May 25, 2011 - Week 4 of Transfer 11
This week has gone by extremely fast, busy busy busy. And your right it is so nice to have zone conference over! That was basically an entire week of zero studies and waking up early. Everything went really well though and the Zone Leaders did a great job and took care of things. We were extremely blessed to have President Miller's brother come to each Zone Conference and give us a training on following the spirit. He served in the second quorum of the seventy and as a mission president and recently recovered from cancer, I learned alot from him.
Before becoming an Assistant I thought I loved President and Sister Miller but now it is at a new level. I feel like they are my grandparents. They are identical to you two (mom and dad) in many ways, can't wait for you to meet them. Usually whenever I'm over there I'm busting up in tears laughing. We were over at there house last night until 11:30 and finally President goes I can't believe what time it is! I treat you guys terrible, get out of here and get some rest. The other day we were calendaring and ended up going until the new year January 2012! I got a sick feeling my stomach and I'm starting to realize this is going to go faster than I think.
We have almost had a solid week of proselyting in our area and it is paying off! Things are picking up. We have found quite a few new investigators and have had many spiritual experiences recently. This Saturday Mick Carrig (early 40s) is getting baptized, I wish you could meet these people. Thirteen years ago Mick received a blessing and felt something very strong and since then the Lord has been working him with. Up until 3 weeks ago Mick was quite the drinker and addicted to chew and now he is free from those vices which held him bound! He has had a complete change of character, he really is a new man. This is an exciting event for his family and bringing close together.
We serve in the Salt Lake Big Cottonwood and South Cottonwood Stakes. They are the poorest areas I've ever served in and it is very humbling to see what some of these people go through. We are working with many people from foreign countries including Burma and Nepal. If you could pass the message to Daniel England that the Biswa's (family he baptized) are doing great and we will be teaching their parents in a few months. We taught them this week as they were visiting and they will be moving in about three months, I'm excited.
This past week we did an exchange with the Jordan Temple Zone Leaders who serve in a Spanish speaking unit. I stayed in the area and had Elder Torres come with me. On my mission I experience miracles almost every exchange and now I just have this attitude of expecting them. I can't even begin to tell you the amazing stories that took place this past Monday on this exchange, a few of them are hilarious as well. I am writing one of them in a letter to Lindsay this week you will have to have her share it with you. Its about tracting into a man who wants to be baptized but he is a professional pornographic photographer and well... I will just say I wasn't expecting it! But Monday was the best! The night before I was planning and wrote down an address of a former investigator at 3:00pm and planned to go by them. Exactly at 3:00 Elder Torres and I role up to the apartment building and park. We get out of the car and pop the trunk to grab a Book of Mormon and while doing so I say hello to a mam some 20 feet away, she smiled and waved. Then God told me, "talk to her you fool". So I turned around and immediately walked towards her yelling, excuse me mam! Do you have a minute?
Well it turns out this woman, Susan, and her son moved here from south Florida to live in a city with better morals. She is Catholic but not liking what she is learning as she studies the church. She is confused by the doctrine they teach and had many questions about LDS people and why and how their leaders are able to get them to live by the standards taught! I helped her understand its because it is true doctrine that is taught and that is what changes behavior. We are meeting with her this Saturday after Mick's baptism, now that is a miracle. The Lord never places one of his missionaries without a purpose.
It has been a good week and it looks like it should just keep getting better. This was just a few stories and I hope to be able to remember the others to share with you in February 2012! Thanks for your emails and love, I love my family and am excited for the future.
Love your boy, Elder Pizzey.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
May 19, 2011
May 18, 2011 - Week 3 of Transfer 11
The other day we were visiting a fellow in his home and the TV was playing in the background and all of a sudden I hear "Alberta, Canada! Forest fires are out of control and destroying towns!" It was weird to hear the US news talk about Canada, so it must be pretty intense! Got a little scared at first, thought the house might be toast.
This week has calmed down a little since the last but still pretty busy around the mission office. We try to stay out of the mission office (I'm here right now), we actually call it the black hole because it just sucks you in once your here! You can never get out, just always little things to do. There are eight zones in the mission right now and this week we are having zone conferences here at the misson office, check the mission blog for an update of pictures. They are split up among four days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, just two more to go! This is the first time zone conference has basically been put into the hands of the zone leaders. We really aren't even suppose to be at them except for our own zone. The zone leaders have done a really good job of doing their trainings but after the first day President asked us to be at the rest of them. Just to keep things going and organized.
