In the sun he melted.

Howdy!

This week has been great--as usual.  But hard at the same time;  Sounds like mission.  It's a roller coaster, that you don't enjoy until the event is over.  But after you love it, and want to go again, etc.  Number's wise it was a bit slower, but it flew by!

After emailing last week, we went and played basketball like we usually do with the other Elder's.  It was super fun, but i have really lost my stamina.  I feel like i want to die after every time.  Unfortunately, i have only gained like 2 pounds. >:(  On Tuesday we went and helped a member out with service.  Right when we got there, it started raining like there was no tomorrow.  I got soaked just from walking--running--from the car to their house.  About 20 feet.  We helped him out in his barn, and when the rain let up we helped him clean out his garage.  He practically has Home Depot in his back yard.  So many tools!  

On Wednesday we went to the library to put our area book online.  We are putting everything on googledrive now, and it took 8 hours!  My brain was fried after.  My eye's aren't used to looking at a screen.  I was a little delirious afterwards.  My bed never felt so good.  We only got a 1/4 of it done as well. #norestfortheweary

On Thursday we went to district meeting, and i asked Sister Anderson to teach it.  She taught on what it means to have "success" as a missionary.  **Side note: The librarians are talking about how Obama was rated at a 7th grade level when he tweets.  Hahah I'm loving this conversation!  They don't like that he takes time to tweet.  If Shakespeare starts to tweet, then they will learn how as well.  Too good!**  It was a great lesson.  For our role plays, she has us film them and then we watched them after.  This blasted my confidence as a missionary to the floor.  There is so much to work on!  It was cool to see myself teach though.  We saw our investigator afterward, and we committed him to baptism.  He said yes!  We just have to get him out to church now (The hardest part)!

On Friday we went up to Westfield, NY again.  We weren't able to see a lot of people...  That night, we went to visit a really old guy that just got out of the hospital.  We went with a member as well.  We knocked on the door, and answered it.  We heard from the screen "I'm in the nude boys" (Meaning he was in his garments).  It was so funny.  He let us in, and we were going to give him a blessing.  Next thing I see, he took a dive to the ground.  He tripped on his slippers.  It was the scariest thing.  I was just praying to Heavenly Father, and telling him that he couldn't do this to me!  He was laying on the ground, and after resting we helped him up.  We talked a bit, then i gave him a blessing.  The next day the member told us how this old man called him and said that the fall made his hip feel better--or it was the blessing.  Anyway, everything was alright!  He's a funny old man.

It was a good week!  Our goal is to teach 20 lesson's this week, and i have faith that the Lord will provide for us.  We just have to stay diligent.  Hope you have an equally great week.  Love ya!

Keep the Faith

Elder Birrell

Workin'

This week has been pretty awesome!  My new companion is Elder Ireland, and he got to PA on Monday.  So he is brand spankin' new.  Poor kid has me as a trainer.  Nah he's awesome!  He's from Eagle Mountain.

At the beginning of the week we had to drive down to Pittsburgh that night.  It was POURING rain for 2 hours of the drive.  We were hydroplaning all over the place, because it didn't run off of the road quick enough.  We survived.  We slept at at the Pittsburgh ZL's place for the night.  I slept on the ground. Ugh! That morning, i had to go to the training meeting at 9:30, and we met the trainees.  I thought i was going to get Elder Ireland as my comp, and turns out i did!  Gift of prophecy i guess...

We taught our investigator, and she is doing great!  We went on this long walk with her in the heat of the day, because her son wanted too.  After, we taught her some of the restoration, and it was great!  She was super accepting, and had a bunch of questions.  Toward the end of the lesson she said that she wasn't going to come to church.  We talked to her some more about it, and she changed her mind to "maybe".  The next day we went and did some service for the food pantry up in NY.  They are moving locations, and it was a great opportunity to talk to some new people!  Later that night we helped a less-active with some service on there house.  We peeled off, what felt like, 100 layers of wall paper.  I hate wallpaper.  

Later on in the week we went up to NY and taught a 14 year old boy who loves the BoM.  He said that when he reads and touches it he feels the power in it.  He said that he prayed about it, and got an answers that it is true!  He wants to be baptized, we just have to get him to church 3 times.  He is super ready and prepared!

