Sweat, Snow, Sundry Fruit and a Weird Romance.....

Hey Y'all!

So this week was a slower week but it still went by quick.  We had a lot going on even though we had like 0 investigators here because of Christmas break.  

Well Monday we started off with a member feeding us dinner and then bringing  a friend to investigate the church.  He is super solid!  I would encourage everyone to help the missionaries out and bring a friend for them to teach.  It makes the work so much easier on the missionaries and helps bring more people to God.  

Tuesday we had a Jedi council set up for district meeting.  That was super cool.  Wednesday night we had a family in another ward feed us dinner and then take us caroling around their neighborhood.  It was nice.  The best part was the grandma was old and crazy.  Elder Milne complimented her on a bow in her hair and she turned to her son-in-law and said "he doesn't know I'm married"  hahaha so great!  We got home and cut up our sundry fruit consisting of a pineapple, mango, papaya, kiwi, coconut, apples, oranges,starbursts and bananas for the breakfast the next morning. 

That night we got all 7 of the Elders living in the compound to move their mattresses into one apartment with their presents and had a sleepover.  We watched a movie and had Elder Frederiksen read Luke 2.  The next day we opened presents, had breakfast with the district, skyped home, did our studies and then went to President and Sister Smith's house for dinner.  Super awesome Christmas day.  One of my favorite Christmas's ever!  We were in short sleeve shirts and sweating.  Bright sunny skies.  I had an outside shower to start off the day.  Loved it! Yesterday we had some instant snow so we made that and Elder Milne got on the roof and we loured an Elder out and made it snow on him!  We got snow in Florida!  haha He thought it was super funny. 

 So yeah that was my Christmas week.  I hope Y'all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Elder Funk

Merry Christmas...oh wait, there's no one here

Hey Y'all,

This week was pretty boring considering campus is dead with classes being out due to the holidays.  

Sunday we had an investigator at church who left during SundaySchool because "devils were eating me".  Yeah we don't understand it either.  

Monday we got to play dodgeball for the conclusion of Family History week.  That was a blast.  We went all the way to the championship but lost.  Still a lot of fun.  I can proudly say I did not injure or hit anyone in the head this time.  

Tuesday we filmed a video for our campus Facebook page.  All I can say is I am sorry for our voices but you're welcome for the video of me ;)  

Wednesday we walked campus for 7 hours talking to a total of 5 people.  However we did manage to find Baskin Robbins.

  Thursday and Friday we contacted for most of the day and went caroling at night.  Not a whole lot to do when there's no one on campus.  It is nice though that we are able to go out in our short sleeve shirts and end up sweating in the middle of December.  Nothing like going somewhere where they don't participate in Winter.  Have a great week!  Merry Christmas!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Ladies and Gentlemen.....ELDER UNIVERSE

Hey Y'all!

This week was a super quick week.  Sunday we got Latedrick confirmed a member which was great!  Monday we went out contacting and it was like misting.  It wasn't a super bothersome rain but within minutes you were just soaked.  Weirdest thing I have ever been apart of.  That night we had a small Family Home Evening where we wrapped gifts for needy families.  Tuesday we had our half mission christmas conference.  That was a blast.  We had to do District introductions.  Ours, since we are the relief society district due to the amount of sisters compared to elders, was a pageant.  Sister America and Elder Universe.  

We each got a question and made a joke about missionary work. Mine was the perfect morning routine.  "6:30 arouse, pray, fall asleep praying and then pray again.  Work out, 7:30 breakfast consisting of hashbrowns, eggs and a lot of bacon.  8:00 begin personal study where most days you study other days you fall asleep.  9:00 companion study where we talk for 15 minutes then make lesson plans and finish off with a quick nap."  President Smith was so impressed he wanted an interview with me after! ;)  I ended up winning the competition (of course) so I am Elder Universe!  

Wednesday we did a lot of contacting.  Thursday we finally had our shower fixed!  Got to use an inside shower for the first time in a couple weeks.  I was getting tired of showering outside when I could see my breath while showering.  Friday was bittersweet.  We had to say goodbye to the greatest investigator ever!  Cait is leaving for Christmas break and then spending next semester in Rome, Italy.  That was super sad.  Then later that night we met with Latedrick and he told us that he wants to go on a mission.  Super awesome!  

