Wow, what a week!

Wow what a week. I have no idea where to start!

      Well my new companion is Elder Webb! He is from West Point Utah and has been serving for 20 months. So yes, another old missionary. It's pretty awesome we are companions though because last Monday we played basketball for P-Day as a zone and I walked up to Elder Webb and said hey, it would be cool if you came up to Santa Fe with me. Well sure enough! We don't have too much in common actually, but we get along good so far. I have him addicted to the basketball drills I do in the morning.

Elder Webb and Elder Turnbow

     So our very first day in Santa Fe together was amazing!!! Our very first lesson was with Mike and Savannah Banolly. Have I talked about them? I am sure that I have but here is some back ground. She is a member but he is not, when Elder Willden and I first met them they weren't married but living together. After a few weeks they dropped us.... then halfway through the second transfer we got a random text from her that said something like "Hey, we're getting married next week!" Needless to say I about fainted with happiness. So Elder Willden and I began teaching them again but only really had one lesson with them before transfers. So I brought Elder Webb back to Santa Fe on Tuesday and we had a lesson with them that afternoon... We had no idea what we were going to teac,h but somehow the spirit took over and it was incredible. He accepted a date for the 19! We taught them three times this week and another cool part was when we taught the Word of Wisdom. We ended up walking out of their apartment with all his coffee, it was great! He would also smoke weed every now and then but fully committed to quit. SO COOL! It's a huge miracle. ALSO, he always works on Sundays but asked his boss if he could switch days and yup, it happened, he can come to church now!

     Another amazing lesson. You remember Laureen and Maureen Lomahaptewa right?? Maureen got baptized in September. Well we set up an appointment with them too and wow it was incredible, you would not believe what those two girls have gone through. They are twins, both 28 and both have three girls, no dad. Somewhere in the middle of the lesson we got talking about baptism, but the subject got changed, Maureen was bearing her testimony to her sister  but just kept saying give it time, keep investigating, read and pray, and all that good stuff, and during that I thought, "Well, I guess it's not the right time to invite her to be baptized then."  Lets just say after thinking that, I spiritually got punched by the spirit! It almost hurt I swear. So I flat out said, "Laureen the spirit is telling me to invite you to be baptized." So then I invited her and she got this look on her face like I thought you'd never ask! Words really can't describe the feeling. Her sister starting crying, I'm pretty sure Elder Webb and I both did, but man, I am not ashamed of it that's for sure. I'm just grateful for that spiritual throw drown. Her date is for the 26, but it may move to the 19 because even though they aren't blood related, the twins and Mike and Savannah are pretty much family, and Laureen might want to get baptized on the same day as Mike. All Native Americans are pretty much family, that's why I love it so much, I just feel like part of the family.

     Also this week the Spanish Elders had been teaching a Lady Named Mary Quintana in Spanish, but she wants to go to church in English so they gave her to us. We've only taught her once but she is awesome! She has a baptism date for the 26. She didn't come to church like she said she would though...  Also Jim Johnston, he still wants to get baptized but he's been really sick lately so he hasn't come to church, and he has a beer every now and then... we will work hard on him still.

     needless to say, Incredible week! Funny side note... remember David Sullenberger? the really smart one? Well.... in between lessons he found the facsimiles in Abraham. Oh boy. That's all I have to say about that. He is way sincere still. Last lesson we taught him how to pray and he gave a really sincere prayer at the end of the lesson. He's great.

    But to sum up Elder Webbs first day in Santa Fe... It went like this. We set 3 baptism dates, got hugged by two different drunk guys, tried talking to a crazy drunk lady in Spanish and then watched her jump in some random guys truck. A cop came, threw her to the ground and arrested her. It was amusing. Also we talked to a guy who we are pretty sure is a murderer, He was creepy. But hey that's all normal. It's great!

