9 months!!

HELLER!!!

I have officially been out for 9 Months!! My year mark is coming up fast! I can' t believe I have been out that long!? Time flies when you are doing the Lord's work!

I can't even remember what we did this last week plus I forgot my planner...whoops! I think I am losing my mind!! 

I am officially the District Leader for Alva and Woodward now. My first district meeting was on Friday and I think it went well. At least for my first district meeting. My training was on goals/goal setting and we set goals that we wanted to achieve for this transfer. They were pretty excited about it!

Monopoly at McDonald's has come to an end and sadly we didn't win any money. We got pretty darn close though!! Probably spent all of my money at McDonald's though and that isn't good...oh well! definitely not the healthiest decision of my mission...

One thing I can remember we did this week is that we knocked A LOT of doors!! I think 80% of Alva has been knocked so there's that... We better start getting some people to baptize because I don't know what we are going to do if we don't find new investigators!!

We got a new investigator Saturday night. His name is Javier and he is pretty cool! He was really interested in the lesson and he was pretty involved. He is definitely going to get baptized!!

We went to teach Drexel last night but apparently he is no where to be found. His van was at the house but he wasn't so everyone is kind of concerned about him. This is the first investigator I have had that has just vanished off the face of the earth!?

On Sunday we had Branch Conference and everyone from the stake came. We had 65 people at church! After church we had a big meal. Since our branch building is so small our chapel is also our cultural hall so we had to put all the chairs up and bust out the big tables. We really need a gym because this Branch likes to celebrate and have parties!! It was really good and I ate a lot of food!

Gwenna came to church and it was so good to see her! She fits right in with the branch and everyone treats her like she is a member of the big happy Alva branch family. Keep praying for her and Tim!

The most exciting part about this week will be the pictures. I hope they make your heart happy!!

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

That is all.

You have probably been waiting 9 months for a picture like this!

 I hope you love them as much as I do!!!

p.s. I will be wearing these at my homecoming 

Brother Durrence is basically our new companion. He LOVES doing missionary work!

I put my backpack in the truck and turned around and this bear scared the crap out of me!! I thought it was going to eat me but instead it jumped inside our truck and then ran away. Oklahoma has to many dogs...

It was a bright and sunny day, not a cloud in sight. We went into a lesson and BAM! 

The rain came pouring down!!! 

District Leader

HELLER

What a week it has been! Stressful but at the same time exciting!

Monday night my companion told me his testimony is struggling and that is why he talks with our mission president often. It has been a little stressful trying to help him out. He caught me by surprise and I didn't know what to do but I wouldn't trade him for anyone else. We may have a love/hate relationship but I know that I am suppose to learn something from him that will help me grow as a better person and a better missionary.

Tuesday we were able to go to the Temple! I was surprised that our mission president approved us going but I am glad he did! I think it helped Elder McVey out with his testimony a little bit too. I had a great experience at the Temple. We were able to go with the Smiley family and they are probably my favorite members from Alva. They are basically another Mom and Dad to me. This was the first time I was able to participate in sealing son's to their parents and it was awesome! Brother and Sister Smiley were proxy for the parents and I told them I have to be their favorite Elder because I was sealed to them 

Joy has been doing better! She is cutting back on her coffee and cigarettes again. Every time we leave her house we pinky promise that she will keep trying to quit. Joy takes pinky promises very serious. Keep praying for her and her health. She is still unable to make it to church because of medical problems but she wants to be able to come back soooo bad!

I went on exchanges to Woodward Friday with Elder Hansen. He is a pretty funny guy! We were walking around talking to people and this guy dropped his keys so Elder Hansen tired to start off the conversation by telling him he dropped his keys  Then I tried to explain what the priesthood was to this guy 500000 different ways but he was to drunk to comprehend so I gave up and we left. Elder Hansen thought it was pretty funny. People need to not be drunk so I can save their soul!!

Tim and Gwenna are struggling. Tim isn't keeping his commitments and isn't progressing like Gwenna. Unfortunately we are going to have to slow down with them and may not be visiting them every week like we do now. Gwenna said she is still going to come to church but on the Sunday's Tim has off they will be going to different church's. Gwenna is hoping something in a different church will help Tim accept what we are teaching. This was the icing on top of my stress this week. Especially because I wasn't able to attend the lesson because we were on exchanges. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for Tim. If he would just make the effort to read and pray I KNOW that he would receive the answer that this is the true church.

