There and Back Again...Paul's Tale

What is a dying missionary supposed to say in his last email home? Hmm.... 

I think i'll prepare for watching SportsCenter! Here is some Top 10 things of my mission. 

10 Things I won't miss.

10. Comp Study

9. Dealing with Crazy People. SOO many crazies.

8. Waking up at 6:30 

7. Going to bed at 10:30

6. Not being able to talk to a girl. 

5. Daily Planning

4. Weekly Planning.

3. Giving Marriage Advice. Seriously

2. The Humidity 

1. Being stuck with another Dude 24/7

10 Things I will Miss

10. Brisket. Brisket. Brisket.

9. The Members. Especially their food.

8. Getting Letters. I love mail. 

7. The Stars at night. (They are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas)

6. Being a celebrity at church. (Totally selfish. I love when the kids come up to me to say Hi. )

5. Watching people come to church for the first time and feel the spirit. 

4. Having kids draw pictures for me. I usually end up with a big head. Literally. 

3. Praying with people for the first time. 

2. Being in tune to the spirit and receiving promptings more then ever before.

1. Watching miracles happen. 

10 Favorite Experiences.

10. Trailer fire and saving the dudes truck. 

9. The Steggell card throw.

8. Lickafier. Lake of Fire with Elder Low.

7. Working on a Light house.

6. Teaching Megan. Love that girl.

5. Working with Jose and all the lessons during Spurs games. 

4. Knocking on the Fry's door. 

3. Teaching the Magana's.

2. Lecturing in a Catholic Theology Class.

1. Going through the Temple with Savon kamakanamakemaeokalohapau'ole Moniz

10 Things I'm most excited for. 

10. SportsCenter. 

9. Sleeping in.

8 My Viola!

7. Being able to read a different book for a little bit. 

6. Jeans I can't wait to wear jeans. Oh. and Tshirts.

5. I can sorta grow a beard. I got 2 weeks to try and grow one before BYU I. 

4. Costa Vida. Mexican food is the bomb. But man I am ready for Costa. 

3. Not to deal with Crazy people. 

2. To see my family. 

1. Listening to real people music. 

(The last two were a toss up.)

10 Things I wish I woulda known before the mission...

10.  2nds aren't great when you get them every meal. #Gained30pounds.

9. Working out in the morning is hard work. #lost25pounds

8. It's going to be a TON harder then I thought. 

7. Patience with yourself is the most important thing you can have. 

6. Obedience is there to change you.

5. The mission isn't about you at all. It's about you giving your all.

4. People aren't perfect.. and don't get frustrated when they aren't. 

3. Always make your companion your best friend.

2. 2 years is a really long time. but goes by really fast for some reason. 

1. Going home is going to be the greatest thing and going to break your heart at the same time. 

So there ya go. It's hard to say goodbye. I feel like I'm leaving home to go home. Worst feeling ever. I probably shoulda had yall come pick me up but I probably woulda just tried to convince you to stay and when you wouldn't I woulda thrown a tantrum like I was 5 years old. 

I absolutely love my mission. It means everything to me. I wouldn't trade it for the entire wealth of China. That's alot. 

I love the Book of Mormon. It's so true. I have no doubt. I can't wait to read it again and again and find new things in it. I got close to finishing it 7 times. I did read it 5 times and then started and got through to Alma twice. War chapters are a tough one for me. Joseph Smith really did a great work. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon. 

Joseph Smith. Where do you start with the greatest man that was ever born in America? Better than George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. , or Jackie Robinson. He changed more then all of them combined. His work was great, and he died great. I praise the man. 

It's because of Joseph Smith that I can know more about Jesus Christ. That's why Christ called him. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. We would forever be lost without him. I understand now why the phrase "Rely on the Redeemer" or phrases like it are in the scriptures. It is only when we can lean on him and strive to be like him that we can become who we were meant to be. 

I learned more then I probably know. (That sounds a little weird.) I love the work. I love the Lord. I love yall.

Remember who you are and what He stands for. 

Elder Paul Robert Funk

More Fingers than Days left

Hey. Well. #10days, not only has september come and past, so has october and November and now I get to come home!

This week...

Monday was good, played some basketball, I scored 42 points in 21. Enough to win twice and still ended up at the end with 0 points. I hate it haha. But it was super fun. Nobody really comes to play basketball here so basically we just end up with us playing. It is what it is. 

I pretty much just tried to exist this week. A ton of people were gone and it makes missionary work the pits. We were supposed to go on exchanges this week but it cancelled so now we have to do it on tuesday. I get to go spend the day in a spanish area. Glad I spent two years not learning spanish. We'll see how that one goes. Maybe I'll get the gift of tounges or something.

District meeting was good, I just had everyone train on something they liked in Preach My Gospel. It was a really good meeting. It's weird going, because I just have 4 sisters in my district. It's like a mormon double date. Minus the dating, cuz we're missionarys. I'd hate to get sent home early. #10days. 

Turkey Bowl!! After I came back out of retirement after the Courtney Stuart incident where she totally wiped me out. I had a tremendous game. We divided up into 4 teams of 7 and then started to play. I got nominated as the QB and in the first game we played to 5 I threw 5 TD's 2 picks and batted a ball at the line. It was cool. So we won. Then the next game we pummeled Elder Kohlhase's team. 10 to 1. And the one was on the last play of the game. I threw 3 TD passes got two sacks on Kohlhase and batted two more balls at the line. We wrecked shop. So much fun. So just to make easier for yall to read...

Elder Funk (2-0) 

Passing 18-27, 8TD, 2 Int

Rushing 2 Rushes 16 yds. 

2 Sacks (I sacked the dude) 3 Batted balls. 

Recruitment number 12-10-14

Notes: Will play for scholarship money. 

So on a more serious note, I got to go to the Temple with Savon! Such a great day. I got to go have lunch with Erik. I love Erik. Such a good guy. Hopefully he can come up and hang out on spring break or something. He is going to grad school right now and we talked about how he should do a paper on Utah vs. Texas Musical programs for youth. Yeah that woulda been really good. 

Going through the temple with Savon was the best day. It was a really neat experience. It was cool to be with him the whole time as his escort. I can't wait to be able to spend time with him once he gets home in two years. One of my best buddies. Love that guy. 

So I guess that's about it for this week.. I'm pretty tired but I guess I get to sleep in like a couple weeks. 

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

My Own Version of the Trunky Trio

Well.. Another week in the life of me. I guess this was really kinda my last real week that I'll have. This week we have thanksgiving and next week will be a bunch of packing and remembering what I did for 2 years... Probably going to buy a couple boxes of tissues and a ton of ice cream for that week. Hmm..

Well this week I got sick. I guess when you are told to give "Your heart might mind anWell.. Another week in the life of me. I guess this was really kinda my last real week that I'll have. This week we have thanksgiving and next week will be a bunch of packing and remembering what I did for 2 years... Probably going to buy a couple boxes of tissues and a ton of ice cream for that week. Hmm..

