September 21, 2015

So, this week started out just great, Monday and Tuesday Elder Hobbs got about 4 flat tires, we couldn't ever find what was in his tire causing it but it is all good now, so that was a good part of our day on Tuesday. The rest of the week has had its ups and downs. a lot of cancelled lessons. Like we had 5 or 6 scheduled on Wednesday and every single one bailed, but on the upside we met a guy named Leo that day, he is a blacksmith, and his garage is full of pretty awesome stuff that he makes for customers. We are now teaching him and its going well. There is so much diversity down here its really cool to see so many cultures and occupations.

One of the ministers we taught called us Thursday night and asked if we could come to his church and share some input the next day. We didn't know if we were walking into a bash session or not but we told him we could probably do that. unfortunately the church he goes to is just out of the mission and we weren't able to go, but he told us he would try and set something up here. so that could potentially be a lot of fun.

Friday we had a few hours with no lessons so we went and tried some of the former investigators in our area book. the first house we knocked on was a lady named Ingrid. as soon as she answered I remembered who she was because I put her file in the Ipad. she went from being a really good investigator to being against the church. the previous missionaries had even got the mission president to go and help and it was no good. so when we talked to her she had some strong beliefs about what we believed as Mormons that where very manipulated and twisted. it was one of the most frustrating things so far in Texas just the fact that people can twist words so badly, and paint the church to be something its not. but such is life in the bible belt, life goes on.

 

Saturday night the Spanish wards in the stake threw a party and it was insane there was 400+ people in the stake center and the food was so good. but it was the funnest most disorganized thing i have been to.

the mendozas are doing well and working back towards baptism, they have shed the anti doctrine they were given and working harder to receive their answer. wally and his family are still investigating, we got them more Arabic BoMs which they really appreciated, the mom has already read most of first Nephi and we only asked them to read the intro and testimonies. so very cool. 

anyway that's all i really got for this week. love you guys

Elder Biesinger

Ward Party

Floral Friday

September 14, 2015 letter

Hey guys! as usual it is good to hear from you all!
So here it goes, the first half of the week was super slow and honestly kind of discouraging. We are busy all day and when we get back home we have little to show for it. Barely any lessons, no new investigators none were progressing, Just a super rough week.

Luckily, on Thursday it dumped rain haha. sounds great right? Well actually it was because we had a member that told us he couldn't go to a lesson with us because he usually goes to the temple Thursday afternoon, but it was closed. So he was going for a bike ride. Well, there was no way he was going to ride a bike in the storm, it was pretty bad. So he came with us and we ended up having a really good lesson with a guy we found named Shaun. The member recognized that he was supposed to be there, apologized for saying no and mentioned how humbled he felt, so that was a the highlight of that day. The next day we had half a dozen lessons lined up and a different member for each one. The goal per week was three and we had six planned, what a blessing! Only 4 went through, but none the less a good day, and then the week kept getting better.

Saturday was spoken pedal. President has us on our bikes every other Saturday trying to find people that normally wouldn't get found if you were in a car. So pretty much a normal day for Elder Hobbs and I, but what ended up happening is that we talked to one guy and had a lesson with him in his garage, he ended up being a minister for Church of Christ. He said he would read the BoM and gave us a return appointment. We will see how that goes. Then about an hour later we stopped at this lady's house who was out doing yard work. We asked if we could help and she said yeah, look at all of this. So we started helping and she was shocked we were serious. Again we had a lesson and she liked it, she ended up also being a minister. She was excited to read the BoM but we are worried because the church she is with is usually pretty anti mormon. so we will see what happens!

Wally and his family are doing well, we got the Arabic BoM to them and they where very thankful. They wanted a few more because its easier for them to study. Also the mother will be going to Egypt soon and wanted to take some for her family there. pretty cool! the Mendoza family is turning back around but they are also going through so many trials its hard to meet with them, but none the less, they are progressing again.

love you all,

Elder Biesinger

Awesome sunset

Some random Texan

Peacock

Sept. 7, 2015 letter

Hey everyone!

So this last week has been really fun and interesting. But along with its its ups it had its downs.
Last pDay we got to go hang out at the Rascon's house. He is a newscaster here in Houston and part of the mission presidency. He is a super good guy with a super nice house, marble bottom pool table, ping pong, theater with couches for at least 35 people. Super dope.
We worked a lot with the Mendoza family this week. They where supposed to be baptized yesterday but have come into some anti Mormon stuff and now they are struggling and have been attending "Grace". A church that teaches more anti Mormon things💩💩💩. So we are still working with them trying to see what happens there.

Our Arabic investigators are super solid and like the message. They do have an Arabic BoM we are just waiting to get it. They are super nice and give us lots to eat and drink, the battle to not gain weight is real. Haha.

I got the opportunity to be in a trio for a day, because elder Hobbs had leadership meetings. But trios are fun but also so hard to stay on task haha. So it was nice to get a taste of that.

