June 10, 2013

Dear Family

  Hello family!  Sounds like last week was quite the week for everyone.  That is a good thing that school is out and summer is here.  The weather sounds so nice back home.  Lately it has been raining and just gloomy and cloudy.  Soon summer will be here ha.  I keep tellingmyself that.

  Katie that is so awesome that you have graduated.  Was it what you thought it would be like?  Where did you go out to dinner.  That is pretty cool that you went to bear lake.  I am really jelaous.  I miss swimming so much ha it isn't funny.

  That is pretty funny about Cam and Gar.  Did the family just notice?  Are you guys getting all ready for your mission.  Your time is counting down!!! I am sure that it is hard to sleep at night because all you canthink about is your mission.  Little bit of advice.  Enjoy sleep right now.  Becuase you are going to want to do it a lot on yourmission.  There is no such thing as nap time onthemision ha.

  So last week was a very busy week.  On Monday night Elder Allred and I were taking a bus to Kurgan.  As we were leaving the city we got hit by a car... Nothing serious but it delayed our traveling.  We waited for 2 hours for another bus to come and pick us up.  The next bus was already super full so I had to sit with a grandmother who had a baby with her.  I swear kids are attracted to me.  The 5 hour bus ride was me trying to entertain a baby.  If I didn't the baby had a temper tantrum.  So it was quite the ride.

  So when you travel especially in Russia it is required tohave your passport.  To get on a train you haveto show your passport.  Well I forgot my passport back in Tyumen.  I had to sweet talk my way onthe train.  Luckily I got on and we made our way to Yekat.  When we got to Yekat I said goodbye to Elder Allred and I headed to the mission office for Mission Leadership Council.  It was at the mission office because the mission home is being remodeled.  So had council at the office.  It was really good to see everyone.  There are a lot of new zone leaders.  For dinner President Rust rented out a restaurant and we all ate there.  It was pretty awesome.  President likes to spoil us.  

  After council I got on a train back to Kurgan and then the next day Elder Wimber and I took a bus back to Tyumen.  This last week was a lot of traveling.  We got back on Thursday.  I was so tired.

  Elder Wimber is doing great.  We have been pretty good friends throughout our missions.  He is a transfer younger than me so we were in the mtc together.  We also were in Perm together.  We are pretty good friends.  He is from Georgia but his family moved to Oregon while he has been on the mission.  His mom actually knows Uncle Greg.  Her name is Jennifer Bagnell.  Small world... Maybe Uncle Greg remembers her.  But Wimber and I are doing great.

  I have been so grateful for the opportunity that has been given me to be able to serve here in Tyumen.  I love this place so much.  Lately I have been thinking about the purpose of my life.  I can look back and see a lot of things that I have accomplished.  I canalso look back and see things that I wish I would have done different.  Life has such a more bigger meaning than just living and working and playing.  I feel so bad for people that think that life is the end.  That we come here and die and that is it.  Really we are given this opportunity to live and to become perfect each and every day.  To be a little better than the person we were yesterday.  I am so thankful that God has given us a path.  It is a bummer that most people have wondered off the path.  I am so grateful for all that have stayed on the path.  Remain because the path really does lead to happiness.  Life is to short to be mad and angry.  Live your life with a smile and be optimistic and you will truly understand the purpose of life.  

  Family I love you so much.  Thank you so much for everyhting that you do for me.  Grandma, Grandpa and Jen that would be great.  Just let me know when my dad has it.  Anything you want???  I love you all!

Elder Flitton

Emergency transfer? June 3, 2013

Dear Family

  Well you might be wondering what the title means "emergency transfer".  Got a call from President on saturday night.  It is always a nerve racking experience when you see that you are getting a call from the mission President.  So the reason that President was calling us was to say that we are going to have to do a quick transfer.  He told us that he needs to do this for a missionary and that it would be very appreciative if we could help him.  So ofcourse we said yes and he said that Elder Allred needs to come to Yeakaterinburg and that my new companion is going to be Elder Wimber.  We were in shock.  This was unexpected.  After the call Elder Allred and I looked at each other and then threw a temper tantrum haha.  Not really but we were sad that we were getting split up.  These past three weeks with him have been so fun.  I have really enjoyed serving with Elder Allred.  He has taught me so much and he really has mastered his Christlike attributes.  He is so patient with everything.  Elder Allred and I were able to become best friends.  We are like brothers.  It is really hard to be able to move and try to get used to living with someone you don't even know.  But with us it was so smooth.  Right from the very beginning we had unity. It is so awesome.  I am going to miss Elder Allred but I am excited to serve with Elder Wimber.

  This last week we have been really busy.  We met a girl on the bus last monday and we talked to her for an hour.  She was so nice.  Her name is Serafima.  On tuesday we met with her and talked to her about the gospel.  She is so excited to continue to meet with us.  Also we have a new investigator named Vitalie.  He came to church last week and that was his first time.  We met with him on Monday and found out that he doesn't really believe in God and that he doesnt believe in Jesus Christ.  We met with him  4 times last week and it has been so awesome to see him start to believe in Christ.  I am so thankful for faith and that anyone can truly know that Christ is our Saviour.  The gospel is so true.

  So this week is Mission Leadership Council.  This is the first council that we will have that will include sisters.  It is going to be different but it should be good.  Alot of my good buds on the mission are now zone leaders so it will be good to see everyone and talk with them.  The month of june is a very busy month for this mission.  We have council this week and then we have Zone Conf and then after is transfers and we get a new mission President... That will be a huge change.

  Tonight I get to take a bus to the city of Kurgan!!! I am so excited to go back to that great place.  That place is the beginning.  I am so thankful that I got to serve there.  In the morning we are taking a train to Yeakat for council.  A lot of traveling this week.

  One day I was in the bathroom and thinking to myself about my mission.  Have you ever noticed that when you have a roll of toilet paper and when it starts to run out it goes faster and faster.  I feel like that is my mission.  The time is going too fast.  It baffles me that President Rust goes home at the end of June.  The roll is running out.  I am so thankful for time.  I know that we really do take advantage of time.  Sometimes we say to ourselves, "gosh I wish this day was over", or "I can't wait for when this is over".  Time is given to us by God.  The time on earth that we have is very precious.  It is our time to change(repent) and become like God.  Each one of us is going to experience death and it really shouldn't be that scary.  We prepare for that day when it does come by trying each and every day to become like our Saviour.  But if we aren't prepared then it is going to be scary.  Like when you realize on the toilet seat that you have no toilet paper.  I am so thankful for the scriptures and that they really do let us know that time is precious.  I read the other day that if you are still talking about yesterday you haven't made the present worth it.  Today is the day when we can choose to change and become a little better than the person who we were yesterday.  God surely does love us.

  Well family I love you.  Good luck with everyone graduating.  Hope that is a smooth process for everyone.  Also stay off the streets...hehe (anna has her license).  I love all of you and am so thankful for your love. Have a great week.

Elder Flitton