Runnin' Gunnin' and a Little Preachin' on the Side!

Wooooo eeeeeeee!  What a week. 

Elder Vial, Jake, Dallas at the Epic Cousin Sleepover
Dallas and Elder Vial stayed at Aunt Jen's in Santa Fe to prepare for the zone conference the next day

We successfully did three zone conferences this week, and it was a blast. The theme for these zone conferences are REMEMBER THIS the back page of Preach My Gospel. President asked Elder Vial to train on plan every day and focus on key indicators, and work effectively all day, every day. He does a great job with it. President asked me to train on the last two bullet points... 1. Help everyone you teach make commitments that will bring about repentance and will strengthen their faith in the Savior. And 2. Love The Lord and serve him the very best you can. I have a lot of fun with it, and I couldn't think of anything else I'd want to train on.  I use Coach Browns 32 minutes to play, a life time to remember. but I changed it to 2 years or 18 months to serve, an eternity to remember. I have reached a point were I love teaching and training missionaries almost as much as I love teaching investigators, there is a lot of power in a room full of missionaries. 

So... Yes we did three zone conferences this week, and we were super busy with that, but the highlight of the week was Saturday! I love Saturdays! Lynsie was baptized! What a miracle she is. I still remember one of her first texts to us. "I want you to know right away that I have no interested in converting, I just want to know what my mom is learning." This miracle started many months ago when Elder Haueter and I knocked into Lynsies mom on exchanges. The Elders there started teaching her mom, Lynsie got home from study abroad, and then we started teaching her! To put it simply, the Savior is the master of His vineyard. I will send pictures later hopefully. 

Lynsie's baptism

Yesterday was a good Sunday. We met with three stake presidents because President Miller was in El Paso for a stake conference. We discussed the work in their respective stakes and made plans to increase the efforts.  Sunday night we taught a missionary prep class in the mission home for the Albuquerque stake. That was super fun! Three of them who came were from our YSA branch so that was super cool. We trained on being interested not interesting, and being able to contact someone. 

Friday night was insane! Our branch and the LDSSA hosted a huge dance on UNM campus. It was awesome! Between us and the Sisters in our branch we talked to a TON of people. The dance was a hit. Our eyes and ears were full of Babylon with the music and everything, but I experienced a small tender mercy, the next day I could 't remember the music that was played at the dance. That was very nice. We spent the night serving pizza and drinks. Right before we left the DJ had us up on the stage and introduced us. It was super cool! We were a hit! 

This week we will be in Las Cruces and El Paso for a few days doing zone conference and exchanges. Good stuff. Tonight our branch is doing a big Matanza (pig roast) at President Browns house. We have a couple investigators coming that we are super excited for. We recently started teaching the defensive end for UNM Randy Williams. He's huge! Haha he is dating a member and has been to church a couple times. We are pumped about him. He is super nice and very smart. 

I swear I blinked and this week was over. We are so busy we don't know what to do with ourselves sometimes. Our branch President shared this scripture with us and it has helped me a lot. Psalm 46:10. "Be still, and know that I am God." 

Well we just got a text from a potential investigator we contacted in Panda Express (yes Dylan I like Panda Express) and he wants to go to lunch today! Yes! Time to hop back in the saddle! Love you all! 

Elder TurnVial

Bring it on!

Elder Ballif, the Millers, Dallas

Hey!

  

          Portland Oregon! That is super sweet. Elder Vial lived there for 6 months for work, and he loved it! He says he has a referral for you Dylan, a girl he used to date who is not a member. One of my favorite companions Elder Johnson is from there! I was with him last Christmas when we skyped home remember? He will be super pumped. You will have to take him teaching with you when he his home from BYU. 

         Yes I am a little bummed that I won't get to see him, but you gotta do it for the flock. Maybe I can extend my mission and go serve with him for a transfer. Haha anyway, I am stoked! It will be awesome to get to serve at the same time. 