     So I learned something this week, well not really learned it because I knew it, but it now just has new meaning. So I have always had a good work ethic, but why? Well for basketbal,l football, and track it was "For the Love of the Game!" I worked hard because I loved it. Well this week, working with Mike and Savannah, Laureen and Maureen, I realized how much I love them. I realized the driving force behind missionary work really is love. This work would be down right impossible without love. That's why we work our hardest every single day, that's why we be exactly obedient, because we love to do it!  You can't win without losing. When you lose yourself, that's when you win.  You know one thing I don't like? There is just simply not enough time in the day to get all the work done!

Tell Cullen and Caleb how excited I am for them! I love those two. Can't wait for them to be serving! Have a great week family, love ya!

    

               Elder Turnbow

Elder Turnbow and Elder Willden

  

     Courtney is gone!!! Weird. That's so awesome though, I am way excited for her. Hey Dylan, you look good in Yellow. I'm actually wearing a yellow tie right now. not bad. No turkeys yet?? I thought somebody would have killed one by now.

     So yes it is true, Elder Willden and I sang in sacrament meeting yesterday! I never thought that I would do something like that. Nobody threw anything at us though, so it must not have been too bad! We had two investigators at church too! Ken Wilkens came and so did Laureen Lamahaptewa. Ken just surprised us and came, he was in a suit and looked snazzy! I think most everybody there thought he was a mormom, he fit right in! Laureen is the twin sister of Maureen who got baptized in November. She is coming along slowly but surely, she's made some big progress these past few weeks. Jim didn't come to church because he got the flu, we taught him the WofW wisdom last week though and we aren't too sure how well he's living it. we'll meet with him this week with my new companion and boost him back up!

     If I get fat while I'm on my mission, I blame it on Navajo tacos, they are just so dang good!  if you think the ones at the school are good.... HA! The Natives know how to cook them. This upcoming weekend is also the gathering of the nations, which is the biggest pow wow in the world. Kinda cool.

     We met with David Sullenberger again this week, he is still soaking it all up. I love to teach him because you can just see lights clicking after everything we say. I just hope he can develop more faith instead of trying to prove every single thing true. He's reading the Book of Mormon though, and has started to pray, and I am way excited for him. We had a couple run in's with the Jehovah Witnesses this week, good stuff. We are always nice of course. They came to our appartment one morning, that was strange.

     So now to address the subject of this email. So... there are a ton of coyotes in New Mexico. They are all over the place! Elder Willden and I chased one down this week and took a few pictures, it was a good time. So yeah, I'm still getting my hunting in! Well we are kind of in a hurry because after this we are heading to ABQ to play some volleyball with the zone and then we are spending the night. early Tuesday morning I will find out who my new companion is and then I will bring him back to Santa Fe. I'm nervous to get a new companion, but it will be good. He just better be ready to work! Sorry this letter isn't the best. I'll try to make next weeks better. Take care!

Elder Turnbow

OTSS--Only The Strong Survive!
CPTP--Champions Pay The Price!

What a Week!

Hey there!

This last week was an awesome week. During weekly planning Elder Willden and I set a goal to teach at least three lessons every day, and we did it! We taught a total of 22 lessons, it was great. We also had an investigator come to church!!! Jim Johnston came. I can't remember if I talked about him in my last email? We've only known him for two weeks. He grew up in London and actually investigated the church once so he knows quite a bit. He has a bap date for April 28. He has a WofW problem though so we'll see how that goes. Also Ken Wilkins, he rocks! We were able to meet with him twice this week and he took us to lunch as well. He is progressing, he reads and prays but is hesitant. He says he believes what we teach him but he's still not sure. He grew up Southern Baptist and all that good stuff so leaving that is a big concern. I can really see him getting baptized though. We had a really good lesson with him just last night.