Then we finished with a ward Christmas party where we got to see Santa!  So that's about the extent of my week.  Solid week but now all of the students are gone for winter break so we won't have any work for two weeks.  Fun weeks!  haha I will be staying on FSU campus for another 7 weeks though so that's exciting.  Have a great week Y'all!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Latedrick's Baptism!

Out of Order

Hey Y'all,

It's been quite a week.  We got to finish teaching Latedrick (La-Ted-Drick) the missionary lessons and finished with a baptism today!  So at the beginning at this week we were informed that we were not to use our shower until some guy came and recaulked it because the ground underneath the floor was so saturated that mold would have grown in a week.  So we are still waiting on getting that done and then Wednesday our toilet got clogged so our bathroom was out of order until we could get some things fixed.  Not the best start to the week.  Overcoming those obstacles has made this a fun week.  Sort of.  Anyway we did a lot of finding work this week.  Talking to a lot of people and we had a family history appointment where we ended up finding Edgar Allen Poe's draft card.  The person was so happy to find that.  Tuesday we saw an armadillo!  Those things are creepy.  They remind Elder Milne of Rodants of Unusual Size.  

Thursday we had Latedrick's baptismal interview where he was 40 minutes late...awkward...After he passed that interview we played some 5 base baseball.  I am pretty sure it has been described in a previous letter but you play in a gym and with a tennis ball and racket.  Rules are a bit different and you can hit people with the ball to get them out.  I'd be really good at that if I could aim at all with my throws.  Let me kick it and I could nail anyone but I can't throw worth a bean.  

Yesterday we ended up finding two new investigators that seem really solid.  It's just really unfortunate that we found them right before winter break.  That will be fun trying to find work during that time.  We also taught a Chinese man named Bei.  We got to teach about God and how we can find out if he's there.  That's something I never thought I'd get/have to teach.  Today we were able to get Latedrick baptized!  Super awesome.  We felt bad because no hot water was coming out so the font was freezing cold.  No problem for Latedrick and Taylor Wilhelm though!  I got to talk on the Holy Ghost and it is so cool to see how you are given opportunities to talk on something that you need to learn more about.  I think the studying benefited me more than anyone listening to my talk.  Sorry people at the baptism...Oh well.  Well that's all for the week Y'all!  Have  a great one!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

P.S.  I'll send pictures when I can figure out how to work this fishin technology! 

Flo-Rida Tallanasty Thanksgivin

Hey Y'all!

Short week.  So last Saturday we went to a petting zoo thing and we got to pet bunnies!!!!  Better yet we got deep fried oreos and the highlight of the day.....I ate some gator!!!!  I never thought it would be so amazingly delicious!  I want so much more.  It was great.  If you ever have the chance I would encourage you to have some.  From that point on in just poured rain until Wednesday.  Not having a rain coat was a poor idea.  I mean it's not like I am in Florida or anything.  With Thanksgiving being this week we did a ton of contacting to the few souls on campus.  That was fun.  A lot of walking but it was fun.  Tuesday we had district activity where we played one game of dodgeball for an hour.  That game was forever long but don't worry I won ;)  Everyone was so sore after.  Thursday we had a Turkeybowl with some members and that was difficult.  Us being sore and all.  Then dinner with the campus missionaries and a few senior couples.  Followed by caroling at Walmart and then finishing the night off with leftovers for dinner.  Friday we discovered worms crawling out of the cracks in our shower so we spent 2 hours cleaning that and then went to lunch with a couple members.  I got a peanut butter and jelly bacon cheeseburger.  Sounds weird but it was strangely satisfying.  I don't know how to describe it but it was good.  Well yeah that is about it.  Great week!  Hope Y'all have a great week! 

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

PS Here's an awesome wallet I got for myself and pictures that don't do justice to how awful the jello looked.

