E-mail 09/26/2016

Well, again this has been a slow week, but this is what I have for you.

Tuesday, we had dinner with some members and it was really great. They had gotten a pizza from the store and loaded it with toppings.

Wednesday, we had zone conference, it was great, President Brough talked about faith, and we read from Alma 32, what was really funny that as he was talking about a seed growing, he said that when a plant brakes the surface it makes a poofing sound, and as everyone was laughing he said "Prove me wrong." Well all of zone conference was good and memorable.

Thursday we went around visiting members.

Friday we did our service at the gas station. Afterwards he showed us how he made the food, and know after seeing how he make his hamburgers that he gives us, I'm not so sure I want to go back... Oh well.

Saturday, we had coordination, and what we talked about setting up for a fireside that President and Sister Brough will be coming to, that's exciting.

Sunday, we thought our meeting was at 8 so we got to church a half an hour sooner than usual, oh well.

Oh, at zone conference, I was handed a $50 visa gift card, because several months ago, the pare of pants that I tour when I crashed, I had given them to a member who was visiting the area to fix, well she wasn't able to before she left, so she gave them to a friend in the other ward, and I never saw them again. So that second member felt guilty (I think because she lost them, but I don't know) gave me the gift card for a pair of pants that I got from the D. I. Works for me!

That's my week

Love y'all!

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

E-mail 09/19/2016

Hi everyone! Sorry but this will be a really short letter.

So, not a whole lot happened this week. Elder Long hasn't been feeling well.

Tuesday and Wednesday, just a lot of trying people, with no success.

Thursday, we stayed home all day because Elder Long was feeling really sick.

Friday, He was feeling better, and we were able to teach some of our investigators. I was excited for that. We also had district meeting that day.

Saturday, we helped out at the gas station, and we were able too share more with him. He is way more fascinated by the structure of missionary work, then by our message.

Sunday, Elder Long wasn't feeling good again, but we still went to church, and about 20 minutes before church started the Branch President told us that the missionary that I replaced was supposed to speak that day and asked us if we would be willing to each give one. So we each gave a 10-15 minute talk, and the first thing I said was "Before my mission, one of the best pieces of advice I received was to always have a talk ready just in case something like this happens." Everyone thought that was funny, and I gave a talk that I had give about a year ago. Well later, part way through Sunday school, Elder Long leaned over and told me he wasn't feeling good, so we went home and he spent the rest of the day resting.

Well that is my week. Hope this next one is a good one for everyone.

Love

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

E-mail 09/12/2016

Good morning y'all!

Well Tuesday and Wednesday was the same thing of trying by people, and trying to get in contact with our investigators.

Thursday, we and our weekly planning, and in the evening we had coordination, and I finally got to meet the branch mission leader. He has been on vacation or working since I got here. He told me I looked like a member of a family he knows in Utah that owns the piano store off of I-15. Well after the meeting he had his wife come down and he introduced me to her, changing my last name to the other family, and she just looks at him and says "No his not." Then tell me to show her my name tag well he's trying to convince her that I look like them, and she just pops his bubble by saying I don't. So that was a funny experience, and of course they both asked me if I was related to George Durrant. One of these years I will find out how we are connected, but until then I get to do mental face palms every time.

Friday we had district meeting, and I don't remember if I told you last week, but there was a big change, there are three companionship of Sisters/Hermana's, one of which is a threeship, then there's our district leader and his companion, the seiner couple, and elder Long and I, then the assistance showed up, so there were a lot of people at district meeting.

Saturday, we helped the guy at the gas station, and we got some much needed rain and boy did it come down, but it didn't last very long.

Sunday, we had stake conference, the very first one I've been able to go to on my mission, because I've ether gotten transferred right before, or my companion has been sick. So it was great. I was able to see a lot of people from the Newburgh ward, President and Sister Brough were there, and Elder Gillenwater of the seventy, who was just sustained this past General conference and lives in the stake. Then a member of the presidency of the seventy was going to come, but he got sick right before and wasn't able to come. All in all, it was a good day.

Love y'all!

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

E-mail 08/29/2016

Tuesday, we had interviews! It's always great talking with President and Sister Brough. Then we went on an exchange were Elder Husted (the district leader) came with me to my area, so I was in charged of a place I was only in for a week and a half, yippee... but it went pretty good. We went to one of the small towns near by, and I mean small, like under 400 people small. Well we tried by some former's and found some people to teach. And at one point we went to the ONLY gas station in town to use the bathroom, and while Elder Husted was in there, I started talking with the owner, he really likes missionaries, and said that where ever he goes in the US or Canada, he runs into missionaries. As we were talking, I thought about how he probably knows everyone in town, so I asked him if he knew of any opportunity to serve in the town, and he said that he could use some help, so we set up a time to go back the next day.

Wednesday, we went back to the gas station and learned how to stock shelves and stuff. Then he gave us free food, and as we were eating, he sat down with us and asked us questions about being a missionary. We were able to share the Book of Mormon with him and he said he would read it. We have set up with him to come back every so often to help out and follow up on his reading. He also told us to come by any time for food, so that's a good extra to it.

Thursday, we saw some of our investigators, potentials, and the resent convert.

Friday, we had an exchange with the zone leaders, and I went with Elder Smith to Newburgh, ya! Well, for undisclosed reasons, I drove us back, and this was my first time having to drive an hour from point A to point B, but it wasn't bad at all. Well, we ended up spending the whole time, trying by people who weren't home and talking with some others.