I'm excited for the Riverton zone conference (Elder Atwood's) he is a powerful trainer and speaker, he will also be giving his departing testimony. That area (my old area) is on fire! I am so jealous, a few of the baptisms I was able to go back for this past weekend and will be able to go back in the future. But it would just be fun to be teaching as much as they are, they are looking at 10 baptisms for this transfer. We are hoping to baptize weekly in our area (6 in transfer). But Elder Atwood is doing good with his new companion, and I get to see him quite a bit. I still love him, but Elder Bertolino fills the gap quite well.
Earlier this week Elder Bertolino and I left zone conference as quick as we could to go work in our area. The night before we planned to tract this apartment complex at 2:00pm, actually this one specific building, we both just felt it. So we skipped out on the end of zone conference and went to tract. Showed up at the building right on time and start to knock from the bottom down. First few doors nothing... then this less-active lady answered. Now recently for some reason Elder Bertolino has been pretty bold while OYMing (open your mouth) to less active people. Now with this lady we didn't feel that we should be bold at all, we just talked with her and we ended up talking for 10 minutes or so. Then we started to try and leave because this lady made no sense and was just talking in circles! BUT we couldn't! Now 15 minutes into the conversation we saw, in the corner of our eye, a lady and her child come home and walk into her apartment below us. We quickly wrapped up the conversation and continued knocking. Then we came to the door of the lady who just recently got home and she opened the door and her countenance was as if she was shinying. We bare testimony and it went good, then we invited her to meet with us. No... Bare testimony again and asked again but no. Then we tried a third time and asked a few questions that we felt inspired and asked again. This time she said yes and opened up. She told us she recently had twins and one of them died at 7 months and the other is now 15 months old and healthy. Her husband is on the other side of the country working and she has been attending several different faiths, just searching. What an experience that was, from the very second she opened the door I knew she was part of the "elect" who is prepared. The flesh was saying no, but her spirit was screaming yes and please talk to me.
The Lord works with us as you can tell by the timing, and even the questions that came to us. I love this work, I love my mission! I think I get to used to these spiritual experiences and feeling these promptings where I start to take them for granted and don't cherish them. I got to be grateful and keep them sacred, sadly the journal hasn't been given much love recently but it will real soon here. I hope that story made sense, there are alot of Elders going in and out here at the mission office and can be a little hard to get the flow going. Time is flying, I'll be home before we know it. Thanks for the emails they were good updates!
Love your son, Elder Pizzey.
The other day we were visiting a fellow in his home and the TV was playing in the background and all of a sudden I hear "Alberta, Canada! Forest fires are out of control and destroying towns!" It was weird to hear the US news talk about Canada, so it must be pretty intense! Got a little scared at first, thought the house might be toast.
This week has calmed down a little since the last but still pretty busy around the mission office. We try to stay out of the mission office (I'm here right now), we actually call it the black hole because it just sucks you in once your here! You can never get out, just always little things to do. There are eight zones in the mission right now and this week we are having zone conferences here at the misson office, check the mission blog for an update of pictures. They are split up among four days, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, just two more to go! This is the first time zone conference has basically been put into the hands of the zone leaders. We really aren't even suppose to be at them except for our own zone. The zone leaders have done a really good job of doing their trainings but after the first day President asked us to be at the rest of them. Just to keep things going and organized.
I'm excited for the Riverton zone conference (Elder Atwood's) he is a powerful trainer and speaker, he will also be giving his departing testimony. That area (my old area) is on fire! I am so jealous, a few of the baptisms I was able to go back for this past weekend and will be able to go back in the future. But it would just be fun to be teaching as much as they are, they are looking at 10 baptisms for this transfer. We are hoping to baptize weekly in our area (6 in transfer). But Elder Atwood is doing good with his new companion, and I get to see him quite a bit. I still love him, but Elder Bertolino fills the gap quite well.
