First Week in San Diego!!!

This email will be very long. I am sorry in advance. I have so much to talk about, but not a lot of time to write. A lot of goodbyes and new beginnings. Anyways, I'm going to back it up to the last days in the mtc...then move forward from there.

Friday Aug. 15th: This was my last p-day in the mtc. We did final laundry and packed all morning along with write emails. Then after lunch we went to the temple. After the temple we ran and ate dinner and set up for the goodbye/birthday party for my district. Man that was fun. We had balloons hanging from the walls. Cake. And decorations all over. That was a great way to end our last P-day together.

Saturday Aug. 16th: Because my companion decided to get sick, I spent the day studying by myself while he slept. It was a long, but semi-preductive day.

Sunday Aug. 17th: We went to our church for the last time. The did a special meeting. All 22 of us ASL missionaries bore our tesimonies in sign. Then for the closing number we did a special number. We signed the efy medley. It was amazing. Then because the companion was sick, we ended up going to the urgent care center. We got to see the real world for the first time in 6 weeks. It was very different, people weren't dressed up and wearing nametags.....it was wierd. For the devotional Elder Oaks.....well his daughter came. She did a wonderful devotional with her muscial abilities.

Monday Aug. 18th: This day was full of class, as well as picture moments. Everyone said their goodbyes.....and we said bye to our amazing teachers....it was a long day full of goodbyes.

Tuesday Aug. 19th: Well for starters, i will never wake up at 3:00 in the morning. I dont care if i will miss the bus. That was way to early. Hahahaha... What made it worse was we then also had California time, so instead of it being 3 it was really 2. That made for a very long day. We loaded the bus at 4:30 and headed off the the airport. When we got there we had to wait for the luggage truck to come and drop off our luggage. Then we headed into the airport to start making phone calls with family before we had to depart. Oh man departure....that was one for the books. We took of soaring at like 200 mph (ok i dont know exactly but that was about how fast it felt). Then we were asending (dont know how to spell that) into the air. Higher and higher we went. When we were finally above the clouds we got pretzels and drinks, and enjoyed the nice 1 1/2 hours of flight. Then came decencion (also dont know how to spell that) and we all know how that goes. Then we were landed and ready to get off that flying metal death trap. Although it may be that it was actually not bad. I kind of enjoyed it a little. anyways we landed and got off. Then we walked to the baggage claim area where our mission president was waiting. He, his wife, and the other two ASL missionaries were waiting there for us. We got our bags and headed to the mission home. Once there we had lunch, get to know you interviews, and activities. Then picture taking time. And off we went. We went and parked by the temple and did what is called street contacting, where bascily we just walk around where lots of people are and talk to people. We ran into (well actually she came running up to us) a lady who was a recent convert. She was baptized a year ago and she just moved down to San Diego. She had been looking everywhere for missionaries. We talked with her, and then gave her a book of mormon, because she left hers in Florida. Then we continued to contact people. When it was time for us to go we went to our nightly home (because we only stayed there overnight) where we relaxed and went to bed.

Wednesday Aug. 20th: We woke up bright and early (6:30) and went for our morning run...well more of a walk. We ran into a few hobos waking up for the morning and walked past them as we said good morning. then we went back to our apt and got ready for the day. We then went out our our apt. to go to the mission office and we ran into a lady signing....her boy with her was deaf and she wanted him to go to church, but because we are not in that area anymore we cant teach her. Thats up to the other 3 misisonaries. Then we went to the mission office where we help move people around, then move ourselves into our new apt. We went shopping and got food, cause you know me...must have food. And plus we didnt have any. Then later that night we visited two members. The first was the Isais Brothers- the both are deaf and blind. So we have to use what is called tactile to communicate. they place their hands over your hands and you sign normally. it was cool. Then after we met them we went to the macias's. They are really cool. Then we went out to get my first real california burrito. It was more delicious than the one i made....go figure!!! Then back to apt. to go to bed

Thurdsday Aug. 21st: We went to a members house named Steven. (we mostly visit members because its hard to get new deaf investigators...so currently we have none). He gave us some orange juice which he calls his "alchohol" because he loves it. Then we visited a few more members, Ricardo, Donald, and the Beaton Family. Donald has cerial palsley...so its hard to see him sign...but it was so cool how awesome he is. Then with the beatons the took us to round table pizza...which was delicious. and that sums up thursday.