         Sounds like the football game was good too! Good stuff.

So we walked into the mission office one morning this week to find some cookies, and copies of Grandpa and Grandma speaking at the Marriot Center to the missionaries! I love the Rockwoods :) We haven't had time to watch it yet, but I plan to today! Has Grandpa told you about the phone call he got from President Miller? I am pretty excited to say the least. 

Last week was pretty intense. It was a good week. We were able to meet with and teach Lynsie every day, and she is set and ready to go for baptism this Saturday. The change in her is incredible. She mentions it all the time as well. She had a past friend call her and tell her for 3 hours that she was following the devils church, and anti'd her for a long time. When Lynsie called us the next morning to tell us about it we were a little worried, but at the end of telling us what happened she said. " and now I just want to get baptized even more! I haven't finished the Book of Mormon yet, but bring it on!" What impressed us the most though is when she told us that she told him to figure it out by himself and come to church and meet with the Elders. Lynsie is awesome. As is tradition in our YSA branch she "came out of the kitchen" on Sunday and announced her baptism! 

Saturday was a special day..... :) I was able to go back to Rio Rancho on exchanges! Not only was I back in an old area, but I was with one of my old companions Elder Eaton. We had a great time together, it was great to teach with him again. We saw Keith! Oh man I love Keith. Sadly Krysha wasn't there, but it made my day to be able to see him again.

Well, zone conference is upon us. We are doing three of them this week, and two next week. This is President's first one, so everybody is pretty exited. It's been stressful preparing for them, but they will be good!  

Today for PDay we are going to ride the tram and hike around the Sandias, it will be a blast! I am looking forward to it. You just have to be in the mountains this time of year. 

Once again I am super excited about Dylan's call, that kid will do amazing things. You should ship him down here for a couple weeks and Elder Vial and I will train him and get him ready to go! 

Until next week my friends! 

Love, Elder T. 

Dare to Dance the Tide!

Howdy!

   

      Wow sounds like it was quite the weekend of football! Thanks for the updates mom and dad! 

   

I can't wait for Dylan to get his call! It will be interesting to see how soon he leaves. My guess is he will go to New Zealand. 

It's been a good couple of days here in the NMAM as well. Last night we watched the CES devotional with our branch and Lynsie, it was awesome to listen to Elder Anderson speak. Lynsie loved it, and she is doing great. The Sisters in our branch had a baptism Saturday and Lynsie came, she said it got her pretty excited!

Embarrassing moment.... My suit pants ripped pretty good, and I didn't realize it. One of the members of the branch pulled me aside at the baptism and said.. "Hey Turnbow, do you know you have a big rip in the back of your pants?" Nope! My poor clothes have about had it. Haha 

Sunday at church we met Mike. He is from Idaho and is engaged to a member of our branch, and he is not a member. He is super cool! There were 5 non members at church Sunday so we were pretty pumped about that. Our branch is on fire with missionary work right now! 

Elder Vial and I have a new diet. Please feel free to suggest other ideas. After morning workout... Protein shake... Right before we go out to work... Grape nuts.... Lunch... 1-2 cans of tuna.... Dinner... We can't control because the members feed us. It's good stuff! 

Know how much I love all of you. Thank you for the prayers, they are felt by all the missionaries.  I am tired and happy, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Funny how the times I have been the happiest in my life are the times where I am plain exhausted. It's a great feeling. 

One of my favorite members here in the branch shared with me these lyrics last week from Garth Brooks song Sail My Vessel:

             " Too many times we stand aside  

                And let the waters slip away

                Til what we put off til tomorrow

                Has now become today

                So don't you sit upon the shoreline

                And say you're satisfied

                Choose to chance the rapids

                And dare to dance the tide" 

                "There's bound to be rough waters

                  And I know I'll take some falls

                  But with the good Lord as my captain

                  I can make it through them all. . ." 

Much love!    Elder Turnbow