The most exciting week of my mission!

HELLER!

Greetings from Alva Oklahoma! I hope everyone had an awesome week because I sure did! This was probably the most exciting week of my mission. I had so much fun this week and I am now going to proceed to tell you how...

For those who have special eyes and need there reading glasses, This would be the time to put them on  

This week the elders and I decided to pack up and go out on the town for a little while, by that I mean Elders Morgan, Richey, and I decided to go spend our morning finding people to teach and baptize! We weren't having any luck knocking doors so Elder Morgan told us about this guy who bashed with them one time. Elder Richey, being the most wise and knowledgeable out of all of us, decided that we should go set the "basher" straight on some things. We went to his house and knocked on his door and he came out with a smile and started shaking our hands while asking us what our names were. We told him our missionary names and then he said no he wanted our real names so we told him. He then asked us if we believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and of course we told him yes! Then he asked us how we came to know that and we told him. Then the bashing started happening. Elder Morgan and I sorta stood back and watched Elder Richey and the "basher" go at it. I say basher because he never told us his name. It was pretty exciting and he was talking very loud! At one point the neighbor girl walked outside of her house looking at us laughing so Elder Morgan and I started laughing while Elder Richey held strong and continued to win the bash. Elder Holland says "Don't bash, Don't bash, Don't bash, but when you bash, bash to win!" He accepted a card and took it inside his house, therefore we won! We may or may not have went back later that night to drop a Book of Mormon on his doorstep....We really just wanted to give him one more opportunity to be saved. The creepy thing is we tried going back a few hours later to drop the Book of Mormon off and he started opening his door or something so we ran away! Then we went back later that night and he was sitting in his car outside his house with his lights on so we got creeped out because he was definitely waiting for us. So we went and parked outside our house, planned for the next day and then went and did the deed. (The deed is planting the BOM on his porch)

BOM stands for Book of Mormon. We didn't really try to bomb his house. That is not missionary like and just RUDE! Plus we already won the bash 

We went to dinner at the Smok Shak with our investigator Bill. Him and his wife Maxine remind me so much of my grandparents! We had a great time and the food was really good! Bill got Calf Fries! For anyone who knows what those are...Yes I did try them and they were pretty good! If you do not know what calf fries are then keep reading this lovely blog and I will attach a picture that will tell you what Calf Fries are. While we were eating with Bill another one of our investigators walked in, Jimmy, the guy whose butt is always hanging out. Then it got really awkward...

Bill: Do you guys know him?

Us: Yeah that's our investigator Jimmy!

Bill: What is his last name?

Us: Simmons

Bill: Does he live kiddie corner from the school?

Us: Yeah!

Bill: Yeah they have there eye on him, They think he is a child molester.

Us: Look at each other.... *laughs..... That makes so much sense!

We figured out why he likes Elder Morgan so much!! He only ever talks to him and will ask him how we are doing. He gave Elder Morgan a pack of gum the other day after we had dinner with Bill, but didn't give Elder Richey or I one. We didn't want one because we just kept thinking of how he may or may not be a child molester. Elder Morgan's mom told him to be careful a while ago. We decided it is mothers instinct.

We taught our investigator Shyann this week at Sister Green's house. Sister Green is one of my favorite people and there are 2 reasons why.

Reason 1: She makes Shyann and us lunch every Thursday so we can teach her.

Reason 2: She is the relief society president and they are throwing a big birthday part for the whole branch to attend and she said that they are making CAFE RIO! The are making everything that Cafe Rio has because they got the recipe. I haven't had Cafe Rio forever! I AM SO EXCITED! March 12th can't come fast enough!

Shyann is so ready to be baptized! She is waiting for 2 Elders that taught her to come back and baptize her. They made her promise not to get baptized without them. (Stupid missionaries!) One of them tore his ACL and just had surgery so he has to recover and then they will be here.

We got to go to the Oklahoma City Temple on Thursday! We went as a zone and it was a lot of fun! Missionaries + Temple = Happy Missionaries!

After we went through the Temple Elders Morgan, Richey, and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. I haven't been to B DUBS in forever! Plus it was 69 cent boneless wing Thursday. I felt right at home spending my money at Buffalo Wild Wings on a Thursday.