Friday Aug. 22nd: We had our first district meeting. Went tracting to find new deaf people to teach, few lessons cancelled. Then back to tracting. What an interesting day.

Saturday Aug. 23rd: We visited Cathy, who at first was asleep so we went back and visited her. Went to do more tracting. Met a really old lady named Bonnie...who just sat and told us her life story for 2 hours. Then we visited the McClellan family. And to top of the night...we met an atheist guy who wouldnt join our church because "we dont keep the 10 commandments because we have sunday as the sabbath" what a crazy old man....well we probably wont go back there. Then we met a guy named aaron. and our neighbor who is a military guy...yeah we shared a lesson with him on the walk to our apt. he seemed interested so we'll see how that goes.

Sunday Aug 24th: My 1st ever deaf church meeting. Because we only have like 50 deaf members, we are combined with a hearing ward, which means we have lots of opportunities to interpret. Then we helped out during second hour to translate. Then priesthood meeting is where you truely know your skills. That is the one hour where its just deaf, or asl knowers, that meet. IT was cool to see.

Monday Aug. 25th: We went to visit a trailor park.....there is a lot of them here in san diego. but the lady wasn't home. We turned around and walked towards our car, where we ran into a Phillipino lady. She was a member and was wanting to visit missionaries. She needed a blessing and we were there for her. We gave her a blessing, shared a message. Then left. Also that day we met a member who had been for a year he said. I don't know if he just fell away or what...because he was not in the best of shape. We talked to him and shared a message and refurred him to the other missionaries. Then went on with our tracting. We went to a deaf group home where a bunch of deaf people live. and we met a girl named Jessica who seemed interested so we will hope she becomes our new investigator. Hopefully!!!

Well that sums up my week in a nutshell. Pretty exciting stuff happened. But now i have to go cause im running out of time. Love you all,

Love, Elder Betts

P.S. just a little spiritual thought.....read 2 Nephi 27:26 or Alma 29:22 or maybe James 1:12....they all are amazing so read them!!!!

First email in San Diego!!!

Hey everyone. Just a quick shout out. I made it safely to San Diego. No worries. The plane ride was such a great adventure. I loved it. Here is a picture of us ASL missionaries with our Mission President and his wife. The two elders without the suit are our trainers. The one with glasses is my new companion. The other one got the other two. So until next Tuesday. Love you all have a wonderful week.

Off to Sunny San Diego!!!!

   

Elder Betts has arrived safely to San Diego.

Here is a picture of Elder Betts, his mission President Brother Schmitt, Sister Schmitt, Elder Phillips, Elder Pierce and their new companions, ASL Elders Gerber and Rutland.

Last week in the MTC!!!

Well everyone, this will be the last time I email you guys from the computers at the MTC. It's a sad day. This has been my home for the last 5 1/2 weeks, but soon I will be off to bigger and more important things. Not too many things happened this week. We had an amazing Tuesday Night Devotional where the speaker talked on repentance. I took some amazing notes, however I forgot to bring them with me so I will have to share them next time. 

Tuesday rolled along and we taught our last lesson with Sharon. It was a wonderful lesson about the priesthood and the Doctrine of Christ. She committed to baptism, but only if she receives a definite answer to her prayers where she knows that this church is true. We have enjoyed teaching her for these last 3 weeks. She has indeed came unto Christ more, even though she is a strong Christian. 

Wednesday came and went. Fresh meat (Missionaries) came in. We enjoyed the ice cream bar where we decided to make root beer floats. They were delicious. But other than that we didn't have an exciting day.

