Peeps!!!

So... it was a good week. Wednesday, our Sandy run day, was FANTASTIC!!! We saw XXXX, the 15 year old Elder Goff and I found tracting, for the first time in months. We knocked their door and his little siblings answered, they told us he was sick. We asked if we could say hi to him anyways. So we did, and showed him the Mormon Message, "Sanctify yourselves" by Elder Holland. The Spirit was really strong as we showed it to him. And then, after we had finished and were just talking for a little bit, his little brother came in. I assume he was about 5 years old. Our conversation went as follows.

"You guys should leave now."

Why?

"Because I don't want you here."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm bigger than you!"

"Well I can punch you in the qqqq!"

He was dead serious too.

I would say of all the ways I have heard of to end a conversation, that is one of the more effective ones. Part of me wanted to tell him I have qqqq of steel so it wouldn't matter, but I decided it would be best not to test it out.

The best part of Wednesday was meeting with Bishop Hoakenson of the Sandy River ward. Lemme splain to you guys so that you can understand how intense of an experience this was. I told you that we met with the Mt Hood Stake President last week right? President Morby suggested that we stop by him just to tell him what we were doing and see if we can do anything for him. He appreciated our visit and said he would talk to President Morby. That was almost 2 weeks ago. We decided that same night that we should pick a Bishop to meet with to try to get some people we could take with us to lessons out there. We randomly picked one Bishop, Bishop Hoakenson, of the Sandy River Ward. He just felt right. So this Wednesday we show up, we were a few minutes early because we got out of our appt with XXXX and figured it would be better to be early than late, so we headed to the Church. This was like the most inspired showing up early that I've had on my mission. The Church was PACKED with people who knew about us and wanted to talk to us.

Apparently within like 3 days President Lewis had sent an email out to his High Councilors and Bishops talking about starting a group. So while we were waiting for Bishop Hoakenson, we talked to a retired bus driver who knew all the nooks and crannies of Sandy, 2 Elders quorum presidents, and the other 2 members of the Stake Presidency. DOPE.

After that we got into the meeting itself, and all I have to say is WOW. Apparently, the Sandy River ward is the one President Lewis wants to start the group out of. We didn't know that when we called. Also, Bishop Hoakenson used to live in Texas, where starting groups out of wards is a very common occurrence. As we started talking he asked us why we thought we were there. We told him and kind of talked about our investigators. Then he told us why he thought we were there. And he said that since he had moved from Texas 10 or 15 years ago, he had wanted to start a group out in Sandy, just had been waiting for the right time. Even if I don't get to go open that area up that experience alone will be worth it. Hints are getting dropped all over the place too. President Lewis sent us an email saying that this transfer (this is the last week of the transfer by the way, so Wes if you're gonna get me a letter, get it in the mail to me in Milwaukie by Wed or wait until next week) President Morby is planning on putting some Spanish Elders out there. President Morby called us one night to check that if Sandy gets opened up the Milwaukie group won't lose any members and that we will still have enough work to do in Milwaukie, which it won't and we will, and at Zone Conference on Friday President was dropping a few hints, he told me to "saddle up Elder" and a couple of other things, and the housing couple has reportedly been out looking for a place for missionaries to live. So, I don't know if I'll get to go out there but I am 95% sure it is happening. I'm kind of excited if you can't tell.

Friday was President's last Zone conference.

It was a pretty somber meeting. Saturday there was this dance festival deal some of the Stakes put on so all day Saturday the whole mission chilled at a high school so that we could sing We are as the armies of Helaman 3 times.

We got to watch a movie, too. The Saratov Approach. Mom, if you haven't watched that movie already... you should probably wait until I get home...:) Just saying.

Not the movie for moms of missionaries to see.   just sayin'

And last but not least, yesterday we had an investigator come to church, a 16 year old named TTTT, and in the middle of Sacrament meeting he decided he wants to get baptized!! So we set a date for July 18th!!

Ok... that's about it... I love you guys!!

 First week of June

Hey guys!!!
Sorry I didn't get to email you yesterday... like I said we went on a
15 mile hike near Mt Hood... I have some WAY GOOD pics to send home
when I have time next week.
This week not a whole lot happened; We got dropped by another one of
our promising youth again... That's kinda starting to frustrate me.
But all is well. God gave man his agency.
I do have a funny story for you guys though. And The main message of
it is I HATE SODA!!!!!!! 


We were in the house of an investigator this
week, finishing up a lesson, and she offered us a drink. The exact
word she used was  "refresco." I thought that just meant refreshment
so I said sure... Elder Warenski looked at me like I was high. And
then she brought us out a glass of soda. It wasn't even that big and
it was mostly flat. I'd asked for it... So I kinda had to drink it...
and I felt like DOG CRAP!!!!!!! the rest of the night!!!!! I felt so
fetching sick I kinda just wanted to lay down and cry.


I can't decide
which feeling is worse between gettind dropped or drinking soda...
nevertheless I can say with confidence that I'd be fine with neither
one ever happening again!!!!!!!!
Ok sorry I know this is short... the only other news is that Elder
Warenski and I are really working hard to get Sandy opened... we met
with the Stake President out there last week and it seems like things
are getting close. And it needs to be its own area, honestly. So keep
your fingers crossed!!! Oh, and I don't know how I never realized this
before, but Elder Warenski REALLY reminds me of Ashton Durrant. So...
yeah..
Love you guys!!!!
Elder Travis Jorgensen.