Picture of AP's Moving Supplies- I believe this is Elder Falconer and Elder Brase with Elder Perkins
April 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Christlike Love
Sounds good - thanks for the pictures. I love football - I miss it a lot. I'll let the Taylor's know you liked their blog. We speak with them on a daily basis.
My life is super busy. Going from 4 AP's down to 2 has caused us to be running around a lot. Had 3 exchanges this week - crazy. But I've absolutely loved it. Just when I think I have got it all down, they cut the AP's down and now I have to learn how to do lots more things (a lot more). Life is great.
1 August 2011 - Got to mission home at 7am. Elder Falconer went in for a procedure, so I spent the morning on splits with President Taylor. I worked mostly on the computer for Zone Leader Council tomorrow. They came back and made us some lunch. We stayed there till around 2 - so Elder Falconer could rest up a bit. Played some bball with Braden - really good kid. Shopped, took a nap. Went to office and finished up preparations for ZLC - back to mission home to drop off supplies and review everything with the Taylors. Spent another 45 min there going over it all - it will be their first one.
2 Aug 2011 - ZLC went really well. President Taylor is just the man. Sister Taylor is great. At one point, I was up speaking and sat down and Sister Taylor got up and President Taylor leaned over and said, that was great. I said, "Ya, but they love hearing from you more" and after Sister Taylor starting speaking and all the Elders perked up, he leaned back and said, "and they love Sister Taylor even more then both of us". It was funny. They are the best. Right after I began exchanges with Elder Allred - I was companions with him for one week about 17 months ago. Had a lesson with Taylor - went great - she's a 17 yr old LA that is coming back with her family which rocks. Elder Allred is a brand new zone leaders, so I gave him some advice - a little nervous for it, but he'll be fine. Called out sister exchanges tonight. I just love our sister missionaries - they are simply the best and do great things.
3 Aug 2011 - Swapped back from exchanges and we had a quick meeting with President Taylor and 2 sister missionaries which went well. Then they left and we spoke with President and Sister Taylor for probably an hour and a half about zone conference in a couple of weeks. They are so funny - showed us some video on their Facebook page - they always tell jokes and just have fun. Went to Elder Griessman's district meeting which was fine. In our Spanish ward their are 2 sets of elders and they have been saying not so good things about us to our ward leaders, so I called them out on in in the middle of the meeting when they were giving their ward report and so they had to explain it in front of us and President Taylor - they probably hate me more, but justice has been served today. That's what ya get for messing with Perkins! Lesson with Tayas was good - mostly in Spanish. Met with our WML and met with him for a bit. He has a 5 year old with Down Syndrome - she's so cute (funny story - so in elders quorum this week, the primary leader brings her in looking for the dad and he wasn't there, but the dad's friend said they could give the daughter to him). So the primary leader leaves and this girl just does her own thing as Morgan would do and just walked around the room and sat by people and told people hi for a good part of the meeting. It was so funny, then someone took her to her dad. I love solid missionaries who take care of themselves and are obedient and work hard - hard things to come by.
4 Aug 2011 - Did some weekly planning. Baked a pizza for pizza planning Thursday. We visited Leticia & Clove - who I met about a year ago when I was a DL in Deer Valley. Now they attend the Spanish branch which I help cover now. Set 2 baptism dates with them. Had coordination. Bro. Sanchez, our WML, brought us pizza - good times. Ran into office, did work, swapped with Elder Mendenhall and went out with him to Buckeye/Goodyear
5 Aug 2011 - Elder Mendenhall is the man (his dad's cousin is the BYU head football coach). Went out to a district meeting - i wish I could be a district leader so bad - It's the best by far. Back when I was a Zone Leader, Elder Mendenhall was one of our district leaders, so we go back about 9 months. He's the man - solid missionary. Got word about missionary disobedience that required some immediate action. Handled that. Set up Coleman's baptism interview. Swapped back and then did a back to back exchange, so now Elder Birch is with me.
6 Aug 2011 - Had breakfast with our Bishop at 6:30am. He's the man. Coleman passed his baptism interview - will be baptized on Sept 10 - when family comes into town from Utah - so that's great. Had lunch and then taught a new investigator - 17 years old named Blake. Has a friend in the ward - so we'll see if they can hook up for church. Swapped back with Elder Falconer. Got word about a female investigator coming on too strong to some missionaries. Spoke with them about it and gave them some counsel - all should be well. Got emergency call that some Elders had to vacate their house immediately, so spent a couple hours getting them out and into another apartment. Fun stuff. All the craziness just makes me laugh - it makes life interesting. The mission is just fun.
