Work your heart out in a good cause!

Turnbow clan: Howdy!

 

  First, thanks for the emails and updates with everything, the pics of Benson and basketball with Dylan and Matt are always fun to look at. Second... JD MET ELDER BAGLEY!?!?!? OH BABY!!!!!That kid is hands down one of my favorites ever! I worked around him for 6 months! Man that's so cool.  That's crazy how cold it is in Cache Valley, hopefully you all can survive.

   

Well, we had a pretty good week here in Rio Rancho! Aiden who we set a baptism date with last week came to church yesterday! We gave him and his brother white shirts and we taught them how to tie a tie so they were looking good for church. Aiden is 14 and Keonu is 16, Keonu is a member. Aiden is as sharp as a whip; it's really fun to teach him. It's weird that neither of his parents are members, but they are super open to letting them be part of our church. Have you seen Ghost Whisperer? Well, the mom says she does that kind of stuff like talking to spirits and what not. Kinda weird. She's predicted things about me so hey we'll see if they come true! She's a nice lady anyway.

 

We had a cool experience last week while we were on exchanges with the Chamisa Elders. Elder Vial came with me and we were working our area. We had a couple minutes before dinner so we decided to finish tracting a street that Elder Johnson and I had started a couple weeks back. Something happened that doesn't happen very often... The first door we knocked on was awesome! It was a girl named Maria, we got to talking and she knew lots about us. "Don't you guys believe in the Great Apastasy or something?" So right then and there we were like... she's catholic. She already had a Book of Mormon, and had visited mormon.org a few times. She was very interested in the Plan of Salvation as well. After talking on her door step for maybe 15 minutes or so her mom came up and said why don't you just invite them in? Sadly we couldn't go in because there wasn't another male there, but we set a return appointment and went back last night! We took Dallin Brady with us who is a senior in high school and was the star of their football team this year. We go back and Maria's little sister Virginia was there and she and Dallin knew each other from school.  It was perfect. We taught the first few points of the restoration and really went in depth with the apostasy. A lot of the lesson was trying to answer her questions and that is kinda hard sometimes when you don't want to tear down their religion. So finally that's what we told her, and her response was by all means go for it! She is even very active Catholic. The lesson went well and both her and her sister have lots of potential! After answering some questions we just bore testimony and tied it all into the Book of Mormon and invited her to read and pray about it. She said she would sincerely and also said, "If I find out your religion is correct, I will have no problem converting." So cool! I love tracting.

 

Oh ya I was going to tell you last week but I think I forgot.  Our baptism goal for 2012 was 600+, and we got 549. I know that Dad was asking about that on Christmas. It's super cool though because our mission led all the southwest missions in increase from 2011 to 2012. Our goal for 2013 is 710+!  We set that goal last zlc and it was really cool to be there, it is going to happen, and I am excited to be a part of it!

 

Dad you also asked me why I think Elder Ashworth and I are companions at this time. Like you, I do believe every companionship is inspired for one reason or another. For some companions I haven't found that reason out until we weren't comps anymore. With Elder Ashworth,  I have my ideas, but give me a couple more weeks and I'll let ya know! We both just want to work, and It's kind of a competition to see who will work the hardest, and I'm lovin it! Something that I wish every missionary would understand is just how important it is to work!  Even if you aren't very good at the other parts of missionary work, if you work, you will find success.  Speaking of which - One of my favorite quotes is from Vince Lumbardi and it's something about lying exhausted on the field of battle. I had it on my Ffacebook, could you look that up for me please? Thanks!

 

(See the quote on the side of this blog!)

Well, there is much more I could tell you about but I am not the fastest typist, so that will have to do for the week, Love you guys!

 

Elder Turnbow

 

Two Boys from Idaho

Hey everybody!

     I hope you are all enjoying the cold weather! It has gotten a little chilly here too, and by that I mean it is actually comfortable to wear a suit jacket all day. 

