Make Sure You Pray Everyday!

  

 Christmas Day in Pocatello! 

Elder Rush and some of his Zone.

Hello Everyone!

This last week was pretty crazy with Christmas. I hope you all had a very Merry CHRISTmas and remember the true meaning of Christmas. 

So we were given 3 hours Monday to email and shop, 3 hours Wednesday night, because no one wants missionaries in their home Christmas eve ); and Christmas day was all day P-day. The schedule is the same this week. But it has thrown me off. I cannot wait for things to get back to normal.

Nothing really happened this week. Friday morning we were all happy and finalizing the details for Jacob's baptism but we received a text from his mom saying she did not want him to be baptized for 6 more months. I was sad because Jacob understands the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He's not even baptized but asks questions about serving a mission and has a desire to serve one! Hopefully things will change for him.

Saturday we got to go through the temple with a lady we have been teaching. Two years ago she was in a terrible place. No job, no place to live, and had an addiction to drugs. Seeing the healing power that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has on someone is amazing. If anyone reading this is having trouble with an addiction it is possible to overcome, when you turn to your Father in Heaven, He will help you through all your struggles. 

Well in conclusion for this week. I miss you all! I really do! I hope you are doing well and would love to hear from you. I am sorry I have not respond to your letters lately but Thursday I am sitting down and writing letters! And whatever you do make sure you pray EVERYDAY. It is one of the most important things you can do on a daily basis!

Love you and Happy New Year!

Elder Rush

Elder Rush and Elder O'Brien's Christmas tree.

So excited! Christmas morning!

Chatting with our amazing Elder Rush on Christmas afternoon! He still does his Mitchell faces! Miss my boy!

Only someone from Canada would have a snowball fight in shorts! Burrrr! Wish there was a picture of my California boy who doesn't like the snow but loves the white stuff on the beach! California winters!

Love Elder O'Brien's head gear!

In the back ground is Hawthorne Middle School, my Junior High School many many moons ago!

Miss Mitchell's beautiful blue eyes!

Merry Christmas to All!

Hope you all are having a safe and happy Christmas season!

It is crazy! Christmas is in 3 days and it still hasn't phased me. Usually the 25 days of Christmas take forever and you are anxious counting down. I thought yesterday was the 3 of December so this time has gone by really fast!

Things have finally settled down companion wise. Elder O'Brien came in on Tuesday and we have been working non stop ever since. Three days in a row we forgot to schedule dinner because we have so many appointments to run to and we literally have been running from appointments. I have never taught 20+ lessons in a week and we broke that this week and we only had 5 days to teach this week! It has been awesome! We get home at night, exhausted, hit our beds and are out. Then we get to do it again the next day! I LOVE IT!

Anyway, here is information on Elder O'Brien! He is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Loves music and guess what else...hockey (not trying to stereotype Canadians haha) He goes home in April. He is a very great missionary and we are very very similar in many ways except the great missionary part. I am still trying to get there :) 

This weekend we are going to the temple to take an inactive member who we helped return to activity in the church for the first time. I am so excited for her. Elder Rash actually taught her in his first area two years ago but then her life was a mess and she disappeared after ELder Rash gave her a blessing. I thought it was pretty cool that the last lesson Elder Rash taught was with her and he got to see the fruits of his effort from two years ago. 

Also we have a baptism on Saturday with a boy named Jacob! Oh man he is so ready! I asked him why he wanted to be baptized and he said because he wants to get closer to his Father in Heaven and return to Him one day. It was awesome!

In this months Ensign there is a talk titled " The Reality of Christmas". I encourage you to read it.  https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/12/the-reality-of-christmas?lang=eng. It is an awesome talk on Christmas and here is a piece of it!

"“It causes us to contemplate our relationship with our Father and the degree of devotion we have for God.

“It prompts us to be more tolerant and giving, more conscious of others, more generous and genuine, more filled with hope and charity and love—all Christlike attributes. No wonder the spirit of Christmas touches the hearts of people the world over. … For at least a time, increased attention and devotion are turned toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”2

This Christmas, as the spirit of the season permeates our hearts, let us do something that expresses our feelings in an outward way, showing that we understand that the babe born in Bethlehem is the real Redeemer. President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) gave some practical advice that helps us do that:

“This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.”3

Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. Without Christ, there can be no fulness of joy. Without His birth and His Atonement, we would have no Intercessor, no Advocate with the Father, and no Mediator who makes it possible for us to return to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and live together as eternal families."

