July 25, 2013

Hola Mi Familia/Amigos,

 

Wow! I know i say this at the begginging of ever letter, but i dont even know how to explain how crazy fast time is flying, its rediculous!  I cannot believe i have been away from home, for a complete month now! Its insane! But i know that the Lord is blessing me for doing this, and that the time is going by fast because i have lost myself in the work! My Companion and I are getting along so well, as well as our district, We all wish we were headed to the same mission. Were all going to miss each other so much, out in the mission field, or once we leave for our seperate missions. It was Elder Howlett's Birthday a few days ago, so we have plenty of food, and everything! He got like 6 Good size Packages for his birthday! Which was awesome, because he was struggling missing his family at the time!

Our lessons, that we are teaching to the Investigators,are going so well, so far we would have already had 2 baptisms! Its incredible, because you obviously know they are your teacher but the investigator, that they act as, is a real investigator that they taught, when they were in there mission field, so they already have such a great love for the person, thats it seems real! Elder Howlett and I did a very cool role play thing, with our teacher that got very spiritual! He was teaching us about, what to do when an investigator has been doing so well, and than all the sudden the next lesson, he has no interest, and doesnt want you to ever visit him again! He than said, we are going to try it, and he chose Elder Howlett and I, which in English i could have done so easily, but i had no time to prepare,as he put us on the spot, in Spanish! I than knocked on the door, it was such a frustrating time, we completely failed! Hermano Arce, than taught us how to do, it and explain we should just ask if we can leave him with our testimony, and with a pray! He than asked if we would do it again, and i was hesitant, about doing so, because the first time was so frustrating. We than agreed to doing it, and told us in english would be great, that way the rest of the class, would understand how to do it. I completely agreed! I knocked on the door, asked if i could atleast Bare my testimony. He was Struggling with Alcohol, and so i Left my testimony with him, and began to tell him, that his family will be blessed for him overcoming such a hard trial! I Told him the story of grandpa Hunt, and Bore my testimony, on how i knew, even though back at home, they are struggling, the Lord is blessing them, and Blessing me for being here! By the end of the Example, we did for the class, i had the whole class in tears, including Hermano Arce! The spirit was so strong! It was Incredible! 

 

Sunday nights, are Definately my hardest night, but with everyweek they are becoming so much easier! The reason they are so hard for me, with missing home and such, is because i know, that at home, they are all watching the bachelorette as a family, or basketball, or something along those lines! Even though im more of a man than to be watching the Bachelorette, unlike someone!(Abraham) Or they are playing ping pong, and im just sitting there watching a church related movie with a bunch of dudes! Ha Ha 

 

We do a thing called TRC, which is where we teach people, who are already members, so we just teach them, like a family home evening lesson. They usually, do it with people, who come into El CCM (MTC), but this past week, we were lucky enough to do it over skype! Because they wanted us to do it with native, people who spoke hardly no english, and spoke the way the people will speak that we are going to teach! It was so much fun, we happened to get signed up with Hermano Arce's, sister who lives in Mexico, literally right across the street from the CCM, in Mexico! The whole time, we were supposed to be giving her a lesson, but we just shared a few scriptures, and than talked about Hermano Arce, the whole time! It was so much fun!

 

Hermano Arce, is our teacher, who lives in Mexico, but is here at BYU on a student visa! So he has to be here for a full year before going back to Mexico. He is a little guy, so we are always giving him our food to eat, that we dont want, because he is probably 5 10, but weights 135 pounds, ya skinny little guy, but has the biggest heart for us missionaries, and always looking so spiffy!

 

 Anyways, just want you all to know, i love you all! And will send more, next week with my last email here in the MTC!

Love, Elder Albertson 

 Me and Elder Barney, and Elder Blackley leaving

Tim Tebowing with my Saber

  Light Saber Time

 Me with my zone Leaders, Elder Townsend, and Elder Perez

Breaking into kids rooms on PDAY after they leave to steal Narnia Holes

July 18, 2013

Hola Familia/Amigos

 The time is absolutely flying here in the mtc! I started my 4th week hear yesterday, Ive seen missionaries, come in after me, and leave before me! Ya tell me about it! Anyways, the time here is absolutely amazing, i wish you all could experience the feelings of the spirit i feel here everyday! This week was such a hard week for me to incounter! I know the Lord has blessed my family in many ways, though with me being here on my mission!

