Fwd: New Companion, Who Dis?

> Howdy everyone! This week I got a new companion. His name is Elder Whitted. He's hecka dope, and very hard working.
>
> This week was really highlighted by the service we did at the El Paso County Fair. This was the second time we worked at the fair. The first time we went we switched cars woth the Zone leaders and I forgot my sunscreen was in the other car so it was kinda a rough 5 hours. I came home looking like a lobster. This week I was smarted and wore a very light jacket. I wanted to burn my legs this time so I wore shorts and didn't put sunscreen on anything but my face and neck. I didn't get the burn I wanted except on my calves for some odd reason.
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> This week I hit a FLIPPIN YEAR!!! LET'S GO!!! It's so crazy to think I've been out a year. *MIND EXPLOSION* and then before you know it I'll be at 18 months and that's when I'll really start to freak out a lot!
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> Well I think that's all for this week. I hope you all have a fantastic week and continue to GROW your faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! TIll next week(maybe LOL)
> Elder Grandon

A Long Time Coming

> Howdy everyone! Sorry it's been such a long time since you've heard from me, I guess I haven't written for 6 weeks because I would just call home and that would be it.
>
> A lot has happened these past 6 weeks. I got transferred to Pikes Peak YSA and it's defiantly different than any family ward I've ever been in. We don't really get fed that often but the members are still cool. We actively teach 5 returning members and that alone is a lot to plan for and then add on investigator lessons and service and before you know it, it's the transfer. My companion is Elder Kim. He's hecka cool. He came from LA and is one transfer away from returning. Unfortunately he is getting transferred to Castle Rock so I don't get to kill him off. I've served around him when I was finishing up training so him and I were already good friends. My new companion is Elder Whitted. I've never served around him or even heard of him but I've been told that he's pretty cool. I get him tomorrow so yeah.
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> Last month I was able to head to the Temple as a "halfway" milestone. I haven't actually hit a year yet but because the temple will be closed from July-October my group got to go early. I tell you what, going to the temple as a regular person is already like a spiritual wave but as a missionary its amplified by like 1000! The spirit was so strong I felt like Lehi. I about fell asleep driving home. That much spirit is amazing but MANNNN it sure does ware you out. It's crazy to think I went to the Temple over a month ago. I feel like I was just there. Time really does fly on a mission.
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> Speaking of time, next week I hit a YEAR!!!! That's so crazy. I feel like I just hugged my Family and reported to the MTC, but I guess not. HA HA HA! I'm a year away from being a college Freshman, I'm a year away from seeing my family again, I'm a year away from seeing my best friend, AKA my dog Hercules, again! He probably doesn't even remember what I look like LOL!! It truely does speak for how special missions are. Sure they sound like a long time but then you realize you have 7 transfers left and you kind of question how you got here. I love this opportunity to set myself aside and serve the people here. My football coach use to say "Leave it all out on the field so much so that I have to carry you off to the locker room! I will gladly drag myself out there to carry you off!" I think that's gonna be my moto for this year. "Leave it all out in the field". Jesus will provide strength. I know that from personal experiences.
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> Finding in any YSA ward is extremely difficult. It's not that we have problems finding people but the fact that we have to find people that fit into specifics is hard! We've found several people who are golden people but because they're married or has a child or is over 31yrs old we eventually have to pass them off to the elders or sisters in that area. We cover 9 family wards but have to find YSA people within those boundaries and if we don't then we gift those missionaries with referrals. Elder Kim and I have become pros at sending referrals. It's defiantly hard but I wouldn't want it any other way. If it was easy everyone would do it.
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> Well that's really all I got. I hope you all CONTINUE to grow your faith and LOVE for our Savior, Jesus Christ! Have a fantastic week!
> Elder Grandon
>
> Pics:
> I've been studying the P.O.S. a lot this week
> A really cool burger place in my area that has 2 grilled cheese sandwiches as the buns for the burger, it's called Crave Burgers
> When we went to the park to contact😂

Transfers and Mission wide Conference

     This week we had a Mission wide Conference. Elder Neil L. Anderson was supposed to come but had an emergency last minute so he sent Elder Jose A. Teixeira. He is in the presidency of the 70. He helped us with ways to get more referrals from whoever we talk to whether that be members, or non-members. He also told us why it is so extremely important to be aligned with the will of God and the First Presidency. He even made joke about the First Presidency, ok maybe not a joke joke but joked about the order of their names! So he said if you take the first letter in their last name and put it in hoe they sit and take pictures(Oaks, Nelson, Eyring) It makes the word ONE! Then he said if we are one with the Lord then we will see 100x more success in our areas. 

