Feb 24 - Funny story

From Elder Raeburn's blog. May 2014

So in our area there's a street in the more heavily populated part called Pioneer. It basically looks like a bunch of old buildings and a it's a great place to go a street contact people at 8:30PM. Especially outside of bars. You meet some great people who are just down on there luck. Like the other night. We met this lady. Her name is Betty. She was... Heavily intoxicated outside of the bar just hanging out. So when we walked up to her she started talking to us about what we believe. She then went on and on about how She is in God and how God is also in her. It was... something. She then she proceeded to preach to us about how she needs to always make sure that she is a shining example of what Christ would want her to be (as she held a cigarette and wreaked of weed and other substances). Now I want to explain that I am not judging this person. I definitely felt for her. But they say that on your mission you learn who you want to become and who you don't. This is a true statement. I know that God gives us commandments to help us become better. Especially the Word of Wisdom. If you think about it, God has a perfected resurrected body. So why wouldn't we listen to an all knowing God? I learned in this conversation, that I did not want to end up like Betty10 years from now staggering outside of a bar. Anyway. As the conversation progressed she committed to go to church, she gave us her phone number and address and we started to leave. Before that though she started getting way close to my companion and told him how much she appreciated men like us for all we do and then grabbed has hand out of his pocket and started to hold it. At this point I lost it. She wasn't looking anywhere in my direction so I just started laughing. Elder Feidler, bless his soul. Kept it cool. but I seriously thought that she would have kissed him. THAT would have made my night. Probably even the best thing that would have happened the whole transfer, as far as I was concerned. But it didn't. She eventually let go. I made a straight face, and we proceeded to go talk to people who would be influenced by the spirit, not spirits. 

Grandma & Grandpa - Feb 23

Dear Elder Grandson,

How was your week? We have been praying extra hard for you to find investigators and to be fed this past week.  I hope it has worked for you.  It breaks my heart to think you are not fed more.  We have been feeding our missionaries a lot more than usual because they are not getting meals either.  One set said they ate potatoes every night and you said you ate donuts.  The meal calendar was really filled up today though so they should be fed a lot this coming week.  Hope you are too.

Well, the weather has been really weird here. One day warm and windy and the next cold and windy. This next week we are very cold and windy all week.  Ann and Marlene are going to be here in a week and I wanted it to be warm for them.  It looks like it might warm up by next Monday but with a chance of rain.  We wanted to go to Galveston and do a lot of outdoor things.

I still have a very bad cough and a drippy nose. I guess I will go to the doctor tomorrow and see if they can give me a shot. I have felt bad this whole winter with one thing or another.  Time to get over it all.

Grandpa is doing fine, he hasn't got it. Everyone in Larry's family are all okay.  Aiden and Andi both played basketball and had a fun time this winter.

Is this transfer week for your area? You probably wouldn't be transferred since you haven't been there that long.

The money for your school is coming from the Marine Corps League that Grandpa is a member of.  I hope he can get the money in time for school.  It is a pretty sure thing though. The Disabled Vets can't give one until after September and your grades have to be really good. We will wait and see for the next time you go back.

Nothing going on here to talk about.  Just need spring to finally get here. We love and miss you and can't wait till you come home, even if it is only for a few days.  Keep working hard and you will be blessed. Just know we are always praying for you.

Love and Hugs,

Grandpa and Grandma

Feb 23

Dad:
Elder Feidler,

Happy last week of February. I hope you have had a great week. It's been busy here at home. Chelle started selling yeast rolls and has sold lots of them, a dozen or more at a time, to make extra money.

Maddie had a solo concert on Friday and did great. Then on Saturday she went to UIL solo and ensemble competition and scored a 1!  She did the best! And earned a medal!

Then we made a trip to Gringo's. Maddie taught Myka how to selfie proper.

I went to Orange this week for a work meeting and then went and saw Grandma & Grandpa. I helped them complete some paper work for your scholarship from the Veterans group that Grandpa's part of.

Last night we took the classic mini for a drive and visited a guy on the other side of Pearland. He has a car and a bunch of parts for sell.

It's been a good week here other than Maddie and Zack having colds.