Pre-Thanksgiving Caroling

Hey Y'all,

This week went by super quick.  I feel like I was just emailing yesterday.  We have found 3 new investigators this week and they are all pretty darn solid.  The highlight of the week was definitely Wednesday.  We (by we I mean the other set of elders and two sets of sisters) went caroling on campus.  Meanwhile Elder Milne and I handed out free hot chocolate.  It was so funny to watch people go around grab some hot chocolate and see others laugh.  I thought it was super funny but it was good for contacting people.  Nothing like a good Christmas carol before Thanksgiving.  

In case anybody didn't hear there was a shooting on campus a few nights ago.  I am proud to say I slept right through it in our apartment.  So we are all fine.  Thursday night we played dodgeball with investigators and members and I ended up hitting a sister in the face.  Man I felt awful...on the bright side I ended up winning.  Doesn't make it better but there's a positive note to end on for that.  Other than that nothing too exciting has happened this week.  Just the same ole missionary work.  Walking around talking to people and teaching lessons or waiting for lessons that never show up. 

 This week will be fun as it is Thanksgiving and everyone is going away for Thanksgiving.  Shout-out to our Senior couple Elder and Sister Dalley for preparing a day of games and movies for us that we can't go to because we have to be doing missionary work.  They are the best senior couple ever.  So this week will be fun.  So yeah that's all that has been going on.  Have an awesome week everyone!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Authentic Sushi with a side of WASABI from the Funk Meister

Hey Y'all!

So this week went by super quick.  Monday we were out finding.  By that I mean we were out scouring the campus looking for a member of our dinner appointment group.  He got lost on campus and had a dead phone so we spent 15 minutes finding him and then went to get sushi.  Sushi actually isn't too bad.  I got a deep fried steak and egg sushi roll.  I know what you are thinking.  I am the most authentic sushi eater ever!  'MURICA!  We finished dinner with a nice wasabi challenge.  I didn't think the wasabi was too bad.  It burns for a second but it goes away super quick.  Tuesday we had our investigator, Cait, teach a lesson to us with a member, Taylor, as her companion.  That was awesome.  They taught well and we got a member present lesson without teaching!  Best investigator ever!  Wednesday was awesome because we were taken out to lunch by a less active to Moe's.  Moe's menu is epic!  They had the 'Art Vandelay', The 'Funk Meister', The 'Quite talker' and one of my favorites The 'Joey Bag of Donuts'!  I was more impressed with the names than the food but it was super awesome to see that I was so inspirational to them that they dedicated a menu item to me ;)  Thursday was fun as we taught a recent convert's friend.  They went to Smoothie King and he came in with a pumpkin smoothie that he didn't like so he gave it to me.  I love pumpkin stuff!  So delicious.  Then we were taken out to dinner by a couple awesome members.   They also took us to get frozen yogurt.  What better kind than pumpkin!!!!  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!  PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!!!!!!  So yeah.  It's getting cold here.  Like 40's and 50's cold.  It doesn't sound too bad but it's a humid cold.  I am super disappointed that Florida actually does participate in winter.  I would rather take the dry cold than a humid "cold" any day.  Oh we also have another investigator, Latedrick, who wants to be baptized super soon so by December, hopefully, he will be baptized!  Well that's all I got this week.  Have a great week Y'all!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

PS Here is a picture with me and my menu item

There and Back Again

Hey Y'all,

So Sunday night I found out I was getting transferred.  Little did I know it was like a 24 hour transfer.  So Monday we had a dodgeball activity to conclude our Family History week and being in a district of sisters made our tournament journey very short.  Super fun though.  We got tiger shirts and then spray painted the back to say 'eye of the tiger'. 

Tuesday our investigator Cait baked us cookies and we watched a movie.  I had at least a dozen cookies.  I felt super fat and unhealthy afterwords but it was totally worth it.  They were super delicious cookies.  

Wednesday we drove to Crestview and I met my new companion Elder Douglas.  We went to Calloway Florida and taught a lesson.  

Thursday we started our morning and got a call from President Smith saying I needed to pack my bags and I was heading back to campus and going to be in a companionship with Elder Milne.  Packed my bags and was back in Tallahassee by 5 PM.  It was weird seeing everyone after I had already said goodbye to them.  Then we split up the people we were working with because we were now in two companionships. 

So this week we will have a lot of finding to do.  That is always fun.  Played some football this morning and that was super fun.  So yeah that's about all....Have an awesome week Y'all.