Love you all. Be Good and keep me updated on your lives,

Love Elder Rush

Elder Rush with his new companion, Elder O'Brien

So proud of my Elder Rush! He is such an example to me!

New record! 5 companions in 2 weeks!

Week Teen-something 

Hola EveryOne! I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for the letters and support! Please keep me updated on your lives!

So once again my week was crazy. After the chaos of my companion being emergency transferred, I received another companion whose companion was sent home. So we were a trio for 5 days. And I get my real companion Elder O'Brien tomorrow. Things have been hectic and it is wearing on me. I guess I set a new goal with having 5 companions in 2 weeks. The work here has been going along. Smoking is an awful habit. Do not start it. The people here that are trying to quit are going through a tough time. The change they are going through is amazing. The atonement of Jesus Christ really will help us overcome the challenges we face in life. 

We were teaching a lesson to a new investigator named Jacob and he asked us what we did before our missions and I could not remember. I thought I had always been on my mission. Then I remembered. Anyway Jacob is really cool. He has a baptismal date for Dec 27 and will be baptized then!

On Sunday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting! I spoke about the Stripling warriors especially on Alma 56:47   

"Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them."

They went into a situation that they never experienced before, without fear, looking to the example of their fathers for strength and relying on what they had learned at a young age to help them overcome their trials. May we all have the faith in God we need to accomplish miracles. And may we all remember the true meaning of Christmas and everything Christ has done for us. 

Continue to read the Book of Mormon daily and for those that have not,  pick it up and try to prove it wrong. 

I love you all and miss you much. Keep up the good work.

Elder Rush

Elder Rush with 2 of the 5 companions he's had in 2 weeks! Elder Rash and Elder Santos.

They are wearing the matchy Christmas penguin ties I sent!

Elder Rush and Elder Cox, 1 of the 5 companions.

My Elders Christmas Stockings! Love my boys!

Elder Rush with his District as District Leader.

I'm District Leader now, Yikes!

Dec 8, 2014 

Well Hello peoples, 

How are your lives going? I would love to hear more!

 So this last week has been pretty hectic! Elder Downey's health started to pick up but then he was transferred away. My new companion, Elder Cox, does not like Pocatello so he found his way out of here. He was transferred to Blackfoot just now and now my companion for a week is Elder Rash, then Elder O'Brien after. It has been pretty crazy.

The work is slow and people don't like us still. That is okay, I still love them! 

Anyway if you have time check out www.mormon.org/christmas. Remember what this holiday season is about and remember what Christ has done for you!

Love you all!

 I am also a district leader now. Yikes!

Transfer day, saying goodbye to Elder Downey who went to Idaho Falls.

Watch out Pocatello West, Elder Rush and Elder Rash, the Big Jud's humongous hamburger eating missionaries, are companions until December 17th when Elder Rash completes his mission.

Elder Rush staying healthy!

Decorating their Christmas tree!

Two Weeks in a Rush

To my very happy surprise, Chris and Tyler Kraft took my Elder Rush out to lunch and sent this "mama missing her boy terribly,"some pictures!! Touched my heart!

Nov. 17, 2014

Dear Familia,

How are you all doing? Sorry I wasn't able to email you this week. The Keplers took us to Big Jud's and to this ice cream place that sells cubed ice cream. You need to look up Big Jud's Hamburgers. Lets just say they make their buns in pie tins. There is a challenge to consume a 1 pound hamburger, large fry and a large drink in less then 30 min. If you do, you get a t-shirt. I completed it but my stomach still hurts. Then we got cubed ice cream, which was really cool.

The work has been going okay here. Elder Downey has been sick, so the doctors and Walgreen Pharmacy have been frequent stops for us. Hopefully he can get better soon. Transfers are Dec. 3rd, so we will see if I stay in Pocatello with Elder Downey.

It snowed here for a few days and has been below 30 degrees F.  since Monday. The lowest it got, I am not quite sure? Maybe 5 degrees minus the wind chill, while we were out walking.

Hopefully you are doing well. I miss you all so much. Be good and keep me up-to date.

Love,

Elder Rush

I looked up Big Jud's, and oh my! Here is a picture of the challenge and the hamburger
 Elder Rush consumed, and he did it in under 30 min.! Crazy!