     This Tuesday is transfers. I'm leaving Oakwood after 3 transfers(about 4 and a half months) and going to Pikes Peak YSA!!!!!! I'm super excited to be serving in the YSA area that covers both of my areas(Oakwood and Fountain) and from my understanding we play a lot of basketball so that should be super fun.

     That's really all I have for this week! I hope y'all have a fantastic week and CONTINUE to grow your faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Love y'all!

   Elder Grandon      

Zone Conference

> This week we had Zone Conference. One thing that president stressed is waking up at 6:30am. He quoted John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" He then said that once we accepted our call waking up at 6:30am is a commandment. "Blessings and miracles happen at 6:30!" I realized that I need to do a better job at getting out of bed at 6:30. Sometimes I lay there for like 15-20mins and sometimes I pop right up. I need to get more consistent at that if I want to see even more miracles on my mission.
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> That's really all I have for this week. I hope yall have a fantastic week and CONTINUE to grow your faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ!
> Elder Grandon

Still in Oakwood

     Well this week we were hecka busy for the last three days of the week! We found 2 new people to add to our teaching pool. Corbin and David! They are college kids from Utah. We made extra sure they weren't members, but they agreed to meet with us and to come to church. As they said "All of their friends are Mormon but we don't really know what they believe" so that's a miracle, and the best part is that they're in the apartment complex! No biking to meet with them! On Saturday we had a baptism after basketball so we had to zoom home and change. Unfortunately he wasn't our investigator but Elder Butterfield did get to baptize him. His name is Ron. He was one of the regulars at Monday basketball. The new saying is "The 3 B's! Basketball Brings Baptisms!" He's a really cool guy! Hopefully we see him today at basketball! 

     That's really it! I hope y'all have a fantastic week and CONTINUE to grow in your faith of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

   Elder Grandon 

Oakwood

> This week was kinda a blur so don't expect a super long email. We were given the assignment to give Come, Follow Me's to the less actives in our complex and we finally got around to that! We didn't catch anyone but we still dropped off a copy for them with a letter from our Elders Quorum Presidents contact information. Hopefully they contact him so we can get the ball rolling and get them back to church.
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> We also had interviews this week and they went pretty well. President looked super tired. he was just in Alamosa the day before so he had to ZOOM up here for this zones interviews. That's like a 4 and a half hour drive. He said he didn't get home till around 11. He also had dinner down there so it was kinda on him, but still!!!
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> That's all folks! I hope you have a fantastic week and continue to grow in your faith of our Lord and Savior
> Elder Grandon

Oakwood Week... I don't even remember

> This week was kinda boring but exciting at the same time. Well I finally got a bike so thanks to my parents! Love you guys! It rides really smooth but it did take a little adjustment but that's normal. We finally got in 2 new member lesson with Dyutoe so he's just that much closer to being done. We invited him to our dinner with the Bishop and met with him on Sunday at the Miles house then had lunch afterwards. This guys testimony is so strong in the gospel he almost makes me look like the recent convert! He's awesome.
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> Last week was transfers and we got like a whole new district! Elder Butterfield and I were the only companionship that stayed together. We got a new sister and 2 new Zone Leaders, and a new district leader. A lot of change, but I've served around the new Zone Leaders when they weren't ZLs and they're both super dope!
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> Easter was super good! We had 2 dinners(in true missionary fashion)! We probably could've had one but we told one dinner that we had an "appointment" about 2 hours later, we just didn't tell them what kind of appointment. LOL whoops ;) We had so much food and so much leftovers. It's super nice. we're set for like the rest of the week!
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> Well that's really all I got! i hope y'all have a fantastic week and continue to grow in your faith of our Lord and Savior!
> Elder Grandon