6/17/13 from Elder Mitts

This week has gone amazing. we are finding like we never have before, 4 new investigators just this week! we are really excited for all of the success the Lord is blessing us with. There is a lot to do, and we are flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon. we are doing tours of the chapel with the community starting next week and we are really seeing excitement from the ward for that, everyone we have talked to has committed to bringing someone with them. The Lord has blessed with an awesome companion, and some awesome sisters who are working in the same ward. There is gonna be some conversion happening, BAPTISMS!!!!

6/10/13 from Elder Mitts

It has been an amazing week! Got my new companion, Elder Morgan, who is from Georgia, fresh Greens straight from the MTC! He has got to be one of the most humble guys I have every has the privilege of coming into contact with. he is going to be such a powerful missionary when I am done with him. Muahahahahahahaha! no but seriously he is great. He is so ready to learn and is void of pride in the work. We are so excited because we are also working with sisters. They are an inspiration, they are extremely hard working and exceptionally caring. They are so much fun to work with, and we get to keep them all to our district. the rest of the zone doesn't have any sisters yet, but they probably will get some next transfer.

My faith has been tested this week, and my capacity has grown. I just finished my own training last week, and now I am responsible for training my new companion, being the model area in my district, and helping all of the companionships in my area improve their efforts, so I went from basically taking care of myself, to having responsibility over my companionship and 2 others, who are both training as well. It can be a little overwhelming at times, but so far so good, and I know the Lord is helping me. I am so excited to go through this training program again with a new Elder. I feel like I am still learning it.

We have a new zone leader as well, an Elder Bottorf. He is a really cool guy, very solid in his knowledge and testimony of the gospel. I lead the District meetings and he was there for this weeks, practicing with Elder Morgan while I was giving advice to all the groups. super cool to see all of the elders and sisters work.

I have a feeling we are going to have a baptism soon. I dont know where it is coming from but hey, FAITH!

I Love you all so much and appreciate all the prayers and everything else you do for me.

Love,

Elder Mitts

4/30/13 from Elder Mitts

[Sorry this one is out of order - but it is great to read his testimony]
It is a weird feeling that I have been experiencing this last week,with Elder Lieberum getting ready to go home He will be gone Monday, and I will be getting someone new. I will find out tonight whether or not I will be training, I honestly hope I am, I'm ready to whip some 18 year old into shape! :)

We talked about the Book of Mormon in our training this morning. It has all the answers. It's not even fair for us to not share it with those around us. The sons of Mosiah agreed and they were "desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they coud not bear that any human soul should parish." (Mosiah 28:3) What was it that made them feel this way? It was that same thing that converted the people they taught. (Alma 26:31), "We can witnesss of their sincerity," there true conversion, "because of their LOVE towards their brethren and also towards us."

To become truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to follow those 2 great commandments, Love God, and Love they Neighbor. I know this is true. Thanks so much for being awesome parents.
Elder Mitts

5/28/13 from Elder Lieberum

Dear Mitts Family,
My name is Elder Lieberum and I am your son's Trainer. I just wanted to let you know how awesome he is and what a great missionary he has become. We have had moderate success in finding people to teach but he hasn't given up. He has great faith and I know he will be a successful missionary through out his mission. His testimony is powerful and the spirit is his real companion. He has great love for our investigators and has helped them to progress toowards gaining a testimony. He is my final companion due to my mission ending on June 4th, when I fly home. I am 25 years old and I don't believe it was by chance that we were made companions. I remember when I entered the mission field at the age of 23. So I can relate to Elder Mitts and it really helped us develope our friendship. He is such a great friend and I look forward to getting in contact with him when he completes his mission. My misison has changed my life and I know the gospel is true. I have had many experiences through out my mission and have grown to know that this church is Christ's true church. Your son is amazing and I could not have ask for a better companion to finish my mission with. I just wanted to say thank you for helping Elder Mitts to prepare to serve. He the best prepared new missionary I have trained. I have trained 2 other Elders prior to Elder Mitts and the difference is black and white. I really didn't have to do much. I'm sure you are looking forward to his honorable return as my family is looking towards my return on Tuesday. I love being a missionary and will be forever greatful for the blessing of serving a mission.
Best wishes,
Elder Lieberum