Today was ward conference and the stake president brought up your name during his talk.  He said you will be home in about 6 weeks and when you get home he is going to have you teach us a lesson before he releases you and you remove that elder name tag with that snapping sound. We are looking forward to it!  The one Sunday that you will be home will be fast Sunday possibly. So you may just get to share your testimony instead of talking. We will see.

Your mom is getting new tires on your car this week and going to have it looked over.  She got her a new car so your car is about to come over here and set in the garage waiting for you.

I hope you had lots of people out today to church.  We had 219 today!

We love and miss you lots!!!  Keep up the good work.  I hope you are getting more meals from members now that there is just 2 instead of 3 of you.

Graham:

Family! Update: Day 684

Where to start... Elder Raburn, my favorite companion went home on Wednesday. Elder Jankowski left us to fill in his spot last Tuesday night. We have member dinners scheduled for the rest of my mission now because Elder Dowd and I are taking the whole ward over starting tomorrow! This means our area will be a lot bigger! We get the 2015 Dodge Minivan to drive around town. Also with taking over the whole ward I got assigned as the new district leader. I'm really excited to teach district meetings and to be the district "mom" and drive everyone in the mini van around town :)

Also this past week we had a lesson with a new investigator Sara! She is so excited to learn! She lives next to the other missionaries and has talked to them a lot of times, but no one ever attempted to invite her to learn. We did when we street contacted her one day and she's now on date for baptism March 28th.

In the other half of our ward we have 3 investigators on date for March 21st! Also in that half of the ward are a lot of less active members and several excommunicated members that are trying to come back.

It's gonna be a busy week!

I love and miss ya'll!

Dad: Wow! That is awesome!!!! Congrats on being district leader and soccer mom/van driver. That is all very exciting.  What a great way to wrap up the last 6 weeks.Teach lots, study hard and pray always!!! You will do great.

Graham: Giant name tag.

Dad: Nice! Reminds me of Zack and the giant fish picture from the bridge in Cypress Village.

Feb 16

Elder Feidler,

We are back!  We had such an awesome trip to Phoenix. Just got home an hour ago around 8 pm.

It was my mission reunion with my first mission president. Three of my past companions were there.

It was great to hear my mission president talk again at 88 years old! I also got to go through a temple session with many of them on Saturday morning at the 1 year old temple in Gilbert AZ.

Thursday we visited the Mesa temple.

We even got to visit and play at an awesome park. That net climber is like 40' tall!!

We had so much fun. Even visited Krispy Kreme twice! Myka did great on the flight too.

I hope you are having a great week too!  I can't wait for my next trip in 8 weeks when you and I drive out to Idaho!  

Maddie has pink eye. Poor girl missed school Friday and stayed home with your mom. 

Take lots of pictures and write names down. Write in your journal too. You will want to remember it all. 

We love and miss you lots!  We are praying for you daily and the people you teach 

Graham:

Elder Jankowski is leaving us today because Elder Raburn (one of my favorite companions) is going home due to is Crohn's disease. He's been in the hospital for the past week so Jankowski will take his spot for a week. Today is Jankowski's birthday!

We had donuts for dinner this week! Sadly our dinners have been slim.

This girl that called us randomly with an Iowa number made us miss church for the most part on Sunday because she said she lived in Everette and she told us she was going to be there at church. So we spent a good part of church trying to help her get there. She told us she just tore her ACL and had surgery last week. Then she said she was thinking about committing suicide. Then she told us she made it to the church building. Then she told us she was going for a walk around the building before church started and fell. Then she took too many pills from her ACL surgery because she fell. Then she said she was driving back home. THEN we found out she had been lying about it all and is in Iowa at Drakes College. It was so stressful.

We hopefully will have some great lessons this week with some of our other investigators. The father and son dropped us because the father we taught was doing it for his son and his son staring drinking again and moved in with his girlfriend.

We did have some really good lessons last week though and are excited for the ones we have scheduled this week.

Love and miss y'all!

Dad: What a crazy week!!  Wow I guess you will have to better qualify your telephone leads. Have you got your flight info yet?  We've not heard anything from the office. How far off are the next transfers? Did you get a small Valentine's package? We miss you lots.  Pass that food calendar around!

Graham: Playing a pirate flux game on P-day :)

Dad: Nice! AAAARGH! So are you staying with the talkative one or the quieter one?