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Family History Powerup

Hey Y'all,

Nothing too exciting this week.  It was a pretty boring week.  Just missionary work day in and day out.  Appointments falling through and investigators progressing.  This week was "Family History Week"  so all of our contacting was supposed to start with Family History.  We are competing with the other Tallahassee Zone and the districts within both Zones.  Safe to say campus had the victory from day one.  It is based on return appointments and then divided to per companionship in the district.  We are destroying the other districts and on Monday we will play dodge ball and the winning district and Zone get "power-ups".  That will be fun.  So we've done a lot of contacting.  Not my favorite thing but I have gotten a lot better at it.  We have this super great less active member.  He returned from a mission a few years ago and has issues with the nature of God.  I think he will be able to get through this.  Friday I went on a trade off with Elder Peterson.  I went to his area and became a normal missionary for the first time!  Family ward and just the two of us.  I felt right at home knocking on doors and talking to people that way.  I felt so much better teaching lessons with just the two of us.  I think a companionship would be good.  The days of window washing selling are paying off!  We find out transfers tomorrow.  I am feeling a transfer coming so we will see.  Well I don't have a lot to say this week.  Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!  Have a great week Y'all!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

"Are They Some Special Kind of Stupid?"

Hey Yall,

This week went by fast.  Really rough in regards to appointments falling through but nonetheless it is over.  Nothing super exciting happened Monday, Tuesday we were having a come to Jesus during district meeting.  I was expecting a lot more upsetness, uneasiness and resistance  but it was all in a spirit of love.  

There's a reason that I am not district leader right now...Later that night we found out that Cait, our investigator supposed to get baptized next week, backed out because her parents want to talk to her during thanksgiving before she commits.  Then Wednesday night she went out to dinner with some Sisters and a couple members and they brought up all of the stuff she struggled with during the beginning of her investigation and made her doubt her faith a bit.  She called another member who we've worked with and he calmed her down and then called us later wanting to learn more and then when we told him it was a couple Sisters he said "Are they some kind of special stupid?"  He was so mad and upset.  After a nice long chat with those sisters we were able to figure out the problem and then meet up with Cait and the member who calmed her down and solve the problem.  

Thursday wasn't too special other than that and then Friday....Friday we had seven appointments scheduled and all but one fell through.  That was the worst!  Only one person called us ahead of time to let us know they were unable to make it.  On the bright side we got a lot of contacting done.  We have a baptism today!  Woot! Woot!  So that's my week in a nutshell.  Have an awesome week everyone! 

Elder Funk 2.0

Remember who you are and what HE stands for.

Baptism October 25, 2014

Water (like flooding rain) plus Tornado does NOT equal a hurricane

Hey Y'all,

This week was a slower week.  Nothing too exciting happening.  Tuesday we were at Zone Training and a member texted us to let us know that there was a flash flood warning and five minutes later he texted us again saying we were upgraded to a tornado warning.  Now this leads to the subject line and the nonsense that is involved here.  What is a hurricane?  Tornado + rain  What did we have?  Tornado + Rain.  Exactly.  It makes no logical sense but then again we are in the South.  Wednesday I got interviewed by President Smith.  That was super short because I had no idea what was going on.  It was good though.  Always nice to feel the love your President has for you.  

  I also got to teach a lesson that night with just me and a member.  That was super scary but a great confidence builder.  I taught super well and was able to actually have words come out and take control of the lesson.  I also got a ride in a sweet mustang that night.  It had some nice seats.  I'd get one just for the seats.  Thursday we had a 'Fall Festival' activity put on by 'the ward' (Missionaries did everything for it).  It was fun but I think some missionaries lost their focus and got wrapped up in it.  So we left and taught a lesson and went contacting.  Friday we planned for next week and taught four lessons.  Then a member took us to Wendy's.  Frosty Friday lives on!  haha that was super awesome.  I was kind of sad that I was not able to wear my Frosty Friday shirt.  

