with me on exchanges up until Thursday. Thursday i was sick of being inside so it was a normal day on the schedule. I was really slow at walking (which hurt as well hahaha) but its better than sitting around. So each day got a little better and better. Now the area is a little tender but i feel at about 85%. I can walk normal. Its a little hard to go from sitting to standing. But im feeling a lot better.

We are working a lot with less actives and are tracting a ton but our were struggling with getting investigators and especially progressive investigators. Thats what we really are praying for. We want to teach and were just itching to at this point. Other than health and our progress everything else is good. The ward were in is so nice and the second the whole ward found out I was in the Hospital we got so many calls and food and goodies. It was awesome. Also the members brought us awesome wood bed frames because we didnt have any frames just mattresses on the floor and it was hard for me to get up off the floor after my surgery. We also were just were given a new dresser this moring. Our old one only had 3 drawers so now we have 6.

I went to my first Zone confrence wich was really fun. We did a lot of activities there. THe weather has been so wierd. Some says hot, some cold, and some perfect. The members say its the wierdest weather they've seen. But everythings is good and im healing really fast so no complaints!

O ya i got to give my first blessing. It was only annointing but man was i nervous. I was mega scared but i felt really calm and peaceful afterwards and i just felt good. Thats pretty much how i can describe it. I did it for Sister Doxey a less active. And she was said i did a good job and Elder Holfeltz said i did too so i am sure the Lord accepted it.

So theres these things called DC cookies. You'll see them in the pics. So Sister Albright went to DC and got them for me. YOu have wait like 2 hours in line because there so good and everyone wants one. But she special ordered them online and was able to go right in and get them so when her and President Albright visited me at the apartment they brought them. Their the best!

I love you,

Elder Powell

Tracting, dinners and emergency surgery!!

Hi Mom,
The picture attached is pics the Weinman kids sent me i have them above my desk, they are awesome, please tell them thanks!

I cant really remember much earlier this week before my surgery. Just a lot of tracting and it was really windy. So come friday night a really nice family took us to Johnny Rockets and i got this huge burger and afterwards felt these sharp pains. I thought it was heart burn and asked for some tums at the appointment we had after dinner. They kind of helped but then i couldnt walk to the car because it felt like i was being stabbed. So we made it home and i crashed on my bed right away. I kept waking up at night and then in the morning i knew i had to go to the urgent care. So we did and then the doctor there made it sound like i had cancer or something awful and told us to go to the ER immediately. Then the doctor at the ER said it could be a couple things. One was a Crohns flare up (which is very bad) and i was praying it wasn't so i was more than happy when it was just a appendicitis. They got me prepped for surgery within 40 minutes of the results of the Cat Scan. I literally got to call you as they where wheeling me into the operating room, so that was awesome. The only question i asked her was how long until i could eat. She said it was depending on how i handle the liquid diet after surgery.

Long story short i got to eat Sunday morning! So Then the whole youth came and visited us in the hospital. They asked what they could do for me and I had them sing Jesus wants me For a Sunbeem. It was really funny. Then i got to go home. President and Sister Albright stopped by the apartment and brought me these things called DC Cookies. People wait like 2 hours in line for these things. She special ordered them online and got them for me. Thats just a sample of how awesome my mission President and his wife are. Well i dont remember much more, which could be the morphene or vicadin, ill leave that up for debate. My companion spent the night with me in the hospital and said I talked to you after recovery, but I don't remember much. A lot of people from my ward came to visit me, even before I was out of recovery and they have been great about bringing me stuff since I got back to my apartment.


The pain isnt too bad. The vicadin is helping. The Albrights are way cool about it . The other Elder that this happened to was out for 5 days. I dont think i'll be out that long so i'll be back anywhere from Thursday to Saturday. But im trying to do my best and recover so we'll see what happens. I have to go shopping today so that all the other elders can use the scooter thing, hahaha im excited for that. I am feeling better and and am gonna be inside until thursday and see if i can work then. Im in good hands, dont you worry mom!

Love

Elder Powell

Oh, the blessings of the Kindgdom!!

Hey Mom!