     So my new companion is Elder Ashworth, and he is from Boise (hence the subject of this email). We totally called being comps! When I was in my first area getting trained he was in Los Alamos which is in the zone, we played basketball a couple times together. The kid is a stud of an athlete. Think back to my senior year of state track and you can probably remember watching him. He took state in all three jumping events, and 2nd in the 110 hurtles. He went to school at Timberline.  He is my first companion who is taller than me. We are super pumped to be together and we had a really good first week. Last night we set a baptismal date with a boy named Aiden, he is 14 and his 16 year old brother is a member. Neither of the parents are members, but they are open. We've been teaching him since I got to this area so we are super excited. 

    Probably one of the hardest things about being a missionary is when you know someone is feeling the spirit, and they don't accept it. Sometimes it's hard not to get frustrated, but then I think of Elder Hollands Talk the Atonement and the Missionary.

 In our area right now we are doing well, Elder Ashworth and I have high expectations! We are working with some awesome people who are really close. 

    In our first week together we had ZLC on Thursday, and then we went up to Santa Fe on Friday to do a zone training meeting. at ZLC the assistants did a training on the "WHY" of missionary work. Man it was powerful! One of them posed the question is missionary work worth it? Or something like that, and then they posted a huge picture on a screen of some of the of baptisms missionaries in that meeting had in 2012. Man it hit me like a tons of bricks! The most incredible feeling entered the room like a rush of wind. I started crying like a little girl and I wasn't ashamed at all, and that's because everybody else felt it too. I will forward you the picture if I can get it. 

  
Our zone training in Santa Fe went well! We have a lot new missionaries in our zone this transfer. We also have all brand new district leaders so we are excited to get to set a new bar for this zone! Good things are happening, it's a great time to be a missionary!

Mom you asked if we contact a lot, and the answer is yes! Nothing happens in missionary work until you find somebody to teach right Grandpa!? We try to talk with every person we see.

Margie Kamakaokalani bore her testimony yesterday and it was awesome! We are still working with her husband Jim. She bore a powerful testimony of her coming back into activity and the blessings that come from the church. Man it was awesome. 

Sorry this letter is kind of jumbled and all over the place, you will have to forgive me. Have a great week in the cold, and have fun!

Love ya, Elder Turnbow 

PS. If you have any questions for me please send them my way!

PPS. HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY GRANDPA TURNBOW!!! 
    

Birthday Geese!

     Saturday was my 20 birthday as you all know, and it was pretty sweet! That morning we were sitting in our upstairs study room and I heard... honk......... honk....... honk... HONK HONK HONK HONK!!!!!!!!!!! GEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ran to our big window just in time to see a flock of 25 or so geese flying around! We live by a golf course with a pond and they have now been there for the past 4 days! Man, it makes me happy to see and hear them. 

     For lunch on my birthday the Montgomery's took us to Tucanos! It was also a really good day for missionary work too, we received a referral from missionaries in Colorado for a lady who just moved here, we went over and taught her, she has some potential so we will see! I got all the stuff you sent mom, thanks!!! That calendar is super cool. I will have Matt and Dylan know that the Captain Crunch they sent me didn't even last 48 hours. So thank you all for the sweet birthday gifts!

 

     So transfer news...... Elder Johnson is getting transferred. We were both surprised and bummed about the news. The Lord knows what he is doing though. We have got along super great for our six weeks together! So that means I will be here in Rio Rancho for another six weeks, and it looks like I will be training another new zone leader. It'll be another good transfer!

 

     Oh ya before I forget, thanks for the play by play commentating on the Marsh Valley game, Mom.   I could feel the intense atmosphere from here! Way ta be fellas.

 

     It snowed last night!!!!! All of maybe half an inch and it is now already melted, but it was still cool, and I still threw a few snowballs!

 

     Last night we had a really cool experience. We were trying to visit a family and they weren't home. A man was walking up to his apartment though so we stopped him and started talking to him. After visiting outside for a little bit, he invited us in and we began to teach! His name is Ash Kameila, and he moved here from Hawaii 3 years ago and is on his own. We taught the restoration and it went well.  He accepted a soft baptism invitation and said he would read and pray. It was a sweet lesson!