Cool story for the week... Saturday we took a less active out teaching with us, his name is Devin Martinez. He served a mission and everything but fell away a couple years later. He's probably 25ish. He is related to the Ortegas, and the Ortegas are all inactive except for the grandpa, their family is huge! Well anyway we invited him to come teaching with us on Saturday and we could tell that he loved every second of it and it went really well. Then he came to church the next day and bore his testimony, it was extremely powerful! If it didn't pierce your heart then I don't know what's up. He gave his grandpa a huge hug after that and it was incredible. I feel so bad for the Grandpa Ortega because he wants his family to become active again so bad. We think that Devin will start it though!

So President and Sister Miller came to our comp study this morning, talk about nerve racking! They pretended to be investigators and we taught them the plan of salvation. It went really well! It was fun to teach them, they are awesome. Not going to lie I was pretty nervous at first, but it's like a basketball game, as soon as that ball gets thrown up it all goes away. It's the same with teaching, when the spirit comes into the room everything just flows.

Well this is Elder Willden's last week. Transfers are next Tuesday and he goes home and I'll get a new companion. I'm pretty sure I'll stay in Santa Fe since we opened this area and they wouldn't want to white wash in, but I am for sure getting a new companion. I'm scared for that because Elder Willden and I get along great. Sister Miller even told us today "Man.... you two make a great team!" Oh ya... so we sing a hymn so start comp study every morning because it really invites the spirit, and somehow we came up with the crazy idea to sing in sacrament meeting next sunday. So ya, we are singing next sunday! Never thought I'd be doing this. We kinda made our own melody with Armies of Helaman and we are singing that. Acapella too.

Courtney leaves on Wednesday!!! Woo yeah!!! Man that's awesome. I'm way excited for her. That's crazy that Chelsea is home. She's so right, every night you hit the pillow at 10 30 and think, where in the world did that day go! There isn't enough time in the day! So many awesome things happen every single hour of the day. All's I can say is if you don't want to serve a mission, then you are flat out crazy. Sounds like that track meet went well and seems like the boys are running decently fast for so early in the season. They better not beat our 4X2 record though! Actually that would be sweet if they did. I got the pictures Ben and Brittin emailed, new place looks sweet. We are teaching James and Yvette and they have a boy almost the same age as Benson, but Benson looks a lot bigger than their boy is!

Well I will email next Monday but I still won't know who my new companion is, so you will have to wait a couple weeks for that update. Well take care! Get that seed in the ground Dad, I love you all!

Elder Turnbow

P.S. Oh ya! Here is a cool little insight for you all. So you all know how in the Book of Mormon it says "And it came to pass" a ton? Well, I learned this week that if you translate that into Hopi or Zuni, it means "And truly it came to pass" Or "Surely it did happen" Awesome huh? So if you look at it that way they are making a pretty bold statement and bearing their testimony before they write what's next. I thought it was way cool anyway.

Picture Update!

Temple Trip! Mountain Studies!

Sounds like things are well! I love all your emails. Mom you always say I will let dad fill you in on the track meet but then neither of you do.... :) Brady Brady Brady... He couldn't last 3 months without me!!! haha I knew it would happen, he has written me a few letters. I am happy.

The Temple yesterday was awesome! There is something about having all missionaries in there that gives it a new power, it was incredible. It gives DC 109:22-23 a whole new meaning that's for sure. It was great to say the least. Then we had an appointment last night with a man named David Sullenberger. He was a college teacher/scientist guy. Super smart. It was probably the deepest lesson that I have ever had with anybody! But it was way good, he couldn't believe how well it all went together. He being a whole science guy and not knowing if there was a God. It was a great lesson. We introduced the Book of Mormon and wanted to read a little with him and ended up reading a ton! I feel pretty confident that he will read it!

Our investigator ken is still doing well. His biggest problem is he is kinda lazy when it comes to commitments. He didn't come to church Sunday so his bap date has to get pushed back a couple weeks but he is still progressing. It's just kinda sad because that means Elder Willden and I won't get to have a baptism together. Although the east elders have a baptism into our ward next Saturday and I pretty much count him as one of our investigators too because I have been able to teach him a few times, he plays basketball with us, and he's more active than most of the ward. He was/is golden!!

