25 Jan 2016

This week was good. We had a zone conference in West Jordan. It was from 10am-4:30pm. It was long but it was really good. I learned a lot. We had training on how to use members, how to work with the ward council, how to have effective studies and the power of our callings. I really enjoyed the one about studying. I applied a lot of what I learned in my studies.

We also had a worldwide missionary broadcast. It was titled Teach Repentance and Baptizing Converts. We heard from Neil L. Anderson, Whitney L. Clayton, David A. Bednar and others. I loved Elder Bednar's  training on how we should use the Holy Ghost. I learned that the Holy Ghost is not our tool, but we are the tool of the Holy Ghost. It was a really great broadcast. I also saw some of my friends from the East mission on the screen. So yeah it was cool.

Two of our investigators fell off date because they haven't come to church enough so they will be pushed back. So we only had one investigator come to church. We should have two more people on date this week. We have got some referrals that seem pretty solid and we have talked with them and they both said that they are excited to meet with us. 

This coming week we have interviews with president Palmer so I am excited for that. Today we are going to have a snowball fight as a zone because it snowed yesterday. On Saturday I hit my 18 month mark so I went over to the Thaxton's and burned some pants. Other than that this week wasn't very eventful. Have a great week.

18 Jan 2015

Another great week! On Monday we played with a soccer ball where you have to hit all the chairs that everyone is guarding. I won the last game. It was an uneventful day. 

We taught a special needs guy this week. His name is Ryan. He is less active so all we really had to do was tell him to start coming to church. Then that night we taught a girl who is a recent convert who has gone less active. Elder Wells and I had to split because we were double booked. So I taught that lesson with my WML. It was a good lesson. We taught about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it can help her through her trials no matter how big or small. 

On Friday we had district meeting. We learned about how to begin teaching. Then the Zone Leaders have a training on the things we need to do to receive all the blessings we can. That night we taught the Ruis family. She has been getting help from the bishop and the bishop told us to go by and teach her. We were a little cautious when we got there because we weren't sure if she was meeting with us because of welfare or interest. It is Sister Ruis and her two sons living there. The church they have been going to has been telling lies about the LDS church. As we taught, we resolved concerns we didn't even know they had. It was a really good lesson and the spirit was strong.  After the lesson was over our ward mission leader was explaining the Godhead to the mom. When he mentioned the Holy Ghost she said, "Is that what is here right now?" It was so awesome and she told us that the could feel the Spirit of God with us. We put the mom and her 10 year old son on date for February 20th. 

After that we had a lesson with some of our other on date investigators and a miracle happened. We were teaching the plan of salvation, word of wisdom and law of chastity. When we were teaching the Law of Chastity, Elder Wells went to grab a pamphlet from his bag and then realized we were out of chastity pamphlets. We had run out the week before. We went through his bag last week and we both saw that he didn't have a Chastity pamphlet. But Elder Wells grabbed a pamphlet out of his bag and it said "the law of chastity" on it. So we had a pamphlet appear out of nowhere. So we have 5 people on date for February.

Love,

Elder Pleshek

11 Jan 2015

My week was great! On Monday we went bowling as a zone. I won one of the of the games. After that was all over we went to the Thaxton's house for FHE and dinner. We had breakfast burritos.  For the family home evening we talked about enduring to the end. The spirit was really strong as we testified. After the two sons left they said that the lesson was exactly what the oldest son needed. We weren't planning on teaching enduring to the end when we got there, so the lord had a hand in this.

After the FHE their daughter cut my hair. She kinda chopped it all off. They asked me if I liked it and I said, "Well, my hair hasn't been like this since high school." It looks ok. 

On Tuesday we stopped by a referral we got from one of our bishops a few weeks ago. We knocked on the door and no one was home again. As we turned around to walk away some people walked up the stairs and said, " We live in that apartment and we have been waiting for you guys to stop by so we can have you come meet with us." So we set up a lesson for the next day. The rest of the afternoon we tried to contact people, but nothing happened. So we build a snowman in front of the Spanish sisters door. Not a very eventful day. 