6/8/13 from Sis Ruch

Let me explain the two pictures here of your missionary. First the one of Sister Williams, Elder Walker (the zone leader) and Sister Hehl I with the Grand Bar. This is my tradition for when a new missionary comes to my ward I give this to them reminding then we expect grand things because we know they are grand. Elder Walker having just been in my ward was now making history by passing a bar to the new sisters. My ward, Westpark, has never had sisters so I am in hope of getting to go out with them sometime. The second picture is of the group after dinner, of BLT, chips, and dessert, and before we had prayer. Just know each is loved as I look forward to getting to know each all the better. 

From left to right: Elder Bottorff. Elder Walker, (from the singles ward)  Sister Williams, Sister Hehl, (from Westpark Ward) Elder Mitts, Elder Morgan (from the Oakcreek Ward)  and the senior couple is Elder and Sister Davis (also from the Westpark Ward)

Enjoy! 
Bobi Rush

6/13/13 from Elder Mitts

I love getting stuff in the mail and email so send the love both ways, i sent a letter but I am going to update you probably before it gets to you. 

 

I AM TRAINING AND A DISTRICT LEADER!!!!

I am so excited to get my Greenie tomorrow, and quite sad to see Elder Lieberum go home, but i have his address and email so we will keep in touch. it is true what they say, that you will forever remember your first companion, i cant believe it is already done, my training is over and now i will be training...

My district is going to be interesting, it is 2 wards, and it consists of Me and my trainee, a sister Risley, and her new Trainee she will be getting tomorrow, a sister Williams, and her new Trainee she's getting tomorrow, and a senior couple, the Davis's. It is definitely going to be some interesting District Meetings that I get to lead.

They are splitting my area to make room for the new Sister Missionaries, Sister Risley and her trainee, so it will be interesting how they do it because it is super lopsided, there are a lot more people on the top half, (which is where the sisters are supposed to be) then the bottom.

I am back on bike tomorrow, my back has been feeling better, so hopefully with those stretches i have been doing it wont be a problem. One of our Investigators got a Temporary Job till the end of this month so we are not sure when she is going to want to meet again, she is really busy right now. the other is steadily progressing, and is meeting with us at least 1 time a week, sometimes 2 or 3, and she takes the sacrament every week.

My Testimony has grown so much since i have come out here, I am so glad that I am here doing the Lord's work.

I Know that the Book of Mormon is God's word, that he brought this amazing work to pass so that we might all return to live with him at the end of our days here on earth, and what a glorious day that will be when we can stand before God with our eyes beaming and our countenances bright, and here him say Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, that he restored this church, which is the TRUE Church of Jesus Christ, in these the Latter Days. I know that Thomas S Monson is God's Prophet today, and leads this church by revelation, and that Christ is the Head of this church, not any man. I am so greatful to all of my Family and Friends for all of their support, I could not have done it without you. I love you all!

Elder Mitts

6/3/13 from Sis. Rush

Last night I had the joy of having your sons in for ice cream. With Elders Lee and Lieberum returning home tomorrow and now Elders Walker and Winters being transfered this was our way of saving you have been so appreciated. After all the fun I had each bear his testimony and let me just say this was one of the most tender as well as spiritual moments ever. One singing, some short, some longer but each so strong in what they know to be true. So I thank each of you for raising wonderful sons and even more tenter is the right choices they are making with their life.

5/25/13 from Sis Rush

Here are your wonderful sons after a taco salad dinner at my non member friends home on Thursday. Fifth over is the future AP of the Irvine Mission, along with three of our wonderful Korean Elders.

From Elder Mitts:
Sister Rush is from another ward in the stake and she is awesome. That Picture with me holding the Koala is at her friend Kim's house, we had dinner at the Kim-zeum. Kim has so much kewl stuff, like an old piano that plays itself, and a secret passage into the attic. i got the Koala out of the crane game that she has in her kitchen, it only took me 4 tries! we all got to share our testimonies with her, since she is a non-member, and we left her with a book of mormon. we are hoping that something will come of that, but only time will tell.

Every week I will have what I aptly call the Weekly Update. i will try to keep it spiritual, but hey I am human and cant talk about the Gospel 24 hours a day, so forgive me. But...