7 Aug 2011 - Church was fine. 3 hours in the Spanish ward was a little tough - especially fast Sunday. Cause I don't understand anything in Spanish. So it's just me thinking by myself the whole time, so time goes so slow. But it's all good. They are so funny too. In an English ward you have about 95% born into the church and 5% converts. In your average Spanish ward it's about 80% converts and 20% born in church - so they don't really know the traditions and stuff. So they do lots of funny things. In EQ's, for the lesson, we just went around the room and said our names and what we like to do. Went over to Leticia and Clove's home. I can honestly say I feel Christlike love for these 2. Leticia is in her 50's and her granddaughter clove is 14. They wanted to come to church so bad, got dressed and all, but Leticia has brain cancer and tumors on her brain and is on so much medication that she just cried to us and told us she wants to come to church and get baptized so bad, but just physically cannot get out of her house. She tried this morning and just couldn't. So tough for them. We talked with her and are bringing Bishop over tomorrow night to talk with her. They are the best. Have read the Book of Mormon twice, pay tithing, etc. They rock - solid. My body is just physically fatigued. I'm wiped out - good feeling - means I work hard I like to think. Glad tomorrow is P-day and can rest. Elder Falconer is legit - great companion, we have a lot of fun and do work.
8 Aug 2011 - baked in crock pot for first time in mission. Napped for 2 hours. Good times.
Love y'all,
Have a great week.
Elder Perkins
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Happy to be done with Surgery
From Mission Blog: Our dear Elder Falconer had the daunting task of going in for a colonoscopy! He was brave and faithful and made it through the prep...which is more than half the battle! He was a trooper the whole way, and so happy and cheerful when he was done. He remarked after the surgery, "Oh, I forgot to ask the nurse to be baptized!" Who knows what he said while hewas going under...he probably
We kept Elder Perkins and Falconer at the Mission Home for the afternoon to do some laundry and recuperating...and I think there was a little bit of crazy meds still going on when a couple of the rutabagas in the centerpiece became puppets! We look at them and smile and wonder if we can ever replace them with anything else!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
President Taylor and His Assistants
From President and Sister Taylors Blog on July 4, 2011:
We have really enjoyed interacting with the Assistants to the President. They are an indicator of the quality of missionaries we have serving in the mission and we just love them already! They have been very supportive of our son Braden who is adjusting to life in the mission home.
President Taylor, Elder Perkins, Elder Falconer, Elder Brase and Elder Miles.
Getting ready to start our "Mission Tour" to meet the rest of our great missionaries!
Elder Brase has now returned home and Elder Perkins is companioned with Elder Falconer serving with President Taylor.
Elder Brase and Elder Perkins Take the Tournament!!
From Sister Taylors Blog: And the high honors of the GOLDEN SHUTTLECOCK TROPHY went to Elder Brase and Elder Perkins, presented by Elder Turner.
The following Monday, July 18, I got to take Braden to two different zone activities...no laundry for me on P-days!!! I get to shuttle Braden to play with the missionaries! Much more fun than sorting lights and darks!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Mesa Temple Trip with The Taylors and APs
Fom the Taylors blog: We had a wonderful afternoon at the Mesa Temple with our Mission Assistants. We had to begin planning transfers early this month due to the temple closing for summer break.Elders Perkins & Brase, Sister and President Taylor, Elders Miles and Falconer July 15, 2011
http://azphxmission.blogspot.com/
Cool Story
Hello Family,
Maybe you'll get this driving back on mom's iPhone, who knows.
Thanks for all the quick notes, they were really nice to read. Quinton - your words of wisdom made me laugh. I am going to send you some DVD's about missionary work - where should I send them, Grandpa's? Tell Kellie I trust her lip locking action of love - especially at an EFY. Sounds like she is doing great - we have a talented family. Conner - 100 degrees is child's play - you hear me, child's play ha. We call it a blessing when its in the low 100's. Morgan - I love you. Sorry about your eye - hopefully it gets better.
Mi Padre y mi madre - estoy feliz que funeral de Gene went well. I will ask the Taylors about their blog. I am actually sitting in their home right now typing on their fancy mac computer. President Taylor is in the next room doing his Monday morning zone leader calls. Sister Taylor and Brayden took my companion for a doctors appointment. More about my new companion in just a second.
Here's my last week.
25 July 2011 - Had a meeting with the new trainers - they will get their trainee on wed morning (we went back to the 2 day transfer process where the trainees will stay over night at the mission home). I gave a talk on effective leadership principles. I love giving talks. Then E. Brase packed, etc. Dropped him off at the mission home and I was put with the 2 Spanish AP's until transfers. We did e-mails and shopping. Went back to the mission home for dinner with the departing missionaries and their testimony meeting.