Texas rain is ridiculous! We were out tracking trying to increase the teaching pool and we stopped and taught this guy in his garage. While we did so it started coming down in sheets. And oh so fortunate for us we had a dinner appointment to get to! So we got to bike in the rain and within 30 seconds my shoes had filled with water from it running down my legs, and you couldn't tell if we had biked or swam home. People were taking pictures as they passed and it was all a lot of fun. We did stop and change and our dinner appointment offered to pick us up so everything ended up going well.

Well that's the highlights of the week, we are starting to pick up but as we do we also have started to lose some people. But I guess that's life. All is well.

Elder Biesinger

August 31, 2015 letter

Hey!
so this week was interesting. Last Monday we went and had dinner with a member and the pork we ate wasn't exactly cooked... luckily I had no problems with it. but on Tuesday we didn't leave the apartment, in fact, Elder Hobbs didn't leave the bathroom. He was so sick. so I had all day to put the area book from a physical copy onto the ipad. It was a miserable day but it needed to be done so I guess it was productive.

Wednesday was new missionary training and it went most of the day. There we also had some chicken that was less than cooked needles to say we where not too excited to eat it. It tasted pretty good and we survived so that was nice. but the rest of the day was pretty average. Thursday was pretty much the same with zone conference taking the majority of the day. and Friday was district meeting and weekly planning... another day with little missionary work.

Friday night though was really awesome. We had been at meetings and doing planning all day and we finally got out of the apartment and went to dinner a little early so we could knock a few doors and find some people. We were at our last door before we needed to go to our dinner appointment and the guy really liked what we had to say and invited us in and we had a lesson. It was super cool. We ended up going to dinner late, but they weren't even ready for us because the other guests weren't there. So we went back out and again right before we needed to go back we talked to this Egyptian family. They where orthodox Christians and wanted us to come in and talk. So we had another unplanned lesson that went really well. We are now working on getting them an Arabic Book of Mormon because one of them speaks little English... let's hope they have one in Arabic. That was really the highlight of the week as far as the work. We have talked with a few ministers... that is usually interesting. They are usually pretty nice but they like to talk a lot and we can never get a word in.

just some random stuff that happened over the week:
we where given 50 pounds of potatoes and so we have been eating those a lot and I am about sick of them, and we haven't even made a dent in it.
The first day I lost a name tag, so I ordered more and when they got here they where all spelled ELDER BIESSINGER so there goes 15 bucks.
oh did anyone else know that there is a new era article about Thomas Biesinger? its in the November 1982 new era its title has something to do with jail and missionary work. its a pretty cool article.

anyway that was this week. I have finally started to get my bearings in this mountain-less sauna. and apparently blue bell is coming back today so we are going to go fight for some see if its any good. I'm loving it down here! I can't wait to see what is next.
Elder Biesinger

Messed up tags.....

Crazy Jungle trees

Cool Picture drawn by Elder in the Area

August 24, 2015

It's good to hear from home, it makes me so happy. Good luck with the start of school and such.
This week has been pretty great, last Monday we met with the Torres family. They are a member home who wanted to hear the discussions again, they are super respectful and it was a good night. but the best thing was the food, it was tex mex and super good. she was sad she didn't get to make real Mexican but I wasn't even mad.

 It rained a lot this week, it was pretty bad but not anything I haven't seen, it just went for longer. We managed to avoid the worst of the storm with lessons or with lunch, we were only out in a light sprinkle, except Friday. Friday was exchanges and I was with elder Schenk another greenie in my area. All of our investigators were busy on Friday so we knocked doors all day. Not a lot of answers and it was rough. Towards the end of the day we got dumped on, which was fine but we had the Ipads and we were paranoid that they would get ruined so that was the only bad part of the rain.

Wednesday was the temple trip. We only get like one a quarter so I was lucky getting one so soon. It was really cool and a super pretty building. Also on Wednesday I wrecked and tore a hole in my pants for the first time, so that was fun. I was riding with no hands messing in my bag not paying attention and the wheel hit something and turned and I went over the top. Needless to say it was embarrassing, but all part of the fun. other that the ripped pants. that blows.

This week we got the "opportunity" to help a member family move. They called us during studies and we went over. It was nice to serve but also annoying that the only people with any work ethic was Elder Hobbs and I. Trying to be Christ like was a struggle because we where doing it for them, but oh well. There where also some talks in sacrament about doing hard things... this week really made me grateful for my family because some peoples perception of hard is not the same as what I have been taught and I am so grateful for that. Elder Coleridge (of the seventy I think) came and spoke to us Saturday and he told us that some people say that missions are hard, he told us boldly that they really aren't. and I liked that, that was true to me. Missions aren't any harder than life will and can be. so buck up.

Anyway its been a good week and the work is still progressing its getting better each week. love you all and it was great to hear from you.

Elder Biesinger.

