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

Lessons I've learned as a Missionary

Well this week was pretty much as crazy as they get. 

Elder Low and I had a ton of little things to do this week, he had a ton of Dr. appts and stuff trying to figure out what was wrong with some of the stuff that he had going on. It was pretty nerve racking. But it all turned out well and he should be able to stay and finish out the mission. 

The Mission President's wife gave us some addresses to go to the Dr. Apparently she sent another one that I didn't see, so we drove out to the boonies to the closest address that I thought she gave us and it turned out it was like 50 miles away. Forever away! and then when we got there, it didn't even exist at all. Ridiculous. So we turned around and came back. Good golly. The other address I didn't see was literally right next to our apartment... I felt real dumb. 

After going to the Dr. there he told us that we had to go to get an ultrasound. Seriously? We went and got one. Goodness gracious it was awkward watching "The Young and Reckless" with 5 pregnant women in the waiting room while he was getting an ultrasound, so I went out and called people. Then in order to try and get over the whole dramatic scene we had to go to Chili's and get some food. It was really good.

Our Investigators are doing pretty well. We have a bunch of appointments and stuff set up for this week and even went back and caught Meg at home. We are trying really hard to help her get baptized. She came to church on Sunday and even brought a friend. She'll get there one day. 

We should also be picking up another Investigator from another area who committed to be baptized pretty soon. I'm super excited for the day when that happens. 

Wednesday we were supposed to have District Meeting but Elder Jones car died in the garage that they have and so me and him spent the entire day taking the battery out and trying to fix it. It took soooo long. We wasted pretty much that entire day doing that stuff. It was super long. 

Thursday we had District Meeting and I trained on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how he views you. It was a fantastic District Meeting where we were able to share feeling and insights about the Savior Jesus Christ. It was interesting that you brought up the Bishop talking about sleeping through the Atonement, because that was also something that I talked about. It is a hard thing to comprehend how one man could change mankind. 

I think of Judas and the different path that he took. Jesus Christ knew the entire time that he was going to be betrayed and that must have hurt him so much to have been betrayed by his closest friend. He knows perfectly what it's like to have the ultimate loneliness and deal with the most bitter depression. 

Another insight that I had was with the Vinegar and Gall that was going to be given to him. I didn't understand this week that it was actually being given to him to relieve some of the pain and agony that he was going through in that moment. Incomprehensible to me was that he denied even a little bit of relief to understand what we are going through. I feel like sometimes when I am trying to overcome something that I am struggling with, I resort back to going to something that brings temporary relief. Kinda going back to the old self. Or using a crutch to get through something that is important for us to understand. Jesus Christ truly knew what it was like to go through the most excruciating change with no help and no relief. 

I love my savior Jesus Christ so much. He is my Lord and my King. I know at times that I fall short of what He expects, but it's ok, because he wants us to just get up and try again. He loves every single one of us so much. 

Remember who you are and what He stands for!

Elder Funk

Also. I am getting Elder McCombs as my new companion this week. I love that kid so, so, so much. It's going to be a sweet transfer. Just 3 more and I will be home!