Well this week I got sick. I guess when you are told to give "Your heart might mind and soul" to the work, I also gave my voice. I'm literally pretty speechless right now. Can't really say much. But I did do some testifying even in my raspy voice. 

We had to stay in a couple of days because I was running a fever and coughing up a lung. Probably Ebola. But just to be clear. It wasn't. The last thing that I would want is some gov. agent reading this and coming to put me in quarentine so that I can't go home in 16 days. I would much rather watch the Seinfeld episode of the bubble boy then live it. 

We did have a family that was supposed to get baptized this week on saturday. But the moved on us all the sudden. I have no doubt that one day they will get baptized, but it just wasn't the right time or the right place. Really neat family. I am proud of them. I'll always be the 12th missionary in their God Squad. hahaha

I did lose my planner this week. It poured! cats and dogs for probably close to 2 whole days. It was unbelievable. So much water dumping down on us. I think when I jumped out of the car the planner fell and washed down the street. sad day. Another sad thing was Elder Lambert who lives with us got soaked too.. Just one wet little Elder.. He came home took off his jacket that had been soaked through and took out his planner that was completely filled with water and put it on top of the toaster to dry out. Then. Outta habit he turned the toaster on, igniting the planner after a minute. The fire was very literal in our apartment that day. Luckily Elder Jackson in a heroic effort grabbed the flaming planner from the brave little toaster and flung it into the kitchen sink. Turning the nozzle to full blast and extinguishing the fire. He had no care for his own hand. only the care of the entire apartment complex that we lived in. There was no damage at all to anything in the apartment. 

On that note I signed up for an English writing class at BYU I this week along with a Church History, American History, How to make a habitable planet, and marriage prep. Lol jk. That class was full, so I took Economics instead. Fair trade off eh? 

Hmm.. Church on Sunday a lady came up and asked me what I wanted to have for my last dessert at her house. Cheesecake. For sure, any day. I love me some cheesecake. Take that anyday. It's getting super real how close it is to ending. I mean next week will probably be my last real email home. 

So here ya go, I absolutely love this gospel. 100% all in. I can't believe how much of apart of me it has become. I wouldn't say I do everything perfect. For example, Elder Kohlhase slammed my finger in the hood of car this week. I did say a couple of words that rhyme with yam and thought some very unpleasant things toward him and the car for a second, but despite making mistakes I still know and will always be grateful for the church, and the Savior Jesus Christ. 

Remember who are and what He stands for!

Elder Funkd soul" to the work, I also gave my voice. I'm literally pretty speechless right now. Can't really say much. But I did do some testifying even in my raspy voice. 

We had to stay in a couple of days because I was running a fever and coughing up a lung. Probably Ebola. But just to be clear. It wasn't. The last thing that I would want is some gov. agent reading this and coming to put me in quarentine so that I can't go home in 16 days. I would much rather watch the Seinfeld episode of the bubble boy then live it. 

We did have a family that was supposed to get baptized this week on saturday. But the moved on us all the sudden. I have no doubt that one day they will get baptized, but it just wasn't the right time or the right place. Really neat family. I am proud of them. I'll always be the 12th missionary in their God Squad. hahaha

I did lose my planner this week. It poured! cats and dogs for probably close to 2 whole days. It was unbelievable. So much water dumping down on us. I think when I jumped out of the car the planner fell and washed down the street. sad day. Another sad thing was Elder Lambert who lives with us got soaked too.. Just one wet little Elder.. He came home took off his jacket that had been soaked through and took out his planner that was completely filled with water and put it on top of the toaster to dry out. Then. Outta habit he turned the toaster on, igniting the planner after a minute. The fire was very literal in our apartment that day. Luckily Elder Jackson in a heroic effort grabbed the flaming planner from the brave little toaster and flung it into the kitchen sink. Turning the nozzle to full blast and extinguishing the fire. He had no care for his own hand. only the care of the entire apartment complex that we lived in. There was no damage at all to anything in the apartment. 

On that note I signed up for an English writing class at BYU I this week along with a Church History, American History, How to make a habitable planet, and marriage prep. Lol jk. That class was full, so I took Economics instead. Fair trade off eh? 

Hmm.. Church on Sunday a lady came up and asked me what I wanted to have for my last dessert at her house. Cheesecake. For sure, any day. I love me some cheesecake. Take that anyday. It's getting super real how close it is to ending. I mean next week will probably be my last real email home. 

So here ya go, I absolutely love this gospel. 100% all in. I can't believe how much of apart of me it has become. I wouldn't say I do everything perfect. For example, Elder Kohlhase slammed my finger in the hood of car this week. I did say a couple of words that rhyme with yam and thought some very unpleasant things toward him and the car for a second, but despite making mistakes I still know and will always be grateful for the church, and the Savior Jesus Christ. 

Remember who are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

23 Days

I can't believe it's only 3 weeks til I come home! Alright Trunky comment out of the way. Hmm... So lets see... 

This week was pretty good not to much going on.. We had a pretty good district p day on monday. I'll send yall some pictures and stuff. We went down to the capital and had a blast. That place is sooo cool. Just to kinda stick it to the country, Texas built their capital about 3 feet bigger than the one in DC so that they could have the tallest capital in the country. Sweet. I'll send some pictures. I think I ended up taking like 100 or something. 

So just sent em. 

Hmm... we have been working the espinoza's. They are super sweet. They have had 12 different missionarys teaching them. They wanted us to be the ones that baptize them on saturday. So my email if I had typed it about 2 hours ago I woulda been able to tell you all about how they came to church and they were amazing and everything was all set to work out for saturday. BUT. Elder Kohlhase and I just went and had a lesson with them about an hour ago and they are moving about 45 minutes away because of some stuff. It's pretty crazy. Idk. But we will figure it out. They are great. The mom asked me to baptize her and the son wants Elder Kohlhase the Daughter is going to have another missionary come to baptize her hopefully if we can get everything to work out how we want it too. 

Hmm... This week for District meeting we talked about Correction. Just the different types and how to do it. It's something that is so difficult. The time and the place, how to make sure not to offend, but be bold when you need to. I've definitely something I feel like I have learned alot about on the mission. How to both take and receive. It was a good meeting. I only have 2 more district meetings to give I think. It's getting realer and realer. 

Elder Kohlhase and I get along great. He is pretty funny. I think that we will probably be friends for sure after the mission too. I'm glad that he is my last companion. Super chill, and we work hard together. 

Oh! Another thing. It has been getting so cold here. Meaning like 32 degrees. It's so cold though. I'm pretty much banking on dying when I get home because I'll freeze to death. 

Hmm... Lets see. I got my trunky papers in the mail today. Yep  That's super sweet. I'll be home in time to catch some college football! Go Aggies! Yep. Not going to delete that but I just had the realization that there won't be any college football because it's getting to be bowl season. At least the Eagles game will be on on sunday. 

We had a super cool lesson in EQ on Sunday. This guy talked about his conversion story. It was really cool. He used to be a Zen Buddhist. I'll tell yall the story one day or something. #3weeks. I guess I'll just have to remember all the stuff to tell you.

