Week 9 - New Comps, New Outlook

 Hello everyone!! 

This week has been something absolutely crazy and eventful! This week on Tuesday I got moved to a trio in another ward because of some things that came up with my companion. It was a little scary moving in with the zone leaders like that, but so far its been incredible. These guys have truly shown me the fun and gratitude of serving a mission and it's only been a week.

They have a car so I'm now in a car area which is a big blessing and we've been super busy this past week. The new Covid restrictions in Washington took away tracting and meals with members, but it has still been full of work. We have had some crazy encounters and lessons this week, from a family full on screaming at each other, to doorstep lessons and verses that have physically helped friends we have. We have been working very hard and its showing and we have quite a few people on date to be baptized in December or January. It may not happen after all but I'm still looking forward to seeing this people progressing. All the friends in my new ward are in apartments or government buildings. They are all extremely humble and all have crazy different backgrounds. Like a guy Felix, who used to be in a gang and has had some absolutely WILD experiences! This week has been awesome and I'm looking forward to the future.

Now for some fun details. My new companions are Elder Stilson and Elder Knapp. They are great guys and they have a real love for the work and taught me a lot. We ate dinner last night with an American Samoan family. It was HUGE! We had crab, beef, chicken, fish, and lamb. Along with corn, rice, potatoes, and more. They were incredibly generous and it made me realize I've been gaining weight lol. I've put on 10 lbs since I've been out but I feel great! I've worn through my first pair of shoes already and they are starting to get real bad lol. I've been eating good and feeling grateful for my new circumstances and my family and friends back home. Remember to keep gratitude in your heart and life as the prophet taught us this week. It will ease emotions and lessen burdens. I love you all and look forward to talking to you individually and in the future. Stay safe!!

Love,

Elder Murray 

Week 8 - Missions are blessings

 Hello people,

This week was a good week!! Nothing super crazy but we did basic good missionary things. This email might be pretty short but that's cool. I found a pretty good way to get my comp motivated and we did some real good work this week. We hit our goals and met some great people and gave some awesome lessons. A lot of walking and busy work this week which was fun! I'm finding I'm getting really good at managing my money and it's kinda cool that I'm finally learning that skill lol. We did some exchanges and I find it really helps to get a break and to just experience another area for a little bit. We got an in depth study guide for the Living Christ and we will be participating in Light the World so I'm looking forward to those, these upcoming holiday seasons.

We will have to give a talk this Sunday at virtual church and I'm exciting to talk about my gratitude and the other things they assign us and I will link a copy next email. I'm really stating to enjoy all my studies which is crazy because I never really was like that before. I'm already changing for the better because of the mission and I know it's been an extremely great blessing so far. I actually kinda enjoy the weather here, even though I haven't seen the sun in a while, but that's just me lol. Besides that we have had some awesome member dinners this week including sloppy joe's, homemade pizza, and enchiladas. The members are great as always and are always so willing to help us out. It's weird cause I feel like they help us more than we do them, but maybe that's what it's like being a missionary. I still love you all and miss you every day. I pray for my family and many of my friends on a daily knowing they will see the blessings in their life because of the gospel that I can share and that I was taught. Have a great week and stay safe everyone!

Elder Murray

Week 7 - Frog legs and Octopus Soup!

 Hello everyone, 

This is email number seven and this was a good week!

This week was the start to my second transfer here in Kent, and so far so good. I made a goal for this transfer to work on my handwriting and to try and make it better than it has been before. It'll take a little bit of work but I would like to actually be able to re-read my journal entries some day, lol. We had two exchanges this week, with the zone leaders and with the other companionship of elders in our district. They were both good in their own ways and they both taught me new skills, some in the tech area of finding and some new skills of just how to talk to people about the gospel. It was really cool and I'm glad I was able to experience it.

