Ralph Garza and new companion Elder Aguirre

Hey mom!

This last week has been extremely busy but awesome at the same time. Because we are working in the YSA ward we specifically teach guys our age. It's been great to work with them because we get a variety of lifestyles and one similarity we share is the gospel and that's where we come in. It's so exciting to see when they get the message and apply it into their busy lives. 

Right now we are working with a lot of YSAs but one specifically sticks out right now. His name is Ralph Garza. He is a Hispanic guy that has a Christian background but was anti at first. He has been taking the lessons for a while and got closer and closer to baptism until his parents talked him out of it. So last week we went over and taught him about the Tree of Life, explaining the great and spacious building and the mist of darkness that surrounds all when trying to find God's love through the scriptures. He must of understood because the next day he texted us. He had read the chapter we left him and he knew it to be true. He wants to be baptized. 

I've only been here for two weeks but things are going great! We recently had stake reports due for the stake missionary meeting and that was stressful because I did not know what to expect. Luckily my companion had done it before so it wasn't that big of a deal. The zone is doing fantastic and we are just getting started in the transfer. 

It's amazing to see how many people are open to hearing more about the gospel these days. It is another witness that you never know when people will accept the invitation to meet with the missionaries or go to an activity at the church. Extend the invitation and the worst that can happen is them saying no.

I got a package! Thank you Brynn! These oils are awesome and I was in dire need for some more. You are spoiling me! Elder Aguirre is my companion now. He is really into fitness and 'more' fitness so we get along pretty well. We lift weights every morning and I'm starting to get a skinny again. Haha it's nice but we are able to work really well together when we teach and train the zone. 

God truly does answer prayers. When we have real intent and a desire to act upon whatever he receives of with the answer. John 15:16

Love you!

E. Archibald 

This is me and Elder Burk. We had an opportunity to go on exchanges this last week. He was my second companion and it was great to catch up and preach the gospel together!

With great power comes great responsibility.

"It's All About That Book" video

Hey mom!

Sorry I have been really busy this last p day. I will write a big one next week. I do need a few things though. Sorry I feel needy haha but could you send me some insurance info on the email and through the mail? I need that ASAP. And I forgot my pin for my debit card so that is in the mail and will arrive soon. Could you email me that as well. So one more thing sorry again I was wondering if you could mail me a few things from home. My black sunglasses, and my micronized glut amine bottle that is downstairs. That's if it's still there haha. The first two are the most important. 

" Its All About That Book"  Click here the video is on youtube if you want to see it.

The video is great I know! Like I said I will write a bunch more next week. I've been preparing for multiple trainings and meetings every week. The work is amazing and The Lord is also. Thank you for all that you guys do for me you are seriously the best! Love you!

E. Archibald 

With great power comes great responsibility.

Moving Onward and Upward as Zone Leader in Clark YSA Ward

Hey mom!

The week has been crazy! You will see in the pictures this week a lot
of families and close friends in the ward. The reason for that is
that I am getting transferred to a new area. I'm going to the Clark
YSA ward as a zone leader. It's been crazy to see the escalation of my
leadership. One transfer I was a dlb or district leader buddy and then
to district leader then straight to zone leader. It's so much fun to
serve in leadership because you really get to know the missionaries
serving around you as you try to serve them and help them become
better missionaries. I've learned so much these past couple of months
and I can't wait to learn more.

It's been great serving in the Columbia Heights Ward for the past 4
and a half months. The ward here is great and had a huge impact on the
success that we saw these past few months.

At the moment we are getting our investigator Roger ready for his
baptism not this weekend but the next. He has come such a long way
from when I first met him. Now he is ready for baptism and asking me
to baptize him. I was shocked at first because we usually have the
members of the ward baptize the investigators so they have a tie into
the ward but he wants me to do it. I'm pretty excited to have the
opportunity.

This week on Wednesday I was able to see Meet the Mormons with some
other missionaries at the mission office and it was great. I really
loved the football portion and the pilot one. So many inspirational
people that are Mormons! It's great and I think that there will
continue to be more and more as we follow the advice of the prophets
and apostles by reaching our true potential.

A little bit about general conference. It was awesome! It's like a
movie marathon for me. So much inspiration just flying out of their
mouths. I particularly liked Elder Hollands talk on serving the poor
and the atonement. He always just blows it out of the water.
So I'm saying goodbye to Columbia Heights and welcoming the YSA!

Till next week!
Love,
Elder Archibald

I think this dogs name is Tishi. Such and awesome little dog that is a puffball.

Lynn Barnett & Neva Swatzel--Ghost Burger

Hey mom!

This week has been an incredible one! Lynn Barnett was actually
baptized not this last weekend but the weekend before. There is a
pretty cool story behind the whole situation. She was planning on
getting baptized about three weeks ago but ended up getting pushed
back a week because her son actually didn't know anything about it. We
called him not knowing that he didn't know and asked him if he was
planning on doing the ordinance and he called us back and was shocked
because he had no idea that his mother was even meeting with us. So we
ended up meeting with him and found out there are some negative
feelings in their relationship. So it was an interesting process of getting
everything set up. So her son actually was able to do the baptism.

And it was an awesome baptism. There were
about 60 people there and the refreshments were fantastic.