After that we had our investigator, Cait, text us that she wants to be baptized on the 2nd of November.  She has been ready for a month and is finally going to do it!  We fasted together and then in zone training we were challenged to get a BCD before the first week in November and a baptism by Christmas and we planned on 2 baptisms this transfer and it all goes to show that Heavenly Father has a plan and inspires us in little ways about how that plan is to come about.  I am so grateful for Him and the life he has given me.  Have an awesome week everyone!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

"Jesus Watch"

Hey Y'all

Short week this week with my previous P-Day being Monday.  So nothing super exciting happened this week.  Taught some people, went contacting, and did some service.  We had many lessons cancel on us this week but there's nothing we can do about it.  I finally learned how to do more Family History and how to help people with that.  Well our three main investigators are all progressing well.  One has a baptismal date for the 25th, another is dealing with her parents about being disowned, and the last one is beginning to find out that God is there and have faith in Him and Jesus Christ.  I also broke my super cool light up watch this week so I decided that I still wanted to use it for something so I cut out a picture of Jesus and put it in and now where to watches.  One telling me the time and one reminding me that Jesus is watching and there's always time for Him.  People find it super funny and some find it weird but I love it.  So yeah that's about all I got.  Here's a picture of it.  Hope y'all have a great week!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

First Transfers

Hey Y'all,

Quite the long week this week.  Even more weird that today is Monday and not Saturday.  I am a normal missionary for once!  SoSunday we found out that Elder Rogers was going to be transferred.  Monday and Tuesday were pretty much him saying goodbye to everyone.  I felt like such a horrible missionary for wasting so much time doing that.  Tuesday we had District Activity where we played 5 base baseball.  It was in the gym and you play with a tennis racket and a tennis ball and to get people out you hit them with the ball.  A couple sisters got hit in the face from a ball off the racket and that was a feel bad moment for everyone but on the bright side I made a spinning throw off my back leg running away from the bag  to get someone out at first that would make Derek Jeter proud.  

Wednesday we roadtripped 2 1/2 hours to pick up our new companion, Elder Frederiksen.  He was just a zone leader so he is super knowledgeable and obedient.  The first morning he was here he chastised us on our morning "workout" time.  He told us sitting up out of bed and moving to the couch wasn't "exercise" and we needed to be more obedient there.  That was the moment when I knew it was going to be a long week and maybe a long transfer.  We have been doing a lot more productive work now that he is here which is good.  Nothing super exciting happened Thursday or Friday just super long days trying to get used to this new companion and adjusting to his style.  

I have realized that the work isn't difficult getting used to, the area isn't difficult getting used to, the dress, ridicule, and the people here aren't hard getting used to, but the hardest parts for me as a missionary is learning where I am best utilized, not having any alone time, and having to change my lifestyle in order to compromise with a stranger that I am going to be working with 24/7 for at least 5 weeks.  On a brighter note General Conference was super.  

I understand why it's "Christmas" for Missionaries.  It was pretty much a two day rest from contacting and to gain more knowledge.  In between the first two sessions the AP's had a baptism for someone in our ward that they taught.  That was cool.  As for the actual conference part I really enjoyed D. Todd Christofferson's talk,  Jorg Klebingat's, Dieter F. Uchtdorf's Priesthood Session talks.  All the talks were great though.  I definitely got a lot more out of it this time...Mostly because I actually paid attention and took notes this time...I can also proudly say that I cut my own hair for the first time Sunday night and it looks presentable.  So yeah...long long long week.  Love Y'all and hope this is an awesome week for you.

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Being Protected Through Genius Moves

Hey Y'all!

This week was a super long week.  We find out transfers tomorrow which is why it was so long.  We had several lessons fall through and went to a almost all black college.  That was super nice.  People were so nice and accepting there.  I loved it over there but there is more success at FSU still.  We went to Steak N' Shake which is super delicious.  Best chili dog I have ever had.  Best part of the week was yesterday where we had a lesson scheduled at noon but he didn't end up showing up so we waited and the institute was showing a video, 'His Grace is Sufficient' by Brad Wilcox, super awesome devotional for all of you who haven't seen it, so we stayed and watched that.  Right as we started a man walked in and wanted to know more about the church since he is going to BYU.  We watched the message and then after he asked how to be converted.  We talked with him for a few minutes after and gave him a baptismal date and a Book of Mormon.  He came back to the institute four hours later to run with some members and he had read the introduction, the witnesses statements, and 1 Nephi and had questions.  That was super awesome!  Can't wait to teach him!  