That was super cool seeing Taylor getting home. Looks exactly the same as he did before. 

Well.. I guess that wraps up this letter. Have a great week yall! Love you!

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

The Final Four

It was a pretty good week!

We played basketball for Pday, imagine that. Im sure the NBA should come start watching us play, maybe would could get someone recruited and they could pay for the mission to swich to an all car mission. That would be good. I'm all about helping a bike brother out. 

We had a ton of lessons fall through this week. I think we had 5 or 6 in one day. Good golly haha I forget sometimes people have real lives. but remembering that helps out a ton. haha I do think it would in the long term be much more efficient though if everyone would quite their jobs and work on building temples. We can always pray for manna and rain.

We had a moment this week, well in reality a couple of moments that I realized more and more that I'm going to miss being a missionary. 

We went over to a less active's house and were having dinner, they haven't been able to come to church in a long time because they couldn't find it. but we went and told them where it was. She told us how much she loved us and was so grateful that we came by to eat. She didn't have much so we had some leftover lasagna, canned potatoes and some bean tacos. one of the most humbling things though. She told us that we were angels and she was grateful for her angels that heavenly father had sent. It was amazing the spirit that was there. The things I will miss as a missionary... 

  My favorite part of the week was yesterday when we were out at this little mexican apt contacting a former that lived there. when we got there. This little mexican boy yelled It's the police! and ducked behind a couch. then we went upstairs and knocked on the door. The guy wasn't there so we walked back down. That was enough time for the kids to gather and get their toy guns. Kohlhase walked past them. but they yelled Freeze! and I froze on the stairs and yelled don't shoot! of course in 8 year old spanish that means fire away! So after a good ole shoot out. I died on the stairs. Then they celebrated. I got up and jogged to catch up to Elder Kohlhase and they yelled WEGOT A RUNNER! then the chased me through the complex out into the parking lot and out into the street. I for sure shoulda checked traffic before I did that but luckily I didn't get hit then we had a good ole shoot out behind parked cars before Elder Kohlhase got there to open the car up. It was the best mexican shoot out I have ever lost. However.. I may have just encouraged cop killing. Can't win them all. 

We have a few investigator family's that we are working with. We found a part member family that is really neat. I got along with them really well and we set up a plan to get them back to church in a couple of weeks. I loved them. The Dad at then end said, I don't like to open up to very many people but you were special. That is what I am going to miss as a missionary. 

I love this work. I honestly do. I invited 2 people at costco to get baptized last week. They both said no, but one of them thought about it and laughed pretty hard before he said no. So... Success is measured in different ways. I am soooo glad that it is coming to an end.  I think I've lost about 5 years of my life expectancy but It was all worth it. 

Ups and downs it's all great. 4 weeks will go by all to fast. 

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder FunkIt was a pretty good week!

We played basketball for Pday, imagine that. Im sure the NBA should come start watching us play, maybe would could get someone recruited and they could pay for the mission to swich to an all car mission. That would be good. I'm all about helping a bike brother out. 

We had a ton of lessons fall through this week. I think we had 5 or 6 in one day. Good golly haha I forget sometimes people have real lives. but remembering that helps out a ton. haha I do think it would in the long term be much more efficient though if everyone would quite their jobs and work on building temples. We can always pray for manna and rain.

We had a moment this week, well in reality a couple of moments that I realized more and more that I'm going to miss being a missionary. 

We went over to a less active's house and were having dinner, they haven't been able to come to church in a long time because they couldn't find it. but we went and told them where it was. She told us how much she loved us and was so grateful that we came by to eat. She didn't have much so we had some leftover lasagna, canned potatoes and some bean tacos. one of the most humbling things though. She told us that we were angels and she was grateful for her angels that heavenly father had sent. It was amazing the spirit that was there. The things I will miss as a missionary... 

  My favorite part of the week was yesterday when we were out at this little mexican apt contacting a former that lived there. when we got there. This little mexican boy yelled It's the police! and ducked behind a couch. then we went upstairs and knocked on the door. The guy wasn't there so we walked back down. That was enough time for the kids to gather and get their toy guns. Kohlhase walked past them. but they yelled Freeze! and I froze on the stairs and yelled don't shoot! of course in 8 year old spanish that means fire away! So after a good ole shoot out. I died on the stairs. Then they celebrated. I got up and jogged to catch up to Elder Kohlhase and they yelled WEGOT A RUNNER! then the chased me through the complex out into the parking lot and out into the street. I for sure shoulda checked traffic before I did that but luckily I didn't get hit then we had a good ole shoot out behind parked cars before Elder Kohlhase got there to open the car up. It was the best mexican shoot out I have ever lost. However.. I may have just encouraged cop killing. Can't win them all. 

We have a few investigator family's that we are working with. We found a part member family that is really neat. I got along with them really well and we set up a plan to get them back to church in a couple of weeks. I loved them. The Dad at then end said, I don't like to open up to very many people but you were special. That is what I am going to miss as a missionary. 

I love this work. I honestly do. I invited 2 people at costco to get baptized last week. They both said no, but one of them thought about it and laughed pretty hard before he said no. So... Success is measured in different ways. I am soooo glad that it is coming to an end.  I think I've lost about 5 years of my life expectancy but It was all worth it. 

Ups and downs it's all great. 4 weeks will go by all to fast. 

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

#5weeks left

What a week what a week.

So the beginning of the week was like a blur. I think I was in Round Rock with Elder Eubanks. We packed and cleaned for days. It was pretty good. So yeah.

We had to ride our bikes to go help with a move, it was like 6 miles away and then we had to ride it back... Yeah that was the last time that I'll have to ride a bike on my mission. Happy day, all is well.

Transfer day I went to Round Rock and got some donuts so that was sweet. I got the big one. I could only eat like half of it. I went for the record in the mission. Elder Hurst apparently did it in like 5 minutes or something. I wasn't good enough. Sad day.

My new comp is Elder Kohlhase, he has been out like 5 months or so. Super cool. We get along great. He graduated this year. So yeah, he is pretty sarcastic and we are already like best friends. Haha we get along super great. Doing work!

We actually have a ton investigators. The exact opposite of Round rock. We just haven't been able to meet all of them yet.

Yeah. So I don't own a GPS honestly there isn't really any point because I have.... 5 weeks. Neither Does Kohlhase.. So we both got to a city were we had no idea where were going so we took the giant map off the wall and went for it. By the Grace of God we got to all of our appointments. Honestly we cover most of Austin it feels like and there is no way that we shoulda found all of our lessons but we found them. It was neat.

Yesterday we got a Gps though so that was good. oh wait that's right.... It doesn't work.

We ended up driving 45 minutes in the wrong direction to get to an appt last night. Yeah. So mad. So after driving around for way to long, we finally ended up in the right place after about 10 phone calls. It was great. It was a family of 3 that has decided they want to join the church. They may move back down to San Antonio so that was kinda a bummer. But it's ok. :) It's all the same church. And the same work.