We had some eventful dinners this week. We went to one with the other elders because it was a single mother's house and we have rules for that sort of thing, but the lesson we gave after turned out to be really incredible because we were able to keep the kids entertained and involved and I guess there usually terrible for lessons, so that was a cool experience. Oh and the other dinner that was crazy was at Vietnamese household, we had frog legs, sticky rice, and octopus salad, and it was the first time I've ever eaten those things! Really pretty crazy and we also sat on the floor to eat. Crazy things.

I didn't get many pictures this week, as it was really pretty busy, but I also got some good deep cleaning done. I fixed the sink yesterday in the bathroom and it felt really cool because I was able to take it all apart and put it back and it worked. The gunk that was in the plug that was stopping water flow made me wanna gag, I should have taken a picture, oh well. Anyways thanks for reading and thanks for all the support I'm getting, and also for the packages and cards as well. Love you all! You're amazing. Have a good week. 

Elder Murray

Week 6 - Through the first transfer - but I'm staying put!

Hello,

This week was the last week In my first transfer. I'm not going anywhere or getting a new companion cause I'm still being trained. That's alright though, I'm excited for the second and to no longer be one of the newest missionaries out here. This week was a good one. We had some good experiences. We helped an old lady with a fetch ton of yard work but it was kinda cool cause mowing her lawn almost brought back memories from Metro. Then we were able to help set up for our ward Halloween party which I didn't even get to go to because we had to go to a baptism in another zone. My comp was teaching a lady that decided to get baptized. I'm sad I missed the party but it's probably good I got to see a baptism this early and be a part of a confirmation. Oh well.

Also this week we got to do an exchange with the Spanish elders and it was crazy going to all the Spanish lessons and listening to them teach. I really didn't understand much but I was able to feel the Spirit very strongly. One family fed us and I was able to get some real life chile reanos or however you spell it. Idk I'm very white lol. I was able to celebrate my first Halloween on the mish, and it was pretty cool I guess. Kinda felt like just another day, but we did a car wash that day and we had a ton of cars come through. We ended up staying for like 3.5 hours to help out and it was awesome. I really enjoyed it actually. We were fed a lot this week which was really awesome and we really had a great time with all our members. It's nice to have such a great ward.

Anyways I'm glad things have been picking up. I'm actually learning a ton each day so that makes me really happy. I love learning about the church and all that I didn't know before. I feel like I'm able to sense questions now and accurately testify of the truthfulness and power of the gospel that we are so blessed to have in our lives. It's so crazy to me that I've made it through one whole transfer already. I'm excited to see what's to come!! Love you all.

Elder Murray 

Week 5 - I saw the temple!

 Hey everyone! 

This week was an odd one, that's for sure. Started good. I had a busy p day and Tuesday was just about normal. We had a dinner with members and then did our other stuff so nothing too crazy.

Wednesday was my first zone conference and it was a pretty powerful experience. I learned a lot and I'm excited to use it in my journey to become the best missionary I can be. We did it in the building right by the Seattle temple, which was beautiful and I was super excited to look and see it. We then had some sweet homemade chili for lunch which was pretty good.

Then the rest of the week was weird. My companion started to get sick, and he thinks its Covid because another companionship we were with was in contact with someone who tested positive. The mission nurse told him to be careful with what he does and had to have a mask on a lot. Idk why they didn't get him tested but oh well. We had a devotional on Friday. That was really incredible. It was with Elder Holland and M Russell Ballard. Super powerful stuff about missionary work and that was another inspiration to push to become better. Anyways I haven't been sick at all and really have no symptoms. I've just had to deal with my comp being a pain because he didn't want to do anything when he was feeling bad because he didn't want to get anyone else sick. So the rest of the time this week I haven't gotten to do much. This is the part where I gotta endure and look forward to future transfers lol and times that aren't filled with a pandemic. I'll make it through and I know I'm doing the best thing for me. I love and miss you all and can feel the support you give. Sorry it's a boring email nothing really fun came out of my companion acting sick all week. Looking forward to next time as always.

Elder Murray.