A Spring to My Step

Hello There,

     

We had Zone Leader Council this last week and President Miller gave us some very exciting news! Right now we have 164 missionaries in our mission, by the end of June it is going to be almost 250! Can you say amazing!? We have already seen miracles start to happen. This next transfer our zone is splitting. It will no longer be the Rio Rancho Santa Fe zone, they will both be their own! The Lord is hastening his work and we can all feel it. If there was ever a time to be part of such an amazing work it is now, you can feel the urgency to spread the gospel, and it has added a spring to my step. There are not words enough to describe the feelings that we are all feeling as representatives of Jesus Christ. We went to Santa Fe yesterday with President Miller and Sego for our last SMCM there, the stake presidency is excited to be their own zone. As we were driving home the sunset was incredible, and from the freeway I had a perfect view of Santa Fe, it was bitter sweet not knowing the next time I would be back. I love that place.

 

So Saturday night we got the news, I am getting transferred. I was not expecting it! I thought for sure Elder Ashworth and I would stay together for at least another one! I have been here for 6 months though, and it has been good for me. I have done a lot of growing and changing in this area. I am sad I will not be here to work with the awesome people we are teaching!

 

Keith and Krysha

I said goodbye to Keith and Krysha yesterday after church, and also Margie Teyshia and Jim. It's hard to say goodbye! It's amazing how much you come to love the people you serve and teach. I wonder if it feels at all like Christ felt giving the great intercessory prayer. All's you want for the people you teach is to stay strong! Today is my last day here, transfers are bright and early tomorrow. I am sad to leave, but excited to start a new chapter in my mission in a new area.

 

Margie, Teyshia, and Jim

We had a good lesson this week with Vickie Davis. As Elder Holland would say she is kind of broken right now, but God loves broken things right? I had a very strong impression come to me in our lesson. We were answering questions and teaching the restoration to her again and it was going fairly well, but something wasn't quite right. It was then that just like a news flash  a part of my setting apart blessing from President Waldron came flooding back into memory when he said "Be bold, be yourself, you will be successful." The next chance I got I told her I was going to be bold with her, and I was. I can't really remember what I said, but it seemed to work. She has a big hold up with praying, ever since she left the Jehova's Witness and Elder Ashworth invited her to pray and ask if God was there and loved her. Her response was "But what if he doesn't answer me?"  I then promised her he would answer. Her response "That's a bold promise, can you back it up?" We both said yes. The spirit confirmed the promise, and she said she would do it.  She is going to be an incredible member of the church. It is only a matter of time with her! She is the one who stopped me and Elder Johnson while we were knocking an apartment complex. I love being a missionary.

 

Well next week I will let you know where the Lord has called me to serve. I love reading your emails each week, they mean a lot to me! I have served around missionaries who have little if no family support, and my heart goes out to them. I hope you all know how lucky we really are.  I love you all!

 

Elder Turnbow

 

I am happy and still loving every second!

Dear Family,

    

       Right after bowling last Monday I could not wait to get back here again to email you... I bowled a 130 something my first game, but a 217 my second game! I marked on every frame and bowled 4 strikes in a row. When I get home I will forever bowl in a shirt and tie, it's good luck!

Proof!

       So this week was super crazy! (Not much is new) Tuesday we went on exchanges with the AP's and I went with Elder Hanks (one of my heroes) to UNM. It was an awesome experience to be on campus all day. Believe it or not but it's actually been cold here the past couple of days, so that morning the branch set up a hot chocolate stand with free hot chocolate and mormon.org cards and everything. We were trying to let everyone know of an activity the singles branch put on called meet the Mormons. It was a blast! Being on campus all day I kept looking for basketball players and athletes, pretty sure I found some. It was neat to be contacting people around my age all day, we had some good success too!

 

        Friday we got a random call from the mission office after district meeting, and the next thing ya know we are in the transfer van heading up to Espanola with beds and housing things. The area split last transfer but the Elders are just barely now getting a place to live in their area so we had to go help them out. It didn't bother me any because I love the drive up there and it's a way scenic place. I love it up there!

