Hey family, I hope you guys are doing a little better.
My first week in Redmond has been tough. The elders that left the area to us didn't have much going on so it has been a struggle to get anything worthwhile done. But we have focused on getting to know the ward leaders and seeing all of the former investigators to see if they would like to be taught at all. But I am sure this week we will see some good stuff now that I have had my first P-day. Which was really fun... We went into Bend and played football, soccer and volleyball at a members indoor sport arena so that was fun. And now we will just be hanging out and shooting hoops till we have to get home and shower and head to dinner.
I am glad to hear that the funeral went well. I will sure miss Grandpa, he was a very sweet man and I love him very much. But I know the Lord needed him for something, for the laborers are fewer across the veil then here. And it won't be too long until we shall be reunited.
I was wondering if I could get some money put into my account.. It is really cold here.. very similar to Utah but more wind. And I would like to get a few things like maybe a sweater or two and something to support my back. That would be much appreciated.
But as far as Redmond goes.. it is my favorite area so far. There are many awesome members here and it just seems a lot more organized then some other areas I have been in. The only thing that I wish was better was the work.. But I know that will pick up soon.
Anyways I love you guys and I will see you sooner then later.
Love, Elder Ballif
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Thoughts on Grandpa Ballif and Transfer to Redmond
Hey Family, I hope you guys are doing alright...
I received the call yesterday that let me know that grandpa passed on to the world of spirits. As soon as I heard that I was in shock for a little while. I started thinking about the fact that when I got home I would not be able to see him for a long time. But I find comfort in knowing he is with grandma still, I know he is comforting her. And he will be anxiously waiting for her to return to him after her mission is done. I loved grandpa very much and it is sure sad that he won't be here with us but I do know that death for a worthy saint is very much a blessing. And I do know that grandpa was a great man as are his wife and children great. He has raised a great family. And he was a very good example for me and I hope I can be as good as him when I am older. I feel as though he will be resurrected a lot sooner then later in the 1st resurrection and I will get to meet the youthful Don. I love you guys and I know that angels can comfort you if you let them. I have been praying for you all and myself that I can remember that he is watching me and that I can make him proud.
I will be going to Redmond 1st ward with Elder Stokes. Elder Stokes was a zone leader prior to this and him and I are going to be whitewashing.. (which means we will both be new in the ward) I am excited for the change to get out of all the sopping rain.. And our mission president promised me that we would see baptisms if I was obedient so I shall be. I have been reading Preach my Gospel a lot lately so I can get better at teaching and finding. It really is a good book to help you learn what we are supposed to do out here. Ryan would do well to really study that book like he would his homework. I know Ryan is a lot smarter then I so he would learn a lot faster than I have. He just needs to realize that it is important as well as the Book of Mormon. VERY IMPORTANT STUFF. A mission is a wonderful experience, and I am really excited for Ryan to have a chance to serve. It will help him grow into a MAN. Mentally, Spiritually, and Emotionally. If you wanna be physically manly you have to exercise with me.
I love you guys very much and I will be excited to tell you about Redmond when I get there.. my address shall be 707 sw. black butte blvd #10 Redmond 97756 so you can send me all the mail that you want... (because it is sooooo much!) ;)
I love you guys and I will be praying for you all. Seek the Holy Ghost in your lives. It is the best feeling I have ever had.
love always,
Elder Ballif
I received the call yesterday that let me know that grandpa passed on to the world of spirits. As soon as I heard that I was in shock for a little while. I started thinking about the fact that when I got home I would not be able to see him for a long time. But I find comfort in knowing he is with grandma still, I know he is comforting her. And he will be anxiously waiting for her to return to him after her mission is done. I loved grandpa very much and it is sure sad that he won't be here with us but I do know that death for a worthy saint is very much a blessing. And I do know that grandpa was a great man as are his wife and children great. He has raised a great family. And he was a very good example for me and I hope I can be as good as him when I am older. I feel as though he will be resurrected a lot sooner then later in the 1st resurrection and I will get to meet the youthful Don. I love you guys and I know that angels can comfort you if you let them. I have been praying for you all and myself that I can remember that he is watching me and that I can make him proud.
I will be going to Redmond 1st ward with Elder Stokes. Elder Stokes was a zone leader prior to this and him and I are going to be whitewashing.. (which means we will both be new in the ward) I am excited for the change to get out of all the sopping rain.. And our mission president promised me that we would see baptisms if I was obedient so I shall be. I have been reading Preach my Gospel a lot lately so I can get better at teaching and finding. It really is a good book to help you learn what we are supposed to do out here. Ryan would do well to really study that book like he would his homework. I know Ryan is a lot smarter then I so he would learn a lot faster than I have. He just needs to realize that it is important as well as the Book of Mormon. VERY IMPORTANT STUFF. A mission is a wonderful experience, and I am really excited for Ryan to have a chance to serve. It will help him grow into a MAN. Mentally, Spiritually, and Emotionally. If you wanna be physically manly you have to exercise with me.