Saturday, we drove back to end the exchange, then I introduced Elder Long to our friend at the gas station. We helped out, got free lunch, and talked to him a bit about the Book of Mormon.

Sunday, the senior missionaries gave talks, and the subject was about the gospel of Jesus Christ, specifically repentance. Then the rest of the day was our regular routine.

Love y'all
Elder Durrant
Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

Elder Long and I

A cantaloupe someone gave us

E-mail 08/22/2016

This has been my first full week in Tell City.

So on Monday, the Branch has a family home evening at someone's house, so we went to that. Then we went to a recent converts house and had a family home evening with her and her husband. They're an older couple that we like to go over a couple times week. When we do, we have a lesson, then after the lesson we play a game called Euchre, I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

Well, Tuesday through Saturday was the same, trying by people and finding people to teach. We had district meeting on Thursday, and we had a member take us out to dinner on Friday, so that was fun.

Sunday was a repeat of last week, meeting before church, church, go home, have lunch, study, go back to the church for an Institute class that the senior couple put on and asked us to attend. Then that evening went to a members home to have a lesson.

Sorry for the short letter, but not a whole lot happened.

Love y'all

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

E-mail 06/06/2016

Monday; So like I said last week, we were out of power and had to spend part of our morning getting that taken care of, and ended up leaving the maintenance man to work on it. We then went through our day doing our thing, and crashed two BBQs that people there had the crazy idea to invite four missionaries over. Hahaha!

When we got home that night, we still had no power (headbanging), so since it was late, we just spent the night at some other elders apartment.

Tuesday; It worked out that we spent the night with the other elders, because we started an exchange that we had planned on doing anyway. I spent the day with Elder Conlin, and we spent the day teaching less actives, then had dinner at a active members home, then went to the church to take care of some things. We ended up trying to help the Hermana's teach a recent convert how to pronounce some of the words in the sacrament prayer, so that was interesting.

Wednesday; Was a very busy day. First we had district lunch, we went to Chili's (not my idea, but the food was good) and sang happy birthday to Elder Crystal. We then went to the church for district meeting and interviews with President Brough. I love interviews, they really care so much about each one of us and President is so inspired. Well as we were starting our district meeting, President came in and called Elder Crystal in for his interview, and told me I was temporarily the district leader and to keep things going. At first I was like "sweet! I'm in charge." The next moment I was like "Wait... I don't know what I'm doing!" So we finished what we were doing, and then with a huge prayer in my heart, we had a pretty good discussion on goals, and accountability. Thank you Dad & Mom for all you taught me about that, even though I wasn't the best at living it. Then we went and had dinner with a member.

Thursday; We had a bit of a slower day. We did some service in the morning, for a family that's moving in, and the parents are both college professors, so every time we did or said something smart, she would go, "college credits." I thought to myself, "At this rate, I'll finish college before I get off my mission!" We then saw one or two less actives.

Friday; Us and the zone leaders had lunch with Grandma Robinson at a pizza place that was really good. Then had a lesson with a less active family that we have been working on since I've been here, and we are slowly making progress. The four of us had dinner at a member's house that lives way out there, which was about a half hour drive away. They were really funny, and their son had a friend there. Those two reminded me so much of Adam and Allan, just not as violent.

Saturday; We did our weekly planning, and while we were in there it rained so we thought we were in the clear, because when we went out, it was clearing up, so we went out and we got absolutely soaked. When we got home and I took off my shoes, there was literally standing water in them. Well we got dried off and changed, then got picked up for the lesson we had for the two kids that are getting baptized.

Sunday; After church we went over the interview questions with the two kids, and they are looking good. And that evening we had dinner with a family and got a ride in his C63S Mercedes! It was awesome!

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission

Us at district lunch

Lunch with Grandma Robinson 
and the blue eyed moose

 

E-mail 05/30/2016

Another week down, and another one coming.

So this will be a short one because not a lot happened this week.

Monday, we had dinner with a less active lady that I've been told a lot about since the beginning of my mission.

Tuesday, we did service, by pulling up weeds out of sand.

Wednesday, we had district meeting, then that evening we had a member bring us dinner. She brought baked potatoes and so much stuff to put on them, it was great, we did share with the other elders. Later we biked up and taught the two kids that are getting baptized soon, they're funny kids.

Thursday, we had our coordination meeting. Our ward mission leader was running a little late, so we played a bit of basketball with his kids. Then that night we had dinner with some members, and their twenty something year old son (who I have never met before) picked us up, and I was a little confused because he's a spitting image of his dad. It was great, they are a lot of fun.

Friday, we did our weekly planning, then tried by a ton of people.

Saturday, we saw some less actives, some other people, and then taught the two kids again.

Sunday, church was good, except that it was really hot and during the third hour I actually think I blacked out a couple of times, because I can't remember parts of the lesson. Then we taught the two kids again right after church with their mom, and reviewed what we have taught them thus far. Then all four of us had lunch with the bishop, and they had the brilliant idea of biking there and back. It wasn't too bad, except I don't have a fast bike so it was interesting keeping up with them. On the way back a storm cloud came through and we got a "little" wet, but got inside, rested for a little bit. Later we heard it got really bad, and we even saw a whole tree down. Then from last night into this morning we had no power at our apartment, so we got to take care of that this morning.

Love

Elder Durrant

Great Kentucky Louisville Mission