On Saturday the Branch had the Relief Society's 174th Birthday and they threw a party! They were able to get their hands on Cafe Rio's recipe and we had pork salads! I was sooo excited because if there is something I miss from home it would be Cafe Rio/Durango's. The party was so much fun! You may have seen a video of Elder McVey and I dancing on Facebook. That was just a little portion of the fun we had that night.

Alva has been under a Thunderstorm for quite a few days now. Thunderstorm's out here are BRUTAL! The lightning cracks and then the thunder comes right after it and magnifies the lightning strike A LOT! Our apartment was shaking. It was pretty cool though!

Elder McVey and I have been a little sick this weekend as well. I am feeling pretty good but Elder McVey is dying so please pray for us to get better soon!

We were visiting Sister Leavitt who is a less active member in the Branch. I went to school and worked at Ace Hardware with her. We had a good lesson and her friend, Drexel, came outside and we started talking with him. Sister Leavitt went back inside because it started raining and Drexel asked if we wanted to go to McDonald's and we said sure!! We went to McDonald's and taught him the Restoration. Drexel became so interested in what we had to say and we are now going to start teaching him! He is a really cool kid and he lives in his van. We are going to go golfing with him someday and I am really excited!!

Sunday night we got transfer calls! We found out that we won't be getting another Elder so it will just be Elder McVey and I. I don't know what we are going to do because Alva benefits from having 3 Elders. It is going to be tough! On top of that I am now going to be the district leader for Alva and Woodward! YAY  LOL I am still not sure how I feel about it. Mixed feelings as of right now but I know it will be great! I am just thankful I only have a 4 man district!

In Mosiah 23:15 Alma teaches his people that they should love their neighbor. I have pondered this scripture throughout this week and I think we can all apply it to our life's. There will be no contention among us if we will love everyone and serve them. As missionaries we are advised to serve our companions and we will grow to love them. Remember to love everyone!

I love and miss y'all! Remember who you are! Make good choices!

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

That is all.

     

HAPPY 174th BIRTHDAY RELIEF SOCITEY!! 

When you are in Redneck land, you have to become redneck.

 This was our redneck lesson with Shyann and Joy #Oklahoma

Only at Northwestern Oklahoma State University

 will you find a community trough and sink in the bathroom 

*No I was not going potty in that picture*

The only blog worthy sign in all of Alva.

A family fair and goodbye to Elder Richey

HELLER

On Monday at STM we found out that this transfer is extended a week. Every missionary now has a week extended to their mission. We were so happy because that meant that Elder Richey, Elder McVey and I had an extra week together. The next morning our Mission President called Elder Richey and said he needs him in Seminole. Our mission president came and picked Elder Richey up on Wednesday afternoon. We weren't very happy. I think that is what has made this week drag.

Once again there was another fire here in Alva. This one was actually in Alva! Luckily the fire crews from a larger fire near Woodward were coming back to switch out equipment and they were able to tackle it fast!

We were able to meet with our investigator Shyann this week. She is so stubborn. We have been trying to baptize her so her soul can be saved. She says she is getting baptized in November when her boyfriend gets off of his mission. We are trying to convince her that if she gets baptized now like she should she can get married in the temple sooner! So far it isn't working 

Our zone leaders committed us to talk to at least 10 people every day. We have started to see miracles from doing that. We have a good list of potential investigators who are interested in hearing more of what we have to say.

Saturday was probably my favorite day of this week. There was a family fair in Cherokee and we were able to set up a booth. I was up until 1 in the am working on a poster. Some how I wasn't tired at all Saturday! We talked about Temples and how families can be together forever. We were able to talk to 24 people and most of them were very interested in learning more. We were the only church booth there. #OnlyTrueChurch

We were able to get some members to come help us talk to people and pass out cards. Sister Johnson brought oranges for us to eat. Elder McVey and I ended up going to one of the other booths to get cotton candy and she chewed us out for not eating healthy oranges over cotton candy. She is so crazy but I love her so much!

We had a lesson with Tim and Gwenna later that night. Tim is starting to progress. He hasn't totally accepted Joseph Smith but he isn't trying to argue it any more! YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING! Keep praying for them! Gwenna needs your prayers to quit smoking and Tim needs your prayers to accept the gospel.

Tonight is trainer calls so we will find out if I will be training or not. I don't think I will be. Sunday night will be Transfer Doctrine so we will find out if we will be getting another Elder in Alva. Elder McVey and I need you to pray that we get another Elder to help us out. Alva is tough without the trio. I personally like Trio's over regular companionship's, but that's just me.