Graham: The food calander is going around! This ward is just poor and has two sets of elders in it. I got the package! Thanks :) And I've heard nothing on the flight plans. RESPECT!!! On an exchange.

Grandma & Grandpa - Feb 16

Dear Elder Grandson,

We hope you had a great week with lots of discussions and finding investigators to teach.  We pray for you each day.

Time is really marching on.  We have been home one week and have not got much done but cutting things down in the yard before spring starts.  I came down with a cold on Tuesday and it has had me down and almost out.  Grandpa still hasn't got it yet and hope he doesn't.

Ann and Marlene are coming to Texas on March 2 until March 11th. I really wanted to get some things done before they come but the weather and our health is keeping us from it. Can't wait for them to come. Bryant, my nieces son will be home from his mission in Russia on March 18th (your birthday) and they are going to Idaho then.  I would think your dad would be getting your plane reservations soon.  They have had Bryant's for a month now. 

Not much going on here.  We are losing two missionaries in Bridge City this Tuesday.  They don't have enough new ones coming in to keep it open. We will only have 2 sets in our ward then.  I guess it is happening that way in a lot areas including yours. How is the bike doing?  Do you think you might get transferred the next time?

We love you and think about you often.  Keep up the good work.

Grandpa & Grandma

Feb 9

Dad:
We love you Elder Feidler!
Happy Valentines Day week.

I went to the dentist this week. Yuk!  I had a temporary crown put on my tooth that broke last Saturday.  Not fun.

This Saturday was a mini meeting at Boys and Girls Country out in Hockley TX. It was fun. The kids surrounded my classic Mini and I was letting them each sit in it.

Here's a pic from my drone. On the way home I passed an english pub themed restaurant so I stopped there for a picture or two.

Grandma & Grandpa made it home from their cruise yesterday and spent the night last night. Here we are at church today.

I'm getting excited to leave for Phoenix this Thursday for my mission reunion.  Weeeeeeee!

Found it easy to track Myka's movements if you attach a ballon to her!

Been a good week here.  I hope you had a great Sunday.  Any new people to teach?  Pictures pictures pictures!!!!  I hope you are sending pictures of your companions. Is it weird having two companions?  Let us know if there is anything you need. Today it is about 78 degrees and beautiful outside. It should be nice here for the next 5 days. 
I washed my car yesterday so we will see.

I got the letter I needed from missionary medical so I am working on adding you to my work insurance on April 7th. Then you will be good to go at school.

That's all I know here.  We love and miss you lots!  Have a great Valentine's Day.  Do any girls still write you from home or school?

Graham:

Family,

The three pack is great! I have on companion that loves talking and one who is getting better at it :) We are working hard trying to find those whose hearts are softened. Sadly this last week we got dropped by more of our potentials. This week we have 8 lessons scheduled and are hoping for at least 4 of those to go through. Last night we were up until 11:30pm because some random lady called us from Iowa, crying, saying she wished she didn't know the Book of Mormon was true. Her parents are on a mission in Africa for a non denominational church. She had a Mormon roommate that read the whole Book of Mormon with her. We aren't sure how she got our number or what we can do but we were up all night thinking about what to tell her and talking to her. Then there is Brad and his dad Lewi that have been having even more struggles. Lewi's sister passed away last weekend. They haven't really progressed lately but we are still trying to help them. Last night we also taught this way cool guy who recently got a divorce from his wife. He loved the message of the restoration and said he won't take a free Book of Mormon from us because he wants to go buy one so it means more to him.

We found this Book of Mormon for free at a used book store. (Me and Elder Dowd)

Me and Elder Jankowski 

 In the back of the district's mini van.

I'm not writing anybody from home or school anymore. Elder Raburn's cousin writes me letters every once in a while. Also the back wheel on my bike needs to be replaced. I got the axle and bearings but the wheel wiggles back and forth even though it's on tight. The guy at the bike shop said it would be $60. Could I give you info on what kind of wheel it is and see if you could find one cheaper?
​I love and miss ya'll.

Dad: Sounds like you are staying busy!  Send me the info on the wheel.  But I'm not sure it's worth fixing for such a short use. You could be transferred next transfer or end up with the van.  Is it still rideable?  That bike was originally from Walmart. You already paid $90. Another $60 and you could have bought a new bike.  Plus whatever you paid to buy the bike. Let me know what the wheel specs are.  Not sure you could easily change out the axle / gear cog and all to a new wheel.