Earlier this week Elder Bertolino and I left zone conference as quick as we could to go work in our area. The night before we planned to tract this apartment complex at 2:00pm, actually this one specific building, we both just felt it. So we skipped out on the end of zone conference and went to tract. Showed up at the building right on time and start to knock from the bottom down. First few doors nothing... then this less-active lady answered. Now recently for some reason Elder Bertolino has been pretty bold while OYMing (open your mouth) to less active people. Now with this lady we didn't feel that we should be bold at all, we just talked with her and we ended up talking for 10 minutes or so. Then we started to try and leave because this lady made no sense and was just talking in circles! BUT we couldn't! Now 15 minutes into the conversation we saw, in the corner of our eye, a lady and her child come home and walk into her apartment below us. We quickly wrapped up the conversation and continued knocking. Then we came to the door of the lady who just recently got home and she opened the door and her countenance was as if she was shinying. We bare testimony and it went good, then we invited her to meet with us. No... Bare testimony again and asked again but no. Then we tried a third time and asked a few questions that we felt inspired and asked again. This time she said yes and opened up. She told us she recently had twins and one of them died at 7 months and the other is now 15 months old and healthy. Her husband is on the other side of the country working and she has been attending several different faiths, just searching. What an experience that was, from the very second she opened the door I knew she was part of the "elect" who is prepared. The flesh was saying no, but her spirit was screaming yes and please talk to me.
The Lord works with us as you can tell by the timing, and even the questions that came to us. I love this work, I love my mission! I think I get to used to these spiritual experiences and feeling these promptings where I start to take them for granted and don't cherish them. I got to be grateful and keep them sacred, sadly the journal hasn't been given much love recently but it will real soon here. I hope that story made sense, there are alot of Elders going in and out here at the mission office and can be a little hard to get the flow going. Time is flying, I'll be home before we know it. Thanks for the emails they were good updates!
Love your son, Elder Pizzey.
Friday, May 13, 2011
May 12, 2011
May 12, 2011 – Week 2 of Transfer 11
Thanks for those great emails and Dad thanks for the thought, I appreciate it. I don’t know if you noticed over the phone but I say that a lot here, “I appreciate it” it drives me nuts! It is a big time Utah saying, hopefully I can rid myself of it when I get home. I thought of a few scriptures to support your email. Alma 62: 41 and 3 Nephi 6: 12-13, we all have our own moral agency which empowers us to act and especially react when we suffer adversity. We can choose to be happy this day, we really are who we are because of ourselves and our decisions.
I apologize for not writing yesterday, it’s now Thursday morning and I will just make this one a brief letter since we spent all day on the phone this past Sunday, what a treat that was. Even since then things have already slowed down and we are just catching up with little yet timely to do’s. On Monday and Tuesday we had those two trainings I was all worried about on Sunday. They went really good and we are excited for this new program we introduced. It is called “In-field training for new missionaries” and I sure wish I had it when I was training Elder Ng. The biggest difference is they have two hours of companion study in the morning and an outline of study activities and specific things to apply in the field. As you know they have “raised the bar” to serve missions and you can see it as new missionaries come in. The group of new missionaries who came this past transfer are unreal and all of them look like they will be mighty missionaries. Training is the most important role in the mission in my eyes, it lays the foundation of the mission for the future.
That is mainly it for the week. Yesterday we did a huge deep clean at the house and threw out piles of junk missionaries have just continued to pile up from transfer to transfer. The spirit can now reside in our house! Also this Friday Elder Bertolino and I will be taking the 2nd transfer new missionaries downtown to tour temple square and attend the Salt Lake Temple! I have never attended before, this is something new they have done since I came out, there are little perks that come along with being an Assistant to the President. Thank for being the best parents out there! I love you guys and loved talking to you and the family on Sunday. We have started the big downhill slope and before we know it I will be home watching Seinfeld with you. The one show I miss.
Love your son, Elder Pizzey.
Thanks for those great emails and Dad thanks for the thought, I appreciate it. I don’t know if you noticed over the phone but I say that a lot here, “I appreciate it” it drives me nuts! It is a big time Utah saying, hopefully I can rid myself of it when I get home. I thought of a few scriptures to support your email. Alma 62: 41 and 3 Nephi 6: 12-13, we all have our own moral agency which empowers us to act and especially react when we suffer adversity. We can choose to be happy this day, we really are who we are because of ourselves and our decisions.
