And then it was over!

Look who arrived in Phoenix, August 7, 2014. "It was so GOOD!"  

Just like in the beginning of the Old Testmament...  Oh The joy we felt as we saw these two together again.  Which leads me to one final note as Elder Traasdahl's mother/editor/compiler of this blog.  I am left with the simple yet profound thought regarding this mission that was served:  

Doctrine & Covenants 64:33

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.  And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."

And later that day.... the Elders Traasdahl were released...  

only to become missionaries for life.

And that's pretty GREAT!

Be True

Running a 5K in proselyting clothes -- while finishing up the last few laps of his mission - Exactly 1 month to go

Fam!!!!  Alrighty so this week was fan stinkin-tastic! I'll share a few reasons why.  1^st) On 4th of July morning, I ran my very first 5k.  Haha there were a few elders who ran it and we had a bet going about who could win wearing proselyting clothes.  

I got second place. 

2^nd)  We went fishing this morning and I still haven't caught a fish in my life.

3^rd) I was able to go on a few exchanges with some missionaries this past week who were struggling and had wonderful times ministering to them and having them help out as well in return.  

Our area right now is struggling.  We had to drop everybody that we found and the promising potentials all rescheduled for this week so we're hoping they go through.  We've talked to lots and lots of people but from that not one person accepted any invitations.  So it was one of those weeks where I can walk away with peace knowing we tried our best but with a little bit of sadness seeing everybody reject our efforts.  

We are finally starting to see some progress on the trust that the members have for the missionaries in the ward, us now, and that gives me some hope that we can start supporting and empowering them to invite people.  Through it all I'm learning great lessons about humility and where to base self-esteem and confidence from.  A quote that I love at the moment is from President Ezra Taft Benson from his talk "Beware of Pride" which paraphrased says something to the effect of “- Love God, serve others, and do God's will and YOU WILL HAVE self esteem.” … I've been trying it out the previous few days and it's really been a game changer for me.  I can let myself feel the peace of trying my best when I decide to look at only my relationship with God, & not so much what others think of me or anything related to that.  So I'm still enjoying it!  

We met President Mendenhall this last week. He's awesome!  I'm definitely going to squeeze out as much advice as I can out of him over the next month.  Fam, I love you lots and hope you have a great week.  If you ever feel down or "unsuccessful" with anything then take a step back, evaluate your relationship with God and go from there.  I love you all and am filled with gratitude for you.  Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, I can feel them.  Love ya!

Elder Traasdahl

June 30, 2014~ It's been fun to be able to work and bear testimony

Fam!  Sorry I'm emailing so late!  I missed Parker which is kind of a bummer but it's okay because Beckstead took us to play another round of 18 today and I did better than last week so it was a lot of fun!  Anyways that's why I'm on so late.  Alrighty well thanks for all of the emails and updates and thoughts and laughs and advice!  Bishop sent me the topics I should speak on for my homecoming today.  Haha if that wasn't a wake up call then I don't know what is.  I'm glad Banks came over.  Next thing you know he'll be going out back to play ball at 4:30am  in the morning again, set the alarm off, and get you Pops to run out about to go Jackie Chan on the intruder!

This week was super good. That's because Elder Harrington and I met alot a lot of people.  We're really trying to go hard because we have a goal of getting 2 baptisms by Aug 2nd and so far we don't have very many solid people we're working with.  There were actually lots of cancelled appointments and people saying they weren't interested anymore but it was a great opportunity for us to bear testimony, invite them again and know that at least we tried out best.  It's a great feeling of peace when that can be said.  Prezzy left and President Mendenhall came in on Saturday.  P. Toombs came up to me on his last mission goodbye meeting and he said that he received a letter from you mom and dad, and it really meant a lot to him so thanks for sending that!  I will meet President Mendenhall tomorrow.  Apparently he's just as much of a stud as President Toombs was, so I'm very excited.

It's been fun to be able to work and bear testimony.  My favorite scripture this past week was Doctrine and Covenants 76:40-42.  I'll copy and paste it at the bottom.  It just sums up really the most important thing that first off I know and love, and second off that I can testify of.  My love for the Savior and His perfect Atonement and gospel has become a really big, if not the biggest, part of my character right now.  It's easy to continue to work hard because this is just one way that I can show my love to Him and to our Heavenly Father.  Family, you all are incredible.  Thank you for your faith and for the missionary work that you are doing within your sphere of influence.  Let me know if there is any way that I can help with your missionary work or with anything else.  I love you so much!

Elder Traasdahl

40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—

 41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;

 42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and by him;

Pictures

June 23, 2014~ We need to ask BOLD questions

Ohhhhhhhwoooahhohhh oh oh ohhhwaooaahhohoh ohoh! Fam!  I don't have much time today because there's nearly 28 missionaries in the library right now and they all want to email so I'm going to hop off and give someone the computer once I finish this big email.  This past week was awesome.  I met with Prezzy one last time before he takes off.  He gave me his trunky departing interview talk which  way sweet.  I told him that I'm pretty stinking sure the reason I was called to this mission was because he was the one mission president at that time serving that could change my life in the way that I absolutely needed. He then told me that a general authority in a mission president's seminar recently said that missionaries don't get called to missions, they get called to mission presidents.  At least for me that is so true!!  He really made me feel empowered and helped me recognize how much I've changed for the better.  Often I think it's a common thing among missionaries to wonder if we really served a successful and good mission and with Banks going home and all that it really got me thinking about all of this.  So talking with Prez was an absolute answer to prayers.

Likewise we had an investigator come to church yesterday, Mimi!  That was the first investigator at church in this ward in a year and a half.  She wants her year and a half old girl blessed so we will do that the first week of July.  We also found a new investigator named Justin.  So things are going pretty good! Yesterday we had a meeting with Elder Rhodes from the Seventy.  He's famous for ripping missionaries apart in the most kind and loving way after looking through their planners.  In that meeting he asked for my planner and I gave it to him.  After watching him look through it for a couple of minutes and a few skipped heartbeats of mine, he just looked at me and gave me the planner back.  Didn't say a word.  Haha it's a little thing but you have no idea how pumped I was on the inside after that!

Anyways I want to share something I learned from that meeting.  We've heard a ton about the hastening of the work and I learned that essentially the Lord's meaning of the word hastening is to get as many people to choose to and qualify to receive the ordinances of salvation.  We have the opportunity to provide the ordinances and the authority (Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-2.) So as we give people the opportunity to act upon an invitation, then we are leading them to choose and qualify for the ordinances of salvation.  Pretty basic but it was just awesome because I  realized the scripture I referenced really should be the charter, the commission, and the constitution of the ward council, PEC, and missionary coorelation meetings.  We need to ask the bold questions of "If I were Heavenly Father..."  and then proceed to think and reason.  I am grateful for those people God has placed in my path to help me become more converted and I am grateful as well for those that I can help in the same regards.  Fam, I love ya!

Elder Tyler Traasdahl

ALWAYS