Digging in for the 30 minute challenge

Elder Rash and Elder Rush completed the challenge!

Cubed ice cream!

Elder Rash and Elder Rush enjoying cubed ice cream.

Elder Rush and Elder Downey.

Mitchell eating snow. He said he doesn't like snow, but he will live!

My favorite picture of the week. Potato gun war! Love my boy!

Week Something around 13 I don't know?

Hello Everyone! 

How are things going in your lives? I would love to hear about it!

Anyway I just wanted to express some feelings about serving a mission real quick.

As a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I have the privilege of inviting people to come unto Christ, to learn more about our Savior Jesus Christ. I do not mean to offend anyone or their beliefs but to express what I know to be true. I invite all those that do not know much about the "Mormon" church to come and see what it is like. We hide no secrets and love to answer questions. I do not think I am better than anyone because I am a Mormon or that I am on a mission. We are all sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven and He wants us to return to Him! Remember the reason for this up coming holiday season and give thanks.

Elder Downey has been very sick the past two weeks. We have not been able to proselyte much. My studies have been outrageous though. Being inside 20 out of 24 hours a day gives me much opportunity to learn. Hopefully he can get better soon. I was told I might be training a new missioanry this coming transfer, which is next week, or be put into some other leadership position. Wish me luck. One big lesson I've learned is how much our faith, humility, patience, diligence whatever it may be pales in comparison to Christ! Make sure to strengthen that understanding become more Christlike!

Love you all Keep up the good work!

Elder Rush

Elder Rush has a Favorite Mission Kitten!

                       

      Elder Rush's favorite mission kitten!      

  

Hello Everyone!

Well I do not remember anything that happened this last week! Other then monday, it all was a blur. Elder Downey had many appointments, trying to figure out what is wrong. He was diagnosed with depression. We have appointments with a counselor twice a week now. Hopefully he will be able to deal with it better after our appointments. He could really use some prayers! Our teaching pool has really been expanding. We find more people each day mixed in with our failures. We are shifting the wheat from the tares! We have 4 people schedule to take that step closer to Christ and be baptized: Miles, Bill, Dixie, and Roger. And 3 more people we plan to set a baptismal date with: Gabe, Candy, and Teresa. They all have their struggles and are in need of more blessings. You can definitely tell the closer someone comes to choosing the right the harder their challenges in life become. Other than that, yesterday we had a General Authority, Elder Martino teach us for 6 hours! It was such an amazing experience! I learned so much and was spiritually feed beyond capacity. It is hard to describe it all in an email, so I am sorry. One of the most important things I learned was the difference between goals and achievements and that it must be traveled by work. There is no point of setting goals without doing the work. Anyway I love reading the scriptures being able to truly study and understand them! I love this gospel and it is true! 

Love,

Elder Rush

   Nice day outside!                   

WEIRD HOUSE!          

      

Week 10: Learning More Patience

Well Hello Everyone!

This week was been the longest week of my mission and my life! Praying for patience and more trials is not a good combination. I do not even remember what happened at the beginning of the week so...

Elder Downey was sick again. He has been trying his best to push forward and endure. The poor guy can't catch a break! Being inside has been hard for me but I am learning patience. What I do remember from this week was Halloween. We were locked inside from 6pm to 9pm and watched movies! I watched The Lego Movie, and Tron Legacy. Frozen was also available to watch but Tron sounded a little better. I am surprised that I said THAT! Saturday and Sunday were pretty long day as well. We were finally able to see some of our investigators. Sadly they have not been able to quit smoking but they are trying!  Angela has been progressing. She has been soaking up the gospel like crazy! When we met her I thought something was off and it turns out she is on probation for 4 years. And probation must be completed since it is seen as a form of repentance. And you must truly repent before baptism. Anyway I do not have much to say! This week was also the most contentious and stressful of my life and I have no idea why!

Anyway I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I love the happiness it can bring to your life. No one understands how important it is to keep the commandments and show our love for our Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ. Keep reading the Book of Mormon and praying from guidance and support!

Love you all! Miss you all! Please keep me updated!

Elder Rush

So proud of my Elder Rush. Even though his course is seeing lots of huge waves, he has set his course, sail and rudder, and is proceeding! Love my amazing boy!

  Pumpkin carving fun!

        

It snowed!

 The outdoors, yippy!