I love you guys very much and I will be excited to tell you about Redmond when I get there.. my address shall be 707 sw. black butte blvd #10 Redmond 97756 so you can send me all the mail that you want... (because it is sooooo much!) ;)
I love you guys and I will be praying for you all. Seek the Holy Ghost in your lives. It is the best feeling I have ever had.
love always,
Elder Ballif
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wild Week
Hey Family, Hope everything is going fantastic.
This week was pretty wild, Elder Goodfellow was sent home for medical reasons and I was partially not in my area this week. I am currently working in between my area and Eugene 3rd wards area. And I am feeling a little stressed but it is all good. A bowl of ice cream will fix me right up.
Therefore I believe I will be staying in my area for another transfer.. which means another 7 and 1/2 month area in a row for Elder Ballif. I think that I will be fine though.. Eugene is pretty crazy but we are finding a good amount of people to teach. And Shandra is doing good, she came to church yesterday and we are still working with her, she asked if we could move the baptism back and I am not going to baptize someone who feels like they are not ready for a covenant making ordinance. But she is still progressing, I think the next time we meet with her we will read from the scriptures and teach her about a few of the commandments, possibly that it is a commandment to study the scriptures.
I hope all is well and that you all are happy and safe. I got a really cool spiderman watch for two dollars that I have worn more then any other watch I have ever had. I love it.
Whoa, that's pretty wild that Alan Dixon is home now. Pretty awesome stuff, I can't remember who is next to come home out of my crew.. Probably Quentin or Avery.. I am not sure. Whateva.
My back hurts because I ride a bike that is not meant for a 6'4 7/8 person to ride.. And partially my bed.. I think I just want to buy a back brace or something... I don't know. I am trying to be the least stressful for you guys as I can be.
I like Josh read that talk and I often refer to it when I am trying to practice getting better at teaching. I really like the way he explained how the Holy Ghost specifically teaches to help us learn how to be influenced through the HG to be able to TEACH and help it STICK.
I miss you guys a lot right now especially since it is close to my Birthday... and I can't help little Ellie become like "Pearl the Landlord" (funny or die Will Ferrell video). Just kidding I would never do that unless I was paid really well. ;)
I love this church and a lot of people in it, I am grateful to be here to learn from all the people I serve around. There are a lot of really cool people in the wards that I have served in and I have enjoyed being here to meet these new peeps. I have changed quite a bit from when I was last home but I hope that it shall be a good change for everyone.
All I know is that I love you guys and I miss you a lot, but I still have important work to do and I will see this mission through so I can say I have finished something good in my life. Then I will just totally be the same person I was and live with you guys till I am 40. :) Sound good?? cool.
I love you guys and I know that God is there and he can hear our prayers and answer them if we are keeping or at least trying hard to keep his Holy Commandments. I know that the Savior lives and he Atoned for our sins so we can all have a chance to come back to the kingdom of God. But we must CHOOSE what we will do in our lives to make sure that happens.
I pray that we can all CHOOSE to Submit to God's will and align our wants with his wants so we can be at peace.
I love you,
Elder Ballif
This week was pretty wild, Elder Goodfellow was sent home for medical reasons and I was partially not in my area this week. I am currently working in between my area and Eugene 3rd wards area. And I am feeling a little stressed but it is all good. A bowl of ice cream will fix me right up.
Therefore I believe I will be staying in my area for another transfer.. which means another 7 and 1/2 month area in a row for Elder Ballif. I think that I will be fine though.. Eugene is pretty crazy but we are finding a good amount of people to teach. And Shandra is doing good, she came to church yesterday and we are still working with her, she asked if we could move the baptism back and I am not going to baptize someone who feels like they are not ready for a covenant making ordinance. But she is still progressing, I think the next time we meet with her we will read from the scriptures and teach her about a few of the commandments, possibly that it is a commandment to study the scriptures.
I hope all is well and that you all are happy and safe. I got a really cool spiderman watch for two dollars that I have worn more then any other watch I have ever had. I love it.
Whoa, that's pretty wild that Alan Dixon is home now. Pretty awesome stuff, I can't remember who is next to come home out of my crew.. Probably Quentin or Avery.. I am not sure. Whateva.
