Monday, November 15, 2010

Mid November

Hey all! This week has been super fast, which us different for when you're coming into a new area, but I guess having lots of festivities with the ward and some of your investigators makes things fly by fast! I also want to shout out to my Grandpa and Grandma's on another happy birthday! Here's a rundown on Dad's ?'s:

  1. My comp's name is Elder Coburn, he's been out one more transfer than I have, He's from Utah (go figure), and he's an awesome guy. He's a little reserved at times when we're in the apartment, but he's out-going and lively with all of the branch members out here. We get along well, sometimes it's interesting to try to adjust to a new companion, especially after one that has been almost perfectly unified with you like Elder Zufelt and I.
  2. Rohnert park is surprisingly small. We're actually _just_ outside of the Santa Rosa zone, but we're allowed over there on P-days and what-not (Christmas will be ok). We live in an apartment, we still have a car, and we do actually use bikes occasionally. The Branch out here is supposed to be one of the closest to becoming a ward! So we'll see if I can help that along!
  3. YES! All 3 baptisms worked out last Saturday, and Elder Zufelt promised to send me pictures of it, so I'll get them to you when I get them. I wasn't able to be there with them though... new mission policy. However, what's awesome is that there are 3 more of my investigators that are getting baptized in 2 weeks! It makes me feel really good to know that my time and effort in Fairfield is already bearing fruit.
  4. The weather has been rather variable lately. Some days are Cool California Sunny Days, and others are chilly, cloudy and blustery. However, you can definitely tell or feel the change in the season. It's more mental than anything I can describe

(!!!) My new address is:

166 Santa Alicia Dr. Apt# 23

Rohnert Park, CA 94928

As much as I would want to go to Aunt Marsha's for Thanksgiving and Christmas it would seem that we already have plans for Thanksgiving. However, since Transfers are the 21st of Dec I'm positive that we can plan another Christmas meal (another breakfast would be absolutely amazing!) I'll figure out the details in the next few weeks.

I'm sad to hear that Great-Grandma Gardner is approaching the veil rather quickly... I might be hoping for a lot to see her before she goes, but the Lord knows the time. Whether that be sooner or later.

Thanks grandma for those quotes! I'll need to bring some change to print them out next week.

I miss the autumn leaves in NC, there's some of it here, but not nearly as much vibrancy of color, nor as many trees. I'm looking forward to coming home to that as well as going camping and the wonderful camping food! You really miss when you can't do anything outdoorsy very often.

One of these P-days soon we'll be going to see the redwoods again! I'll have my camera, and there will be pictures!

I'll be doing a quick reply with pictures!

I love y'all! Have a great week!

Elder Mackelprang

 

Nov2010HalfMissionConference1 Half-mission conference.  Elder Mackelprang is on the far right of the photo.
Nov2010HalfMissionConference2 Elder Mackelprang along with his district.
ElderMackelprangAndElderGolden Elder Mackelprang shaking hands with Elder Golden from the 70.
DSCN0708 Elder Mackelprang’s pumpkin.
DSCN0710 Elder Zufelt’s Pumpkin.
DSCN0693 Elder Zufelt with some investigators and members from the branch.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Happy P Day! (November 8 2010)

We had a mission conference this week with Elder Golden. Man... that was pretty intense! I'm always amazed at what your learn when a general authority starts speaking.

I had the opportunity to eat lunch with Aunt Marsha due to a series of unfortunate events that cancelled our planned temple trip for last week. I had asked Aunt Marsha for a ride, and invited her to come with us, but our District leader for solid reason didn't want to go, and so none of us could because he's the district leader. So yeah I was disappointed about that, but I invited Aunt Marsha out to lunch to make things up to her. :) It's hard to believe it's almost already been a year since I've last seen her. Time has flown by.

Stake Conference is always amazing, and it's funny for me to think and compare how it's so  similar to zone conferences out here on the mission! It's always uplifting, and you leave knowing where your focus needs to be next. That's something I hope to keep up after the mission.

Some questions for you:

Did you get your new shoes yet?  I know you wanted them for Christmas, but you'll have them early :-)

Yes I did, they are wonderful, and according to the chiropractic that we visit it's doing wonders for my back, and posture, dealing with strains, etc.