JOY GOT BAPTIZED!!! They got the font fixed so we had warm water to baptize her in! It hasn't been used in over a year so good thing we got it fixed so we can start baptizing the town of Alva! Just before the baptism started there was an earthquake! I don't think I have ever felt one before so it was super cool! We all jumped in a chair and felt the ground shake! Elder Richey said it doesn't count because he didn't feel it so he was pretty mad about that. Sister Armstrong told Joy that the earth moved on her special day.  Elder Morgan got to help Elder Wheelwright baptize her. She was so happy because she has been counting down the days! She even bore her testimony during Sacrament on Sunday!

On Saturday after the baptism we went and taught a Potential Investigator named Jaime and her husband Craig. She told us she did some research and said it was ok to talk about the bible and just shut us down but we ended up teaching them about the Book of Mormon anyway. THEY KNOW THE BIBLE WELL! We spent 1 1/2 hours at there house teaching them because they would bring up stuff in the bible contrary to what we would say so we had to throw verses back at her and help her understand what the scriptures she was reading to us meant. We were sorta bashing in a way but at the same time we weren't. I have never studied for an Investigator so hard in all of my mission life! We think they are going to get baptized though! WE HAVE FAITH! We are so ready to go back and prove her wrong on everything she tried to stump us with! 

On Sunday night we went and taught Gwenna and Tim Kimball. Sister Johnson (Branch Presidents crazy wife) has been talking to Gwenna for a while and she said she would love to have us over for dinner and to talk about the church. We went over and she made Chicken fried steak, mash potatoes, rolls, corn, broccoli, squash and cucumbers, and then Sister Johnson made a cake. It was one the best dinners I have had on my mission! We taught them the Restoration and Sister Johnson was awesome! She served a mission so she is a professional! We invited them to be baptized on March 26th and they said YES!!

Tim and Sister Johnson kept teasing each other and at one point (after the lesson) Sister Johnson called Tim a pig and he just stood up and stormed away and brings out this pig! They have a pet pig named FRED! It was the funniest thing ever! Who just has a pet pig inside their trailer?? I love the Kimball's so much!!

Well that was my awesome week! Sorry I wrote a book but I hope you enjoyed it!

Keep being an awesome Child of God!

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

That is all.

Temple Trip! 

Elder Richey's first time at Buffalo Wild Wings 

Joy's Baptism! The day the earth moved, literally!!!

This is us eating Calf Fries. (Cow balls)

This is Scruffy. We found him on the road and he followed us for 5 blocks to our 

house and ran inside. We were apostate and had a pet for 15 minutes. 

We took him back to where we found him and his owner was looking for him.

Joy's dog precious looks like a sausage 

This is Fred the pig. 

The Atonement on my mind

HELLER!

This past week was a pretty good! We have been teaching Joy and a lot of other people!

Joy called us on Monday crying because she wasn't going to be able to join the church and we ran over there (by ran I mean drove to her house) and talked to her. She told us she didn't have enough money to pay her tithing and we told her she didn't need to pay it until after she is baptized and we told her that she is going to be able to join the church and she has been so happy ever since! She has been off of Coffee and Cigarettes for 4 days now! Only 5 more days to go!

We have been trying to get the font figured out for the baptism. The hot water isn't working...like at all.... So she might be baptized in really really cold water. We have someone coming to fix it but when he is coming nobody knows. It may be this week or it may be next week. Hopefully it is this week!! The font hasn't been used in a year or longer and that is unacceptable! We should be having baptisms out the Wazoo!

Elder Richey and I got to meet Shyann! She came to church on Sunday after she stood us up for lunch Thursday. We were suppose to have a lesson/lunch at sister greens but her boyfriend had to go to the hospital and of course she had to go with him. She is really cool though! She should have been baptized like yesterday but don't worry. We will get her baptized soon enough.

On Friday we had interviews with President Walkenhorst. It went really good! Then we had exchanges with Woodward and Bob (Elder Richey) went to Woodward and Elder Hansen came here. We had fun on exchanges even though all we did was drywall for brother Richardson again! We are a lot better then last time! Just don't hire us to put drywall up at your house...

