Yellowstone visit

Well the trip was super fun! That family that took us is super legit...and they said after the mission I can kick it at their house and do some more fun stuff in Idaho! and the rest of the Petitt family is invited as well =D

My companion and I have been super busy that past couple of days. We've been averaging 20 lessons a week in just the Spanish Branch which is awesome!! Especially for this mission...that's pretty good. And we are exhausted!

We've been teaching Jose and Clara who own the new Mexican Store in town. I love those guys to death!!! We've been coming over everyday and teaching them in their store. Clara the wife is SOOOOooo scared to find out if it's true...her family and parents are hardcore Catholics. She is scared out of her mind that if she becomes mormon then she is going to get all kinds of backlash from her family. She knows it's true!! But she doesn't want to admit it! gahhh, and Jose is super chill and actually asked us when he can get baptized...but the family is a big hurdle. 

When we are working with the Hispanics we are not asking them to change their religion...but change their family. It's tough...and it requires us to be on our toes (spiritually).

Jose Espinosa is progressing! (Yes, we have a lot of Jose's in our teaching pool) In our last lesson we sang the hymn I'm a Child of God. After that he said he could really feel like he's changing. AHhhhhh, he is just soaking up everything that we're teaching him. We're going to teach him the rest of the Plan of Salvation tonight and the Word of Wisdom. 

Things are going steady and I'm staying busy. This has got to be one of my favorite areas...it's almost better than Blackfoot. Our Branch President got a new drumset for his son and he invited my companion and I to jam out with him today =D ahhhh man, I miss my baby back home (My Pearl Drumset). 

Well sounds like Mom is having a great time in paradise! Thanks for the update. And that's sick that Br. Ellington is the ward mission leader...He seems like a really sweet guy. 

Until next week. Much love!

Memorial Day silliness

Hello fam and friends. Sounds like mom is having a pretty good time over there in Hawaii...and I'm happy to hear that the sister missionaries are finding and teaching. It's true that the Sister missionaries can get into more houses than us lol. And yes, it's FINALLY getting warm over here in Idaho...I can finally wear short sleeves!

Well I hope the memorial day weekend for you guys was great. I had a blast. We went to the Civil Defense Caves with another set of Elders. It was fun exploring the caverns of the dark abyss. We also did flips off the giant sand dunes in St. Anthony. It's just a bunch of sand in the middle of St.Anthony...it kinda feels like you're stranded in the middle of Egypt. 

Later that night we did some service for the parents of Jose and Clara (owners of the new Mexican Store). That was super awesome for us because Clara's parents are very very very Catholic...but we got to know them a bit better and they got to see what we are really about. For some reason a lot of the other religions here think we worship the Devil...including the parents of Clara and Jose lol. of course! We had the chance to disperse that belief and let them know we are normal and that we believe in Jesus. Anyways! later that night they invited us for a little BBQ and I had the best Honey Bacon/Avocado burger than I've had in ages. It was a good way to end the day. 

It's actually a miracle that they invited us over...like...my companion and I are these two white goofballs preaching the gospel...but we are just being so blessed. I really don't know how we get inside these houses, or how we find these people...but it's definitely not us alone in this work. 

In other good news Edgar came to church! He's so awesome. He's pretty nervous about baptism, but a member came with us this last lesson and he opened up to us even more. Members make the biggest difference. Edgar has some fear taking that step towards baptism because he has family with those strong traditions in Catholicism. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he was blown away even from the simple concept that we actually lived in Heavenly Father's presence before this life. He committed to pray about the things we taught that night. He's coming along and he's slowly building that faith.

Well it's almost summer vacation for you guys...y'all have any big plans?? My companion and I were thinking about preaching the gospel, or something like that haha. 

Love you guys and thank you for your prayers. I need them and I feel them. Have a great week!     

Mother's Day call & mission updates!

Fun Mother's Day call

Luke, Jose & Elder Cooley

Scenic View

Hard work

Random? tank

Whuddup Jose!! The baptism was great. Most of the Branch was there to support him. When we got there the heater broke and one of the faucets to fill up the font broke as well. How convenient. Elder Cooley had to baptize him 4 times lol. We had the confirmation on Sunday and I had the honor of confirming him in Sacrament meeting. I was super nervous because that was my first time doing it!

Also our buddy Edgar Carmona came to church today. He is so solid! He has already been to church twice and he was participating a lot in the classes. We were talking about eternal families...but he was a bit worried what would happen to him because he was divorced a couple years ago. We kinda turned the lesson towards him and talked about the blessings of the temples and a way to have an eternal family will happen in this life or the next.

Aight so check this out. After a lesson that we taught a duck came waddling out of nowhere towards us. It turned out this duck belonged to this fellow that owns the new Mexican Store in town! We returned the lost duck because the owner came out chasing it down. We chatted a bit about the duck and the gospel and he wants to learn more! He's super busy, but he invited us to just come into his store and talk to him and his wife about our message. They have SO much potential. We're thinking that they are going to be some of the new members of the branch as well. 

MOTHERS DAY. Yerp, we are going to Skype it up. We're not really sure what time yet...we're thinking like around 3 o'clock our time.

ALEX BOYE. Actually...we can listen to him lol. yeah our mission lets us listen to my man Alex...because he sings about Jesus!  

Welp I'll be calling ya guys on Sunday. PEACE.