Just so everyone knows I am still a genius.  Wednesday night we had a couple Elders star gazing and so our Zone Leader says we should get on the roof and look at them.  So he gets a boost from another Elder to get up and waits up there for the next person.  It gets better.  The next person is getting up that way and being the genius I am I got two garbage cans (the big ones you put on the road) and stacked them.  So with three garbage cans there we have like what looks like steps up to the roof.  Genius I know.  So I climb on the first one with no problem.  I put my foot on the second one and feel it move.  What's the reasonable response to that?  Get off.  What did I do?  Continue on.  I thought I could pull myself up real quick and then the garbage cans slide out and I slip off the roof.  But wait there's more.  At the bottom of my fall is not only cement but cement steps with a railing.  Thankfully I was able to brace myself a bit and only came away with a few scrapes.  I am definitely being watched by the Lord.  I still think that was the most strategic and quickest way up.  Hope everyone has a great week! 

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

GameDay

September 20, 2014

Soaking up some sun

FSU Campus

College Game Day Filming

Cool Refreshing Drink

Sup Y'all!

This week was awesome!  We had one of our investigators tell us that she knows the Book of Mormon is true and is now speaking with her parents about being  baptized!  It's a bit rough because they are threatening to disown her.That is definitely something I never thought that I would have to deal with.  Just imagining what that would feel like makes me feel so horrible.  I am so much more grateful for understanding parents who love me no matter what.  We have had super solid lessons this week.  A couple investigators said they had never considered joining until now.  A couple others had dreams with us in it.  Those two dreams happened on the same night and were told to us the same day.  That was weird.  On the bright side Elder Milne and I were with the spirit both times and Elder Rogers was for one of them and then in the other he smacked the investigator in the face with the Bible....we still don't know what that means but we joke about it a lot.  Tuesday we had Zone Training where we had a couple sisters do the cups song about the Restoration.  It was weird and cool.  If you haven't seen it look it up on youtube.  After we went to Five Guys and it was pretty good.  Super filling and then a member took us to get frozen yogurt.  I felt so fat.  On the bright side I made the PERFECT peanut butter cup frozen yogurt.  It was delicious and totally worth it.  

Friday was the best.  College gameday is here this week and we had a couple lessons fall through and so we went contacting and we ended up over there where we got free pizza and coke.  They told us to take all the stuff we wanted so I took 20 Coca Colas....Seems reasonable right?  I thought so.  We contacted people while there and there was this girl that worked for Coca-Cola and travels to every college gameday to give Coke out and after we left I told my companions that I would totally marry that girl.  They asked if I thought that she was cute and I was like I don't know.  I don't look for that stuff right now but she GIVES Coke away to me for FREE!  What more do you need?!?!?!  Haha If only that was all you needed in marriage.  We then taught a couple lessons to end a solid night.  The tailgating here is crazy legit.  It makes me want to come down here to go to school. Not gonna happen but it would be cool.  Well have an awesome week Y'all!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Bashing and Deep Doctrine

Hey Yall's,

This week was pretty great.  We got to go to an FSU football game Saturday which was awesome!  The atmosphere is so much greater than USU.  I still would take USU anyday over FSU though.  Then Sunday we got our first baptism!  That was so awesome!  This week we have been teaching and doing so many other things that we have not gone out contacting and walking campus at all.  That is super nice.  Wednesday we set up a family history booth on campus and we stayed a bit longer to see if we could get more people interested and it did not work at all.  The Frat houses and Sororities started blasting music and dancing and that totally destroyed the spirit and any chance that we had at attracting people.  We have this investigator, Cait, and she is asking some super deep doctrinal questions.  It is super hard to answer her questions in the correct way and keep her interested in the gospel but the Lord has prepared her.  Everything is going well here other than that.  Got to get into some bashing yesterday apparently.  I had no idea.  I thought it was kind of a cool lesson but Elder Milne got super into it with him and I just kind of sat back and listened.  It was super interesting.  Well that's about the extent of my week.  Nothing super exciting except a baptism!!!!  Hope Yall's have a great week and remember to keep going even when you can't see the end.  Just trust in the Lord.  We don't always understand His plan but He has one and it's a perfect plan.