It was a pretty solid week.  I little slow numbers wise, but that because we had 2 days of travel.  We got a new mission president on Friday, and we are meeting him this Thursday down in Butler--about 2 hours away.  More driving... yay.  My new comp. is awesome, and i cannot believe last week is already over!  Time flies when you're having fun, and working hard.  Love ya, and have a great week!

Elder Birrell

Humidity<;)

Good Morning! (or whatever time of day it is when you read this... if you read it ;))

This week has disappeared, gone in a flash, a blink.  I don't know where all of the time went?  It was awesome though!  I can't remember much of what happened, but it was good!

We ate at the Bishop's house this week, and he is awesome!  He really wants to help us out with the work, and get the ward involved--which is a HUGE blessing.  His family is awesome as well.  He went to Hong Kong on his mission, so we had this yummy chicken.  Maybe it was from his mission, but I'm not sure.  The next day--Tuesday--we taught our investigator.  She doesn't have much of a religious background of any kind.    We committed her to just pray everyday, and she said yes!  So far she has been doing it as well.  Hopefully she feels the spirit as she does so.  It was SO hot this day!  I was going to die!  It was 90 degree's with too much humidity.  I was fasting too, so i seriously felt like i was going to keel over and die.

On Wednesday we had my last district meeting with this district (4 of them are getting transferred, so it'll just be Sister Holmstead and I).  We discussed Power and Authority on Page 4 of PMG.  I think it went pretty well.  I did the least amount of talking, so that's a good sign!  After, i went on a exchange with Elder Griffeth.  The Elder in Fairview.  We had an awesome time!  Him and his companion are getting doubled out, so he worked on the area book for a bit trying to get it ready for the new missionaries.  The next day we exchanged back and Elder Linford and I did weekly planning at the church.  I drank some water out of my water bottle, and it tasted weird.  I felt like crap after as well!  I looked in it, and there were a bunch of black specs everywhere on the bottom.  Mold!  I guess that is what you get when you don't wash your water bottle for 9 months.  Needless to say, i nuked that thing that night, and I'm enjoying the clean water out of it right now!  Gotta love humidity, and not having a dish washer...

Later on in the week, Friday, we went up to Westfield.  It was great!  We had some really good lesson's.

On Saturday and Sunday we got word that Elder Linford is getting transferred. President gave me a call and called me to stay DL and also asked me to train again.  I'm excited  There are only 5 new missionaries coming in, so I've been trying to guess who the unfortunate soul is that gets me!  We'll find out tomorrow:)  We have to drive down to Pittsburgh tonight and we are picking up another set of missionaries.  One of the Elder's is getting transferred.  We will have 6 suitcases in our little cruze.  It's going to be a long 2 and a half hour drive.  Luckily I am the driver so i get the most room:)  Have a great week.  I love you guys!

Love 

Elder Birrell

 

 

Teenage girls

My week here in Erie was pretty good!  The work is still moving slow, but
we have made a lot of plans and set some goals for new things to try this
week.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed:)

The start of the week was slow.  We went mini golfing with people from the
district, and the biggest rain storm i have ever seen came in.  The thunder
was so loud, and we got soaked in the 1 minute we were in it.  The
windshield wiper could barely keep up with is.  The roads were straight up
rivers.  It was awesome!  We didn't teach a lesson until Thursday!  Somehow
we were still busy though.  Not sure exactly what we did. I went on an
exchange to the Fairview Elder's area, and they have a sweet house.  It's
right on the lake.  It looks and feels like cabin.  There area is pretty
different from ours.  It's a little nicer.

Thursday was a scary day!  This is where the title from my email comes in.
We were doing weekly planning, and we had to walk to an appointment that
was about 2 miles away.  As we walked out of our apartment there were 2
teenage girls across the street. We waved at them like we normally do to
people, and continued on our way.  Right as we rounded the corner i heard
these chilling words "You're hot!  You're hot!"  These words shattered my
eardrums, and made my heart stop in fear.  I didn't turn around but kept
walking.  I told my comp. that we should walk faster.  We did like Joseph
in Egypt.  Got the heck away!  We were walking, and we saw the girls come
around the corner.  Talking loud obviously trying to get our attention.  I
was freaking out.  My comp. was completely fine, however.  We finally got
to the end of the road and went up these stairs that no one ever goes up,
but us... and now our new buddies.  We walked the whole 2 miles, and i was
praying they wouldn't catch up.  They literally followed us the whole way
to the appointment.  Luckily the people were home and i was able to escape.
The next day we went to this fair here in North East, and there were a
bunch more teenage girls be freaky!  Needless to say i do not enjoy walking
around out side anymore.  I wish the -40 degree's were back.  Flirt to
convert i guess ;) heheh.

