January 26, 2015

This last week was really great!

We met with one of our investigators, Teddy, on Thursday.  He's the one trying to quit smoking.  The first thing he said when we sat down was "I want to set my baptism date. I'm done smoking, I'm ready for baptism!"

He's gone two weeks with no smoking. We set a baptismal date on the 31st, this Saturday.  So this will officially be my 1st baptism!  I couldn't be more excited for him.  He's married to a member and they are already looking forward to going to the temple in a year to be sealed!

Then, the day before, on Wednesday we received two referrals.  Bill  was one of them.  We stopped by that day and met with him and his daughter.  Bill is about 80 years old.  He has a brother who lives in West Valley. (Oh yeah, side track real fast. What ward were we in when we lived in West Valley? The new senior missionaries who are coming to replace the Abney's are from West Valley and he has been the Stake President. Their names are the Brooks. I don't know if their name sounds familiar. That would be pretty neat if we know them.)  Anywho, So we were talking and saying that would be neat if the Brooks know his brother.  That would be a super small world.  Bill and his daughter Molly are very interested in the Book of Mormon.  We're in the middle of trying to find a larger print BoM for them both since they are a bit older.  

It really hit me this last week at a Zone Conference.  At the Zone Conferences, The missionaries going home that month bare their testimonies and one of the sisters that I came out with, Sister Smith, gave hers.  It hit me that I will be doing that in 6 months.  No bueno.  You know me.  I don't cry.  I started to cry at Zone Conference and then also, yesterday was the last day that the Abney's (The senior couple, the man in the ladder picture) would be here in North Carolina.  They spoke in Sacrament meeting.  I started crying when Elder Abney was concluding his talk.  They are like my parents here.  We've grown so much together.  I wrote them a letter and gave it to them before they left. They said they're going to miss me the most ;D It feels so weird with them not here but the mission has made me a freakin’ softy!

Uhh, I think that's all the major things that happened this week!  It was a great week!  I hope this one will be just as good if not better!

Love you! Stay Safe!

Love,

Elder Beach

Excerpt from his Dad's Email:   I'm still working and doing my best and I am definitely not wishing my time away. It freaks the heck out of me that I have 6 months left. Next month I get permission to start applying to schools and scholarships. I really do not want to come home.  (This last sentence brings tears to Momma Beach's eyes and JOY in my heart!)

Momma Beach says: 

ONLY

DAYS LEFT 

in the Missionary Field

October 13, 2014 Email Correspondence

Well, we went to the Temple this last Friday and had Zone Training on Wednesday.  I put the Ridgeways on the prayer roll.  Because of those two events, it was a really slow week to do missionary work.  It's about an hour and a half drive to Zone Training so that took all day Wednesday.  Then it is a 2 hour drive to the Temple.  So that took all day Friday.

We met again with our investigator, he is really on board to be baptized.  He just has to ask his parents permission.  After that it's all downhill from there.

We didn't have a chance to do any service this week.  Which is sad, I like doing service because it gives me an opportunity to get into shorts.;)

We were stuck at the church a few times due to the pouring rain, and did not want to walk home in the rain in our suits.

I don't really remember what I've had to eat this week. We did have tacos on Wednesday though.

New apartment is nice and big.  Well bigger than the tiny one in Fayetteville.  I'll send pics next week.

We as a District wore our District ties to Zone Conference, and everyone got a kick out of that.

(Mom sends matching ties for each new companionship… apparently I really liked this certain tie because I had already sent it.  Elder Beach suggested that if I send one more of the same tie, he would have enough for his District – Win! Win!)

Few and Far Between

We really haven't had a written letter or a "real" email from Elder Beach since before Christmas but I put together these snippets of quick communications we've had for the last month. Okay, putting this all together in one place, it's not so bad.  I am a very lucky and blessed Mom and so glad my son is right where he should be serving the Lord!

January 2014

January 6 - There is nothing to really talk about I was sick the whole week. Had to stay in the apartment. Pretty boring.

