Kirtland Visits

Oh man is it snowing here! Holy cow!  We've gotten like 2 feet. It’s crazy too because the wind here makes the snow blow everywhere! Even against our door. We had a tiny wall in front of our door this morning as we left to go do laundry!  It’s crazy to have this much snow. Oh yeah and its 14 degrees out with a wind chill of about -2   Haha awesome!

We went to Kirtland on Saturday. It was amazing! We got a fantastic tour with our investigators from the sister missionaries. They were great! They really knew how to bring the spirit. We sat in the school of the prophets and the revelation room. I sat in the same place that I did when we first got there. It really brought me back to the spirit that I felt the first time I was there. I remembered the vision I had of Joseph Smith walking around the room comforting all of us missionaries. It really helped me remember my purpose as a missionary. It got me motivated to get back on track with my companion and to not worry about the bad District Leader I have.

We got to watch the new Joseph Smith movie. It was like WOW! Very powerful. It really made me think of how he relied on the Lord when he was going through a tough time. I thought to myself, suck it up and stop worrying about what you can’t control.

I love the spirit that I felt there. There was also nativity all over the grounds. It was a great reminder of the season and the purpose behind it. I'm glad to be serving a mission during Christmas! It’s the best time of the year to be serving others.

  

It’s amazing how inspired my mission President is. We had interviews and he really helped guide me in some answers that I was seeking. It’s amazing the respect he has for me too. I love President to death.

My District Leader is still being a butt. I had some great things happen to me though. I chose to overcome the adversity. I read 2nd Nephi 2. The part about why I shouldn’t allow my enemies to bring me down to the gulf of misery and endless woe. Great revelation comes when you are obedient and call on the Lord through fasting and prayer. With His help we will be prepared to overcome all. I love being in the Kirtland Temple on Tuesday. I was so grateful to have the letters from you guys. Tod made me cry. It was very very nice to be able to remember family in such a holy place.  I was grateful for the answers to my prayers that I received in the Temple.

The Stake President in AZ sent the missionaries a letter with a picture of the Gilbert temple and a challenge to all of us to prepare ourselves to come home to that Temple and love it. I can’t wait to see it when it’s done! It looks amazing from the computer made image that I saw. It’s so exciting to have that happening at home!

Well I’m out of time so I will talk to you next week and be calling you on Christmas!

Love,

Elder Yukish

Letter to Grandpa and Grandma Mitchell

Hey!

I was going to write you guys a letter today and send it to you in the mail! I think I still will but I'm here on the computer right now so I'd just like to tell you how things are going!

I am just falling in love with teaching. I have seen some serious miracles come before my eyes these last few weeks! I moved to a new place! I'm in Barberton now. I got a new companion, but he's still from Idaho... Haha! Love giving them a hard time just because they are all funny about their state!

We have had some amazing investigators come out of the woodworks. When I got here there were only two investigators. Now we have like 10 and 8 baptismal dates! People just keep calling us and saying hey we want to join your church can you come teach us! It’s amazing! We've also been getting calls from less active members of the church that want us to come over and we had a few of them come to church again! I’ts just amazing how the Lord can work so many miracles!

The snow is coming down like crazy It dropped about 6-8 inches last night! It’s so beautiful out! Like a big white blanket covering everything! I’ts cold but its ok because I’m in a car! Haha

Well I hope you guys have a blessed week and be looking for my letter in the mail! Its going to be the one that’s soaked in snow! Haha

Love

Elder Yukish

Transferred to Barberton, OH

Hey! So this week I got transferred just north of where I was. I am in Barberton now! Yes I do have a car and it is NICE!! I’m loving being out of the cold. I haven't seen the temperature gauge get up above 32 for the last 4 days.

My new address is:

229 Lilac Place

Barberton OH, 44203

It’s a pretty nice apartment. Nothing is going to be able to compare to the Canton apartment though. I heard that was the mansion of the mission. So yeah, it’s kinda all down hill from there, but its ok!

I came to this district and caused some serious drama. Our District Leader is kind of a rebellious missionary. Because I was living with the Zone Leaders before, I had heard about how he was. I got here and found out that the stories were no joke. I have a greenie companion that has only been out for one transfer and has some really bad habits. I got here and decided to shake up the ground a little. I called the District Leader out on a few things that he was being bad about and how it was affecting my companion. I also had a long talk with my companion about what is expected of all of us and that there are going to be changes. He really agreed with me and told me that when he got here he didn’t think that this was what a mission was all about. So we agreed to make changes and fix it.

The district leader really hates me now. He is in the biking area and I have the car. He had made plans for us to go shopping on black Friday at 4 in the morning. I got there and put a stop to that!  I called the Zone Leaders just to let them know there were a lot of problems and I needed to know what to do. The next morning the Zone Leaders walked into the District Leaders apartment and had a talk. That’s when he got mad at me. I know it was kind of wrong to go above his head without even talking to him about it, but President always says that the loyalty is vertical so I went up the chain to let them deal with the problem.