We got a new investigator named Miranda. She requested a Bible but she also accepted a Book of Mormon and she is interested in hearing our message. We are going to give her a call this week. We also went to see a potential investigator named Jaime and she was home! She told us she is an accountant and so she is really busy right now but we got her number and she told us to give her a call this week! She was so excited to see us and that made me so excited to go back and teach her the gospel!!

This week during my studies I have been keeping the Atonement on my mind. As we increase our understanding of the atonement our understanding of the gospel will increase. For me understanding the atonement will help me to be a better missionary because understanding the need for the atonement and the gospel makes me want to share it with EVERYONE! Everyone is a child of God and he loves all of us!

Jesus Christ is our savior and I know he lives! I know that through the atonement we can be cleansed of our sins and return to live with our father in Heaven. 

Sincerely, 

Me

This kid

Elder Brisk

Your favorite missionary

That is all.

         

My new mission President and his wife as of July 1st 2016

My companion wears a suit that he got at Goodwill (basically DI) 

That is 543567890 times to big for his body! It makes him look like a fat man!

Elder Morgan likes to dress like a women on Monday mornings...LOL!

Obey The Word of Wisdom

HELLER!

We had a pretty busy week and we were running really low on miles but now that it is a new month we have 1500 miles! I am still loving Alva!

On Monday we had to go to Enid for a STM and we slept over at the zone leaders apartment with a bunch of other missionaries. We stopped at Braum's on our way to the zone leaders apartment because we really missed getting the best ice cream in all of Oklahoma.

On Tuesday we went and tried to see a few people and we got in with this guy named Jimmy. He loves Elder Morgan so much! We were having a lesson and he told us to hang on because he had to go to the bathroom. He stood up and waddled away and his butt crack was showing so we were trying not to laugh. I guess the spirit makes you got to go potty or something! We went and helped the old people at the senior citizen center play bingo. Bingo is one of the highlights on my weeks here in Alva. Listening to them get competitive playing bingo and then when someone gets it they yell Bingo and it is just super funny. You have to be there to understand.

On Wednesday we tried to see a bunch of people but didn't have a whole lot of luck. We can always count on our investigator Joy for letting us have a lesson with her everyday. She enjoys us coming over so much she told us that when we come to just knock, open the door, say "Joy we're home!", and then come on in. She has adopted all three of us as her grandsons. She had a relapse with smoking and she is down to 1 cup of coffee. She is doing so good! Please pray for Joy to be able to quit smoking and coffee! She would really love the extra prayers.

On Thursday we saw an investigator named Jennifer and her little boy Carson. He is so funny! We have convinced him that Elder Richey's name is Bob so he says "Bye Morgan!, Bye Brisk!, Boy BOB!" It is the funniest thing ever! We have been teaching a lot of object lessons this week and people really like them! We were having dinner with the Armstrong's and Brother Armstrong is so funny! He has a stutter and we had 10 minutes until Book of Mormon class. He was telling us a story about Vietnam and his wife told him we needed to go so we weren't late and he just kept telling her to be quiet. It was super funny! Elder Richey taught Book of Mormon class and he did really good. Now both of us have taught it so it is Elder Morgan's turn next Thursday.

On Friday we had district meeting and then exchanges with the zone leaders so we had to go all the way back to Enid for the day. I went with Elder Matthews and Elder Morgan and Richey went with Elder Curay. Elder Matthews and I were walking down the street and we found a thousand pennies on the ground so of course we picked it up and brought it home! I helped him get everything set up for the baptism that they had on Saturday. We had a lot of fun in Enid even though we didn't get to work in our own area for 2 days.

On Saturday we came home from Enid at 7 and when we got back we went and helped Brother Richardson hang drywall. What happened is we ended up doing the dry wall by ourselves while he trimmed tries. We learned that we aren't very good at drywall. Probably shouldn't have hired us because we took hours to do a little wall. Elder Morgan and I taught Brother Richardson's some that Elder Richey's name is Bob too. Pretty soon every kid in the ward will be calling him BOB! Then after that we helped a member move from his house into a dorm room. Doesn't make sense but he is going to be in a house in a month and his family is moving out from Ogden.