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

FSU Football game

Elder Rogers falling asleep during studies--he pays the price every time

First Baptism!

Messin' with Sister Missionaries

This week went by crazy fast.  I am having a hard time remembering what all went down.  We have spent a bunch of time preparing for a baptism tomorrow so that is mainly what we did.  We taught a lot of lessons and had even more fall through.  Those aren't as bad as you would think.  As we have had appointments fall through we have found great investigators to compensate for that "lost" time.  Heavenly Father really has a plan laid out for us we just have to look for the path and follow it.  

Thursday we got to burn a shirt and a pair of pants in honor of a missionaries year mark and another's 18 month mark.  That was really fun.  The highlight of the week was a prank by my companion on a couple of sisters.  We have this girl in our ward named Wendy and so the sisters were asking for her number so naturally we gave them Wendy's the restaurant number.  They called them twice!  The first time asking if Wendy was there and then if she could call them back later.  They called back the second time a couple seconds later and asked if Wendy lived there.  The employee explained that it was the restaurant and the sisters were laughing so hard when they called us to tell us what happened.  It's moments like that that turn Missionary work into Missionary fun.  So yeah that's about the extent of my week.

  We had an awesome P-Day today playing football for 3 hours and are about to head out to the FSU football game!  I seriously have the BEST mission president!  Tomorrow we should have 4-6 investigators at church and then get to have a baptism after!  Best Sunday EVER!  Hope Y'all have a great week!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

Simplified and Intensified Birthday

Hey Yall's,

Apparently in Florida some of us say yall's.  We are weird like that.  Anyway this week went pretty quickly.  P-Day's are really boring because it's just us three elders and 6 sisters with Saturday P-Days so we don't do a whole lot.  We had Stake Conference this week which was good because President Smith ripped into the members about not helping the missionaries enough and then on Tuesday we had Elder Zwick of the 70 come here and gave a broadcast for the ward council people and he ripped into them about the same thing.  Hopefully something will turn up from that.  Thursday we got to meet with Elder Zwick for a half mission conference and he brought the spirit so strongly.  We got to shake his hand and talk with him for a minute.  When I talked to him he told me to look up Ruth Funk, who happens to be my grandmother, and told me she was a legend.  (His grandmother Ruth Funk was not the General Young Womens leader. His grandmother is legendary and alive and well!) 

His main message was to 'Simplfy and intensify'.  I loved that message. Friday was incredible!  We were able to teach 6 lessons!  That was more than all of the lessons I've taught here in all the time I've been here put together.  After teaching all of those lessons some of the YSA ward threw me a surprise birthday party.  It was so awesome and nice of them.  I've been here for like a week and they really show Christ-like attributes in accepting and loving everyone.  That is a lesson that I think almost everyone could learn and work on more.  Campus is full this week with school starting on Monday.  There are so many people that we don't know who to stop and talk to.  Relying on the Holy Ghost has never been more important.  We have a former Bishop's wife, Sister Knudsen, aka Mama K who is pretty much the best.  They had us over for dinner on Sunday and then stopped by 3 times this week to bring us food.  She even brought me Krispy Creme donuts and chocolate milk on Friday.  She almost filled our fridge when we were almost empty.  Mama K is an awesome area mother.  It's hilarious because we have 7 Elders in our apartment and she seems to only feed us.  

The best part of the apartment is the outdoor shower.  It sounds weird but a warm shower at 9:50 PM under the stars is the best thing on the face of the earth!!!!  Just so you all know. Well have an awesome week!  I'll be here if anybody needs me.

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for.

Surprise! Saturday P-Day!