 

      Sorry this is a short email, we are kind of in a rush today. Just know that I am doing well, I had a happy birthday, and missionary work is the sweetest of all. Love ya!

 

Elder Turnbow

 

Holy cow! I almost forgot to tell you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

     This entire transfer with Elder Johnson we had fasted and prayed for a family of 5 to teach. It came down to our last week and we still had not found them, but this week we were going through our part member family list and came across the Domans. We went over and they let us in. The Dad is not a member and is super baptist. The wife is a member but less active. One of their daughters is a senior in high school, the other is a freshman, and then they have a younger boy. None of the kids have been baptized. Wow, it is amazing how prayers are answered. It will take a lot of work with them, but they are a super cool family!

Weightlifting!

Merry Christmas!   

        It was awesome to see you all and talk to you all yesterday! Sorry the connection was kinda rough sometimes with you hearing me, I could both hear and see you perfectly so it was wonderful for me. I can't help but smile when I think of my family and the big bunch of goofs we really are! Thanks to everybody!!! for the amazing cards, letters, and packages. I love you all, and have the best friends, ward ever! Thank you!!!

Christmas Breakfast with the Montgomery Family

     





















  That quote I shared with you last night has been on my mind for a while now, and I have been able to give it quite some thought. I can't remember who said it or where I read/heard it but I love it. It might have been Joseph Smith? I can't remember...   "That that we persist in doing becomes easier, not because the task at hand has changed, but our ability to do so."   Now hang in there with me as I try and take you on a ride to understand where I am going with this. Lets compare it to weightlifting, and lets use Dylan for example. When he first walked into the weight room with me his freshman or sophomore year, I think it's safe to say he probably couldn't even bench 135. Now look at him, I'm sure he can put up way over 250. So how did he get there?? There is no way we could have walked in day 1, put on 250 and watch him put it up 5 or 6 times. It's a process! Over the weeks of working out he tore his muscles down, made him more sore than he's ever been, and then slowly he saw the increase of weight. Now for those of you who know anything at all about lifting weights, if you want to increase your bench, you can't just bench every single day and expect to see the results! It's a group of muscles that have to work together. You have to do many many different  workouts to increase your lifts, and it's that way with any of the main max lifts. Alright mom you still with me?? I'm almost to the point I promise. So what's cool about weight lifting though is pretty soon, a few weeks or maybe a couple months into it,  you will see big increases in your maxes! It'll be a fast improvement, and then you might begin to get frustrated because you won't see the increase with such big amounts of weight. That's when you have to go the "Point of exhaustion" with every single lift so you can constantly see improvement.

          So is everybody still with me to this point?? Now I will relate it to me, Elder Turnbow, and missions.This makes sense to me so I hope it makes sense to you. Brittin ask Ben for help if needed ;)

Point 1: The step into the weight room and misson field)  My weight room is the great New Mexico Albuquerque Mission! My trainer brought me into my new area fresh out of the MTC!  He was a beast of the weight room you could say! (Like me taking in Dylan ;) ) He was a stud of a missionary, and his knowledge of the gospel was incredible. I was the little freshman, and that first little bit at times it did feel like I was supposed to be benching 250. It was hard!! You get humbled.

Point 2: The training begins)  Referring back to Dylans first experiences working out... We tore down his muscles, made him sore as can be, and then rebuilt him. Some may call this the refiners fire. It happens to every person who will step into a weight room, and it happens to every missionary who puts on the tag. That's a fact. To help athletes with this we have the BFS (bigger faster stronger) workout, and for missionaries, we have the amazing 12 weeks training program. It teaches you how to talk to people, how to teach, bear testimony, and how to study. My trainer was there every step of the way through this process and he did a great job. It is the time when you are most sore, but you know it must be done.