I apologize for not writing yesterday, it’s now Thursday morning and I will just make this one a brief letter since we spent all day on the phone this past Sunday, what a treat that was. Even since then things have already slowed down and we are just catching up with little yet timely to do’s. On Monday and Tuesday we had those two trainings I was all worried about on Sunday. They went really good and we are excited for this new program we introduced. It is called “In-field training for new missionaries” and I sure wish I had it when I was training Elder Ng. The biggest difference is they have two hours of companion study in the morning and an outline of study activities and specific things to apply in the field. As you know they have “raised the bar” to serve missions and you can see it as new missionaries come in. The group of new missionaries who came this past transfer are unreal and all of them look like they will be mighty missionaries. Training is the most important role in the mission in my eyes, it lays the foundation of the mission for the future.
That is mainly it for the week. Yesterday we did a huge deep clean at the house and threw out piles of junk missionaries have just continued to pile up from transfer to transfer. The spirit can now reside in our house! Also this Friday Elder Bertolino and I will be taking the 2nd transfer new missionaries downtown to tour temple square and attend the Salt Lake Temple! I have never attended before, this is something new they have done since I came out, there are little perks that come along with being an Assistant to the President. Thank for being the best parents out there! I love you guys and loved talking to you and the family on Sunday. We have started the big downhill slope and before we know it I will be home watching Seinfeld with you. The one show I miss.
Love your son, Elder Pizzey.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
May 4, 2011
Week 1 of Transfer 11 - May 4, 2011
Where to start... Well let me start with this past week, It was the perfect way to end a transfer. Mike Weber was baptized on Saturday and asked me to confirm him on Sunday. It was the smallest baptism I've ever had yet it was one of the best. Just his girlfriends family, his family and a few of his friends that he invited. One of his friends, Josiah, who came hasn't been to church in several years and for him just coming to the baptism was a big step. The following the day, Sunday, he was confirmed in sacrament meeting and Josiah came again! It was fast and testimony meeting as you know and I have never been to such a perfect testimony meeting. The testimonies were short, and powerful! Well Josiah ended up walking up to the front and sharing his testimony! I wish I could share with you my feelings, it was motivating. He spoke of the power of forgiveness and the love of God, he spoke words I think he truly didn't understand. Such a small moment like this meant much to me. Good thing we follow the handbook and ensure people are confirmed during sacrament meeting! Not at the waters edge, Josiah would never have come to church.
Also this past weekend I had two other baptism's in previous areas. Zach Hatch and Jacob Titus... both in different areas. I worked with Zach for a long time in the Draper Utah Stake and it was nice to see him be baptized. His baptismal service was held in the chapel because of the amount of people who attended. We taught Zach so well to always pray on his knees, that at the end of the baptismal service he got done on his knees (while in the chapel on the stage) for the closing prayer, it was hilarious. Zach is a good guy, been through alot. This past winter he lived in a 300 square foot house with zero power! They would open the door in the cold winter morning to let the sun warm up the house. He has trimmed his long 70's hair and cleaned up himself up, it was fun.
So last week President talked to Elder Atwood and I on the phone about the new YSA stake we were opening up, at the end of the conversation he asked us a question. "Do you two love birds want to stay together this next transfer?" We already thought we were staying together but it was nice to have it confirmed! So after that phone call we celebrated while driving in our big van the highway by dancing to our new CD! By the way, the CD is amazing and it has already flooded the mission. I sent a copy home to you guys last week, look forward to it.
