Dustin's "mission son"

Dustin is now a trainer and as is the mission culture Dustin now has a "mission son".

Dustin before he got his "mission son"! 

Dustin with his new trainee Elder Byam from Alberta!

October 14

Hey!

 

This week has been really good.  I went and worked with one of our Zone Leaders. It was really good. We are really seeing many great things start to take place and I am super excited for the upcoming transfers. I don't know if Sis. Schoonmaker told you or not but I am training. President told me that about 5 weeks ago so I have really been looking forward to try and get ready for that. My companion is Elder Byam (said by-um).  It is really fun. He is from Southern Alberta and his parents dropped him off at the Stake Center yesterday morning and today are on their way to the MTC to drop off his sister. So they are loosing two of their three kids this week.

 

We have lots of great things happening. This week we got two new investigators and possibly picked up a former. It has been great. In Tualatin we are really close to the Temple (10-15 min) so we have a goal of taking one person a week there. The spirit is so strong and it really helps connect the dots. Thats what we were doing with the Schoonmakers on Saturday is we went with the former to the temple and she had tons of questions. But I think that the trip to the temple really helped. We also went with Jeff last night. He is having a hard time accepting baptism but I hope and pray that understanding the importance of the temple helps him understand why we really teach baptism. It is really great how the spirit works and prepares people. I am beginning to realise how important it is to have members closely involved in missionary work. There is nothing that we could do without their help. Our efforts would be entirely wasted.

 

So because I am training I now have a mission "son." So I have a pregnancy picture and also a picture of us this morning.

 

I hope that things are going well. I love you all so much! Thanks for all that you do for me!!

 

Love Dustin

bike story in picture

Science experiment with old bike

Read the Blog post for more info!

Dustins old bike not chained up 

 Dustin's old bike - Stolen within 3 hours

 Dustin's old bike now chained up by the new owner!

October 21

Hey!

This week has been really good. So last Tuesday I got my new bike... way better!!! So Elder Byam and I were trying to figure out what we should do with the old one. We decided that it would be really fun to do an experiment and take it to the train stop by our apartment  and leave it without locking it up to see how long it would take to get stolen. We left it there on Wednesday at 7am. That day we got picked up for a meeting at the church at 10am and we drove by and it was gone. So in less than three hours it was stolen. So that night we went and took pictures to document our "science" experiment. It was really funny!! Well there is a twist in the story now... Monday morning we are on our way to the Library and Elder Byam (whose first name is Dustin... Crazy!) said I am just waiting for it to show back up on this rack one day. So we are walking and he looked over and said, "Wait isn't that your bike?!?" So whom ever took it is now riding it and they are even going as far as to lock it up. Super funny and we have pictures to document all phases of the experiment. 

I am so happy with where I am right now. The longer I am in Tualatin the more that I really love it here. I think if I end up being here six months or more that I will move here later because I really love it!! I also really love Elder Byam! He is a lot like me.  Plus we have so much fun while we are out working. It makes the work go so much better!!! We had a rough week where Satan kept getting between us and our investigators but we are going to Destroy Satan this week!!! He is going down!!!! We had to spend a lot of time in meeting and other things that took us away from real work but we are ready to go out and really "Beast it!!!"

Picture #1) My bike on Wednesday morning right after the drop off

Picture #2) The rack where my bike was 14 hours earlier

Picture #3) My bike back on the rack five days later only this time locked up (not with my lock)

Thanks for all that you do for me! I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Dustin

Lunch at McDonalds - picture

Stacie Schoonmaker from Tualatin area sent this picture.

They had just been to the temple visitor center with them and an investigator.

She said Thanks for sharing you with them.

pictures

October 8

Hey!
 