On Sunday we had church and I had to give a talk in sacrament on the Word of Wisdom. Somehow I got stuck going last and I had to cover 25 minutes instead of 15 so I just did my 15 minute talk and let the Branch President take over. You can't really expound 10 more minutes on the Word of Wisdom. Sister Johnson feeds us lunch almost every Sunday after church and she is so crazy! We would ask her where something was at and she would freak because we would use the word "at" at the end of a sentence because it is a preposition? So we would say it on purpose and Elder Morgan got picked to do the dishes for messing with her. It was funny! I never thought I would have someone try to correct my language in Oklahoma. At least I don't "WaRsh" the dishes. I think it is something in the water because the water here is murky. DON'T DRINK THE TAP WATER!

This week we found out that we will be taking a mission field trip to Tulsa! On Saturday February 20th the Bentoville Arkansas and Oklahoma Oklahoma City Mission will be going to Tulsa to hear an Apostle speak! We don't know who the Apostle is going to be yet but we know that we will spend Friday night in Stillwater and then get on Charter buses at 5:30am. This made Elder Morgan, Richey, and I start talking about apostles, which led to prophets, which led to deep doctrine. It was a mind blowing chit chat.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks story! Remember to obey the word of wisdom because it's a commandment so JUST DO IT! If you already are then great! help others! (maybe my dad) 

Remember who you are! Make good choices!

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

That is all.

This is a picture from exchanges minus Elder Matthews and Richey

Aren't my companions the best? LOL freakin weirdos!

Brother Jones has a really cool collection and can tell you something cool about each little item he has.

Sometimes people spell things way wrong so we make it the word of the week.

 Last week was

  PAMFLIPS

    misspelled by Elder Hansen

    This weeks word was

  FUTUR

       Our very own Elder Richey has been spelling future wrong his entire life 

Saying goodbye to OKC and hello to Alva!

HELLER!

I have officially been transferred to Alva, Oklahoma! It is pretty much Hurricane just a little more ghetto and isolated but other then that it is basically home! Here in Alva we have a branch because we aren't big enough for a ward. We had 34 people at church and that is counting every little child. I think they sing louder then the OKC 2nd ward though! Every one here is super nice and funny!

Monday and Tuesday consisted of me packing and saying goodbye to some of my favorite people from the OKC 2nd ward. I didn't realize how much stuff I actually had. When you serve in the city you tend to become a hoarder pretty much. For example, I came out on my mission with maybe 5 or 6 ties...I may or may not have between 30 and 40 now. OH WELL!

Wednesday I made sure I had all of my things packed and we got ready to go. The Sisters came and picked us up and took us to transfers. I was a little sad to leave my old area because I loved it so much and all the people I served with. Sister Johnson was sad Sister Snyder and I were leaving. Sister Johnson treated both of us like we were her kids so Sister Snyder and I say that we are basically siblings. We got to transfers and there was a bunch of people there! I went around and said hi with a lot of the missionaries I know from the MTC and just the mission in general. I took a lot of pictures with them too! Then I loaded my stuff up in the truck and my new companions and I headed to Alva. We carpooled with Woodward to transfers because it is a lot of miles so we took them to Fairview and then we went to Alva and they went to Woodward. It is about a 3 hour drive from OKC to Alva so I got to go from not driving to road trippin! I missed driving so much!

Instead of having Elder Smith and Elder Morgan as companions I have Elder Richey and Elder Morgan. We are really intimidating because we are all 6'4. Elder Richey is actually a little bit taller then Elder Morgan and I. I guess Elder Smith's area was going to become a sister area and the branch president wasn't about to have that so we got Elder Richey instead.

Elder Morgan came out with me and served in the same zone with me for about 3 months so we were already friends. He is from Rexburg Idaho and has been in Alva for 3 months. I am not sure why he isn't the senior companion but I'm not gonna argue about that :)

Elder Richey came out a transfer (6 weeks) after us. He is from Sacramento California so the little town of Alva is a little different for him. He is kind of a weird kid but he is super funny!