Point 3: Increase in Weight) Back to Dylan.... After the first few weeks or couple of months you can automatically see increases in your lifts IF you do it correctly. So is the same with missionary work! You can see increases in your ability because there is so much to learn and so much to work on. You have to do it correctly though, the Lords way. You have to be obedient too!  At this time it begins to really become fun, and a passion, you begin to love it! But do you get comfortable with where you are at???

Point 4: NEVER PLATEAU) 2 Nephi 28:30=For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn Wisdom  for unto him that receiveth I will give more and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.  So pretty much what this is saying is if you get comfortable with the weight you can bench, and do nothing to increase it, you will lose that muscle to lift that weight. OR.. if a missionary gets comfortable, if he thinks he has it all figured out, if he does nothing to improve, then he will lose what he has gained in that big increase at the beginning.

Point 5: The Solution) Back to Dylan... To always be increasing his bench max he must continually break himself down week after week, he must workout every part of his body, and he must go to the "Point of Exhaustion"  Then he will never settle, then he will always be increasing, it might not be as rapid, but it will be there. As a missionary.... We must do the same thing week after week! Always working with every tool we've been given! The standard works, PMG, the gospel library, and conference talks. Our brain is like a bookshelf and we always have to be adding to it so the Holy Ghost can draw upon things.

Point 6: THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION!"  To me this may be the most important step by far. Let me refer back to Dylan one last time.... When lifting the point of exhaustion is often referred to as maxing out. Remember that this is the only way you can increase your weight. So when maxing out you can never do it alone, you must have a spotter. When you do as many reps as you can, when you have nothing left, the spotter is there to make you go one more, he is there to save you when your arms go out. Missionaries have been given the best spotter in the world. Jesus Christ. When we do all we can, when we go to the "point of exhaustion" our savior is there to make us go a little bit further, and when we give out, when we give it our all, that's when he saves us. That is when the results come, and that is when the real growth happens. It would be impossible to improve without him, it is the only way.

So here I am, Elder Turnbow, and my weight room is the New Mexico Albuquerque mission field, and it is probably the best one in the world. It's a process day after day, and I love it! "That that we persist in doing becomes easier, not because the task at hand has changed, but our ability to do so."         I love you all!

Elder Turnbow

PS. I am still stronger than Dylan!

World Religions Class=Success!

Good afternoon everybody!!

    

      A lot of you asked about the college class that we taught so I will start by giving you the rundown. It was awesome!!!! There were about 30 students or so in the class so it was just about perfect. We started out by asking them how many of them have shut the door in our face, ran away from us, or tried hitting us on our bikes. They got a kick out of that and it really made it so we could be personable with them. We did our power point presentation and showed a couple clips off mormon.org and that took about an hour. It was sweet. After that the teacher asked us about our afterlife beliefs so we used the huge whiteboard that was there and drew out the plan of salvation in detail. It was legit! My doodling skills have advanced from teaching the plan of salvation so many times. They thought that part was super interesting. We then opened the last half hour or so for questions and boy did we get every question a missionary will ever get. Cool part about it though, we could answer every single one. It's amazing how the spirit can draw upon scriptures or things that you have studied in the past. It's a feeling that is indescribable to have a scripture come to mind that maybe you have read once or twice, or words come to you that you aren't sure where they came from. We really had a prayer in our hearts the entire time. We got questions of all kinds. From Priesthood, Resurrection, polygamy, Joseph Smiths King Follet Sermon, Becoming Gods, the trinity, all sorts of stuff. Of course a couple guys came with anti stuff from the internet, but we get that a lot so it wasn't bad at all. Most of the questions were sincere with people really wanting to know.  At the end every student took a copy of the Book of Mormon except one, and she said she already had a copy. A few students wrote down addresses to church buildings and the mormon.org website. It was also fun to be around college students that were our same age. We had planned to not really come right out and bear our testimonies but to just do it briefly as we went along, but towards the end we both somehow ended up bearing our testimonies and it wasn't weird at all. They gave us a big round of applause at the end so that was new but cool too! It was for sure an experience that I will never forget! I hope that somewhere down the road things will happen from it, I really believe that something will. Elder Johnson and I both left feeling really good about it.