26 July 2011 - Breakfast at mission home. Loaded up 10 missionaries in the van/trailer and drove them down to the airport. Walked in with them to make sure they all got check in in and situated. Then said my last goodbye to some elders: Brase, Tripp, etc. Waited for an hour and picked up the new missionaries. I love then new miss - always so excited and the drive back I just answer their questions and get them pumped up. Love it. Drive to the mission office and they have a quick orientation while I work on some computer stuff in the back. Load them up and drive to mission home. Give a brief powerpoint slideshow and then we leave to office. Work on supplies / office work and drop it off at transfer bldg for tomorrow. Picked up bikes from our home - we assemble them when they come in - we fit 9 bikes in our Silverado. Went back for dinner with the new missionaries. By that time, President has interviewed all the new missionaries and gives us a suggested trainer / trainee assignments. I suggested one change and he agreed. Went back to office and finalized the transfers.
27 July 2011 - Transfers! So, today was just crazy. Picked up new missionaries and took them to meet their trainers. President Taylor read off the assignments and we have a quick orientation on the new 12 week training program from about 9:30-11. I had to lead a discussion on that. Then transfer meeting began. President Taylor got to work on this transfer. We split and created 2 new zones, about 7 or 8 new districts, went to a SR/JR companion instead of Co-seniors, went from 4 assistants to just 2 assistants. And I didn't make the cut. So I got released to go train again. Just kidding - I stayed. My companion went home and then he released one of the Spanish AP's to go open a new zone. So now it is me and my new companion, Elder Falconer - a Spanish missionary. We cover West Wing ward still and now I cover the Monte Vista ward as well - which is all Spanish ha. So this will be fun. Lesson tonight with Jenny and Deer Valley YSA Sisters - passed her off. We set a baptism date and made a calendar for her.
28 July 2011 - Meeting with President from 11-1 on the next Zone leader council. Went to a bit of our district meeting. Worked a bit on our 6 week calender. We have to do 11 exchanges with the zone leaders, plus some extra exchanges with certain missionaries. Met President again at 3 at his home and walked through calender events through rest of year. Lesson with Taylor Piersante and her mother. Went so good. They were baptized 6 years ago and have been less active for the last 4 yrs. Then we had a lesson with la familia Urrea. Es muy bien. Elder Falconer translates for me.
29 July 2011 - Did a half day exchange exchange with some missionaries the zone leaders requested we go out with. Really good to be on a bike for half-day. Then we worked in West Wing. Then had a lesson with la familia Tayas. It was good lesson. me encanto (I think that means love) Mexicans.
30 July 2011 - Had breakfast with our Bishop. In language study today - I learned how to say a prayer in Spanish - very basic. In office today today till 4. Had a lesson with la familia Pacheco. I got to say the dinner prayer in Spanish - I forgot only one word. This is what I said, see if dad can translate. "Nuestro Padre Celestial, te agradecemos por la familia Pacheco, y por la comida, y por su hijo, Jesu Cristo. Te pedimos que now bandigas con el espiritu santo. En el nombre de Jesu Cristo, Amen."
So here's a cool thing. My Spanish ward covers all of the deer valley stake - which I've covered for 15 months of my mission - and now I cover it again.
Cool Story - Last night planning I had a name come to my mind - Mario Ruiz. His kids were baptized over a year ago and I remember he couldn't speak much English. He lived in an area that was in my district and I had been there twice on exchanges. So I said, lets go visit him - since he was never baptized. Remind you I haven't been to his house in over 10 months - probably close to 14 months. I somehow found his exact house in the trailer park -Spirit brings all things to remembrance. Knocked on his door and Elder Falconer talked to him for 10 minutes. We got back in the car and he was shocked. Turns out Mario has read the Book of Mormon a couple times and has a ton of questions. Wants to know how to repent and follow Christ, and wanted to know the soonest we could come teach him. It was great - but the Elders before never knew that since they don't speak Spanish. It was great!
31 July 2011 - Coleman and the Carpio family came to West Wing ward which was great. Then we went to the Monte Vista Ward - it was in all Spanish and I loved it. We started sacrament with about 35 people. At the beginning of sacrament it jumped to 60. and right before it was over, Elder Falconer leaned over and said, "watch the Monte vista branch become the Monte vista ward...." Then a flood of people came pouring in and we were up to over 120 people. It was hilarious. One of the talks was on the importance of getting to church on time. Great stuff. Taught Coleman after church. Then spent rest of day in home while Elder Falconer did his prep for his procedure tomorrow. Did some deep cleaning and got some much needed rest. It's very tiring. I'm so tired.
Have a great week. I love the Mexican people. This will be a crazy transfer - covering a Spanish ward, only 2 AP's.
We'll see.
Love y'all,
Elder Perkins
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)