We went up to Westfield on Friday and visited a couple less-active members.
They were great!  We were pretty bold with them, but the spirit was there
so it was alright.  It was a pretty good week.  Love ya!  Have a great
week:)

Elder Birrell

Short but sweet

Hello!

This week was great.  Kinda slow and short.  On Wednesday i taught my first district meeting in this area.  It went over pretty good i hope.  We talked and discussed on ways to build a fire underneath the ward to do missionary work.  After the meeting i went on an exchange into the Zone Leaders area.  Their area is pretty cool!  They have a lot more city than i do.  The Elder i went with has an awesome conversion story as well!  It was definitely an uplifting experience.  Thursday was slow.  We did some service for members that were moving out, and tried to see some less-active members.

On Friday we went up to Westfield, NY.  There are a lot of less-actives up there, because the church building is 1 hour away!!!!!  We got in a lot of lessons, and hopefully we are building up their faith.  Saturday we had some service opportunities.  Also i went and did a baptism interview in the other Elder's Area.  It took an hour to drive there, so that took a good chunk out of our day.  We went and did service for one of our investigators and visited with her after.  Hopefully her faith is building.  She's had a very rough life.  That was my week.  Short and sweet i guess.  Have a great week.  Love ya!

Elder Birrell

New companion, New area

Hello!

Well it was transfers week last week.  I got sent up to lake Erie to a little town called North East.  It's about 2 hours north of my old area.  Sister Holmstead and I are serving in the same area again.  She served with me in Pitt 3rd and got transferred up here 3 months ago.  Now I'm here.  Small world.  My companion is super funny as well.  Works hard which is great!  My new address is

47 1/2 South Mill St.

North East, PA. 16428

The beginning of the week wasn't even real life as a missionary.  On Monday we were running like mad.  I had to go to a billion stores to make sure i had everything i needed.  After we went to the Zebraski's house for dinner.  We had hamburgers, hot dogs, and lasagna.  It was yummy:)  Then we went and visited with the McDowell's.  Tuesday, in my typical fashion, i was frantically trying to get packed in time.  I had all of my stuff on the floor trying to figure out how to pack my life into 3 suit cases.  Luckily i didn't have as many boxes as i did when i came out.  The Sister's picked us up, and we packed 6 suit cases into their tiny Corolla.  It was not a pleasant trip.  We got to the meeting, and President read off where we were going and who our companion was.  Since my area is so far away, my new companion didn't come.  So i had to ride with some other Elder to my new area.  We got home pretty late so didn't have much time to do anything.

We didn't have district meeting on Wednesday because Elder Holland came on Thursday!  We went and visited Some investigators they were teaching.  After we walked around and tried some potential investigators.  We have a car, but our area is so big that we walk a ton!  My legs were dying.  We hardly walked at all in my last area #norestfortheweary.  

Elder Holland came, and it was AWESOME!!!!!!  It was down at the Cranberry chapel (which is 30 minutes out of Pittsburgh, and 2 hours for me).  He came at 2.  The whole mission was there, and we were quietly waiting for him, reading scriptures, praying, thinking, etc.  Typical missionary stuff.  I couldn't concentrate though.  I was too excited!  When he got to the chapel, he wanted to talk to shake all of our hands at the beginning.  After Elder Hallstrum spoke it was Elder Hollands turn.  Pretty much the first thing he said was: "When we shook your hand we interviewed you."  My heart pretty much died when he said that.  Then he went on to say that we all looked good!  No one was sent home.  That would have been awkward for that missionary.  It was such an awesome experience though.  He talked a lot about change, and becoming.  We as missionaries need to "burst".  We need to reach the 212 degrees of boiling point.  We need to burst as missionaries, and not go home with the song still in us.  He also said that the Lord expects one convert from our mission--us.  It was awesome!  What i learned from it took place after the meeting.  My companion and I were walking out side after the meeting, and Elder Holland rolled down the car window and asked how we were doing.  Before he left he said "Work Hard".  That simple phrase summed up the meeting with him.  I had all the info behind that phrase.  I just need to do it!  Every time I get tired or discouraged, or fell like not doing something, his voice and face come to my mind, "Work Hard".  This work is hard; It requires hard work.  We know in Jacob 5 how the Lord said he did everything he could for His vineyard.  He didn't do here a little and there a little.  Nor prune and pluck a couple of trees, he did everything He could!  He gave His all and asks us to do the same.  However we have his help every step of the way if we are willing to have faith and "put our shoulder to the wheel".  He also said that we need to do what we expect from our investigators: prayer more fervently, read with power, etc.  We all are still God's investigators.  I love Elder Holland so much.