Another thing that happened this week is we went up to Taos for exchanges! I love Taos!! There was SNOW up there too! Of course we had ourselves a big snowball fight. There was probably 4 inches on the ground and the mountains up there had a lot. 

Of course we try to find and teach every single day by talking with everybody, and that brings about awesome/crazy/scary/intense stories! 

I got the package you sent! I wanted to open it right when I got it but Elder Johnson said I had to wait for Christmas...grr... The very next day though he got a package from his lady friend and he wanted to open it but I made him eat his words, and I am making him wait til Christmas! Muahahaha

Yes Dad transfers our on the first and I honestly don't know what will happen. I hope I stay one more with Elder Johnson, but by then I would have been here for 4 and a half months so I don't know. Guess we'll see! 

Shout out for my boy Ben!! Congrats on the diploma, you smart fella you. You have always been an amazing example to me. What a good big brotha! 

As for what I want for Christmas... More people to teach!!! And maybe a Polaris Snow Pro in the shed.

Thanks for the emails I enjoy reading them all and I love you all very much. I was also glad to hear Aaron's report went great! I know he was an incredible missionary. Also that he and Stacy are catching up is good to hear. I got a letter from him right before he went home and it was super awesome. I love that kid.  

Ya'll have a good week and enjoy the snow! I will enjoy the sun! It's been a little colder here but still nothing below 32. We are going to play some tennis today for PDay. They all don't know what's coming with my mean backhand!! 

Take care my friends.

Elder Turnbow 

Aloha!!!!

Aloha!!!!

 

    Thanks for all the emails today they are always fun to read. (Even when mom forgets to replace sister with elder or something :)  )

 

This last week was awesome, and it was super super busy.   TEYSHIA   KAMAKANAMAKAMAEMAIKALANI   KAMELAMELA-LUIA Is now a member of the church! Remind me to say her name for you when we skype on Christmas. At the baptism Margie brought leis for everybody there it was sweet. Elder Johnson baptized her and messed up the middle name pretty good and she let out a nice chuckle in the font. It was hilarious. The baptism was super full with the spirit, love, and fun. Hawaiians are amazing. Sunday I confirmed her and was super nervous to say her name! I messed up the beginning of her middle name just a little bit but the rest went well. They brought real flower leis that her family sent from Hawaii for us, the bishopric, and her real close friends. The bishop looked awesome up on the stage and I enjoyed wearing mine all of church.

The Lord really prepared Teyshia to receive the gospel. From Margie having her dream and wanting to become active again and then having Teyshia move from Hawaii to live with them, and Margie going to the high school to register her for classes and seeing the church and just happening to meet our relief society president, who got all of her information and then called us. The Lords is really in this work and preparing people everyday to receive it. President Miller said something the other day in one of the trainings that I really liked. "We are not missionaries asking the Lord for help, we are missionaries helping the Lord in His work."   Now we will continue to teach them and really focus on Jim (Margie]s husband) He has come a long way. He has some issues with Joseph Smith, so we watched the Prophet of the Restoration with them and he really liked it. Nobody can deny the spirit from that movie. It gets me every time. Might I suggest you all watching it for FHE. Dylan, Matt, it's only like 60 something minutes long, I promise.

 

Thursday we had ZLC in ABQ and then Friday we went to Santa Fe for our zone training meeting. Fun Part- I got to drive the big transfer van full of missionaries up there! The training went great! (The donuts were a perfect touch!) I was a little more nervous this time because President and Sister Miller came, but it really went well. Sunday after church we headed back on up to Santa Fe with President Miller and President Sego. Only this time we didn't make it due to a huge snow storm (New Mexicans would say anyway) of probably 3 inches and horrible drivers in snow. It was quite the adventure! It was pretty fun and funny to see the bad drivers. There were probably 10 accidents in a 2 mile stretch. Nothing serious though so that was good. It put traffic at a crawl and sometimes a stop. The stake president was trying to come down from up north though and they really did get a lot of snow so he called just as we were getting into the mess and said he wasn't going to make it. So after a couple hours we finally got turned back around and headed home. It didn't snow here at Rio Rancho at all though. It was a fun little experience, and we made it a good time.

