Bring the base!!!!!!!

December 22, 2014

Well i'm sorry to say that I don't have much time this week either. so i'll get right to it with some more Bullet points.

1. Being a District leader is a challenge. A challenge that i LOVE!!! I love going on exchanges, trying to figure out how everyone is doing, how i can help them or serve them. I love getting calls or txts from them, I even love recording the numbers and reporting them to the Zone Leaders! haha

2. We have been caroling senior centers like crazy this last week. It's really rewarding to see the smile on their faces, and to sit down and talk with them for a bit. It really helps me remember that missionary work is never about the numbers. Even though our numbers for these last weeks have dropped, I feel like we've been a big influence for good in the lives of a lot of people. And all it took was to sing them Christmas songs, and have a short chat with them, The spirit does the rest.

3. This district seems like the most unified district i've ever seen, and i literally cannot wait to see what we can accomplish together.

4. I found out that even if i get fed pizza for lunch and dinner.... cold pizza in the morning still sounds amazing to me!!! hahahaha

5. I have found no greater joy, than bringing the spirit through song to people that need it.

Thanks for all the support everyone!!!!!

-Elder DeFreese

1. Super cool fire thing!

2. I know the pic is too bad to see the score.... but I totally won!!!!!! hahaha

3. Can you see me?

 

 

Christmas time in the city!

December 15, 2014

 

hey everyone!

Hey so guess what?

I have absolutely no time.

sorry.

Bullet points,

Today is the last day as a tri-panionship.

I'm the new district leader in Monongahela.

Working hard is funner than having fun.... don't laugh, I'm not a poet. ;)

I love being a missionary!!!!!!!!!!

-Elder DeFreese

1.My district

 

Not much time

December 8, 2014
Hey Everyone!!

So I don't have too much time this week but I'll try to give you a quick overview of what has happened to me this week!

Being in a trio is a little difficult it turns out... We have to run both areas, and that's proving to be a challenge. Scheduling our day or our week is very difficult. I just barely got transferred here so I'm trying to learn my area and the other area at once. That means two bishops, ward mission leaders, Ward councils, Relief society pres, YM & YW pres. .... SO many NAMES!!!! hahaha But all joking aside, it's been a blast! Both areas are awesome! And i'm really lucky to have this opportunity to work in both!

We Also do a TON of driving now.... I haven't done any real walking for weeks! We drive more than the zone leaders! haha so many things to do!!! Also, we have to try and make it to all the meal appointments the ward(s) signed up for... So not a lot of walking, lots of driving, and lots of meals..... Miraculously I've been able to maintain my weight! but it's definitely not gonna keep going down! haha

We got to see the Christmas Devotional At the Monongahela Bishops house last night! That was an amazing program! I think the Choir gets better every year.

We got to skin a deer at a members house on Saturday. That was pretty cool, I've never done it before, but I had a blast! Also I got to try fried Deer heart! It was good actually!! it kinda tasted like a steak fried in an egg yoke or somethin.... with some blood in there too :)

haha we stopped to talk to this guy that was dressed up like Santa, About the true meaning of Christmas!!! hahahahahahaha funniest thing ever was when we were talking about how Christmas wasn't about the presents! hahahaha he got a kick out of it, and we gave him the 'He is the Gift" pass-along card, and he said he'd watch it haha.

We also got the cops called on us one night while we were tracting. I guess some old lady got scared when she saw the three of us walking around her block late at night. So when the cop found us, we explained that we were just giving out cards with the He Is the Gift website on it. So we told him about the video and gave him a card! He also said he'd check it out, and he let us go :) haha

We went to Pittsburgh on Tuesday for Zone Conference! It was pretty awesome. We got some good training, and we saw the mission video one of the Elders made. It was sweet! And I love driving in Pittsburgh in the rain too :) It's a really cool city :)

Well I think that about does it for this week! Love you all! Thanks for all the love and support!!!