Here's the Weekly Update!

This week has been fun. We got a car for a couple of weeks, then back to bike. Our investigators are progressing slowly, but there is steady forward motion. we are so excited to finish out Elder Lieberum's mission on a high note. We have a lot of camaraderie in the zone, all of the Elders are great! The spirit is so strong when we get together.

We are focusing this month on the Book of Mormon and studying it has brought back wonderful experiences in my past, when I have gained that testimony of the book and it divinity. There are so many reasons why i love having this book in my life, and there are so many times I can think of when it has truly made a difference for me. One such instance was when I was making the decision to come out here on the mission. I was so unsure, and there were a lot of things that were keeping me from coming to that decision. I was reading in the book of Alma one day about how Captain Moroni was preparing for war against the wicked Lamanites being led by Nephite dissentors, and it wasn't just the physical fortification that he put up that made the difference. he had to prepare them spiritually or he knew that they would lose. That is why I am out here, I am building Spirtual Forts, both for myself, and for the people out here in California. There are so many good people in the world, and all they need is the tools and materials to build there forts. the scriptures are the hammer and nails. prayer is the wood we use, and church attendance and participation in ordinances are the heaping of earth, and building of towers to oversee the land of our stewardship, so that no enemy may enter in and carry away anything or anyone in our city. these things are so important and crucial to our salvation and exaltation. there is so much happiness in these things that once we truly understand them, we will be like the people of Nephi who heard the words of King Benjamin, and will have No more desire to do evil, but to do good continually. I pray for this everyday, that we all may have this desire.

Stay Strong and Keep On,

Elder Mitts

5/20/13 from Elder Mitts

This week has been pretty awesome, we have kicked up our working with the ward missionaries to go and encourage all of the members of the ward to pick up the ward mission plan and make their own family mission plan. we have already had some success, we are going to meet with a referral from one of the ward members tonight, to teach her about the restoration.

I am also working with some of the Brethren in the ward on a quartet of I Stand All Amazed. it is going to be awesome. i love that song, it is my Fav, so i really want to sing my testimony to the ward. we have the Elders Quorum Pres, the High Priest Group Leader, the husband to the Young Women's Pres, and myself singing, with one of the priests, Will Tenney who is preparing for his mission, playing the Piano. We had dinner with the Tenney Family, and Sister Tenney told us that her father, G. William Richards, was actually the one who made the music for the hymn 297. There are so many cool people here in the Oak Creek Ward in Irvine California.

We had an interesting experience yesterday, we got called out of the 3rd hour because a member noticed that 2 women had walked in. they were Japanese, but spoke pretty good English  evidently one of them, Maikao, meet with the missionaries 6 months ago, then moved up to Anaheim  and just decided to stop by to see what church was like. the ward time had changed to 2 hours earlier, so they got here later then they had hoped for, so we invited them to come back and they said they would come back in 2 weeks, we exchanged numbers and hope to meet with her soon. 

I am so excited to continue progressing this work with another companion, but am sad that Elder Lieberum will be going home in 2 weeks. he had taught me so much, and you best believe i got his address and am sending him some letters. hopefully he wont make me Trunky with letters telling me about all the fun he is having back home. Lol jk. well i don't have too much else to say. love you all, Read your BoM and say your Prayers and everything will be OK!

5/13/13 from Elder Mitts

I don't have too much to say this week, I loved skyping home and see the family! that was so great to see how much Reed has grown, and getting to see Miles for the first time. They are 2 of my favorite nephews. We were over at the Henderson's house, sister Henderson is the Young women's President of the ward, and she and her husband have 5 kids, oldest is 16. they are an awesome family, super excited about the gospel and they just love each other. Our Stake had a Missionary Training Experience, where they went out and taught lessons to nonmembers, after practicing with members at the church.

I am continuing with my reading of the Book of Mormon, I am in Alma, just finished the Missionary chapters, the story of the sons of Mosiah going out to convert the Lamanites, they converted 7 whole cities, No Big Deal. And they did it because of there faith, and they took the opportunity to be servants, to serve those around them, they also just so happened to have really awesome members (King Lamoni with his whole household, and Lamoni's Father, and his household) who they worked with to bring more people into the church. there are so many opportunities for us to share the gospel in our everyday life.