This week we met with this one woman who had been raised by members
but was never baptized and she told us this interesting story about
her life. It made me realize that as we talk to a lot of different
people, they tell us these bizarre stories that
normally a person wouldn't hear about. But when we come around they
end up telling us almost everything it seems. I think it's really the
Spirit that we are granted as we do this work that enables us to get
personal with these people that causes them to open right up to us all the time
and it's incredible.

Today I took on the challenge from Fred. I was to eat
the ghost pepper burger at Burger Bungalow. And I did it. I ate this
huge burger and a pile of fries in less than ten minutes. It was by
far the hottest burger I've ever had. I have some pictures that I will
send next week or this week i will see. But trying to play basketball
after that was a excruciating experience.

Won't be doing that again  anytime soon.
Love you all!
E. Archibald

This first picture is of an investigator Neva Swatzel. She is 91 years
old and still extremely happy and full of energy. She loves the
missionaries!

How to Survive High School

Hey mom hopefully you get this before seminary is over.

How to survive high school. Hmmm high school is an awesome place to have a lot of fun. I had a ton of fun in high school but there is a fine line between fun and dumb. Sometimes when your dumb it is fun but soon after you act dumb you look back and say what the? That was pretty dumb idk why I acted like that. This example can be used in many ways. The way I see it is, make your mind up now what you want to accomplish in high school. What do you want to get out of school? Once you have decided what that is, think of things that benefits you in the long run. I was a social bird and that benefited me very little in the field of education. I still learned stuff but I could have learned so much more! The decisions you make now will effect your future. Go to work! I almost graduated 2 years ago! That's wild.

 

A lot of the time we see that we have the luxury of repentance or spiritual blessing but we don't really strive for them like we should. It's just like Elder Dieter Uchtdorf spoke on. "Your potential, your privileges" we have unknowable potential. Through our Savior Jesus Christ we are supers of the human world. Really! We have the "opportunity" to become like God! We know this. Now act on it. 

 

Try this next time you have a hard assignment. Get your homework out and then your scriptures. Say a prayer and start doing your homework. If you come to a wall, flip open the scriptures and read a few verses with the question in mind. The answers might now be found in the text but they are in your head. The Spirit will reveal it unto you. 

 

I know that my Savior lives and that through Him we are not only cleansed from sin but able to become the best sons and daughters of God we can imagine. I know that Joseph Smith restored Christ's gospel again on the earth in its fullness. I encourage all to find our for themselves if this is true if you haven't already. It's changed my life and will continue to do so as I serve. 

 

You guys are awesome! 

PRIESTHOOD LOVE! 

E. Archibald

Lynn baptism set back, Elder Mohler and Minion hats

Hey!

 

Holy moly!

The week has been incredible! We were supposed to have a baptismal service for Lynn Barnett but some stuff happened and got pushed back a week. What I mean by stuff is that her family didn't know about the baptism and they couldn't make it here soon enough. So we are having a ton of her family here in town for the baptism. It's going to be a great day. Teaching Lynn has been a privilege. She knew it was true right from the beginning. They must be from the tribe of Ephraim. She is so open to the gospel and change. When we asked her to live the Word of Wisdom she got right up off of her couch and dumped out her tub of coffee. She has been drinking coffee for over 30 years and just stopped cold turkey! Lynn is incredible!

 

I had the opportunity to train the district this last week and it went pretty well! I trained on the approach we take when talking with people on the streets or at doors. It's pretty crazy how many things you have to do to get a really good conversation rolling. To get both parties fully interested and interacting in the ‘convo’ is hard to do sometimes with the gospel. And that's why we have trainings. I love this opportunity to serve not only the people in the ward but the other missionaries around me. 

 

As for the seminary part, I will send a letter to you in the mail just because that's cooler. That's too bad that your getting released mother! At least now you can pick up early morning swimming and some mid afternoon racquetball to train for some more Olympics! Seriously it would be so much fun. Time flies and your chances are ticking away. That's what I've learned. The time we have to achieve. Our dreams or goals is short and if we don't start now it might now put get done. 

 

Training Elder Mohler had been great! We are getting along a lot better now. The first two to three weeks with every new companion is kinda rough and then you get into the flow of things and it goes great. We are tearing it up here in Columbia heights and love it. A lot of the pictures we take are with Fred Swink. He is by far the coolest member I've met on my mission.

Training new missionay Elder Mohler, teaching seminary

Hey! 

Sorry this week's letter is going to be a little shorter than usual. We have been really busy.

It was an incredible week all together though. We had the opportunity to find, teach and this week baptize! Lynn Barnett is planning on being baptized this Friday and it's going to be incredible. She has come a long way and believe it or not we tracted into her about 2 months ago. Lynn is from Alabama and she has an awesome personality. The mission brings a lot of different experiences and feelings into motion. It's pretty cool to see all the different life styles and how the gospel can bless them in their own way. 

Me, Fred and Elder Mohler

First week of training a new missionary has been great and will continue to do so. We actually had the chance to teach early- early morning seminary yesterday morning. It was at 6:10. These kids are wild but then again they were half awake as we taught the restoration up until the First Vision; the climactic part that wrecks people with the Spirit. Haha it was awesome. This week I will have the chance to train missionaries and go to the temple. It's gonna be a great week! Here's an awesome quote to spice things up a bit. 

"The nature of God is a circle 

of which the center is everywhere 

and the circumference is nowhere." 

 

We love Ghetto Ice Cream Trucks

Losing Weight ---STRANGE