I got a drunk call last night... The dude told us that he was going to be a bounty hunter in Mexico. Because he has to catch the american's are all coming over the border. Oh but who told him this? That's right. That would be his dead Grandpa that he prays to every night. Oh. That's right. He was a pastor, so it makes it ok.

Long Pause.....

I asked him why he decided to do that...

Next thing... "Yeah... I'm laying here on my gross bed and all these fruit flies are flying around me and cockroaches are crawling all over me. They are my best friends."

Pause.... Me: "Hmm... that's good. at least in Mexico you will have lots of friends."

Him:"There is one going up the wall!!! He's crawling up the wall right now."

Me. "I'd invite you to kill him."

HIm "I can't..."

Me. "Oh man.... That's pretty scary man. Watch out."

Him "I can't wait to be a bounty hunter."

I was trying sooooo hard not to laugh. hahaha

He is our investigator who was smoking in church with his E cigerette... Nice.

We also have a couple other people that are pretty close to baptism. Honestly it would be great if I actually knew anybody here. We aren't really getting fed to be honest. Yeah. We haven't had any dinners yet which is weird. And this week we don't have any. but that is my only problem with the area. Other than that it is fantastic. Love it.

I am going to miss San Antonio in a couple weeks when I come home. But I guess it's time right? I love it. That's a rap for this week! have a good one! Love you!

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

7 Weeks to Home!

Man what a week. I got transferred again. What a week. 

Well... I felt like the old days. we literally had nothing in this area. It has been so dead. So we went a knockin. The closest thing that we got to success was that we were able to talk to a drunk guy for like 20 minutes. We talked about everything from Ebola to the war to who knows what else. He was cool though. 

I feel like I learned alot. I went from teaching 25 lessons a week. to teaching literally 0 lessons in a week. Even though I was trying my very hardest. Probably harder than I have in the the last few months to try and get something going in the area. Talking with everyone and calling people. 

It really humbled me. Being with Elder eubanks the last two weeks has been really good too. He is a really simple kid that tries his very best. He really doesn't have the ability to talk to people that others do and really not to many obvious talents. So it honestly was inspiring and humbling to watch him work. 

What a great kid.

We also got to meet a couple of 70's this week. They came and talked about comp study and planning and talking with everyone. It was really, really good. I learned alot. Elder Hamula also talked about putting down our weapons of rebellion and becoming saints through the atonement of christ. Yep. I have a hecka lot of those. So I set some goals and everything. Should be good.

Also I got my scriptures back. My scriptures are my most valuable possesion. I was sooo excited when I got them back. My Preach my gospel is also on the way I heard. So that is good. 

I have gotten through the first 200 pages in the book of mormon the last couple of weeks. The promises of a Savior and the restoration are beautiful. They really are. I can't believe how great the Lord is to the people when they just listen to what he has asked them to do. Even when people are unrepentant and don't want to change most often he will beckon them all back before he does anything to threaten them to repent. So great. I love the promises of the Lord and I know they are true. Even when you have a week where you don't teach a soul.

A different 70 came because we had Stake Conference. He did a follow up on Holland's talk. It was really cool for him to tell storys of saints in Ghana giving up a of what they have so that they could donate to the poor saints in utah. The entire congregation was floored by that. 

So I guess a week with nothing taught me more than a really busy week. weird how that works out I guess. 

I am so grateful to be a missionary. I love the Lord. Because guess what. I really, really don't like being transferred around like this, and if I didn't know the church was true. I'd be WAY more of a jerk than I already am. But I guess you just let come what may and love it right? Well I love the mission. I'm going to miss it so much. 

Remember who you are and what he stands for.

Elder Paul Funk

8 Weeks

Welll... Hey. 

This week was kinda a different one. 

P day was way sweet. I got to go and play flag football with savon and everybody, so that was pretty cool. He's so flippin good. I guess that's what you get when you play with one of the highest recruited college athletes right? 

Then at 10:25pm they called me and told me I was being Et'ed to go down to Austin because some elder wrecked his shoulder and couldn't bike. So mad. All I wanted was to just stay and finish my mission down in Alamo 2nd. Then the Ap told me that I was supposed to be there at 9am the next morning. 

Yep. I took my time packing and I had to go say goodbye to Savon. That was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. I don't know why either. It's not like he is dying or anything. We just became really, really tight. So after I said bye I just bawled my eyes out all the way to stone oak to do the transfer. I was like 2 hours late and no one was really happy with me, but I wasn't really happy with anyone else either. 

Then I had to say bye to Elder Mccombs, hargraves, and snow. That's probably the last time I will get to see them on my mission. So yep. Waterworks again. As trunky as I might have thought that I was to go home, I want to stay here so bad. I love the people. There is honestly nothing like serving and just falling in love with everything here. I think it would be easier if yall just came to Texas and lived here, then I never have to come home. Plan? Sounds good. 

So my comp's name is Elder Eubanks. Real simple kid from SLC he wants to be obedient and just do anything that is asked of him. So that is really neat. I like him alot. 

As far as investigators here go... Yeah we don't have anything. Kinda sad. Oh well we can start from scratch I guess. 

All we did this week was knock on doors. The first 2 doors that we knocked on we got into, so I was feeling pretty confident in my abilities again and thinking that I still had it in me. Yep. Then the lord humbled me and we haven't gotten into a door in 3 days. So yep! 

Austin is alot different. I don't think that the people are as nice here. They seem to be a little meaner maybe? Idk. Austin's big thing is that it is weird. Like Portland or something. Whatever that is supposed to mean.

Oh! I left my mission scriptures and pmg in the car when I got transferred up here. Nice Funk. Nice. So we have a 70 coming up here and I only have a book of mormon. I'm for sure going to be the kid that he calls on to talk and stuff. Ugh haha not excited. 

The ward seems pretty cool. The bishop asked me where I came from and how long I'd been out. and after he realized I've been out a long time he said "Oh, I bet you were wanting to stay out and finish your mission there. and then the mission president transferred ya up here. Bummer. I guess it happens." But that's ok. I just told him that I was glad to be here and he said he was happy to have me.

Well I guess that's about it for this week. We are just going to keep on working and doing our thing until Dec 10th! 51 days... But who's counting. Trunky Trio lives on. 

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

Border Run Pictures!

Future's so bright he's got to wear shades

Food for the ride

What Elder Funk loves about Texas

Emergency Transfer

Elder Funk was transferred to Austin on Tuesday October 14th.  A missionary in the Austin area is unable to ride a bike so Elder Funk is switching places with him.  Updates with a new address will follow as soon as I know!

Getting Sick

Well hey. 

This week pretty much sucked, pretty bad. I'm pretty much over it. haha

P day was pretty good as usual. Nothing to crazy. I think that we just played basketball and stuff I don't really remember. 

Probably the best part was zone meeting. So hargraves and I booked it out to valero (gas station) 5 minutes before the meeting and went to get a gallon of soda to try and survive the meeting. Then we saw a member that bought us super good tacos and the soda. So we rolled into the meeting late with tacos and a giant soda. It was hilarious. And super good. I honestly didn't get much outta the meeting. I'm kinda over hearing "Talk with Everyone" repeated a million times over. 