 

As many of you may know, last week on Thursday, probably as i was praying for comfort for my great grandpa, after a great Preparation Day, He passed away! I kinda Knew it was coming, after getting the Dear Elder from my Mom, that had told me he had went for the wrong turn! Friday Morning, the intercom came on in our room, it kept cutting out, as i stood up, to hit the intercom, to see if it would start working better, they asked, Is Elder Albertson there? I replied, with a simple Yes! The minute i said yes, i got this great feeling of relief come over me, and right then they asked if i would come down to A116, i wasnt even sure where this room was! Elder Howlett and I put our books away, and began our trek to A116, i knew it was in 1M which is the main buidling, we continued walking, I looked at Elder Howlett my Companion, and said " Elder Howlett, Heavenly father has taken my grandpa back into his presence, where he is without any pain, and in a better place!" That feeling of overwhelming peace, that came over me, when they ask if i was there, was heavenly father showing his love for me, and comforting me, through this hard time, and the hard time, i maybe thinking my family is having at home! As i walked into the Secretary office, they asked, are you Elder Albertson, I insured i was! 5 Minutes later i was taken into the office of the MTC President, where he informed me my Great Grandfather was taking back to heaven, and that his life here on earth, had been completed! He than asked if i felt the need to call my family at home, or email home! I insured him, i didnt, want to do that, because i knew it would make things even harder on my family, to talk to there missionary, but about the passing away of my grandfather! I did ask him, if he would call home, and ask them, if the lettter i had written, my great grandpa, made it home, and was read to him before he passed away! He left the room, called home, and insured me that it was! That was such a blessing for me, to be able to know that my prayers were answered, and that my letter made it to him!

 

Now today is the day of his funeral! I have been praying for the best of the family! And that they will know and understand he is in a better place! I wish i could be there for this, but i know, that the Lord will bless me for staying and continuing his work! Missionary work is the most important work, i could be doing! I may not be making money, nor being able to be with my family, but i know that my family is being blessed for it in many ways! In Doctrine&Covenants Section 31 Verse 5, It says "Wherefore, your Family Shall live." In my thoughts that means, that my family, whether it be my ancestors, or posterity will always have the gates of heaven open to them, to return and live with him again! That means so much to me know that! Because familys are everything!

 

We had another devotional on tuesday night, when we walk to the marriot center, and have such great devotional! Wow! Dad, you are right, we do sing Called to Serve everytime, but i get the chills everytime also! Anyways, The last devotional we had, Richard G. Hinckley Spoke, who is the son of Gordon B. Hinckley! The power of the message was so strong! Some of the great quotes he said were... " They way missionaries show there love to there heavenly father, is by showing there love towards the people!" WOW! What a powerful message i know!

 

On my Planner which i carry daily, i have some quotes, these quotes are

"My Banner will be Clear"

"Helaman 5:12"

'WHAT-ER-THOU-ART, ACT-WELL-THY-PART"

"I wont look back, Let Up, Slow down, or be still"

" MY face is set, My Gate is fast, and My goal is HEAVEN!" 

"Obedience is the Price , Faith is the Power, Love is the motive, The Spirit is the Key, Christ is the reason!"

The reason i have these quotes are because these are quotes i have come to help me realize why i am here, and what my purpose is, and so i look at it anytime i am having a rough time, or just need lifted up from a hard time!  If any of you find anything really cool, print it out and send it to me, because i cannot print things here, unless they are talks! Thank you all so much for the support! I love you all! 

 

 

Love,

 Elder Albertson (Lucky) 

 

"Picture of our Classroom"

 "Me and My Companion Elder Howlett"

"Back Flip!!"

"Me and my disctrict Leader Elder Garnder"

 

 "What we do when we are bored"

 "Giant Corbata"

 "View from our bedroom"

 

"My Desk" 

 "Pictures we draw for our teachers"

 "The Army of Helaman after Devotional"

July 11th, 2013

Hola Mi Familia y Amigos!

This week has been amazing! Time is absolutely flying, i cannot believe how fast it is going, the days seem long, but the weeks go so fast i dont even know where the time is going! Kinda scares me a little!

Here is my weekly outline, with small minor changes each day... but not to serve.

6:00 I wake up, say my morning prayers, get ready for the day!

7:00 I have to be in my class room for Personal study time!

8:15 BREAKFAST (Best Part of my Day)

8:45 Class time! In this class time we learn the language, Vocab, grammer... and so on

11:45 Language Study! Otherwise know as  CompanionShip study!

1:10 LUNCH!!! Time to eat even more food! Absolutely amazing food!

1:55 Additional Study, This a time, when we get to study, anything that we feel the need to! I spend that time, to ponder over scriptures, and figure out best, how they can touch my lives, and the lives of other, in Santa Rosa, California!

2:45 Class time again! In this class time we learn the lessons, and how to prepare to teach them, definately the better of the 2 class times! Hermano Arce is my teacher, who was actually our very first ingestigator, he is from mexico city, and speaks the most beautiful spanish!

5:45 We do daily planning with our companions to plan out tomorrows day, which is really wierd considering we just copy the same schedules down daily.

