The Mountain

Altamont is nicknamed “the mountain” in our mission. We are sitting about 1800 ft. above sea level so I guess for TN standards that it is a mountain. The views are a lot like Linden’s and the people, believe it or not, are more redneck here. We live right next to a national park that we go running in the mornings. It is a very pretty place! I am loving the ward and loving the ol’ southern feel. My language has already slipped back to being more southern with these people. They say youins here instead of y’all for some reason.

This week was packed with things! I had to say goodbye to some amazing people in Thompson’s Station. I absolutely love that ward and I was really sad in leaving but all good things come to an end. When I got to Altamont, we had no one in our teaching pool so we have been finding fools! Elder White is a really great worker and loves to tract so we have been doing that more. We have found a couple of people but the coolest thing is we set a baptismal date for December 23! In this mission we have a goal to baptize monthly and the Lord is helping us out with that goal. I missed November but the future is looking bright.

We met with the bishop of the ward and we did as one of our mission president councilors directed us to do. That is to ask the bishop for a blessing because he holds the keys to missionary work in the area. That was a very powerful experience and it created a better relationship with him.

Story of the week. I love the country because of the crazy stories, this week I have two to share with you. We were knocking on a door and this old man walks out. He mumbles something and then he pops out his bottom dentures into his hand. Fishes out some corn kernal and throws both the dentures and corn into his mouth, wipes his hand on his pants and holds it out for Elder White and I to shake. I was trying not to laugh so hard because he stuck it out to Elder White first! The second story is we were tracting and this beautiful dog comes out of the wilderness. At first we thought it was a wolf but then it comes running at us playfully. I bet it and then smell this rotting smell. It jumped up and I saw the reason why it stunk. It’s neck had been cut down to the bone pretty much. It was like it had a collar on and it rubbed him raw. So I named it Zombie dog and it followed us for a bit. We had multiple tracting dogs this week and man the dogs here are crazy! A couple were munching on a dead deer.

I went on an exchange with my son Elder Hamblin. He is doing awesome! He has a new missionary so that makes me a grandpa. His name is Elder Brätt and man he is a wizard with the guitar. Elder Hamblin and I talked to a interesting 7th Day Adventist that pretty much admitted that his religion is wrong but still believes in the Prophetess. It is weird being there though it was slime a little community.

Anyways, I am sure to have more stories for y’all next week. Have a blessed week!

Love, Elder Q

 

 

Altamont

It is transfer time again and I am headed to the mountain town, Altamont. Not only that but my companion is Elder White! God has been planning this one since 5th grade. I can’t believe that this is happening. Not only that but, my trainer Elder Ihler finished his mission in Altamont so this makes 3 areas that we have served in. Altamont is a town of like 1000 people and they have a ward so it is highly populated of Mormons. It is like I am headed back to Troy ha!

I am really sad leaving this place though. I feel like I am apart of the ward here. I would totally move back here and live in Spring Hill. All the members are legit and there is such a good family feel here. I am also sad leaving my awesome companions, Elder Melville and Elder Craig. It has literally been the fastest transfer of my life! It felt like we were together for like a week! I had a mid mission crisis as I thought that time is going by way to fast! I don’t want it to end! I still have a while but if it goes as fast as this last transfer has, then I really have like no time left.

It is weird having pday on a Wednesday. I get a lot less emails now ha! Plus, my friends all still have pday on Monday so that blows. This week and a half was pretty good. We went out to the boonies of our area and that was way fun! I will be in the stix again so I am happy about that. We got someone on date this week too! I know he will be an awesome member. The week really started tot take off! On Sunday we had so many people just show up at church or a member brought their friend. It was super cool! Patti is super legit because we had dinner at her house and watched the Face 2 Face there. Not only that but she is just a super stellar member. She has increased in light since I have known her and man she just has such a good spirit about her.

That was pretty much all this week. Love y’all and have a blessed week! Talk to you next time in Altamont!

Love, Elder Q

 

 

 

 

A Plethora of Answers

I started the week with a couple of questions and most were answered. On exchanges with the APs, I learned from Elder Richins how to have things stick better in my brain. I need to write stuff down or I really need to ask the question when I read scriptures “why is this in here?” Or “How can this apply to my life?” This has made my studies way more meaningful. Plus, I study things that I really want to learn. The exchange was also very fun and we ate at Angelos! I also got to see some members of my last area.

Then we had interviews this week and they were so good! All district meetings were happening at the stake center so we got to see everyone in the zone. I absolutely love the Franklin Zone! Anyways, in interviews I learned what Elder Maynes was talking about in his talk on integrity. I have had that question since General Conference. Pretty much what happened was say the next to lowest bitter was $100 but Elder Maynes offered $50. The boss man said if you can move it to $95 then we will get more money and we can split the extra $45 for ourselves. It is being dishonest to get more money for yourself. I also learned that I may be leaving this area on thanksgiving. That would be really sad, but I will do what the lord wants.

Then I had the question all week about, what can I do to improve. I have little patience in slow improvement ha! I was reading the scriptures and came a crossed Alma 32:43. I learned that I just need to be faithful, diligent, and patient to be able to grow. I need to realize that it is all in the lord’s timing not mine in how I grow. I have a stronger testimony in scriptures study and prayer. I have been trying to see the blessings from prayer but I realized that not only do I have to pray but I have to word for my answers. I can’t just say my list in prayers then not do anything about it.

Patti is still on fire as a new convert! Her husband came to church and is repenting so he should be baptized soon. Also, we are doing better in both wards to prioritize the repentant. I love y’all and have a blessed week!

Love, Elder Q

 

 

 

Gone Down with the Sun

I first have to mention that daylight savings time sucks in fall here. It gets dark at like 5 so then we knock on a door and they get mad at us for being out so late waking everyone up. Then you look down at your watch and it says 6:30.... is it normal to go to sleep at that time? I feel like the only ones up are members ha! Anyways it isn’t new news from last year. Everyone just goes to sleep when the sun goes down.

This week was full of stuff! I had something different everyday. On Halloween we did a split with a returned missionary because he keeps saying he doesn’t know what to do at home. He is super awesome and I bet he served a very faithful mission. Anyways we ended up eating at BWs in honor of the baptism this last weekend. Then we had to be in by 6 and from then on we just called peeps and did comp study. 

The next morning we had Zone Conference and that was awesome! We discussed the “convert” part in Teach repentance and baptize converts. A lot was on how we need to be the vessel that the Holy Ghost can work through to bless the lives of others. We don’t do the converting the Holy Ghost does. I love these two verses Mosiah 3:19 and John 14:26. It has made me have a greater appreciation for the sacrament and the amazing gift that we can have always wit us. That same day we did our exchange with Pulaski. We did the old school way and Elder Sanders came up here with Elder Melville and I. We had amazing lesson with Patti’s husband so he might even be on baptismal date soon.

The rest of the week was the normal teaching repentance. We had a solid lesson with this family that pretty much acted like members ha! Oh and when tracting we ran into this guy who needed a little extra prays so we prayed with him. I feel like only in the south can we stop what we are doing, talk about Jesus, and say a prayer all while in public. I love this place!

Love y’all have a blessed week! Oh P.S. fasting with 8 hours of church is probably one of the hardest things. I am glad I have a testimony on it or it would be brutal! 

Love, Elder Q