Easter rocked too, we went to a less active/partmembers family for easter lunch. They are Navajo! Mmm the food was good! They passed around a weird drink that we didn't drink no worries... it smelt good though I won't lie. They also prayed and talked in Navajo to each other and it sounds awesome! Then that night we had a dinner with the Owens. Courtney you would love him because he served his mission in France. They are hilarious, great couple. They remind me a lot of Ben and Brittin or Colton and Whitney. They are great.

So about the mountain studies, this morning we decided to wake up even earlier and go to the mountains! Well they aren't Idaho or Wyoming mountains that's for sure, but it was still way cool and a fun hike. I looked for deer the whole time but never saw any. Plenty of signs though. We took a few pictures. I will try and send them. It was a good week last week. I love being on a mission! I hope you are all doing well, and staying out of trouble! Or at least not getting caught!

Love, Elder Turnbow

Aprl 2, 2012

Sounds like you guys had an awesome and very eventful spring break! It was fun to read about all of your experiences. Before I get started Mom, those scriptures that you gave me out of DC 123 are some of my favorite! It's weird that you would give me those because I memorized versus 11-17 this morning while waiting for my laundry to get done. They rock! Also Courtney, with your Alma scriptures that you gave me, next to those versus I have written "A missionaries prayer" and trust me, you will find out why soon enough. haha Dad to answer your question my companion goes home in 3 weeks. I am making him endure to the end! Oh and next Monday is mission temple day! So we will be at the temple all day, so we will get the first half of Tuesday to shop, do our laundry, and email. So next week I will be emailing on Tuesday.

Wasn't conference so awesome!? MAN! I loved it. I had never before watched every single session and took notes on every single talk until this conference, and I loved every minute of it. I was sad to see it come to an end. I have to share an experience that I had during the priesthood session. When we all stood up to sing Ye Elders of Israel for the rest hymn I was singing and then all of the sudden it felt like one of my brothers was standing next to me and singing. I even looked over at my companion to make sure it wasn't Matt, Dylan, or Ben. It felt just like being back in the stake center singing with them, it was awesome. So I don't know if one of them was thinking about me or what, but it was awesome. You can really feel the prayers. It was kinda sad though, because there were probably only 30 people there to watch priesthood. It was weird to not see it packed back to the stage. But it was still way awesome. Like you said Dad, how could somebody listen to those wonderful speakers and not think they are called from God! It's like whap whap whap! Gettin hit by the spirit from all angles.

Well this last week was a pretty decent week. Ken seems to be progressing. He is reading and praying but we haven't been able to meet with him recently because he travels a ton for work. We do have an appointment with him this Saturday though. We tracted into a fellow from England last night so we taught him and extending the baptism invitation and he accepted. He was kinda drunk but hey, I felt the spirit! Oh ya! A man that we are teaching right now is Joseph Nzau, he is less active and from Kenya. Coolest thing about him though, he was in the Olympics 3 times! For track. The mile and the 800. I asked him for some of his times and his mile time was 3:56 and his 800 time was 1:44... Can you say fast?? Holy smokes! I felt slow.

So just as a side note, another one of the people we were teaching is now in jail. It's a long story though so I won't go in to it. And you asked about our gang friends, well they still love us! They want me to play on their city league team with them, I wish! I actually had a pretty good discussion with Cameron about our faith last time we saw them. They are all way nice. They just couldn't get over the fact that we don't have sexual relations before marriage, don't do drugs, don't smoke, and try to watch our language. But besides that they could be Mormon! haha They did say they wished we practiced polygamy still... they are funny.

Well I hope you have a great week and enjoy spring! I end this email quoting Elder Holland, DON'T DELAY, IT'S GETTING LATE. AMEN. I loved his talk, but I loved them all! Until next week.

Elder Turnbow