Thursday Ebola struck. Ok that was really overdramatic, but we all got real sick. Hargraves went down first, then McCombs with a flailing entrance to his porcelain kingdom and followed quickly by a swan dive into the land of pillows by myself. #TrunkyTrioDown.

We spent Thursday friday and saturday and sunday in bed. I tried to go out on saturday with savon but felt terrible after. Luckily we know some members in Parkwood that hooked us up with some meds that possible saved our pday. Not that much fun haha

Sunday we had lesson about how our home teaching sucks. That was good... 

Oh! Rasan is going to get baptized on Saturday. He is so dope. Has a good simple testimony and everything just makes sense to him.

Also Mike S came back to church. Boom. That was cool. He hadn't come back since his confirmation. So that was really great. I hope one day he gains his testimony back. He was doing so great. 

We have another 70 coming to visit with the mission. I'm praying that he brings Ipads with him. Probably not but we can hope right?

Anyway. Sorry it's a downer of a letter. But have fun, be safe! Love you!

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

#ThanksfortheletterUncleBrandon

But seriously. Thanks to all those who wrote me:) Letters are gold to missionary's. You never know how much they can help someone. 

Conference Weekend

Well.. Hey. 

So I guess this week really wasn't all that exciting to be honest. We had quite a few recent convert lessons and spent most of the week trying to explain what General Conference was to all of them. It's crazy how much of the mormon lingo we have in the church. For real. 

I had to go to the doctor this week which was a pretty big bummer. I hate the dr. more than just about anything else. So I didn't do anything on Wednesday really.. McCombs also had to get an ingrown toenail taken care of...

We had district meeting this week. In honor of Derek Jeter, I talked about Hero's and made plenty of Derek Jeter references. I wonder at what point I am going to get fired from the District Leader thing, but for now it seems to be working out pretty well I guess. It was a really good meeting I think, though.

I though conference was pretty good. I was really tired to be honest and almost fell asleep... I thought that Elder Holland's talk was good, as always, and so was Elder Bednar's. He was pretty funny. He asked us what we thought about hearing a talk to non members in general conference when he came earlier in the year. So we all saw it coming. It was cool. 

Well Sorry this is a really lame email. Nothing honestly really happened. 

Sue got a new mercedes benz. It's pretty cool.... Rich kids;) and No one wants to play me in ping pong anymore... Sad day.

P day should be fun though:)

Remember who you are what He stands for!

Elder Funk

Ping Pong Wizard

Well. Here we go once again.

P day was pretty great. Played some more basketball. I felt like I did really well again. It's like the bane of my existence to be good at it, so yeah. Also I was looking at pictures from before the mission this week and I think I have grown an inch or two. And just a side note, I have only gained like 10ish pounds from when I left. I think I exchanged some fat for some muscle... But only 10 up. I for sure told everyone that I wasn't going to gain more then 10... Goal setting. That's what I'm talking about.

Did I tell ya they built a kneaders down here? So good. I love it. So we went twice this week. Once a member paid for us and then another one gave us a gift card. But the gift card didn't work. That was a bummer. I did get to see some of the people for UC ward there. I lost my mind when I saw Sister Lavulo. She is my favorite. She is the one that has my boots and flag and stuff and is going to send it home to me in November or December. I think she is one lady that I will keep in contact with the rest of my life. She is like my Mum. She's from England by the way. Oh man! I'm seriously like freaking out so excited as I'm typing. She like made my entire week. 

Wednesday we had just a normal day. We had institute but we had to get Sue interviewed for her baptism on Saturday. So we asked Jonsey to do it. He was supposed to be there at 7 but didn't end up getting there til almost 8. So when he finally showed up, that little devil on my shoulder kicked in and I turned to Carlie (The member Fellowshipper) and asked her to go in to the interview. So she did and totally faked it, while we sat out in the hall. Jones did really good. He just treated it like a normal interview and everything... She was just messin with him the whole time. Then I told McCombs to bust into the interview and say, "Carlie! We forgot to tell you about tithing! It's 10%. When he asks you if you want to commit to pay it, just say yes." And then walk out. He did it, but then broke character and told Elder Jones we were messing with him. He lost it. hahaha it was sooo funny. I felt kinda bad about it. I might buy that kid ice cream at some point to make up for it. 

Sue went in after that and passed so it was all good. 

Long story... But it was funny. So. Last week we had to fill up with gas on Saturday. We taught Joseph, the Recent convert that if  you didn't fill up with gas on Sunday and really, really needed too. that you could. But, you should always keep the Sabbath day holy when you can. So we taught him this Saturday. Then of course, naturally, we would forget to fill up the car with gas.... Go figure. So we had to fill up on Sunday. Not a big deal, no way I'm filling it up with water and using the Priesthood to fix it;) 

Then, I lost the gas card the next day.... KARMA. Then I had to call the office and stuff. So he looked up the last purchases... So we had to come in and when we went to get the new gas card, I was the laughing stock of the entire mission office. Yeah. Especially after I told them that about the lesson on Saturday. 

So Elder Presser had some trucks that he bought for the mission. I asked if we could go and pick them up with him. And he told us that we could. It was so much fun to drive with him. He's hilarious. We drove 20 or 30 minutes to the dealer and sat down at this table. I felt like a total boss not going to lie. Then the dealer came and dropped three sets of keys on the table, and another lady that worked there, was like "Yall bought a new car each today??" I just looked and her and said, Yep! It was cool. 

Then we all got to drive in separate cars off the lot. Nothing like driving a new car off the lot. We filled up with gas and had to fight traffic back to the mission office. Here is the thing about San Antonio. Traffic is absolutely crazy. So crazy. And I am the only one that knows my way around it outta us 3. So when we left the dealership we all got separated. Hargraves went the total wrong way, McCombs jumped on one road and I jumped on another... it was a mess. Eventually I drove up and found McCombs on a bridge and it was cool. Both of us made it there in one but... We lost Hargraves... He didn't have the phone of the GPS. 

After like a half hour he finally called us and we had to go find him at a random restaurant. It was hilarious. He is the funniest kid I have ever met in my life. 

After all was said and done it was a 4 hour adventure stuck in traffic. LOOOOLL.

Sue's baptism went really well. She has a really neat story. She gave up a ton to get to where she is at now. Shes great. And super fun to be around. We gave her a mock baptism interview and she rambled on about how she was on parole because her Mexican tradition was to steal a car and she got caught because she couldn't get away. She told the story for 10 minutes and all of us were freaking out. It was super funny. Of course she told us that she was just kidding. She does stuff like that all the time. haha. 

Also. We have the ping pong table still the apt. I have gotten SOO good. we just rally back and forth every possible time that we can. Me, Snow and McCombs. We are going back and forth for who is the best right now... We all have suck different playing styles. But I won't waste yalls time explaining that McCombs has the best backhand and Snow has the best serve and I have the best placement... You have have more important stuff to do. 

Well. I do know that the gospel is true. I do know that Joseph Smith is a prophet. And I do know that Jesus is the Christ. It really is the greatest blessing to know all that. Even though, I'm still just a goof ball. Have a fantastic week. I love you. 