August 17, 2015 letter

Oh man it is good to hear about home. It is super interesting down here most of the ward went to BYU so it's kinda just like home. we have been doing a lot of finding because we where only left with the Mendoza family, and we don't get a lot of referrals. We run into some interesting people, one lady we talked to said we are going to hell because of the BoM so she started to pray for our souls in the park right then and there. It was super weird and my comp says that is normal, which it probably is. Everyone we talk to down here goes to church and usually the reason for what church they go to is because some relative of theirs is the pasture. "oh my uncle, brother, dad, son, is the pasture there so that's where i go" its kind of funny. We try to get them interested about our message and they just kind of say yeah we know that, or that we are condemned because of it. So fun times.

the Mendoza family is coming along still and are planning to be baptized. We are teaching a guy named Marcus who we street contacted and he is super interested and is really looking into it so that is exciting. He said he would be baptized if he knew it was true, but we couldn't commit him to a date. So the work is speeding up a little bit which is exciting. 

This last week we had a mini missionary come live with us. I didn't hear about this until I got down here but they have teenagers live with the missionaries and see what it is like to be a missionary, kinda cool but kinda a burden. his name was Jacob and he was good for the most part. We also did a service project food drive thing on Friday and Chic Fil A catered, and it's pretty popular down here. We have a temple trip on Wednesday so that should be really fun, it is nice to see what else is down here other than suburbia neighborhoods. oh it turns out that NASA and downtown Houston aren't in my mission so that's a bummer. i think that's all i have right now so i will write again next week!

Elder Biesinger

Jacob, Elder Hobbs and Teenage Missionary Jacob

First Letter from Texas

mass email for Texas life:

So, we left Provo at 0230 and got to Houston about 11. Both flights where great, and flying was fun.
when I got here we went to the church and did interviews and paperwork stuff. then I got my companion, 
Elder Hobbs from evergreen Colorado. we are assigned to the Summerwood Houston area I will say more
about it in a sec. anyway we got to the apartment and we where sharing with the zone leaders and one of
them that had been living there before was a complete slob, dirty garments and garbage everywhere.
I was about to kill him, it was hot I was sleep deprived and the apartment was nasty, I thought I had
flown to hell. Later that night I met the Smiths, and they have nephews on the wrestling team so that
was really cool. (kolby and kale smith) anyway it was a really tough few days as far as home sickness
and heat and everything else goes. It has gotten better and better I am doing well now.

my area:

We are in the Summerwood area on the northish east side of Houston. my area has the south west side of lake

Houston in it. it is suburbia and kinda different and kinda the same as Utah. Everyone here works for an oil 

company and went to BYU so its not too far off home. We are on bikes and this heat is something else. I don't 

think I have ever sweat through my church clothes so that is new, and gross. I wouldn't mind as much about

being disgusting if we weren't going into these beautiful clean homes and I am a sweaty stanky mess. but oh

whale I will just have to learn to live with it. My message is still the same.

As far as southern accents go and bbq and everything texas, none of that is in this area, because no one is from

here.  

We were dumped in this area, so we are just getting started. We do have one family, the Mendozas who are

getting baptized September 6th. so that has been awesome to teach them, but they are the only investigators

we have right now. 

that is all I can think of at the moment!!!!

Elder Biesinger

 mom I am fine!!! President Drake is awesome. I am not melting but I am being steamed to death.

Jacob and President and Sister Drake

Jacob and Elder Hobbs

The group Jacob came in with

August 1, 2015 letter

So, everything is going great!!!! My time in the MTC is winding down and I am very happy. I am grateful for

it,  but at the same time it has a certain prison feel to it. The people here are great and the spirit is so strong...

but again we are inside all day and even when you go outside you can barely see the sky or mountains.

My comp is Elder Despain from Blackfoot Idaho.  For the most part we get along great, but there are times

that we need to study for a lesson and he just kind of does his own thing, which is definitely annoying but

oh well. i can deal with it for 3 more days. 

I have actually been sick the last few days, I think its a cold or something but I am still able to do everything,

so no big deal.  Everything here has been good and I am so excited to be in the field. I am ready to get out 

there and make a difference. The MTC is like a 12 day pump up for a game or match and I am ready to go. 

thank you for all of the packages, my district loves all the pop, and I have had all I can drink. haha funny story,

I squirt the coconut in the dr pepper and it all shot out the top, all over the place so I guess I learned that

lesson.

love

Elder Biesinger

 

 

First Letter from MTC July 25, 2015

hey!!! I haven't got the package yet because we didn't have a district leader to get in until Friday and then Friday was pioneer day so the mail office was closed, so lame. I will go get it after this. This first little bit has been so different. the spirit here is so strong but the people here at least some, are very strange. My companion is Elder Despain and he and I have been made zone leaders for this next week. Gavin Mcclain is in my zone and he is the current zone leader. I have seen a lot of people I know here, I see Zach Jeffers a lot and I even saw Hekili or however you spell it. I am doing well and learning a lot. I know this letter isn't too long but I don't know how long I have its only a few minutes. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon.

Elder Biesinger

well I have got a little more time so I guess I can keep talking. the orange juice rumor that it gives you a crap attack is false, but most things do turn your gut inside out at least for the first few days. I am fine now, um I don't know what else to write I've only been here three days, my branch president is President Mosher, he said he knew grandpa Jensen.

well I think that is all I have to say right now so until next week!