Then came Thursday. That was the longest day known to mankind. We went to breakfast then headed to In-Field-Orientation. We learned about life in the field and the basic principles to becoming wonderful missionaries, which includes actually talking to people. Who knew that was an important thing? Not me. I always was like, that's why I have a senior companion right? Well i guess i got proved wrong. I am going to actually have to talk to people. This will be an adventure of it's own. Cant wait to see how that rolls out. 

Now I am enjoying my last p-day at the mtc. Writing to you guys, getting ready to celebrate a birthday later tonight after we go to the temple. These next couple of days will be the bomb.com if you know what i am saying.

Anyways, Since i have left my spiritual thoughts back in the room, i will just share a joke with you guys instead.

Here it goes:

Question: Who is the best doctor in the Bible?

Answer: Some say it is Job because he had so much patience (PATIENTS),

But in all honesty it is Moses. Why because he DELIVERED all the children of Egypt. hahahhahaha. 

Ok fine how about another one?

Here we go:

A man and had left the winter streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was to leave a day later and was planning to meet him there. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick email to let her know he arrived. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her email address, he did his best to type it in from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter and his note was directed to an elderly woman whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:
DEAREST WIFE: JUST GOT CHECKED IN. EVERYTHING PREPARED FOR YOUR ARRIVAL TOMORROW.
-YOUR LOVING HUSBAND
P.S. SURE IS HOT DOWN HERE!

Well now that I made you laugh, it is time for me to go. I love you all. Peace out.

Love always,
Elder Betts #SmileyFace :)

Week 5 Pictures!!!!

Stripping Warriors Selfie

Selfie as District Leader

Stripping Warriors 

Week 5!!

So I have survived yet another week. This week however was a little different. On Monday night Brother McLay, one of the members from the Branch Presidency of mine, came up to our room. He usually always walks around our residency hall every Monday night. This Monday night he came for a purpose. That was to take me out and talk to me in the gathering center where we have a bunch of sofas. Anyways he talked to me and he was like, "It has been decided. Elder Reeve is no longer your district leader." At that point I was thinking cool I hope that he has found a new district leader and I couldn't wait to find out who it was. I thought he was going to talk to each of our district member and tell them the news. I was wrong. The reason he wanted to meet with me was because they had chosen me to be the new district leader. Out of all the people they could have chosen from, they picked me. I was shocked at first, but now I know that I can do it. It has been these last couple of days. I feel so powerful. Hahaha. No but really I just focus on being a missionary to the other missionaries. Other than that we had just a normal week. We are teaching the same investigators and they are progressing each time.

This week we also started a thing called MAPI. It is just more practice teaching different people. Along with MAPI we have TRC. TRC is where people from the outside world come in as volunteers and we basically home teach them. They are all members for our language. Other languages may have actual investigators come, but with us, ours are all members. During this last TRC my companion and I were with a couple. We got talking and I asked them if they were married. They said they were engaged and getting married in two weeks. My companion didn't catch on that we discussed that they were engaged, so he asked them if they had children. WOW!!!! The laughter coming from that room was off the chart. It was so funny. He then realized what was going on. They explained to him that their church, which is the same church as us, believes in Marriage first. After that the lady said (well signed it I should say), "We should have said that yes we have two children and one on the way. Oh and we are getting married in two weeks!!!!" It was so much fun. We laugh about that all the time.

On Sunday we had fast and testimony meeting. After that we went to a mission conference where the MTC Presidency talked to us. One of my favorite things that was said was by Sister Hacking. She said, "Give it everything you have got. Talk to everyone you see. Don't jude anyone. They are all children of God. You will be amazed by who you find. Have faith and patience." That hit me hard. I am not one to like hobos, but now I guess I will just have to talk to one. Also I decided a couple of weeks ago that my goal on the plane ride to Cali is to 1. not freak out because the planes are scary and they could possibly crash and i could get hurt or die. No i am not worried about that. I have the Lord on my side. but the next one is my main goal. 2. to place a Book of Mormon to at least one person on the way to Cali. I am going to do it.