I Invite (since my MTC teacher told us not to "challenge" anybody) all of you, to have the missionaries in your ward over for dinner, and talk with them about what you can do to help progress the work, it would surprise you what can actually help the work progress, it is a lot more then just having people over to listen to the missionaries.

I love you all and i know that this is the true church, and that our heavenly father loves us and wants us to become like him. That is why he sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to atone for the sins of the world, that we may through him, be redeemed from the fallen state we live in, and receive eternal life. Families are Forever if they are bound with the Holy and Sacred Ordinance that can only be performed by the Holy Priesthood of God. There is real Power in this church, and that power is an expression of Gods love for each and every one of us.

5/6/13 from Elder Mitts

we are really excited this week, Elder Lieberum and I, because our bishop is really stepping up on getting the Ward involved in the work. we just got a new Ward Mission Leader, Brother Barlow, who we (and the Lord) are molding into the kind of leader we want the privilege of working with. The ward missionaries are getting more involved in the ward mission plan, and getting it out to the members. Do you guys have a Ward Mission Plan? Do you know what it is? and the next step after that is making a FAMILY MISSION PLAN! and having 2 sons on missions doesn't count! separate blessings for that.  :-)

we are working with them to meet with every family in the ward, and to help them to come up with their own family mission plan, so first step for that is to get all of the ward missionaries and their families to have a family mission plan. that way when they go out to talk to all the ward members, they have an idea of what to say because they have already made there own family mission plan. Bishop Turner is awesome, the stake is doing a missionary training experience, like a mini mission thing, and the bishop is taking the reins and really trying to make it the best thing possible. we were hoping we might help with it, but it looks like they are good without us. I really want to get in there and share my experience as a missionary with some of the guys and girls who are getting ready to go out, but it is not my place to request, so i am waiting for an invitation.

we are continuing to work with our 2 investigators, and are earnestly searching for more. we have quite a few potentials that we need to make more of an effort to get progressing, and i feel like we will be good to go soon. I hope you are doing well and i look forward to hearing from you soon!

5/2/13 from Sis Rush

Last night I had the delight of having Elder Lieberum in for his birthday dinner, along with the other three amazing Elders you see here. As you can see he was so fast in blowing out his candles all we have it smoke in the first one. The Oreo story ..... well, my church membership really began with Oreo's to the first two Elders that came to our  home. I do think you will enjoy the fun here so sharing his event with you today is just another delight for me.

4/22/13 from Elder Mitts

There is so much i am doing out here that the 2 years will be up before missing you too much can get me down. Today is the first day of transfer #2, which is crazy, because there are only 17 transfers in a 2 year mission, so 16 left and i will be going home.

we just lost one of our zone leaders, he flies home tomorrow. Elder Arnold is awesome and has been such an example to me. my trainer Elder Lieberum, has 6 weeks left til he goes home, and there is nothing stopping him from getting one last baptism before he goes home. we are going to have the chance to go to a baptism for one of his investigators in his previous area, which i am pretty excited about.

we had to drop one of our investigators, she is not progressing, and she has stopped meeting with us, probably because she feels guilty. we tried and tried to meet with her and encourage her, but she is using her agency to go a different way. this is not her first time in and out of the teaching pool, but i was hoping this time would be different. she will come in the Lords time.

Amazing though, is the fact that another one of our investigators surprised us by just showing up at church yesterday, it was stake conference, so she got a long meeting with lots of talks but we think she liked it, and we had extended that invitation multiple times and she finally followed through, so we are happy.

we have many more people to see then in the past, there is also a bigger effort to get referrals from the ward members, all i can say is, help your missionaries out and give them some referrals. they wont turn your friends against you, they will get them baptized, and they will make them happy, whether they like it or not :) jk they will like it, they better, or else... and hey you get blessings including, but not limited to : Another friend in the church, An increased measure of the Holy Ghost in your life, A new found love for sharing the gospel, Happy Missionaries, (which has got to be one of the best blessings) and a host of spiritual and temporal blessings that cannot be named via email.

 we are preparing a chronological version of the Book of Mormon, and i am going to read it starting in Ether, and see what comes of seeing it in the order it was written, it should be interesting! as always I invite everyone to Read The Book Of Mormon, because it will help you in every aspect of your life.

my love and best wishes

Elder Mitts

4/22/13 from Sis. Rush

 Last night Elder Arnold, our much loved zone leader had his final ward farewelll by coming to my home for ice cream and brownies. In the center of all these marvelous missionaries is our senior couple also serving in my ward. The other picture is some of them just enjoying a missionary album I have made over the years.