 

        Maria who we are teaching is still doing really well, right now we are working to help her quit smoking. She has already gone from almost a pack a day to only 4 a day. She is really starting to get excited about everything and it's fun to see. Aiden is doing great, and he brought a friend to church yesterday! We have moved his baptism date to the end of February because of stake conference coming up and he needs a little more experience with church, but he is awesome.

 

            For the first time in my life I will say this, yesterday the Superbowl was annoying! We had a lot of missionaries text us and say things like "What are we supposed to plan for those hours? Nobody is going to let us in!" To which we would respond "do missionary work!" haha it was amusing. We had a rough couple of hours, but we did finally get let in with a family we could teach so it made it all worth it!

 

            I don't know if I have ever mentioned Mary Hazlett or not, but she came to church yesterday for the first time! Her significant other, and daughter came as well. Mary is the kind who "Really Loves God" She is hilarious and I love her to death. During sacrament I was a little nervous she'd get up and bare her testimony, especially when we went up there. She can't open her eyes without using her hands, so she takes the verse in Corinthians that says for we walk by faith, not sight very seriously. She's hilarious.

 

            I loved hearing about the temple experiences with Em, and of course the ball games last week. Life is good!

 

           Things are going well, I am happy, and still loving every second!

 

      Until next time, Elder Turnbow

YE are the light of the world

Hey!

 

      Man, you are all super lucky you were able to be with Elder Holland this last week! That's awesome! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and impressions on it. I could feel the power of his talks just from reading what you all had to say about it.

 

(A member just walked into the library and gave all of us missionaries here emailing our own package of Oreos. I love Oreos!)

 

         Not too much to report on because it was just a few days ago that we emailed home, but things are still going well! We've recently been teaching a less active member who was a convert at 20 and then fell away pretty much right after that. For the last 13 years he had been taking care of his mom until she passed away. As he sat in Sacrament meeting he broke down and began to cry. He leaned over and said, "My life wouldn't be such a mess if I had never left the church." It was a moment of great realization for him, but he is on the right path now and that's what matters! I couldn't help but have many other names come into my mind that I wish would come to that realization. It was last General Conference when Neil L Andersen said. "Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view." How true that is!!

 

We had a couple really good lessons the past two days with Maria Burnheimer and Chris Hernandez. This is not the same Maria with the first vision experience. This Maria is doing awesome! She told us last lesson that she got her answer about the Book of Mormon, so we asked her what her answer was and she laughed and said "Well you wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't a good answer!" We taught her the Word of Wisdom that night and it went great. She smokes, but committed to stop! We are planning on having her baptism in February. Chris Hernandez is somebody I have been working with since pretty much day one in this area, he is one of those people you know you were sent to an area for. He is so close!!! Man!!! haha Brother Montgomery is awesome fellowship for him, and Chris' wife is a member and they have two young kids. He has said he will quit drinking after the super bowl. He has been reading and praying, but he is very non committal.

 

So I have been doing a really cool study lately on Light. I started with John 8:12, and then Mathew 5:14-16  In John Christ is declaring himself as the light of the word, and in Mathew he says YE are the light of the world. It has been a really cool study. If anybody wants a neat study, go with it!

 

Well today we are going bowling for a bit so I'll have to let ya know how I do next week! Also Mom, thanks for the letter in the mail this week! I loved the quotes.

 

Enjoy the snow for me! Lots of Love,

 

Elder Turnbow

When things like that happen, it makes me want to try even harder!

Hey there!