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

That is all.

Coolest Church booth ever! I am very proud of myself for making this awesome poster  

Highlights of the fair!

                                          Sister Johnson telling stories inside a blow up whale

                                         Me catching $200+ (unfortunately it wasn't real money)

                                                Rusty Smiley doing Jazzercise on stage 

Thanks to Sister Johnson, Sister Smiley, and Shyann for helping us out with the Booth.

Also for the booth supplying free cotton candy 

Once again Alva is still threatened by fire.

This is Carson. 

Carson likes Bob. 

Joy wanted one more picture with all of us before Elder Richey left. 

Always driving, always smiling!

HELLER FROM OKIE LAND

I have come to the conclusion I spend to much of my mission driving. I guess that is a consequence for serving in a small town in the middle of miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. On Monday we had to drive to Cherokee to have a lesson with Gwenna and Tim Kimball. That isn't a very far drive. Tuesday we had to go to Enid for exchanges with the Zone leaders., I think I have been to Enid every week this transfer, and then we had to go to Stillwater for exchanges and then home the same day. We ended up with 10 extra miles for last month! Talk about cutting it close!

For our lesson with Gwenna and Tim we taught the 10 commandments to them. We have little hand signals that we teach investigators to help them remember all 10 commandments in order. Now this is more then just holding 1 finger up and then 2 and then 3. You have to move your fingers in a certain fashion. Tim was flipping me off at one point and then he realized it and didn't want to do the signals anymore. That was really funny but the spirit was still there!

Zone Conference was great! Apparently the mission is having bed bug problems so we have been paranoid lately. I think we are safe though! We all got to write a post card to the new mission president and I thought mine was pretty funny. Our district leader accidentally wrote "Dear Walkenhorst's" embarrassing because Walkenhorst's are our current mission president. Sister Walkenhorst was giving us a training on being positive and always having a smile on our face. She then said that the mission has a few missionaries that always have smiles on their faces. I was thinking to myself that I should try and smile more because I don't think I am always smiling and then she said  "Elder Brisk is one of those missionaries" I looked up and everyone was looking at me and she was smiling at me. I decided I don't have to work on smiling because apparently I already do it! Now Elder Richey said I wasn't even smiling when she said that but I was drawing a smiley face in my notes so I am pretty sure I was smiling  

Joy has been struggling lately. We found out that she is smoking again and drinking coffee. Her doctor told her to drink coffee so we are pretty bitter about that. We told her that she shouldn't because it is bad for you and so now she has to stop smoking and drinking it again. She is also struggling financially and so we had a heart to heart conversation with her about tithing. She then decided to pay her tithing. Please pray for Joy!! She needs it!

Sister Johnson told us that a less active member in Jet needed some help cleaning up a house she is moving into. So we drove to Jet to help her and she was no where to be found. Apparently she forgot we were coming and went to Enid to get paint. So we drove 40 miles to Jet FOR NOTHING! Talk about wasting miles on the first day of the month. Plus more time of driving We stopped in Cherokee to see Gwenna though. Luckily she was home! We were in service clothes and she really enjoyed seeing us in our normal people attire. She was sick so we gave her a blessing and Now she is all better! I am her favorite. She said that herself. She said she needs to spoil us all the same instead of just me.

DID YOU ENJOY CONFERENCE OR WHAT!?

Well if you didn't watch all of conference don't worry. The Doctrine of Christ is real and you can repent and watch what you missed. Elder Eyring told us to study the talks again after conference. If you watched conference go back and watch your favorite talks! We can learn a lot from our Prophet and Apostles! Elder Uchtdorf is my favorite. His talks always speak to me through the spirit.

Now a common theme was about families and I think that made every missionary marriage trunky. For those who are not familiar with the missionary slang of the word "Trunky" it pretty much means to make us ansy. For example a lot of missionaries get Trunky when they are close to finishing their mission.

During the Sunday Afternoon session of Conference I am almost positive Elder Uchtdorf fell asleep druing Patrick Kearon's talk. When he got up after him he seemed a little out of it. We thought it was pretty funny!!

I hope you are able to take something out of conference and apply it to your lives!!

Have a great week! Remember who you are, make good choices.

Sincerely, Elder Brisk 

That is all.

Brother Zwiefelhofer and Elder McVey were a little sleepy during Conference 

Conference with Joy 

Oklahoma Sunsets are hard to take pictures of!!