Know all is well here and that our incoming missionary Elder Winters will be loved by all as well.

4/15/13 from Elder Mitts

i do enjoy the spiritual but i love hearing the everyday, nothing is too boring or not worth hearing about. i LOVED your letter, that is such a strong testimony to me, and such a great example of applying the gospel, making it real to people. i have read it so many times already, and will probably read it again sometime today.

Update on this thing called a mission. we got rain for the first time since i got here, and it was........ pathetic, could barely be called a drizzle.

we are having to restart with our investigator Lori, cause she is having trouble with some of the commandments, because she was frustrated, she stopped meeting with us. so we are going to redouble our efforts with her. we have a new investigator who is 73 years old, her name is Joellyn. she has a whole bunch of family in the church but has never really learned about it. Her mother was less active and married a baptist man, and didn't go back to church until her husband died. we tracted into Joellyn, and the first thing she said was that in her 73 years she has never had missionaries come to her door, so i of course replied, "well here we are!"

the work is soo much fun and brings me so much joy, the ward here is amazing. we just had fast and testimony meeting yesterday, and of course i had to get up there and bear my testimony, otherwise i probably would have exploded. We had an investigator (sort of) there, his name is Andy and he is doing a paper for his American Religious History Class, and he is supposed to attend a service and we tracted into him this past week and he thought it was just the perfect opportunity (which is exactly what we thought. :) LOL) he said he was going to come back next week, which is stake conference, and when i asked him if we could come by and answer any of his questions, he said he would give us a call because he had a pretty crazy busy week this week. 

A little bit of background on all of the Elders here, our zone is organized in this way. we have our zone leaders elder Arnold and Elder Walker, and then there are districts. our district consists of the zone leaders, our district leader and his companion, Elder Shiu and Elder Burnham, us, and a senior couple, Elder and sister Davies. there is another English speaking district, and a Mandarin Chinese district. Lots of really kewl Elders in there, but other then sister Davis, there are no sisters here. we hear that might change in the near future because of the great influx of missionaries coming out to the field. This is Elder Arnold's last week. so we will be getting a new zone leader, but not me, i am not done training!

we had to call the President Bowen, the Mission president this week, because Joellyn is a special case. she has a broken back and is pretty much stuck to her house, she cant leave cause her health issues are so bad. we had to ask president Bowen what we were going to do with respect to getting her to church, and the actual ordinance of baptism. he told us to get the ward to bring church to her, and that there was some special way for those who have disabilities to receive the ordinance of baptism, but he didn't go into detail, very interesting! 

Ummm.... i dont think there is too much else that is new. this is the last week of my first transfer, 6 weeks down (plus MTC time) many more to go!:)

Hold down the Fort!

Love you Mom!

-Elder Mitts

4/8/13 from Elder Mitts

I hope you are all doing well, we are having lots of fun here. we are teaching a new investigator, Joellyn Arends, and I have a good feeling that she will get baptized. we had an inves who was preparing for baptism but she is having some troubles and we are trying to help her work through those so she can be ready. We are studying in depth 3 Nephi 27:13-22 to share in ward council as the spiritual thought, i spent  almost an entire hour on 2 verses! it was so awesome, cause it really helped me to ponder on the Lord and his Sacrifice.

I love you all and will write more soon, i only have so much time on the computer so i am going to try to write a letter later today.

4/1/2013 from Sis Rush

Bday Party for one of the Zone Leaders Elder Arnold, and Elder So, they have the same birthday, but we got a pic of all the companionships that were there, that is the majority of our zone, there are like 3 more companionships i think. Sister Rush is a Sweetheart and had us all over for dinner and dessert, and took this picture and wanted me to send it home so here it is!