 

   Sorry it is Thursday and we are just now emailing home, the library was closed on Monday and we have been crazy busy the past couple of days. Monday we went up to Santa Fe for PDay and then went on exchanges with the Espanola Elders, I came back to Rio Rancho and Elder Ashworth went there. Tuesday we went back and then did exchanges with the Santa Fe Elders. This time I stayed in Santa Fe with Elder Eaquinto, my MTC companion!! So not only was I back in my first area, but I was back with my very first companion! It was a blast and a half. Him and his companion white washed in due to some things so they don't know too much about Santa Fe yet and are trying to find people to teach. A lot of the day I took Elder Eaquinto around to people we used to teach there and different people they could work with. I was able to meet up with a few people I used to teach, including David Sullenberger the scientist PhD guy. He is still not baptized, and not progressing too well, but it was fun to see him and we had a good lesson. Hopefully he gets back on it. We went out to eat with Kenny Wilkens while we were there! Oh man, he's doing great! I can't believe how happy it makes me to see him as strong as ever. He is working to go to the temple here in a few months. Mike and Savanna and Laureen and Maureen were all out of town so I was unable to see them, but they are doing well! It was so cool to be back up there and in my old stomping grounds! As we drove down the different streets, I could picture perfectly Elder Willden and I, or Elder Webb, walking the sidewalks and knocking on doors.

Elder Turnbow and MTC companion Elder Eaquinto
Back together for two days in Santa Fe

 

    Mom, you asked about Aiden's baptism date. It is for Feb. 2, but he was out of town last week and unable to make it to church, and they have family coming in this week so he is unsure about this week too. He is still doing really well and excited, but we will probably have to push his date back a little bit. It's fun to teach him; he is as smart as a whip! Speaking of teaching (It's what we do :) ) I had an opportunity to look over the new curriculum for seminary and Sunday school and man, it is almost exactly how we are trained to teach. Teaching like the Savior taught.  Really cool, I wish I had that in Sunday school. Take advantage of it, Fat and Pickle.

 

So now on to Maria because you asked about her too.  While we were on exchanges with Espanola, Elder Humphries and went to teach her and her sister Virginia. We also had Dallin with us who is Dylan's age. She still had lots of questions about the apostasy, trinity, and Eucharist, and evidence of the Book of Mormon, and we were able to handle it well, and I thought we were answering every question clearly and using scriptures, but it wouldn't satisfy her. We finally got to the restoration and I told the Joseph Smith story and did the first vision. As a missionary you get pretty in tune with the spirit and when it is there or not there.  Well, as I recited the first vision slowly, the spirit was definitely there, no doubt at all. I knew she could feel it to by her eye contact and body language. After I finished, Elder Humphries asked her how she felt, and after she gave an answer that didn't describe her feelings, he asked again, just like we are trained to do. What she said I couldn't believe.  She said that she didn't feel anything or have any emotional difference. My heart sunk a little with despair. After that her sister chirped in with a question and we tried to get it back but it wasn't happening.

As we left that lesson I wasn't quite sure what to think, Dallin was fired up! haha He reminded me of me as a new missionary. He said things like "How could she not feel it!?  Man I was feeling it!!" It was one of those times like PMG says that you will be saddened when you know investigators have spiritual experiences but don't accept them. Or something like that. It is a super super tough thing to take. I wanted to say I know you felt it, and I know you are feeling it! I was reminded of Elder Holland's talk the Atonement and the Missionary.  You all know me though, and when things like that happen it makes me want to try even harder. I have a lot of faith in her and her sister, it will happen! Dylan - you should find time to go out teaching with the Elders in your stake, it would be a great experience for you.

 

Frank - Just because I am gone doesn't mean you can get all suicidal on me now! I am glad you are ok buddy. Try to save some fun for me ya? Between tractors, dump trucks, and recreational vehicles, me and you have chalked up quite a few accidents!

 

It sounds like Matt and Dylan are playing well, I love hearing about the games. Thanks for the money to buy some basketball shoes, I will go find a new cheap pair hopefully this coming Monday. Dylan sent me a picture of the last duck/goose hunt of the year, looked like a blast! I am also glad that your class went well Dad, I know you are an amazing teacher. Mom - Good luck with your calling as well! That should be a lot of fun. Train them well!

 

Thanks for all the prayers, and love, it is much needed. Take care now ya'll!

 

Love, Elder Turnbow

 

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!