Surprise!  I know you all think that all missionaries have P-Day on Monday but we don't.  I got here on Tuesday after the worst day of traveling in my whole flippin life to like the most stereotypical southern home ever.  A road leading to one house that is just like the one in Forest Gump or Fletch 2.  Then I found out that I would be serving my first transfer or two on the campus of Florida State University!  (Saturday is our least productive day so that's why we have P-Day on Saturday)  I am again in a trio with Elder Milne, the one and only from North Logan Utah and Sky View graduate of 2013,  and Elder Rogers from the Salt Lake area who was serving in Sierra Leon, Africa but was evacuated and sent here because of some disease that was spreading there.  Anyway they are super fun and funny.  We are serving in the only YSA ward in the whole mission and are the only Elders in our district.  That's a bit weird and lame because we have no Elders to hang out with on P-Day.  I am staying in "The Compound"  which is pretty much the best housing area in the mission.  The owner will only rent it out to missionaries so that is really nice.  It's a lot different here.  A lot more poverty and homelessness.  No mountains or the grid system.  I miss that a lot.  We feed the homeless once a week so that's pretty cool.  The mission is nothing like the district.  We watch a part of it everyday during companionship study and make fun of it for how unrealistic it is (well at least how unrealistic it is to our area).  That always brightens our day.  I am super excited for the 7th of September because we have a man committed to baptism.  I don't want to say I'm that good at missionary service but you know ;)  haha he was already committed before I got here so I can't take any credit for that.  However I did place my first Book of Mormon on my first day here to a girl who had researched the church and really wanted to learn more so I am excited to teach her more about the restored gospel.  People here are really not too accepting of the gospel because they already have a religion and don't want to change.  It's too bad.  We could help them see the wonders of the gospel but it's their choice.  So yeah...it's fun, super hot and humid, tough on the feet, long, and sometimes a bit boring.  One thing I do need to work on is humility.  There have been points where I feel smarter or more capable at training than my trainer (Elder Milne) is but I know I need to go through this stuff and he knows what to do and I don't necessarily always know what to do.  Anyways here's pictures of stuff.  That's all I got...Have a great week!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!

FSU Stadium

Companions

Aparmtnet

Mission Home

Pictures from the MTC

The beauty of nature

Elder Funk and companions

District

Elder Funk and Elder Geddes

The ridiculously small cereal bowl...his bowl at home was a mixingbowl

Companions

Heading to Tallahassee

Elder Funk and Elder Compton friends and neighbors. 

Elder Hoyt (on left) Elder Funk

MTC Emails

 August 12, 2014

This is my first and only P-Day in the MTC so this will most likely be the only letter that I write from here.  The first few days have gone by so flipping slowly.  The minutes were like hours, the hours like days, and the days like weeks.  But since Sunday the days have gone by quicker and I can't be more grateful.  The worst part of the MTC is the stupid flipping alarm clock every morning.  (We say flip a lot down here.)  Another bad part is they don't allow music at the MTC!  What kind of rule is that!?!?!?  Anyway other than that it has gone pretty well.  I have gotten to see a lot of my friends down here including having Elder Jensen and Elder Hansen come to pick me up on Wednesday!  Elder Jensen got to be my host and that was awesome!  I have two companions, Elder Richardson (from California) and Elder Jones (from West Monroe Yeah like Duck Dynasty and then moved to Herriman)  They are great Elders and we mesh really well so that's nice.  We spend so much time in the classroom. It is so great and spiritual but its kind of a drag.  It took a couple days for us to get comfortable but there came a point when we all just felt comfortable with each other. 
Sincerely,
Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!


August 18, 2014

Hey everybody,

This week went by quickly.  Got to teach an awesome TRC investigator.  I don't know what TRC stands for I think it is like Tough Real Characters or at least it should be.  Some of these people are so mean and some are so sweet but everyone is real and they are difficult to teach.  Ours was amazing! She was so sweet.  We actually had dinner with her tonight before we left and apparently that's weird and unheard of but we really just hit it off.  Other than that the MTC is just learning and teaching.  We head out tomorrow morning at 3:30 AM what a joy....  So yeah that's about all I got this week... Nothing too exciting going on besides that but sleep will definitely be difficult to come by tonight.  Here are some pictures for the general amusement of everyone.  The cereal bowls here are tiny.  I miss my mixing bowl. I can't see the pictures any more so I have no idea what they are but I think I sent a picture of a flower that I took and thought was pretty so enjoy that.  There is beauty all around us.  We just don't take the time to see it.  Pause and look at the miracles God has given us!  So Yeah I hope you all have a great week.  Love everyone!

Elder Funk

Remember who you are and what HE stands for!