-Elder DeFreese

1. We went to a members house to skin a deer with the sisters the other day!!! Soo fun!!! haha we want this to be our Christmas card!! hahahaha

2. Also, I ate fried Deer heart. It was pretty good actually!! I wish there was more, but it was a really small deer :)

 

By now you have probably thought that I've perished in the wilderness... but you are wrong... I'M STILL ALIVE!!!

December 3, 2014  


Wow, what a crazy week!! So I'm not sure what I've already filled you in on, so if I repeat something I already said in a previous e-mail.... sorry :)

1st, I got Transferred from Huntingdon to Monongahela in the middle of a transfer. It's called a mid-cycle transfer, or an emergency transfer... I'm keeping in contact with my last comp so he is letting me know how everyone is doing over there. So far they are still seeing a lot of success in that area, and I can't wait to hear about how my last investigators are progressing. One of my investigators should be baptized on December 20th. So I'm really excited for that. Although I'm really sad I won't be there for it. I've been with her since the beginning... :( But I definitely have a strong testimony that the lords plan for me is much better than my plan for me. So this definitely needed to happen. Just not sure why.

2nd, My new comp Elder Martin and I get along great! I think our friendship really increased when, at a members house, we were talking about sad books for some reason. No idea how that conversation started, but anyway. I said, I've only cried while reading one book in my life, Elder Martin said "me too! where the red fern grows."........ "that's the one I cried at too!!!!!!!!!" hahaha so that was pretty funny :) however that book is the saddest book ever :( I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. ;)

3rd, Another elder in this district got sent home mid-way through the transfer! So President Johnson stuck him with us in a trio!! His name is Elder Childs, and the three of us could not possibly get along better. They are so much fun! However the work load is a bit challenging. Now we have two areas to cover. We have two cars, but it's pointless because none of us can be alone.. so we switch off cars occasionally. We have been running around like mad trying to get to every appointment that was already scheduled before we were put together. We've had to cancel a lot since we couldn't be in two places at once. But it's still really fun.

4th, a sister in our district almost died at my first district meeting in this area!!! But my comp Elder Martin saved her life!!!!!!! Basically what happened is we were having lunch in the gym after the meeting. Some of us were playing hackey sack. She was eating jerkey while playing and we were all joking around, I said something stupid that made everyone laugh, but when she laughed, apparently she inhaled the jerky! I didn't notice, I just thought she didn't think it was funny or something... That should've been my first hint... ;) But she started walking away from the circle, and she was breathing weird. I thought it might be some sort of allergic reaction or something. She walked to the door, tried to breath, but it wasn't coming. I went to go help her, she turned around and whispered "help" with her hand to her throat!!! Before I could get to her, Elder Martin was there so fast and was giving her the Heimlich Maneuver!! And it totally worked!!!! She spit out her food, and started breathing again! Holy COW!!!! What a crazy district meeting

right?!

5th, We had a zone conference yesterday in Pittsburgh. It was way cool. we had a lot of musical numbers, our district performed one as well. And we received a lot of good advice and council. And they told us all about the He Is The Gift, initiative! If you haven't heard of it yet i'll be surprised. But if you haven't, look it up! It's pretty awesome!

Well It's really hard to fill you in on everything that happened but I hope this was good enough.

Please make the effort to talk to someone about Christ this week. This is the easiest time of the year for missionary work. The Christmas spirit is everywhere, you can bet the holy ghost will be with you when you speak of Christ. Invite someone to church, or to have dinner at your house with the missionaries, or to a family home evening activity. go caroling, visit a hospital or a retirement home or something. write a letter to someone, leave a gift for someone. Do something. God will bless you, AND them when you're going about doing good. The holy ghost will be with you as you serve god's children.

-Elder DeFreese

1-2. My companions! Elder Childs and Elder Martin. This is us at Zone Conference :)

3. Just us being weird. Steve might recognize this face :) I don't know why, but I always did this to him at work. :)

4. I love these 2015 mustangs... What do you think of them?

5. haha I had to get a selfie with the president! lol

 

 

December 1, 2014

1. I love these 2015 mustangs... What do you think of them?

2. haha I had to get a selfie with the president! lol

p.s. We have a 2015 version of your car here in Monongahela!! I've decided I need to get one.. :)

November 24, 2014





I'm really sad to be leaving elder Shuppy, we got along great, and we were working really hard. We were about to see a lot of success there as well. I've been with some our investigators from the very beginning, so it's sad to leave just before they finally take the step of baptism. :( But I know it's not about me, and I know Elder Shuppy will take care of them.