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

#TrunkyTrio

September 22, 2014

Well Hey.

So I guess this week was pretty eventfulish. 

Savon hooked me up with a really nice pair of basketball shoes so I am able to start to play again. It's pretty fun. He tapes me up and we go! He can't really run either because he has to wait to heal after falling off of that cliff, but other then that it's pretty cool. We just play on the same team. He gets rebounds and I shoot threes. We destroyed a couple of times last week.

Also we got the ping pong table downstairs finally. Had to tear it all apart once again. It was kinda sucky but at the same time.. I'll take playing in the AC for just about any price. 

We had some good lessons this week. All the Recent converts are doing well that we are working with. All 4 of them, Jonah, Joseph, Esmerelda, and George are doing well coming to church and tons of activities. It's neat to watch the testimonies grow over time. I really enjoy it. It's kinda cool to watch stuff click in their head for the first time and realize that the gospel is truer and truer.

We had another couple lessons with Rasan this week. He is doing really well. He retains about as good as I have ever seen anyone retain. We had a lesson about the Plan of Salvation and Eternal Marriage and how it all fits together. (What a lesson that was...) But he took out all the fluff about getting married in the Singles ward and was able to just put the whole doctrine of the Plan together. Way cool to watch. He wasn't able to come to church because he was in Housten, but still going to come and play basketball with us today. 

We went on the Border run again this week. Not nearly as eventful as last time. We drank a ton of Mt. Dew. and Redbull and yeah... Pretty cool I guess. I liked it. It was really hot down on the Border.. Really hot. I feel kinda bad for all the poor souls that have to serve down there. God bless em.

Thursday was transfers. We got Elder Hargraves. He goes home in 5 and a half weeks with McCombs and reminds me of that fact every single day. Everyday. #TrunkyTrio. He nicknamed us that the first day that he got here. He is probably the funniest person that I have ever met in my entire life. It's weird I feel like I used to be the funny guy in the group, but with him there it's no comparison at all. Seriously love the kid to death. He was comps with Elder Steggell for a bit and Steggell would tell me stories. Just so funny. 

We had a ward party this week. It was pretty cool too. They had me dress up in a toilet paper suit like I was getting married or something for some competition. I only took second which kinda sucked but whatever haha. 

Sunday was pretty good. I was stoked to hear that the Eagles won again... Chip Kelly has a really good system working out there sounds like. I was however disappointed to hear that the Yankee's got eliminated..... God Bless Derek Jeter. 

Oh. Probably the biggest miracle of the week. 

We went bowling this morning and I smoked everyone. I bowled a 148. That's no type-o. 148. It was the best game that I have ever had. I figured out the trick. Throw it really hard and hit alot of pins. It also helps that there is country music going on in the background to motivate me. Nothing like a guy singing about his big green tractor to bring out the best in you. I think they should approve it for our mission... But that's why I don't make the calls on that kinda stuff. 

The real biggest miracle that we saw this week was with Sue and is still in the process. She went home to visit her family and texted us and told us that she wasn't being allowed to be baptized. So that was a really terrible text to get... But we just kinda told her it would work out. Then she came to church and the Speakers were two recent converts. Crystal and also Savon. Both of which totally killed their talks. I don't think that it could have been better if Elder Holland and Rosa Parks had spoken. After Sue said that she still had a 50% chance of being baptized. It's great. God really does work in the most simple of ways. It's fantastic. He really is a God of so much common sense. Which in itself is weird, because we are created in his image, which would beg the question, why is there so many people without common sense? Idk. Working on it. God is great, the Gospel is true and everything is going well here!

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

#TrunkyTrio

12 more….

Well howdy once again.

I can't believe how fast everything really goes..

All of it is a blur! I think one of my highlights this week is that we got to do service like every day. WE spent most of one day painting a homeless man's house. No.. It wasn't a card board box. It was his Ex Wife's house. She let him live on the porch and in exchange he had to help her clean up the inside so that she could sell it. The inside was nasty. We were walking in Cat pee and just all kinds of garbage. Really kinda sucked actually. Not that much fun... But I had an allergic reaction before we went over there to some chemical on some palm leafs and broke out into hives. I downed a thing of benadryl and kept on going. Yeah. I was pretty loopy because to couinteract the sleepiness I downed a giant mt dew. Yeah. It was cool.. The Trim looked really good that I painted... The lady said I had a really steady hand. I think that's because I was feeling loopy...

Our investigators are doing pretty well. We have another dude named Rasan that showed up to play some basketball with us last week. He has been to like everything for a week. So dope. He is hilarious too. 

I am so glad that I got to spend the last transfer with McCombs and Snow. They are my best friends. I am so blessed to have them:) So great. We have like a million and a half inside jokes going on. I got to talk to Van Oene, Low,  and Hughes last night too. I love my comps haha most of them anyway. I am a super lucky guy to get these guys. Now in saying this I know that my next one is probably going to be a loon. Oh well.

Oh by the way we are getting really good at ping pong. I think that is in the only time we ever got into a little bit of a fight. It wasn't even that big... haha.

Oh we had Stake conference this week. It was pretty good. Everyone did a really good job. We sang a song with our choir. It was cool. Not sure how it sounded though. Whatever works right?

I miss my viola on a random side note. Glad that Katie is keepin it warm for me. 

Sorry it's short. But then again. So is time... 12 Weeks!

Love ya!

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

Elder McCombs    Elder Funk    Elder Snow
Having dinner at a member's home

September…Crazy!