Graham: It's not worth buying a new wheel then. It should last me until the end of this transfer hopefully.

Dad: Nice pictures!  Elder Dowd looks young! Is he 18 yrs old? 

No one is writing you? Crazy. Probably no one left around here.  I saw that Kayla Decker moved to Provo and is going to a hair school there.  She changed her Facebook status to "in a relationship."

The Davidson girl Macae just got home from her mission this past week.  Of course home is in Nigeria, Africa!

So it will be exciting for you to get back to college and make some new friends!  I'm looking forward to the drive out there with you.  We just decided that Chelle is going to fly out to Utah on the Saturday that I was going to come home and we are going to stay in the SLC area for four days, visiting her brother.

Enjoy these last two months and teach lots of people!  Even those that just call up in the middle of the night.  Weird??

Have you got your flight plans from the office yet?  We haven't heard anything other than it will be April 6th. You will just miss Easter at home and will have General Conference the weekend before you come home too I think.

We love and miss you!

Feb 2

Dad:
Elder Feidler,
What's up?  I can't believe another month is gone. I was out of town in New Orleans Wednesday through Saturday.

All Play got the 1 million dollar sales award.  Wish it was more. We got to tour a place where the Mardi Gras floats are made. I ate too much food, but it was good!  Cajun stuff.

Maddie performed her play this week at school. I attended the Saturday night play. It was fun. She did great and looked beautiful.

Maddie was getting worn out by Thursday, probably from all the play practices.  She had a sore ear and throat so Chelle took her to the doctor to make sure she didn't have strep throat and she was fine. But it was good to eliminate that. At least we didn't make her tough it out forever like that time you had strep throat and we just told you to get sips of water.

Today we had fewer people at church. Probably because of the Super Bowl. I went with the Elders quorum president as part of PEC to go visit 3 families. None of them were home or they didn't answer the door.

Myka is doing well.  Still not talking with words.  Maybe by the time you get home she will. She likes stickers and says daaaaa, ahh, uhh. And that kind of stuff. She pretty much screams until she gets her way too.

I'm getting excited as my mission reunion is less than 2 weeks away!  Phoenix here we come!!!

For BYU, I entered your class stuff so I think there is not much more to do until they open it up for class sign up in March.

That's about all that is happening here. Other than Grandma & Grandpa are on a cruise this whole week out of Florida. So you won't hear from them.
 
Please send pictures of you and your new companions and stuff in Marysville! We love and miss you lots!!!  Keep up the good work! Hope you found lots of people to teach this week.

Graham:

Family,

Last week we finally had some lessons with non members. We also got dropped by two other investigators because they like sisters, not elders... Today after P-day we have three set lessons! One of which we are helping a dad and his son stop smoking. Last week I found an old Book of Mormon in a used book store with a free sticker on it. I also brought my bike to the bike shop to see if they could fix the way it sounds/feels broken. $90 later and I think it sounds and feels worse...

I miss Cajun food so much. Last week a member fed us jambalaya and corn bread! YUM

The mission I'm in is losing a lot of missionaries. In the next two transfers we are losing nearly 50 missionaries out of the 150 missionaries we have. We aren't expecting to get many more missionaries anytime soon.

I took pictures this week! But the camera is at the apartment. I'm writing a note for next Monday in my planner to remind me to bring it :)

Love and miss ya'll

-Elder Graham Feidler

Dad:

Wow, bad bike luck huh?  Just ride it as is I guess.  As long as it rolls.  It's just a bike.  For $90 you could have bought another.

Your mission is losing a lot of missionaries!  I imagine you won't be in a 3 pack for long then?  Probably next transfer they will need to split you up.

All is well here.  I broke a tooth and have to go to the dentist today.  Not fun.  Really busy at work too.

Have a great day! Good luck on the lessons today.

Graham: A member owns the bike shop so I dropped it off to see if they could figure out what's wrong with the bike. When I came back that's how much they said I owed them. I imagine we won't have 5 missionaries sharing this one ward next transfer either. Good luck at the dentist!

Dad: Sad they charged you that much. So you could possibly get transferred again! That would be crazy. Two months and a few days to go!  Work hard. This month only has 28 days. Love and miss you too!