Towards the end of our week it was a little slow.  This area seems to be a bit harder than my last area--everything is hard in the east though.  We tried a lot of potential investigators, and did a whole lot of walking. I have been so tired!  It's been great though.  I'm trying to get the area down, learn the faces, and follow the Spirit.  

Monday was memorial day.  Consequently the libraries were closed.  So, we went to the Erie Zoo with the Sister's and the Zone Leaders.  It was a tiny little thing, but it was cool!  We all wanted to ride the train, so we were going to save it for last.  When we went to get our tickets there was a sign that said it was closed from 12-1.  The time we had planned to ride it.  So that didn't work out.  After, the Sister's and Elder Linford and I went to the BBQ at a members.  He lives on a farm/vineyard.  There are a billion grape vineyards here.  He took us on a hay ride of it.  That night, Elder Rasmussen, the missionary who I replaced came back to visit with his family.  We went to Applebee's with them.  It was fun.  They're a great family!

That was my week.  It's fun, but different.  I'm still trying to get situated.  Hopefully I'll get the hang of it this week.  Love ya.  Have a great week:)

Elder Birrell

Austin and his companion Elder Lindford

Last week.

Hello!

Well it looks like it could be my last week here.  I can't believe that i have already been here for a little over 7 months.  The longest people stay in 1 area is usually 5 months.  So I'm pretty much toast!  They call us on Saturday at let us know who is staying and who is going.  So we will see.

The beginning of the week was awesome!  We had a lesson with one of our investigators.... and all he talked about was the book of Revelation and the 4 horse men...  After the lesson we decided our time could be spent somewhere else.  After we went and visited our neighbor Joanne.  She is awesome.  She is 80, but acts like she's 50.   After she hugged my companion and I, but said she liked Elder Bowers a little more because he is a republican.  After i told her i was one as well she jumped for joy and pretty much tackled me in an embrace.  So she loves me just as much:) 

The next day i went on an exchange to the Greensburg Elder area.  The companion i went with is a little shy, so it was my goal to break him out of his shell.  I just kept talking to him and having a good time, and he came out of it pretty quickly.  He's super funny, and it was a blast!

Toward the end of the week we had dinner at the McDowell's.  A recent convert family.  They are solid in the church.  It was a lot of fun, and we helped the Sister's teach the lesson--since they are in their area.  It was great, and the parents pretty much taught their kids the lesson.  They have required the knowledge so quickly.

We were supposed to have our baptism on Friday, but he didn't come to church last Sunday.  So now it is this Saturday.  Instead we went to visit our new investigators.  They are from El Salvador and don't really speak any English.  We took a member who spoke Spanish so he could translate for us.  It was such a cool experience.  I wish i spoke Spanish!  They really liked everything, and seemed to really accept it.  They asked us to come back tonight.  It built my testimony on the spirit in teaching though.  Even though i didn't know what was being said i felt the spirit with it.  The spirit really is the universal language.  It doesn't matter how well you speak the language, because if you don't speak by the spirit it doesn't matter.

It was a great week.  It flew by.  I already feel like this week is over.  There is never enough time.  But I love serving a mission, and there isn't anything else I'd rather be doing right now.  Have a great week.  Love ya!




Elder Birrell

A Picture a member sent to me for Mother's Day!

The stash of groceries that Austin bought for $28.  He was so excited!