Well hey.
This week was another pretty good one. Honest to goodness I don't remember what happened. Like at all. It just went by wayyy to quick. P day I just sat out on the sideline for awhile Til I was watching one team get destroyed and stepped in and hit a couple of shots to make it more even. It was pretty sweet. Other then that just pretty much chillin'. :)
We went bowling this morning. We found out that a member owns a bowling ally and that we can go for free. This will be a shocker. 1. I didn't lose. 2. I actually got an 89. What? Mission really does change a person.
As far as actually missionary work.
We are teaching another girl named Sue. I think I mentioned her last week. She is really, really prepared. We are going over to have Pizza and a lesson tonight then go over to FHE for the night. She wants to get baptized so she will probably get baptized in the next couple of weeks. Pretty exciting. It's so neat to be able to watch people change and grow in such a short period of time. So cool.
Bethany kinda dropped off for now. Haven't really heard anything from her. Hope she is doing well. She will text us a little bit but other then that we haven't even seen her in like a week or so.
Monty another one of our investigator's didn't show up to church yesterday, but hopefully he will be showing up here pretty quick to get baptized... I think he is really cool.
We also picked up another couple of investigators, one dude that we came and played basketball with us showed up and came to church. I think he really liked it until we had a hard core lesson on Eternal Marriage. I just sit there... and maybe this is wrong. But I'm like how hard could it possibly be to actually get married? Really you just have to give up what you want and learn to do what's better for both of you. How do I know this? I really don't haha. We just have a ton of time to think and talk. On paper everything is 10 times easier.
We went to a musical fireside yesterday. Really, really cool. There was one girl that probably should have been paid to come and sing. She killed it! Then one of the guys that Sister Staker and Haight baptized named Shawn went up there and sang a song and it was so beautiful.I love that guy a ton. If I get transferred out of this area I might possibly die.
Oh by the way transfer calls are this week. Only 2 more after this! It's all happening way to fast... But yeah. I really, really, really, don't want to get transferred. We are watching this area just explode right now. The Lord really, really is hastening the work. It is so neat to be able to watch Him do the work and we get to be a part of it. I realize how much more and more every day that He is the one that is actually doing all of the stuff. If it weren't dependent upon me being Perfect, good at teaching, or really anything else. This whole thing would probably be a flop. I'm so grateful that He lets me be a part of it and we get to watch miracles happen. It's incredible.
One neat experience that we had this week.
So District Meeting. I love to be able to put those together and come up with trainings and look at stuff a little bit differently. It's been really great to be a District Leader. So for the last couple of weeks I have been trying to come up with some ideas on what we need to train on, especially because we just got a district of all sisters now. Well... Nothing at all came to my mind to train on. Seriously nothing.
So I just got up there and said, basically that I had put a lot of thought and everything into it, but had pretty much come up with a whole lot of nothing and just wanted to talk about what they wanted to talk about. It seemed pretty good:) A couple of Sisters asked about managing stress and we also talked about finding ideas... So hopefully all the areas will start to just blossom now too. I think it probably ended up being exactly the meeting that it needed to be. Kinda a weird one, but I guess sometimes it's just like that.
Savon is doing ok by the way after his little accident. I'll tell ya more about it later. He really shouldn't be alive, but God needs him for bigger and better things so yep. Savon can survive anything and everything probably.
Hmm... Anything else? Yeah let's see...  Thanks for everything. I really am so blessed to have all the support that I do to be able to do this. I'm a really lucky guy! Thanks for the letters and the thoughts and especially the prayers.

I slacked on emailing back to the primary.
I got all of your letters! Thank you so much. Y'all are doing really great things. I know that the gospel is true. That Joseph Smith really did do the most marvelous work that has been done on this earth. He was inspired by God to do so. He really did see exactly what he said that he saw that day in 1820. Keep on keepin' on! That's the key to life! Thanks again!
Well. I guess that's it for this week. Love y'all!

Remember who you are and what He stands for! 

Mormon in Training

Well Hey Family...

This week was crazy hectic. 

We basically spent all week working on a baptism trying to get everything planned out for it and stuff. Not to bad, not to bad at all. 

Jonah and Joseph got baptized which was super sweet. They both gave really great testimonys at the end and just overall it was really spiritual. Nothing like a baptism or 2 to brighten up your week! 

Honest to goodness. Nothing to crazy this week, I'll try and stretch it to make it seem like more happened but really, nothing to much at all. 

Hmm... So Monday we had basketball and I destroyed my ankle way worse then before, I had trouble standing on it for a few days and still am limping around on it quite a bit. The mission President's wife said that I should just take it easy. I guess I am retiring from P day sports... Long live the Funk. I did have quite a bit of fun while it lasted I guess:)

Wednesday was really cool. We taught this girl that lives out of the zone and stuff but the some of the members came to us at FHE on monday and asked us to teach her. She is SO golden. Probably the most I have ever seen. No joke. We taught her the Restoration and it all clicked like she had heard it all before. We are probably going to teach her next week again. When she came to institute this week right after we had taught her, she introduced herself as a "Mormon in Training". Gonna get baptized!

Oh yeah. We had Zone Meeting this week. It was pretty cool, I gave a training on comments because I was getting frustrated with two people running the whole show in the meetings and saying stupid stuff. Yeah.. So it was kinda a call out, but overall I think that it helped everyone. Not to sure of what the assistants thought of it, but it was fun:) I feel like it went really well, I actually really enjoy getting up and training. I have trained in sooo many meetings. One time I might actually get it right.. 

Hmm... Bethany. She is doing well! She got really sick this week and ended up going to the hospital. Soo... We didn't teach her at all this week, but we should be getting to teach her tonight and having FHE with her at Peter's house. Gonna be sweet. 

Sorry this Email is pretty lame. Imma work on sending some pictures. We are going to have some breakfast pretty soon, so that'll be good I guess... 

The rest of P day I'll probably spend trying to convince Jones to go to school with me and McCombs. That should be good. :)

Well have a great week!

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

15 more letters!

Well Family here we go again.
I can't believe that is Ry's first area, apparently he was alot more righteous then me because I had to work for 18 months before I started living the dream.... Just sayin. Glad he is doing well though. Just gotta watch out for those college girls. They really are kinda crazy sometimes. For real though.
Everything is going really great here. I think Elder McCombs and Snow are my favorite companions. We seriously laugh all day. The only down side is that we have so many inside jokes running right now is that at dinner sometimes we just make ourselves laugh and can't stop and no one else understands... I love it.
If I had to describe Elder McCombs it would be Kyle Mohlman and Elder Snow is alot like Taylor Thomas. Pretty cool combo. Just need a J walk and it would be the perfect companionship. Oh and Eric Jones lives down the street. What more can I ask for?
As far as investigators go, we had a bunch come to church this week.
The Alamo 1st sisters gave us a baptism for Saturday. Literally all we have to do is pick the guy up for church and we are in the clear. He is great. He is a music teacher and so we talked and talked throughout church. He is so sweet. Doing great.
Joseph also is doing really well. He came to church again, he is all set to get baptized on Saturday too. Double Baptism!
Bethany is also rock solid. She sent us a text the other day talking about how grateful she was to find the truth and it was really, really great to get. She is super cool. Super out going and boy am I saying super alot in this email... Super annoying.
We are also teaching this guy named Monty who has date for the 13th of August. He is fantastic, he worked all night and stayed up all day til 1pm so that he could come to church with us. We are going to teach him again tomorrow. He is from North Carolina, so that is pretty cool.
Hmm... Best thing that happened this week. I think probably the coolest thing is that we have this thing going right now where one of us will say something and then all 3 of us will randomly break out into the same random song. Everytime on the same part. Our favorite is Since you've been gone. That probably happened two or 3 times this week.
Also we have been eating like Junk. When we combined the two areas we have seriously been running ragged trying to get everything figured out. I pretty much don't even have time to do personal study anymore because we are going around so much.. Ridiculous. Kinda like it though for some parts of it. We just eat out alot and I am gaining a bit of weight, so this week I am going to go on a diet. Not even kidding we have 5 different pizza boxes in our fridge right now because members have dropped food off because we didn't have time to take a dinner break.
We got new district adjustments and I have sisters in my district now. Kinda weird. Basically switched up my game plan for what I want to see happen. I think I'm going to base my tranings more on finding success and happiness or something. I have no idea what girls are thinking, truth is though... I never will...
Oh! I went to a Catholic church on splits this week. We are supposed to be covering two wards, but I haven't had time to actually make it to the other one because of ward council and this Catholic thing. It was an indoctrination class for people trying to become Catholic. Mike invited us because he wanted to come. I went on splits with Sebastian, and we went. It was pretty different. Overall it makes me more and more grateful for the things that we have and we know. It was pretty sad to see doctrines trying to be twisted to make it seem right. I really do love the catholic people, they are great. But. I really do know beyond anything else that what we have is the truth, the whole truth. I read once that "Things of the spirit can be known with more surety then thing of the physical world." I believe that I am beginning to understand that a bit more each and everyday.
I am glad everything is going well!
Remember who you are and what he stands for!
Elder Funk

The Mission is GREAT

Howdy.