On Wednesday I was on Exchanges with the district leader in his area. The first half of the day was filled up with stake missionary meetings. It was super boring. We had a few lessons that day, but a lot of trying to contact referrals. We got talking about conference talks that inspired us and he started talking about the talk "What Lack I Yet?" So he told me to study that talk for the next few weeks to help me improve. 

Thursday was a slow day, but I ate pretty good. We went to lunch at Cafe Rio and some one paid for us and then someone else was disappointed that they couldn't feed us so they gave us $20. Then for dinner we went to Olive Garden.

On Friday we had district meeting. We gave a training on how to get and contact referrals, and how to return and report to the person that gave the referral. It was a good meeting. Then we climbed the light house again and got a district picture. That night we got transfer calls. I'm staying in my area for a fourth transfer and I'm staying with Elder Wells for a 3rd transfer. I love Elder Wells, but we were both hoping for a change. We also got a new AP. It's Elder Gilman. He is one of my good friends from the Central Mission.

On Saturday we had a lesson with the Lively family. They are a less active family that just moved in. They are looking to go to the temple and be sealed. That night we went to the adult session of stake conference. Elder Bourne is the presiding authority. On Sunday we had conference again it was good. Elder Bourne gave a really good talk about having a firm base in the gospel. Oh and those people who we set up an appointment with at their doorstep are on date for February. So we have 3 baptisms scheduled for February.

Love,

Elder Pleshek

P.S. If I sign that check can I send it home to you and you can put it in my bank account?

And if you could get me a pair of blue pants that would be awesome

4 Jan 2016

My week was good. On Tuesday I went on an exchange with Elder Paukovic in his area. In the morning we went to the gym, I didn't know what to do because there were so many machines to use. So I used the rowing machine. That was fun. Then for breakfast I ate a bunch of Cheetos because they had a big box of them at their house. We went out and worked hard that day and we taught a bunch of lessons. We had a lot of fun together. 

On Thursday the Zone leaders came to our house to visit our studies. Our zone leaders are really cool. They are probably the best zone leaders I've had on my mission. That night we had a P-day from 6-9. So our zone got together and had a party. We played basketball, volleyball, Apples to Apples, and we ended of with glow in the dark capture the flag. We covered ourselves with glow sticks and shut of the lights in the gym. While we were playing I got the flag and sprinted towards my side. While I was doing that Elder Andersen (one of my zone leaders) who was on my team, didn't know I had the flag, was running to go and steal it. So I was home free. There was no one in my way except Elder Andersen. He was running towards me, but I didn't think anything of it and then BAM! We hit each other. He leveled me and I was on the ground and my eyebrow hurt. The lights came on and everyone gathered around me to see if I was ok. I said I was fine and sat up, but I couldn't find Elder Andersen. So I went to the bathroom to check myself out in the mirror. When I got in the bathroom I found Elder Andersen bleeding from his mouth. His tooth went through his lip. Then I looked in the mirror and my eyebrow had split open. It wasn't very big, only about the size of the tooth that hit it. 

On Friday we had district meeting. It was about listening to our investigators and to the Spirit. We then ate at Cafe Rio as a district. On Saturday Elder Wells hit his 18 month mark, so we went to the Thaxton's house to burn a pair of pants. They are an awesome family. Brother Thaxton is the Elders quorum president in one of the wards. Sister Thaxton makes fun of me because I am a picky eater, but they are awesome. 

Yesterday we had a lesson with a girl named Amber. She is a non member, but she has been coming to church for the past few weeks. So we finally got to have a lesson with her. We taught her the restoration and put her on date for February. Well, have a great week.

Love,

Elder Pleshek

I didn't lose my SD card. I bought a thumb drive and put all my pictures from my ipad on it. I still have all of my pictures. I wanted you to email me when you got them so I could delete them because I'm running out of space on my ipad.  I will by another one and send it to you.  Transfers are on the 12th.