Have you guys ever wondered what happens when there is a rain storm at the MTC?? Included is a picture of us enjoying the rain storm. Because as missionaries don't dance, we are walking in the rain and enjoying life. Spiritual thought from that anyone? I'm thinking along the lines of "No matter what goes on in your life, it's the small thins that matter."

A few funnies from the past week are:

1.Everyone in our district thinks that Elder Phillips will be the first one to be married. Rumor has it that he will propose once he walks off the plane.

2.In a certain district gathering we were discussing how we feel about each other, always good things all good things. Anyways it was my turn to talk about Sister Abeling. And the district leader signed to me-keep it short and simple we are almost out of time. So I did. I said. "I'm going to keep this short and simple, just like you Sister Abeling." everyone laughed so hard it was great.

3."The MTC is like EFY on steroids" general authority.

4. "If you don't look once, you are not a man (or woman), but if you look twice you are not a missionary.

Well that is all for this week love you all!!

Love always, Elder Betts

Week 4 Pictures!!!

This is how we do class work!!!

Read the Sticker, it says" Fragile, Handle with Care"

ALS District being Crazy

 ALS District being Crazy

Blursday!! 

Week 4!! HUMP DAY CELEBRATION!!!

Well guys....we are officially halfway done with the mtc. Now onto bigger and better things.

This week was jam packed full of amazing things. For starters, every Sunday night and Tuesday nights we have devotionals, and for this last Tuesday night one we had Brother John H. Groberg come and speak to us. Brother Groberg is the guys of which the movie The Other Side of Heaven is made after. That missionary was him. Those were his experiences he had. He is and amazing guy. In his talk to us he talked about testimonies. "Hoorah" for Israel. That was one of the main points in his talk. He challenged us "to go out on our missions yelling Hoorah for Israel. Go out and testify to all you see. Throughout all the years of the church sending out missionaries there is only thing that has been unchanged: sharing your testimony with others. Your testimony is the greatest gift you can ever give someone. When you share your testimony it strengthens theirs. Your influence and service to them will make a difference in all you meet. There are many ways to share your testimony (6 is what he talked about). 1. what you say 2. what you do. 3. what we sing. 4 how we pray. 5. what we write. 6. who we are." in  his movie there is a scene where they are trying to get to an appoint with a family. The only way was a long journey on a sail boat. The wind was stopped and the elders prayed to receive a tail wind. They didn't get the answer to their prayer, but they never lost their faith in God. Instead of not doing anything or get mad because of this, they realized that maybe someone else needed a head wind and that was why they couldn't receive a tail wind. They decided to get on the row boat and become the Lord's wind. We too may at times have to be the Lord's wind.

Other than going to devotionals what have i done? Well we taught lessons to our investigator, one of which was 1 hour long because she needed to have that message. I love teaching our investigators they are so amazing.

Also this week we have been condemning each other to Heaven. Why? Well my mom sent us a bible version of Go Fish......so lets just say things got crazy and everyone got upset when someone (Elder Pierce) stole your card you needed. He stole mine like every time. It was unfair!!!

Our room has decided to make a missionary melody of frozen songs. We are changing the lyrics to almost every song. Our goal is to finish perform it before we leave the mtc in 3 weeks. It is coming along wonderfully. My favorite one is to the tune of "Do you want to build a snowman?" The title of it is "Do You Want a Book of Mormon" it goes like so: Do you want a Book of Mormon? Come on let's go to church. We never see you anymore. You've shut the door. It's like you've gone inactive. You used to have a calling. In the primary. What are we going to do? Do you want a Book of Mormon? It's just a Book of Mormon. (Investigator: Go away Elders/Sisters) We'll be back.

Aren't we just the best!!!! Credit to the sisters for help on that song.

Well that is all i have to say about this week Love you all

Love Elder Betts

P.S. Hump day celebration Picture for all you guys!!!!