So every Tuesday morning in the first week of the transfer after studies (10am) Zone Leaders get the transfer roster emailed to them, then they make the calls in the zone to inform missionaries of where they are being transferred. Well right before that I was having a pleasant study and the phone rang, President Miller... He told Elder Atwood. "You are not going to be happy with me, I'm taking away your companion. Can I speak with Elder Pizzey." Long story short President said the Lord has called me to be his Assistant with Elder Bertilino. Life has been hectic since then. Yesterday I didn't eat until 5:00 and had zero Pday. Gave training to all the new missionaries and their trainers. I am super nervous and feel very inadequate. I am praying alot but I feel the Lord comforting me. I have always loved Elder Bertilino and always dreamed of being his companion. If there are two people in this mission who are the closest to me in personality and interest it would be Elder Atwood and Bertilino. I have been blessed to have such great companions. Elder Bertilino is a famous street artist and has designed many products! From shoes to the bottom of skateboards. I love him, he skates, snowboards, bikes but doesn't lol, if that makes sense. Kind of like me, do it all but just for fun. I am writing this right now on our laptop in Presidents office at his home. We are about to plan for ZLC tomorrow and two 6 hour leadership trainings for this next week. I will talk to you Sunday and I will try to call after 4:30 and I will get in touch with Sis. Park to figure out what number to call. Love you mom, dad and family. Love your scared, nervous and timid son.
Elder Pizzey
Where to start... Well let me start with this past week, It was the perfect way to end a transfer. Mike Weber was baptized on Saturday and asked me to confirm him on Sunday. It was the smallest baptism I've ever had yet it was one of the best. Just his girlfriends family, his family and a few of his friends that he invited. One of his friends, Josiah, who came hasn't been to church in several years and for him just coming to the baptism was a big step. The following the day, Sunday, he was confirmed in sacrament meeting and Josiah came again! It was fast and testimony meeting as you know and I have never been to such a perfect testimony meeting. The testimonies were short, and powerful! Well Josiah ended up walking up to the front and sharing his testimony! I wish I could share with you my feelings, it was motivating. He spoke of the power of forgiveness and the love of God, he spoke words I think he truly didn't understand. Such a small moment like this meant much to me. Good thing we follow the handbook and ensure people are confirmed during sacrament meeting! Not at the waters edge, Josiah would never have come to church.
Also this past weekend I had two other baptism's in previous areas. Zach Hatch and Jacob Titus... both in different areas. I worked with Zach for a long time in the Draper Utah Stake and it was nice to see him be baptized. His baptismal service was held in the chapel because of the amount of people who attended. We taught Zach so well to always pray on his knees, that at the end of the baptismal service he got done on his knees (while in the chapel on the stage) for the closing prayer, it was hilarious. Zach is a good guy, been through alot. This past winter he lived in a 300 square foot house with zero power! They would open the door in the cold winter morning to let the sun warm up the house. He has trimmed his long 70's hair and cleaned up himself up, it was fun.
So last week President talked to Elder Atwood and I on the phone about the new YSA stake we were opening up, at the end of the conversation he asked us a question. "Do you two love birds want to stay together this next transfer?" We already thought we were staying together but it was nice to have it confirmed! So after that phone call we celebrated while driving in our big van the highway by dancing to our new CD! By the way, the CD is amazing and it has already flooded the mission. I sent a copy home to you guys last week, look forward to it.
So every Tuesday morning in the first week of the transfer after studies (10am) Zone Leaders get the transfer roster emailed to them, then they make the calls in the zone to inform missionaries of where they are being transferred. Well right before that I was having a pleasant study and the phone rang, President Miller... He told Elder Atwood. "You are not going to be happy with me, I'm taking away your companion. Can I speak with Elder Pizzey." Long story short President said the Lord has called me to be his Assistant with Elder Bertilino. Life has been hectic since then. Yesterday I didn't eat until 5:00 and had zero Pday. Gave training to all the new missionaries and their trainers. I am super nervous and feel very inadequate. I am praying alot but I feel the Lord comforting me. I have always loved Elder Bertilino and always dreamed of being his companion. If there are two people in this mission who are the closest to me in personality and interest it would be Elder Atwood and Bertilino. I have been blessed to have such great companions. Elder Bertilino is a famous street artist and has designed many products! From shoes to the bottom of skateboards. I love him, he skates, snowboards, bikes but doesn't lol, if that makes sense. Kind of like me, do it all but just for fun. I am writing this right now on our laptop in Presidents office at his home. We are about to plan for ZLC tomorrow and two 6 hour leadership trainings for this next week. I will talk to you Sunday and I will try to call after 4:30 and I will get in touch with Sis. Park to figure out what number to call. Love you mom, dad and family. Love your scared, nervous and timid son.
Elder Pizzey
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