Alright so this week was really great but boy did it go by fast.

We got to teach Bethany 3 times this week. She came to FHE last Monday and we also set her with a date on the 6th of September to get baptized which was really great. She came to dinner with us a couple of times and everything which was fantastic. She is so prepared. We sang in our Lovely Deseret and she told us that she thought caffeine was bad anyway. That was super cool.

We also picked up another investigator named Joseph. He is a valet for the nicest Hotel in town. He also has a date for the 30th. It's fantastic. We are going to go pick up another one tomorrow that has been going to a different ward for a few weeks and then the Sisters are going to pass off one to us later on this week. The work is exploding right now. Probably have 4 Baptisms this transfer, and Elder Jones is probably going to baptize a family too. Crazy!

Almost forgot. Elder Vega an Elder we live with got ET'ed and so we picked up Elder Snow and he is with us now. Covering both areas... Kinda crazy, because they were busy and we are getting super busy. I'm just super tired. We don't get home til probably 9:30 or sometimes a little later everyday. It's a fantastic problem to have.

However we had to go to family ward this week, it was SO loud compared to the Singles ward. It's just so different. I got so distracted and had the hardest time in the world staying focused on the sacrament and stuff.

Let's see... I can't really think of to much else that happened this week. We are basically over our miles already for the month because of all the craziness that has been going on. So that will be a fun miles report to turn in.... Not.

P day I rocked my ankle. It was pretty lame. One of the Elder's came down right on my knee and ankle and stuff. It hurt super bad. I think Savon is going to tape it up so that I can play again today, basketball is what is keeping me sane basically.
Goodness. I really got nothing this week.

I got to ordain Savon Kamakanamakemaeoklohapau'ole Moniz to the Priesthood yesterday. I even got the name right. Yep it surprised me too when I got it. He is such a fantastic guy. He really is going to change the world. He is going to be going on a mission pretty soon, but he will come back and probably go play basketball and football for a college. I am trying hard to recruit for USU. I tell him everyday that the Aggies will take him. I mean, he did sign to go Oregon so I figure he is good enough to play for anyone. I love Savon.

I also got to go on splits with Erik this week. He is one of my hero's too. We basically drove around for 2 or 3 hours and knocked on empty doors, we did get one guy to drop the F bomb at us... So that was good.

Hmm.... What else. For FHE we went and made commercials to sell stuff that wasn't really the object. So for example we turned a hat into a soup bowl and had to advertise it as that. It was pretty funny. Bethany even participated and gave us some background music on the piano. Pretty cool..
I can't even express how much I love Jesus Christ. It probably sounds like I say the same thing every week about how much he means to me. He can change everything.

I had kinda a cool experience this week thinking back. I was thinking about how in the beginning of my mission if I had taught the lessons I am teaching now I would have been SOO excited and thrilled about everything, but now I am like, "K, what's next. Man, I'm tired... I'm hungry... Is it 5 yet?" and I was wondering what the difference is and why maybe I feel different about it all... Then I looked up in the sky and saw just some clouds and thought about how neat it was that God created each one of those and puts together everything in our lives for us. He places everything in our path.I just took some time to think about all the small things that he does and realized how great everything really fits together. It's easy when life is easy, but shouldn't it be easier when life is hard? It was an interesting thought that I don't know if I can quite put into words, but just seeing the clouds and realizing how great God is and how magnificent his plan is for each one of is fantastic. I am pretty tired, but it's all worth it. Mission is great.

Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk

Border of My Sanity

Alright so this week was nuts.

Monday was pretty great I totally botched trying to dunk on a basketball hoop and broke a chair in the process. I guess it was pretty cool. Mostly just chilled and played some basketball. Nothing to crazy..

Tuesday was the start of the long week. We went to breakfast with Sister Haight and Sister Staker as kinda a last goodbye or whatever and then the craziness started. We had to go to U.C. to get some parts for some bikes and so naturally we ended up with the Elders over there and going to lunch. We went to this Mongolian grill where you get all the raw ingredients and make whatever you want. We wrecked that place. We got our plates, so so so high. I ate leftovers all week... Food storage.

Wednesday we did the border run. Here we go.

So we are supposed to leave at 9 so that we could get done at a reasonable time before we have to go to bed and stuff. but the AP's forgot to tell a sister that she was going down there so she had to go and pack. 2 hours late we finally got started on the road and stuff. Man oh man. Then after about 15 minutes down the highway we realized that we didn't have a gas card to fill up... So back to Stone Oak we went, only to have the AP's tell us that we can just use the other missionary's gas cards. Whatever. So we are already about 2 and half hours behind what we should be.. About an hour into the drive Elder Bay got pulled over going 16 over the speed limit and got a ticket. So... 3 hours behind schedule, plus we are going the exact speed limit now. We dropped off Elder Dayton and picked up an Elder and a Sister. Then drove another couple of hours to the next stop. Seriously the sister complained the entire time... We drove all the way until 7pm down to the border of Mexico. We were technically supposed to be in Stone Oak, (Middle of San Antonio) at 6pm. Psh. Yeah right. She kept complaining about being hungry and I snapped and told her if she didn't stop complaining I was going to give her something to complain about. Goodness.. So we stopped at Chili's to get some food. Worst service ever. 2 hours later we finally left.... so now it's 9pm. The Ap's have been calling us and telling us to get going. It was just pretty dumb. We got back to San Antonio at 1:30am to drop off some elders. Then Elder Bay and I had to go pick up the car at Sister Staker's old apartment and use it for transfers the next day. It was pretty cool to drive by myself. at 2am. 

By the time that all was said and done we got done at 3am. I didn't even change I just laid down in my clothes and fell asleep. Then I had to get up 2 hours later at 5:30 so that I could drive an Elder to the Spanish test in San Antonio. I ran on that sleep for like 2 whole days... My brain literally shut off I'm pretty sure at some points...

We knocked into an Investigator that came to church. She is sooo cool. We didn't teach her anything but she came anyway and had a super good time. We even got a shout out in Elder's Quorum. Pretty cool. They love me and Elder McCombs. The dinner calendar filled up 100% for the entire month! It was so sick. 

Elder McCombs is the bomb. I love the kid to death. I'm pretty sure that we were meant for each other. He totally shaved his legs a couple of days ago. Nuff said. 

Everything is great! I really don't have anything to complain about. Life is a bliss! 

Remember who you are and what He stands for! 

Elder Funk