So My LDS Mail still won't let me send anything so I will have to get that worked out with the Mission Office. But, this has been a really great week. The power of prayer became very real to me this week. We have a few investigators that for one reason or another we have not been able to contact or they are not progressing. That has been frustrating but I decided that I was going to just keep doing what I could even if I could do nothing other than pray. Well the Lord heard those prayers and we had many miracles happen this week. Our investigators that have really pulled back came to conference at our WML's and in talking with Bro Metler last night he said that Andre` really opened up and was able to sit and listen. Our investigator that we have not been able to contact for the past five weeks contacted us and let us know that she still wanted to meet but that life happened and that she is moving this week but wants to meet after that. Our new investigator from last week was able to watch conference with us on Sunday and felt the spirit and said that it really answered some questions that he had. We also went and had a lesson with a former who the ward has started to fellowship. They were very warm and friendly to us and we are going to the Visitors Center with them on Saturday. We are planning on asking them to start taking the lessons again while we are up at the Temple. So we have a lot of really cool things that are starting to happen!
 
Wasn't Conference great!! I loved it. Elder Grimes and I had to split so that we could watch it with our investigators. So I went and watched it with Jeff our new investigator from last week at the Labar's house. Jeff loved it! That was fun. This ward is so great to work with they are WAY helpful and will do anything for us. It is sad that they lost trust in the Missionaries because of almost a years worth of bad missionaries but Elder Grimes and I have been successful at rebuilding those relationships. 
 
It is fun to hear about the family. I am glad that everyone is doing well. I hope that all of you know how much I love you! I hope that you all have a great week! Transfers are on Monday so I will e-mail on Tuesday!
 
Love Dustin

September 30

Hey!!

 

It really is crazy to look back and see how the time really has flown by. One year ago to day I was sitting in the MTC watching conference. It is really weird to think that after this weekend I will only have one more conference before I am home. WERID!! I am so excited for this weekend though. If there is one way to know that there is a prophet on the earth today it is to spend ten hours over two days just listening to the words and the spirit that comes from these men, truely called of God.

 

There were a few AWESOME things that happened this week;

 

1) We had Zone Conference on Friday! it was great! President Morby is really good about making sure that everything that is talked about will really lift us and make us better missionaries. The conference focused on the Atonement of Christ and how it is the Most imprtant thing and how we need to relate it to everything that we teach and about the Doctrine of Christ as our missionary purpose. It was way good! If you want a really good read 2 Nephi 31. There are not too many times in the scriptures that the Father is quoted but in this chapter Nephi quotes Him 3 times (I think).  

2)We also had Bishop Goodmenson** (Bishop over my ward) come and talk about building realtionships  . . .

computer problems to be continued. . .

Notes from Mom!

**Monday the 1st I got a call from Bishop Goodmenson - he was in Grandpa Mickelsen's mission as a missionary.  He spent time with Grandpa and Grandma at the ranch and at his home in Bountiful after everyone was home.  They did a mission reunion every year at the Ranch and he was part of the planning of those events - I know Grandpa and Grandma really looked forward to those summer outings.  Uncle Lynn as a member of the 70 was the visiting authority in their stake several years ago.  He also worked with Uncle Dale when they were setting up the Chevy Dealership in Rigby.  It was fun to talk with him and have stories to share.

***I think Grandpa Mickelsen is still watching out for Dustin!  They were such good buddies!

Hump Day Pictures

Celebrating the 1st year!

One year left to teach and lead those around me!

September 24

Hey!

 

So I talked with President Morby this week. The look on his face was beautiful. It was really hard no to laugh. The letter got sent to the wrong family.   He said that he really owes the bishop and the ward good missionaries.    So the bar for missionaries in this ward has been set very low, no wonder that they really like Elder Grimes and I - we are visable.  We went to dinner with a part member family on saturday.

 

I did get one package and the mission office called and said that they got another from UPS so they will get it to me on Friday at Zone Conference. 

 

Other than that this week has kinda been a blah. I did finally get to meet a few of our investigators which was great. And one of them made it to church. Hopefully he will start to progress.

 

I really like Tualatin. It is way nice and the ward is so eager to help with missionary work. They are way excited about having missionary experiences. It is way fun. I haven't had a ward like this yet on my mission. I hope that you really help the missionaries out as much a possible. There is no way that they can do it by themselves.

 

I love you all very much and pray for you. Thanks for all the support and love!

 

Dustin