[after much prodding about what he did after we spoke to him on Christmas, he sent this...]

We spent it [Christmas] at the Anderson's, the Ward Mission Leader. We spent all day there playing games and eating. Then later that night we went over to the Johnson's for a while. Had a lot of fun there. New Year's Eve was pretty boring. We couldn't be out of the apartment after 6. Because people get a little crazy before going to the parties. It feels weird and kinda good to be able to say I go home next year! haha. But its still a long while. We were talking about how the people who just came here this last transfer (1 Week ago) won't be going home until 2016! :/ yikes. That just hurts to say haha. But um. That's kinda all. Nothing is really going on right now. Hopefully it will change soon though!

Another Day...

Mom, it's killing me. I wish SOOOO bad I could watch the Bronco's game tomorrow night. Everyone is saying that tomorrow night's game is pretty much the Superbowl.

I'm eating too much.  I can hardly do a pull up anymore!  I am eating so much that I am out of money.  You know how some missionaries surprise their family by coming home all super skinny and what not?

what if i do the opposite and just come back freakin’ fat as heck!?  I eat so much, even more than my Comp.  I run a 5K everyday.

This was the email we got for January 13th - "Just another hard week. of working hard and nothing happening."

January 20 - 

Brother Anderson told me last night! [about the Broncos going to the Superbowl!] Let's say I didn't get much sleep because I was soo excited. I was hoppin off the walls I was crazy. Keep it recorded for 19 more months ;) So this last few weeks have been pretty good. We have two baptismal dates with a single mother and her 16 year old son. Oh, uhh So I may need another new pair of slacks because I may or may not have crashed...again. and tore up my slacks and leg and hand.

I was going too fast, like usual :) and when I was going up a little incline, my pedal got caught on the incline and sent me flying, I almost hit my head again! but didn't. I almost flew head first into a big metal gate. It was awesome... Why am i so accident prone?

Uhh any color of slacks? I don't know. Dark color? Yeah good thing. I was actually thinking about if I was in James' mission. That would be rough to get stuff! Yes I got the package, loved the 17 points and the key chain! It was a complete miracle teaching the Single mother and her 16 year old son. They were a referral from the Spanish Elders who are teaching their next door neighbors. So we started teaching them on Tuesday night. We have a return appointment tomorrow night at 7:45! It was a very powerful first lesson with them. the Spanish and us taught them the Restoration. The spirit was so strong there. She started to tear up and to describe how she felt and we explained that is the Holy Spirit testifying to you that what we are talking to you about is true! It was an amazing first lesson with them! They both said they did feel the Spirit and would like to feel it every day. It was amazing! I cannot wait to see what tomorrow night will be like! I've got to go now. I love you! Be safe have a great week!
Elder Beach

I just got back from exchanges with our new District Leader earlier today. He has been out for 20 months and has two more transfers to go.

I asked him as a "greenie" if he has any tips coming from a "veteran". He said to live it up and to not worry about the small things. Don't stress about the little things, because most of the time it is the little things that gets the missionaries super stressed and therefore can't really work their 100%

Great advice!

yeah he is pretty awesome! Best District Leader I have had so far!

So yes, I will have a lot to say this Monday [he didn’t.]

It's hard seeing these amazing people go through such rough times.

Uhhh can you send me some Girl Scout Cookies?  I like Thin Mints and Tagalongs.

Someone told me that Hilary Duff is coming out with a new album again!?

You are going to have to buy the album for me!

We’ve kept Elder Beach up to date on the other kids his ages getting their mission calls and realized that Amanda Ayre, Kaitlin Reed and Sarah Taylor will all be entering the MTC in February, which means they’ll all be coming home in the same month!!  

Got bored one night didn't have anything to do...so got a good idea! (**WARNING  Mother Rant***Mom said, how about write us a letter if you are so bored?  He said they are only allowed to do that on Mondays... so DO IT on Mondays!!!)

Another thing we did when we really had nothing to do.