We are teaching a lady named Joy who is going to get baptized on February 13. She has given up cigarettes and is working on coffee right now. She has gone from 2 pots a day to half a pot. She said she is going to be off of it by the end of the month. She has so much faith! We think oh yeah give up coffee just stop drinking it! When she was little her mom put coffee in her baby bottle and she has been drinking coffee for 74 years. She is so awesome and has adopted Elder Richey and I as her new grandson's. She calls me Elder Kyler because she refuses to use our last names.

I have gone to Kansas already and we helped a member renovate his new house. We got to tear down some walls and I even found a dead rat behind the dry wall. Of course I took a picture, what's service without a souvenir picture?

On Friday night we had a Branch FHE and each of us missionaries were in charge of a little station. I got to tell the story of Nephi when he broke his bow and then help the kids build little pencil bows. I kept it under control and they only shot at the target! I made a new little friend. His name is Cade and he is 7 years old. He sat with me throughout the FHE and read the scriptures/ate sweedish fish with me!

On Sunday we had to teach a primary class. We tried so hard but it was impossible for 3 of us missionaries to keep them under control. We ended up playing simon says and the quiet game for 30 minutes. While playing simon says we told them to sit in their chair, be quiet, fold their arms, and close their eyes.

I really like Alva! It is going to be so much fun being in a trio!

I hope you have a great week! Remember to read your scriptures and say your prayers!

Sincerely Elder Brisk :)

That is all.

Some of my favorite people I will miss so much!

The Parkinson's

 The Judy's

 The Gates

Sister Walker

 Brother Mueller

 The Wedendorf's

The Lusk's

The Middleton's 

 Brother Kidwell

 Elder Steed (My mission Grandma)

 Elder Van Halder and Debenham

 This is Elder Smith. I was really looking forward to being companions with him since he stayed at our apartment the night they flew in to Oklahoma from the MTC (Elder Karr and I baby sat him)

 Elder Thomas

 Sister Johnson

 Sister Snyder

Elder Neves

Our apartment fit for 1 person but has 3 of us :)

 Elder Richey and Morgan are hilarious! Elder Morgan likes to play nose goes for EVERYTHING!!

This is my new ride! Not really a truck just a car with a bed.

DEAD RAT!

 

Kansas

 Alva hasn't upgraded all of their street lights yet.

I am getting Transferred!

HELLER!

I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED!

My new address is:

Elder Brisk

914 Flynn Street #2

Alva, Oklahoma 73717

I am getting transferred to Alva Oklahoma which is very small. It is the most Northwestern part of the mission. I cover a huge area and we even go into Kansas. I will get shipped out Wednesday at 10am. I am so excited! I will be in a trio (2 Companions), live in a trailer home, and we have a truck and I am senior companion so I get to be the driver!! I miss driving so much!

This week we taught a lady named Carletta Davis! We had an awesome lesson on the Restoration and she told us we enlighten her so much! She really enjoys having us over to talk about the gospel. She will definitely get baptized!

On Saturday we had Ray and Yesika Cordier's baptism! It was the best baptism ever! They got confirmed on Sunday and ever since they have been extremely happy and glowing! I am so thankful that I got to teach them from the beginning and help them work towards being baptized. Now Ray will hopefully be able to get the priesthood on Sunday and they can go do baptisms for the dead at the temple with the ward on Tuesday! I will most likely be able to go to the temple to support them!

On Friday I went on Exchanges with Elder Keller (one of my zone leaders) We had a really fun exchange and he helped me get everything setup for the baptism!

In 1 Nephi 10:18 it says; 

"For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him."

I thought about how missionaries are always getting transferred around to different area's. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Just like Christ is the same his church is going to stay the same. We are all commanded to share the gospel with EVERYONE! 

I challenge everyone to share the gospel with a non member by sharing your testimony, using social media, giving out a Book of Mormon, referring someone to the missionaries, However you do it doesn't matter. Just know that you will be blessed for sharing the happiness the gospel bring with others.

I will email from Alva, Oklahoma next week! Stay warm and safe!

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

That is all.

These are the cutest twins ever! They let me show them a pamphlet about Jesus

Ray and Yesika are the Newest Members of the Oklahoma City 2nd Ward

My last P-Day in the City was the best P day ever! I beat everyone at bowling!