 

 Last night we had dinner with the Hayes and Montgomerys and we had oryx, elk, and deer. Oh man, it was good!

 

So last week was full of meetings, preparing for meetings, and teaching the gospel. There really isn't enough time in the day to get everything done. Reminds me a little of farming.

 

Tuesday is our Christmas zone conference and I am really excited about that! Then on Thursday we are teaching that world religion college class and I am already nervous and excited for that one! I am going to try and send you the PowerPoint that we will be presenting and you'll have to tell me what you think.

 

Congrats to Dylan with All State Safety! Hoo Ah!

 

Until next week! I love you all!

 

Elder Turnbow

 

 

College professors for a day!

Hey guys!

      It was fun to read about the ball games this week and it really got my blood flowing just reading about them! That's good though, maybe I burned some calories. Too bad about the losses but I'm trying to picture who all is on the team and from who I can remember they should have a good team this year!

       We had a pretty good week of our own! The highlight was definitely Saturday. It was Krysha's baptism! It was great! A lot of non-members came too. Her mom came (remember it was a miracle she even gave her permission to be baptized.) Her two brothers came, her aunt and uncle, and grandma! After the actual ordinance and while she was changing, Elder Johnson and I gave a presentation. We taught the restoration beginning at the Savior's earthly ministry. As I recited the first vision I really felt the spirit come into the room and I could tell they were feeling it by the way they were looking at me. Elder Johnson then bore his testimony on it and again the spirit was strong. Who knows if anything will come of it, but it was a great moment. I think Keith was more happy that day than he was at his actual baptism! It was touching. Krysha is always a very happy girl and very social, Saturday though she had on a smile that went ear to ear!

        So guess what!? Elder Johnson and I get to be college professors for a day! Yup. True story. Wednesday night the assistants called and told us the exciting news. A few months ago they were approached by a college professor for a world religions class in ABQ at CNM, and she didn't know anything about Mormons so they asked them to come teach her class for 2 hours. It went great so they asked them to do it again this semester but the date she wants them to do it they will be down south. So long story short they called and asked if we would do it! It'll be December 13. I think it'll be fun and a cool experience.

        Teyshia is getting interviewed for baptism tonight and her baptism is still planned for this Saturday, so we are super excited about that! Margie keeps feeding us so we keep eating! They also gave us a Chirstmas tree for our house! It's about 3 feet tall and awesome! I bought some lights at Walmart and our place looks saweet.

      This next week we are so super busy I don't know if we will have time to breathe! Tomorrow we have leadership training, Thursday is ZLC, Friday we have a zone training meeting in Santa Fe, and then Sunday is our SMCM meeting in Santa Fe. Wooo! Wish us luck!

        We found a new investigator this week and it was cool how it happened. We were knocking an apartment complex and a lady walked by.  She smiled and waved but we couldn't really talk because we were waiting for the door to open. When we were done with that door, we turned around and she was still standing there! she said, "Are you Mormons??" Our reply, "Yup"   to which she said, "Come here and talk to me for a minute." When you hear that line it means either one of two things: 1.  All the person wants to do is bash. or 2. the person is actually interested. She was number 2! She was actually the manager of the apartment complex and was a Jehovah's Witness all her life until about 5 years ago. She's a really neat lady.

       Well I am going to try and send some pics of the baptism and what not so hopefully they work!

      Have a great week!

  Elder Turnbow

PS. Today I am thankful for my aunt Lynette who would cut my hair... I haven't had a good haircut in a long time :/

PPS I still don't believe it's winter here because I think it was in the 70s yesterday!

The whole zone with Elder Johnson of the Seventy