So long story short, I have been black listed and its going to be a long transfer.

Well I am having fun though. I like my new companion. His name is Elder Trammell. He has a lot of accomplishments in his life. He was a Dillard’s model, 7th in the world at his weight class in wrestling, and was a river guide. That kind of stuff. No big deal. Haha!! He's a great guy. He reminds me a lot of Devin. We get along great.

I would love if you would send me my blanket and also my 5x5 Rubik’s cube and my cologne (the cologne 41, cologne)! That would be sweet!

How in the world did you hear about zone conference? They send you an email? From what I've heard it is going to be amazing! It’s going to be at the Kirtland temple! I'm very excited!

Well I’m going to go try and not get my head chopped off today Haha!

Love you so so SOO much

Elder Yukish

Harvey! From Atheism to Baptism

Ah well I found out that I'm leaving Canton. I don’t know yet where I'm going, but I'm staying within the Zone so not too far from Canton. I am going to miss it. Elder Green who came out with me is training this transfer! It’s so crazy! First we are two greenies working together, now he's training another greenie! He is an amazing missionary! I really try to aspire to be like him. He's very humble and when I tell him he's great he just always says "well it's because you helped me be that way." I don’t feel like I did anything but I'm glad to have served with him.

The weather is not too bad here.  It actually got to 70 yesterday. It’s ridiculous! But there are suppose to be snow flurries tomorrow and then it’s going to be cold. I'm so excited because I got my driving card yesterday!!! I'm being transferred to a car area so I will be able to find some warmth as I go into the snow this year! Haha. But I am going to miss Canton. I had a really amazing thing happen with an investigator last night.

Harvey, a man that we met while tracting, we had an appointment with him last night. We talked with him about his concerns and helped him understand the rest of the Plan of Salvation. He came to church this week and really loved it and committed to come every week! When we first met this guy he claimed to be an atheist and had never gone to church before in his life. His ex-wife was catholic and he just didn't agree with the way they believed. He felt like he was searching for something but just didn't realize it until we met him.

He says he still doesn't know what he's looking for, but he feels that what we teach him and that we come over feels good. Well last night we set a baptismal date with him!! He's ready to be baptized! He is still lost on a lot of things, but he feels good about it!  We just keep making sure that the feelings that he feels are the Spirit and that it’s all for a reason. He prayed and said he stumbled through it, and he committed to keep doing it. He said that he also missed a day of praying and felt bad for not doing it! Haha! I was just like Harvey! You got it You have the feelings of the Spirit.  Keep doing it! I have never felt so happy in my life. The promise is true that the Gospel is the way to pure joy! I'm sad to be leaving him, but the hands of Elder Green are good and pure and I know he'll do well!

I Love being a missionary. It continues to be the toughest thing I've ever done but man, the rewards that follow the tough times... Make it all worth it!

I was reading in Enos today. I would invite everyone to read it and follow his example and pray to Heavenly Father and ask for the help and strength to carry on! Life is good! The work of the Lord will carry on! He will provide a way for us in this life! I know that He cares for each and every one of us! He knows us and knows what we need! I love the Lord. In Him my soul delighteth!

I love you Mom! I will probably have time on Thanksgiving to email again since it is our actual

p-day, and its all day, so I will let you know where I am then. And I also forgot my camera and I have some fun picture to give you, so I’ll do that too!

Love

Elder Yukish

Ward Members are helping a lot!

Oh Mom! That’s fantastic to hear! I'm so glad that prayers were answered for you and as well as for me too. I'm really excited to hear that this experience can draw you close to the Lord!

I have been having a fantastic week this week! We didn't get quite as many lessons in but the quality of the lessons have gone up tremendously! We have had so much success with working with members and being able to bring people over to investigators houses and have them make a strong connection with them. I didn't realize before when I went out with the missionaries before how vital it was for them. I feel bad that I didn’t have more chances to go before but I'm so going to help when I get back!

We got in contact with this part member family this week. The Dad has been less active since he was a teenager. The Mom just had a miscarriage and is totally ready to listen to the Gospel right now! The missionaries have tried before and with no luck but this time her heart was soften and she was ready to listen! The Dad has also started to feel a need to be back at church. It really is a answer to lots of prays and lost of hard work we put in this week.

I swear my head has hit the pillow harder than it has anytime before in my life this week. The weather has been perfect! It’s sunny and warm but not too warm. I have been in a crazy exercise mood this week and have actually dropped about 5 pounds. I feel good and pretty in tune with the spirit! This is the last week before transfers and it flew by. I'm actually dreading transfers because I might be transferred.