I want to become like Nephi

HELLER!

I have been super tired this week because Elder Neves and I have been waking up at 5:30 every morning to go to planet fitness! At least we are exercising though!

My companion, Elder Neves, Only wears paisley patterned ties. Well on Sunday a old guy named Brother Logan in our ward gave us each a tie because he has like 50 billion and he can't tie them. Elder Neves and I were arguing about whose tie was better and I told him mine was better then the one he got and was wearing. Then we walked into Priesthood opening exercises and Brother Parkinson goes

"Nice tie, Where'd ya get it DI?" 

and because Elder Neves isn't from Utah he didn't get that his tie pretty much got called ugly but I got it and I started laughing. You could say that I won the battle of whose tie was better! 

This week was a little slow. We didn't have a whole lot of appointments so we have been trying to see a bunch of referrals. We have set up quite a few appointments with people this week and I am so excited to start teaching them. We have a good handful of potential investigators that will become investigators and then get baptized! Maybe not while I am here but they will be baptized!!

Speaking of not being here.. Transfers is on the 20th and it is getting closer and closer everyday. I am sooooooooo ready to get transferred to a new area because 6 months in an area is a little to much if not perfect. Don't get me wrong, I love the ward here and the people we are teaching. Plus I know how to get around all of the south side of OKC. I won't find out if I'm getting transferred or where I am getting transferred until the 17th. Trainers calls have now been moved to the second Monday before transfers. Tonight Elder Neves or I could get a call saying that we will be training a new missionary. I sure hope I don't have to train a new missionary because that would most likely mean I would stay in this area for 2 more transfers which would be 3 more months!

This week we were only able to teach Ray and Yesika once because Members think it is alright to cancel on us when they are already late. No worrys though because they are still on track to get baptized at 11 am on Saturday! I am so excited for them to get baptized because they have been ready since the day we met them! Ok maybe not the day we met them but they have been ready for a while! We would have had their baptism this past Saturday but having a baptism when there is a youth fireside/dance probably isn't the best idea.

We are still teaching Barbara, Josh, and Alexas and just incase they didn't live far away before, they decided to move to the very northwest of our area. Good thing we have a member that likes to come teach them with us because otherwise we would have to bike and I would probably get hit by a car because Oklahoman's do NOT know how to drive, and people think Utah drivers are bad.

On Friday Elder Neves and I decided to go OYM. OYM stands for Open Your Mouth. We tried to see a few referrals and we talked to a bunch of people walking home from school with their kids and we did awesome! We got 3 appointments setup just by doing that. Trying to OYM is hard! You never know what to say or what they person will say or anything!! You just have to not be afraid.

In D&C 33:8-10 it takes about opening your mouth. We have to put our trust in the Lord and have faith that we will have the spirit with us to tell us what we need to say.

I have been studying through 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon and I have decided that I want to become like Nephi. He has so much faith and when the Lord commands him to do something he does it because we will never be commanded to do something we cannot do. (1 Nephi 3:7) Through all of his trials and afflictions his faith doesn't waver. He knows that as he lives righteously and follows the Lord's commandments he will be blessed.

Remember to read your scriptures!!! It doesn't matter how much we read everyday, it matters that we are reading it. Even if it is only a verse a day! Make it a habit to be in the Book of Mormon everyday! Read it in the morning, at night, at lunch. If you aren't a great reader you can download the Gospel Library App and listen to it while you go on road trips or to and from work.

We have been given the scriptures for a reason. USE THEM! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I know that by reading it your testimony and faith will be strengthened. The way to return to our father in heaven is written over and over again throughout the scriptures. I know that you will be truly blessed as you study the scriptures individually and with your families!

I hope everyone has a great week and will learn something new in your scripture study!

Remember who you are, Make good choices!

Sincerely, Elder Brisk

P.S. Because I will most likely be getting transferred on January 20th. If you are trying to send me anything please mail it to the Oklahoma City Mission Office.

I will update my address as soon as I found out if I am getting transferred or not.

I will also be emailing on Tuesday the 19th next week due to MLK day.

That is all.