How many shirts do you think you want for Christmas?  I was planning on three of them, all long sleeve.  Let me know if that's different from what you really want.

Actually most of what I need are new short sleeves. I was thinking 3 short sleeves, and 1 long.

Do you have any "special" requests for your goodie package for Christmas?  Our plan is to do something similar to what we did last year, so if you have any special requests, let us know soon (we have to send it off pretty quickly).

I like it being a little surprising, but I will ask that you send me a little bit of money to go out to eat, since my mission budget doesn't allow me to do that next to never.

At the mission conference, try to get in several pictures if you can.  Try not to be in the back row also :-)  Almost all the zone/mission pictures I've seen of you have you in the back.

Sorry it's already over, but I know that Sis Bunker took a picture of me, Elder Zufelt, another companion ship we serve with, and also Elders Bittner and Knowles with whom I've previously served.

Well transfers are here!! I'm off to Rohnert Park! (a little south of Rosa.)

I don't have the address with me so I'll have to mail it to you with the letter to the ward I've been working on. (I might be able to have Thanksgiving with Aunt Marsha if things work out. She's pretty close to my new area.)

I love you all, and the best news is that we have 3 baptisms this Saturday! Anita, and her kids Alejandro and Ana are getting baptized. I love that family, and I'm happy that they've finally made all of the necessary steps to make it into the waters of baptism! Even if it is right as I leave. (It's alright, it seems to happen all the time, but now the rules are that missionaries leaving an area aren't supposed to come back to see the baptism just for the baptism. So I'll hope that Elder Zufelt takes good pictures.

I'm doing great, and I hope you all are doing the same!

Elder Mackelprang

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

P-Day! (Transfers NEXT Week)

Sorry mom, Transfers are next week. I'll know what happens next Sunday. From what I hear from my Zone Leaders, things may not be so crazy this transfer, but the next one. 2 days before Christmas.. :( that will be bad timing.

  • I was a chili judge for the trunk or treat here in Fairfield. I burnt my tongue and the roof of my mouth especially, but the chili was good, and I enjoyed mixing them up and throwing in some jalapenos!
  • As part of a stake activity there is a massive pumpkin carving at someone's house, and anybody and everybody is invited to carve pumpkins. So we went with our investigators, and carved some. I carved a Luigi pumpkin to be a companion to someone's Mario. They're lighting them up again tonight. I'll take a picture of it lit up, and send it to you guys.
  • Officially I've had 4 Spanish companions, during this year. I've been here in Fairfield for 6 months now.
  • I'm sure Dad wasn't liking the work or the extreme cold coming upon him up there in Canada.
  • It's funny how all of the parties seem to start right around Halloween and don't end until January. :P I'm enjoying being a part of more activities this Holiday season, compared to last year. I'll also enjoy leaving the mission next year before everything starts turning rainy, windy, and cold. Perfect timing.
  • You're right I would enjoy the mega-hot chili Brother Lete made. I eat habanero chilies. Ask any Spanish branch member about that. They might be impressed. I was actually one of the judges for the chili cook-off here in Fairfield. :'(  Burnt my mouth a few times... not from it being too spicy, but because they were too hot (temperature-wise). But It was a great activity. We had a lot of support from the branch too.
  • I don't remember Bunko, but if it's what I think it is that sounds like fun! I hope that we can get some fun times going on when I get home.
  • I miss being in the choir and singing. There really isn't enough of it out here... *sigh* I miss Cary 2nd Ward.
  • I have pictures of a pumpkin carving I did as an activity with my investigators. I'll send you the pictures on my technical P-Day this Thursday when I have a temple trip. (Hopefully if all goes well I can ask Aunt Marsha to take us down!)
  • That's cool that you were watching home videos. We had some funny ones. I really need to make to sure to take more pictures, or videos when I'm raising my family.

I can’t believe it’s November already!? Time is really flying.

That's crazy that Andrew (Elder Roberts) is almost done... I guess he can email me regularly and then I can start sending him little email notes on P-Days! I know who else he's going to be emailing as well! ;-)

Well I love you all, and I hope that things keep staying good at home. I know that this church is true, and I know it with all of my heart.

Be good!

Love,

Your Missionary,

Elder Mackelprang

Note that this is a moderated blog - Elder Mackelprang neither reads or (directly) writes to this blog. This is done by his father.