My back hurts because I ride a bike that is not meant for a 6'4 7/8 person to ride.. And partially my bed.. I think I just want to buy a back brace or something... I don't know. I am trying to be the least stressful for you guys as I can be.
I like Josh read that talk and I often refer to it when I am trying to practice getting better at teaching. I really like the way he explained how the Holy Ghost specifically teaches to help us learn how to be influenced through the HG to be able to TEACH and help it STICK.
I miss you guys a lot right now especially since it is close to my Birthday... and I can't help little Ellie become like "Pearl the Landlord" (funny or die Will Ferrell video). Just kidding I would never do that unless I was paid really well. ;)
I love this church and a lot of people in it, I am grateful to be here to learn from all the people I serve around. There are a lot of really cool people in the wards that I have served in and I have enjoyed being here to meet these new peeps. I have changed quite a bit from when I was last home but I hope that it shall be a good change for everyone.
All I know is that I love you guys and I miss you a lot, but I still have important work to do and I will see this mission through so I can say I have finished something good in my life. Then I will just totally be the same person I was and live with you guys till I am 40. :) Sound good?? cool.
I love you guys and I know that God is there and he can hear our prayers and answer them if we are keeping or at least trying hard to keep his Holy Commandments. I know that the Savior lives and he Atoned for our sins so we can all have a chance to come back to the kingdom of God. But we must CHOOSE what we will do in our lives to make sure that happens.
I pray that we can all CHOOSE to Submit to God's will and align our wants with his wants so we can be at peace.
I love you,
Elder Ballif
Monday, February 6, 2012
Good Week
Hey Family, I hope everything is going very well for you all.
Happy Birthday to Brynlee and Ry Ry, I sent a little bit of my love to both of you honeys. :D
Elder Goodfellow and I had a good week, it was a little slow at first but it ended very well. I am glad that I am out here right now and Tyson told me that all the girls back home haven't changed since high school so I don't even feel like I am missing out too badly. I do miss you all very much and my good friends and the good times I have had at home. But I have had a lot of time to change and become a better person which I am happy about. I am also excited for Ryan to have this change because I can tell he acts a lot like I did before I left. But since I have had that change I have seen the error of my ways and I hope that happens for Ryan as well. We had a good pday today, we played some football and then we had a zone picnic. which was pretty fetch. (mean girls)
I have been remembering a lot of the Book of Mormon now.. I love when I read so much I can remember where everything is in the book. That happened to me when I read the New testament as well. My memory is definitely enhanced when I have the spirit.
We have a few people that we invited to baptism this week but they unfortunately they denied the opportunity for now, but I feel like once they are a little more prepared then we will have a better chance of getting a positive response.
My back is still hurting me and my bike is slowly falling apart... so I think I will be needing a little bit of cash to pay for some things to make my life a little easier.
I enjoyed the pictures of Brynlee's birthday, she sure is a cutie, I am gonna love babysitting Jenns munchkins when I get back.. and Ellie if Kim and Todd need a date night or something.
Anyway, I don't have much else to say.. I hope Mitt wins the Republican party vote! I wouldn't mind having the Elders of Israel save this country.
Have a great week, one love!
Elder Ballif
Happy Birthday to Brynlee and Ry Ry, I sent a little bit of my love to both of you honeys. :D
Elder Goodfellow and I had a good week, it was a little slow at first but it ended very well. I am glad that I am out here right now and Tyson told me that all the girls back home haven't changed since high school so I don't even feel like I am missing out too badly. I do miss you all very much and my good friends and the good times I have had at home. But I have had a lot of time to change and become a better person which I am happy about. I am also excited for Ryan to have this change because I can tell he acts a lot like I did before I left. But since I have had that change I have seen the error of my ways and I hope that happens for Ryan as well. We had a good pday today, we played some football and then we had a zone picnic. which was pretty fetch. (mean girls)
I have been remembering a lot of the Book of Mormon now.. I love when I read so much I can remember where everything is in the book. That happened to me when I read the New testament as well. My memory is definitely enhanced when I have the spirit.
We have a few people that we invited to baptism this week but they unfortunately they denied the opportunity for now, but I feel like once they are a little more prepared then we will have a better chance of getting a positive response.
My back is still hurting me and my bike is slowly falling apart... so I think I will be needing a little bit of cash to pay for some things to make my life a little easier.
I enjoyed the pictures of Brynlee's birthday, she sure is a cutie, I am gonna love babysitting Jenns munchkins when I get back.. and Ellie if Kim and Todd need a date night or something.
Anyway, I don't have much else to say.. I hope Mitt wins the Republican party vote! I wouldn't mind having the Elders of Israel save this country.
Have a great week, one love!
Elder Ballif
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