So Virginia is way cool. The second we landed President Albright and the AP's took us on a tour of DC. We drove around it but didn’t hop out, but we still got to see all the stuff I took some pictures as we were driving by it all.

So on the plane ride a family wanted to sit together so i offered for 3 of us Missionaries to switch with them and we got moved to the front and had all the leg room in the world! Oh the blessings of the kingdom! So then we ate a delicious dinner of enchiladas at the Albrights and had a little fireside. Then we went to bed and all had interviews the next day and went street contacting at GMU. George Mason University. It was awesome. I gave 2 pass along cards out and it was difficult at first because everyone was either on the phone or listening to an ipod. But i talked with a Russian guy named Constantine and then another guy. Pretty much DC is the melting pot of the world. There's over 137 different cultures through out here.

Next we went to the transfer meeting. My new companion is Elder Holfeltz from West Jordan Utah. My first area is Ashburn. The nickname for it is Cashburn because its so expensive to live here and the county its in is Loudon county which is the richest county in the nation! We have had dinner with alot of people and taught a lot of lessons. Tracting has been awesome. We've gone in the rain, wind, and its snowing today so that’s also on the list. The people are really nice except one guy who freaked out and told us we were breaking the law and he was gonna call the cops on us. Well the streets are scary at night because there’s basically no lighting on them so its nerve-racking. The only thing bad about my companion is he's a scary driver. But o well!

THE FUNIEST THING EVER HAPPENED! When we were tracting a girl opened the door and when we were talking we came to find out she grew up in Placentia and graduated from El Dorado in 09! is that hilarious? She didn’t know Courtney. But still what are the chances of that! She’s moving back there soon so we left her a card and she might call us to help her move and if she does then you'll have to be on the receiving end and get the missionaries in P3 to help her move in! So if that happens continue the work in Placentia!

But anyways we share an apartment with 2 others. Elder Lafeen from South Jordan Utah who doesn’t know Mckenzie and didn’t know Elder Holfeltz before our mission. And the other is Elder Mochizuki. He's from Southern Cali as well. So My trainer is one of the few people who has only been out 12 weeks, just got done with his training, and now he's training me! Crazy huh!. Well the Bishop of the ward is way cool. He’s a professor at Georgetown. I see Lacrosse stuff everywhere and I LOVE IT!! IF we make all our goals in week we get to do stuff. Like Elder holfeltz and his last companion went to a GMU basketball game. So I wanna go to a UVA lacrosse game. There's 3 Washington Redskins football players in my ward. Its called the Brambleton ward. I havent met them yet because they don’t show up to Church that often but im gonna tell my companion we must go meet them and stop by and share a lesson asap!

Well, the work is hard, the days are long, the people are awesome! There are trees everywhere and its kinda weird. But all the same i still love it and im excited!

Love

Elder Powell

Goodbye Provo, Hello Washington DC!!

So i leave tomorrow morning at 5 and i'm way excited. So this week started off with us finally getting new roomates and their the funniest combo ever. Elder Hayes is from Florida and he h as a dry sense of humor but he's way cool. Elder Cook is from Nothern Cali (Rocklin) and he is the funniest kid i have ever met. I'll send all the pics iv been taking at the MTC next week. But we keep learing so much and i'm way excited to finally get to MY MISSION!!! Every one here is really cool but its time for DC. I keep seeing Hermana Powell and shes doing great and cant wait to get to Texas.

This week was just preperation and getting us ready for the field. Theres this new 12week training program that the new missionaries in the field have to do so as soon as i get there they teat the new ones as a senior companion and we have an additional hour of study in the morning for companionship study. So that made us all a little nervous but its all good in the hood ya know what i mean? i've gotten little sleep this week because elder cook is so excited he doesnt stop talking till 1130 and says literally 12 minute prayers out loud cuz he prays better when he speaks out loud, which cracks us up. The MTC has been a great adventure but boy am i excited and stoked for DC!!!!!

I love you and miss you all but more than ever im having so much fun. Im actually excited to get up at 4. Wierd huh? The Lord truly does wok in mysterious ways hahaha. Oh well! Off to DC tomorrow morning!!!!!

Peace an blessins, peace an blessins,
Love Elder Powell/Boy/ Hermano Muchacho