I really have mixed emotions about it. On the one hand I came into this area after it was dead. We opened it and now we are really seeing success. There are a lot of things going on and solid people that were teaching. On the other hand its getting in to winter and not having a car is going to be stinky. So I'm definitely leaning more towards staying but I’ve been here for 2 transfers and that’s usually about how long we stay in an area so I don’t know.   We’ll se what happens

There is one missionary that is in Massillon which is the next area over in our district that is going home this next week and is just checked out! He’s so trunky. They took away his driving privileges and also his companion just lost his too so they are just getting nothing done. Its kind of sad because he's going to look on this week and probably feel bad that he left on such a low note. He's been a DL and a ZL and is one of the greatest missionaries I know but just is ready to go home. If I start getting like that at the end of my mission I hope someone slaps me.

Oh yeah so they don’t have my driving record.. So could you send that in for me this week? I asked them about it and they said they didn’t get them. I don’t know what happened to them but I'm making sure they get them, and all my stuff, now.

Well I hope you have a great week and I love you guys lots! Send me pictures! Journey wrote me and said that Brock has gotten taller and thinner! He's going to be all grown up when I get home!

Love

Elder Yukish

First snow...and 18 lessons

Whoa! Crazy! I was wondering why Bishop McBride hadn't written me back.  How is this new Bishop?

I believe that the mission has my records but I'm not sure I will be calling them later today and finding out so I can get in a car!! I finished all of my qualifications for driving this week and I want to drive now! Haha!

It’s getting bitter cold here! I woke up one morning and it had actually snowed! I was like NOOOO!!!! And then we got on our bikes and went riding...

I came down with a cold this week and so the cold weather hasn't been helping much but I'm doing a lot better now. I do really like it here! The ward is fantastic and I really feel accepted here and am making great progress this week. This ward has like the best ward mission leader in the mission (so I'm told) and he really knows how to make our life easy as missionaries. We are supposed to teach 20 lessons a week and last transfer we were teaching on average 12.   This transfer we have been averaging 14,  and then this last week we actually had 18! Sooo close and the Bishop was very happy to see that and really was impressed with our efforts.

Elder Green and I have really felt accomplished this week.

I really like my Zone leaders we live with. The new one that came in this transfer actually started his mission in the Canton area on bikes just like me! He hooked me up with some great winter gear that he had that is very useful to use when you’re riding a bike! I was very grateful for that too because it saves us a lot of money and don’t have to worry about buying junk. It’s already proven to be good! I really didn’t like him at first he was a lot different from Elder Thornton who was an AP and knew how to follow the rules and really was obedient. It was a bit different how the new one acted but we've learned to respect each other more now

We'll its time to go play basketball once again! Haha

I'm so glad to hear that you guys are back in AZ and are loving the warmth! I know there are a lot of tough choices out there and I just encourage you, as I do everyone I meet, to take your questions to your Father in Heaven and ask for the guidance and don’t be afraid to sit quietly and listen for the answer. It will come as you continue in faith and involve Him in all you do. I know it works and I know that He hears and answers prayers!

I love you guys so much and I keep you in all my prayers

Love
Elder Yukish 

Love your investigator

Hey Mom,

This week was great! We worked pretty hard and got some good results. The weather has turned from cold to colder with a wind chill. I still like riding my bike but I'm starting to feel worn out by it. It’s uphill everywhere and the cold gets to your face and ears like crazy.

We have an investigator with a baptismal date and she is progressing. We just haven't been able to get her to church. She doesn't have a car (as many people in Canton don't). She's great though! They talked, in the MTC about loving your investigators and wanting the best for them. She is the first person that I've been teaching and have really felt that love for. She hasn't had the best life. She is a 50 year old grandma that just wants joy and we have that joy for her! I have to admit I cried during one of our lessons, and you know what - I'm totally OK with it!

We also have been teaching that guy that we found at the convenience store. He claims to be an Atheist but he keeps calling and asking questions that sound like he wants there to be a God. We have been meeting at the church because he's got some roommates that are not so great, which is OK with us because it’s really close to our house and we can always have a member with us!

Brock looks so awesome with his Iron Man costume!

In Ohio the State “rule” is that Trick-r-Treating is only done on the Sunday before (or the day of) between 3-5pm. Other than that there isn't supposed to be anybody out. It’s so weird, just not the same as Washington's Trick-r-Treating (Giant chicken).

This week I'm investing in some thermals. I finally bought a long john shirt and wore it, life was soooo good! I'm trying to find some pants to go along with it, but just haven't found them yet. It’s not so much that it’s cold just the wind is what gets to you here! I've attached a picture of myself at like 7:45 at night going tracting in the freezing rain! It was probably the best night I've had all week. I think I just lost my mind because the whole time that Elder Green and I were out we were just laughing.

I love you guys so much and I feel of your prayers all the time! They really help me keep going and help remind me of my purpose as a missionary. I’m going to need the support when the snow starts falling! HA HA! My companion always calls me a baby because I'm always cold! 

I put some other pictures up that I took this week hope you like them! 

Love you all and keep you all in my prayers and heart!

Love 

Elder Yukish