6:10 Dinner time! Gosh its so wierd , not eating one of dads great meals each night, or when mom is trying to play chopped and it ends up tasting like the food im eating everyday here! So thank you mom for preparing me for the MTC food! ;)

6:55 TALL time! This is like Rosetta Stone, but church style! So stupid, i absolutely hate it! But i do know that it is what will probably help me the most with my spanish!

8:1-0 Gym time! Yes im sorry Father, and Ricky, but ive been playing basketball, couldnt hold it back sense my whole district is a bunch of ballers! The games are only  2 on 2 or 3 on 3 half court, and only to 7 win by 2 or top out at 11! Than after every game you have to reshoot for teams, so if it gets heated in one game, they most likely play against the same people next game anyways. So the basketball has been kept so clean!

9:00 Prepare for Next activity, which is Bedtime, so we pretty much have another 30 minutes to do whatever!

10:15 Quiet Time! This is the time we start to settle in and prepare ourselves for bed!

10:30 Lights out! Time to hit the Sack! Always fall asleep so fast because your so exhausted from the long grucial day, of Studying and such!

My time here in the MTC, is so spectacular! Its been the best thing for me Spiritually, and physically, to get my body into a schedule, and have to be obedient and wake up on time, even though you have the agency to sleep in if youd like, but if we do that, we also understand that the time we sleep in, is the amount of blessing we are not blessed with from the Lord! If i could challenge you guys to do some things itd be awesome but here they are, they have touched my life here in the MTC so much! Its absolutely rediculous! Here is a Poem Elder Schroeppel let me read that is absolutely the most inspiring peom ive read...

                 The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed; the die has been cast out.

I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I wont look back, let up, slow down, or be still.

My past is is redeeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure.

I am finished and done with low-living, small-planning, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, or popularity.

I dont have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on his presense, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power.

My face is set, my gate is fast, and my goal is heaven. 

My road in  narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable- MY MISSION IS CLEAR!

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presense of the adversary,

Negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander

at the maize of mediocrity.

I wont give up, shut up, or let up, until i have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of christ.

I must go til he comes, give til i drop, preach til all know, and work till he stops me;

and when he returns for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me.

MY BANNER WILL BE CLEAR!

- Elder Henry B. Eyering 

Also if you guys know how to watch Mormon messages, there are so many that can teach us so many small things about life, that can change our lives forever!

To watch Mormon Messages just go to LDS.org and search the names of the mormon message you would like to watch! Here is a list, of so many that i have watched that have touched my life!

-Earthly Father, Heavenly Father..... Everyone should watch this one! Especially Future Fathers, or Fathers now!

-Stay within the Lines.... All my cousins and friends, and even adults!

-Things as they really are.... Another great one that has touched my life!!

-Sanctify Yourselves...

-Same Jersey... This one taught me so much, i wish i would have watched if before my highschool sport career to understand how much, and or little sports actually mean, and that everyone is a child of god!

-Seek the Higher ground!

Love you all,

Elder Albertson

Santa Rosa, California!

PS... Mom could you please forward these out to everyone its to hard for me to do it! You can do it with any email, and all emails! Also please send a package that includes... Starburst, Sprees, Gatorade, Disinfectant spray, so i can take my shoes off, Inspirational stuff, and Jolly Ranchers, oh and definately some Gummy Bears!

 

PPS... Kamryn please Get my Blog going, put my letters, and emails on there! Make sure and also put it on my FB, so people can find my Blog! Awesome Thank you!

PPPS... Dad, i love getting Dear Elders from you, it makes my day each day, dont miss me to much, ill be home before you know it!! I LOVE YOU!

PPPPS... Makaul.. Hope you are enjoying you summer, and not driving my JEEP! If you do though, keep it clean, and dont, wreck it, or ill have to have a word with you, when i call home from the Airport!

PPPPPS... Channing! Remember be obediente! Gain that trust back from mom and dad! I love you, and hope your having fun! 

July 4th, 2013

Hola Mi familia y mi amigos...

         Holy cow. Its my first P day! The MTC is so amazing. The Spirit that i can feel here is so incredible! I cant even explain it! My companion is from Columbius Ohio, and is a pretty cool kid,hes kinda shy, at first but is starting to open up! My district is awesome, there is 8 of us, and we are so amazing with the spirit be bring! We already taught an investigator, and he agreed to be baptized, now yes, he is already a member, but we still had to teach him in complete spanish, so hard, but to rely on the spirit to help us teach was so great! Well my time is up on the computer, but i would like to send letters out, if i got address and such!

        Love you all, Elder Albertson!

Ps. Letters are like gold,and food in packages get sold in the black market!

Hi All!
    This will be a blog kept by me... Kamryn, Parkers big sis while he is away serving the Lord on his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Each week I will be posting the emails that he sends home, plus any pictures that he sends! I hope all who reads will enjoy his emails and being able to keep up with him and his experiences out in the mission field!
Enjoy!