I am also really sad to be leaving my trainer... and my Protein... but Elder Martin likes to work out as well, so hopefully i'll continue to improve. Brian got my bench max from 135 to 185 in a week, so i'm hoping pretty soon i'll get to 200 :)

This new ward sounds awesome and I hope I can make a positive difference here.

　

Finally!!! I can send a few pics!!

Sis. Burnett is from Springville and graduated the year before me!

 

Hey Ho Another week!!

November 17, 2014

 

Hey Everyone!! Can you believe it's been another week?! ... Are you tired of hearing missionaries say that yet??? haha me too.... I'll try to remember next week not to do that... However if I do, It'll just be that much funnier won't it? ;)

Well this has been an amazing week. There hasn't been any crazy cool experiences to write about, and yet, this feels like one of the most fulfilling weeks I've had on the mission so far. It all comes down to work. We have been working our buns off! And I can tell the Lord has blessed this area, our investigators, members, and us, because of it. And also all the prayers that are said for us missionaries :) That plays a major role. 

One of the amazing things that happened this week was that we had 2 Investigators at church!! It was Amazing!!!!! I couldn't believe they actually came!! Not only did they come, but they definitely felt the spirit, and I hope this is the beginning of an amazing testimony. I had a cool experience yesterday at church while I was sitting with Tim, (one of the Investigators) I told him to focus not as much on WhAt was said, but on what he FeLt... I know I feel the spirit at church every week, and I also knew that if we focused on it, we'd feel it even stronger... But as it is a family ward/branch, There were a lot of noises, kids crawling over laps, eating various cereals, Crying, dropping hymn books, Everyone is wondering why they don't just take that screaming kid outside already... ya know, the usual.... so I started to get worried. I couldn't feel the spirit nearly as strong as I wanted, and that made me frustrated, I started to get angry at all the people who seemed to be ignorant to the fact that this one meeting could determine this guys decision on the church entirely. At that point, I'm not sure if I had the spirit at all... Then I felt a prompting from the Holy Ghost that seemed to say, "these are my children too, trust me..." ....... um...... Woah!!! So I said a prayer of thanks in my heart. I kept thanking Heavenly Father for helping Tim get here, for all the people in the branch that i've come to love, for the gospel, and for what it can do to families, or individuals. Anytime I heard something said that I didn't like, I instead focused on the person and thanked God for what a good person they were, and for what a great influence they could be on Tim. At that point, I began to feel the spirit, Strongly, And the rest of Sacrament went so amazing!! I couldn't believe how good it was! I shared with Tim that sometimes Sacrament meeting in a family ward, is a good representation of the rest of our week in normal life. There will be a lot of things that can distract us from the spirit if we let them. But if we focus on the good, and seek for the spirit, we'll find it. He then said he was going to try to focus on the spirit better and seemed to understand what I was saying. I didn't even have to invite him to look for the spirit more, he just made up his mind that he was going to do it. So for the rest of Church, he stayed a little quieter, thought a little deeper, and pondered a little longer. He Even stayed for the potluck afterwards and made a few friends with people in the branch!! What an amazing day that was. I know he felt the spirit, I know his testimony is beginning to grow. And mine is growing right along side it. :) 

I Absolutely Love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings me so much joy to see it working in the lives of those I love. I am so thankful to have been born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am also very grateful for my Parents, my Family, my Friends, and for the awesome ward I grew up in. 

Thank you for all your love and support. 

-Elder DeFreese

1. Elder Shuppy is definitely a stud muffin...
2. We put up our Christmas tree!!! :)
3. I collapsed after a workout with Brian, and this is what Elder Shuppy decided to do with his golden opportunity to mess with me... I have a good companion... :)